Shanghai Weekend in August (1 Viewer)

All,

I'm going to be coming to Shanghai in early August for a business trip and will likely have a weekend (Aug 9-10) to myself. I won't have a car, so I'll be at the mercy of public transport and taxis. I speak a little Mandarin, and can make sense of the writing (though I don't know enough words to truly read it). I'll be staying on the Pudong side, probably at the Renaissance.

I've found a few English webpages, but most seem to be in Chinese so I need some help. Does anybody have any recommendations of good places I can go birding? The botanical garden seems to be the most visited place on various trip reports followed by People's Park, but I'd be glad to hear about any other places that might be accessable.

Also if there are any local birders out there who would be willing to take a visitor out for a morning or even a day, please don't hesitate to PM me. I'd be glad to pay for gas, tolls, etc.

Xie xie!

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Get yourself onto Chongming Island - the south-east side of the island is home to Dongtan NNR. Reed Parrotbills are common here as are Japanese Swamp Warblers (though time of year for the latter might not be great).
Getting to Chongming is straightforward, taxi to the docks then an hours ferry followed by a 30 minute taxi/minivan to Dongtan. There is a nice, cheap hotel nearby too.

Hopefully a couple of BF subscribers who live in Shanghai will contact you, if not, PM me further details.

Alternatively if you fancy something different then go across to Wuyuan (5 hours) to see Courtois's Laughingthrush (critically endangered), if they are still there in August then they are easy as they breed in a few trees surrounding a village.

Cheers,

James

In summer Japanese Swamp Warbler spends more time breeding in the reeds,not displaying so much as in spring.So it's not easy to be seen,or even heard.
Reed Parrotbill rich around the whole of Shanghai,especially in Chongming Island.
In early Aug,some waders will have arrived,but not many.

Ponds in Dongtan which used to be the best birding spot(in summer many Whiskered Tern,Purple Heron,Moorhen,Little Grebe breed) is now drained.In mainland Shanghai,the east coastline called Binhai is recommended.Chinese Egret common here.And this year,a few Crested Grebes and Coots are breeding.When a typhoon comes,maybe some seabirds can be met.Last year I saw a Streaked Shearwater)
For woodland birds,as James suggested,go out of Shanghai.Courtois's Laughingthrush and Pied Falconet in Wuyuan,Fairy Pitta in Nanjing(2h by train),...

If u stay in Shanghai,try Shanghai Zoo.It owns more mature woods than Botanical Garden,in my opinion.I saw two Brown Hawk Owls in May.In June someone heard them still there,with Oriental Scops Owl.

You may also wish to hop on the bullet train to Hangzhou and visit the botanical gardens there. It's as easy to get to Hangzhou as it is to Chongming Island, and if you're into forest birding then you'll enjoy Hangzhou's Botanical Gardens more than Chongming. Hangzhou has tall trees and areas of thick forest and is on the western side of the city, with the lake to the east and hills to the west; it feels much more like a forest reserve than a city park. You can see the Swinhoe's minivet there and the Chinese bamboo partridge. Get the bullet train at Shanghai South Railway Station. About an hour and 15 minutes one way then 20 minutes by taxi to the botanical gardens. There are hotels all around but they may be busy this time of year.