It was time again to visit Gwangjuho Lake. The leaves have finally begun to change color, and the transition from autumn into winter is happening really fast. I woke up just before sunrise to discover the temperature had fallen to nearly 0ºC, which isn’t particularly cold except when just a week earlier it was around 13ºC at night. And here I was wondering when autumn actually arrives in Korea.
I’ve been expecting waterfowl to arrive any day now, so I thought I would spend Saturday morning at the largest body of water (other than the Yeongsan River) that I knew of in Gwangju. I had hoped to catch an early bus for Chunghyo-dong, but I ended up missing it by a few minutes, so I arrived around 8am. However, the sun rises much later at this time of year, and Gwangjuho Lake is surrounded by mountains, so my timing was spot on. The sun had just cleared the mountains and quickly melted the thin layer of frost that covered everything. Only those places hidden in shadow maintained a frosty covering.
Sunrise at Gwangjuho Lake.
The birds were active at this early hour, but the low temperatures made them a little sluggish. A female bull-headed shrike, my first observation upon arriving, scanned the area. She seemed like she was waiting for her morning cup of coffee, and she allowed me to approach closely to her high perch without so much as a nod in my direction. Below, her attention was focused on a large flock of at least fifty vinous-throated parrotbills, moving in waves through dried vegetation surrounding a small pond. Not that long ago I was photographing dragonflies at this location, and now everything was wilted and dried. The difference a few months can make…
Female Bull-headed Shrike (Lanius bucephalus bucephalus)
Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana fulvicauda)
Further along in the more wooded section, I found a gathering of woodpeckers: pygmy woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, and grey-faced woodpecker, were all foraging together. I tried desperately to get a shot of the great spotted woodpecker, but he proved to be camera-shy. I “settled” instead for a beautiful portrait of the female grey-headed woodpecker.
Female Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus jessoensis)
I approached the shore of Gwangjuho Lake to find that the water level had been drawn down since my last visit here. The shore was exposed for about ten meters, and dozens of white wagtails foraged and flitted about on the mud. Scanning through the flock, which contained mostly juvenile first-year birds, I found several adult birds comprising three different subspecies. It was my first opportunity to photograph the “Chinese” subspecies leucopsis, and it was a lot of fun picking through the birds and identifying the different subspecies. My scanning also revealed a single Japanese wagtail in with the group. A single grey wagtail was also present, and I ended up flushing two separate groups of American pipits of the japonicus subspecies while walking the rocky shoreline. Out on the water there were smatterings of Eurasian teal and mallards, a small group of tufted ducks, a single common goldeneye, and five little grebes. I left just as a Eurasian sparrowhawk flew overhead, sending all the smaller passerines into the air.
“Chinese” White Wagtail (Motacilla alba leucopsis)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis poggei)
The last place I wanted to check was the rock garden on the western side of the Eco-Park. There are several pagodas which are perfect of an afternoon picnic. This portion of the Eco-Park is a little more “planned” than the eastern side and along the edge of the lake, so I usually don’t go to the western side. But the lighting was perfect and the birds cooperative, so I thought I might as well check it out before the place became too crowded.
Overlooking the western side of Gwangjuho Lake Ecological Park.
I found several Eurasian magpies searching for food on the lawns, and two large-billed crows, the first of this species I’ve seen at this location, were calling continuously from just beyond the Eco-Park boundary. Hidden in the tall grasses along the edge of the maintained rock garden, dozens of yellow-throated buntings chipped from hidden places. These small sparrows, though brightly colored, have an incredible knack of remaining unseen in thick vegetation. A little patience led to getting better looks at them as they ventured to the tops of the low shrubs to forage. A male bull-headed shrike patrolled the area, but he was uninterested in the buntings, who were equally uninterested in him. Among all the yellow-throated buntings I found two rustic buntings, newly arrived from their northern breeding grounds. Though lacking the brighter colors of their breeding plumage, these birds were still handsomely dressed.
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica sericea)
These birds, though exceedingly common, are nevertheless quite eye-catching.
Yellow-throated Bunting (Emberiza elegans elegans)
Although the Gwangjuho Lake Ecological Park is one of the harder birding sites to get to in Gwangju, especially without a car, it’s also one of the best. Any time of year can produce surprising and unexpected species, and the tranquil lakeside reminds me of some of my favorite sites from Ontario.
See a full eBird listing of all the species seen throughout the day here.
On the Wing 