July and early August are the most tedious times for bird watching in Korea, when birds are mostly hidden in forests or rice paddies, not very vocal and active, the heat is scorching and the humidity overwhelming. All this was true, yesterday, too. Nevertheless, while on my way to a great workshop on the future of the biosphere reserve in Yeoncheon with Yeoncheon county, Birds Korea, and experts from all over Korea and from University of California, Berkeley, I stopped at some places to check out birds and habitats. The destruction of habitat in Paju around Gongneungchon stream unfortunately is ongoing and, I fear, irreversible, though there are still some lovely patches here and there. Yesterday, to my surprise I did not see any Black-faced Spoonbill, usually a sure find in the area. The greatest find was a Crested Honey Buzzard circling slowly over Gunnam dam in Yeoncheon and calling out. Thanks to Nial Moores for help with the ID!
Here are the complete lists:
Paju book city wetland https://ebird.org/checklist/S189864786
Rice-fields in Paju https://ebird.org/checklist/S189864159
Yeoncheon around Gunnam-Dam https://ebird.org/checklist/S189865327
Common greenshank Tringa nebularia (© Bernhard Seliger)
Mandarin duck Aix galericulata (© Bernhard Seliger)
Common kingfisher Alcedo atthis (© Bernhard Seliger)
Striated heron Butorides striata (© Bernhard Seliger)
Crested honey buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus (© Bernhard Seliger)