2012 DSS Bird Race

Grey-headed Bullfinch

I attended the 2012 Dasyueshan Bird Race this past weekend. It was very well run, and much enjoyed by all involved. Many thanks to the organizers - primarily the Chinese (Taiwan) Wild Bird Federation and Dongshr Forest Bureau.

Next year’s (2013) race has been penciled in for Friday/Saturday April 26/27th. International teams are warmly welcomed. Also in November this (2012) year, the Taiwan Ecotourism Association and the SW Coast Administration will be holding a bird race in Chaiyi, Yulin and Tainan counties. I will update this post when I have further details.

Easy birding...

Last weekend’s race range was from the 0km mark at  (lowland) Dongshr Town to (2300 meters elevation) Tienchr Pond near the 50km mark - thus a good range of low/mid/high-elevation species. My team did not win, but I think it is worth listing the results of the winning team. Includes species heard as well as seen. My typos.

Striated Heron
Little Egret
Intermediate Egret
Malayan Night-heron
Black-naped Night-heron
Spot-billed Duck
Taiwan Besra
Crested Goshawk
Grey-faced Buzzard
Black-eared Eagle
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Crested Serpent-eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Taiwan Partridge
Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge
White-breasted Waterhen
Common Moorhen
Little Ringed Plover
Green Sandpiper
Rock Dove
Collared Dove.
Oriental Turtle-dove
Red Collared Dove
White-bellied Green Pigeon
Himalayan Cuckoo
Large Hawk Cuckoo
Pygmy Owlet
Mountain Scops Owl
Savana Nightjar
House Swift
Silver-backed Needletail
Common Kingfisher
Taiwan Barbet
Gray-faced Woodpecker
Grey-capped Woodpecker
White-backed Woodpecker
Grey-faced Woodpecker
Oriental Skylark
Asian House-Martin
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Brown-throated Sand-Martin
Grey-throated Minivet
Bronzed Drongo
Black Drongo
Large-billed Crow
Himalayan Treepie
Eurasian Jay
Netcracker
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Black-throated Tit
Coal Tit
Taiwan Tit
Green-backed Tit
Nuthatch
Taiwan Fulvetta
Dusky Fulvetta
Grey-cheeked Fulvetta
Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush
Taiwan Hwamei
White-whiskered Laughingthrush
Rusty Laughingthrush
Taiwan Sibia
Taiwan Liochicla
Taiwan Cupwing
Black-necklaced Scimitar-babbler
Taiwan Scimitar Babbler
Rufous-capped Babbler
Taiwan Yuhinia
Black Bulbul
Light-vented Bulbul
Collared Finchbill
Shortwing
Taiwan Whistling Thrush
White-tailed Robin
Plumbeous Redstart
White-browed Bush-robin
Collared Bush-robin
Red-bellied Thrush
Rufous-faced Warbler
Taiwan Bush-warbler
Yellow-bellied Bush-warbler
Strong-footed Bush-warbler
Striated Prinia
Plain Prinia
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Flamecrest
Black-naped Monarch
Vivid Niltava
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Brown Shrike
White-vented Myna
Plain Flowerpecker
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Japanese White-eye
Scaly-breasted Munia
White-rumped Munia
Vinaceous (Taiwan) Rosefinch
Grey Bullfinch
Tree Sparrow

...and good birdy conversations.

Also, more than one other team reported these species:
Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe’s Pheasant, Little Forktail, Tawny Owl, Ferruginous Flycatcher, Taiwan Barwing, White-browed Shortwing, White-bellied Erponis.

New Bird (for me):

Gray-headed Bullfinch    Pyrrhula erythaca    "Endemic subspecies (P. e. owstoni)"