Daily Archives: 07/11/2024

November 3rd & 4th: Yeoncheon Imjin River FNS

Circling Cinereous Vultures and White-naped Cranes over the inner border, skeins of geese heading south, Hill Pigeons, flocks of buntings (but still very few finches), and an internationally important count of 52 Scaly-sided Merganser…combined with a wonderfully positive education program and time enjoying the artwork of Birds Korea member Professor Kim Haekyung.

Fresh off 2 weeks on Baengnyeong Island, I had the chance to lead a session on environmental education attended by several local teachers and Birds Korea Yeoncheon members (all excellently organised as always: thank you!), with “classwork” followed by a visit to the Taepung Observatory in the CCZ, and a short stop further downstream. The weather was beautiful, and despite some distant blaring speakers and the permanent ban on taking images at this site, we were able to enjoy small groups of Cinereous Vultures – 17 individuals in total – crossing the inner border; more than a hundred White-naped Cranes in the air together; and multiple skeins of geese heading south through the afternoon into the evening (most years, foraging geese peak in number in the FNS in mid-December, presumably before heading much further south into China). List on eBird

An energetic discussion focused on birds and their potential role in environmental education programs © Nial Moores
Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, skeins of geese (joined on occasion by a few Northern Pintail) were heading south-west over the FNS © Nial Moores

On Monday 4th, a day of bird survey of the newly-designated FNS with Birds Korea Yeoncheon Director Baek Seung-Kwang started in the Peace Rice-fields of the CCZ. The habitat looks great (though could be improved further of course…), with several foraging White-naped Cranes, two Hen Harrier, two Bluethroat (one adult male and a female-type seen), two Water Rails sensu lato heard, and flocks of Rustic and Pallas’s Reed Buntings. A full checklist is here on eBird.

The Peace Rice-fields: part of the newly-designated Imjin River Flyway Network Site © Nial Moores
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 잿빛개구리매 © Nial Moores
White-naped Cranes Antigone vipio 재두루미; a regular migrant and winter visitor to the FNS in internationally important concentrations © Nial Moores

Along the Imjin River, horrendous construction in two areas, but several stretches were relatively undisturbed and 52 globally Endangered and sensitive-to-disturbance Scaly-sided Merganser were counted – with the autumn peak of this species still 10-12 days away – several more White-naped Cranes were seen, and about 30 Hill Pigeon found, with one flock also containing an all-white domestic pigeon.

What kind of building permit is required to permit construction of a road to a private house that also permits bulldozing of a hill side and cutting of river-side woodland?
Nationally Critically Endangered Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris 낭비둘기 © Nial Moores
Five of the 52 Scaly-sided Merganser Mergus squamatus 호사비오리 that we recorded in the FNS on November 4th © Nial Moores. How have other formal survey efforts missed this species here completely?

In addition to the birds and some beautiful, autumnal, glowing landscapes, highlights including seeing screening being erected along the roadside in the CCZ to reduce disturbance to waterbirds, and finishing the day enjoying some of the beautiful artwork created by Professor Kim Haekyung, a local Birds Korea member and the artist responsible for the poster used at last year’s symposium in Yeoncheon on Scaly-sided Mergansers…

Erection of screens to reduce disturbance to waterbirds along a key stretch of the Imjin River © Nial Moores.
“제비”: One of my favorite pieces by Professor Kim Haekyung on display in her gallery (just look at the expressions on those youngsters “faces”!) © Nial Moores
Artist Professor Kim Haekyung © Nial Moores
Yeoncheon County Mayor Kim Deog Hyun presenting at the November 2023 international symposium, with the artwork behind by Professor Kim Haekyung © Nial Moores.