(Dr. Bernhard Seliger and Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi, Hanns-Seidel-Basis Korea and Birds Korea, with Dr. Nial Moores, Director, Birds Korea,)
On January 22nd, an entire day within the fields of Gimpo (Siam wetland, and the world round Yudo islet within the Han River estuary) introduced some exceptional outcomes and, after an extended hiatus, some nice talks with Dr. Moores on birds and their habitats…
One spotlight was, after an extended wait on the hen conceal and cages of the native Wild Hen Society at Siam wetland, the looks of the Pink-tailed shrike. A extra detailed article on this hen, the primary of its type recorded in South Korea, will quickly seem on this weblog. It had been described for some weeks now by some birders. The hen first hid within the undergrowth, however then was remarkably relaxed with a few hen watchers searching for it (a few of them additionally Birds Korea members, which was very nice!).
Apart from, there have been nearly 3800 Higher White-fronted geese, and nearly 300 Tundra Bean geese, with round 100 Mallards and Spot-billed geese every blended in. Different birds within the space included an Eurasian spoonbill, a single White-tailed eagle and an overflying flock of round 50 Buff-bellied (Siberian) pipits. Within the river, amongst a couple of different birds two Black-headed gulls.
Within the Soktan-ri space, a pleasant mixture of raptors (one other White-tailed eagle, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, two Hen Harriers, a Peregrine falcon, 4 Japanese buzzards and a Frequent Kestrel), plus one Chinese language gray shrike and 4 Bull-headed shrikes. The solar popping out and the dearth of wind made it a pleasant day for these birds to return out of their hidings. Moreover, round 800 Higher White-fronted geese, 400 Tundra bean geese and 55 Taiga bean geese within the space.
Within the Gaegok-ri space a long-time dream got here true – lastly, we discovered a Lesser White-fronted goose within the space, along with 250 Higher White-fronted geese and 130 Tundra bean geese. It was notably good of the LWFG to hitch some Tundra bean geese for a comparability of heights (with out which we in all probability wouldn’t have seen it). Lastly, the Han river estuary round Yudo islet: breeding of the cormorants (which have right here one among their giant breeding colonies in Korea) didn’t but start. Right here, 400 Higher White-fronted geese, round 200 Tundra bean geese and a minimum of one Taiga bean goose. Additionally, 5 eagles (three of them round Yudo islet) and a flock of 35 Eurasian skylarks.
You’ll find the entire document of birds on ebird within the following lists:
Siam wetland space https://ebird.org/guidelines/S210436052
Soktan-ri space (East of Aegibong) https://ebird.org/guidelines/S210249548
Gaegok-ri space (West of Aegibong) https://ebird.org/guidelines/S210231861
Yonga-ri space (round Yudo islet) https://ebird.org/guidelines/S210249551
Some remarks on the habitat and ecological significance of the world: We do surveys there since 2018 – first for Gimpo metropolis for 2 years, and now roughly commonly each one-two months.
The realm is just not lined by the winter hen census (i.e. birds there don’t seem within the Asian Waterbird Census). Whereas the world is nice and all the time there’s something new to detect, habitat and biodiversity is decreased sadly by one thing very acquainted throughout South Korea: the proto-industrialization of the panorama (hothouses and ginseng fields in addition to buildings for small agro-industries, life-stock and so on. rising, extra farming underneath plastic planes), however particularly concrete trenches, typically a lot too steep for smaller animals like small mammals and particularly amphibians to beat them, reduce by means of the panorama. This time, one other enormous block of fields was lined with these concrete trenches. I ponder if there’s any knowledge how a lot the concrete will enhance productiveness of agriculture (if in any respect…).
Anyway, grateful to have been there now and seen all these great birds!
1: Pink-tailed Shrike or Turkestan shrike Lanius phoenicuroides – the primary of its type on the Korean Peninsula! (© Bernhard Seliger)
2: Geese within the Siam wetland space – most of those geese are Higher White-Fronted Geese, with a sprinkling of Tundra Bean geese, in addition to Mallards and Spot-bill geese. (© Bernhard Seliger)
3: Chinese language Gray shrike Lanius sphenocercus (© Bernhard Seliger)
4: What a shrikey day! Beside the improbable information of the Pink-tailed shrike and the Chinese language gray shrike additionally seven Bull-headed shrikes Lanius Bucephalus like this one… (© Bernhard Seliger)
A Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus (proper) with a Tundra Bean goose Anser serrirostris (© Bernhard Seliger)
The Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus – a younger hen, with the white-front barely developed (© Bernhard Seliger)
A barely surprisingly roosting White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (© Bernhard Seliger)
Re-organization of the panorama – I ponder, if ever the financial feasibility of those tasks has been measured. Positively, every time an space is put into concrete like this (typically additionally going together with enlarging the normally slightly small methods between the rice paddies, which however served the low site visitors within the border space very properly), it’s a large discount of biodiversity. Hope, this may finish at some point! (© Bernhard Seliger)
