Wulai

Maroon Oriole. Source below.

The warm weather brought out the birds in Wulai - but thankfully not too many people on St Patrick's Day. I was guiding some (not into early starts, or roughing it too much) bird photographers.

Wulai (烏來) is in a valley surrounded by high, well-forested, mountains less than an an hour south of Taipei. Usually excellent for self-guided forest birding. From Xindian (Sindian) MRT station take the bus to Wulai Village. If on foot, enter the busy village, as soon as you cross the narrow bridge turn left towards signposted Xiaoyi. After 100 meters you will be away from any weekend crowds. Either follow this road as far as you wish, or vere right uphill through the graveyard.

The road continues east toward Xiaoyi, alongside and across the Tonghou Stream.
 

The only new birds for me were the Black-throated Laughingthrush - an established escapee and the Japanese Bush-warbler. Other birds seen well included Formosan Magpie, Taiwan Scimitar Babbler, Varied Tit, Large-billed Crow, Rufous-capped Babbler, Maroon Oriole, Grey-throated Minivet, White-bellied Erponis, Taiwan Whistling Thrush, Plumbaceous Redstart, Crested Goshawk, Crested Serpent Eagle, Japanese White-eye, Black Bulbul, and Grey Treepie.

After Wulai and the Tonghou Stream, I reccommend taking the road south towards Fushan. After the minature railway and waterfall, cross the suspension bridge to the walking trail on the other side of the river that leads to Neidong Forest. Can be a good area for the Varied Tit.


New Birds:

Black-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax chinensis
Japanese Bush-Warbler    Cettia diphone

http://blog.yam.com/phdwhite/article/5926397