Fowl Information from Nial Moores with Kim Eojin (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT4L9YtF2G0) and Park Cheong Un (October 24) and Subhojit Chakladar (October 26-27). All photographs beneath © Nial Moores
Two weeks on Baengnyeong Island, with a typical autumn complete of solely 148 species logged (in contrast with 146 in 12 days in late October-early November 2022 and 143 in 9 days in late October 2023 – and to 133 in a single day in Could this 12 months!). Along with “typical” numbers of raptors (with up 5 Eurasian Goshawk and 30 Jap Buzzard within the air collectively and ever-present Peregrines) this complete included one new island report (a Noticed Dove, which was heard effectively however not seen); a Korean first or extra probably second-time hybrid mixture (Silver-throated Bushtit x Lengthy-tailed Tit); and some extra new island excessive day counts, together with of Oriental Turtle Dove (529 heading east), Eurasian Spoonbill (c. 40 filmed by Kim Eojin within the Hwadong Wetland on twenty second or twenty third), White-naped Crane (11 within the Harrier Fields , once more by Kim Eojin), Black Kite (78 collectively hovering over the japanese aspect of the reclamation lake) and Oriental Magpie (a minimum of 45 within the north of the island on thirtieth).
Some common autumn scarcities, e.g., Better Noticed Eagle (one on seventeenth and one within the Harrier fields on twenty first), Amur Falcon (2-3 on a number of dates), Hume’s Warbler (one heard on thirtieth) and Pine Bunting (just one, heard on seventeenth) had been logged, however fairly a number of often common species, like Japanese Quail, Little Owl and even Siberian Rubythroat and Pink-flanked Bluetail went utterly unrecorded; and though numbers of buntings appeared to have recovered a bit from the dismal autumn of 2023, the numbers of finches had been extraordinarily poor – with e.g., not more than a few thousand Brambling in a day at peak and solely a single Hawfinch and two Chinese language Grosbeak in complete logged. Though lots of the above species would possibly merely have been late once more, on account of one more exceptionally heat autumn, it seems to be like the massive irruptions of final 12 months in e.g., Pink Crossbill and Redpoll, will probably not be repeated this winter.
A couple of chosen highlights comply with:
Swan Goose Anser cygnoides 개리 . EN. One on the reclamation lake from October twenty sixth.
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus 큰고니. Two in Hwadong Wetland and rice fields on October twenty first.
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca 적갈색흰죽지. One and one presumed hybrid on the reclamation lake on October thirty first.
Stejneger’s Scoter Melanitta stejnegeri 검둥오리사촌. Very low numbers, with the very best depend solely 31 on October thirty first.
Noticed Dove Spilopelia chinensis 목점박이비둘기. In very gentle and nonetheless situations on thirtieth, one was heard giving a collection of distinctive (and acquainted) croons twice in 45 minutes at Dumujin. Regardless of ready for greater than two hours, I couldn’t see the fowl in query – maybe as a result of the fowl was in a fenced off space? That is the primary island report, and is maybe solely concerning the 4th or fifth report for the ROK (with earlier information from e.g., Heuksan in 2006 and Socheong in Could 2009).
White-naped Crane Antigone vipio 재두루미. VU. In all probability not annual on the island. Eleven filmed in rice-fields between the reclamation lake and Jinchon (“Harrier Fields”) on October twenty second or twenty third remained till a minimum of twenty fourth. That is the very best depend of the species on the island, and primarily based on the climate (very sturdy northwesterly winds), probably concerned birds from the Chinese language wintering inhabitants of solely 900-1000 people, reasonably than from the reasonably bigger Japan-Korea non-breeding inhabitants of 6200-7000 people.
Hooded Crane Grus monacha 흑두루미. VU. One within the Harrier Fields space all through. This particular person both arrived as a part of a bunch of three in Could 2024 and stayed; or, per an islander, arrived in autumn 2023. Both method, this particular person is being fed corn by native farmers, and now seems to be closely overweight.
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 논병아리. As in earlier years, there have been a number of teams of just lately fledged people – suggesting that the species has two or extra broods annually on the island (and a breeding season of Could-October). In accordance with the part on breeding within the on-line Birds of the World, “Season very variable, relying on progress of emergent vegetation and water stage: Feb–Sept, with peak Apr–Jul, in W Palearctic and Could–Jul (sometimes Oct–Feb) in Japan; recorded in all months in tropical Africa, and seems to breed all through 12 months in a minimum of elements of Sundas (6); two broods, presumably three in hotter areas.”
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris 알락해오라기. Not less than three (and sure extra!) within the Hwadong Wetland.
Jap Cattle Egret Ardea coromanda 황로. Three late people in rice-fields subsequent to the Hwadong Wetland, with a minimum of two there nonetheless on October thirty first; and three (maybe the identical?) seen heading northeast out to sea from Jinchon on November 1st.
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 붉은왜가리. One within the Hwadong Wetland on October twenty fourth.
Black Kite Milvus migrans 솔개. Twos and threes “running a blog” within the east of the island on seventeenth and 18th elevated quickly to a minimum of 78 on October twenty first, when about 60 had been resting in lifeless pines subsequent to the reclamation lake (inside the space to be cleared for the proposed new airport) within the late afternoon. Most of this flock apparently left the island both that night or within the torrential rain of the twenty second (?) or in the course of the 60km/h northerly winds of the twenty third. That is the very best island depend, and appears prone to be the very best depend wherever within the ROK away from the southeast nook of Geoje to Busan (the place the species breeds) for the reason that winter of 1969-1970, when 270 had been reported in Seoul (in Park’s 2002 unpublished doctoral thesis).
Lengthy-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 오목눈이 / Silver-throated Bushtit Aegithalos glaucogularis 검은턱오목눈이. Few heard and none seen till a sudden surge in numbers between twenty fourth, when most likely 20-30 had been in 4-5 fast-roving flocks in Dumujin, and twenty sixth, when there was a flock of about 35 people in Junghwadong. Every flock that was seen included a mixture of white-headed and head-striped Lengthy-tailed Tits and a number of other flocks additionally contained 2-5 birds displaying options of Silver-throated Bushtit, i.e., darkish throat patch, gray again or lack of black band throughout the brow, mixed with apparent Lengthy-tailed Tit options (e.g. white head or darkish head stripes however white brow and darkish lores). An in depth assessment of plumage options is required, to assist set up what’s both a excessive stage of plumage variation proven by Silver-throated, or extra probably is the results of widespread hybridisation. Within the gentle of those information and of a assessment of photographs within the Macaulay library, a minimum of one (and maybe a number of) of the birds beforehand seen on Baengnyeong in 2022 must also be re-identified as hybrids.
White-shouldered Starling Sturnia sinensis 잿빛쇠찌르레기. One with a flock of about 30 White-cheeked Starlings on October sixteenth is notable, in being the primary autumn report of the species on the island.
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta 옅은밭종다리. One on October twenty fifth previous the primary north-looking WatchPoint. Solely concerning the 4th island report.
There’s some glorious footage on Baengnyeong Island filmed from the identical interval by Kim Eojin Nim (새덕후 Korean Birder) at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT4L9YtF2G0
And all days with observations are on eBird:
October 16: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S199100708
October 17: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S199196426 & https://ebird.org/guidelines/S199196755
October 20: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S199568216
October 21: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S199726880
October 24: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200072419
October 25: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200174378 & https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200175779
October 26: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200286553
October 27: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200424686
October 29: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200674337
October 30: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200780427 & https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200781679
October 31: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200876488
November 1: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S200948582
