Bird News from Jason Loghry with Ha Jung Moon, Matt Poll, and Nial Moores
As many birders in Korea already know, there has been only one record of Bar-headed Goose in Korea, which was seen for a couple of weeks in March of 2003. Therefore after hearing about a recent sighting of the species at a not-so-distant location, the opportunity to finally see one was very hard to pass up. There are many questions as to why this particular bird is here now; especially at this time of year: Is it a vagrant because of something natural such as weather or inexperience? If so, has it been in the area longer than when first reported, having just been overlooked? Is it an escapee? Or is it one of the artificially bred birds discussed in this article? We may never know.
Regardless of why it’s here, it is a stunning bird with very attractive plumage patterns and it was another good reason to meet up with fellow Birds Koreans for a nice day of birding. Highlights of the afternoon also include wonderful views of Yellow Bittern, both in flight and perched in reeds, two Eurasian Hobby; two Mongolian Gulls and three Saunders’s Gulls on the tidal flat at Suncheon as well as about 1000 Terek Sandpiper. And to top it off, a unanimous vote from the group for ‘bird of the day’ goes to another summer superstar, Greater Painted-snipe, with views of both a male and female found at a seemingly very healthy rice field.
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus © Jason Loghry
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus © Jason Loghry
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis © Nial Moores
male and nearly hidden female Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis © Nial Moores
female and nearly hidden male Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis © Nial Moores