Monday, March 17, 2014

Mara-do, Jeju, March 15, 2014

Mara Island - the furthest south you are going to get in South Korea without swimming
Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus
Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas
1.       Arctic Loon Gavia arctica; 20+ near Sagye harbour
2.       Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas; five from the ferry (early?)
3.       Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus; 90+ near the ferry harbour at Sagye
4.       Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus; two confiding males in partial breeding plumage
5.       Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris
6.       Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus; five from the ferry, two in breeding plumage
7.       Eurasian Magpie Pica pica; three individuals around the village
8.       Far Eastern Skylark Alauda japonica; 15 or more resting in the short grass, ‘chirruping’ quietly, unlike their counterparts nearby on Jeju proper, that were in full song in the fields
9.       Barn Swallow Hirundo Rustica; only one seen over the island
10.   Japanese Bush Warbler Horornis diphone
11.   Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus; 10+ in the small woods at the island’s centre
12.   Naumann’s Thrush Turdus naumanni
13.   Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus
14.   Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus
15.   Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
16.   White Wagtail Motacilla alba; two leucopsis
17.   Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi
18.   Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica; eight in the woods

+Belated Seogwipo Bird News
At ‘Redpoll Hill’, a brief sighting of a Yellow-browed Warbler on March 4th was followed by a much better listen/look at three individuals on March 13th. On the same day, a single Goldcrest was seen (my first Goldcrest on Jeju in 3+ years), and several Tristram’s Bunting still. Also, a possible Black Wood Pigeon – a large dark pigeon clacked its wings loudly as it took off, then flew strongly through the canopy. On March 14th, I spotted my first Barn Swallows of the year, just east of town. I watched 30+ swooping over an artificial pond for an enjoyable 20 minutes.

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