Busan, April 4

Bird News from Nial Moores, Jason Loghry, Matt Poll and Heloise Stankard

After heavy overnight rain, a clear mild morning, though with strong northeasterly winds, before more heavy rain moved in again in the afternoon.  Early on, the few remaining allotments outside of Taejongdae held 10+ Barn Swallow (the first of c. 50 seen during the day), 6+ Stejneger’s Stonechat, two Red-billed Starling and two personata Black-faced Bunting, and (the personal first of the year) Intermediate Egret seen coming in off the sea from the southwest.

Red-billed Starling Spodiopsar sericeus © Nial Moores

Stejneger’s Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri © Jason Loghry

At the Nakdong Estuary, the first of two Pacific Reef Egrets (with the second of the day seen at Igidae driving afternoon rain), and probably 10 Whooper Swan, single Eastern Marsh and Hen Harriers, an oddly pale-fronted White-tailed Eagle and several Western Osprey (on poles…) left over from the winter. One or two Great Knot, 2-3 Bar-tailed Godwit and a dozen Far Eastern Curlew were obviously recently-in, as was an Eastern Yellow Wagtail. Other species of note there a sadly oiled Red-throated Loon and a (breeding-plumaged) Eurasian Spoonbill.

Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus © Nial Moores

Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata © Nial Moores

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia © Jason Loghry

In woodland at Dadapo, few thrushes, but perhaps 10 Eurasian Wren, 2+ Asian Stubtail and a male nominate Blue-and-white Flycatcher (personal first of the year), while on the western side of the estuary we found 5+ Dusky Thrush and three flocks of waxings, containing in total c. 110 Japanese and two Bohemian Waxwings.

Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus © Jason Loghry

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus with Japanese Waxwings © Nial Moores

Japanese Waxwing Bombycilla japonica © Nial Moores