I met up with frisbee-throwing friends in a very, very busy, Danan Park, downtown Taipei City on Sunday afternoon. To some derision I sneaked away to look at the heavily photographed Black-naped Herons in the pleasant artificial pond. Some Taiwanese birders were focused on a Forest Wagtail in the NW corner of the park. Caught a glimpse of it - but not the Brown-headed Thrush also apparently loitering.
If
unable to escape downtown Taipei for Guandu, Hua-jiang, or Wulai - Daan (Da-an) is not bad for
bird-watching. Better is Taipei Botanical Garden. Common species to
watch out for here include: Malayan Night-heron, Moorhen, White-breasted
Waterhen, Tree Sparrows, Light-vented (Chinese) Bulbuls, Spotted Doves,
Himalayan Treepie, Black Bulbul, Taiwan Barbet, Scimitar Babbler,
Black-naped Blue Monarch, Little Grebe. If lucky, Crested Goshalk and
various cagebirds escapees/Buddhist releasees may be spotted. New bird seen in Daan Park, Taipei City:
Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
