Bernhard Seliger (Hanns-Seidel-Basis and Birds Korea) with Dr. Nial Moores (Birds Korea)
On August 22-23, a gaggle of round a dozen birders, a few of them associated to Birds Korea, divided up into groups and undertook a research of the impression on shorebirds and threatened waterbirds of synthetic buildings within the tidal flats of Hwaseong. The analysis was centered on estimating the gap from a brand new “blue carbon seawall” of birds coming into roost and never on complete counts. As soon as extra, nevertheless, we have been capable of affirm the significance of this wetland for shorebirds and extra threatened waterbirds – being way more vital by way of numbers and species than a few of the websites now being proposed within the Republic of Korea through the second part of UNESCO world heritage nomination.
Whereas the ultimate outcomes nonetheless must be calculated and analyzed, the preliminary outcomes are already spectacular. As Dr. Moores write on Birds Korea Fb web page: “On August twenty second and twenty third, three Birds Korea members concerned in a collaborative shorebird survey to evaluate the impression (or in any other case) of the “blue carbon challenge” within the Maehyang-Ri Tidal Flat Wetland Protected Space (a part of the Hwaseong Wetlands Flyway Community Web site). The analysis aimed to evaluate whether or not or not shorebirds tried to keep away from the brand new seawall constructed as a part of this challenge, because it now varieties a ~1m excessive barrier between open tidal flat and the realm of higher tidal flat which has been the principle excessive tide roost on this wetland for a number of many years now.
Due to the efforts of a dozen or so folks divided into groups, we have been capable of doc (and at instances, measure) avoidance particularly by the 2 curlew species – with few people attempting to roost landward of the wall throughout each afternoon excessive tides. We have been additionally capable of report a complete of 31-32 shorebird species, together with better of all a juvenile Spoon-billed Sandpiper (the second spoony of this autumn discovered at this web site).
That is clearly the form of Excellent Common Worth worthy of designation as ROK Tidal Flat World Heritage property in Section 2…”
Apart from two afternoon high-tide counts on each August 22nd and August 23rd, a morning tide rely beginning at midnight revealed that there was a minimal of 12.000 shorebirds. Sadly, most of them, particularly small waders, have been too distant for identification.
Conservative excessive counts from the varied surveys included:
- 135 Far Jap Oystercatchers
- 450 Gray Plovers
- Three Pacific Golden Plover
- 1,280 Siberian Sand Plovers
- 1-3 Better Sand Plover
- 1,020 Kentish Plovers
- 247 Whimbrel
- 950 Far Jap Curlew
- 1,100 Eurasian Curlew
- 140 Bar-tailed Godwit
- Two or three Black-tailed Godwit
- 940 Terek Sandpiper
- 4 Gray-tailed Tattlers
- 8 Frequent Redshanks
- One Nordmann´s Greenshank (two in complete)
- 600 Frequent Greenshank
- Ten Ruddy Turnstone
- 500+ Nice Knot
- 5 Crimson Knot
- 120 Broad-billed Sandpiper
- Three Curlew Sandpiper
- 278+ Crimson-necked Stint
- One Spoon-billed Sandpiper
- One Sanderling
- 100+ Dunlin
- One Little Stint
- 190+ Black-faced Spoonbills
- One Oriental Stork
- 30 Black-winged Stilts
Moreover, there have been greater than 1,000 Black-tailed Gulls, and 245 Saunders´s Gulls in addition to a whole lot of Nice Egrets and Little Egrets in addition to a number of dozen Chinese language Egrets.
There have been solely two raptors seen, two Eurasian Kestrel and a Peregrine Falcon.
Yow will discover the complete lists of from one rely level per tide on ebird right here:
Afternoon birding on August 22nd: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S268702251 (solely Rely level 4, the big reclamation lake in Hwaseong)
Morning birding on August 23rd: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S270541413
Afternoon (high-tide) birding on August 23rd: https://ebird.org/guidelines/S270541246
Thanks to Dr. Nial Moores and Jung Hanchul (native activist and in addition a Birds Korea member) to prepare this vital survey. Hopefully it would as soon as extra direct the eye to the extraordinarily invaluable tidal flats of Hwaseong. Extra info on the scientific outcomes will come sooner or later!
Pic 1: The tidal flat in Hwaseong (Maehyang-Ri) at low tide. The bogus buildings, constructed to foster development of salt marshes, can clearly be seen. How do they have an effect on birds roosting at excessive tide? (© Bernhard Seliger)
Pic 2: Dr. Nial Moores, founder and director of Birds Korea, explaining the survey design to the crew. With out so many volunteers, the work can be unimaginable! Due to everybody concerned!
Pic 3: Far Jap Oystercatchers Haematopus (ostralegus) osculans, 검은머리물떼새) along with Black-tailed Gulls Larus crassirostris, 괭이갈매기, Mongolian Gulls Larus mongolicus 한국재갈매기, Gray Herons Ardea cinerea, 왜가리, a Nice Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, 민물가마우지 and a Nice Egret Ardea alba, 중대백로 roosting within the reclamation lake. Oystercatchers have to go there early and roost lengthy, attributable to their weight loss plan.
Pic 4: Chinese language Egret Egretta eulophotes, 노랑부리백로 in flight.
Pic 5: A flock of round 250 Saunders´s Gulls Saundersilarus saundersi 검은머리갈매기, a globally susceptible species.
Pic 6: A gaggle of Black-faced Spoonbills Platalea minor 저어새, roosting on the tidal flat. All in all, there have been a minimum of 190 Black-faced Spoonbills.
Pic 7: An Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana, 황새)in one of many smaller ponds. He/she carries a hoop with the quantity Ok 31.
Pic 8: Little Stint Calidris minuta 작은도요, recognized from pictures on foundation of: bobble-head, humped-backe, however nonetheless elegant look, with a fairly lengthy, fine-tipped invoice and longish legs; vibrant upperpart contrasts and coloration; with solidly black centres to the decrease scapulars, fringed with rust and white; and a beautiful open lored-look with darkish coronal ridge and break up supercilium. Globally of least concern, it’s a uncommon sight in South Korea!
Pic 9: Shorebirds on the morning roost – the seawall means, they can not see prey approaching very nicely, making them very nervous, usually flying round in massive flocks of 1000’s.
Pic 10: A Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris 괭이갈매기 following a human amassing seafood – tidal flats are extremely wealthy in meals, vital as carbon sinks in addition to vital for flood management – bettering the co-habitation of people and different species is among the nice challenges of in the present day!
