Namaxia, and more Sihcao.Visited good friends in Namaxia (formerly ‘Sanming’) Area in northern Greater Kaohsiung - a beautiful valley badly damaged by Typhoon Morakot in 2009. Except during heavy rain, the new road northwards (#21) from Jiaxian to Namaxia is in excellent condition. We explored on bicycle further up the valley...
Though scared by landslides and excessive hunting, bird life was quite good. In addition to the 2 new birds below, there were plenty of Japanese White-eyes, Treepies, Grey-cheeked Fulvettas, Barbets, Collared Finchbills, White-backed Woodpeckers, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Bronze Drongos, and both Scimitar-Babblers.
Previously overlooked, I mention two species of Wagtail below. In the lowlands I have encountered M.f. thunbergi (plexa) and M.t. taivana. Tricky taxonomy, but still easier to deal with than shore birds!
Mountain Scops-Owl Otus spilocephalus "Endemic subspecies (O. s. hambroecki)"
Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps "Endemic subspecies (S. r. praecognita)"
New birds in Sihcao, Tainan:
Black-bellied Plover (aka Grey Plover) Pluvialis squatarola
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Saunders's Gull Saundersilarus saundersi
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
New (and rare) bird in Jacana Reserve, Tainan.
Baikal Teal Anas formosa
