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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

My local patch is a temple with fairies- Huben, Taiwan. (1 Viewer)

Hi Mark

Interesting to see what your regular birds are at Huben. I was surprised to note how few Taiwan endemics turned up. Is the habitat wrong, is this week just unusual, or is there some other factor?

I'm fully in favour of splitting the barbet. I've seen it in several places in S China plus Taiwan and Malaysia and I would be amazed if the Taiwan split does not go through. One of my colleagues in HK also thinks that the Hainan form is distinct and also worthy of full species status.

One more question about Huben - is the Black-naped monarch resident? - they are only a winter visitor in HK.
 
Hi MKinHK,

The only endemic that is present in Huben in fairly high numbers is the Taiwan Whistling Thrush. They are very difficult to spot in the thick undergrowth of Huben and are usually heard and not seen. Swinhoe's Pheasant or the Silver Ghost is also resident but as its nickname suggests is very hard to spot. The Taiwan Partridge, of which there are reasonable numbers, is also heard but not seen very often. If you go looking for it at dusk or dawn in its favourite haunts you stand a reasonable chance of seeing one. The Taiwan Blue Magpie is also resident but not many found in Western Taiwan, so not seen very often.

Most of the endemics are found in the mountains at higher altitudes but Huben does have quite a number of endemic subspecies which are pretty common local residents: Chinese Bamboo-Partridge; Barred Buttonquail; Emerald Dove; Spotted Dove; Mountain Scops-Owl; Grey-headed Pygmy Woodpecker; Bronzed Drongo; Black Drongo; Maroon Oriole; Grey Treepie; Vinous-throated Parrotbill; Dusky Fulvetta; Grey-cheeked Fulvetta; Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler; Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler; Rufous-capped Babbler; Black Bulbul; Light-vented Bulbul; Collared Finchbill; Yellow-bellied Prinia; Plain Prinia; Zitting Cisticola; Black-naped Monarch; Besra; Crested Goshawk; Crested Serpent-Eagle; and Black-browed Barbet.

The Black-naped Monarch is an endemic subspecies, race oberholseri, and is a very common resident in Huben. I believe the Taiwan race Hwamei is also soon to be proposed as a full endemic.
 
MKinHK said:
Hi Mark

Interesting to see what your regular birds are at Huben. I was surprised to note how few Taiwan endemics turned up. Is the habitat wrong, is this week just unusual, or is there some other factor?

I'm fully in favour of splitting the barbet. I've seen it in several places in S China plus Taiwan and Malaysia and I would be amazed if the Taiwan split does not go through. One of my colleagues in HK also thinks that the Hainan form is distinct and also worthy of full species status.

One more question about Huben - is the Black-naped monarch resident? - they are only a winter visitor in HK.


Hi Mark, a very intresting patch, reading all this makes me wanna visit Taiwan really soon, just had a look at the birdingintaiwan website and Taiwan is now in the top of places I must visit in the near-future.

And yes the Hainan pop of the Megalaima oorti is very close to be splited into a own species, just like the Taiwan population. All these recent splits in the Asian region is very intresting and it seems like Taiwan is the place where most things are happening at the moment.

Bird on m8
 
Hi Hainan,

You're welcome to visit anytime, more than happy to show you around. Was it the ITBA site you looked at http://www.birdingintaiwan.com/index.htm ? Yes, a very good site.

There seems to be a number of parallels between some of the Taiwan and Hainan species. I suppose both being islands in the same region has lead to this. As always the granting of funds to study a number of the endemic subspecies to possibly raise to full species status seems to be a limiting factor on projects and keeping things small and pretty much confined to one species at a time.

The Black-browed Barbet has been studied and the Hwamei Garrulax canorus taewanus is soon to be published. From what I know the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis musicus has just started to be studied. There are seven others that really need to be looked at: Chinese Bamboo Partridge Bambusicola thoracica sonorivox; White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana goodfellowi; Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalus niveiceps; Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Cettia fortipes robustipes; White-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax albogularis ruficeps; Rusty Laughingthrush Garrulax poecilorhynchus poecilorhynchus; and Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrogenys erythrocnemis
 
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Spent Saturday afternoon going around Huben and into the top of the Hushan valley. I recently found a small track, which is a little overgrown, but it links the Huben valley with the neighbouring Hushan valley. This is a wonderful discovery as I can now slip into the prime birding area of the neighbouring valley from the track behind the fairy temple instead of having to ride around, which was about a 5km ride.

The Brown Shrike are back for the winter. Last year they arrived in the last week of August, which did surprise me at the time (see post: 29th August 2005). This year they seem to be back to their schedule of mid to late September.

A lot of Bronzed Drongo about. I've never seen numbers like this in the area. They were hawking insects from overhead cables. Perhaps a lot of food about but it was unusual to see so many. They were also behaving more like their lowland cousins the bigger Black Drongo and it was really unusual to see Bronzed Drongos out over the fields and streams instead of in the forest or along the forest edge.

Also saw a mixed flock with about forty Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, three pairs of Black-naped Monarch, and about ten Japanese White-eyes. There were also a lot of Striated Swallow about. The numbers of Striated Swallows also seemed far higher than usual. The usual Pacific Swallows were about but their numbers seemed pretty normal.

I saw a pair of sparrowhawk but was not able to decide if they were Besra or Chinese Sparrowhawk. This time of year we get Chinese Sparrowhawk moving through Taiwan on migration. The endemic race of Besra (fuscipectus) is rather dark and I could only see the front of the male, so it kind of makes it hard to say quite what it was. I got a rather poor shot which I'll show to TESRI's Scott Lin and get his opinion on it.

I took a few shots of the giant Buddha that guards the Hushan Valley. It's one of the world's biggest Giant Buddhas.

On the way home as I rode through the fields there were swarms of insects about. The bats were out early and again in numbers that I've never seen before. They looked like great flocks of swifts as they weaved through the swarming insects. I guess that's why there were so many Drongos and Swallows about earlier. As I rode my motorcycle through the swarms I had insects in my helmet down my back and in my eyes. Quite a spectacular spectacle to see but very unpleasant to ride through.
 

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Hi Mark,

Sounds as if you had a great Saturday afternoon out, the photos are great I like the brown shrike in particular.

Sorry you found out the hard way (riding through all those insects) why there were so many birds in one place hunting them.

Beats a day in the garden any day of the week.

Ann
 
HI MArk

Your accipiter looks like a typical Chinese Goshawk me - Besra will always show a dark mesial stripe and darker header in male plumage.

also, I think the yellow eye would make it a female.

Cheers
Mike
 
Hi Mike,

Thanks, Mike :t: ! Agreed, female Chinese Sparrowhawk. My first reaction was Chinese Sparrowhawk, but I didn't get a clear view of the throat, so I did have concerns about missing the mesial streak. There are also resident Besra in the area and most of our Chinese Sparrowhawk move through in early to mid October, so a little early. I couldn't decide if I was seeing red or yellow in the eye area. I since can see the yellow. Scott Lin from the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute said Chinese Sparrowhawk, too, and pointed out that it is very unusual to see Besra (race fuscipectus) sitting on an exposed perch (both birds were. Attached photo of second Sparrowhawk) and not within cover.
 

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A CHAPLIN said:
Hi Mark,

Sounds as if you had a great Saturday afternoon out, the photos are great I like the brown shrike in particular.

Sorry you found out the hard way (riding through all those insects) why there were so many birds in one place hunting them.

Beats a day in the garden any day of the week.

Ann
Thanks, Ann. How's the Sparrowhawk that visits your garden doing? I would love to be able to sit at my computer and watch a Sparrowhawk through the window.
 
Mark Bruce said:
Hi Mike,

Thanks, Mike :t: ! Agreed, female Chinese Sparrowhawk. My first reaction was Chinese Sparrowhawk, but I didn't get a clear view of the throat, so I did have concerns about missing the mesial streak. There are also resident Besra in the area and most of our Chinese Sparrowhawk move through in early to mid October, so a little early. I couldn't decide if I was seeing red or yellow in the eye area. I since can see the yellow. Scott Lin from the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute said Chinese Sparrowhawk, too, and pointed out that it is very unusual to see Besra (race fuscipectus) sitting on an exposed perch (both birds were. Attached photo of second Sparrowhawk) and not within cover.


This is an interesting point - Chinese Sparrowks do sit out, as do Crested Goshawks, but I can't ever recall a Besra doing the same - perched views that I recall all seem to come on branches under the upper canopy.
 
MKinHK said:
This is an interesting point - Chinese Sparrowks do sit out, as do Crested Goshawks, but I can't ever recall a Besra doing the same - perched views that I recall all seem to come on branches under the upper canopy.
Seen another one. Sitting out in the top of some dead bamboo next to a stream on the forest edge. Clearly a Chinese Sparrowhawk and not a Besra.
 
Proposed Babbler splits and Huben

In the latest OBC's FORKTAIL, Journal of Asian Ornithology, No. 22, August 2006, pp. 85–112, Dr. Nigel Collar has proposed the partial revision of Asian Babblers (Timaliidae). For Taiwan it would mean the addition of seven new endemics. Three of these birds have been recorded in Huben, Rusty Laughingthrush; Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler; and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler. The latter two being very common in Huben. With the proposed Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti -Taiwan Barbet Megalaima nuchalis split, this would mean four new endemics in the area, with three of them being very common residents.

Proposed Splits

Split from:Pygmy/Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Pnoepyga pusilla /albiventer
Proposed new species:Taiwan Wren Babbler, Pnoepyga formosana

Split from:White-throated Laughingthrush, Garrulax albogularis,
Proposed new species:Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush, Garrulax ruficeps

Split from:Rusty Laughingthrush, Garrulax poecilorhynchus
Proposed new species:Buffy Laughingthrush, Garrulax berthemyi

Split from:Hwamei, Garrulax canorus
Proposed new species:Taiwan Hwamei, Garrulax taewanus

Split from:Spot-breasted/Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Pomatorhinus erythrogenys
Proposed new species:Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler, Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis

Split from:Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Pomatorhinus ruficollis
Proposed new species:Taiwan Scimitar Babbler, Pomatorhinus musicus

Split from:Streak-throated Fulvetta, Alcippecinereiceps
Proposed new species:Taiwan Fulvetta, Alcippe formosana
 
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Fairy Pitta of Huben Postage Stamps

Yesterday, a set of postage stamps helping to raise awareness of the plight of the Fairy Pitta were issued. Postage stamps have been used in the past to help other species in Taiwan. Veteran conservationist John Wu used postage stamps in the early eighties to help stop the slaughter of Brown Shrike which were eaten as a local delicacy in Southern Taiwan and the killing of over sixty thousand raptors annually for "good luck mounts" that were exported to Japan.

More recently stamps depicting the Black-faced Spoonbill, Chinese Crested Tern, and Blue-tailed Bee-eater have raised awareness of these species. Let's hope the the Fairy Pitta stamps help to raise awareness for this species which apart from its decline due to loss of habitat has been trapped for its supposed medicinal properties and for sale as mounted specimens.

I've included a description of the stamps and attached a copy of the stamps.

"Description of Stamps

First day of issue: 2006-09-30 Sheet composition : 20 (4 x 5 or 5 x 4) Paper used: Phosphorescent stamp paper Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd. Stamp size: 29 ¡Ñ 37 ©Î 37 ¡Ñ 29 (mm) Color: Colorful Process: Deep etch offset Perforation: 13 Description. The Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha), a member of the order passeriformes in the family pittidae, is known in Chinese as the "eight-colour bird" for its eye-catching plumage of eight different colors: black, white, yellow, red, blue, dark green, chestnut and bright blue. Taiwan currently provides the largest Fairy Pitta habitat and breeding range of any place in the world, yet the population of Fairy Pittas declines rapidly as a result of habitat loss. To let our citizens put more emphasis on ecological conservation, Chunghwa Post has asked Mr. (Scott)Lin Ruey-Shing of the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, to plan a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet on the Conservation of Birds Postage Stamps - Fairy Pitta. The designs of the stamps follow: 1. Perching High (NT$5.00): Fairy Pittas are active on the ground of the forest. To attract mates, the males often perch on high branches and sing their hearts out. 2. Flying (NT$5.00): Although they are excellent flyer's, Fairy Pittas spend most of their time on the ground. When they make short-distance dashes in the woods, their bright blue wing coverts and upper tail coverts, as well as the snowy white spots in their wings, shimmer. It is a dazzling sight. 3. Rearing the Young (NT$10.00): Fairy Pittas like to build their nests on the grounds of steep slopes, in the forks of low shrubs or at the base of bamboo bushes in low-altitude broad-leaved forests where the tree crowns are dense. The males and females share the responsibility for hatching eggs and rearing the young. 4. Foraging (NT$10.00): Fairy Pittas are shy birds. Their sharp senses help them to find food. Earthworms are the primary food source for baby birds. Their diverse diet also includes caterpillars, beetles, ants, centipedes, snails and cicadas."
 

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Huben and up to Ping-ding

Headed out to Huben this afternoon. It was overcast and looked like rain. Part of me was saying why do you want to go out and get wet, the other part was saying take a chance it may not rain.

I first took a ride through the valley on the Hushan side of Pillow Mountain. Things appeared pretty quiet. I scanned the sky for raptors. Lots of raptors passing through Taiwan on migration at the moment, so was hoping for Grey-faced Buzzard and Chinese Sparrowhawk or possibly an Oriental Honey-buzzard. Not a raptor in the sky.

A mixed flock of Black and Bronzed Drongos were hawking insects over a citrus orchard from a power cable. I passed a few Light-vented Bulbul. Then a Brown Shrike flew across the path and settled in a tree not too far off.

I carried on and fair numbers of Pacific Swallows and House Swift flew overhead and would swoop down and follow the course of the stream for a short distance before turning and climbing to pass once more overhead before swooping down towards the stream again.

The sounds of Grey-cheeked Fulvetta carried towards me through the trees and I stopped. Shortly thereafter a flock of about twenty buzzed around me in the undergrowth for a short time before moving off. A flock of Japanese White-eye moved through the canopy overhead.

As I paused near a stream the movement of a bird in the overhanging bamboo next to the water caught my eye. It was a Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler. It shot out from the cover of the bamboo and bathed in the water for a few moments before shooting back into the security of the bamboo. Moments later it was joined by another three. I stood for a few moments in the poor light trying to get a shot. Next there was a flash of blue as a male Black-naped Blue Monarch appeared on the scene. It's duller spouse followed a moment later. Again I tried for a shot but knew it would be a wasted effort. No matter how many times I see monarch I'm always blown away by that amazing blue.

I then headed back towards Hushan Village. In the village hundreds of Tree Sparrows sat on the telephone cables chattering. I passed them and followed the road to Huben. Just next to Huben Village I stopped to watch three Collared Finchbill in some reeds next to the river. I snapped a few shots for the database and carried on.

At the Fairy Temple I scanned the sky for raptors. Nothing again. I then looked across at some distant bamboo and saw the distinctive silhouette of a raptor sitting on it. Moments later the raptor took off and headed towards me. It was a Chinese Sparrowhawk. I watched the Sparrowhawk for a short time and then headed off on the mountain track heading to the village of Ping-ding. Ping-ding is famous for its Oolong tea.

The track lead steeply upward. I paused at a lotus pond to take in the pink flowers. I then carried on up. I soon spotted a Taiwan Barbet (feels good to say that instead of Black-browed Barbet) sitting in a tree. I watched it for a short time and carried on. As I came over a rise I spotted a Crested Goshawk in a tree up ahead. Before I could raise my camera it had seen me and disappeared through the trees. I carried on and looked down into the Huben valley, the sun was setting and I thought for a moment I had seen another raptor flying over the trees. The wings were really going and a glance through my bins showed it to be a flying fox.

I carried on towards Ping-ding. Shortly I was amongst the tea. I carried on and as I got to the edge of the village I turned around and headed back down to Huben and home.

The rain never came and it was a very pleasant afternoon out.
 

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Hi Mark,

Thank you for another lovely ride out from the photos it looks such a beautiful peaceful natural area no ugly concrete buildings to spoil the view no traffic queues and hordes of people with shopping bags, long may it remain that way.

Huben seems teeming with birdlife, glad you got to see some Raptors, Tree Sparrows are rare here now, they must prefer your climate. Although fine here I haven't seen a single bird all day and you found one for the data base that isn't fair, congratulations and I look forward to reading your next patch report. I bet many other people are envious too.

Ann :clap: :t: :egghead:
 
Thanks, Ann,
Yeah, the climate must agree with Tree Sparrows as they are abundant. Well that with a good supply of food. They can gather in flocks of several thousand in the rice paddies just before harvest time (two to three harvests a year). I've had then coming into the classroom to peck at crumbs on the floor. The Russet Sparrow for us is our rare one.
 
Work commitments and two trips have kept me from spending time in Huben over the last few weeks. I was able to spend Tuesday morning in Huben and do a little birding but most of the morning was spent chatting to Scott Lin over tea about various bird related topics and projects.

While birding I saw the usual Collared Finchbills, Light-vented Bulbul, Pacific Swallows, Tree Sparrows by the hundred, Little Egret, Spotted and Red Collared Doves, Brown Shrike, Grey Treepie and Bronzed Drongos.
 
A fine show

Spent some time in Huben on Saturday morning as part of a weekend birding trip covering a number of site.

As I arrived in Huben mid morning on Saturday a Crested Serpent Eagle was circling low overhead. It's calls echoed across the valley. This excited me as I always see a circling eagle over Huben as a lucky omen.

The birding started as I got out of the car. I was treated to a dazzling display of orange and yellow as a pair of Grey-chinned Minivet hawked insects as they moved about through the trees around were I was standing. Moments later a Black-Browed Barbet put in an appearance of brilliant green. Not to be outdone, light vented Bulbul, Striated and Pacific Swallows also put on a show. The cries of the Crested Serpent Eagle could still be heard echoing down through the canopy.

I started down the track behind the temple and had only gone about twenty metres when the chorus of a family of Streak-breasted Scimitar Babblers erupted from the undergrowth. For quite awhile I watched about seven Scimitar Babblers darting about in the tangle of creepers, dead branches, vines and grass that make up the thick carpet of the Huben undergrowth.

I moved off slowly and was soon greeted by the sizzling alarm call of a Grey-cheeked Fulvetta. Moments later a mixed flock was darting through the Giant Taiwan Bamboo I was standing next to. Soon I was being treated to a dazzling display of azure blue as a pair of Black-naped Blue Monarch rushed about between the bamboo leaves. The soft call of an Arctic Warbler could be heard from high above in the canopy. Then, the tzee-tzee calls of Japanese White-eye filled the air as a small flock joined the party. The metallic notes of three Bronzed Drongos drowned out all else for a few moments as I watched the acrobatic antics of the trio in the bamboo above.

Within minutes I had picked out White-bellied Yuhina, Grey Treepie, Rufous-capped Babbler, Black-browed Barbet and Light-vented Bulbul. The Scimitar Babblers then put in a second appearance. Before I knew it it was time to leave. I hadn't even walked fifty metres. As I got to the car a trio of Collared Finchbill arrived to wish me well. This was definitely a good start to a weekend's birding.
 
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