(The following records are a compilation of our own sightings and records sent in by other observers. As well as being posted on the Birds Korea website(s), selected records are also forwarded to other Korean-language birding websites; records of threatened species are arranged and forwarded to Birdlife International and national authorities when appropriate; flag images and records are passed to bodies responsible for their coordination throughout the flyway; and all records sent to us are used to compile annual reports and to support the evolving understanding of the status of many of Korea’s birds.)

Bird News from Nial Moores
Gageo Island, July 1 and 2

In increasingly sultry conditions, research continues on Black Woodpigeon (10 heard on 2^nd) and on the globally Vulnerable Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler in Gageo’s 1-Gu and 2-Gu, with the aim of measuring their detectability and "average" territory sizes. On the 2^nd, 11 Styan’s were GPSed and the first nestlings heard begging, with some adults quietly preoccupied with finding food, and others in adjacent areas remaining highly vocal (especially early in the morning).  After the heavy rain at the end of June, both Blue Rock Thrush and  Peregrines seem now to have fledged - with 5 Peregrine dotted around 1-Gu on 1^st, and at least 4 in 2-Gu on 2^nd, including an adult that remained on a post preening, even as islanders passed directly below it. In addition to the breeding birds, increasing hints of southward migration, with a Green Sandpiper and Oriental Reed Warbler on the 1^st, and single Black-naped Oriole, Chinese Sparrowhawk and Chestnut-cheeked Starling (in with a small flock of mostly juvenile White-cheeked Starling) on the 2^nd. Further highlights have also included four Light-vented Bulbul, an Asian House Martin on the 1^st, and presumably the same House Swift (in with c40 Pacific Swift) on 2^nd.

Styan's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella pleskei, Photo © Nial Moores

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, Photo © Nial Moores

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, Photo © Nial Moores

Chestnut-cheeked Starling Agropsar philippensis, Photo © Nial Moores

Bird News from Joseph Bieksza
Namsan, June 30

Due to inclement gray weather, the morning was turning out rather depressing. That was until I almost literally walked into a large tree that was hanging out over a walking path. I froze after hearing what seemed to be vocalizations of at least 4-5 fledgelings. They lived in a hollow whose entrance was a small hole where a branch once was. I did manage to capture a Great Tit frantically making 4-5 sorties for food. Other than this 'excitement' I saw 4 Rufus Turtle Dove, 2 Great-Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Black-naped Oriole, 2 Ring-necked Pheasant, and 2 Eurasian Nuthatch.

Eastern Great Tit Parus minor, Photo © Joseph Bieksza

Bird News from Nial Moores
Gageo Island, June 25/26-28

In hot and humid conditions (great for leeches and not so great for finding birds!) a survey of Gageo’s breeding and oversummering birds, covering the whole island. In total, 32 species logged,with most numerous including Brown-eared Bulbul (160+), Japanese Bush Warbler (140+) , Japanese White-eye (112) and the richly-colored, rufous-faced Varied Tit (39), as can be seen in the image taken on Gageo in May. Migrant or oversummering species of most note included single Yellow Bittern and Long-tailed Shrike (latter perhaps the national second oversummering record?), 3 or 4 Light-vented Bulbul, single Asian House Martin and House Swift (both on 27th) and the personal first returning Common Sandpiper of the autumn (on 28th), while species of highest conservation concern included c35 Black Woodpigeon seen or heard (plus an additional dead individual, with bright pink-tinged crown feathers), and c32 Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler (singing in territories from 10 m asl to 200 m asl) .

Varied Tit Poecile varius, Photo © Nial Moores

Black Wood Pigeon Columba janthina , Photo © Nial Moores

Bird News from Mathew Poll and Young Ho Kim
Jeju island, June 28

I had the pleasure of accompanying Young-Ho Kim and one of his colleagues as they did field research on nesting Black Paradise Flycatchers. This work included putting up warning signs that spelled out the harsh penalties that await anyone caught robbing the nests. The only recent nest robbing appears to have perpetrated by a Large-billed Crow. We got spectacular long looks at several pairs, as well as good views of 4 nests, which were mostly suspended over the sides of steep valleys. Several Fairy Pittas were heard, but remained frustratingly unseen.
About a dozen Yellow-throated Bunting, a Yellow-browed Bunting, a male Blue and White Flycatcher and a nearby juvenile were also seen. A White’s Thrush was heard, as were many Lesser and Common Cuckoos. Several White-backed Woodpeckers noisily worked at producing a steady hail of tree debris from above!

Example of research area, Photo © Mathew Poll

Female Black Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata, Photo © Mathew Poll

Male Black Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata, Photo © Mathew Poll

Ural Owl Strix uralensis,
Photo © Robin Newlin

A 5-6 hour walk up the mountain (with camera, unfortunately) in a futile search for Nutcrackers yielded the following compensations, many heard only: Radde’s, Dusky, Eastern Crowned and Pallas’ Leaf Warblers, Scaly and Grey-backed Thrushes, Black-naped Orioles, Asian Stubtails, 3 Northern Hawk Cuckoos, a single White-throated Needle-tailed Swift, brief views of a Ural Owl, and hundreds of Chipmunks.

Bird News from Robin Newlin
Gangwondo, June 26

An afternoon stop (sans camera, unfortunately) at a village in Gangwondo yielded one unexpected highlight: excellent views of a Collared Dove associating loosely with some Oriental Turtle Doves.

Bird News from Nial Moores
Gageo Island, June 25

Extremely poor for seabirds on the ferry from Mokpo apart from close to Gageo itself, where 10 Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel, with the only other species of note a group of 5 Eastern Great Egret heading east across the sea. On the island, because of the hot and humid conditions and construction noise, only a couple of hours in the evening walking the 1-Gu circuit. As on Socheong, some White-cheeked Starling (c 15) and Brown-eared Bulbul, but otherwise little overlap in species, with e.g. two Little Cuckoo, still a dozen or more highly vocal Japanese Bush Warbler, and in addition an Eastern Great, at least 8 Eastern Cattle, 3 Little, and 4 Intermediate Egrets - all failed breeders or late migrating (immature) non-breeders? Further species of note included one or two White-breasted Waterhen, 2 or 3 Light-vented Bulbul and happily between 8 and 10 rather vocal and at times showy Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, Photo © Joseph Bieksza

A relatively quiet morning along the west coast of the island.IIt seems there are, already underway, major plans to create either a four or six lane highway along the current two lane road to Eulangri beach. Major habitat is already decreasing rapidly and I imagine skittish avian varieties will avoid the traffic and new bustling businesses. I did manage to view 50 Black-tailed Gull, 1 Chinese Egret, 16 Barn Swallow, 2 Kentish Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 8 Grey Capped Greenfinch, 40 Far Eastern Curlew, 1 Eastern Oystercatcher, 4 Black-naped Oriole, and 1 Common Cuckoo.

Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes , Photo © Joseph Bieksza

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, Photo © Joseph Bieksza

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius, Photo © Joseph Bieksza

Birding News from Robin Newlin
Socheong Ferry, June 24

This is a supplement to N.M.’s (much more exciting) report of the 23^rd and 24^th: a brief description of a brief encounter with an apparent Gull-billed Tern. I.D. of the species is usually straightforward, but a combination of timing, angles, and diverging high velocities lie behind the qualifier. The tern was seen about 50 minutes southeast of Socheong, relatively close but (for the most part) flying away from the boat, first obliquely then veering to fly away and parallel to our wake. It appeared large and distinctly broad winged with a relatively heavy and deep wing beat (these points in comparison, for instance, with Common Terns, also seen on the same trip but near Incheon). Tail appeared short but I didn’t get an ideal view. Head looked large and blocky with a heavy black cap; bill (a very brief side view) appeared thick, short and black. Overall plumage was strikingly pale or frosty looking; mantle and wings appeared white or near-white; no apparent dark on the primaries.

Bird News from Nial Moores
Socheong Island, June 23-24

As part of ongoing Birds Korea research on the avifauna of West Sea islands, a quick return visit to survey summering and breeding birds on Socheong in fairly hot and humid conditions. From the ferry, Black-tailed Gull was the only species seen during the outward journey, with best on the return trip being the personal first Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel of the year (although Robin Newlin also saw an apparent Gull-billed Tern on 24th - an outstanding highlight on almost any other day...). On Socheong itself, presumed summer residents included 4 Light-vented Bulbul and two Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler, singing White’s Thrush (1) and Korean Bush Warbler (c10), several freshly-fledged Pelagic Cormorants, and e.g. rather more widespread Blue Rock Thrush and Meadow Bunting. Despite timing the visit to avoid migrants (!), presumably late spring migrants included a single Dark-sided Flycatcher on the 23rd and singing Arctic Warbler (2) and Oriental Reed Warbler (1) on 24th. In addition, easily the most numerous species was White-cheeked Starling, with c 500 noted, including a flock of 250 at the lighthouse (many of which were juveniles) - easily the highest count to date of the species on the island, and strong evidence that post-breeding dispersal/southward migration has already started! As if these were not enough, three or four hours in the afternoon in the east of the island on the 23rd produced several bursts of anxiety/excitement. The two that "got away" were a medium or large dark (black or blackish) cuckoo sp. that flushed off the road, and was glimpsed a second time moving through the forest; and a martin sp that while Sand Martin-like in plumage appeared neat, rather Asian House Martin like in structure (with a shallow tail fork - but how shallow?), and several very striking plumage features, including a very pale mantle and rump, and upperwing coverts contrasting with darker flight feathers etc. Neither were seen again on the 24th. Easily the outstanding highlight therefore remained Korea’s (and East Asia’s?) first Ashy Woodswallow, found and photographed on the 23rd as it sallied to catch flying insects, and and seen again when also twitched (!) by the indefatigable Drs. Kim Shim Hwan and Robin Newlin on the 24th.

Korean Bush Warbler Cettia (canturians) borealis, Photo © Nial Moores

Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus , Photo © Nial Moores

Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus, Photo © Nial Moores

Birding News from Rich Lindie
Gwangyang, June 21

The Flock of Fork-tailed Swift still present and seen from my apartment.

Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus, Photo © Rich Lindie

Birding News from Robin Newlin
Cheollabuk-do, June 13

An afternoon journey through west-central Korea found some typical summer residents: 4 or 5 Black-naped Orioles, 1 each of Japanese Pygmy, Greater Spotted and Grey-headed Woodpeckers, 12 Azure-winged Magpies, a Hobby, single Bull-headed and Thick-billed Shrikes, a roving family of Long-tailed Tits, 2 Common and 1 Indian Cuckoo, a calling Korean Bush Warbler and a calling Black-capped Kingfisher; best of all (and not quite typical) a pair of Black Paradise Flycatchers, the male seen well and the female obscurely photographed.

Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus, Photo © Robin Newlin

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus, Photo © Robin Newlin

Black Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata, Photo © Robin Newlin

Birding News from Rich Lindie
Gwangyang, June 13

A Flock of 23 Fork-tailed Swift seen flying over in the late afternoon.