Trip to Poyang Hu, 24 November 2013
Spent the afternoon in a cab with Stephen Ang driving around the southern shore of Poyang hu. We drove as far as the hill marked Beibiancun on google maps, this is where the road cuts through very narrow gorges, we also got almost to the main village of Nanjixiang.
The rain finally stopped around 4pm and we had good light for scoping the ducks and geese.
Birds seen (CT= chinese tick, WT = world tick)
10+ Swan geese
1000+ Tundra bean geese, got some close views, seems to be closer to serrirostris
100+ greylag
50+ greater wf goose, no sign of lesser today
200+ Tundar swan
10+ Wigeon (CT)
30+ Mallard
1500+ eastern spotbill, by far the common duck
8 Pintail
10+ Teal
40+ GC grebe, many dabchick
One very distant flock of 34 Oriental stork in flight.
200+ Grey heron
Few great corm
1 peregrine
Eastern marsh harrier (WT) A non adult male, can't say cream crown for this species. Like western marsh in general size and jizz. Grey brown tail with creamy upper tail, upperparts mottled not solid brown. Nice
Eastern buzzard (WT) One on a pole
Brown crake 2 on road at dusk
Common coot (CT) 700+
Common crane 30+, some very close views
Spot red and northern lapwing common
100+ black-headed gull
Best landbirds were a few white-cheeked starling and a close flock of chinese grosbeak
Finally had good close views of water pipit (CT)
A nice, though too short a day.