Interesting! I've never seen them migrating in flocks.
Now they winter in Qinhuangdao, but I didn't notice the number increasing with migrants from the north.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Dalian (Jinshitan) Birding Reports (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dong Bei
- Start date
Interesting! I've never seen them migrating in flocks.
Now they winter in Qinhuangdao, but I didn't notice the number increasing with migrants from the north.
Terry Townshend
Regular vagrant
Wow... that is brilliant! We saw small flocks of half a dozen or so in early October at Laotieshan and, most of the time, they flew out to sea a few hundred metres and then returned... they seemed very reluctant to leave.. Astonishing to see a flock of this size in Liaoning. It's only a relatively recent colonist, I believe, but clearly marching north fast (like Yellow-bellied Tit).
Terry, absolutely true. I would add White-breasted Waterhen and Crested Myna to that group moving north. Crested Myna are clearly migrating north and south here now with large groups seen around Laotieshan in October each year. How they got here is another question but they are clearly breeding and migrating. Red-billed Starling might fall into that category too for Dalian. Although certainly not native, it does breed and migrate. At what point does a bird move from being introduced to a resident? Eurasian Collared Doves and the European Starling in North America are perhaps extreme examples.
I went to find the Mongolian Lark again yesterday after school. I had 30 minutes of daylight (about 5 minutes of sun) but couldn't find any. I did see many Eurasian Skylark and the first Common Gulls and Red-breasted Mergansers coming in for the winter.
Tom
I went to find the Mongolian Lark again yesterday after school. I had 30 minutes of daylight (about 5 minutes of sun) but couldn't find any. I did see many Eurasian Skylark and the first Common Gulls and Red-breasted Mergansers coming in for the winter.
Tom
Very interesting article and pics here of wild bird markets in Beijing.
http://birdingbeijing.com/2013/11/13/beijings-wild-bird-markets/#comment-4503
http://birdingbeijing.com/2013/11/13/beijings-wild-bird-markets/#comment-4503
Jinshitan Nov. 15-17, 2013
Been out here and there. Finally had 2 hours this afternoon of wonderfully clear weather but my camera wasn't working and then it started snowing quite hard so I headed home. Pictures below are from the last few days.
Been out here and there. Finally had 2 hours this afternoon of wonderfully clear weather but my camera wasn't working and then it started snowing quite hard so I headed home. Pictures below are from the last few days.
Attachments
Last edited:
Nov. 23, 2013 Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds and ridge
I arrived at the base of the ridge at 5:50 this morning and scrambled up at first light. I stayed there until 7:30 and then checked out the main pond areas (excluding the mud flat areas) until 9:00. The weather was quite warm at around 5 degrees and some of the ponds were partially frozen. Fog was around for most of the morning and the Eastern Buzzard picture below shows this well.
There is one mystery recording below. I was walking along the top of the ridge when I recorded. I never saw the bird due to dense forest. Any ideas?
Common Pheasant
Ruddy Shelduck - 3
Gadwall - 16
Eurasian Wigeon - 2
Mallard - approx 200
Spot-billed Duck - 4
Eurasian Teal - 5
Tufted Duck - 2
Common Goldeneye - 4
Little Grebe - 2
Eurasian Kestrel - 2
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 2
Eastern Buzzard - 2
Common Coot - 5
Green Sandpiper - 1
Common Gull - 8
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 1 juv.
Black-headed Gull - 17
Saunders's Gull - 2
Oriental Turtle Dove - 16
Great Tit - 10
Chinese Bulbul - 2
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush - 4
Daurian Redstart - 6
Siberian Accentor - 2
White Wagtail - 4
Brambling - 12
Oriental Greenfinch - 35
Eurasian Siskin - 8
Meadow Bunting - 6
Little Bunting - 3
Yellow-throated Bunting - 25
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 25
Japanese Reed Bunting 1
I arrived at the base of the ridge at 5:50 this morning and scrambled up at first light. I stayed there until 7:30 and then checked out the main pond areas (excluding the mud flat areas) until 9:00. The weather was quite warm at around 5 degrees and some of the ponds were partially frozen. Fog was around for most of the morning and the Eastern Buzzard picture below shows this well.
There is one mystery recording below. I was walking along the top of the ridge when I recorded. I never saw the bird due to dense forest. Any ideas?
Common Pheasant
Ruddy Shelduck - 3
Gadwall - 16
Eurasian Wigeon - 2
Mallard - approx 200
Spot-billed Duck - 4
Eurasian Teal - 5
Tufted Duck - 2
Common Goldeneye - 4
Little Grebe - 2
Eurasian Kestrel - 2
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 2
Eastern Buzzard - 2
Common Coot - 5
Green Sandpiper - 1
Common Gull - 8
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 1 juv.
Black-headed Gull - 17
Saunders's Gull - 2
Oriental Turtle Dove - 16
Great Tit - 10
Chinese Bulbul - 2
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush - 4
Daurian Redstart - 6
Siberian Accentor - 2
White Wagtail - 4
Brambling - 12
Oriental Greenfinch - 35
Eurasian Siskin - 8
Meadow Bunting - 6
Little Bunting - 3
Yellow-throated Bunting - 25
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 25
Japanese Reed Bunting 1
Attachments
Nov. 23, 2013 Jinshitan Geopark
I had 1.5 hours in the afternoon so went out to the Geopark platform area. The temperature was too pleasant to be inside! The sea was completely dead without even one duck or gull. A group of three Yellow-bellied Tits showed up, however, and helped me capture one on my most wanted list as far as photographs are concerned.
Common Pheasant
Azure-winged Magpie - 15 (a group of this elusive species recently received from a prominent birder in the Shanghai area
)
Great Tit - 5
Yellow-bellied Tit - 3
Coal Tit - 1
Chinese Hill Warbler - 4
Chinese Bulbul - 5
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Siberian Accentor - 3
Oriental Greenfinch - 15
Yellow-throated Bunting - 10
I had 1.5 hours in the afternoon so went out to the Geopark platform area. The temperature was too pleasant to be inside! The sea was completely dead without even one duck or gull. A group of three Yellow-bellied Tits showed up, however, and helped me capture one on my most wanted list as far as photographs are concerned.
Common Pheasant
Azure-winged Magpie - 15 (a group of this elusive species recently received from a prominent birder in the Shanghai area
)Great Tit - 5
Yellow-bellied Tit - 3
Coal Tit - 1
Chinese Hill Warbler - 4
Chinese Bulbul - 5
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Siberian Accentor - 3
Oriental Greenfinch - 15
Yellow-throated Bunting - 10
Attachments
Last edited:
Yes, and nice to see my favorite bunting and the yellow-bellied tits - am missing these feathered friends this year!
Nice to hear that the crate load made it quite well! Wonder if any other of the birds were received :-O
+1
Since seeing these birds for the first time in Taiyuan I realise how lovely they really are.
Porpoises from last July
This past summer I posted about a large marine mammal at Laotieshan (post #880 on pg. 36). Stephen and I reported a huge porpoise/small whale at the time. Thankfully Stephen has resurfaced the issue and looked into it over the last week. We now believe it to be a sub-species of Asian Finless Porpoise. As Stephen said, "Maybe a freakishly large individual/subspecies or we were plain wrong about the size..." The attached pictures are a perfect match as far as body shape, dorsal fin, and melon are concerned. I'm still scratching my head about how we could have been that far off on size! The research said that this sub species of porpoise tops out at around 6 feet. The one we saw was a monster compared to that and we were very high up on a cliff looking down. We concluded that it has to be this sub-species however as there is nothing else possible.
Here is my original description from last July:
We also observed what we think were two species of porpoise. I have seen seen what I think are called Finless Porpoise there many times before. These are quite small and generally dark black in colour with a very small or even no dorsal fin. The ones seen today were more brown-cream in appearance. One was very very large - about Beluga whale size in my opinion but was swimming with another much smaller individual as you can see on one of the photos below. Was it the smaller one's parent? Asian marine mammals are completely over my head, anyone have a guide book or experience with them?
I am quite puzzled about the entire thing but the photos attached are a perfect match. These pics come from a google search. I'll post my pictures in another post below these.
This past summer I posted about a large marine mammal at Laotieshan (post #880 on pg. 36). Stephen and I reported a huge porpoise/small whale at the time. Thankfully Stephen has resurfaced the issue and looked into it over the last week. We now believe it to be a sub-species of Asian Finless Porpoise. As Stephen said, "Maybe a freakishly large individual/subspecies or we were plain wrong about the size..." The attached pictures are a perfect match as far as body shape, dorsal fin, and melon are concerned. I'm still scratching my head about how we could have been that far off on size! The research said that this sub species of porpoise tops out at around 6 feet. The one we saw was a monster compared to that and we were very high up on a cliff looking down. We concluded that it has to be this sub-species however as there is nothing else possible.
Here is my original description from last July:
We also observed what we think were two species of porpoise. I have seen seen what I think are called Finless Porpoise there many times before. These are quite small and generally dark black in colour with a very small or even no dorsal fin. The ones seen today were more brown-cream in appearance. One was very very large - about Beluga whale size in my opinion but was swimming with another much smaller individual as you can see on one of the photos below. Was it the smaller one's parent? Asian marine mammals are completely over my head, anyone have a guide book or experience with them?
I am quite puzzled about the entire thing but the photos attached are a perfect match. These pics come from a google search. I'll post my pictures in another post below these.
Attachments
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds
Quick round today after work. It's been a very warm fall so far. Probably the warmest I've seen in my 10 years here. The ponds are half frozen but it hit 10 degrees today!
Common Pheasant
Ruddy Shelduck - 9
Common Shelduck - 50
Gadwall - 14
Northern Shoveler - 1
Mallard - 100
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Common Coot - 1
Common Gull - 15
Black-headed Gull - 5
Saunders's Gull - 2
Oriental Turtle Dove - 1
Little Owl - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike - 2
Great Tit - 2
Naumann's Thrush - exactly 25 behind my house yesterday
Daurian Redstart - 2
Eurasian Skylark - 30
Oriental Greenfinch - 10
Yellow-throated Bunting - 20
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 20
Quick round today after work. It's been a very warm fall so far. Probably the warmest I've seen in my 10 years here. The ponds are half frozen but it hit 10 degrees today!
Common Pheasant
Ruddy Shelduck - 9
Common Shelduck - 50
Gadwall - 14
Northern Shoveler - 1
Mallard - 100
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Common Coot - 1
Common Gull - 15
Black-headed Gull - 5
Saunders's Gull - 2
Oriental Turtle Dove - 1
Little Owl - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike - 2
Great Tit - 2
Naumann's Thrush - exactly 25 behind my house yesterday
Daurian Redstart - 2
Eurasian Skylark - 30
Oriental Greenfinch - 10
Yellow-throated Bunting - 20
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 20
Attachments
Jinshi Golf Club Dec. 8, 2013
3 hours of constant moving at this wonderful winter site. I covered all of the back areas that I don't normally get to. The temperature was once again around 10 degrees and I birded comfortably without gloves. This morning the temps have really dropped and the Dalian wind is in full gale. This place often has large numbers of wintering birds as the habitat is fantastic and as close to first growth forest as this area offers.
I was checking for winter birds but didn't do as well I thought I would. I did hear my first of the year Long-tailed Rosefinch at a different location Friday afternoon but none in the Golf Club yesterday.
Common Pheasant - I would say at least 100 (many groups of 20 or more in the forest areas and several huge groups out feeding on the fairways)
Mallard - 30 out on the ocean which usually happens when the ponds freeze.
Red-breasted Merganser - 7
Pelagic Cormorant - 3
Black-tailed Gull - 30
Mongolian/Vega Gull - 20
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 4
Azure-winged Magpie - 30
Great Tit - 75
Yellow-bellied Tit - 10
Chinese Bulbul - one massive group of around 30!
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - also a massive group of around 50 individuals.
Goldcrest - 5
Winter Wren - 1 (recorded below)
Red-billed Starling - 1 (although they do migrate in and out of the area and have been seen breeding here, one in early December is certainly suspect|>|
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush - 10
Daurian Redstart - 2
Siberian Accentor - 6
Brambling - 20
Oriental Greenfinch - 15
Hawfinch - 1
Meadow Bunting - 6
Yellow-throated Bunting - 30
3 hours of constant moving at this wonderful winter site. I covered all of the back areas that I don't normally get to. The temperature was once again around 10 degrees and I birded comfortably without gloves. This morning the temps have really dropped and the Dalian wind is in full gale. This place often has large numbers of wintering birds as the habitat is fantastic and as close to first growth forest as this area offers.
I was checking for winter birds but didn't do as well I thought I would. I did hear my first of the year Long-tailed Rosefinch at a different location Friday afternoon but none in the Golf Club yesterday.
Common Pheasant - I would say at least 100 (many groups of 20 or more in the forest areas and several huge groups out feeding on the fairways)
Mallard - 30 out on the ocean which usually happens when the ponds freeze.
Red-breasted Merganser - 7
Pelagic Cormorant - 3
Black-tailed Gull - 30
Mongolian/Vega Gull - 20
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 4
Azure-winged Magpie - 30
Great Tit - 75
Yellow-bellied Tit - 10
Chinese Bulbul - one massive group of around 30!
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - also a massive group of around 50 individuals.
Goldcrest - 5
Winter Wren - 1 (recorded below)
Red-billed Starling - 1 (although they do migrate in and out of the area and have been seen breeding here, one in early December is certainly suspect|>|
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush - 10
Daurian Redstart - 2
Siberian Accentor - 6
Brambling - 20
Oriental Greenfinch - 15
Hawfinch - 1
Meadow Bunting - 6
Yellow-throated Bunting - 30
