December 31st 2011
Only a few hours to go until birds spotted count as ‘ticks’. [will this sort of language prevail?]
A couple other questions:
When will I spot my first/final endemic/endemic sub-species?
When will I have a final number target? 200/250/300/350?
How will I include the off-shore islands Matzu and Kinmen?
When will the first birding trip that turns up nothing new happen?
As
with most things in life it is probably best to get of to a good start. Since I can't schedule Dasyueshan etc for a while, the obvious decision for me is to go to one of my favorite non-mountain
haunts - Aogu, a wetland not far north of Tainan rich in
wintering shorebirds. My schedule suggests I probably will in farmland
and low hills tomorrow - with non-birders.
Hoping
my first bird of the year is interesting - not a feral Racing Pigeon or Tree
Sparrow. Will be honest and report anything seen after
midnight...although considering how fireworks are so abundant here I
doubt any sane bird will venture out for some time.
Happy New Year!
