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Dalian (Jinshitan) Birding Reports (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Dong Bei
- Start date
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds October 11, 2012
Pulled myself away for a quick hour just before dark. This place is amazing during migration time. There are lots of species that I see during the day that i don't report here. For example, while getting my motorcycle out of my garage this morning I had 2 Olive-backed pipits, 2 Red-throated Pipits, 15 buntings, some Wagtails, 2 Coal Tits, a few Eurasian Skylarks, Swallows, etc.. At lunch I noticed 18 Amur Falcons over work in a thermal. If someone was on the ground here only birding during migration time, the list would be amazing. Today, during my hour, I got about 50 feet from my motorcycle. Usually I do a set loop around a few key ponds and pass a few reed areas. I immediately heard Common Reed Buntings which are not a common bird here by any means. Shortly after this I spotted a Ferrigunous Duck (my second record) and flushed a tiny rail/crake like bird from the reeds that rose up and dropped in a different spot in half a second. It was entirely dark and had some grey somewhere on its underwing and was the size of a Common Kingfisher. I have no idea what it was and after talking with Terry Townshend and Paul Holt, am convinced it was not a Swinhoe's Rail (which I thought it could have been for a short time). While talking to Terry on the phone, a Baillon's Crake landed literally 30 feet away. This was enough to tie me up for an hour! I left with that feeling that I left a lot there unseen but unfortunately birding isn't my day job..... I plan to scramble to the same ridge early Saturday morning as last week.
List is small but contains some quality birds for the area here:
Common Pheasant - 2
Gadwall - 3
Mallard - 200
Spot-billed Duck - 50
Eurasian Teal - 4
Ferrigunous Duck - 1 (second record for me in Jinshitan)
Little Grebe - 10
Yellow Bittern - 1
Grey Heron - 3
Purple Heron - 1
Great Egret - 3
Little Egret - 1
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Amur Falcon - 18 in and around lunch
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Baillon's Crake - 1
Common Coot - 5
Green Sandpiper - 4
Oriental Turtle Dove - 1
Chinese Grey Shrike - the same vocal one. Today it was sounding like a cat...
Great Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - many flyovers
Sand Martin - 1
Barn Swallow - hundreds
Red-rumped Swallow - hundreds (huge amount on the way home)
Eurasian Skylark - 2
Zitting Cisticola - 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
White Wagtail - 15
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 5
Common Reed Bunting - 20
Pulled myself away for a quick hour just before dark. This place is amazing during migration time. There are lots of species that I see during the day that i don't report here. For example, while getting my motorcycle out of my garage this morning I had 2 Olive-backed pipits, 2 Red-throated Pipits, 15 buntings, some Wagtails, 2 Coal Tits, a few Eurasian Skylarks, Swallows, etc.. At lunch I noticed 18 Amur Falcons over work in a thermal. If someone was on the ground here only birding during migration time, the list would be amazing. Today, during my hour, I got about 50 feet from my motorcycle. Usually I do a set loop around a few key ponds and pass a few reed areas. I immediately heard Common Reed Buntings which are not a common bird here by any means. Shortly after this I spotted a Ferrigunous Duck (my second record) and flushed a tiny rail/crake like bird from the reeds that rose up and dropped in a different spot in half a second. It was entirely dark and had some grey somewhere on its underwing and was the size of a Common Kingfisher. I have no idea what it was and after talking with Terry Townshend and Paul Holt, am convinced it was not a Swinhoe's Rail (which I thought it could have been for a short time). While talking to Terry on the phone, a Baillon's Crake landed literally 30 feet away. This was enough to tie me up for an hour! I left with that feeling that I left a lot there unseen but unfortunately birding isn't my day job..... I plan to scramble to the same ridge early Saturday morning as last week.
List is small but contains some quality birds for the area here:
Common Pheasant - 2
Gadwall - 3
Mallard - 200
Spot-billed Duck - 50
Eurasian Teal - 4
Ferrigunous Duck - 1 (second record for me in Jinshitan)
Little Grebe - 10
Yellow Bittern - 1
Grey Heron - 3
Purple Heron - 1
Great Egret - 3
Little Egret - 1
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Amur Falcon - 18 in and around lunch
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Baillon's Crake - 1
Common Coot - 5
Green Sandpiper - 4
Oriental Turtle Dove - 1
Chinese Grey Shrike - the same vocal one. Today it was sounding like a cat...
Great Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - many flyovers
Sand Martin - 1
Barn Swallow - hundreds
Red-rumped Swallow - hundreds (huge amount on the way home)
Eurasian Skylark - 2
Zitting Cisticola - 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
White Wagtail - 15
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 5
Common Reed Bunting - 20
Attachments
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Nice Tom!
Shame it wasn't a Swinhoe's - have you ever seen one?
I've only ever seen one, fell out of the sky and literally dropped at my feet... thought it was going to be a locustella :eek!:
They really are tiny! - http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?p=1&Bird_ID=801&Bird_Family_ID=&pagesize=1
Shame it wasn't a Swinhoe's - have you ever seen one?
I've only ever seen one, fell out of the sky and literally dropped at my feet... thought it was going to be a locustella :eek!:
They really are tiny! - http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?p=1&Bird_ID=801&Bird_Family_ID=&pagesize=1
That is tiny! |8.|
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds October 12, 2012
Hour after work.
Common Pheasant - 2
Japanese Quail - 1
Mandarin Duck - 1
Mallard - 150
Spot-billed Duck - 50
Eurasian Teal - 6
Little Grebe - 25
Grey Heron - 6
Great Egret - 1
Little Egret - 3
Chinese Egret - 1
Amur Falcon - 12
Common Coot - 13
Common Greenshank - 1
Green Sandpiper - 2
Black-tailed Gull - 20
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 2
Black-headed Gull - counted 58
Oriental Turtle Dove - 5
Little Owl - 1 tonight on the way home from dinner
Common Kingfisher - 1
Great Tit - at least 50. I stopped and pished a few areas looking for Yellow-bellied or Varied but no luck.
Coal Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - 2
Barn Swallow - a few hundred. Didn't see 1 Red-rumped today after the hundreds yesterday.
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 2
Yellow-browed Warbler - 10
Red-flanked Blutail - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 1
White Wgatail - 10 ocularis and 6 leucopsis
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 1
Black-faced Bunting - 50
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 3
Common Reed Bunting - 1
Hour after work.
Common Pheasant - 2
Japanese Quail - 1
Mandarin Duck - 1
Mallard - 150
Spot-billed Duck - 50
Eurasian Teal - 6
Little Grebe - 25
Grey Heron - 6
Great Egret - 1
Little Egret - 3
Chinese Egret - 1
Amur Falcon - 12
Common Coot - 13
Common Greenshank - 1
Green Sandpiper - 2
Black-tailed Gull - 20
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 2
Black-headed Gull - counted 58
Oriental Turtle Dove - 5
Little Owl - 1 tonight on the way home from dinner
Common Kingfisher - 1
Great Tit - at least 50. I stopped and pished a few areas looking for Yellow-bellied or Varied but no luck.
Coal Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - 2
Barn Swallow - a few hundred. Didn't see 1 Red-rumped today after the hundreds yesterday.
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 2
Yellow-browed Warbler - 10
Red-flanked Blutail - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 1
White Wgatail - 10 ocularis and 6 leucopsis
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 1
Black-faced Bunting - 50
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 3
Common Reed Bunting - 1
Attachments
Jinshitan - Ridge near the Sea-farming Ponds Oct. 13, 2012
Hiked the ridge again near the sea-farming ponds with Stephen, a colleague and fellow birder from work. We were there before light and got to the top just as birds were starting to move. We left at 8:30 so were there for approx. 3 hours. I later returned for about 1 hour with my son but spent more time skipping rocks than birding.....
The Korean Bush Warbler listed and photographed below looks like one but was in the reeds of a wetland. I've never seen them before in such habitat. I'm not sure what else it could be with that coloured crown.....Have a look and I would love to be wrong.
Common Pheasant – 3
Eurasian Wigeon – 1
Mallard – many
Spot-billed Duck – many
Grey heron – 3
Great Egret – 4
Little Egret – 4
Eurasian Kestrel – 2
Amur Falcon – 109 + 3 later= 112 (including one group of nearly 70) most were adults.
Peregrine Falcon – 1
Osprey – 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk – 4
Grey-faced Buzzard – 1
Common Greenshank – 2
Green Sandpiper – 2
Black-tailed Gull – 5
Black-headed Gull – 50
Oriental Turtle Dove – 7
Common Kingfisher – 1
Ashy Minivet – 3
Great Tit – 45
Yellow-bellied Tit – a group of around 20
Coal Tit – 5
Varied Tit – 1
Chinese Penduline Tit – a huge scattered group of more than 50 in a reed bed.
Barn Swallow – 100
Red-rumped Swallow – 30
Eurasian Skylark – 3
Chinese Hill Warbler – 3
Korean Bush Warbler – 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler – 1
Dusky Warbler – 1
Yellow-browed Warbler – 3
Vinous-throated Parrotbill – 1 group
White-eye Sp. - 25
Chinese Nuthatch – 6 (haven’t seen them here since 2006)
Starling Sp. – 3
Grey-backed Thrush – 2
Dusky/Naumann’s Thrush – 14
Red-flanked Bluetail – 1
Daurian Redstart – 1 calling on my return trip
White Wagtail – 5. 2 identified as ocularis
Pipit Sp. – several flyovers
Brambling – 75
Oriental Greenfinch – 25
Hawfinch – 3
Meadow Bunting – 4
Black-faced Bunting – many
Common Reed Bunting – 1 on my return trip
Hiked the ridge again near the sea-farming ponds with Stephen, a colleague and fellow birder from work. We were there before light and got to the top just as birds were starting to move. We left at 8:30 so were there for approx. 3 hours. I later returned for about 1 hour with my son but spent more time skipping rocks than birding.....
The Korean Bush Warbler listed and photographed below looks like one but was in the reeds of a wetland. I've never seen them before in such habitat. I'm not sure what else it could be with that coloured crown.....Have a look and I would love to be wrong.
Common Pheasant – 3
Eurasian Wigeon – 1
Mallard – many
Spot-billed Duck – many
Grey heron – 3
Great Egret – 4
Little Egret – 4
Eurasian Kestrel – 2
Amur Falcon – 109 + 3 later= 112 (including one group of nearly 70) most were adults.
Peregrine Falcon – 1
Osprey – 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk – 4
Grey-faced Buzzard – 1
Common Greenshank – 2
Green Sandpiper – 2
Black-tailed Gull – 5
Black-headed Gull – 50
Oriental Turtle Dove – 7
Common Kingfisher – 1
Ashy Minivet – 3
Great Tit – 45
Yellow-bellied Tit – a group of around 20
Coal Tit – 5
Varied Tit – 1
Chinese Penduline Tit – a huge scattered group of more than 50 in a reed bed.
Barn Swallow – 100
Red-rumped Swallow – 30
Eurasian Skylark – 3
Chinese Hill Warbler – 3
Korean Bush Warbler – 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler – 1
Dusky Warbler – 1
Yellow-browed Warbler – 3
Vinous-throated Parrotbill – 1 group
White-eye Sp. - 25
Chinese Nuthatch – 6 (haven’t seen them here since 2006)
Starling Sp. – 3
Grey-backed Thrush – 2
Dusky/Naumann’s Thrush – 14
Red-flanked Bluetail – 1
Daurian Redstart – 1 calling on my return trip
White Wagtail – 5. 2 identified as ocularis
Pipit Sp. – several flyovers
Brambling – 75
Oriental Greenfinch – 25
Hawfinch – 3
Meadow Bunting – 4
Black-faced Bunting – many
Common Reed Bunting – 1 on my return trip
Attachments
Last edited:
the
rest. I have more photos of the Warbler in question if needed. I don't claim to be an expert in warblers! Korean Bush Warbler is Mark Brazil's English name for Cettia canturians in case you were wondering. It was just slightly bigger than the Black-browed Reed Warblers beside it. It fit the 14-17 cm range that Brazil gives for it.
rest. I have more photos of the Warbler in question if needed. I don't claim to be an expert in warblers! Korean Bush Warbler is Mark Brazil's English name for Cettia canturians in case you were wondering. It was just slightly bigger than the Black-browed Reed Warblers beside it. It fit the 14-17 cm range that Brazil gives for it.
Attachments
Spike Millington
Member
Hi Tom, just yesterday I was watching some Korean Bush Warblers here in...er... Korea. They were very active in the reeds, especially early morning - they do seem quite catholic in their choice of habitat. BTW you know its a Chinese Nuthatch "year"?
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds October 18, 2012
I had an hour before dark and again felt like I left a lot there. I know I should be happy with what I saw but I had that feeling again while leaving that there was a lot there yet to be discovered. The place was absolutely blitzed with swallows just before dusk. I have no idea how to count but the sky was black with them a few times just before dusk. All Barn with a few Sand Martins. The Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler below was the first bird I saw on my reed warbler trail and I spent some time trying to get a photo. It was very tame but the light was too low already at that point. Still, I am happy with the shots I got. This is about as bright as my camera can do in the lighting I had. This one individual had more white on its chest and throat than most.
I continue to have amazing visible migration from my deck and while getting my motorbike out of my garage in the early morning. Lots of Coal Tits, pipits, siskin, wagtails, etc.. moving around 6:30 am right over my house.
Common Pheasant - a few
Japanese Quail - 1
Mandarin Duck - 6 last Sunday there on a family visit
Mallard - 300
Spot-billed Duck - 50
Eurasian Teal - 6
Common Pochard - 1
Tufted Duck - 1
Little Grebe - many
Grey Heron - 4
Little Egret - 2
Common Coot - 13
Common Greenshank - 4
Black-tailed Gull - 4
Common Kingfisher - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - 10
Sand Martin - 3
Barn Swallow - easily over 1000
Eurasian Skylark - 25
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 huge group of 50 or more.
Red-flanked Bluetail - 3
Daurian Redstart - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
White Wagtail - 5
Pipit Sp. - 25 (didn't recognize their flight call)
Eurasian Siskin - a group of 30 or more last Sunday on a family visit.
Hawfinch - 3 flew over work on Monday
Black-faced Bunting - 15
I had an hour before dark and again felt like I left a lot there. I know I should be happy with what I saw but I had that feeling again while leaving that there was a lot there yet to be discovered. The place was absolutely blitzed with swallows just before dusk. I have no idea how to count but the sky was black with them a few times just before dusk. All Barn with a few Sand Martins. The Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler below was the first bird I saw on my reed warbler trail and I spent some time trying to get a photo. It was very tame but the light was too low already at that point. Still, I am happy with the shots I got. This is about as bright as my camera can do in the lighting I had. This one individual had more white on its chest and throat than most.
I continue to have amazing visible migration from my deck and while getting my motorbike out of my garage in the early morning. Lots of Coal Tits, pipits, siskin, wagtails, etc.. moving around 6:30 am right over my house.
Common Pheasant - a few
Japanese Quail - 1
Mandarin Duck - 6 last Sunday there on a family visit
Mallard - 300
Spot-billed Duck - 50
Eurasian Teal - 6
Common Pochard - 1
Tufted Duck - 1
Little Grebe - many
Grey Heron - 4
Little Egret - 2
Common Coot - 13
Common Greenshank - 4
Black-tailed Gull - 4
Common Kingfisher - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - 10
Sand Martin - 3
Barn Swallow - easily over 1000
Eurasian Skylark - 25
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 huge group of 50 or more.
Red-flanked Bluetail - 3
Daurian Redstart - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
White Wagtail - 5
Pipit Sp. - 25 (didn't recognize their flight call)
Eurasian Siskin - a group of 30 or more last Sunday on a family visit.
Hawfinch - 3 flew over work on Monday
Black-faced Bunting - 15
Attachments
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds Oct. 19, 2012
Migration continues in full swing. I have to work tomorrow but still plan to hike the ridge that I have been on Saturday mornings and be there for a hour and a bit before I have to go.
Today, Brambling were swarming overhead in 3 huge groups of 150 or more each. Also, a lot of ducks were flying in and out of the ponds. No sign of the warbler from yesterday but there is some speculation that it could be a Japanese Swamp Warbler/Marsh Grassbird. I'll wait until Paul Holt gets back from Xinjiang and run it by him.
Common Pheasant
Ruddy Shelduck - 2
Gadwall - 5
Mallard - 200
Spot-billed Duck - 20
Eurasian Teal - 6
Common Pochard - 2
Little Grebe - 15
Grey Heron - 12
Little Egret - 4
Eurasian kestrel - 2
Amur Falcon - 6
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Osprey - 1 with a large fish. Didn't know fish got that big around here.
Eastern Buzzard - 1
Common Coot - 13
Kentish Plover - 16
Common Greenshank - 2
Green Sandpiper - 2
Dunlin - 1
Black-tailed Gull - 25
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 20
Black-headed Gull - 50
Common Kingfisher - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit - 5
Coal Tit - 7
Chinese Penduline Tit - 10
Barn Swallow - 500
Red-rumped Swallow - 10
Eurasian Skylark - 15
Dusky Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 3
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 2 large groups
Red-flanked Blluetail - 1
Daurian Redstart - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
White Wagtail - 20
Pipit Sp. - 3
Brambling - at least 500
Meadow Bunting - 1
Black-faced Bunting - 10
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 5
Migration continues in full swing. I have to work tomorrow but still plan to hike the ridge that I have been on Saturday mornings and be there for a hour and a bit before I have to go.
Today, Brambling were swarming overhead in 3 huge groups of 150 or more each. Also, a lot of ducks were flying in and out of the ponds. No sign of the warbler from yesterday but there is some speculation that it could be a Japanese Swamp Warbler/Marsh Grassbird. I'll wait until Paul Holt gets back from Xinjiang and run it by him.
Common Pheasant
Ruddy Shelduck - 2
Gadwall - 5
Mallard - 200
Spot-billed Duck - 20
Eurasian Teal - 6
Common Pochard - 2
Little Grebe - 15
Grey Heron - 12
Little Egret - 4
Eurasian kestrel - 2
Amur Falcon - 6
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Osprey - 1 with a large fish. Didn't know fish got that big around here.
Eastern Buzzard - 1
Common Coot - 13
Kentish Plover - 16
Common Greenshank - 2
Green Sandpiper - 2
Dunlin - 1
Black-tailed Gull - 25
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 20
Black-headed Gull - 50
Common Kingfisher - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit - 5
Coal Tit - 7
Chinese Penduline Tit - 10
Barn Swallow - 500
Red-rumped Swallow - 10
Eurasian Skylark - 15
Dusky Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 3
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 2 large groups
Red-flanked Blluetail - 1
Daurian Redstart - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
White Wagtail - 20
Pipit Sp. - 3
Brambling - at least 500
Meadow Bunting - 1
Black-faced Bunting - 10
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 5
