Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
I don't know. If I saw an all white gull, I'd get pretty excited. :t:
-
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Dalian (Jinshitan) Birding Reports (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Dong Bei
- Start date
I don't know. If I saw an all white gull, I'd get pretty excited. :t:
Miyun Reservoir, Beijing Sept. 1, 2013
I was in Beijing last weekend and hooked up with Terry Townshend and Paul Holt for a day's birding. It turned out to be an absolutely top day with 91 species recorded. The numerous highlights and Beijing records are more than adequately recorded in Paul Holt's notes attached below.
I was in Beijing last weekend and hooked up with Terry Townshend and Paul Holt for a day's birding. It turned out to be an absolutely top day with 91 species recorded. The numerous highlights and Beijing records are more than adequately recorded in Paul Holt's notes attached below.
Attachments
more from Beijing
New species for me were:
Short-toed Snake Eagle
Russet Sparrow
Plain Laughingthrush
peregrinator Peregrine Falcon
Excellent day and a huge thanks to Paul and Terry!
New species for me were:
Short-toed Snake Eagle
Russet Sparrow
Plain Laughingthrush
peregrinator Peregrine Falcon
Excellent day and a huge thanks to Paul and Terry!
Attachments
September 5, 2013 Sea-farming Ponds
Had 2 hours today:
Common Pheasant - 3
Mallard - 100 juv.
Spot-billed Duck - 4
Garganey - 1
Eurasian Teal - 4
Little Grebe - 15
Striated Heron - 1
Grey Heron - 3
Great Egret - 4
Little Egret - 2
Chinese Egret - 10
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Common Coot - 4
Common Moorhen - 6
Snipe Sp. - 5
Whimbrel - 2
Green Sandpiper - 1
Black-tailed Gull - 250
Black-headed Gull - 150
Mongolian/Vega Gull - 30
Whiskered Tern - 4
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Common Kingfisher - 2
Black-naped Oriole - 1
Barn Swallow - 30
Zitting Cisticola - 1
Lanceolated Warbler - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 50
White Wagtail - 12 leucopsis
Richard's Pipit - 10
Had 2 hours today:
Common Pheasant - 3
Mallard - 100 juv.
Spot-billed Duck - 4
Garganey - 1
Eurasian Teal - 4
Little Grebe - 15
Striated Heron - 1
Grey Heron - 3
Great Egret - 4
Little Egret - 2
Chinese Egret - 10
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Common Coot - 4
Common Moorhen - 6
Snipe Sp. - 5
Whimbrel - 2
Green Sandpiper - 1
Black-tailed Gull - 250
Black-headed Gull - 150
Mongolian/Vega Gull - 30
Whiskered Tern - 4
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Common Kingfisher - 2
Black-naped Oriole - 1
Barn Swallow - 30
Zitting Cisticola - 1
Lanceolated Warbler - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 50
White Wagtail - 12 leucopsis
Richard's Pipit - 10
Attachments
Jinshitan ridge Sept. 7, 2013
I thought it's getting around that time when I start hiking up to a ridge right beside the sea farming ponds to observe visible migration. I was not disappointed with today's results but will get more, as far as volume goes, in a few weeks time.
My first visit today was from 5-9 am and later returned with both kids from 1-3 pm.
Common Pheasant – 2
Mallard – 50
Spot-billed Duck – 10
Grey Heron – 5
Egret Sp – 15
Peregrine Falcon - 3
Amur Falcon – 7
Northern Hobby – 4
Eurasian Sparrowhawk – 3
Oriental Honey Buzzard – 1
Common Greenshank – 1
Black-tailed Gull – 50
Black-headed Gull – 25
Oriental Turtle Dove – 15
Cuckoo Sp. – 2
White-throated Needletail - 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker – 1
Black Drongo – 1
Ashy Minivet – 8
Black-naped Oriole – 5
Yellow-bellied Tit – 1
Chinese Penduline Tit – 1
Barn Swallow – 10
Lanceolated Warbler – 2
Yellow-browed Warbler – 4
Vinous-throated Parrotbill – 1 group
Forest Wagtail – 3
White Wagtail – 35
Yellow Wagtail – 10
Grey Wagtail – 2
Richard’s Pipit – 1
Red-throated Pipit – 4
Oriental Greenfinch – 2
Common Rosefinch - 10
Chinese Grosbeak – 4
Black-faced Bunting - 15
I thought it's getting around that time when I start hiking up to a ridge right beside the sea farming ponds to observe visible migration. I was not disappointed with today's results but will get more, as far as volume goes, in a few weeks time.
My first visit today was from 5-9 am and later returned with both kids from 1-3 pm.
Common Pheasant – 2
Mallard – 50
Spot-billed Duck – 10
Grey Heron – 5
Egret Sp – 15
Peregrine Falcon - 3
Amur Falcon – 7
Northern Hobby – 4
Eurasian Sparrowhawk – 3
Oriental Honey Buzzard – 1
Common Greenshank – 1
Black-tailed Gull – 50
Black-headed Gull – 25
Oriental Turtle Dove – 15
Cuckoo Sp. – 2
White-throated Needletail - 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker – 1
Black Drongo – 1
Ashy Minivet – 8
Black-naped Oriole – 5
Yellow-bellied Tit – 1
Chinese Penduline Tit – 1
Barn Swallow – 10
Lanceolated Warbler – 2
Yellow-browed Warbler – 4
Vinous-throated Parrotbill – 1 group
Forest Wagtail – 3
White Wagtail – 35
Yellow Wagtail – 10
Grey Wagtail – 2
Richard’s Pipit – 1
Red-throated Pipit – 4
Oriental Greenfinch – 2
Common Rosefinch - 10
Chinese Grosbeak – 4
Black-faced Bunting - 15
Attachments
Jinshitan Ridge Sept. 8
Three hours from 5-8 am.
Grey Heron - 3
Richard's Pipit - 26
White Wagtail - 15
Black-faced Bunting - 25
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Common Rosefinch - 10
Common Kingfisher - 1
Grey-headed Woodpecker - 1
Hill Pigeon - 5
Red-throated pipit - 4
Amur Falcon - 1
Forest Wagtail - 6
Cuckoo Sp. - 2
Wood Sandpiper - 1
Great Egret - 1
Barn Swallow - 3
Black-naped Oriole - 5
Japanese Sparrowhawk - 1
Three hours from 5-8 am.
Grey Heron - 3
Richard's Pipit - 26
White Wagtail - 15
Black-faced Bunting - 25
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Common Rosefinch - 10
Common Kingfisher - 1
Grey-headed Woodpecker - 1
Hill Pigeon - 5
Red-throated pipit - 4
Amur Falcon - 1
Forest Wagtail - 6
Cuckoo Sp. - 2
Wood Sandpiper - 1
Great Egret - 1
Barn Swallow - 3
Black-naped Oriole - 5
Japanese Sparrowhawk - 1
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds Sept. 11, 2013
2 hours after work with my mom who is visiting.
Mallard – 50
Spot-billed Duck – 10
Garganey – 16
Baikal Teal – 1
Eurasian Teal – 4
Little Grebe – 10
Yellow Bittern – 1
Striated Heron – 1
Grey Heron – 4
Great Egret – 5
Little Egret – 2
Chinese Egret – 13
Eurasian Kestrel – 1
Common Moorhen – 6
Common Coot – 2
Snipe Sp.- 6
Wood Sandpiper – 1
Great Knot – 1
Stint sp. – 8 (probably Long-toed, brief flight view)
Black-tailed Gulls – 75
Black-headed Gull – 25
Mongolian/Vega Gull – 6
Hill Pigeon – 1
Common Kingfisher – 3
Chinese Grey Shrike – 2
Barn Swallow – 50
Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler – 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler – 1
Oriental Reed Warbler – 1
Dusky Warbler – 1
Blue Rock Thursh – 1
Yellow Wagtail – 35
Grey Wagtail – 1
White Wagtal – 15 leucopsis
Richard’s Pipit – 2
Red-throated Pipit – 5
2 hours after work with my mom who is visiting.
Mallard – 50
Spot-billed Duck – 10
Garganey – 16
Baikal Teal – 1
Eurasian Teal – 4
Little Grebe – 10
Yellow Bittern – 1
Striated Heron – 1
Grey Heron – 4
Great Egret – 5
Little Egret – 2
Chinese Egret – 13
Eurasian Kestrel – 1
Common Moorhen – 6
Common Coot – 2
Snipe Sp.- 6
Wood Sandpiper – 1
Great Knot – 1
Stint sp. – 8 (probably Long-toed, brief flight view)
Black-tailed Gulls – 75
Black-headed Gull – 25
Mongolian/Vega Gull – 6
Hill Pigeon – 1
Common Kingfisher – 3
Chinese Grey Shrike – 2
Barn Swallow – 50
Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler – 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler – 1
Oriental Reed Warbler – 1
Dusky Warbler – 1
Blue Rock Thursh – 1
Yellow Wagtail – 35
Grey Wagtail – 1
White Wagtal – 15 leucopsis
Richard’s Pipit – 2
Red-throated Pipit – 5
Attachments
Jinshitan Ridge September 14, 2013
Was there from 12:30-3:00 pm.
Grey Heron - 1
Cattle Egret - 1
Great Egret - 7
Little Egret - 3
Chinese Egret - 12
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Amur Falcon - 7
Northern Hobby - 2
Peregrine Falcon - 3
Osprey - 1
Oriental Honey Buzzard - 2
Black-eared Kite - 1
Japanese Sparrowhawk - 4
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 9
Northern Goshawk - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Ashy Minivet - 36
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit - 3
Barn Swallow - 45
Red-rumped Swallow - 14
Asian House Martin - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 2
Was there from 12:30-3:00 pm.
Grey Heron - 1
Cattle Egret - 1
Great Egret - 7
Little Egret - 3
Chinese Egret - 12
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Amur Falcon - 7
Northern Hobby - 2
Peregrine Falcon - 3
Osprey - 1
Oriental Honey Buzzard - 2
Black-eared Kite - 1
Japanese Sparrowhawk - 4
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 9
Northern Goshawk - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Ashy Minivet - 36
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit - 3
Barn Swallow - 45
Red-rumped Swallow - 14
Asian House Martin - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 2
Attachments
Country Club September 15, 2013
A quick 1 hour with my son mid-afternoon.
Common Pheasant – 4
Japanese Quail – 1
Eurasian Kestrel – 1
Amur Falcon – 2
Oriental Honey Buzzard - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove – 2
Eurasian Collared Dove – 1
Grey Nightjar – 1 (seen 2 from my deck in the last few days)
Common Kingfisher – 2
Ashy Minivet – 5
Brown Shrike – 5
Black-naped Oriole – 3 juv.
Great Tit – 2
Barn Swallow – 15
Red-rumped Swallow – 5
Radde’s Warbler – 2 at work
Arctic Warbler – 4
Yellow-browed Warbler – 10
Asian Brown Flycatcher – 10
Grey Wagtail – 1
White Wagtail – 10 leucopsis
A quick 1 hour with my son mid-afternoon.
Common Pheasant – 4
Japanese Quail – 1
Eurasian Kestrel – 1
Amur Falcon – 2
Oriental Honey Buzzard - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove – 2
Eurasian Collared Dove – 1
Grey Nightjar – 1 (seen 2 from my deck in the last few days)
Common Kingfisher – 2
Ashy Minivet – 5
Brown Shrike – 5
Black-naped Oriole – 3 juv.
Great Tit – 2
Barn Swallow – 15
Red-rumped Swallow – 5
Radde’s Warbler – 2 at work
Arctic Warbler – 4
Yellow-browed Warbler – 10
Asian Brown Flycatcher – 10
Grey Wagtail – 1
White Wagtail – 10 leucopsis
Jinshitan Geopark Sept. 17, 2013
Stopped at this scenic location with my mom for a 1 hour look around yesterday after work. Had my eye out for Cormorants but only had 1 Great fly past. Can you find the Peregrine on the boat photo below?
Great Cormorant – 1
Northern Hobby – 1
Peregrine Falcon – 1
Black-tailed Gull – 81 on one binocular sweep
Mongolian/Vega Gull – 15
Hill Pigeon - 1
Ashy Minivet – several heard
Barn Swallow – 15
Vinous-throated Parrotbill – 1 group
Oriental Greenfinch – 5
Stopped at this scenic location with my mom for a 1 hour look around yesterday after work. Had my eye out for Cormorants but only had 1 Great fly past. Can you find the Peregrine on the boat photo below?
Great Cormorant – 1
Northern Hobby – 1
Peregrine Falcon – 1
Black-tailed Gull – 81 on one binocular sweep
Mongolian/Vega Gull – 15
Hill Pigeon - 1
Ashy Minivet – several heard
Barn Swallow – 15
Vinous-throated Parrotbill – 1 group
Oriental Greenfinch – 5
Attachments
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds September 19, 2013
Some time there after work today. I forgot to mention that I saw a Tiger Keelback (snake) last week and another today.
Japanese Quail - 1
Common Pheasant - 14
Mallard - 100
Spot-billed Duck - 36
Northern Shoveler - 1
Garganey - 18
Little Grebe - 10
Grey Heron - 15
Great Egret - 4
Little Egret - 2
Chinese Egret - 4
Eurasian Kestrel - 2
Amur Falcon - 2
Northern Hobby - 5
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Common Moorhen - 6
Common Coot - 3
Snipe Sp. - 2
Green Sandpiper - 5
Black-tailed Gull - 300
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 150
Black-headed Gull - 20
Whiskered Tern - 2
Hill Pigeon - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Common Kingfisher - 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Ashy Minivet - heard at work today
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Black-naped Oriole - 1
Chinese Penduline Tit - heard 1
Barn Swallow - many moving south for most of the afternoon. Including at work today and at the ponds = 500-800?
Oriental Reed Warbler - 1 heard
Thick-billed Warbler - 1 seen and 1 heard
Dusky Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
White-eye Sp - 1 group today at work
Yellow Wagtail - 10
White Wagtail - 10
Richard's Pipit - 14
Olive-backed Pipit - 2
Red-throated Pipit - 7
Some time there after work today. I forgot to mention that I saw a Tiger Keelback (snake) last week and another today.
Japanese Quail - 1
Common Pheasant - 14
Mallard - 100
Spot-billed Duck - 36
Northern Shoveler - 1
Garganey - 18
Little Grebe - 10
Grey Heron - 15
Great Egret - 4
Little Egret - 2
Chinese Egret - 4
Eurasian Kestrel - 2
Amur Falcon - 2
Northern Hobby - 5
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Common Moorhen - 6
Common Coot - 3
Snipe Sp. - 2
Green Sandpiper - 5
Black-tailed Gull - 300
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 150
Black-headed Gull - 20
Whiskered Tern - 2
Hill Pigeon - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Common Kingfisher - 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Ashy Minivet - heard at work today
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Black-naped Oriole - 1
Chinese Penduline Tit - heard 1
Barn Swallow - many moving south for most of the afternoon. Including at work today and at the ponds = 500-800?
Oriental Reed Warbler - 1 heard
Thick-billed Warbler - 1 seen and 1 heard
Dusky Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
White-eye Sp - 1 group today at work
Yellow Wagtail - 10
White Wagtail - 10
Richard's Pipit - 14
Olive-backed Pipit - 2
Red-throated Pipit - 7
Attachments
Laotieshan Sept. 21+22, 2013
I had two fantastic days birding with my dad (who is visiting), Paul Holt, and Tadao "Ted" Shimba (author of the excellent Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan and Northeast Asia). I was a pleasure spending time in the field with two of the regions best birders at such a site. I did a lot of absorbing - thanks guys! Daniel Pettersson and Craig Brelsford were also there trying for photographs and had some excellent pics to show for their work. They had both been there for 10 days already.
The two days were, however, a bit slow for the area with not as many raptors as expected during the last week of September. Even slow days at Laotieshan are good days for this guy! The reasons for the slowness is most likely due to the lack of change in weather. The past week has been mild with very little wind. Today there is a large cold front that is supposed to pass so tomorrow should be ideal there. Paul is staying for a bit longer and Terry Townshend will most likely arrive for a week this coming weekend. I hope to make a few more trips there now as a new toll-highway can get me there from my house in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
We did spend one short part of an afternoon at the banding station and went with one of the workers who retrieved 3 Japanese Sparrowhawks out of the nets. Cool to see these small raptors in the hand. I hope to return there for a day with my two children in a little over a week. By then, they hopefully will have the passerine nets up as well.
What seemed to be an early fall is turning out to be a dragged out tail end of summer. The temps were above 20 degrees all weekend, even at 4:30 a.m. Today's front is expected to drop the temperature as much as 8-10 degrees. The low counts of Amur Falcons, for example, reflect the unwillingness of the weather to change recently.
A strange twist to the weekend happened as follows. I did get two life birds this weekend but both came in Jinshitan where I live! On the Friday late afternoon before we left for Laotieshan, I took my dad to see the Jinshitan Sea-farming ponds. Not much happened and I didn't bother writing a report. While we were there though, a group of 5 Greenshanks flew over briefly and I took a few photos of the small group. Immediately I looked at my camera screen and saw that one was different. I didn't look too closely (!) and said something about checking later to see if one of them was a juv. greenshank or perhaps something else (The one picture I quickly viewed on my camera hid the bill shape of the one in question against another one in the flock). Because we left right away for Laotieshan I never got back to the photo and it wasn't until the next day around lunch when I was in the lobby of the hotel near Laotieshan waiting for some of the group that I finally revisited the picture on my camera screen. Mr. Holt happened to be standing beside me then
so I showed him one of the photos. Paul has showed me many lifers but none in a hotel lobby before! "That's a Ruff", he calmly said. Ruff was one of the last waders that I need for the area and to get it in Jinshitan is a real treat for me. Thanks Paul!
*It should be noted that there are certain birds that are quite scarce here at the bottom of the peninsula. Most of some species migrate north and south along the inland route that goes through Beidaihe. Some of these species include Greater Sand Plover, Pied Avocet, Ruff, Eurasian Bittern (which I still need), most cranes, etc...
But wait,the story gets better. When I returned home from Laotieshan my parents were both sitting on our deck enjoying the night lights and sea view in Jinshitan. When I opened the door, my mom came quickly to get me and said that an owl had landed on my deck just seconds before we opened the door. I had a quick look and saw ear tufts through the darkness. I grabbed my old camera that takes good flash pictures and captured my first Eurasian Eagle Owl! You can see the photo below. It is slightly off-centered because I was merely pointing in the darkness. Happy to get any kind of photo at all really.
I am again blown away by my little Jinshitan which is just a speck compared to any other places in China. Some of the things I have seen here are quite remarkable for such a tiny place. I am a very local birder and rarely chase anything anywhere else. This started as a result of me not being able to leave much because of family and work obligations. This is still the case but it is becoming quite fun, actually, to see what can be seen only in one place!
Here's the list from the two days at Laotieshan. First number indicates what was seen on Sept 21 second is Sept. 22. Big thanks to Paul for recording everything.
Japanese Quail 7 8
Common Pheasant 1 1
Mandarin Duck 2
Oriental Stork 1
Von Schrenck's Bittern 1
Black-crowned Night Heron 6
Grey Heron 3 2
Heron sp. 9
Great Egret 2
Osprey 7
Oriental Honey-buzzard 146 87
Black-eared Kite 3 15
Eastern Marsh Harrier 2 1
Pied Harrier 7 2
harrier sp. 2 4
Chinese Sparrowhawk 51 3
Japanese Sparrowhawk 16 17
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 39 27
Northern Goshawk 6 3
Accipiter sp. 2
Eastern Buzzard 1
Common Kestrel 12 7
Amur Falcon 5 6
Eurasian Hobby 8 7
Peregrine Falcon 2 2
Grey-headed Lapwing 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Black-headed Gull 2
Black-tailed Gull 60 40
Mongolian Gull 5 10
Streaked Shearwater 25
Hill Pigeon 3
Oriental Turtle Dove 69 28
Spotted Dove 5 3
Cuckoo sp. 2 2
Oriental Scops Owl 1 (flushed along a trail - probably this species)
Owl sp. (probably Long- or Short-eared Owl) 1
White-throated Needletail 3 4
Fork-tailed Swift 2
Dollarbird 1 3
Common Kingfisher 1
Rufous-bellied Woodpecker 1
Ashy Minivet 157 116
Bull-headed Shrike 1
Brown Shrike 3 1
Black-naped Oriole 20 5
Black Drongo 17
Common Magpie 80 40
Yellow-bellied Tit 1
Great Tit 3
Chinese Bulbul 5 10
Brown-eared Bulbul 1 1
Sand Martin 1 2
Barn Swallow 120 1900
Asian House Martin 2
House Martin sp. 1
Red-rumped Swallow 80 725
Dusky Warbler 8 8
Radde's Warbler 2 2
Yellow-browed Warbler 15 8
Arctic Warbler 1
Two-barred Warbler 1 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler 1 1
Thick-billed Warbler 3 2
Lanceolated Warbler 2 1
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler 1 1
Zitting Cisticola 18 4
Vinous-throated Parrotbill 5 10
White-eye sp. 387 43
Crested Myna 2 7
Red-billed Starling 1
White-cheeked Starling 418 581
Daurian Starling 1 3
White's Thrush 1 5
Thrush sp. 1
Daurian Redstart 5 1
Common Stonechat 35 10
Asian Brown Flycatcher 2 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 25 15
Forest Wagtail 3 5
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 8 34
Grey Wagtail 20 30
White Wagtail 80 78
Richard's Pipit 40 94
Olive-backed Pipit 67 66
Pechora Pipit 5 4
Red-throated Pipit 10 48
Grey-capped Greenfinch 1
Common Rosefinch 61 24
Chinese Grosbeak 8 46
Chestnut-eared Bunting 4
Little Bunting 1 2
Yellow-browed Bunting 2
Black-faced Bunting 24
bunting sp. 40 60
I had two fantastic days birding with my dad (who is visiting), Paul Holt, and Tadao "Ted" Shimba (author of the excellent Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan and Northeast Asia). I was a pleasure spending time in the field with two of the regions best birders at such a site. I did a lot of absorbing - thanks guys! Daniel Pettersson and Craig Brelsford were also there trying for photographs and had some excellent pics to show for their work. They had both been there for 10 days already.
The two days were, however, a bit slow for the area with not as many raptors as expected during the last week of September. Even slow days at Laotieshan are good days for this guy! The reasons for the slowness is most likely due to the lack of change in weather. The past week has been mild with very little wind. Today there is a large cold front that is supposed to pass so tomorrow should be ideal there. Paul is staying for a bit longer and Terry Townshend will most likely arrive for a week this coming weekend. I hope to make a few more trips there now as a new toll-highway can get me there from my house in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
We did spend one short part of an afternoon at the banding station and went with one of the workers who retrieved 3 Japanese Sparrowhawks out of the nets. Cool to see these small raptors in the hand. I hope to return there for a day with my two children in a little over a week. By then, they hopefully will have the passerine nets up as well.
What seemed to be an early fall is turning out to be a dragged out tail end of summer. The temps were above 20 degrees all weekend, even at 4:30 a.m. Today's front is expected to drop the temperature as much as 8-10 degrees. The low counts of Amur Falcons, for example, reflect the unwillingness of the weather to change recently.
A strange twist to the weekend happened as follows. I did get two life birds this weekend but both came in Jinshitan where I live! On the Friday late afternoon before we left for Laotieshan, I took my dad to see the Jinshitan Sea-farming ponds. Not much happened and I didn't bother writing a report. While we were there though, a group of 5 Greenshanks flew over briefly and I took a few photos of the small group. Immediately I looked at my camera screen and saw that one was different. I didn't look too closely (!) and said something about checking later to see if one of them was a juv. greenshank or perhaps something else (The one picture I quickly viewed on my camera hid the bill shape of the one in question against another one in the flock). Because we left right away for Laotieshan I never got back to the photo and it wasn't until the next day around lunch when I was in the lobby of the hotel near Laotieshan waiting for some of the group that I finally revisited the picture on my camera screen. Mr. Holt happened to be standing beside me then
so I showed him one of the photos. Paul has showed me many lifers but none in a hotel lobby before! "That's a Ruff", he calmly said. Ruff was one of the last waders that I need for the area and to get it in Jinshitan is a real treat for me. Thanks Paul!*It should be noted that there are certain birds that are quite scarce here at the bottom of the peninsula. Most of some species migrate north and south along the inland route that goes through Beidaihe. Some of these species include Greater Sand Plover, Pied Avocet, Ruff, Eurasian Bittern (which I still need), most cranes, etc...
But wait,the story gets better. When I returned home from Laotieshan my parents were both sitting on our deck enjoying the night lights and sea view in Jinshitan. When I opened the door, my mom came quickly to get me and said that an owl had landed on my deck just seconds before we opened the door. I had a quick look and saw ear tufts through the darkness. I grabbed my old camera that takes good flash pictures and captured my first Eurasian Eagle Owl! You can see the photo below. It is slightly off-centered because I was merely pointing in the darkness. Happy to get any kind of photo at all really.
I am again blown away by my little Jinshitan which is just a speck compared to any other places in China. Some of the things I have seen here are quite remarkable for such a tiny place. I am a very local birder and rarely chase anything anywhere else. This started as a result of me not being able to leave much because of family and work obligations. This is still the case but it is becoming quite fun, actually, to see what can be seen only in one place!
Here's the list from the two days at Laotieshan. First number indicates what was seen on Sept 21 second is Sept. 22. Big thanks to Paul for recording everything.
Japanese Quail 7 8
Common Pheasant 1 1
Mandarin Duck 2
Oriental Stork 1
Von Schrenck's Bittern 1
Black-crowned Night Heron 6
Grey Heron 3 2
Heron sp. 9
Great Egret 2
Osprey 7
Oriental Honey-buzzard 146 87
Black-eared Kite 3 15
Eastern Marsh Harrier 2 1
Pied Harrier 7 2
harrier sp. 2 4
Chinese Sparrowhawk 51 3
Japanese Sparrowhawk 16 17
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 39 27
Northern Goshawk 6 3
Accipiter sp. 2
Eastern Buzzard 1
Common Kestrel 12 7
Amur Falcon 5 6
Eurasian Hobby 8 7
Peregrine Falcon 2 2
Grey-headed Lapwing 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Black-headed Gull 2
Black-tailed Gull 60 40
Mongolian Gull 5 10
Streaked Shearwater 25
Hill Pigeon 3
Oriental Turtle Dove 69 28
Spotted Dove 5 3
Cuckoo sp. 2 2
Oriental Scops Owl 1 (flushed along a trail - probably this species)
Owl sp. (probably Long- or Short-eared Owl) 1
White-throated Needletail 3 4
Fork-tailed Swift 2
Dollarbird 1 3
Common Kingfisher 1
Rufous-bellied Woodpecker 1
Ashy Minivet 157 116
Bull-headed Shrike 1
Brown Shrike 3 1
Black-naped Oriole 20 5
Black Drongo 17
Common Magpie 80 40
Yellow-bellied Tit 1
Great Tit 3
Chinese Bulbul 5 10
Brown-eared Bulbul 1 1
Sand Martin 1 2
Barn Swallow 120 1900
Asian House Martin 2
House Martin sp. 1
Red-rumped Swallow 80 725
Dusky Warbler 8 8
Radde's Warbler 2 2
Yellow-browed Warbler 15 8
Arctic Warbler 1
Two-barred Warbler 1 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler 1 1
Thick-billed Warbler 3 2
Lanceolated Warbler 2 1
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler 1 1
Zitting Cisticola 18 4
Vinous-throated Parrotbill 5 10
White-eye sp. 387 43
Crested Myna 2 7
Red-billed Starling 1
White-cheeked Starling 418 581
Daurian Starling 1 3
White's Thrush 1 5
Thrush sp. 1
Daurian Redstart 5 1
Common Stonechat 35 10
Asian Brown Flycatcher 2 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 25 15
Forest Wagtail 3 5
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 8 34
Grey Wagtail 20 30
White Wagtail 80 78
Richard's Pipit 40 94
Olive-backed Pipit 67 66
Pechora Pipit 5 4
Red-throated Pipit 10 48
Grey-capped Greenfinch 1
Common Rosefinch 61 24
Chinese Grosbeak 8 46
Chestnut-eared Bunting 4
Little Bunting 1 2
Yellow-browed Bunting 2
Black-faced Bunting 24
bunting sp. 40 60
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