Birding in Korea

With air temperatures continuing to hover just above zero,
resulting in few or no Moths
and other Wildlife thin on the ground, we embark on yet another
Mini Series
hoping to keep our valued readership happy!
WELCOME to SOUTH KOREA 
There is no single word or phrase to adequately describe the vast majority of the

Human Race!

“Good” may go part way, but it’s far bigger than that, as the general

%-age must be in the 90’s, or is it simply the Midas Touch!

It is this that I cling to during any of my adventures and know full well that

Respect will begat Respect

and often lead to much, much more.

During this, hopefully short, local hiatus on the Wildlife front

please allow me to visit yet another of these magical moments which came to pass.

The adventure had started on 22 February 2012 on the island of

Incheon, part of the South Korean capital Seoul, and as with my last visit

Mr Hu Wing Yung - Hotel Manager springing out of the woodwork to arrange all my 

needs in his tenement-like establishment - a little bare but bearable!

That first week had proved most profitable adding the now ‘split’ 

Oriental Magpie, 

 (likely an 'Armchair Tick')

Eastern Buzzard, 

(ditto)

Vinous-throated Parrotbill

and at long, long last

 Relict Gull

(the last of the 56 strong family group across the world to be personally recorded)

added to the World list.

 Unfortuneately it, along with Ivory Gull still remain 'uncaptured' on camera,

which is a situation that is likely to stay that way, but you never know!

 The time to leave came with something of a conundrum as no plans were laid for the

next 10 days but not flexible as having to catch the ferry from

Busan to Fukuoka in Japan on that tenth day.

 At the coach station there was some 'PIDGIN' between myself anf the Manager with

much flapping of arms and whistling before the 

Driver

 intervened seeming to have some idea what the hell all the squalking and flapping was about.

He directed me to the wall map and made the suggestion by gesticulation that

DONG SONG EUP

might fit the bill?

At the destination I was almost forceably dragged from the coach by a rather stout gentleman and

my bag thrust into my arms - there was something a little strange about all of this?

Mister Leu

was the Station Manager here and you need not have been a genius to realise that his

colleague at the other end had made a surreptitious phone call.

Picking up my bag and almost dragging me to his office 

 he sat me on the sofa before offering a sort of

Medicinal Drink, thrusting a pile of 'calling cards' into my hand before disapearing.

On his return in was in company with these

2 Schoolboys who had a better command of the English language than me.

They soon had me sussed, handing me one of the cards with flying Cranes on it,

and with a nod of my head phoned Mr Lee Haesoon who, it seemed, instructed them to 
find a nearby guest house where he would meet me the following morning.

 True to his word Lee knocked my door at 07:00 apologising that his wife and daughter

could not make it, but would meet me later, while he

(left) and 2 friends, who did not make the log during the excitement,

were most anxious to show me something special!

It rather depends on your point of view if something is 

SPECIAL

or not as all that was on offer that first morning was

EURASIAN EAGLE OWL

One of the largest Owl in the World and usually of the

Mountains, Dense Forest, Steppes and other relatively  remote places,

and here was one right on the doorstep!

It even broke cover briefly and flew out to do an aerial pirrouette or two!

Later it would be my greatest pleasure to meet both Wife and Daughter for lunch

but that will have to wait for another lacklustre day, which seem to be becoming all too often!!

To Be Continued........

Build - The Housemartins

Temperatures mainly are keeping the Moths from the Traps

but if just one or 2 'firsts for the year' grace them then the frustration is kept at bay.

 Both

 SCALLOPED HOOK-TIP

 along with a

 contortionist

 YELLOW BELLE

were very welcome sites before heading off in pursuit of more

Wild Things (The Troggs)

At the Irrigation Pond there was no more that what looked every bit like a forlorn

COOT

with no partner and no family while round at the

Gravel Pit

there was at least a bit of action.

 While we have seen no more than a single pulse of about 3 to 4 dozen

 HOUSE MARTIN

 across the southern reaches of the 

Recording Area

 none of them have stopped to best at the traditional sites,

mainly the Manor House.

These birds are surely those from the colony in the

Bournemouth International Airport Industrial Estate

which holds an estimated colony of 30+ pairs.

 On the Heath the pair of

 RED=LEGGED PARTRIDGE

 broke cover after an absence of about 6 to 8 weeks

bringing a personal delight for me!

There was another (or one of the same)

 CUCKOO

along with what were considered to be 2 (none clicked) seperate Hobby's,

and at long last the

 ASPENS

showing signs of foliage.

BEST there was left until LAST as we forced ourself through

Bramble and the like to see if another of our speciality Moths had emerged yet?

There, buzzing over the single

 RHODODENDRON

was an equally singular

 BROAD-BORDERED BEE HAWK MOTH

 Only one, but one is enough and

oh could we have videoed this extremely fast flier!

Returning to Slight Return II

we found a

 WREN

 had managed to get itself locked inside.

 As lightening struck for a second time

 we also found a nest in one of the horses food containers

 and by just lifting the corner of the canvas cover we were able to

snap the usual 'large clutch' of eggs within.

Snake in the Grass - Elton John

The Moths, all ‘first for the year’, relate to Saturday night’s catch as the Arctic blast of Sunday brought with it an overnight temperature of no more than +4°C, an icy blast and a single 

Shuttle-shaped Dart! 

GREEN CARPET

 TREBLE LINES

LIME-SPECK PUG
The early morning Good News was found as the presumed regular

 SWALLOWs
have returned to the traditional 'garage' nest site, are

 already carrying mud

 with the foundations already laid.
As for other avians, it was the new brigade of young

STARLINGs
(adult)

 that stole the show

 at all locations

 but mostly across the Northern Section

where numbers had to have been in the 'hundreds'.
 Also at that end of our area we encountered the first 
DRAGONS
of the year with decent views of both

 COMMON DARTER
and

BROAD-BODIED CHASER
but very few Butterflies.
After a brief encounter with a 

DARTFORD WARBLER
a far more substantial 'flier' cut across the sky directly overhead the

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

Virgin Airbus

 presumably returning from China with a cargo of PPE as reported on the 
Local News Channel.

15 minutes later we had stationed ourself perfectly for the landing.
More excitement to follow as turning the
Reptile Covers
to find in the first instance no more than a

lively

ANTS NEST
followed by x3 first for the year

SMOOTH SNAKES

HERE'S LOOKING FOREWARD TO A SAND LIZARD!