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Taiwan - Birding Reports (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dave 2x
- Start date
Dave 2x
Well-known member
Saturday 2 November 2013
On Saturday I joined a trip with the Taipei Wild Bird Society to Guishan Island off Yilan. A year ago we had a great trip there with some amazing birds. Unfortunately this year the boat taking us over decided it was too rough to land (although it looked calm)...a major disappointment as there is apparently a Ruddy Kingfisher there at the moment. The 2 hour round trip produced just one bird, a Streaked Shearwater.
We then traveled around Yilan picking up a variety of species (68 for the day) including Ruddy-breasted Crake, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, Purple Heron, Greater Painted-Snipe, Whiskered Tern and Black-faced Spoonbills (4). The highlight of the day was undoubtedly a juvenile Dalmatian Pelican which is apparently the first record in Taiwan since 1911.
Sunday 3 November 2013
On Sunday I returned to Yehliu Geopark but the rare birds from the previous week had all left due to the good weather. The only notable birds were a female Red-flanked Bluetail and a Red-breasted Flycatcher. Following that we made a trip to Jinshan which was also slow.
Reports on Sunday of a Black Stork, Greater White-fronted Goose and Lesser Black-backed Gull may tempt me to go to Aogu Wetlands next weekend.
Photos to follow.
Cheers
Dave
On Saturday I joined a trip with the Taipei Wild Bird Society to Guishan Island off Yilan. A year ago we had a great trip there with some amazing birds. Unfortunately this year the boat taking us over decided it was too rough to land (although it looked calm)...a major disappointment as there is apparently a Ruddy Kingfisher there at the moment. The 2 hour round trip produced just one bird, a Streaked Shearwater.
We then traveled around Yilan picking up a variety of species (68 for the day) including Ruddy-breasted Crake, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, Purple Heron, Greater Painted-Snipe, Whiskered Tern and Black-faced Spoonbills (4). The highlight of the day was undoubtedly a juvenile Dalmatian Pelican which is apparently the first record in Taiwan since 1911.
Sunday 3 November 2013
On Sunday I returned to Yehliu Geopark but the rare birds from the previous week had all left due to the good weather. The only notable birds were a female Red-flanked Bluetail and a Red-breasted Flycatcher. Following that we made a trip to Jinshan which was also slow.
Reports on Sunday of a Black Stork, Greater White-fronted Goose and Lesser Black-backed Gull may tempt me to go to Aogu Wetlands next weekend.
Photos to follow.
Cheers
Dave
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Dave 2x
Well-known member
Rather than post my terrible distant photos of the Pelican...here's a link to some great photos of this extremely rare bird for Taiwan, taken by a Photographer who managed to get much closer.
http://gallery.dcview.com/showGallery.php?id=107338
Cheers
Dave
http://gallery.dcview.com/showGallery.php?id=107338
Cheers
Dave
Identify baby bird - Laonung, Taiwan
I saw this baby bird on the ground in the garden today. Does anyone know what it is?
Location: Laonung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Based on the belated appearance of "mom," I'm guessing this is a bird is Red Collared Dove - Juvenile (Streptopelia tranquebarica).
Does anyone agree?
I saw this baby bird on the ground in the garden today. Does anyone know what it is?
Location: Laonung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Based on the belated appearance of "mom," I'm guessing this is a bird is Red Collared Dove - Juvenile (Streptopelia tranquebarica).
Does anyone agree?
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Dave 2x
Well-known member
Sorry can't help with the ID....but in this area Red Collared Dove is certainly common.
Dave 2x
Well-known member
Sunday 10 November 2013
Decided to try again for the Dalmatian Pelican in Yilan, in the hope of getting better photos...the Pelican is still there but moving about and it never came close enough to me for a good photo. Hopefully it stays for the winter and I get another chance.
Some of the other birds picked up in the area included Oriental Skylark, Mallard, Greater Scaup, approx 500+ Black-winged Stilt, Pacific Golden Plover, Kentish Plover, 33 Curlew Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Gray-throated Martin.
Decided to try again for the Dalmatian Pelican in Yilan, in the hope of getting better photos...the Pelican is still there but moving about and it never came close enough to me for a good photo. Hopefully it stays for the winter and I get another chance.
Some of the other birds picked up in the area included Oriental Skylark, Mallard, Greater Scaup, approx 500+ Black-winged Stilt, Pacific Golden Plover, Kentish Plover, 33 Curlew Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Gray-throated Martin.
Dave 2x
Well-known member
17 November 2013
This weekend I decided to head to Wulai. Nothing really unusual but some nice birds including Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler, Maroon Oriole (2 females), Formosan Magpie, Besra and the arrival of numbers of Eyebrowed Thrush.
Some photos...
This weekend I decided to head to Wulai. Nothing really unusual but some nice birds including Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler, Maroon Oriole (2 females), Formosan Magpie, Besra and the arrival of numbers of Eyebrowed Thrush.
Some photos...
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Dave 2x
Well-known member
23 November 2013
This weekend we decided to go to Aogu Wetlands near Chiayi...reports of Baer's Pochard, Black Stork, Greater White-fronted Geese and Greater Spotted Eagle the previous week had got our hopes up.
We missed most of the above but still had a good day. Highlights included
Black-faced Spoonbill, Eurasian Spoonbill, Pied Avocet, Greater White-fronted Geese (7), Siberian Rubythroat, Great Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Eurasian Curlew and assorted ducks and shorebirds.
A link to my Ebird checklist...
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15738064
Some photos...
This weekend we decided to go to Aogu Wetlands near Chiayi...reports of Baer's Pochard, Black Stork, Greater White-fronted Geese and Greater Spotted Eagle the previous week had got our hopes up.
We missed most of the above but still had a good day. Highlights included
Black-faced Spoonbill, Eurasian Spoonbill, Pied Avocet, Greater White-fronted Geese (7), Siberian Rubythroat, Great Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Eurasian Curlew and assorted ducks and shorebirds.
A link to my Ebird checklist...
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15738064
Some photos...
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Dave 2x
Well-known member
Saturday 30 November 2013
Made a trip to Yehliu on Saturday morning...birds were fairly active with the highlights being Japanese Bush-Warbler, Manchurian Bush-Warbler, Siberian Rubythroat (2), White-tailed Robin and Red-flanked Bluetail. A quick trip over to Jinshan afterwards produced another Siberian Rubythroat and an obliging Bluethroat
Sunday 1 December 2013
On Sunday I decided to visit Wulai...approx 40 minutes drive from Taipei. the cold weather had brought down some of the higher mountain birds. Highlights were, White-eared Sibia, Vivid Niltava, Formosan Magpies chasing a Besra, a nice male Maroon Oriole, 2 Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babblers that came into the open but refused to look at the camera (one day I will get them!), Eyebrowed Thrush, Pale Thrush, Brown-headed Thrush, Rufous-capped Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Black-naped Monarch, Varied Tit, Gray-capped Woodpecker, Taiwan Scimitar-Babblers, Gray-chinned Minivets and a group of 4 Black-throated Laughingthrushes (introduced but seem to be established in this one location).
A few photos...
Made a trip to Yehliu on Saturday morning...birds were fairly active with the highlights being Japanese Bush-Warbler, Manchurian Bush-Warbler, Siberian Rubythroat (2), White-tailed Robin and Red-flanked Bluetail. A quick trip over to Jinshan afterwards produced another Siberian Rubythroat and an obliging Bluethroat
Sunday 1 December 2013
On Sunday I decided to visit Wulai...approx 40 minutes drive from Taipei. the cold weather had brought down some of the higher mountain birds. Highlights were, White-eared Sibia, Vivid Niltava, Formosan Magpies chasing a Besra, a nice male Maroon Oriole, 2 Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babblers that came into the open but refused to look at the camera (one day I will get them!), Eyebrowed Thrush, Pale Thrush, Brown-headed Thrush, Rufous-capped Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Black-naped Monarch, Varied Tit, Gray-capped Woodpecker, Taiwan Scimitar-Babblers, Gray-chinned Minivets and a group of 4 Black-throated Laughingthrushes (introduced but seem to be established in this one location).
A few photos...
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Oh, just catching up! Sounds like you're getting lots of interesting birds. I love the Taiwan scimitar babblers - very handsome fellows. Amazing shot of the Yellow Bittern strolling around in plain view. Also, interesting interactions between the Little egrets - yes, they can be a bit territorial.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Those are some spectacular birds for Wulai!
Dave 2x
Well-known member
Thanks Gretchen and Jeff....yep Wulai was pretty good at the weekend, actually it's nearly always good for the first few hours of daylight.
Thinking I may have the Niltava ID wrong....could be a much rarer (for Taiwan) Niltava, Fujian or Rufous-bellied?
Dave 2x
Well-known member
Haven't posted for a while.....so just an update on some of the more unusual species we have been seeing in Taiwan lately:
Eared Grebe - a pair at Yilan;
Long-tailed Duck - a first record for Taiwan also at Yilan;
Black-browed Reed-Warbler - found a pair at Yilan over the weekend;
A leucistic Wood Sandpiper was interesting - also at Yilan;
Another interesting find by others (not seen by myself) was a pair of Greater Flamingos in the South of Taiwan at Pingtung...escapees?
Here's a few photos...
Eared Grebe - a pair at Yilan;
Long-tailed Duck - a first record for Taiwan also at Yilan;
Black-browed Reed-Warbler - found a pair at Yilan over the weekend;
A leucistic Wood Sandpiper was interesting - also at Yilan;
Another interesting find by others (not seen by myself) was a pair of Greater Flamingos in the South of Taiwan at Pingtung...escapees?
Here's a few photos...
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Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
How in God's name did you get a rufous-capped babbler to sit in the open long enough for that amazing photo!?!
Dave 2x
Well-known member
Haven't reported on Taiwan's birding for a while.
A couple of weeks ago we had a Japanese Waxwing in Taipei and more than 20 at Yangminshan. Japanese Waxwings see to pass through every year and stay for around 1 week. This weekend I was looking for a Watercock but missed it, as compensation we had a Rosy Starling.
Other good birds in Taiwan at the moment are 4 Hooded Cranes, Oriental Plovers, Gray-headed lapwings, Greater White-fronted Goose all at YienLiaoYang(田寮洋) to the NE of Taiwan. Hopefully some of them stick till next weekend!
Here's a few recent pics....
Cheers
Dave
A couple of weeks ago we had a Japanese Waxwing in Taipei and more than 20 at Yangminshan. Japanese Waxwings see to pass through every year and stay for around 1 week. This weekend I was looking for a Watercock but missed it, as compensation we had a Rosy Starling.
Other good birds in Taiwan at the moment are 4 Hooded Cranes, Oriental Plovers, Gray-headed lapwings, Greater White-fronted Goose all at YienLiaoYang(田寮洋) to the NE of Taiwan. Hopefully some of them stick till next weekend!
Here's a few recent pics....
Cheers
Dave
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Dave 2x
Well-known member
This weekend I went looking for the 4 Hooded Cranes that showed up in Gongliao last weekend. I somehow managed to keep missing them by seconds/minutes and never even got a glimpse...will try again this weekend if they stay around.
Other notable birds seen were Gray-headed Lapwings (6), Spotted Redshank, Pacific Swift, Black-tailed Gulls.
Here's a couple of photos...
Other notable birds seen were Gray-headed Lapwings (6), Spotted Redshank, Pacific Swift, Black-tailed Gulls.
Here's a couple of photos...
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Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Nice shot of the lapwing, Dave. Not a bird I've seen in Taiwan yet.
Dave 2x
Well-known member
Thanks Jeff....first time I have seen them anywhere.
This weekend I tried again for the Hooded Cranes at Gongliao and this time I got lucky with the 4 Cranes showing well in the Paddy Fields. Other birds of note were Red-billed Starlings (30), Eurasian Hobby and what I think is an American (Buff-bellied) Pipit.
Some photos...
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Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Dave,
I don't think it's an American pipit. Our birds have dark grey or black legs. Also the facial pattern seems on the weaker side.
Maybe japonicus?
I don't think it's an American pipit. Our birds have dark grey or black legs. Also the facial pattern seems on the weaker side.
Maybe japonicus?
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