Birds News from Nial Moores
A few hours away from the office and into the field on a sunny but still windy day (with Force 6 southwesterlies following on from two days of even stronger winds). Out to sea, at least 30 Streaked Shearwater and large numbers of gulls appeared to be on the move (heading south back towards the Korea Strait), joined by one loon sp. and one Yellow-billed Loon, while 71 Great Crested Grebe seemed rather more settled closer in to shore. On the land, by SK View, 11 Buff-bellied Pipit and one Eurasian Sparrowhawk arrived in off the sea, while the woods also held a few early migrants. These included 6+ Red-flanked Bluetail (including two adult males), a single Pale Thrush, both Korean (1) and Japanese (2) Bush Warblers and a single Russet Sparrow (heard only, as was an over-flying accentor). Also of note there was a drumming White-backed Woodpecker, blurrily disgiscoped (the combination of decade old Nikon coolpix and brand new and brilliant Swaorvski scope not really being the best of matches…).
