Dr. Bernhard Seliger (Hanns-Seidel-Basis Korea, Birds Korea)
Two days with sunshine, however an icy wind in Goseong, the place Hwajinpo after some fairly poor years noticed this 12 months once more hundreds of gulls roosting and feeding on the nonetheless open areas. Because of the wind, the journey was poor in observations of passerines, which primarily stayed deep within the brushwood, however some good and a few spectacular observations might be made:
In Ajajin, eleven Harlequin geese, a species by no means failing to gladden my coronary heart. Additionally, at the least 670 Nice Crested Grebes on the water. Nice Crested Grebes might be present in virtually each bay in appreciable numbers, and one other rely in Daejin the following morning resulted in additional than 850.
In Muam-Ri, round 30 Sanderlings. (They was in Ajajin, however that port now noticed lots of improvement and new tourism – additionally it’s over-towered by enormous new condominium complexes…).
Within the night in Hwajinpo, round 10.000 gulls (largely Widespread gulls, but in addition massive numbers of Mongolian gulls plus Black-tailed gulls) on the lake, an incredible spectacle to view.
The subsequent morning, there the place 12 White-tailed Eagles and one (immature) Steller´s Sea Eagle on the ice of Hwajinpo, eying the remaining (round 4-5000) gulls, which themselves regarded within the brilliant morning daylight like snowflakes from afar. Actually an exquisite view.
And eventually, within the Hwajinpo wetland space a stunning and stunned Eurasian Bittern (an incredible view, however leading to a very unhealthy picture solely, as a result of shock).
The complete lists of birds might be discovered right here:
Verify lists of January 15
Ajajin, Goam-Ri, Muam-Ri https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209675626
Songam-Ri to Gonghyeongjin https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209675908
Ganseong Namcheon https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209676706
Ganseong Bukcheon https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209677321
Hwajingpo https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209677536
Verify lists of January 16
Hwajinpo https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209678363
Songjeong-Ri to Geonbongsa https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209678616
Geonbongsa https://ebird.org/guidelines/S209678780
Different issues are much less good to report: Giant-scale development for an additional railway into nowhere have begun, they usually appear instantly to guide by way of the Hwajinpo wetland space (although I’m not solely certain of it – the world was designated by small coloured flags and the County advised me these had been for planning associated to the railway). In Songjeong-Ri, an enormous new tunnel might be constructed. Unsure, if ever this railway might be used, although, given the unhealthy relations to the North.
Additionally, another areas noticed a continued decline, particularly Namcheon and Bukcheon space of Ganseong, the place new buildings, and park-like areas decreased habitat, plus in Namcheon some (most likely not-legal?) ice fishing in probably the most delicate reed space.
Goseong began with preparation and an software for a brand new Nationwide Maritime Eco-Park in Hwajinpo. The scale of park ought to be 5,10 km2, out of which 1,04 km2 is maritime space, 1,67 km2 is land and a couple of,39 km2 is the lagoon lake space. Beside the designation, which in itself doesn’t imply rather a lot, it is going to be fascinating to see what that precisely means. In line with the county, this could result in sustainable conservation and rehabilitation of maritime ecological methods, sustainable administration of maritime biodiversity and sustainable use of maritime assets. The quantity the county hopes to obtain from the central authorities is doubtlessly enormous, and over 2000 new jobs ought to be created. Whereas being comfortable to have Goseong upgraded – it actually ought to have been way back included into the IUCN´s IBA, however has not been as a consequence of causes with the Korean aspect obscure – the ecological affect might be both constructive or destructive. If large-scale funding primarily means new infrastructure for tourism, then the remaining appeal of the county, in addition to the remaining energy in biodiversity, will get misplaced. So, it is determined by the best way, the funding funds are used, and that is by no means straightforward to foretell in Korea. The entire software course of is aggressive, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will solely choose one venture amongst varied contenders. I hope, if Goseong is chosen, it can make the proper selections.
However, nevertheless this software ends, undoubtedly Goseong deserves an essential place as a hotspot of biodiversity on the Korean Peninsula.
Harlequin Geese Histrionicus histrionicus in Ajajin (© Bernhard Seliger)
Sanderlings Calidris alba in Muam-Ri (© Bernhard Seliger)
Second-calendar 12 months Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus (© Bernhard Seliger)
An immature Steller´s Sea Eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus along with a White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla at Hwajinpo lake. 12 White-tailed Eagles collectively made fairly a spectacular view within the morning. (© Bernhard Seliger)
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla at Hwajinpo lake (© Bernhard Seliger)
1000’s of gulls on Hwajinpo, roosting and feeding within the few open areas – an incredible view. (© Bernhard Seliger)
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris flying off after we each had been stunned to satisfy within the reeds within the Hwajinpo wetland park (© Bernhard Seliger)
Jap Buzzard Buteo japonicus in Ganseong Namcheon space. Sadly, improvement could be very fast there, decreased 12 months by 12 months the habitat for birds. (© Bernhard Seliger)
Building of the brand new railway linking (purportedly) South and North Korea´s railway strains (© Bernhard Seliger)
