Harlerquin Ducks © Bernhard Seliger
On 9 February 2021, Mr. Doug Watkins, Chief Executive, Ms. Vivian Fu, Communication Officer, and Ms. Seoyun Kang, Programme Assistant, joined a seabird survey lead by Dr. Nial Moores, Dr. Bernhard Seliger and Mr. Felix Glenk (Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea, EAAFP Partner) and Dr. Amaël Borzée at Goseong Coast. It is part of the survey supported by Funded by Hanns Seidel Foundation, Korea (HSF Korea) and aimed to obtain information of distribution and abundance of seabirds along the Daejin-Geojin coast. This region locates in the east coast of Ro Korea near the border of DPR Korea.
The survey took about four hours on a boat. All the members were well-wrapped to endure the winter sea breeze while birdwatching, not to mention cameras and binoculars held in everyone’s hands. As the boat sailed along the set route, we scanned across the sea waves looking for birds flying or resting in the sea. Mr. Felix Glenk from HSF Korea recorded the number of birds observed every ten minutes, recording 1,610 birds of at least 16 species in total that day.
©Vivian Fu / EAAFP
Despite the cold weather at Goseong Sea, one of the staging criteria within EAA Flyway, many numbers and different species of birds were found. As the staging criteria is a resting stop for migratory waterbirds, such sites are extremely important and need to be conserved. The East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) aims to protect migratory waterbirds, their habitat, and the livelihoods of people dependent upon them.
Ancient Murrelet © Vivian Fu / EAAFP
Red-breasted Merganser, at Daejin © Amaël Borzée
Red-necked Grebe © Amaël Borzée
Presumed Thayer’s Iceland Gull, at Daejin Harbour © Vivian Fu / EAAFP
Gulls in the sea ©Vivian Fu / EAAFP
Pelagic Cormorant ©Vivian Fu / EAAFP
For more detailed report, check the Birds Korea’s blog.
