Azure-winged Magpies

A family of Azure-winged magpies (Onagaオナガ) were foraging in the cherry trees near our house. I was just passing by and I didn't have my camera!

I see azure-winged magpies around here only occasionally even though they are not uncommon birds. (probably more often hear them rather than actually see them) I always feel like a treat when I come across a large family like today.

Hokkaido IV

The ground of the woodland was still covered with thick snow but we had chance to see woodland birds near feeders.

Jay (akesuカケス) - a subspecies found in Hokkaido has a very distinct cinnamon coloured head.

 

We had never seen so many Jays in one place! 

Nuthatch (Gojukaraゴジュウカラ) - a very white underparts compared with the ones we are familiar in Britain.

Great spotted woodpecker (Akageraアカゲラ)

Marsh tit (Hashibutogaraハシブトガラ)

 

Dusky thrush (Tsugumiツグミ) & Jay

 Japanese tit (Shijukaraシジュウカラ)

Long-tailed tit (Shimaenagaシマエナガ) - completely white face

Brown-eared bulbul (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ)

Carrion crow (Hashibosogarasuハシボソガラス)

 

 

Wren (Misosazaiミソサザイ)

All of a sudden, the little ones started to be agitated with alarm calls, and this is why: a beautiful Red fox (Kitsuneキツネ)

 The woodland looks bleak from outside but it surely is getting ready for spring!

South Korea VII Royal Tombs

Cemeteries are always wildlife-friendly - little disturbance and lots of green.
Byoungwoo, our excellent bird guide, took us to one of the big royal tombs and we saw a lot of woodland birds there!

Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Akageraアカゲラ)

White-backed Woodpeckers (Ooakageraオオアカゲラ)

After a white-backed woodpecker pecked the tree a bit, a Grey-headed Woodpecker (Yamageraヤマゲラ) took over the place! what a bully!

a bit like Humpty Dumpty...

male Red-flanked Bluetail (Ruribitakiルリビタキ)

Nuthatch (Gojukaraゴジュウカラ)

male Elegant Bunting (Miyama-hoojiroミヤマホオジロ) or Yellow-throated Bunting

Jay (Kakesuカケス)

Water Deer (Kibanoroキバノロ)

Water deer are an endangered species in China but, according to Byoungwoo, they are thriving in South Korea. We saw them quite a few times although they are thought to be very shy. We may have been very lucky:)

King's tomb

The shrines and tombs for high class people have a stone corridor straight from the main shrine building, which is apparently a path for the sacred spirits to be led to the shrine. Interesting.

Korean lunch - dried cod soup & kimchi & little dishes

Korean light supper - cold noodles with chili paste covered with nori seaweed

Thanks to Byoungwoo, we really had a great time in South Korea. Nearly 60 species of birds in two days, some of which were lifers for us. It is a very good number considering the fact that Japan and Korea share many species. And of course we totally enjoyed his excellent choice of Korean cuisine as well!

Byoungwoo's Birding Korea site is here:
https://www.birdingkorea.com/

South Korea V Cheorwon

Apart from the cranes and geese, we were lucky to have seen quite a few juvenile White-tailed Eagles (Ojirowashiオジロワシ) on the paddy field in the DMZ.

We could not find any carcass so we could not figure out why they were there with lots of Common Magpies (Kasasagiカササギ).

A very nice picture of a White-tailed Eagle from our guide Byoungwoo

Whooper Swans (Oohakuchoオオハクチョウ) were in the water near the paddy fields.

From the hide in the observatory, we saw a large number of ducks, mainly Mallard (Magamoマガモ).

There were a small group of Baikal Teals (Tomoegamoトモエガモ) among the mallard. (a lovely photo taken by Byoungwoo)

A Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was posing for us:)

Water Deer (Kibanoroキバノロ) (also taken by Byoungwoo)

Korean-style dinner - Tofu hotpot & kimchi dishes

very hot (spicy) & hot (temperature) and delicious!

& Korean-style breakfast - many little dishes with rice & soup

another great photo taken by Byoungwoo in Cheorwon

Mr Byoungwoo's "Birding Korea" site is here
https://www.birdingkorea.com/

South Korea I

It was extremely hard towards the end of the year 2019 for both of us and the reward for ourselves at the end was a holiday (birding, of course!) in South Korea. YAY!

Gwanghwamum

The weather was quite mild in South Korean terms while we were there, and it was very lucky. The temperature could have gone down to -30c!

Tofu hotpot & kimchi & veggies

A meal was always accompanied with kimchi & cooked vegetables/seaweed/bracken  (most of them were as spicy as kimchi) in small bowls for everyone at the table for sharing.

The birds we saw in Seoul were

Naumann's Thrush (Hachijo-tsugumiハチジョウツグミ)

Common Magpie (Kasasagiカササギ)

Chinese Grosbeak (Koikaruコイカル)

Coal Tit (Higaraヒガラ)

Marsh Tit (Hashibutogaraハシブトガラ)

Varied Tit (Yamagaraヤマガラ)

In the city centre, common magpies and brown-eared bulbuls were the two most abundant bird species. Interestingly, there were no crows (thick-billed or carrion) in the centre at all.