Chicken Information from Dr Nial Moores with Dr Shim Kyu-Sik (Could fifth and sixth) and John Kitcher (one hour on eighth, all of Ninth-Eleventh, and morning of the twelfth).
Because of a few attention-grabbing climate methods (coinciding with entry to a automobile!), a reasonably outstanding complete of 201 hen species was logged by NM between third and sixteenth, with two or extra further species additionally logged by Lee Ju Hyeok, Kim Younger-Jin and Park Chong-Un between twelfth and sixteenth.
Highlights included record-breaking counts of Wooden Sandpiper (c. 2,000 in a day on seventh ) and of 460 globally Endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting (comprising each subspecies) on fifteenth , newsworthy sufficient to be printed within the Incheon Ilbo; and three new island data: Frequent Tern 제비갈매기, Gray-crowned Warbler 회색머리노랑솔새 and Crested Myna 뿔찌르레기, bringing the entire variety of hen species recorded on Baengnyeong Island to 395 or 396.
Virtually all birds recorded throughout the interval are listed on eBird.
On Could third, two Northern Boobook and a handful of pipits had been seen in flight over the ocean from the afternoon boat; and within the late afternoon maybe Baengnyeong’s solely Mongolian Brief-toed Lark of the spring was heard and glimpsed in finest fields, together with 90 or extra Hawfinch and a predictably wonderful mixture of buntings, with a (barely disappointing) seasonal excessive of 650 Black-faced and no less than 30 Yellow-browed Buntings nonetheless.
On 4th, viz-migging at “Temple Hill” produced a couple of raptors, an excellent rely of c. 50 White-throated Needletails and the spring’s first Two-barred Warbler on the island.
On fifth, heavy in a single day rain by way of till the night was adopted by showers, then drizzle and extra spells of rain and banks of fog by way of the next morning – serving to to construct a day listing of 107 or 108 species on the sixth. On each fifth and morning of the sixth (spent with Dr Shim), we loved an excellent range of shorebirds particularly in rice-field areas – particularly as water ranges at Hwadong Wetland have been saved too excessive all spring- together with on the sixth a blended flock of Wooden Sandpiper, stints, a Curlew Sandpiper, three Siberian Sandplover, 5 Pacific Golden Plover and even a lone Ruddy Turnstone.
Additionally of curiosity had been Amur Falcons and a female and male Pallas’s Reed Bunting, with the male maybe trying “good” for lydiae, being fairly large-billed, and having a reasonably Frequent Reed Bunting like mix of rust and brown within the upperparts and a few weak streaking on the decrease flanks. Most breeding plumaged male Pallas’s Reed right here look slimmer-billed and have rather more gray and fewer heat within the upperparts in Could than this hen. Of be aware, I’ve heard what I take to be the tune of lydiae twice on Baengnyeong (and the tune of pallasi / polaris maybe 20 instances or so in Korea). For Could photographs of lydiae in Mongolia see e.g. right here and right here).
Within the afternoon of the sixth, excellent spotlight was an grownup male Inexperienced-backed Flycatcher, seen foraging (briefly!) within the cover along with a number of Mugmaki and Yellow-rumped Flycatchers. As so typically on Baengnyeong, I did not get any photographs because the views had been so transient (and I’m restricted to digiscoping).
The seventh was a completely sensible day, with a number of highlights and no less than 113 species logged on foot and bus. Gentle rain and fog returned and continued by way of a lot of the evening of sixth into seventh, adopted by; persistent heavy drizzle till 08:30, with headwinds (NE 2-3 at floor stage; a lot stronger at increased ranges) and quickly enhancing visibility, adopted within the late afternoon by weakening winds, and even a floor stage swing to westerlies, triggering mass arrivals and departures, with birds low sufficient to be seen.
Most outstanding of all was the record-breaking motion of about 2,000 Wooden Sandpiper. Within the morning, 125 had been seen heading NE out to sea; then within the late afternoon within the SW, 280 had been seen coming in off the ocean in solely 25 minutes, initially flying about 1km up, and sustaining a NE heading; adopted between 6:30 and 6:55pm by flocks of 25, 140, 45, 280, 400, 450, 140 and 100, watched heading off NE over Jinchon, with a few of these flocks solely 100masl. Fairly a couple of birds had been in all probability missed throughout this era – each once I was on the bus (no less than 20 minutes within the night) and likewise when again in Jinchon. itself.
Different highlights throughout the seventh included island excessive day-counts of Oriental Pratincole (5), White-shouldered Starling (3), and Yellow Bunting (3); 63 Japanese Waxwing (59 within the east, 4 within the west); flocks of arriving Eye-browed Thrush; and a surprising and confiding Amur Falcon.
Clement climate on the eighth allowed for respectable survey of the NE within the morning, and of the NW within the afternoon. Within the NE, highlights included a seasonal peak of 120 Chestnut Bunting and 38 Japanese Grosbeak (ripping a bush to shreds!), and wonderful seems at a various array of migrants, together with Ashy Minivet and Marsh Sandpiper (feeding alongside 4 different species of shorebird in only one rice-field in Jinchon).
Within the NW, most pleasant was a shrike with a outstanding white wing patch. Though in all probability one in 10 or one in 20 of the Brown Shrikes we see within the ROK in spring do present some white within the wing, this particular person was towards the acute finish. As well as, the hen additionally confirmed a reasonably pronounced major projection and a reasonably square-ended tail (with orangey fringes beneath), and was additionally reasonably paler on the breast than typical nominate cristatus. Though the hen confirmed a number of pro-Turkestan Shrike options, the invoice nonetheless appeared a bit too stout, the tail a bit too lengthy and modestly graduated, and the supercilium too in depth for that species – and as a substitute maybe all of the options had been kind of inside the vary of a confusus Brown Shrike. As requested in earlier years, how would a hen like this be recognized if seen in western Europe or North America, or inside the breeding vary of Turkestan Shrike? As a Brown Shrike? As a Turkestan Shrike? Or as a hen with blended genetic heritage (maybe a descendant of L. cristatus x L. isabellinus – latter species recorded for the primary time in Korea final autumn – or L. cristatus x L. phoenicuroides)?
Excellent spotlight got here within the night, when three very tardy Hooded Crane had been noticed within the Harrier Fields. Remarkably, three Hooded Crane had been photographed over-flying Eocheong Island by Dr Sung Sooyoung that very same morning; and three had been additionally reported on or over Incheon’s Gureup Island throughout the identical interval too! Gureup Island is about 120km north of Eocheong, and 145km southeast of Baengnyeong…
On Ninth, along with John Kitcher, 125 species had been logged, principally within the SW and NW, together with seasonal highs of no less than 85 Dusky Warbler and 30 Rufous-tailed Robin, with further highlights a quick Tickell’s Leaf Warbler (poor report pictures taken), a singing Hume’s Leaf Warbler and a close-hawking Oriental Pratincole.
On tenth, once more along with John Kitcher, 108 species had been logged, with an apparent sense of departure forward of a much-anticipated rain entrance (due on Eleventh). Along with a beautiful mixture of anticipated migrants, which included 21 Chinese language Sparrowhawk, 14 Japanese Sparrowhawk and e.g., three Chinese language Pond Heron, we additionally loved a quick encounter with a Tree Pipit within the NW.
The Eleventh was a spectacular day. In all, travelling by automobile across the island with John Kitcher, we logged no less than 133 species.
Through the day, a double-banded rain entrance handed throughout the island, heralding a reversal of winds and dropping massive numbers of birds. At daybreak, visibility was about 12km underneath heavy overcast, and winds had been sturdy SE. We began with Viz Migging from Temple Hill, having fun with extra White-throated Needletails, earlier than checking the previous church space as rain began to fall (glimpsing what was more likely to have been a Black Stork hovering quickly between a niche within the bushes) ; then drove throughout the island to attend out a 2-hour band of rain. Because the rain grew to become heavy we discovered a large grounded flock of Wooden Sandpiper with a number of different shorebirds and a dozen or so massive pipits on the roads, after which additionally noticed a pale medium-sized tern fly throughout the rice-fields – with ID as Frequent Tern, probably of subspecies minussensis. Quickly after the wind then swung spherical to west, regularly clearing away the fog and rain showers – permitting us to stroll the NW, the place we heard an unknown warbler (maybe Gray-crowned on one or two higher heard calls?) after which, 200m or so to the north, ROK’s second report of Gray-backed Shrike (with the one earlier report additionally on Baengnyeong…).
The day then completed in relative calm, permitting us to see contrasts on a small raft of Stejneger’s Scoter on the ocean south of the reclamation lake, and to alert native fishers (and a police officer) to the misery being skilled by a nesting Far Jap Oystercatcher making an attempt to guard her chick as individuals walked near her.
A final morning with John Kitcher on twelfth produced a good unfold of species, with the 2 highlights – each within the NW – being the persevering with Second Calendar-year Gray-backed Shrike, first picked up by the raucous name when perched out within the open (after which the hen appeared to grow to be extra skulking); and a quick snippet once more of tune and properly-heard calls of the thriller warbler from yesterday in the identical patch of bushes: “Trup-trup” (we tried to report however failed). These very transient vocalisations to my ears intently matched recordings on Xeno Canto of Gray-crowned Warbler, a species recorded solely as soon as beforehand within the ROK.
We additionally loved wonderful views of one other flock of Japanese Grosbeak; and visited the nesting colony, seeing three Black-faced Spoonbill chicks.
On thirteenth, in calm and sunny circumstances, the primary spotlight was offered by a really heavy-billed Crimson Crossbill with particularly heavily-marked undertail coverts (subspecies?), adopted an hour later by the second island report of Pheasant-tailed Jacana in Sagot. This hen was orginally discovered by Onishi Tonikazu and his 12-person birding workforce from Japan on Ninth or tenth, and was then re-located on twelfth by Lee Ju Hyeok, Kim Younger-Jin and Park Chong-Un. Because of their instructions, I used to be capable of finding the hen simply (the hen was not seen once more on subsequent dates).
A sluggish however regular arrival of warblers additionally appeared to be ongoing within the southwest, with plentiful Radde’s and Duskys, a brand new Tickell’s Leaf Warbler and rarest of all within the Korean context a heard-only Gray-crowned Warbler .
The Gray-crowned Warbler was not seen (though a shadow was solid…) and I once more did not handle any sound recordings. The hen, nevertheless, was heard shut in a really quiet space of monitor, giving a really distinctive “prrup…prrup ” name six or so instances because the hen handed me by, on a regular basis hid deep in an space of impenetrable bushes. I’ve sturdy confidence within the ID, because the acoustics had been excellent and I had listened to a number of recordings of this and different related species over the previous two days. I performed name xc751284 (recorded by Geoff Carey and earlier downloaded from Xeno-Canto), which sounded equivalent to the calling hen a number of instances over the following two hours at totally different spots near the bushes however bought no response. There is just one adequately-documented report within the ROK (one on Socheong Island photographed in Could 2022), however this turns into the second report for Baengnyeong in solely 2-3 days!
The 14th, was sunny and heat (20c?) with W 2-3 and excessive visibility. Greater winds (at 900hpa or about 900masl) had been 50km/hr plus and had been coming direct from the Wuhan area. There have been headwinds throughout the northern a part of the Yellow Sea, nevertheless, and an in a single day thunderstorm was forecast. Forward of this on Baengynyeong, to cite Coldplay, “IT WAS ALL YELLOW”! Within the morning there have been flocks of Jap Yellow Wagtail, a wonderful arrival of Yellow-breasted Bunting (with a record-breaking rely of 245, simply exceeding the excessive rely of 240 made on Could twenty first 2019) and a considerable departure of Black-naped Oriole, with 168 seen heading, or trying to go, east in solely 2.5 hours. Rarest species within the nationwide context was the identical as yesterday’s or one other new (yellow-bellied) Tickell’s Leaf Warbler within the southwest.
Within the early hours of fifteenth, the wind swung from gentle southwesterlies (50-60 kph at 900hpa) to 50km/h floor stage NNE Power 4 or 5 within the morning, adopted by 2-3 hours of rain (coming from a band no less than 1000km west-east), which completed at about 9:30AM in Jinchon. Quickly after components of the sky appeared to be crammed with hirundines and several other birds began to re-orientate. These included 5 male Siberian Thrush (4 within the NE and one within the NW), one other Oriental Pratincole, and flocks of Yellow-breasted Bunting, with a number of small teams and one a lot bigger flock of 110 seen flying from the southwest throughout island within the morning. Within the afternoon, a rely of most (however not all) of the areas normally utilized by the species within the NE, resulted in a grand complete of 460 (together with a single flock of 350) – presumed to be a nationwide excessive rely. A number of of the males which had been seen properly appeared to have black foreheads, so could possibly be ascribed to far japanese subspecies ornata. Others, together with youthful males and apparently full adults, had browner foreheads and lacked blackish tones to the breast band, and due to this fact had been ascribed to the nominate subspecies.
I did not re-find a presumed Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike photographed by Lee Ju Hyeok in Jinchon within the early afternoon (and posted on eBird).
On the sixteenth, my last morning on the island this go to, daybreak broke calm and brilliant and I took the choice to go up Temple Hill to see if there was a lot proof of birds re-orientating after yesterday’s climate entrance. Excellent spotlight was two Crested Myna, seen however once more frustratingly not photographed, scoped as they first flew north, then west, then again east earlier than heading north and gaining peak.
That is my twelfth spring with fieldwork on Baengnyeong Island. The goals have remained largely unchanged: with different Birds Koreans and “allies” to assemble baseline knowledge that is likely to be utilized by researchers sooner or later (who – except rather more is finished – would possibly by no means witness the abundance that also stays ); to grasp extra about climate and migration, in order that counts could be higher interpreted and developments better-detected; and to encourage islanders and others to recognise the sweetness and significance of this island, in order that acceptable conservation measures could be taken.
Since 2013, we now have recorded virtually 400 species of hen (increased than some other space in Korea); some islanders have gotten ; and though nonetheless small in quantity, extra birders are beginning to go to the island. In Could these apparently included a birder who got here specifically from Sweden; a workforce from Japan; and no less than 4 or 5 home birders along with myself and the resident Park Cheong-Un of Inexperienced Korea United (maybe extra broadly often called “the seal woman”).
Along with hen surveys, we now have tried to determine hotspots for different species (particularly amphibians) and helped with the set up of frog ladders. Birds Korea has additionally already printed one report on biodiversity and ecotourism (in 2019), and proposed further designs, crafted along with a workforce from College of California Berkerley; and we now have additionally shared knowledge, plans and skilled recommendation by way of seminars and conferences instantly with decision-makers and researchers in addition to with different NGOs – on the island, in Incheon Citty and at e.g. the Korean Atmosphere Institure. This March, we additionally signed an MOU with Incheon KFEM, to work extra intently collectively to assist enhance conservation and ecotourism alternatives on the island (one private advantage of this, due to Incheon KFEM and Korea Specific Ferries, is free ferry journeys, for now no less than).
We now have completed a lot already and invested a lot time, vitality and funds – with now 320 dates or so of fieldwork. All the identical, a lot habitat has already been misplaced or degraded, together with most lately the primary tidal flat. Species like Chinese language Egret have declined; and this was, it appears, the primary 12 months with none Black-capped Kingfisher (but).
Of main concern too, the announcement was made inside the previous month that development of the proposed Baengnyeong island airport will begin in 2026. There has, it seems, been no formal EIA for this airport performed but; many individuals have no idea precisely the place this proposed airport shall be (as proposed it should run parallel to the east of the reclamation lake, by way of the harrier fields – proper subsequent to a big focus of wintering geese and astride a “line” utilized by migrating raptors in each spring and autumn). This development seems set to proceed instantly after completion of a large new automobile ferry port now underneath development in Jinchon; and shall be adopted by development of a golf-course and a brand new resort space.
Baengnyeong is a big island – however is it actually large enough to soak up all of those modifications and calls for on its water and land and air?
Please be part of Birds Korea (and / or Incheon KFEM) and tell us the way you wish to assist our organisations assist the islanders and the birds of Baengnyeong Island – nonetheless the ROK’s most species-rich migratory hen hotspot. Thanks.
