Various busy sights had to be visited. Was able to re-direct attention to Maolin for some butterfly viewing. The path behind the main village (evidence of a night of fireworks everywhere) turned up a couple decent birds - and my first endemic of the year the Taiwan Barbet.
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| Taiwan Barbet on a Flame Tree (Delonix Regia). Photo Rich Matheson. |
Expect to be back soon in Maolin for proper exploring, in the meantime tomorrow is escape-to-Aogu day!
Birds of this first day must be the serpent-eagles, almost 10 were soaring not far away.
Species seen at, and on the way to, Maolin:
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela "Endemic subspecies (S. c. hoya)"
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Taiwan Barbet Megalaima nuchalis Endemic species
White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos "Endemic subspecies (D. l. insularis)"
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus "Taiwan Endemic Subspecies (D. m. harterti)"
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis "Taiwan Endemic Subspecies (P. s. formosae)"
Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus "Taiwan Endemic Subspecies (H. l. nigerrimus)"
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus
