Dr Nial Moores, Nationwide Director, Birds Korea
Protection was nearly unbroken on Baengnyeong (aka the “Massive B”) in the course of the peak northward migration interval this yr, with as much as three groups of birders on some dates counting seen migration or driving and strolling across the island, together with a number of Birds Koreans and Ian Davies and Alli Smith from the eBird group.
The climate was largely unremarkable all through except for rain on Might Third and a slow-moving rain band working south over the Bohai after which throughout the entire of the Yellow Sea on Might seventh, each of which deposited giant numbers of birds on the island. These included two island firsts, citing the island’s chicken record to a formidable 403 species since 2013.
Most likely greater than 210 species had been reliably recorded on the island throughout this era alone, with one of many highlights greater than a thousand Black-naped Oriole “by means of” in ten days, together with a presumed nationwide excessive day-count of 305 seen shifting off-island on Might tenth!
We additionally loved presumably record-breaking nationwide excessive day-counts of Japanese Grosbeak, with 151 counted heading east on Might Sixth; one other massive day for Wooden Sandpiper, with 1,600+ on Might seventh; the island’s first Asian Dowitcher on Might Third; two Tibetan Sand Plover (on Might 4th-Sixth at the least), constituting solely the second adequately documented report for the ROK; a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (island second report, first sight report, on Might fifth), two Claudia’s Leaf Warblers heard on Might seventh (solely 5-6 earlier nationwide information), two Tickell’s Leaf Warbler seen in a single bush on Might eighth, and two Yellow-streaked Warblers – confirming their annual standing on this island.
As well as, a lot of the common species had been in kind of anticipated numbers contemplating the widely superb climate – with e.g., teams of Japanese and Chinese language Sparrowhawks, Gray-faced Buzzards and Crested / Oriental Honey Buzzards on a number of dates and a excessive day depend of 9 or so Amur Falcons; a peak day depend of about 50 Brown Shrike; small numbers of chats (together with in all probability 5 or extra Bluethroat at peak, good for right here, however disappointingly small numbers of the often a lot commoner Siberian Rubythroat) and flycatchers; good numbers of Jap Yellow Wagtails, with e.g. 220 by means of the northeast fields on Might fifth; peak counts solely within the low tons of of Olive-backed Pipit (far decreased from the counts of a number of hundreds some years); and Black-faced, Little and Chestnut the three most quite a few of the 13 bunting species logged throughout this era.
Surprisingly, though numbers of Mild-vented Bulbul remained as excessive as anticipated, numbers of white-eyes this yr had been a lot decrease than in 2025 (and in some earlier years), with the most important flock of Swinhoe’s White-eye “solely” 30-35.
Extra on a few of the extra notable information follows:
Stejneger’s Scoter Melanitta stejnegeri 검둥오리사촌. Ian Davies (ID) and Alli Smith (AS) counted 274 off the south aspect on Might Third (https://ebird.org/guidelines/S332271601) – a excessive depend for therefore late within the spring.
Garganey Spatula querquedula 발구지. Greater than 30 had been current in early Might, with a excessive depend of fifty on Might Third made by Andy Lee’s group (https://ebird.org/guidelines/S333341124), the second highest day depend for the island.
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus 밤색날개뻐꾸기. One was glimpsed by Nial Moores (NM), Rebecca Hartman (RH) and John Kitcher (JK) at shut vary flying into a bunch pines and bushes within the northeast fields throughout a morning of heavy seen migration on Might fifth (https://ebird.org/guidelines/S333012835). A small and sadly unsuccessful twitch ensued…That is the one second report for the Massive B of this nationwide rarity, with the primary one heard calling by NM and Shim Kyu-Sik on Might 4th 2017.
Purple Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica 홍비둘기. Maybe annual on the island. Two had been claimed, with out particulars (past one male and one feminine) in Jinchon by Mattias Nilsson on Might eleventh,
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 흰배뜸부기. Maybe annual on the island. One in Jinchon on April twenty eighth (NM); and two in Junghwadong on Might eleventh (NM).
Gray-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus 민댕기물떼새. One at Junghwadong on Might 2nd-Third (NM & JK), and one heard in the course of the very early morning of Might eleventh (NM)
Tibetan Sand Plover Anarhynchus atrifrons 검은이마왕눈물떼새. Two discovered on Sagot seaside by NM, JK and RH on Might 4th remained in the identical space till at the least the Sixth. This was the primary island report, and apparently solely the second nationwide report documented with {a photograph}. For a fuller dialogue of ID of this lately break up species, please see right here.
Little Curlew (Little Whimbrel) Numenius minutus 쇠부리도요. A fairly poor displaying of this species this yr, with solely three discovered: one in Yeonhwari on Might 4th and fifth; one discovered within the rice-fields close to Kongdol Seaside by Park Cheong Woon on fifth (thanks for contacting us to tell us); and one on the Hwadong Wetlands on seventh (ID & AS).
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 흑꼬리도요. An island high-count of 79-80 was made within the central rice-fields on Might seventh, with this flock watched departing north quickly after their discovery (https://ebird.org/guidelines/S333959890) (ID & AS and individually NM & JK).
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus 큰부리도요. A completely beautiful chicken in full breeding plumage was discovered by NM, JK and RH within the Pukbori Rice-fields on Might Third. That is the primary island report of this globally Close to Threatened species, which is often solely recorded about 5 or so instances annually on the nationwide degree.
Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura 바늘꼬리도요. As in earlier years, primarily based on calls, by far probably the most quite a few snipe by means of the island in early Might, with e.g., 30+ within the Harrier Fields on Might 1st (NM, Andy Lee [AL], Kim Seon-U [KSU], Justin Lee [JL] & Sung Kimin [SK]); 33 (and 14 unidentified snipes) counted departing the Hwadong Wetland by ID & AS on Might 4th; 52 departing the island on the night of Might fifth (ID & AS); and a flock of 88 – in all probability all of this species – seen departing northeast over Simcheonggak on Might seventh (NM, ID, AS & RK).
Wooden Sandpiper Tringa glareola 알락도요. As in earlier years, probably the most quite a few shorebird recorded on the island, with a conservative 1,600 counted within the north of the island (NM & JK) and the centre of the island (ID & AS) on Might seventh, this being a mix of grounded birds and flocks in lively departure. This quantity is fairly just like the estimated 2,000 seen crossing the island, largely in the late afternoon and early night of Might seventh 2024
Lengthy-toed Stint Calidris subminuta 종달도요. The one stint present in respectable numbers this yr, with a excessive depend of at the least 25 within the Pukbori rice-fields.
Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris 괭이갈매기. Dr Lee Ki-sup (LKS) estimated 25,000 (most presumably on the fundamental colony) on Might eighth.
Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor 저어새. LKS estimated 60 on the island on Might eighth – a brand new island excessive depend of this globally Weak however quickly recovering species.
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 붉은왜가리. Remarkably scarce this spring, with one seen in a wetland subsequent to the Baengnyeong Reclamation Lake on Might 4th (ID & AS) and fifth (NM, Kim Younger-Gul & Tony Lee).
Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos 알락개구리매. A good spring for this usually scarce migrant, with a female and male over Simcheonggak on April twenty fifth (NM); a male by means of JInchon on Might 1st (NM); and additional singles on Might 4th (ID, AS) and fifth (ID, AS) and ninth (ID, AS).
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 꾀꼬리. Singles in late April, and due to a number of mornings of viz-migging by ID, AS and NM, a minimal of 1,007 counted within the first half of Might. Highest day counts of birds departing the island had been 123 on Might fifth; 168 on Might Sixth; 111 on Might seventh; 136 on Might ninth; 305 on Might tenth (presumed to be a brand new nationwide excessive day-count); and 142 on Might eleventh. It’s price noting that the migration interval of this species extends into late Might (with a excessive depend in 2024 of 168 on Might 14th that yr).
Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei 연노랑눈썹솔새. Singles heard within the northwest on April thirtieth (NM) and Might Sixth (ID & AS).
Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii 쇠긴다리솔새사촌. One was calling within the Hwadong Wetland on April twenty ninth (NM, Choi Hyun-Ah, Park Cheong-Woon et al.) and one was calling and singing within the northwest on Might tenth (NM).
Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis 노랑배솔새사촌. Recorded yearly on Baengnyeong, with the Massive B producing maybe a fifth or extra of latest ROK information (?). One was discovered within the southwest on Might seventh (ID & AS); at the least two had been current there in the identical space on eighth (NM & JK), and one was nonetheless current there on ninth (LKS).
Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi 큰밭종다리. There have been at the least two days with good numbers seen on the island, with the very best day depend a really conservative 35 (fairly in all probability greater than 50) on Might fifth within the northeast estimated by NM.
Japanese Grosbeak Eophona personata 큰부리밀화부리. Small numbers had been present in a number of areas of the island in early Might, with the primary respectable flock 30 discovered on Might fifth (AL, KSU, JL & SK). Subsequently, 151 had been counted flying northeast from Sincheonggak on Might Sixth (ID & AS) – presumably a brand new nationwide excessive depend; and 131 had been seen throughout viz-migging there on Might seventh (ID, AS, NM, JK), with 14 nonetheless current within the southwest that afternoon.
Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola 검은머리촉새. Though the height interval for this Critically Endangered species was not coated, the conservatively made excessive depend of 135 on Might tenth within the northeast fields appeared encouraging.
Baengnyeong Island is probably the most species-diverse hotspot within the ROK, mendacity because it does on a significant migration hall throughout the Yellow Sea, with a superb variety of habitats nonetheless, together with wetlands.
Analysis by Birds Korea confirms that the island meets Ramsar standards for identification as an internationally vital wetland, with three waterbird species in internationally vital concentrations; and at the least 29 globally threatened chicken species and ~49 nationally threatened chicken species have been recorded on the island by our analysis since 2013. Not less than ten of those species are / had been breeding species.
In recognition of this oustanding significance, efforts should be taken urgently by decision-makers at a spread of scales (native, in Incheon Metropolis, and nationally) to help islanders of their efforts to preserve this biodiversity; and to assist Baengnyeong transfer away from the present concrete-it-all mindset that also grips some on the island.
Managed correctly, this island would quickly change into a magnet for environmental tourism and for environmental teaching programs, producing jobs, attracting central authorities cash, and serving to Ongjin County to change into a nationwide chief in sustainability.
