Birding Korea

Core Winter Birding Trip for Far East Asian Endemics (8 day winter birding tour 2018~2019)

Seoul - Han river - Cheorwon -  East Coast - Seosan - Geum river - Ganghwa Island - Seoul

Targets :

• Black-throated Loon
• Temminck's Cormorant
• Whooper Swan
• Tundra Bean Goose
• Taiga Bean Goose
• Mandarin Duck
• Falcated Teal
• Baikal Teal
• Harlequin Duck
• White-winged Scoter
• Black Scoter
• Smew
• Scaly-sided Merganser
• Oriental Stork
• Eurasian Spoonbill
• Temminck's Cormorant
• Mew Gull
• Glaucous Gull
• Vega Gull
• Slaty-backed Gull
• Black-legged Kittiwake
• Ancient Murrelet
• White-tailed Eagle
• Steller's Sea Eagle
• Eastern Marsh Harrier
• Japanese Sparrowhawk
• Upland Buzzard
• Cinereous Vulture
• White-naped Crane
• Hooded Crane
• Red-crowned Crane
• Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
• Bull-headed Shrike
• Chinese Great Grey Shrike
• Azure-winged Magpie
• Daurian Jackdaw
• Japanese Waxwing
• Great Tit
• Varied Tit
• Brown-eared Bulbul
• Vinous-throated Parrotbill
• Japanese White-eye
• Siberian Accentor
• Japanese Wagtail
• Grey-capped Greenfinch
• Long-tailed Rosefinch
• Pallas's Rosefinch
• Yellow-billed Grosbeak
• Japanese Grosbeak
• Meadow Bunting
• Yellow-throated Bunting
• Grey Bunting
• Japanese Reed Bunting

Outline 

• This trip is designed to focus on Far East Asia Endemics in winter. 

• This trip leaves on demand and available from November 2017 to middle of March 2018.

• This Trip starts and ends in Seoul.

• An experienced leader will guide you and drive a 4WD Van (7-passenger vehicle).

• This trip will cover the most of the famous wintering habitats in South Korea.

• The schedule can be reduced or increased under the agreement

Day 1

Han river - The upper area of the Han River is one of the most popular places for Steller's sea eagle, Scaly-sided merganser and Whooper swan in Korea. Though this place is close to Seoul, it's really amazing to be able to see many kinds of common winter birds.

Day 2

Cheorwon - Cheorwon is famous for being the best crane-watching site in East Asia. Cheorwon is very close to the DMZ, so a local guide will help us to get into Civilian Control Area and core points. If we are lucky, we can see more than 5 different crane species. It's one of the biggest wintering habitat for Cinereous Vultures.

Day 3 

Cheorwon - We can see cranes and geese waking up together in a calm lake.

East Coast(southern area) - We will explore habitats in a more southern(or northern) area of the east coast and try to pick up any birds we might  have missed on Day 4.

Day 6

Seosan Cheonsu Bay - Cheonsu-Bay is the most attractive birdwatching site for wintering birds. It's located on the west coast of Chungcheong province. The biggest rice fields are filled with hundreds of thousands of geese and ducks. Oriental Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill and many kinds of raptors can also be found here.

Day 7

Geum River Estuary - One of the top 5 birding sites in Korea. We will focus on Baikal teals in this area. They form huge groups in Korea in winter-over 500,000 at times. If we are lucky, we can see one of the greatest spectacles in the avian world. 

Day 8

Ganghwa Island - Gangwha Island is one of the most attractive birdwatching sites in west coast of Seoul. We can see many kinds of wintering birds including thousands of Bean Geese and special small group of Red-crowned Cranes in the wetland.

Included in the cost :  Accommodation(twin room or Korean-style floor-heating room), all meals including picnic lunches, bottled water, transportation, all park entrance fees, and the services of local guides and leaders. 

BOOK THIS TOUR

After you submit your booking request, please send you deposit to paypal account birding.kr@gmail.com.

• If you have any questions, please e-mail us at birding.kr@gmail.com. 

• If you are travelling alone, we can help you find other birders if you like. When you book, please tell us the dates you prefer.

• If there are more than 2 in your group, we can arrange the trip for any dates you prefer. If you would like a long tour to see more birding hot spots, we can add locations in the south parts of the peninsula like Wupo wetlands, Nakdong estuary, Junam reservior, Dongnim reservoir and Sunsheon bay. Please e-mail us to ask availability and price.