[Shi Jin]

Friday, 23rd April

Beijing, Shunyi, Hanshiqiao Wetland

Beautiful weather in Beijing today. Brilliant light for photography I thought... except, that is, when the bird you want to photograph flies across the sun. That's exactly what the full-on male Pied Harrier (266) decided to do as soon as I had swapped my bins for the camera.

Which was a pity, because it looked great against the reeds.

So, apologies for the attached dodgy photos... but if you half close your eyes you can imagine what a stunning bird it was.

Female Hen and Eastern Marsh rounded off the trio of harriers.

Also, a few Pallas's Warblers, Black-faced Buntings and a male Tristram's Bunting.

[rockfowl]

Ouch! Totally gripped, never see enough of 'probably the best ' harrier in the world. Be there shortly, with fingers crossed.

[Richard Klim]

Originally Posted by rockfowl

Ouch! Totally gripped, never see enough of 'probably the best' harrier in the world.

I'd be more than happy with just one (preferably ad male, but any would do). Dipped at Beidaihe - couple of days too late...

Richard

[rockfowl]

Originally Posted by Richard Klim

I'd be more than happy with just one (preferably ad male, but any would do). Dipped at Beidaihe - couple of days too late...

Richard

Sadly often the case with the traditional 'Beidaihe period' being toward the very end of their passage, always a risk, maybe next time your in the region.

[Shi Jin]

Thanks Rockfowl and Richard

Indeed, it's a bird I don't see very often... and is certainly difficult to get to grips with in Beidaihe in May (but with the right conditions, during the first week, it's a strong possibility).

I plan to go back to Beidaihe on 30th April for 4 days to, with a bit of luck, prove the point (and hopefully get some better shots).

[MKinHK]

Wow what a cracker! I've only ever seen two this good and they stayed etched in the brain in pin sharp monochrome ever since.

Cheers
Mike

[Shi Jin]

Saturday, 24th April

Beijing, Wenyu River

Where are the migrants I ask myself. It's warm, it's sunny, but there wasn't even a Pallas's Warbler to brighten up the two hours I spent around the Wenyu River.

There were, however, a couple of things to brighten up an otherwise lacklustre walk.

There were 2 pairs of Gadwall (268) among a loose flock of about 20 Common Teal. While I was photographing the former, a rather smart (aren't they all)Green Sandpiper decided to walk into view. Funny how photography year-listing turns things upside down... because I would normally be interested in taking a photo of the Green Sandpiper - with or without a Gadwall in the background.

And finally... an Eastern Buzzard (269) at last makes it on to the photo year list.

[Shi Jin]

Monday, 26th April

Beijing, Baiwangshan Senlin Gongyuan

This place has been hot lately. The China Bird Report website has been throwing up an impressive array of migrating raptors and other large birds with long wings. Such as a pair of short-eared owls, grey-faced buzzards, and even a few ospreys.

I waited until the short-eared owls (a pair had been seen for 3 days last week) had not been seen before deciding to check it out. Yes, indeed, perverse as it may seem, I'm trying to photograph 365 species of self-found birds this year in China, so the short-eared owls would have been beyond the pale as it were.

My efforts to make sure that there was nothing worth photographing there worked hansomely, as I didn't mange to catch a single species that was new for the year (the first time I've been out this year and failed to find at least one species).

However, I did manage to grab some shots of a few birds I'd photographed elsewhere (in Beijing) this year:

A Pere David's Laughingthrush (one of a pair)
A singing male Elegant Buting (one of at least 4 pairs)
And an Upland Buzzard

[rockfowl]

Are you going to get a Needletail I wonder, coming through shortly!

Out next week, Ibisbill's Friday I think, Beidaihe Sat.

[Shi Jin]

Hi Rockfowl

Just heard that I've got to go to Shanghai tomorrow (instead of Beidaihe). So much for planning. So, will be looking to the bushes instead of the sky... who knows, might even have a chance of Japanese Paradise Flycatcher ;-)

Whatever, I should be back in time for the Beidaihe rush.

Cheers

[Shi Jin]

Wednesday, 28th April

Beijing, Hanshiqiao Wetland

Sunny and clear today, so headed for Hanshiqiao.

Did a full circle of the wetland (about 5 miles), and made time for a pleasant lunch at a rather nice restaurant next to the reserve. So, a very pleasant outing.

The swallows have now arrived in force. Several hundred Swallows (apologies for not adding a descriptor, but there aren't many barns in Beijing), as well as 50 or so Red-rumped Swallows. All 750 managed to evade my feeble attempts to photograph them.

A Chinese Pond Heron (270) was quite a bit slower thankfully.

Another feature of today was the large number of Little Buntings. I reckon I must have seen more than 200 of them, including a flock of at least 100. One (see the attached) was particularly photogenic.

I also managed to get a photo of a rather secretive Dusky Thrush (271), that played hide and seek with me for more than twenty minutes (winning every time).

The photo highlight of the day was one of the most spectacular birds I've ever seen. Although it's actually not a species - or, then again, perhaps it is. I was so impressed, in fact, I fired off more than 100 shots. Thank goodness Kodachrome is now extinct (or at least critically endangered). I'll keep you in suspense a while longer though (as 5 photos of this bird will appear in my next post ;-). It's the first time I've published so many shots of the same species in one go ( a flock of 6 male Wreathed Hornbills clocked only four). Anyhow, enough said for now.

Other odds and ends included several Elegant Buntings, a couple of White-cheeked Starlings, a Kingfisher, 2 Water Pipits, a Pallas's Warbler, a few Eastern Marsh Harriers, and several Herons.

[rockfowl]

Nice Dusky Thrush!

Are you sure about that harrier Shi Jin, very pale belly, flank and trousers?

[Shi Jin]

Hi Rockfowl, thanks for your comment. I was puzzled by this bird (as I am by quite a few birds I see). When I first saw it, I thought "Northern Harrier" (hudsonicus). Which would be crazy of course (ie it would be a first for China). In my excitement, I posted the shot, but neglected to change my initial labelling (now corrected). I then opened a few cans of Boddingtons to think about it... thinking that I had at least 15 minutes to get my act together. However, it does show 5 prominent primary tips does it not?!

[rockfowl]

LOL, It does show five 'fingers' yes,. I find these quite hard, often you need to see to get a feel for them in the field. My subtle query was, why not a Pied?
A lot of this is based on the fact that I cannot see any of the upperparts and the bird looks slight and pale. Apart from the tips which are similar in EM and Pied, the inner bars are very narrrow, which I think is more pro Pied. It does of course depend on what sex and age the thing is, male EM's can be slight, female Pieds slightly heavy, but the pale rear body and features mentioned made me look twice.

Primary markings on this Pied - http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpFr...0_IMG_3973.jpg and a slightly heavier fem - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpFr...0_IMG_0587.jpg
Compared with this pale male EM - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpFr...0_IMG_3995.jpg
Here's an adult female Pied Harrier, showing the greyish bases to the primaries and pale underwing typical of this plumage - http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpFr...8_IMG_9613.jpg

Truth is, I don't see enough of these to be overly confident!

You can get boddies now in Beijing?, things are definitely on the up!

[Shi Jin]

Hi Rockfowl, yes indeed Boddingtons has been in Beijing for more than 5 years. And, my house is registered as a pub (so I can get direct deliveries from the sole distributor in Beijing). They even send me Boddies pint glasses every delivery ;-) I have enough to start a pub in fact... now there's a thought.

Oh... yes... the Harrier... It had a very prominent white rump patch (which I remembered is a feature of Hudsonian Harrier). And of course, the five spindly black primary "fingers". I'll have a look at the OBC collection to see if I can find anything that looks like it (BTW thanks for posting the links, but here in China, any URL with "blog" in it is blocked by Mother's Great Firewall, which is designed to protect her children from evil things like harriers).

Cheers!

[rockfowl]

Must visit the pub sometime! Up to you regards the other shots, was just interested as to why and all that...

Then again I'd rather have a pint, I'm going to get enough 'what's this' in the next few weeks

[Shi Jin]

My pub is on the way to the Ibisbill site, so let me know when...

The other shots are crap, so let's put it down as the one that got away.

But let's get back to the real mystery...

A reminder of the cliffhanger:

"The photo highlight of the day was one of the most spectacular birds I've ever seen. Although it's actually not a species - or, then again, perhaps it is. I was so impressed, in fact, I fired off more than 100 shots. Thank goodness Kodachrome is now extinct (or at least critically endangered). I'll keep you in suspense a while longer though (as 5 photos of this bird will appear in my next post ;-). It's the first time I've published so many shots of the same species in one go ( a flock of 6 male Wreathed Hornbills clocked only four)..."

Roll of drums rises to a crescendo....

[Shi Jin]

Time for bed here... I hope you don't mind if I post the shots tomorrow...

[rockfowl]

[Shi Jin]

How could I have slept... ;-)

[rockfowl]

Blimey, looks like a cross between a male Dusky and errm a male Naumann's

Stunning!!

[Shi Jin]

Thursday, 29th April

Shanghai, Fuxing Gongyuan

Those of you who have been following this thread would have seen photos of a number of species pulling worms out of the ground. Up until this morning, the clear record holder (length x girth x wriggliness of worm) was the Red-throated Thrush I photographed in Beijing recently. But, in Shanghai this morning, I saw an impressive specimen being extracted by a male Chinese Blackbird.

The sequence of shots is attached.

So impressive, in fact, that I've asked for The BBBC to adjudicate.

[Shi Jin]

Friday, 30th April

Shanghai, The Zoo

Worry not, I haven't resorted to taking photos of zoo birds... all the birds I photographed today were on the right side of the cages (although the free range Golden Pheasants did make my trigger finger switch for a moment... before I came to my senses).

Actually, I hadn't planned to go to the zoo, but again Xijiao Binguan - the best birding place in Shanghai - was closed for "refurbishment". Well, that's what the sign said, but the truth of the matter is that Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, is in town for the opening of the Shanghai Expo and he seems to prefer Xijiao to the Four Seasons.

After being turned away at the gate, I headed for the zoo, which is about 5 minutes up the road.

272 Spotted Dove
273 Eastern Crowned Warbler
274 Night Heron

[Gretchen]

I always enjoy your photos Shi Jin, but particularly enjoy these action series. Great views of the worm's lost battle - you can see the wide stance and powerful work the blackbirds legs are doing - worm didn't have a chance, despite his great length!

I take it the night heron was nesting! Great to see him select the branch and carry off (and perhaps place it?). Quite nice!

Additionally shots of those warblers are an accomplishment!

[Shi Jin]

Friday, 30th April

Beijing, Chaoyang

Back in Beijing. I dashed to an emergency session of The BBBC who were discussing the merits and mostly demerits of splitting Silver-throated Tit (from its distant cousin, the Long-tailed Tit). My crap photos that were taken earlier in the day in Shanghai were, frustratingly, considered "poor evidence"... that was until we'd finished the third pint of Guinness when common sense prevailed and Silver-throated Tit (275) Aegithalos glaucogularis took its rightful place on The BBBC List.