2024-09-19: Jeju City

 Fall migration has really begun in full swing now, with a nice turnover each day in my local patch Shinsan Park in Jeju City. Blue-and-white Flycatchers are moving through, as are a few leaf warblers, Asian Brown Flycatchers, and Grey Streaked Flycatchers. Best highlight was an immature Cuculus species, what I'm assuming is a Lesser based on a few features. It flew in around the stream area, and caught a caterpillar. It hung around for a couple days afterwards.

Another highlight was a Striated Heron, seen briefly on a rainy morning in the stream area. No photos unfortunately, but seen well in the binocs.

Blue-and-white Flycatcher. Nice blue coming in on the wings!

Brown-eared Bulbul having a wash in the fountain.

Immature Lesser Cuckoo. I'm guessing Indian Cuckoo is excluded due to some of the red present on the feathers.

2022-05 Birds on Jeju Island in May

 Birding in the spring can be interesting anywhere you are in Korea. Jeju has a wide range of habitats within a close proximity, so it can be easy to find a lot of interesting species at the right time. May of couse has some really interesting species rolling through, as well is good opportunities to see resident species in fresh green surroundings.

Large-billed Crow at Jeolmul Forest.

Jeju City has some nice parks that can have migrants hiding during spring time. Emphasis on the hiding though as it can take a bit of work finding some of the more interesting birds passing through. I think mainly due to how popular the parks can be with both tourists and locals.

Black-naped Oriole at the Halla Arboretum. A regular summer breeder on the Korean mainland, but generally only a migrant on Jeju Island.

Dollarbird in a pine tree at Sarabong Park. Another common Korean summer breeder that usually only shows up during migration on Jeju.

The south of the island is where the real gold is in spring time, with many choices of habitat. A birdwatcher can really have a lot of fun going through these different parks during spring, finding some pretty rare species at the right times. I found myself rotating through these different parks each week, trying to find the sweet spots. Certainly some parks seemed better than others, but there were surprises to be had even on non-birding days.

Tristram's Bunting in the scrub.

Gray Wagtail in a stream somewhere by Jungmun.

Male Mugimaki in the canopy in a Park in Seogwipo City.

Yellow Bunting, rather uncommon in Korea during migration. Jeju is apparently the best place to find them in spring.

Brown Shrike perched on a reed on the south coast.

One of my favourite spots, Yongsu Reservoir, has interesting birds year round. Spring time certainly met my expectations, even with just a couple of visits. The highlight for this area in spring was certainly a Pheasant-tailed Jacana, a species not so common in Korea.

Common Cuckoo. This one had me confused until it was pointed out that Common Cuckoo's have light streaking on their vent and heavy barring on their chest. Also the thicker, heavier body.

Brown-eared Bulbul with some nesting material.

Light-vented Bulbul, a species that has successfuly colonized Jeju Island, and slowly the mainland.

Marsh Sandpiper at Yongsu Reservoir.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana at Yongsu Reservoir. This species used to breed on Jeju until development and extra disturbance made them more rare. Despie this, Several were found in spring 2021, and I personally saw 2 individuals this year (2022).

2022-05 Migration on Mara-do in May

May is a really exciting time to go birdwatching on islands in Korea. So of course I spent a fair amount of time visiting Mara Island, the furthest south you can get in Korea. It being an island gives it a roulette feel where you don't know what will show up each visit. And the southern location adds some extra spice to the potential species that can be found here.

Grey Streaked Flycatcher, a somewhat common migrant that looks similar to the Asian Brown Flycatcher and even more similar to the Dark-sided Flycatcher.

Dark-sided Flycatcher, not so common but not so rare either.

Blue-and-white Flycatcher, a brilliant male. This species breeds on Korea and can be commonly found in  forests and mountains in the summer.

Narcissus Flycatcher, a common migrant in the south of the country. I believe these are mostly headed for Japan and nearby.

Tiger Shrike, a breeder on the mainland of Korea, but not so common on Jeju Island outside of migration.

Chinese Sparrowhawk, a common summer breeder.

Thick-billed Warbler, this species was a lifer for me. They are not very common and generally show up in late May and moreso on northern islands off of Incheon.

Black-browed Reed Warbler, smaller than the Oriental Reed Warbler but just as noisy. They sort of remind me of Zitting Cisticolas in a superficial way.

Grey Nightjar, incredibly elusive but apparently common to hear calling at night in May and June. Mara Island is a good place to find individuals resting because the trees are so small and exposed. This one was a lifer for me and I got incredibly lucky to get such excellent views.

Pallas' Reed Bunting, common in reeds (who would have thought?) in the winter, mainly on the Korean mainland. This one felt a little late in migration.

Yellow-browed Bunting, another common migrant.

Eyebrowed Thrush, common spring migrant. Difficult to see at times, like most thrushes.

Grey-backed Thrush, regular summer breeder in Korea.

Styan's Grasshopper Warbler. This species is known to only breed on islands and iselets off of Korea and Japan, and spends its winters down in Hong Kong and Southern China. Mara Island is quite possibly one of the easiest places in the world to find them.

 

2022-05 Coastal Birds in May, Jeju-do

 Most shorebirds have left Korea by early May but there were still a few stragglers. Here's a few photos of birds seen on the coast on Jeju Island in (mostly early) May.

Heuglin's Gull (a species with a confusing taxonomy, some say it is a distinct species, others list it as a subspecies of Lesser Black-backed Gull)

Common Greenshank

A pair of Chinese Egret preening.

Caspian Tern, a vagrant to Korea. This particular individual was hanging around the east coast of Jeju Island since at least January.

Grey-tailed Tattler, this species seems to linger around and can be seen in varying numbers from March to November.

Grey Wagtail, male. Not a shorebird but seen on the shore nonetheless. And look at those bright breeding colours!

Lesser Sand Plover in fine breeding plumage. The round shape and orange colour makes it a little similar to the oranges Jeju is famous for.

2021-10-23 and 24 Fall Migration on Heuksan Island

The morning view of Heuksan Island from Jilli.

*Originally posted on the Birds Korea Blog (http://www.birdskoreablog.org/?p=25294) 

Interested to see what fall migration was like elsewhere in Korea this season, I took a weekend trip to Heuksan Island, a place well known for its migratory birds and even has its own research station for banding birds.

Rook Corvus frugilegus 떼까마귀 

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni 힝둥새 

I arrived on the island Saturday afternoon and went straight for the fields and wetlands by Baenanggimi. Four Rooks were seen near the harbour enroute, as well as White Wagtails, Grey Herons, and plenty of gulls within the harbour (a mix of Black-tailed, Vega, and Mongolian, with likely others). The fields and wetland had plenty of Stejneger’s Stonechats (recently split to Amur Stonechats), and buntings (Pallas’s Reed, Rustic, and Black-faced). A Northern Goshawk was seen passing over the valley, and a Common Snipe was flushed while walking along some reeds. Up in a reservoir were a large number of Mandarin Ducks, as well as a pair of Little Grebes.

Pallas’s Reed Bunting Emberiza pallasi 북방검은머리쑥새 

Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicus 말똥가리

The next day began before dawn, starting with two Common Snipe and a Common Sandpiper along a stream bed. A leisurely stroll along a channel in Jilli found Oriental Reed Warbler, Black-browed Reed Warbler, Pale Thrush, plenty of Amur Stonechats, Black-faced Buntings, Olive-backed Pipits, and Oriental Turtle Doves. Further in by a reservoir was a juvenile Black-crowed Night Heron and Tristram’s Buntings.

Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri 검은딱새

Chestnut Bunting Emberiza rutila 꼬까참새

Returning to the wetland in Baenanggimi afterwards, a nice selection of raptors were seen including Osprey, White-tailed Eagle, Northern Goshawks, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and three Eastern Buzzards. Pallas’s Reed Bunting and Amur Stonechats were the predominate passerines in the area, but White Wagtails, Olive-backed Pipits, Daurian Redstarts, and one Yellow-browed Warbler were present as well. In another stream and farm area were a couple surprises, a female Chestnut Bunting and Siberian Rubythroat.

White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 흰꼬리수리

Not just the birds, but the insects were appealing as well. Chinese Mantis Tenodera sinensis 왕사마귀 

Not quite winter yet, this Korean Skink (Scincella vandenburghi 도마뱀) was prowling about.

The afternoon was spent in the elevated cow fields in Ye-ri, where a large group of pipits were found, roughly equal parts Red-throated and Buff-bellied. A Eurasian Skylark was briefly heard and then seen, as well as Black Kite, and a Large-billed Crowby the harbour.

Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus 붉은가슴밭종다리

Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens japonicus 밭종다리 

The ferry trip on the way there and back unfortunately didn’t yield much other than a few Larus spp. gulls. With no outside access and windows caked over with salt from waves, seawatching wasn’t exactly easy. All in all, a pleasant weekend visit to Heuksan Island.

Heuksan Island from the grassy hills of Ye-ri.