Yellow Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley.

Maroon (or Red/Claret) Oriole

Yesterday I had a fun day’s birding in the Yellow Butterfly Valley near Maolin, Kaohsiung. Had good views of a variety of birds, but not the one I was really hoping for - Fairy Pitta (though, I think I heard it...). The Pitta is more famously found in the area of Huben Village, Yunlin County and Tonglin Village, Taichung.

Yellow Butterfly Valley, Meinung.

In the blazing sun, I explored the village, farmland, and forest leading to the ‘Yellow Butterfly Valley’ - a nondescript area of retired orchards and bamboo groves. The large-ish bridge at the start of the valley, before the arboretum, is a good location for the Maroon Oriole - split by some people as ‘Red Oriole’ or ‘Claret Oriole’. From the main road #28, or from Meinung, follow the signs to the Butterfly Valley. Be ready to get slightly lost on the way back.

These are the birds observed in the farmland around Meinung, Shuangshi Arboreum, and in the Butterfly Valley.

Egrets - Cattle and Little
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Malayan Night-Heron
Crested Serpent Eagle - several.
Bamboo Partridge - heard only.
Little Ringed-Plover
Common Sandpiper
Doves - Spotted and Red
Common Kingfisher
Taiwan Barbet
Grey-capped Woodpecker
Swallows including Red-rumped and Barn.
Drongos - Black and Bronzed
Maroon Oriole - several.
Grey Treepie
Bulbuls - Black and Chinese
Zitting Cisticola
Black-naped Blue Monarch
Wagtails - White and Yellow
Mynas - Common and Crested
Japanese White-eye
Scaly-breasted Munia
Tree Sparrow
Collared Finchbill
Grey-chinned Minivet
Dollarbird - a fairly rare migrant. 1 seen near Meinung Town.

At the nearby Xinwei Forest I also spotted the Black-naped Oriole.

New Birds.

Black-naped Oriole    Oriolus chinensis
Dollarbird    Eurystomus orientalis