Hen information and pictures by Leslie Hurteau.
Half two of a two half blogpost about exploring the south central mainland. Half two right here.
The southcoast of Korea is a really attention-grabbing place from a birders perspective. In contrast to the east coast of the nation, the south is very like the west, with the geography primarily composed of islands and peninsulas. This form of geography appears to offer the impression that it will be good for migrants, and maybe vagrants, as they would like to land on bits of land jetting out into the ocean, quite than far into the mainland. Additionally, this complete space is kind of numerous with ricefields, forested mountains, and freshwater streams and rivers, all resulting in lovely mudflats. Regardless of all of this promise, except for Suncheon, it’s not precisely a well-liked space for birdwatching (maybe on account of a big distance from Seoul, the place most individuals within the nation stay?). Curious from having learn just a few earlier summer time birding stories from the area, and wanting a break from Jeju, I took a visit to Suncheon and Goheung on the finish of July.
Suncheon is known amongst birdwatchers in Korea for being a high crane watching website in winter. Summer season, then again, isn’t visited typically regardless of the potential hiding away in rice fields and forested mountains. Alongside the coast, many teams of Black-tailed Gulls have been getting back from their summer time breeding grounds, in addition to small numbers of shorebirds equivalent to Terek Sandpipers, Widespread Greenshanks, and Curlews refueling for his or her lengthy journey to their wintering grounds.
The reedbeds have been alive with Oriental Reed Warblers, Vinous-throated Parrotbills (a species utterly absent on Jeju), and the ocassional Zitting Cisticola. Egrets, Gray Herons, Striated Herons, and Black-crowned Evening Herons have been additionally considerably considerable within the fields. Barn Swallows and Pink-rumped Swallows have been seen flying above the fields and alongside the coasts. Admittedly, considered one of my main goal species was the Larger Painted Snipe, identified to have bred in Suncheon rice fields in previous years, however sadly none have been situated. Ought to they be round (which appears probably given the standard of habitat), breeding has probably been completed and people or household teams have been in all probability hiding very nicely as they foraged in reedbeds and fields which have grown fairly excessive by mid-summer.
A while was spent traversing the final coast of Suncheon bay. No indicators of the any Chestnut-cheeked Starlings, which have been identified to breed on this space beforehand. However many egrets and Black-tailed Gulls alongside the mudflats. A steep forested hill was explored briefly, with Gray-backed Thrush, White’s Thrush, and Daurian Redstarts noticed, in addition to Lengthy-tailed Tits, Warbling White-eyes, and a unbelievable Gray-headed Woodpecker.
