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China observations (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gretchen
- Start date
Hi Gretchen
I'm Just back from 10 days in western Yunnan.
Pleased that the north has warmed up a lot since I left.
I'm delighted that you managed to get the hat-trick!
(brown-eared bulbul, chinese grosbeak, and naumann's).
Super stuff.
Getting near to crane time...
I'll be watching the weather charts and will come over to Beidaihe for a few days when it looks promising.
Cheers!
I'm Just back from 10 days in western Yunnan.
Pleased that the north has warmed up a lot since I left.
I'm delighted that you managed to get the hat-trick!
(brown-eared bulbul, chinese grosbeak, and naumann's).
Super stuff.
Getting near to crane time...
I'll be watching the weather charts and will come over to Beidaihe for a few days when it looks promising.
Cheers!
Cheers Mike and Shi Jin - it was a good trip!
I had a longer but less exciting time at the sandflats this morning. I thought it would be less muddy while things were still frozen (which they were despite suddenly warmer air). I still didn't have a lot of luck in the reedbeds - lots of unidentified buntings, though in the end with looking at the book, I decided some of them were Pallas' Reed Buntings (and also noted that that is what Shi Jin had seen). Seemed like there were other lighter colored (larger?) ones too, but....
I did flush a female pheasant which I didn't quite expect in that area. Later across the street I also flushed a Grey-headed woodpecker - so I mostly saw the backs of several birds today! (By the way, the dam is completely gone, with two smaller earthen ones holding back water from each direction now. They may be getting ready to put in a new dam a bit further back from the road, but that's just a guess!)
My highlight for a quiet day came just as I was getting bored waiting for the bus and started walking, I saw a bird that seemed suspended in air! It was there such a long time I kept thinking it was something caught on a wire, but as I got closer, it was certainly a bird. I got several decent views, and its nondescript brownish back and slightly barred white tail makes me think it was a female Kestrel - my first time to see one so well, and especially to see both perching and flying. The wind was pretty fierce, and I didn't see her dive directly down after hovering, nor see her catch anything, but quite nice.
PS Forgot my question. I was watching the dozens of magpies and noticed a bit of their behavior with the sparrows/small birds. The sparrows seemed to give them a wide berth at one point, and I also noticed the magpies dropping in the reeds a lot. However, they don't actually prey on those small birds, do they?
I had a longer but less exciting time at the sandflats this morning. I thought it would be less muddy while things were still frozen (which they were despite suddenly warmer air). I still didn't have a lot of luck in the reedbeds - lots of unidentified buntings, though in the end with looking at the book, I decided some of them were Pallas' Reed Buntings (and also noted that that is what Shi Jin had seen). Seemed like there were other lighter colored (larger?) ones too, but....
I did flush a female pheasant which I didn't quite expect in that area. Later across the street I also flushed a Grey-headed woodpecker - so I mostly saw the backs of several birds today! (By the way, the dam is completely gone, with two smaller earthen ones holding back water from each direction now. They may be getting ready to put in a new dam a bit further back from the road, but that's just a guess!)
My highlight for a quiet day came just as I was getting bored waiting for the bus and started walking, I saw a bird that seemed suspended in air! It was there such a long time I kept thinking it was something caught on a wire, but as I got closer, it was certainly a bird. I got several decent views, and its nondescript brownish back and slightly barred white tail makes me think it was a female Kestrel - my first time to see one so well, and especially to see both perching and flying. The wind was pretty fierce, and I didn't see her dive directly down after hovering, nor see her catch anything, but quite nice.
PS Forgot my question. I was watching the dozens of magpies and noticed a bit of their behavior with the sparrows/small birds. The sparrows seemed to give them a wide berth at one point, and I also noticed the magpies dropping in the reeds a lot. However, they don't actually prey on those small birds, do they?
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Had any luck? I do know how the cold and the few and far between birds can be non-encouraging. Hope you've found some of the hardy birds!
mcaribou
Migration coming
back to Shanghai and took a ferry to some islands in Zhejiang incl. Huaniao Lighthouse built in 1870.Not many seabirds-only two possible Pelagic Cormorant,a few Great Cormorant and Oystercatcher.
Happy to see that Collared Crow still live a happy life on these islands.
Another goodies are a family of Rook,and one Japanese Waxwing.
Happy to see that Collared Crow still live a happy life on these islands.
Another goodies are a family of Rook,and one Japanese Waxwing.
Wierd weather the past few days. I have been out in the last few weeks and found some Saunder's Gulls in the area with nice pics. Also many White-tailed Eagles on the sea ice. Took a trip to Wafandian to the crane wintering grounds to find absolutely no cranes in sight. There were 6 Oriental Stork there which was nice but I think it was too cold for the cranes there this winter or maybe I was too late in the year? The river there that usually has some goodies was completely frozen solid (It's usually quite a fast river). From there went to Pikou hoping for anything but only a few Mongolian gulls and the others. There's a nice group of Falcated Ducks and Wigeon wintering among the Shelducks right in my bay at the moment which are providing good photo opportunities if nothing else. Still waiting for spring but there is more cold on the way. I guess it's only February.
I highly doubt the magpies are preying on the sparrows but I'm sure the hovering Kestrel had his/her eye on one!
my photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thbeeke/ if anyone is interested in the pics mentioned above.
Tom
I highly doubt the magpies are preying on the sparrows but I'm sure the hovering Kestrel had his/her eye on one!
my photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thbeeke/ if anyone is interested in the pics mentioned above.
Tom
Winds and migration
MCaribou, great to hear that migration is underway. (It would be more underway here if I got outside to look for it
).
I started thinking about choosing birding times/places by wind direction a bit in the fall, and am wondering how to plan now in the spring. Here on the coast, I guess that southerly winds would be friendly for migrants, whereas north winds would tend to stop their progress? - this may be too simple? Does anyone have advice on how birds migrating through here are likely to be affected by various winds?
Thanks!
MCaribou, great to hear that migration is underway. (It would be more underway here if I got outside to look for it
). I started thinking about choosing birding times/places by wind direction a bit in the fall, and am wondering how to plan now in the spring. Here on the coast, I guess that southerly winds would be friendly for migrants, whereas north winds would tend to stop their progress? - this may be too simple? Does anyone have advice on how birds migrating through here are likely to be affected by various winds?
Thanks!
Hi Gretchen
I've been birding in Beidaihe every spring for the past 16 years and I still struggle to work out what's going on with the weather (or with the tides for that matter). What I do know is that, in May at least, if the weather is okay in Shandong, then birds will cross the Bohai. If they hit poor weather then they will "fall" across a broad section of the Hebei coast (most visibly on Happy Island, the mainland woods opposite there, the Magic Wood at Nandaihe, and various hot spots in Beidaihe). Northerly and easterly winds do indeed hold up migration. And "rushes" can be expected when these cease. The best week in May (as far as I am concerned) is May 8th to 14th. Best 10 days May 7th to 16th. Best 14 days: May 6th to 19th. Best 20 days May 5th to 24th. Best Day is May 14th (In 2005, I saw 142 species on that date in the Beidaihe area, including a Cinnamon Bittern at the reservoir).
The returning cranes, however, do not cross the Bohai, but go around the coast. Windless, or light tail winds are their preferred flying conditions. Obviously, the rate of their northerly progress depends on the conditions at their staging points (temperature, wind, food).
I'll be down at the end of March to try my luck - exactly when depends on the weather to the south-south-west (red-crowned and hooded cranes) and south-west (siberian, white-naped, and hooded) the week or so before.
The attached PDF may be of interest.
http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/16pdfs/Harris-Cranes.pdf
I've been birding in Beidaihe every spring for the past 16 years and I still struggle to work out what's going on with the weather (or with the tides for that matter). What I do know is that, in May at least, if the weather is okay in Shandong, then birds will cross the Bohai. If they hit poor weather then they will "fall" across a broad section of the Hebei coast (most visibly on Happy Island, the mainland woods opposite there, the Magic Wood at Nandaihe, and various hot spots in Beidaihe). Northerly and easterly winds do indeed hold up migration. And "rushes" can be expected when these cease. The best week in May (as far as I am concerned) is May 8th to 14th. Best 10 days May 7th to 16th. Best 14 days: May 6th to 19th. Best 20 days May 5th to 24th. Best Day is May 14th (In 2005, I saw 142 species on that date in the Beidaihe area, including a Cinnamon Bittern at the reservoir).
The returning cranes, however, do not cross the Bohai, but go around the coast. Windless, or light tail winds are their preferred flying conditions. Obviously, the rate of their northerly progress depends on the conditions at their staging points (temperature, wind, food).
I'll be down at the end of March to try my luck - exactly when depends on the weather to the south-south-west (red-crowned and hooded cranes) and south-west (siberian, white-naped, and hooded) the week or so before.
The attached PDF may be of interest.
http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/16pdfs/Harris-Cranes.pdf
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Shi Jin, so you mean you think that the passerines would most like to go from Shandong directly to Dalian peninsula if the weather is good, and we only get particularly good sightings here if the weather is less ideal? I hadn't understood about the "fall" coming because they are driven in-land (to Beidaihe coast), but that makes sense. (I sort of pictured them just being forced down to land that they were flying over already.)
Thanks for the crane paper too!
Gretchen
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Hi Gretchen, Shi Jin
To add to what Shi Jin has said (and I don't understand the tidal systems either despite more than a decade trying to work it out). Certainly agree with the 'best of period' and I reckon I've had a few 'monsters' around the 13-14-15, so that must be good for the unexpected overshoots. A south-easterly bias with a bit of rain or poor weather and your in for some goodies,
For Birds of Prey and Needletails, you ideally want a northerly based wind as they prefer this to head into and give them lift. An ideal watchpoint for these would of of course be high ground, which they head for and Lotus Hills is good for visible migration and I guess time wise, the period between 10am and 3pm optimum.
Interesting that the cranes prefer a tail-wind in the Spring, I've no experience of this though have witnessed them more often move with tail-winds in the Autumn despite quite a lot of observations showing they will move on head winds, also presumably to give lift.
Good luck with the cranes Shi Jin, I look forward to reading about some good success. I thought Wild Duck Lake had potential in the Spring and I wonder whether Tian Ma Hu - Heaven Horse Lake, or Pegasus Lake offers possibilities?
Mark
To add to what Shi Jin has said (and I don't understand the tidal systems either despite more than a decade trying to work it out). Certainly agree with the 'best of period' and I reckon I've had a few 'monsters' around the 13-14-15, so that must be good for the unexpected overshoots. A south-easterly bias with a bit of rain or poor weather and your in for some goodies,
For Birds of Prey and Needletails, you ideally want a northerly based wind as they prefer this to head into and give them lift. An ideal watchpoint for these would of of course be high ground, which they head for and Lotus Hills is good for visible migration and I guess time wise, the period between 10am and 3pm optimum.
Interesting that the cranes prefer a tail-wind in the Spring, I've no experience of this though have witnessed them more often move with tail-winds in the Autumn despite quite a lot of observations showing they will move on head winds, also presumably to give lift.
Good luck with the cranes Shi Jin, I look forward to reading about some good success. I thought Wild Duck Lake had potential in the Spring and I wonder whether Tian Ma Hu - Heaven Horse Lake, or Pegasus Lake offers possibilities?
Mark
Pallas's Gull in Dalian (Jinzhou Bay)
The Pallas's was first found by Brian Jones from Beijing a few weeks ago and relocated by Bai (from Dandong) and myself last Sat. morning. This on a day when we also had one Little Gull, one Glaucous, and breeding Saunders. 11 Gull species total for one morning. I have attached some horrible pics taken through a scope of the Pallas's and also one long distance shot of the Glaucous. Bai has excellent shots of the Little Gull. We also had many other things that day including the first of season Wagtails (you know what that means)
Tom
The Pallas's was first found by Brian Jones from Beijing a few weeks ago and relocated by Bai (from Dandong) and myself last Sat. morning. This on a day when we also had one Little Gull, one Glaucous, and breeding Saunders. 11 Gull species total for one morning. I have attached some horrible pics taken through a scope of the Pallas's and also one long distance shot of the Glaucous. Bai has excellent shots of the Little Gull. We also had many other things that day including the first of season Wagtails (you know what that means)
Tom
Attachments
mcaribou
Migration coming
Last April I sat at the easternmost corner of Shangdong,waiting for migrating seabirds.But actually not many,just Black-tailed Gull,a common breeder which has laid eggs in early Apr.
I did see a lot of passerines flying low over the sea--the only one I could id was Brambling.
And I saw flock and flock of a kind of whale swimming northward--probably Finless Porpoise.
And one Spotted Seal
I did see a lot of passerines flying low over the sea--the only one I could id was Brambling.
And I saw flock and flock of a kind of whale swimming northward--probably Finless Porpoise.
And one Spotted Seal
Thanks MCaribou, for that helpful observation! So you saw the passerines were flying over the sea as Shi Jin explained.
Rockfowl, thanks for the details on wind directions with various types of birds - that helps me think about choosing viewing points based on wind! Wow also on the up-to-date crane news - can we ask about your sources?
(i.e. local or visitors?)
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rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Thanks MCaribou, for that helpful observation! So you saw the passerines were flying over the sea as Shi Jin explained.
Rockfowl, thanks for the details on wind directions with various types of birds - that helps me think about choosing viewing points based on wind! Wow also on the up-to-date crane news - can we ask about your sources?
Both, some of our Autumn Cranewatch Team
Got out yesterday for a quick 1.5 hour tour of the area. Still a lot of ice around but it was above zero in the afternoon. The first few non-wintering ducks have arrived. Pintail, Garganey, Common Pochards, Whooper Swans, and the others. Garganey is one that I see every year but not common. Also the first Grey Heron of the season who was flying around looking for open water. Also there were 2 Eastern Marsh Harriers around and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 25 species in all. Nice to see some birds moving. Winter birding around here is good but it's time for a change.
Tom
Tom
Attachments
mcaribou
Migration coming
today birds in coastal Shanghai include 50+ Reed Parrotbill,160+Chinese Penduline Tit,8 Japanese Swamp Warbler displaying,1 Common Starling in breeding plumage,1 male Japanese Reed Bunting,1 Manchurian Bush Warbler,1 Bluethroat,5 Red-throated Loon,2 Great Bittern heard,1 Fork-tailed Swift.....and many spring migrants.
