Endemics Tour

Endemics and BF Spoonbill Tour

Come on Black-necklaced Scimitar-babbler...

April 17-26th.

Just been co-guiding (well sorting the logistics more like) for a 10-day group tour of Taiwan. Very successful - all endemics, most potential splits, and many, many other excellent birds seen.

Asian Dowitcher

Highlights (other than satisfied clients) - were several close-up views of Mikado Pheasants, great views of Collared Scops-owl and Mountain Scops-owl, over 30 Asiatic Dowitchers, lots of easily photographed Sandpipers, a Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler at high elevation - and a Taiwan Lesser Salamander (Hynobius fuca). The Crested Drongo was unusualy far inland - usually only seen closer to the coasts in Taiwan.

As has been the case for the last few months, the only place to reliably offer up the Taiwan Partridge was the feeding station at Fireflies Homestay in mid-level Alishan. Also a good place for Swinhoe's Pheasant, Collared/Mountain Scops Owl and various mammals. Call the numbers on the website (in Chinese - I can help book).


New birds:

Japanese Sparrowhawk    Accipiter gularis
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper    Calidris acuminata
Terek Sandpiper    Xenus cinereus  
Broad-billed Sandpiper    Limicola falcinellus
Asian Dowitcher    Limnodromus semipalmatus
Red Knot    Calidris canutus
Himalayan (Oriental) Cuckoo    Cuculus saturatus
Hair-crested Drongo    Dicrurus hottentottus
Middendorff's Grasshopper-Warbler    Locustella ochotensis
Snowy-browed Flycatcher    Ficedula hyperythra    "Endemic subspecies (F. h. innexa)"
Ferruginous Flycatcher    Muscicapa ferruginea
Little Bunting    Emberiza pusilla
Indian Silverbill    Euodice malabarica
Emerald Dove    Chalcophaps indica
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus