Starting 2013 slowly.

A new year, not a big year, but keeping my new bird sightings noted.

As expected, endemics have been a bit slow to rouse this winter season, usually takes a bit more time and accepting a few will just not or pop into view.

Vivid Niltava ww543

The highlight at Wulai (as well as Red Oriole, Blue Magpie, and great flocks of Minivet at Neidong FRA) was a Verditer Flycatcher at the elementary school at Fushan. Remember this is in New Taipei City/Taipei County not the Botanical Gardens at Fushan Yilan County. A very nice bonus were three Mandarin Ducks in the river just above the last part of Fushan Village. Hike the path on the north side of the river.

The reported Baer’s Pochard at Shrgang Reservoir eluded me, but on the third try the (single male visiting this winter) Scaly-sided Merganser gave excellent views. Best to search from the road on the north side of the reservoir - a wide section of the downhill road overlooks the best
place.

Doesn’t sound likely, but managed to entertain the family (non-birding wife, kids, mother-in-law) AND see some excellent birds on a daytrip to the Pheasant-tailed Jacana Reserve, one of them being a pair of Baer’s Pochards.

Also present were plenty of Pintail, N. Shoveler, G.W Teal, E Wigeon, Jacana and Black-winged Stilts.  A few Garganey, Coot, and Common Snipe were nice to have when try to get second looks at Baikal Teal and Falcated Teal (first time on Taiwan-proper for me I think). The furthest pond viewable from the last hide seems to hold the best birds.

I saw 2 Smew at Beimen late December but not recorded in last year’s list.

New Birds:

Verditer Flycatcher    Eumyias thalassinus
Smew    Mergellus albellus
Baer's Pochard    Aythya baeri

Yilan and Shuanglienpi

Yilan

February 26th I made my excuses and escaped to Yilan County ahead of weekend holiday traffic for a day of intensive birding far from my usual haunts. Yilan, situated in Northeastern Taiwan, is mostly lush rugged mountains, the rest is very flat rice fields decorated with houses and tedious towns. The coastal wetlands are some of Taiwan’s most important bird habitats.

Link to Google map

The road tunnel (Freeway #5) through the Xueshan mountain range makes it  convenient to visit from Taipei - but remember, avoid times when millions of Taipei folk are doing the same thing. On this damp (Yilan seems to be always wet) and cool day I explored the wetland complex in the north-east area (east of #5), and north of the Lanyang River. The best locations were the various ponds, fields and drainage channels to the south of Toucheng Town and between roads #2 and #191.

Many shorebirds to be seen. Highlights for me: 8 Black-faced Spoonbills, 1 Hoopee, 10, Vinous-throated Parotbills, 2 Water Rail, 5 Northern Lapwing, 1 Eared Grebe, 2 Purple Herons, 3 European Starling, 1 Ruff...and 2 vagrant Hooded Cranes (yes, was an undeniable twitch; near km mark 143 Road #2).

Shuanglienpi

After enough of the damp and cool plains I went to scout out the road towards bio-diverse Fushan Botanical Gardens. I’ve had repeated bad luck getting the (required) permission to visit Fushan - instead I had a quick look around Shuanglienpi (雙連埤).



Mandarin Ducks - naturally occuring.

At 400 meters elevation, Shuanglienpi (Shuang-lien-pi) is a wetland and small lakes surrounded by well forested mountains. If unable to get permission for Fushan (must apply online early - avoid weekends) I can recommend the drive to, and the walk around these very pleasant ponds.

Various good birds around (Blue Magpies, Scimitar Babblers, Grey-throated Minivets, Maroon Oriole, Dusky Fulvetta, White-bellied Erponis)  the highlight was a pair of wintering Mandarin Ducks.

New Birds seen in Yilan - wetlands and Shuanglienpi:

Water Rail    Rallus aquaticus
Eared Grebe    Podiceps nigricollis
Ruff    Philomachus pugnax
Northern Lapwing    Vanellus vanellus
Hooded Crane    Grus monacha
Mandarin Duck    Aix galericulata
Silver-backed Needletail    Hirundapus cochinchinensis    "Endemic subspecies (H. c. formosanus)"
Yellow-throated Bunting    Emberiza elegans
European Starling    Sturnus vulgaris