Spring’s Serenade: Birds, Blossoms, and Beauty at Kyungnam University

From Flowers to Feathers: Spring at Kyungnam University

 Can you sense a change coming? The days are getting longer and a little warmer. There’s a touch of perfume in the air all around us. Birds are chirping their hearts out from the treetops. What could it be? Spring is coming, and it’s bringing along beauty in the form of Korea’s famous cherry blossoms! Fortunately, you don’t have to go far to see them. In fact, one of the best places to see cherry blossoms is right here on the campus of Kyungnam University; however, did you know that cherry blossoms aren’t the only colorful, fragrant flowers you can find here? You can also find the famous azalea and camellia flowers, along with my personal favorite, lilacs. To make spring even better, all these flowers attract several species of cute and colorful birds. Because I am a passionate bird photographer, this really gets me excited! Let me tell you about some of the beautiful birds you can photograph or just observe every spring right here at Kyungnam University! 

 First of all, let’s talk about the red-cheeked bulbul. You might know it as Jikbakguri. If you haven’t seen one, you’ve definitely heard them. They are quite noisy. Some people say that they sound like angry cats! I say they sound like my wife when she’s had a bad day! Just kidding! Actually, when at peace, bulbuls have a lovely, melodic song. They can be found singing their songs everywhere on campus. They’re easy to approach and admire, so you should check them out! Bulbuls are easy to identify. They’re medium-sized and mostly grey, but they have a chestnut-red patch of color on their cheeks—hence their name. 

 Next up is one of my favorites, the dongbakssae. Where I’m from, we call them warbling white-eyes. White-eyes are gregarious among one another but a little shy of humans. You’ll often hear them whistling sweetly from the upper canopy out of reach of you and potential feline predators. If you’re patient and quiet though, they’ll come down to greet you! White-eyes truly are gorgeous birds. Apart from the signature ring of iridescent white around their red-irised eyes, they’re mostly green with a white belly accented with just a soupçon of brown. Here’s a tip on where to find them this spring—go to the camellia trees near my favorite building on campus, the International Language Center. White-eyes love sipping nectar from newly bloomed camellia flowers! Equipped with long, sharp beaks, they’real so able to predate on all kinds of insects. 

 Alright, are you ready for the cutest, friendliest, and most abundant little bird in South Korea? It’s the Bulgeunmeori Omoknuni, also known as the vinous-throated parrotbill. These little red-brown birds are just delightful! Friendly and flirtatious, they flutter from bush to bush and blossom to blossom snatching up small bugs and seeds as they go. Parrotbills are very approachable and super fun to watch. How could you not fall in love with them? 

 Actually, how could you not fall in love with this splendid environment that we share with all these birds? I encourage you to explore our campus. Do you know it as well as you think you do? Stroll up and down the paths and trails with your camera, or mute your phones and sit silently at your favorite spot. Enjoy the crisp spring air and reflect upon your goals and aspirations for the semester. Before you know it, the white-eyes, parrotbills, and bulbuls will find you, and you’ll appreciate this lovely place more than ever before.