Taiwan Birdathon

Taiwan Birdathon range (approx!)

Taiwan is holding a 30-hour Birdathon event on November 24-25th 2012 (8:30 am - 2:30 pm).

It will be held in the southern counties of Yunlin, Chaiyi, and Tainan - home to great birding sites such as Alishan, Yushan National Park, Huben, Beimen Wetlands, Aogu Wetlands, and Qigu Reserve. A wide range of shore and forest birds can be expected - including many endemics and wintering specialities.

This will be a fun event suitable for bird watchers of all abilities. Teams, each consisting of 3-4 members, aim to spot as many bird species as possible in the 30 hour period. There may be other less competitive 'targets'. Foreign teams are especially welcome - accommodation and food will be paid for on the 23-25th, and can be paired up with local guides if necessary. No registration fee required.

Organized by the Taiwan Ecotourism Association. Sponsored by Taiwan Tourism Bureau, and the SW Coast Scenic Area Administration, Alishan NSA, and Siraya NSA. 

The (still evolving) official website is at http://www.taiwanbirdathon.org

For registration, contact always on-the-ball Victor Yu at yuvictor56@msn.com or eco.tourism@msa.hinet.net

To do well in this event, you should aim to explore as many different habitats (coastal wetlands, farmland, low to mid-elevation forest, high-elevation areas) as possible within the available timeframe. Personal transport (car, motor scooter) should be deemed essential. 

Google map link.

I'm not sure yet where the official focal point for the event will be - most central would be Chaiyi, but I will not be surprised if it is Douliou or Tainan. I would plan on being in mid-elevation Alishan on the 24th night. For a sense of scale - to travel by car from Tatajia in Yushan Nat. Park (the likeliest highest, and easterly point) to Aogu Wetlands on the west coast, would take about 3.5 hours. The north - south extremes are mostly within 1 hour's travel.

I will round out this page with more information and tips in the next weeks and months.

3,000 meters, 3 meters, and 300 meters

Will be running pre- and post- Birdathon tours to other birding areas. See 2012 trips here.

Sicao, Tainan Feb 21st and 22nd

Spent a few hours away from the office in nearby Sicao, just to the north of Tainan. The many aquaculture ponds and the odd bit of ‘unused’ wetland can be quite productive. Pondering the conflict between the aims of the newly formed Taijiang National Park and the sprawling edges of urban Tainan. Moan, moan...

In addition to the obvious ponds visible from the main road (#17), I’ve found the most reliable spots to be on the western side of the road. Before getting to Qigu, turn left at the fire station, Half way to the refuse incinerator, wander out among the ponds and ditches.

Not much new to over-excite me: I don’t think I have previously recorded Ruddy Shelduck (5), and a single Yellow Bittern.

Also seen in Sicao:

Black-faced Spoonbill, Coot, Grebe, WB Waterhen, Moorhen
Oriental Magpie-Robins, various Gulls (have overlooked recording Caspian), B Shrike, Magpie, Myna,
Egrets: Large, Intermediate, Little, and Cattle.
Heron: Striated, Grey, Black--crowned Night,
Little Grebe, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Sacred Ibis
Various doves: Spotted, Red-collared, and the previously un-noted Eurasian Collared-Dove.
Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Pacific Golden Plover, Kentish P, other tedious creatures in winter plumage....
Various ducks including: Tufted, N Pintail, Green-winged T, Garganey, N Shoveller, E Wigeon,  Spot-billed, Green-winged,
Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Common Kingfisher, Tree Sparrow,
Prinia Plain and Yellow Light-vented Bulbul, Japanese White-eyes, Scaly-breasted Munia,

Birds of most days in Sicao are the plentiful  Pied Avocets - lovely birds, never tire of seeing them!

Over the weekend I will be working in northern Taiwan. Looking forward to finding some really good birds along the way - up high, and along the North coast.


New birds seen in Sicao:

Ruddy Shelduck    Tadorna ferruginea
Yellow Bittern    Ixobrychus sinensis
Eurasian Collared-Dove    Streptopelia decaocto Edit 9/28, this needs confirmation.
Caspian Gull    Larus cachinnans

Anping morning.

After the school run this morning I was able to escape to Anping, a coastal suburb of Tainan City. In a two hour window I saw some of yesterday’s species as well as a few new good birds.

The boardwalk/cycle-path on the south bank embankment of the Yenshui River is a good birdwatching destination for visitors to Tainan without access to their own transport. Species likely to be seen include: Whimbrel, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Redshank, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Heron, Egrets (Great, Intermediate, Little, Cattle), Black-crowned Night Heron, Bitterns (Cinnamon, Yellow), Black-winged Stilt, Sacred Ibis, Moorhen, White-breasted Water Hen, White-vented Bulbul, Tree Sparrows, Japanese White-eye, Black Drongo, Shrike (Brown, Long-tailed), Doves (Red Turtle, Spotted Turtle), and Mynas (Common, White-vented).

The easiest way to find this area is to walk north a couple minutes from the Anping Fort or Treehouse area. Following the embankment westward will bring you to the coast past several mudflats. A group of established Azure-winged Magpies are often to be seen in the park area on the south side. Expect the occasional semi-feral (but not aggressive to humans) dog.

Bird of the day the curlew - great views.

New birds seen in the Anping Area:

Eurasian Curlew    Numenius arquata
Spotted Redshank    Tringa erythropus
Striated Swallow    Cecropis striolata
Long-billed Plover    Charadrius placidus
Blue Rock-Thrush    Monticola solitarius