Bird News from Robin Newlin and Andreas Kim
As part of the continuing Scaly-sided Merganser survey, we visited a pretty stretch of river near Naju and found an encouraging 13 Scaly-sided Mergansers, an equivalent number of Common Mergansers, 82 Eastern Spot-billed Ducks, 12 Common Teal and a surprising 8 Baikal Teal, 8 Little Grebes, 2 Far-eastern Buzzards, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper,1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, several Grey Herons and Great Egrets, 1 Common Kestrel and 7 Azure-winged Magpies.
We also found some construction in progress along the banks of the stream that seems to transform the banks together with the islands in the river into a park like area.
Scaly-sided Merganser Mergus squamatus, © Andreas Kim
Common Merganser Mergus merganser and Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (back), © Andreas Kim
Baikal Teal Anas formosa (back) and Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (front), © Andreas Kim
The board on the left explains that the “Eco-river” project has started (Feb. 2013) and that it is now prohibited to grow crops in this area. © Andreas Kim
Eco-river with rock-bordered islands?, © Andreas Kim
Eco-river with rock-bordered islands?, © Andreas Kim