John Kitcher, Might 2024
I had the pleasure of spending a number of days in the course of the 2024 peak migration interval in birding boot camp on Baengnyeongdo with Dr. Moores, Birds Korea’s Director. I say “boot camp” as a result of I’ve solely been birding for one yr, and Dr. ‘Sergeant Main’ Moores had loads of recommendation to supply to deliver me in control, ideas that I’ll share with you, expensive reader.
The key
“The explanation I see extra birds than different individuals,” confessed Dr. Moores to me on the primary day, “is as a result of I’m quieter”. Such a easy however profound assertion. In all places we went, we moved favored cats stalking our prey.
The stroll
Within the discipline you progress slowly. You stroll softly and as mild footed as attainable. While you attain to your binoculars, you s-l-o-w-l-y attain for them and s-l-o-w-l-y transfer them to your eyes. Your each motion is being watched, and it’s essential to persuade the birds that you’re not a risk. While you see a chook you don’t level! Birds are shy and don’t need the eye. You don’t speak needlessly, and should you should say one thing, you whisper.
The automotive
We drove virtually all over the place with the home windows down. We had a number of speeds: chook pace in bird-rich places and within the rice fields (5 kph), ‘pressing-on’ pace for once we needed to be someplace however didn’t wish to upset the birds (15 kph), and most important highway pace for when there was some visitors but in addition the potential of some attention-grabbing birds (25 kph). By going at chook pace, Dr. Moores was in a position to establish by name/track extra birds than I can rely.
Identification: Construction, distinction, then plumage, together with coloration
Construction: After we have a look at a chook, the very first thing to do is decide their construction. Is the chook massive or small, long-billed or short-billed, or constructed (for its species group or household) like a fridge or like a ballerina? Flycatchers are instance. The Asian Brown Flycatcher is dainty and sleek wanting whereas the Gray-Streaked Flycatcher is extra strong and highly effective wanting. Additionally, have a look at how the chook strikes and behaves due to their construction. A Pacific Swift is smaller and strikes in another way to a White-throated Needletail.
Distinction: Which factors on the birds are excessive contrasting and which birds present little distinction ? this sparrow-sized chook, are you able to inform what the species is by wanting simply at contrasts?
Are you able to guess what it’s? Maybe a Manchurian Bush Warbler? [Dr Moores: “Yes…Korean Bush Warbler as we usually call this species – long-tailed, thin-billed, with a very pale throat, a vaguely paler belly and darker flanks, and a white supercilium above a dark eye-stripe…”)
Plumage & Colour: Lastly, look at the colours and details of the plumage. We do this last of all because the light can be difficult, colours can be hard to see properly and remember, and the brain can fill in the blanks, and add in colour that wasn’t even there/make you recall something you didn’t see, while forgetting all the other details.
Habitats: Wetlands
Wetlands are very attractive to birds. Driving at bird speed past wetlands we were on full alert for sandpipers. Wood Sandpipers tend to be in rice-fields in which there are lots of insects (look for dragonflies etc). Their calls also tend to attract other species, which also attract yet more birds. If there are Wood Sandpipers in a field, there is a better chance of finding other species. We saw a huge flock of Wood Sandpipers (278) during a rainy spell. And nearby was a Ruddy Turnstone, two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, several Richard’s Pipits, and a lone, soggy Blyth’s Pipit.
Sentience
Birds are sentient and think. When you drive up to a junction in an unknown town, you have to stop and decide which way to go: left or right? A bird too will stop at a natural junction (such as where a river splits or an island ends) and spend time deciding his or her next step.
Now, imagine you are a bird and have just flown 180 km from China over the Yellow Sea from the Shandong peninsula in 3 or 4 hours and just seen land. What would you do? You are 1 km up, the tailwinds are strong, the sun is shining, and visibility is great. Why stop? You don’t. You keep on flying to North Korea because when the sun shines, make hay.
Now imagine you are flying over the sea and you get caught in rain. The wind becomes turbulent, visibility plunges, and you don’t know how much longer you can go on. You are exhausted! You see an island. You drop!
Bird numbers tend to accumulate during bad weather and fall away during good weather for migration.
Another thing, bird species don’t all fly at the same speed. At the start of an arrival phase, egrets and shorebirds tend to arrive first, followed by slightly weaker flyers such as chats and flycatchers. The birds arrive and depart in waves.
I know there are many Birds Korea supporters out there. I hope that we can meet up from time to time to help build the community spirit, and put on trips for beginner birders to help set their field-craft in the right direction and ensure Bird Korea’s continuation.
Thank you again Dr. Moores for teaching me so much.
Other exciting birds seen on the trip…
