The Deskbound Birder: South Korea and Taiwan

Wednesday 29 January 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 29th January (Day 4)

Today we spent the entire day on the area known as the Seosan Reclamation, a vast expanse of land to the west of the city dominated by rice fields and reed lined water courses which has been reclaimed by the sea for potential future development. While still a haven for wildlife it is clear that the site is steadily being developed as land is sold-off with road improvements, canalisation of the water courses, construction of recreational areas etc all being signs of in-roads being made to the development of the site. The loud roaring of the F-16 fighter jets overhead dominated the soundscape which was otherwise made up of the constant cackling of tens of thousands of Greater White-fronted Goose, Taiga Bean Goose and Tundra Bean Goose.

As we entered the reclaim area known as Area A we encountered a superb Eurasian Eagle owl silhouetted in the darkness as it perched atop a telegraph pole. A little further on eyeshine picked up in the car headlights was an Amur Leopard Cat which we saw rather too briefly and mainly in silhouette. We then entered the main site and sped past security which had been installed at the site to deter visitors. As the light gained we began to bird the fields, pools and water courses which dominate the area. On the pools we recorded abundant waterfowl including Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Smew, Goosander, Falcated Duck, Whooper Swan, Pochard and Goldeneye. The vast former area of tidal mudflats which now has a barage installed across its mouth supported Black-necked Grebe, Mongolian Gull and a single superb adult Steller’s Sea-eagle. However, it was the vast expanse of rich fields and watercourses which held the greatest birding interest with highlights including 17 Hooded Crane, three Bull-headed Shrike, one Chinese Grey Shrike, 10 Chinese Penduline Tit, five Dusky Warbler, 75 Buff-bellied Pipit, 150 Lapland Bunting, one Chestnut-eared Bunting, 50 Pallas’s Reed Bunting, 75 Rustic Bunting and 15 Black-faced Bunting. Flocks of mixed Tundra Bean Goose and Taiga Bean Goose proved challenging, the separation of these two being tricky even when birds are side by side. The highlight for me came as we found two Lesser White-fronted Goose amongst a flock of around 1,000 Greater White-fronts, their subtle structural differences and yellow eye-ring were studied in detail, this is a bird that I had long wanted to see. Mammal interest came in the form of two rather scruffy looking Racoon Dog, canids with a black mask and therefore having a resemblance to Racoon's. My eBird checklist for the morning can be viewed here.

Daurian Redstart - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Common Gull of subspecies kamtschatschensis - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Herring (Mongolian) Gull - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Mallard and Falcated Duck - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

White-tailed Eagle - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Greater White-fronted Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Hooded Crane - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Bull-headed Shrike - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Greater White-fronted goose with three Tundra Bean Goose (to right) - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Tundra Bean Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Chestnut-eared Bunting - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Vinous-throated Parrotbill - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Rustic Bunting - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Brambling - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

White-tailed Eagle - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Black Vulture - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Bull-headed Shrike - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Greater White-fronted Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Long-tailed Tit - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Greater White-fronted Goose and Tundra Bean Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Herring (Mongolian) Gull - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Steller's Sea-eagle - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Greater White-fronted Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Lesser White-fronted Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Greater White-fronted Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Taiga Bean Goose (right hand bird at rear) and Tundra Bean Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Tundra Bean Goose - Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

After birding Area A we headed a short way along the road to Area B of the reclamation. A short detour towards the ‘bird observatory’ which seemed to be dominated by caged birds produced a vulture feeding station with some 46 Black Vulture, four White-tailed Eagle and a superb male Dusky Thrush. My eBird checklist for the bird observatory can be viewed here.

Black Vulture - Bird Observatory, Seosan Reclamation (Area A), South Korea

Continuing north to the small village of Bongrak-Ri we entered further reclaim habitat to the west of the village, this was Area B. Again the area was dominated by rice fields and ditches but this area seemed far less extensive and perhaps more disturbed than Area A. We flushed two Japanese Quail from roadside vegetation, a new bird for me. There were large numbers of Tundra Bean Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose and two Lesser White-fronted Goose were heard but the key birds here were a flock of 13 Oriental Stork. Some of these birds were unringed birds but were mainly ringed and from re-introduction program and included one Japanese ringed bird. My eBird checklist for the area can be viewed here.

As dusk fell, a short night drive produced at least three Racoon Dog, and at 18:30 we headed back to the hotel Vovo in Seosan and out for dinner and beers.