Warm Snake and Aowanda.

This year of the Snake is off to a warm start, I wonder/fear there will not be any more winter before the long summer starts again.

Aowanda.

Over the long holiday I was pleased to make it to this excellent forest area (wasn’t there at all last year) in central Taiwan. Only a day-trip, and not birding as such, but still managed to get views of a nice range of birds in the recreation area and the near the village of Chingai 10km before.

Aowanda on bottom right. Renai = Wushe. Roads north of the
lead to Lushan and Hehuan.

Some of what seen: Blue Magpie, Sibia, Yuhina, White Wagtail, Minivet, Treepie, White-eye, Crested Serpent Eagle, LB Crow, Yellow Tit (best ever views), Green-Backed Tit, Black Bulbul, Pacific Swallow, Bronzed Drongo, Plumbeous Redstart, Daurian Redstart, Vollare Finchbill, Black-throated Tit, Arctic Warbler, Erponis...and several others.

Aowanda is approached from the village Wushe, which in turn is most accessible from the small city of Puli. The road from Puli is very vulnerable to landslides in heavy rain. Good accommodation within the FRA, 10km before and in the Wushe area.  

This is the time to be birding on the Southwest coast - lots of excellent wintering shorebirds of all sorts. As well as a couple never-seen-before exotic cage escapees, I was pleased to have my first views in the last 14 months of an American Wigeon in the maze of ponds north of Aogu.

The next few weeks will be very busy looking for birds in top habitats. My eyes though will be wandering to Gentians, Gomphidae, and Polypodiaceae...

New Bird: American Wigeon    Anas americana

Starting 2013 slowly.

A new year, not a big year, but keeping my new bird sightings noted.

As expected, endemics have been a bit slow to rouse this winter season, usually takes a bit more time and accepting a few will just not or pop into view.

Vivid Niltava ww543

The highlight at Wulai (as well as Red Oriole, Blue Magpie, and great flocks of Minivet at Neidong FRA) was a Verditer Flycatcher at the elementary school at Fushan. Remember this is in New Taipei City/Taipei County not the Botanical Gardens at Fushan Yilan County. A very nice bonus were three Mandarin Ducks in the river just above the last part of Fushan Village. Hike the path on the north side of the river.

The reported Baer’s Pochard at Shrgang Reservoir eluded me, but on the third try the (single male visiting this winter) Scaly-sided Merganser gave excellent views. Best to search from the road on the north side of the reservoir - a wide section of the downhill road overlooks the best
place.

Doesn’t sound likely, but managed to entertain the family (non-birding wife, kids, mother-in-law) AND see some excellent birds on a daytrip to the Pheasant-tailed Jacana Reserve, one of them being a pair of Baer’s Pochards.

Also present were plenty of Pintail, N. Shoveler, G.W Teal, E Wigeon, Jacana and Black-winged Stilts.  A few Garganey, Coot, and Common Snipe were nice to have when try to get second looks at Baikal Teal and Falcated Teal (first time on Taiwan-proper for me I think). The furthest pond viewable from the last hide seems to hold the best birds.

I saw 2 Smew at Beimen late December but not recorded in last year’s list.

New Birds:

Verditer Flycatcher    Eumyias thalassinus
Smew    Mergellus albellus
Baer's Pochard    Aythya baeri

Big Year summary.

So the ‘big year’ is over and the final total number of birds seen came to 388. Very pleased indeed!

Many thanks to the wonderful people encountered this year, for your advice, good company, encouragement and correction. Gratifying to hear how bits of this ramshackle blog have aided other’s explorations of Taiwan - and I hear, others starting a 2013 big year.

Highlights:
Spoonbill Sandpiper; most endemics seen many times; Asian Dowitcher; wintering Avocet; Paradise-Flycatchers; the generally excellent attitude here to birding and conservation; woodpeckers on my neighbor’s house; the offshore islands; the other stuff (flora/mammals/amphibians/reptiles/insects); Fairy Pitta...and many, many more.

Disappointments:
Not to see: Chinese Crested Tern; Blue-tailed Bee-eater (just didn’t have the chance to go to Kinmen at the appropriate time); Oriental Plover; more cuckoos and owls better; Black Bear (let’s see what I have planned this year...); Hawfinch, more flycatchers; 2 pairs of high-end Zeiss binoculars failing (back-up service good); Black-chinned Fruit-Dove etc.

Stats (based on gut-feeling):
Number of possible ‘dodgy’ identifications or recordings: 5-ish
Number of birds I would never have spotted or identified without other’s expert help: 10-ish
There are a few introduced species I listed and arguably could have been skipped - then again there are a few other birds seen that I did not mention, but may be established.
Full list at Birdforum.

IF, IF, IF:
If I had nothing else to do - and more money to spend - and lived closer to Yehliu - and visited offshore islands more -I suspect 420 or 440 species would be within reach. Would I do it again - yes absolutely, maybe 2014 (anyone want to sponsor a photographic version?).

Taiwan is often described as ‘small’. This is nonsense. I have traveled it fairly intensively this year for regular guiding reasons and personal amusement, yet there are still many, places and areas I did not have a chance to visit. In addition to the human world, there are many aspects of the natural world deserving better introduction.

Future for this blog? Yes, it will continue, but still working on the details. Watch this space.

The End?

Japanese Robin. Source

The end?
Time to update on the last couple weeks over Christmas - will these be the last birds of the year?

Thanks to the Taiwanese birdwatcher for pointing out the Japanese Grosbeak among the Chinese Bulbuls at Taipei Botanical Garden. Note to self: check out the Chiang-kai shek Memorial/Liberty Square - sounds better than imagined.

We joined local photographers at Yehliu (Taiwan's Flamborough Head) for great views of a very rare Japanese Robin and vagrant Rufous-bellied Niltava

Not far away, at the Youth Activity Center in Jinshan, we went to inspect a rather dark-breasted Red-throated Thrush, lots of debate on what exactly it was. Resisted the temptation to drag ourselves to Wuling farm for Japanese Waxwing, Guandu for Black-backed Kingfisher, or Hua-jiang Bridge for a Bean-Goose. Instead (slow) endemic hunting in the usual spots was on the menu.

At the mammal-rich Lotus Pond, Taroko Gorge, a Black-faced Bunting cruelly raised my hopes of a Yellow-breasted. That, and the Baer’s Pochard reported in my neighborhood may a treat for the new year.

Happy New Year!

New Birds:

Rufous-bellied Niltava  Niltava sundara
Red-throated Thrush    Turdus ruficollis
Japanese Grosbeak    Eophona personata
Japanese Robin    Erithacus akahige

2 Weeks to go...

Breakfast birding at Wushe.

Scattered showers of cold rain at the start of December made birding difficult at times. The absence of a Mikado Pheasant (first trip in a while without) was made up for by an abundance of stunning Vivid Niltava, fearless Swinhoe’s Pheasant, and playful Yuhina.

Counting down the weeks and looking out for any possible ticks.

Eleven months, but finally I’ve bagged the last of the endemic subspecies - the Plain Flowerpecker. Having alluded me for so long I was determined to ensure I would - in the end - have proper views (ensuring no confusion with female Fire-throated). I had information on another reliable location for it - and then in one morning I got it at two locations (at our guesthouse near Wulai and at the start of the Blue Gate Trail).

Unlike last year, thrushes of various species seem common this winter. In Taroko Gorge (Tienxiang precisely) the previously overlooked Grey-backed Thrush were taking in the splendid scenery.

I made a mad rush hour dash (not fun) across Taipei City to the Huajiang Wild Duck Park for an excellent lifer - Siberian Bluethroat. By the time I got to the spot (freshly trampled by bird photographers) light was fading and I was feeling feeling desperate/silly, when the famous female popped up at very close range. Fantastic - and because of the bad photography light, I was completely alone! Sadly no glimpse of exotic Orange-cheeked Waxbill - or any bird as darkness fell.

A damp Yehliu produced nothing remarkable, will revisit in the next few days before and after another endemics tour over Christmas. Coastal sites near Tainan have been satisfactory, (Temminck’s Stint in Sicao was good) but not coming up with the much-desired rare flycatchers or Japanese Robin.

I abandoned my tea-sipping in-laws in Kaohsiung City to visit Weiwoing Park for the easy Zebra Dove. This is an established exotic, only to be found in the Kaohsiung City area. Weiwoing Park is next to the MRT station of the same name.

White's Thrush (split from Scaly): where previously I had lumped the two together. In recent weeks I have had several good views of both to be able to confidently observe the differences in size and coloring.

This is the season again where the (Taipei-based) Central Weather Bureau cannot really believe the weather in the south can be so different - and thus randomly add some "clouds, possibility of rain" to southern forecasts. Taipei residents: go southwards in winter - the weather is often perfect down here!

Birds desired in these last couple weeks: American Wigeon; any swans; Smew; other uncommon ducks; Horned Grebe; various high-seas birds (not very likely!); White-tailed Eagle; Northern Goshawk; Greater Spotted Eagle; Upland Buzzard; better views of any crakes; Oriental Plover (a bit late); Nordmann’s Greenshank (must have been somewhere in front of me this year); any gulls or terns that may inspire; Black-chinned Fruit-Dove; various owls; Black-backed Kingfisher (one in Guandu I hear); a Wryneck on Taiwan-proper would be very nice, better views of Cuckoo-shrikes; Asian Stubtail, Goldcrest; better views of most Phylloscopus and Locustella warblers; migrating flycatchers especially Verditer; rare robins, thrushes - Siberian, Japanese, Red-throated; Chestnut-tailed Starling; Hawfinch; Black Redstart...er...anything new or fresh. A Pangolin would be nice.

New Birds:

White’s Thrush  Zoothera aurea
Gray-backed Thrush    Turdus hortulorum
Plain Flowerpecker    Dicaeum concolor    "Endemic subspecies (D. c. uchidai)"
Zebra Dove  Geopelia striata
Bluethroat    Luscinia svecica
Temminck's Stint    Calidris temminckii

Photographing Endemics

When the Mikado behaves.

Endemic Bird Photography - in November.

Spring is the most popular time for seeing the endemics. However, there is nothing particularly wrong with other seasons - and early winter should be considered too. A couple of the key birds are very quiet, but the reduced foliage (better views), and winter visitors makes up for this.

In November I made three 3-day trips to the Dasyueshan area with clients photographing the endemics. Despite encountering unseasonable rain several times, a good array of birds were seen and photographed. Below is a list of birds seen with an indication of how many of the 3 trips each species was seen on. About half of these species were photographed to varying degrees of success. The Formosan Blue Magpie, and Black-faced Spoonbill were found at other locations. I hope this is useful for anyone planning a trip there.

Highlights for me were: the pheasants (Swinhoe’s, Mikado) showing well, the elusive Island Thrush on two trips (km mark 23.5), Siberian Rubythroat (near km 4, would love to twitch the Bluethroat in Huajiang), the larger mammals. Still have not encountered the Plain Flowerpecker (the only endemic subspecies not seen this year!) may put some effort into getting it in this last month!

Taiwan Hill Partridge (heard only, 2), Bamboo Partridge (heard only, 3), Swinhoe’s Pheasant (3), Mikado Pheasant (3), Little Egret (2), Black-crowned Night-Heron (2), Striated Heron (2), Malayan Night-Heron (1), Black Eagle (1), Japanese Sparrowhawk (1), Besra (1?), Crested Serpent Eagle (1), Doves - Spotted/Red Collared/Rock, Ashy Wood Pigeon (2), Fork-tailed Swift (2), Common Kingfisher (3), Taiwan Barbet (3), Grey-chinned Minivet (2), Brown Shrike (2), Long-tailed Shrike (2), Black Drongo (3), Ashy Drongo (1), Bronzed Drongo (2), Black-naped Monarch (3), Eurasian Jay (2), Gray Treepie (3), Eurasian Nutcracker (3), Large-billed Crow (2), Oriental Skylark (1), Barn Swallow (2), Coal Tit (3), Green-backed Tit (3), Yellow Tit (0!), Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler (2), Yellow-bellied Bush-Warbler (2), Rufous-faced Bush-Warbler (3), Black-throated Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch (3), Eurasian Wren (1), Brown Dipper (1), Collared Finchbill (3), Light-vented Bulbul (3), Black Bulbul (3), Flamecrest (1), Arctic Warbler (2), Other Phylloscopus Warbler (1), Zitting Cisticola (1), Striated Prinia (1), Yellow-bellied Prinia (2), Plain Prinia (3), Vinous-throated Parrotbill (1), Vivid Niltava (2), Siberian Rubythroat (2), White-browed Bush-Robin (1), Collared Bush-Robin (3), Daurian Redstart (3), Plumbeous Redstart (3), White-tailed Robin (2), Little Forktail (1), Stonechat (1), Pale Thrush (1), White-browed Shortwing (1, also heard), Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush (1), Rusty Laughingthrush (1), Taiwan Hwamei (3), White-whiskered Laughingthrush (3), Taiwan Liocichla (2 or 3), Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler (1), Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler (3), Taiwan Wren-Babbler (Cupwing) (1), Rufous-capped Babbler (3), Taiwan Barwing (2), Taiwan Fulvetta (3), Dusky Fulvetta (2 or 3), Gray-cheeked Fulvetta (3), White-eared (Taiwan) Sibia (3), Taiwan Yuhina (3), White-bellied Erponis (1), Japanese White-eye (3), Myna sp, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (3), Gray Wagtail (3), Richard’s Pipit (1), Vinaceous (Taiwan) Rosefinch (2), Eurasian Siskin (2), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (3), Indian Silverbill (1), White-rumped Munia (3), Scaly-breasted Munia (2), Gray-capped Woodpecker (3), White-backed Woodpecker (1), House Swift (1?), Scaly Thrush (2), Eye-browed Thrush (3), Formosan Whistling-Thrush (2, also heard), Spot-billed Duck (1), White-bellied Pigeon (1), White-rumped Shama (1), Asian House-Martin (1),

Mammals: Macaque (3), Serow (2), Muntjac, (2), Golden Weasel (1), Ferret-Badger (1), White-faced Flying Squirrel (2), Formosan Giant Flying Squirrel (1), Striped Squirrel (3), Owston's Long-nosed Tree Squirrel (2). Oh yes - a strange sort of ‘steel wire’ worm...will update here.

New Birds in Dasyueshan:

Eurasian Siskin    Spinus spinus

Other places other birds:

New Birds in Sicao, Tainan (when chasing more exotic Japanese Robin, Verditer Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Blue-and-white Flycatcher...and failing) in or near the small coastal forest on the north and south of the Tsengwen River estuary. A much lower point was the fact I tried to twitch a Daurian Crow in Puli. Bad!

Eastern Marsh-Harrier    Circus spilonotus
Yellow-fronted Canary Serinus mozambicus
Black-browed Reed-Warbler    Acrocephalus bistrigiceps

Taichung Metropolitan Park.
Not a big fan of heavily-manicured dog-ridden city parks, but found some wilder bits on the western edges (facing onto Freeway # 3 sort of). Will visit this area on Dadu 'Mountain' again. Just south of Taichung airport - has flights from Hong Kong, very handy if wanting to get into the best areas quickly. Lots of thrushes (Eyebrowed, Dusky, Pale, Brown-headed - and a possible Japanese) around.

Naumann's Thrush    Turdus naumanni

Kinmen in the Fall.

Kinmen in the Fall.

Sorghum processing - letting the traffic do the hard work!

Simple message: Go to Kinmen! As well as great birding - good travel facilities, historical sites, and traditional architecture (NOT usually a feature of Taiwan) are big attractions. A good destination for the not-very-serious bird-watcher in need of other peaceful distractions. Be sure to stay in a traditional homestay, and (if you have a Chinese visa ready) pop over to Xiamen, China for some wild life.

Lots of good birding sites, but if only wanting one - then I suggest the traversable path between the Shuangli Nature Center, along the edge of Ci Lake, to the sea embankment.

Follow this by a scoot of the nearby Nanshan ‘Forest’ Road. And then after this I would suggest Lingshui Lake on Little Kinmen and the various reforested areas, ponds, and sorghum (to make vile Kaoliang) fields. At the very quiet and tranquil Lingshui Lake It is breathtaking to suddenly spot the skyscrapers in bandit-territory.

Guesthouse - traditional while being modern.

This was not a birding orientated trip, but before breakfast (6-8am) over two mornings I was able to escape and see a few decent birds: Greater Coucal, Hoopee, Duarien Redstart, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Common Magpie, Tree Sparrow, Chinese Bulbul, Richard’s Pipit, Common Kingfisher, various egrets, Whimbrel, various waders, Crested Myna, Long-tailed Shrike, Collared Crow, Moorhen, Little Grebe, swallows & martins, Plain Prinia, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Chinese Blackbird, various common doves, Japanese White-Eye, Black-winged Stilt, White Wagtail, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Grey Heron, Far-Eastern Curlew, White-breasted Waterhen, Caspian Tern, Kestrel, Pied Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Yellow Bittern, Great Cormorant, White-throated Kingfisher, Oriental Skylark, Oriental Greenfinch, Stonechat, Black Drongo, Black-collared Starling, Common Pheasant.

This lists a couple birds seen at other locations while not distracted with flora/bunkers/knives/kaoliang/butterflies/peanut candy/more rotten kaoliang/nice buildings.

Unfortunately I was not able to visit Kinmen over the summer, thus did not tick off the Blue-tailed Bee-eater.

New Birds:
Herring Gull    Larus argentatus  unsatisfying views
(Eurasian) Sky Lark    Alauda arvensis

Me and my Spoonbill

Me and my Spoonbill

Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Image from Wikipedia (anyone want to donate one?)

For some time I have assured those that understand this ‘sport’ that the only bird I would actively twitch was the Spoon-bill Sandpiper. So when reports (at first I didn’t believe) started coming in that there was one in Qigu (just 20 minutes north of my home) there was no stopping me.

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a critically endangered (a population of fewer than 2500 mature individuals) small wader which breeds in northeastern Russia and winters in Southeast Asia. The main threats to its survival are habitat loss on its breeding grounds and loss of tidal flats through its migratory and wintering range. Extensive efforts are being made to avoid its extinction. Its most distinctive feature is its spoon-shaped bill...do I need to say that?

It was first reported on October 15th and then again on the 16th in a pond in Sangu 500 meters west of the ‘seafood restaurants’. A couple hour’s searching on the 17th afternoon and I found it in a pond with hundreds of other waders about 200 meters to the south (just west of #71, behind an ice factory). It was reported in the area on the 18th, but not seen by me again on visits on the 18th or 19th.

Along with the Island Thrush, Fairy Pitta, and reliable pheasants, a major highlight of the year (so far).

Spoon-billed Sandpiper    Eurynorhynchus pygmeus
Little Stint    Calidris minuta

General Nature Tour

Working the trails.

Nature only - 16-day round-the-island.

Just spent 16 days co-guiding a natural-history group from the UK. The focus (if possible to really say that) was on birds, butterflies, dragonflies, moths, flora (fern knowledge expanded!), amphibians...and generally having a very nice time!

Non birding highlights (in addition to excellent human company) were cavorting Ferret-badgers at Anmashan, and a deceased Crab-eating Mongoose in near Nanren Mountain Lake.

Long-legged Jalapura - will check.

A couple memorable comments from the very well-traveled-for-nature guests:

“Outside of the UK and maybe parts of the US and Japan, I have never encountered so many local people caring about and observing nature.”

“...a good mix of Taiwanese seen out observing nature - groups, individuals, couples, families...not just older men in anoraks”

“...interpretation signs not dumbed down...”

“What a conker!”

After dinner - back to work on the moth light!

New birds:

Mountain Hawk-Eagle    Nisaetus nipalensis

Matsu Fall Migration

Matsu Fall Migration

September 20th to 25th I joined Taipei Wild Bird Society again for a 4-day trip to Matsu for fall migration (that’s birds coming from the north heading to warmer places further south).

Despite being a bit early for many birds (a week or more later may have been better) and encountering wet weather one day (NE front and distant typhoon) it was a very pleasant and rewarding trip in good company. Many thanks to the inspiring ‘Teacher Luan’ (阮錦松) and his team.

As with the Spring migration, and Summer Tern trips we took the overnight Taima Ferry from Keelung to Dongyin for the first day’s birding, Day 2 and 4 were on Nangan and Beigan, flying to Taipei from Beigan. Plans to land on Gaodeng Island on the Day 3 were canceled due to heavy seas.

Favorite spots:

The scruffy area near the distillery on Dongyin. Several lurking wonders will be found next time.

On Dongjhu (the eastern Jhuguang Island) the best birdy location was a mosquito-infested area behind another Chiang kai-shek statue. Suggested route: from harbor, walk up hill birding towards the village, instead of turning right into village continue up the hill, at the big letter wall (see picture) turn left. This area was busy with warblers, cuckoos and more. Don’t forget the recycling center!

Some excellent photos of birds taken on this trip can be seen on the Flickr page of David Irving.  


The Crew - Mr Luan in rear in red-checked shirt
next to, equally brilliant, Miss Su.

2013. The bird society have provisionally planned a spring migration trip for late May and fall migration late september. Both are recommended. Expect good organization, welcoming Taiwanese people, and excellent Matsu food. The main language will be Chinese, but expect to survive very well if depending on English. The focus is usually 90% on looking for birds and 10% on the many excellent historical/scenic sights along the way. Contact the Bird Society directly, or me if needing assistance booking. If available I may be able to co-lead - not confirmed yet.

Birds seen: Green-winged Teal, Little Grebe, Yellow Bittern, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Pacific Reef-Heron, Cattle Egret, Chinese Pond-Heron, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Chinese Goshawk, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Common Moorhen, Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Sand-Plover, Greater Sand-Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Common Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Wood Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Eurasian Woodcock, Black-tailed Gull, Black-naped Tern, Great-crested Tern, Spotted Dove, Red-collared Dove, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Himalayan (Oriental) Cuckoo, Fork-tailed Swift, House Swift, Common Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Eurasian Hoopee, Bull-headed Shrike, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Black-naped Oriole, Black Drongo, Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher, Eurasian Magpie, Barn Swallow, Great Tit, Light-vented Bulbul, Dusky Warbler, Pallas’s Leaf-Warbler, Yellow-browed Leaf-Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Eastern-crowned Leaf-warbler, Oriental Reed-Warbler, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Plain Prinia, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Stonechat, Grey Bushchat, Blue Rock-Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Scaly Thrush, Japanese White-eye, Crested Myna, Red-billed Starling, White-cheeked Starling, Yellow Wagtail (Eastern and Western), Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Richard’s Pipit, Pechora Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow-browed Bunting, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Eurasian Tree Sparrow,  

New Birds:
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris
Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike Coracina melaschistos
Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus
Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana

And two (weak) new species for the Taiwan (well Matsu anyway) list probably. Both ID-ed by Mr Luan. Look forward to seeing if accepted. I’m counting them as I saw the relevant field marks fairly well.
Hartert’s Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides goodsoni
Kloss’s Warbler Phylloscopus davisoni ogilviegranti