2026-04-18

2026-04-18: Spring on Biyang-do

 Biyang-do is a small island on the northwest coast of Jeju just off of Hallim city. It's features really make it seem like a miniature Jeju, with some rock coast, a bit of wetland on the west, a small village, and an oreum in the centre. 

I had visited the island several times in late summer, fall, and even winter, but had yet to check it out in spring. Turned out to be pretty decent, especially given the weather. Nothing terribly rare, but good numbers of bulbuls, some thrushes, shorebirds, raptors, buntings, and some leaf warblers. It wasn't a full day visit, so I'm sure plenty more could be dug up if I returned again in perhaps late April or early May and dug into the forest and oreum in the centre.

Japanese Cormorant

Black-tailed Gull

Black-winged Stilt

Osprey

Dusky Thrush

Pelagic Cormorant

Little Egret

Eurasian Whimbrel

Small Copper

Little Grebe

Hoopoe

Vega Gull in Hallim Harbour

Chinese Egret at Ongpocheon Estuary


2026-04-12

2026-04-12: Mara-do

 Mara-do always seems to start revving up by mid April, with plenty of spring migration variety moving through. It's probably the best time for thrushes and colourful flycatchers in spring, as well as buntings, late winter migrants, and some exciting ones. Some highlights for this trip included White-shouldered Starling, Japanese Quail, and two Wrynecks.


Narcissus Flycatcher

Swinhoe's White-eye

Yellow-bellied Tit

Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Chestnut Bunting

Eurasian Wryneck

Slaty-backed Gull

Black-winged Stilt

White-shouldered Starling

Dusky Thrush

Japanese Thrush - female

Japanese Quail !!

Red-throated Pipit

Oriental Pratincole

Olive-backed Pipit

Great Knot

Red-flanked Bluetail

Pacific Loon

Black-winged Stilt


2026-04-11

2026-04-11: Spring Migration on Udo

 A nice little daytrip to busy Udo on the east coast of Jeju. Usually we try to avoid this island because of how many tourists visit it, but we gave it a shot in nice spring weather and it ended up being very pleasant. Lots of birds around, flowers blooming, and some tasty peanut makgeolli.

Vega Gull

Vega Gull

Eastern Cattle Egret

Chestnut-cheeked Starling

White-cheeked Starling

Red-rumped Swallow

Eurasian Goshawk - not easy to find on Jeju!

Peanut coloured Horse

Pelagic Cormorant seen from the return boat


2026-04-05

2026-04-05: Mara-do

 An early April visit to Mara-do was very nice, with a wide variety of species seen and encountered. Great Knot was a surprising one, as well as a few other shorebirds present on the outer coastal edges of the island. Thrushes and Flycatchers, Manchurian Bush Warbler, and Red-flanked Bluetails were among other species fairly numerous this day.

Bar-tailed Godwit

Little Bunting

Dusky Thrush

Red-flanked Bluetail

Grey-backed Thrush

Manchurian Bush Warbler

Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Black-winged Stilt

Great Knot

Great Knot

Eurasian Hoopoe

Eurasian Hoopoe

Daurian Redstart

Island cat. There used to be a big problem with cats on the island, but in recent years it seems to be getting better.

Asian Stubtail

Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipit