Birds Korea - Bird News February 2002

After a notably mild winter, it became quickly obvious that many species were already heading north.
Thrush and duck numbers were markedly down (there were no Baikal Teal flocks left in the Joonam area for example) and a party of 12 Oriental White Storks left a stake-out in the west on the 9th. Indeed small flocks of migrant Buff-bellied Pipits were commonplace by the 13th as the temperature soared above normal. Highlights of the trip included the re-finding of Korea's first Ferruginous Duck (a male keeping close company with a female Baer's Pochard) at Joonam, high numbers of Siberian Accentor, a sub-adult Steller's Sea Eagle on the east coast, Solitary Snipe in Gwangeung, Scaly-sided Merganser, and a 2ndW Relict Gull at Song-Do.

Feb 06: Song-Do.
1 2ndW Relict Gull, 2 Saunders' Gull.
Ganghwa.
9 Red-crowned Crane, one group of 7 Siberian Accentor, 1 Long-tailed Rosefinch.

Feb 07: Ganghwa.
7 Red-crowned Crane, 270 Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Siberian Meadow Bunting, 1 Pallas's Reed Bunting.
Imjingak.
140 Cinereous Vulture. 1 Golden Eagle, 2 White-tailed Eagle.
Gwangeung Forest.

3 Solitary Snipe, 1 White-backed Woodpecker.

Feb 08:
Andong. 2 Scaly-sided Merganser, 5 Smew.
East Coast. 1 sub-adult Steller's Sea Eagle, Glaucous Gull, Japanese Wagtail (plentiful).

Feb 09:
Pohang. 1 Saunders' Gull, 1 Rhinoceros Auklet, 1 Ancient Murrelet.

Feb 10:
Pohang. 1 Pacific Black Brant, 150+ White-winged Scoter.

Feb 11:
Joonam.

1 Ferruginous Duck Ayhthya nyroca (1st record for Korea, first found Feb02 by NCM), 1 Baer's Pochard, 1 Baikal Teal, 2 Lesser White-fronted Goose , 100+ Taiga Bean Goose.

Feb 13:
DaejongDae.
Over a 1000 gulls, inc Vega, Mongolian, Slaty-backed. Yellow-throated Buntings notably common.

Feb 14:
Woopo. 3500 Taiga Bean Goose, 1 Snow Goose, Tundra and Whooper Swans, 3 White Spoonbill. (No sign of the long-staying Swan Goose.)
(No sign of either the Ferruginous Duck or Baer's Pochard at Joonam.)