Dr Nial Moores, Nationwide Director of Birds Korea / 새와 생명의 터
One other week of Birds Korea survey of birds and extra biodiversity within the Yeoncheon Imjin River Biosphere Reserve supported by Yeoncheon County. This survey interval additionally included a gathering on the eighth within the CCZ to debate the potential restoration of crane habitat; and a morning of survey on the tenth of c. 250ha of forest simply throughout the county border in Cheorwon, aimed toward decreasing data gaps on forest chook distribution. As throughout earlier surveys in the summertime months, a lot of our analysis focus continues to be on the nationally Weak Lengthy-billed Plover, on the globally Weak Fairy Pitta, on raptors (lots of that are Nationwide Pure Monuments) and on different nationally threatened species.
This time, survey was led every day by NM and Hantan-Imjin Space Consultant Baek Seung-Kwang, with plenty of much-appreciated help from different Birds Korea members (Kim Haemin on Third, fifth and sixth; Kim Jeong-In, on Third; Kim Hee-A on Third and fifth; and Birds Korea Yeoncheon’s Lee Su-Younger on eighth, joined by Dr Park Shinyeong who volunteered for our Lengthy-billed Plover survey final 12 months), and likewise from members of a Seoul-based on-line Birdwatching Cafe (Kim Seon-U, Choi So Hyun and Jang Youjin – all on Third). In Cheorwon, our survey was guided by Kim Myeong Ha, and was joined by Kim Hae Kyung, each Birds Korea members. Many because of all!
Whereas the depend knowledge nonetheless want some cleansing and evaluation, notable observations in Yeoncheon County included:
Better White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons 쇠기러기. One beneath the Gunnam Dam, Imjin River, on fifth.
Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris 큰기러기. One with two Taiga Bean Geese at Baekhak, Imjin River, on eighth.
Japanese Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis middendorffii 큰부리큰기러기. Two at Baekhak, Imjin River, on eighth.
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata 원앙. Solely ten seen, at a complete of three places (two of which had been throughout the CCZ).
Hazel Grouse Tetrastes bonasia 들꿩. One was seen in hill forest at very shut quarters with 4 tiny chicks on fifth. Three of the chicks had been fast to get into deeper cowl; one took somewhat extra persuasion from their mum!
Northern Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx hyperythrus 매사촌. As in earlier years, just one territory was discovered – this in the identical forest valley as in earlier years.
Frequent Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 뻐꾸기. Maybe as a result of we spent extra time in open habitats, this was the most-observed cuckoo with a complete of 35 birds heard vocalising. This compares with 22-26 throughout our earlier shorter surveys in June and July.
Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus 벙어리뻐꾸기. A complete of 26 had been heard vocalising, virtually all in c.400 ha of hill forest. This is kind of just like the quantity recorded in earlier, shorter surveys (e.g., 23 over 5 dates in June 2022 and 29 over six dates in June 2023).
Lengthy-billed Plover Thinornis placidus 흰목물떼새. A complete of 49 had been discovered, together with 4 younger chicks and 4 well-grown juveniles. One chook sitting on a nest was additionally seen; and two had been heard solely – with fixed calling at the moment of 12 months sometimes related to adults which have younger close by. This compares properly with our survey in July 2025, which discovered a complete of 28 people, together with 6-8 younger.
This April and Could, it seems that (fortunately) there was somewhat much less dredging alongside the three major rivers than final 12 months, permitting some pairs to breed. Nonetheless, maybe due to somewhat low water ranges this 12 months, disturbance by leisure fishers was fairly extreme alongside each the Chatancheon and the Imjin Rivers. For instance, we noticed automobiles drive throughout the Imjin River from the Paju aspect on to islands utilized by breeding plovers on the Yeoncheon aspect at Baekhak; and fishers stroll out on to shingle islands beneath Horogoru.
Little Ringed Plover Thinornis dubius 꼬마물떼새. A complete of 61 had been discovered, together with 3 younger chicks and 4 juveniles. Nearly half of those (29) had been on very massive shingle financial institution, the place a number of birds had been attempting to nest.
Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris 괭이갈매기. In all probability 12 had been seen in complete, all alongside the Imjin River.
Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus 한국재갈매기. One was at Horogoru on seventh.
Chinese language Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus 흰날개해오라기. One was close to the Pilsung Bridge within the CCZ on eighth. Though small numbers breed in adjoining Cheorwon County, this was our first file of the species in Yeoncheon (and was a much-expected however nonetheless massively fulfilling species #250 for our chook guidelines within the county).
Japanese Cattle Egret Ardea coromanda 황로. Sometimes somewhat scarce in Yeoncheon, 39 in rice-fields in Baekhak on eighth was our highest single depend within the County so far.
Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus 벌매. A scarce summer time customer and presumably a somewhat commoner migrant via Yeoncheon. We solely discovered three people this 12 months, together with one within the southwest of the county.
Chinese language Sparrowhawk Tachyspiza soloensis 붉은배새매. We discovered a complete of 25, virtually all of which had been grownup males (with one Second Calendar-year male proven within the picture beneath); 22 of which had been throughout the CCZ. Fortunately, this complete compares properly with earlier surveys.
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 흰꼬리수리. This species is pretty widespread in winter however is a really uncommon breeding species within the ROK (1-3 pairs at most yearly, with confirmed breeding on Heuksan Island within the far southwest, and breeding strongly suspected in Yeoncheon in recent times). An grownup was seen in regular, excessive flight on Ninth.
Gray-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus 왕새매. We discovered a complete of 21, virtually all of which had been throughout the CCZ. This compares properly with earlier shorter breeding surveys (14 over 5 dates in June 2022; 12 over 5 dates in June 2024; and ten over seven dates in July 2025).
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops 후투티. Though a reasonably frequent nesting species elsewhere in Gyeonggi Province, one within the CCZ on 4th was our first summer time file within the County.
Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda 호반새. In all, we counted 24. This compares with e.g., 18 heard over 5 dates of survey in early June 2022. Forest adjoining to rice-fields within the CCZ and stands of older forest adjoining or close to to rivers and streams outdoors of the CCZ are the popular major habitat sorts. Because the species is extremely vocal; will be heard 1km or extra away; and seems to be virtually absent from in depth closed cover hill forest outdoors of the CCZ, we estimated in 2025 that 30-40 territories had been seemingly held in Yeoncheon. Based mostly on this 12 months’s survey, with concentrations of calling birds heard in a number of extra areas, that estimate will more likely to be revised to c. 50-75 territories on this 12 months’s report. As with so many different landbird species, the absence of a large-scale nationwide breeding chook survey and particularly of a sturdy nationwide inhabitants estimate prevents a fuller evaluation of the County’s significance to this spectacularly-colored, very shy summer time customer.
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata 청호반새. One was heard and seen within the CCZ on 4th. We additionally visited a widely known nesting website of this globally Weak species close to to Baekhak on seventh, which now seems to have been “misplaced” to an ongoing road-widening venture. We didn’t have time to go to one other website the place we heard two final 12 months.
Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Yungipicus canicapillus 아물쇠딱다구리. Whereas apparently recovering in quantity in a number of components of the ROK (because of forest restoration efforts began within the Nineteen Sixties and Nineteen Seventies), this species seems to be very native in Yeoncheon County. This survey a household group of 5 was discovered at Samicheon, returning to a bunch of lifeless bushes the place we discovered the species final November.
Eurasian Pastime Falco subbuteo 새호리기. A complete of 9 had been seen through the surveys.
Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha 팔색조. A complete of 13 singing birds had been recorded in about 400ha of forest which had been surveyed this 12 months, with 5 of those in a beforehand unsurveyed space within the southwest of the county; and the rest at a well-surveyed website, which we solely part-covered this 12 months (with 5 additionally heard in instantly adjoining forest in Cheorwon on tenth). Our estimate of c. 100 pairs of this globally Weak in Yeoncheon County continues to look cheap.
Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus 할미새사촌. Typically thought-about to be a standard migrant and a uncommon summer time customer to the ROK. A complete of 12 had been recorded, at six totally different places (most of which had been throughout the CCZ), indicating widespread breeding.
Black Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata 긴꼬리딱새. 5 or 6 had been heard through the survey, with most of those towards the southwest of the county.
Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus 칡때까치. The most common shrike within the County, with 30 people recorded through the survey.
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus 노랑때까치. After many years of decline pushed partially by agricultural intensification, now a uncommon breeding species within the ROK (and a standard breeder simply over the inside border within the DPRK). Just one was seen: a male confusus within the CCZ on the 4th.
Mild-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis 검은이마직박구리. The fast enhance of this species continues. A complete of eight had been recorded at 4 totally different places.
Gray-backed Thrush Turdus hortulorum 되지빠귀. Simply essentially the most quite a few breeding thrush within the county – and now nationally too – with 89 recorded through the survey in roughly 400ha of forest, together with a number of very younger juveniles. In Cheorwon, 57 had been counted alongside a path via roughly 150ha of forest.
Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana 큰유리새. The second commonest flycatcher breeding within the County, with 39 birds heard in complete.
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia 흰눈썹황금새. The most common breeding flycatcher within the County, with 59 birds heard and seen in complete.
Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri 검은딱새. Following maybe many years of decline, the reedbeds and grassy areas throughout the CCZ and subsequent to wetlands within the inside border space of Korea now present the final remaining stronghold for breeding stonechats within the ROK. A complete of solely 17 had been heard or seen throughout this survey. This compares very poorly with 37 counted in roughly the identical areas between June 2nd and fifth 2022, and 29 counted between Could thirtieth and June sixth 2024. This represents a decline of 54% in solely 5 years. If this decline isn’t confined to Yeoncheon alone, then the breeding inhabitants of this species ought to be assessed as nationally Endangered.
Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus 물레새. On seventh, one was heard singing on the confluence of the Samicheon and Imjin rivers; and one was seen foraging within the river throughout the Samicheon CCZ. These are solely the second and third information of this species in Yeoncheon.
As well as, mammals seen in Yeoncheon through the survey included Crimson Squirrel, a number of globally Weak Korean Water Deer, two Racoon Canine (one in every of which was affected by mange-like signs) and a single Amur Leopard Cat, whereas three small Amur Mushy-shelled Turtle and several other snakes and amphibians, together with Seoul / Golden Pond Frog, had been additionally recorded. Particulars of those might be included in our end-of-the-year report back to the County.
Different highlights throughout the identical interval was the success of Birds Korea Yeoncheon’s open-to-all month-to-month or seasonal birdwatching go to to Samicheon on seventh; and seeing a second signal introducing the Scaly-sided Merganser (part-funded by a small grant to Birds Korea via the EAAFP).
Our subsequent major survey interval in Yeoncheon might be in late September and early October, throughout which era we purpose to depend migrating raptors, and can seemingly attempt to survey Lengthy-billed Plover once more (for the fourth time this 12 months!). If you’re occupied with volunteering, please contact Birds Korea!
