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

North Coast - Yangmingshan, Yeliou and Jinshan.

North Coast - Yangmingshan, Yeliou and Jinshan.

On Monday February 13th I was guiding a non-birder around the north coast. We were blessed with unseasonal good weather (northern Taiwan, in contrast to southern Taiwan, is often grey in winter), and I was fortunate to be allowed to check out a couple nice places.

In Jinshan reported vagrant Common Mergansers had already moved on, instead I met a group of friendly Taiwanese bird photographers pointing their expensive Canons, Nikons etc at a Bull-headed Shrike and resting Black-tailed Gulls. Jinshan Wetland (also known as Chingshui Wetland) is a rough mix of fields and ponds just on the south side of Jinshan Town, on the north coast of Taiwan, in New Taipei City (the stupid new name for Taipei County). If passing the area, it is worth a look around.

We had a very nice stroll at Yeliou Geo-park. Very little bird life to see at this time of year (other than a black morph Reef Egret nearby - pictured). At migration time, and especially after inclement weather, this high promontory can be productive. Also good for pelagics. Don’t be put off by the horrible car parking area entrance - lots of people visit for the rock formations. Usually human-free at the most distant lookout spot.

We travelled back to Taipei City over Yangmingshan - the mountainous national park to the north of Taipei City.. The Formosan Blue Magpies were to be seen around the National Park Headquarters and lower down around Front Mountain Park.

New bird on north coast of Taipei:

Bull-headed Shrike    Lanius bucephalus

Taipei City park

A Taipei City park

I met up with frisbee-throwing friends in a very, very busy, Danan Park, downtown Taipei City on Sunday afternoon. To some derision I sneaked away to look at the heavily photographed Black-naped Herons in the pleasant artificial pond. Some Taiwanese birders were focused on a Forest Wagtail in the NW corner of the park. Caught a glimpse of it - but not the Brown-headed Thrush also apparently loitering.

If unable to escape downtown Taipei for Guandu, Hua-jiang, or Wulai - Daan (Da-an) is not bad for bird-watching. Better is Taipei Botanical Garden. Common species to watch out for here include: Malayan Night-heron, Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Tree Sparrows, Light-vented (Chinese) Bulbuls, Spotted Doves, Himalayan Treepie, Black Bulbul, Taiwan Barbet, Scimitar Babbler, Black-naped Blue Monarch, Little Grebe. If lucky, Crested Goshalk and various cagebirds escapees/Buddhist releasees may be spotted.



New bird seen in Daan Park, Taipei City:

Forest Wagtail    Dendronanthus indicus  

Kinmen - in Winter

Kinmen

A last minute opportunity arose for me to bird Kinmen properly for first time. The trigger for going on February 10/11/12 was a rumor of a Spoon-billed Sandpiper. I didn’t find the sandpiper but was not disappointed in any other way with Kinmen - or the fantastic bird life there. I highly recommend it both for the dedicated birder and new-bees - lots of great birds are very visible.

Choosing a highlight is difficult:

Could it be the Kingfishers and Hoopoes?

Or the thousands of Cormorants and tiny Sunbird?

Or the many general-interest architecture/historical/military sights at easy reach?

Also known as Jinmen or Quemoy, Kinmen is is a pair of Taiwan-controlled islands just of the coast of China. Its ‘interesting history’ has left it very rural and the enviroment in good shape - in contrast to the cities just across the narrow strait in bandit Fujian. Much of Kinmen is designated national park. It is easy to fly there from several cities in Taiwan, or by ferry from the Chinese city of Xiamen. Note: you will need a Chinese visa prepared in advance if wanting to cross to Xiamen.

I got around by motor-scooter rented at the airport (bring your driving licence), also possible to rent cars or bicycles. The public bus system seems good. Easiest to stay in Jincheng Town. Maps available at airport, good bilingual signposting, bring Bradt or Lonely Planet. If you use common sense around the handful of uncleared minefields (marked - don’t enter...are you that stupid?) and the many military installations (no climbing over walls or razor wire...) you will have no problems.

Kinmen has a subtropical maritime climate. Winter and spring/fall migration-time, are the best seasons to visit. A summer highlight is the Blue-tailed Bee-eater.

I birded Kinmen and Little Kinmen (aka Lieyu, regular ferries from Shueitou Dock) intensively over two half days and one full day. The weather was cool (cold since riding scooter) on the second day, dry throughout. Most parts of the islands were good for birds - favorite places included the tidal flats near Jincheng, Lake Ci, Shuangli Wetlands, Tiendun Aqua-farms near Shamei, and the lakes on the western side of Little Kinmen. I suggest targeting the many wetland areas, the estuaries just north of Jincheng and south of Lake Ci, and exploring random small roads through farms. All good!


Birds seen:

Falcated Duck - several; Wigeon several; Mallard - 2 on Little Kinmen; Green-winged Teal - many at numerous locations; Eastern Spot-billed Duck - common at numerous locations; Northern Shoveler - several at larger lakes; Northern Pintail - several at Lake Ci; Gargeny; Common Pochard - 5 at Qionglin Dam; Tufted Duck - several noted; Ring-necked Pheasant - not the subspecies in Taiwan proper, over 20 easily seen at several locations; Little Grebe 10+; Great Crested Grebe - several at Lake Ci;

Great Cormorant - small numbers noted in many locations, thousands roosting on the trees on the north and west shore of Lake Ci - stunning sight; Grey Heron - 10+;  Great Egret 30+; Intermediate Egret 20; Little Egret; Chinese Pond Heron - 5 seen at various locations; Black-crowned Night-Heron - 25; Black-faced Spoonbill - 2 seen at Lingshui Lake Little Kinmen, apparently the only two this year, similar to last year; Osprey - 1 near Tiendun; Common Buzzard - 3 in different locations; Black-belled Plover; Pacific Golden Plover - 3; Lesser Sand-Plover; Greater Sand-Plover; Kentish Plover; Little Ringed Plover; Eurasian Oystercatcher - 3 at ebb tide on sandbar near Jincheng; Black-winged Stilt - 4 seen on inland side of Ci Lake, rare on Kinmen; Green Sandpiper; Common Greenshank; Common Redshank; Whimbrel; Far Eastern Curlew; Eurasian Curlew; Ruddy Turnstone; Sanderling; Red-necked Stint; Dunlin; Common Snipe;

Black-headed Gull; Oriental Turtle-dove - about 6; Red Collared-Dove 30+; Spotted Dove - common; Greater Coucal - 7 seen in various locations, skulking; Lesser Coucal - 1 seen on farm near Jinning; Common Kingfisher - 4 seen; White-throated Kingfisher - about 7 seen near ponds; Black-capped Kingfisher - about 7 seen; Pied Kingfisher - 3 seen; Eurasian Hoopoe - over 100 easily seen at many locations, great bird!; Eurasian Wryneck - 1 near car park at National Park HQ, 1 in forest near Ohtsu; Brown Shrike - 1 seen near Tai Lake, unusual at this time I think; Long-tailed Shrike - 50+ easy seen in many locations, different variety to Taiwan’s; Black Drongo - 1 seen on Little Kinmen, rare here in winter; Carrion Crow - 1 seen; Collared Crow - about 7 seen near cattle farms; Oriental Skylark;

Light-vented Bulbul - very common everywhere!; Dusky Warbler - 3 or 4 observed; Pallas’s Leaf-Warbler - 5-10 seen in different habitats; Yellow-browed Warbler; Oriental Reed-Warbler; Yellow-bellied Prinia; Plain Prinia; Oriental Magpie-Robin - common everywhere, lovely bird, rare on Taiwan proper; Daurien Redstart - many seen in various habitats, more common than on Taiwan; Blue Rock-thrush - one seen near National Park Rushan area; Stonechat - 1 at Mashan; Blue Whistling-thrush 2 seen, 1 on Little Kinmen, 1 near Tiendun; Scaly Thrush - 1 in forest near Ohtsu; Eurasian Blackbird - over 10 seen in various places with flocks of Mynas; Pale Thrush -1; Dusky Thrush; Hwamei - 1; Japanese White-eyes - many seen in many locations; Black-collared Starling; Chestnut-cheeked Starling; White-shoulder Starling - 1, rare in winter; Fork-tailed Sunbird - 3 seen in the flowering trees next to Rushan NP visitor car park; Eastern Yellow Wagtail; Gray Wagtail; White Wagtail - 30+ different subspecies from Taiwan proper; Olive-backed Pipit - 1 or 2; Black-faced Bunting - about 10 in several places; Oriental Greenfinch - about 10 on fruiting trees on south side of Ci Lake breakwater; Yellow-billed Grosbeak - also about 10 in same location as Greenfinchs; Eurasian Tree Sparrow - common; Scaly-breasted - 2 small flocks.

Note, some of these birds are difficult or impossible to see on Taiwan proper.


New birds seen in Kinmen:

Mallard    Anas platyrhynchos
Common Buzzard    Buteo buteo
White-breasted Waterhen    Amaurornis phoenicurus
Eurasian Oystercatcher    Haematopus ostralegus
Far Eastern Curlew    Numenius madagascariensis   
Greater Coucal    Centropus sinensis    
Lesser Coucal    Centropus bengalensis
White-throated Kingfisher    Halcyon smyrnensis    
Black-capped Kingfisher    Halcyon pileata
Pied Kingfisher    Ceryle rudis
Eurasian Hoopoe    Upupa epops
Eurasian Wryneck    Jynx torquilla
Carrion Crow    Corvus corone  
Collared Crow    Corvus torquatus
Oriental Skylark    Alauda gulgula
Pallas's Leaf-Warbler    Phylloscopus proregulus
Yellow-browed Warbler    Phylloscopus inornatus
Stonechat    Saxicola torquatus
Blue Whistling-Thrush    Myophonus caeruleus
Eurasian Blackbird    Turdus merula
Pale Thrush    Turdus pallidus    
Dusky Thrush    Turdus eunomus
Hwamei    Garrulax canorus
Black-collared Starling    Gracupica nigricollis
Chestnut-cheeked Starling    Sturnia philippensis    
White-shouldered Starling    Sturnia sinensis  
White-cheeked Starling    Sturnus cineraceus
Fork-tailed Sunbird    Aethopyga christinae
Richard's Pipit    Anthus richardi  
Oriental Greenfinch    Chloris sinica

Tedious to thrilling.

Morning and early afternoon in Qigu (Chigu): BFS reserve, North, and east Qigu, Tsengwen River.  More details coming soon.

New birds seen in Qigu.

Falcated Duck    Anas falcata (on the way - in Sihcao, next to #17)
Gadwall    Anas strepera
Chinese Pond-Heron    Ardeola bacchus
Slaty-legged Crake    Rallina eurizonoides    "Endemic subspecies (R. e. formosana)"
Lesser Sand-Plover    Charadrius mongolus
Marsh Sandpiper    Tringa stagnatilis   
Bar-tailed Godwit    Limosa lapponica
Long-toed Stint    Calidris subminuta
Black-tailed Gull    Larus crassirostris
Slaty-backed Gull    Larus schistisagus
*Dusky Warbler    Phylloscopus fuscatus  
Oriental Reed-Warbler    Acrocephalus orientalis
Striated Prinia    Prinia crinigera    "Endemic subspecies (P. c. striata)"
*Crested Myna    Acridotheres cristatellus    "Taiwan Endemic Subspecies (A. c. formosanus)"

Taiping

Taiping

Spent a morning (February 6th) trying to get a glimpse of birds while driving the wife (not a birder) and daughter (indoctrinating) around the scruffy hills of Taiping, Greater Taichung. We stayed the night before in a guesthouse just off #136.

Warm, sunny weather. A representative, not too exciting, collection of birds for this kind of habitat 30 minutes out of urban Taiwan. Highlights for the wife were 6 Crested Serpent Eagles at close range, for me was what looked like a female Siberian Stonechat crossed with a Daurian Redstart scooting around the grounds of the guesthouse - the Stonechat is rare here and no recent reports exist. Other birds: 6 Red Dove, 1 Barbet, 20+ Light-vented Bulbuls, 10+ Black Bulbuls, 20+ Japanese White-eyes, 3 White Wagtails, 2 Plumbceous Redstarts, 1 male Grey-throated Minivet, 6 Little Egret, 10+ Tree Sparrows, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 15+ Scaly-breasted Munia, 3 Brown Shrike, 3 Black Drongo, 5+ Pacific Swallow, 5+ Plain (Grey-throated) Martin (overlooked before), 4 Spotted-necked Dove.

After this we went for a stroll through Tonglin Village in Wufong Area - good for Fairy Pitta in a couple months.

New Birds in Taiping, Taichung:

Grey-Throated (formerly in Plain) Martin    Riparia chinensis
Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus

Shrgang Reservoir, Gaomei Wetlands

Shrgang Reservoir and Gaomei Wetlands.

When passing through Dongshr Town I resisted the temptation to wander up towards Dasyueshan - Fork-tailed Sunbirds have been reported at the 23.5km mark. Something else was planed.

Made a short diversion to the Shrgang Reservoir, not for the handful of Grey Herons, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Egrets, and Grebes but to twitch the Scaly-sided Mergansers present. Quite rare in Taiwan, there were 3 (1 male, 2 female) visible - as reported on the CWBF website. From our viewpoint in the middle of the dam wall, they were to be seen (in the scope) in the water to our north-east. Also a single Osprey on south side.

Shrgang is between the eastern end of Freeway 4 and Dongshr. To get to the dam, turn of road #3 (normal road, not freeway) just east of km mark 165.

To end the (increasingly chilly) afternoon we went to the western end of Freeway #4 and the much-abused Gaomei Wetlands on the south side of the Dajia Rive rivermouth. Directions: Freeway #4 blends into highway #17, just as it goes under an elevated highway (#61) there are signs for Gaomei Wetlands. Turn right here, cross the railway tracks and immediatly turn left - under the elevated highway, and towards the windmills. The road narrows and veres north before the windmills. Possible to make a loop north-east-south back to #17.

We generally ignored the waders on the seaward side of the embankment (could be some good stuff there) and instead had a look at the tatty plowed fields/small ponds/graves/wasteland on the landward side. Had good views of 6 Red-billed Starlings. Also 10 Black-faced Bunting, Common Snipe, 1 Kestrel, 1 Ruddy-breasted Crake.


New Birds at Shrgang Reservoir and Gaomei Wetlands:

Scaly-sided Merganser    Mergus squamatus
Osprey    Pandion haliaetus
Red-billed Starling    Sturnus sericeus
Ruddy-breasted Crake    Porzana fusca

Merganser image from http://luoxiaoyun.blshe.com/post/4858/207787

Huisun

Huisun.

We started the February 3rd at Huisun Forest Recreation Area. After two days of just about perfect weather it was a bit disappointing to have rain overnight and to wake to a chillier, overcast world.




Formosan Blue Magpie

Birding was slow but we managed to get some of the target birds (1 Malayan Night-heron, 6 Formosan Magpie (only in high trees) without too much trouble. Also present were many Grey Treepies, Yuhinia, Sibia, Black Bulbuls,  and a pair of Grey-chinned Minivet.

Target birds missed included Varied Tit (usually here), Maroon Oriole, and Brown Dipper. Oh well, those blue magpies first thing in the morning work well for someone in magpie-free Tainan.

On Road # 21 between Huisun and the intersection with #8  we encountered 2 Crested Serpent-eagles, and 1 Oriental Honey Buzzard.

New Birds at Huisun:

Malayan Night-Heron    Gorsachius melanolophus
Formosan Magpie    Urocissa caerulea    Endemic species
Oriental Honey-buzzard    Pernis ptilorhynchus
Gray-chinned Minivet    Pericrocotus solaris

Puli and Lienhuachih

Near Puli and Lienhuachr.

North of Puli.

Driving back down towards Puli Town I impulsively decided to check out some of the small wet fields and plantations below the road around km mark 63. Turned out to be a lot of fun.

We saw 20+ Scaly-breasted Munia, 7 Grey Wagtails, 10+ Pacific Swallows, 20 Little Egrets, 5+ Cattle Egrets, 1 Plain Prinia, White-vented Myna, Dark Drongo, Little-ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail.

After Puli we had a short late afternoon diversion to Lienhuachih with hopes of finding Plain Flowerpeckers, instead lots of Japanese White-eyes, 3 Plumbeous Redstarts, 1 White-bellied Green Pigeon, 3 Dusky Fulvetta, 1 Eyebrowed Thrush, 5+ Black Bulbul 10+ Tree Sparrow, Prinia species, Swallow/Martin species (ignored), Black Drongo.

New Bird:

Eyebrowed Thrush    Turdus obscurus

Beidongyen Mountain

Beidongyen Mountain.

Beidongyenshan (Bei-dong-yen Mountain) is a marvelous place but is down Taiwan’s worst road (Taiwan’s roads are usually in great condition), and could be be much better if it was normally easier to access the last few km by car - and stay overnight. The mountain is owned by Chung Hsing University, and like Meifeng is dedicated to researching high elevation horticulture.

Most of the mountain is excellent secondary forest and well protected from abusive development. In sharp contrast, the road to, and beyond Beidongyenshan is shameful - the rotten condition of the road is largely due to reckless farming methods. Be prepared for deep ruts, mud and blockages in wet weather. Also possible (if brave enough) to access via #? that bisects the Blue Gate Trail.
Access is on #89 (Lising Road 力行產業道路) which starts 4km up from Wushe. It has signposts (and maps) indicating this is a sensible route to Lishan and Fushoushan Farm - DON’T - if you need to get to Lishan, go via Hehuan Mountain and Dayuling. The entrance to Beidongyenshan is on the left, 8.5km in from #14A. After 1.5km you come to a locked wooden gate, park here and walk up the good concrete road.

3.5 km from the wooden gate you come to the first tea plantation and lower ‘dorm’ with great views of the Xue (Snow) Mountains. Another 1.5km gets you to the upper greenhouses and plantations. At multiple stages of the walk up we were encountering Swinhoe Pheasants - almost (well not really at all) became a trash bird The area up to and around the communications tower was sensibly managed, and was very productive for birds and Muntjac (Barking Deer). Why couldn't all agriculture work like this!

Birds seen: 30+ Yuhinia, 10+ Yellow Tit, 5 Taiwan (Hill) Partridge, Mountain Scops Owl (heard only), 5+ Green-backed Tit, 1 White-backed Woodpecker, 3+ Collared Bush Robin, 10+ Sibia, 20+ Golden Parrotbill (can be tricky, very pleased to for them to run into us), 1 Arctic Warbler, 2 White-browed Shortwing, 2 Ashy Wood Pigeon, 2 Crested Serpent Eagle, 10+ Black-throated Tit, 5+ Rufous-capped Babbler, 20+ Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, 1 Eurasian Nuthatch, about 10 Asian House-martin (probably overlooked before), Swallows, 4 Flamecrest (relieved to get - can be tricky. See right.), 1 Strong-footed Bush Warbler (heard well at close range for long time, but terrible views)

On the way there from #14A:  Bronzed Drongo, Plumbeous Redstart, 1 Taiwan Whistling Thrush.

If possible arrange (I may be able to help) to stay in the stunning located wooden cabin ‘dorm’ on the farm.

New Birds:

Taiwan Partridge    Arborophila crudigularis    Endemic species
Golden Parrotbill    Paradoxornis verreauxi    "Endemic subspecies (P. v. morrisonianus)"
Arctic Warbler    Phylloscopus borealis
White-browed Shortwing    Brachypteryx montana    "Endemic subspecies (B. m. goodfellowi)"
Eurasian Nuthatch    Sitta europaea
Asian House-Martin    Delichon dasypus
Flamecrest    Regulus goodfellowi    Endemic species