[BIJ]

Very envious of the Hazel Grouse Tom. Good photo.
Brian

Originally Posted by Dong Bei

Joined Terry Townhend, Paul Holt, and Bai Qingquan for a 3 day trip from Dalian to Dandong and the Dandong area including Feng Huang Shan. We also took the ferry from Zhuanghe Port to two of the islands in the Yellow Sea and back. Paul is doing a complete report which I will link to this thread in the future. Here is the complete trip species list and some of the photos. Counting credits go to Paul.

Hazel Grouse - 2
Common Pheasant - 4
Common Sehelduck - 193
Mallard - 355
Spot-billed Duck - 104
Eurasian Teal - 49
Long-tailed Duck - 64
Common Goldeneye - 692
Smew - 10
Common Merganser - 29
Red-breasted Merganser - 236
Litte Grebe - 23
Pelagic Cormorant - 70
White-tailed Sea Eagle - 3
Cinereous (Black) Vulture - 3 (life bird)
Eastern Marsh Harrier - 1
Hen Harrier - 4
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 2
Eastern Buzzard - 2
Upland Buzzard - 8
Rough-legged Buzzard - 1 (not many around this winter)
Eurasian Kestrel - 29
Merlin - 1
Long-billed Plover - 1
Eurasian Curlew - 300
Relict Gull - 2
Black-tailed Gull - 110
Common Gull - 345
Glaucous Gull - 1
Vega Gull - 31
Mongolian Gull - 222
Slaty-backed Gull - 3
Oriental Turtle Dove - 15
Little Owl - 1
Japanese Pgymy Woodpecker - 6
White-backed Woodpecker - 5 (life bird)
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2
Grey-headed Woodpecker - 3
Chinese Grey Shrike - 5
Eurasian Jay - 5
Large-billed Crow - 1
Marsh Tit - 18
Varied Tit - 10
Coal Tit - 5
Great Tit - 10
Chinese Penduline Tit - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 5
Eurasian Skylark - 26
Brown-eared Bulbul - 15
Chinese Hill Warbler - 1
Goldcrest - 4
Winter Wren - 1
Eurasian Nuthatch - 12
Naumann's Thrush - 2
Dusky x Naumann's Thrush - 1
Daurian Redstart - 2
Alpine Accentor - 5
Siberian Accentor - 6
Brambling - 1
Oriental Greenfinch - 4
Meadow Bunting - 6
Yellow-throated Bunting - 32
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 96
Common Reed Bunting - 3

[BIJ]

Tom: Great photo of a Jack Merlin. One of my all time favourite raptors.
Nice size comparison of W-T Eagle and Upland B.
Brian.

Originally Posted by Dong Bei

Afternoon visit to the reservoir was completely useless except for 2 Eastern Buzzard and a few Pheasants. The Sea Farming Ponds had a nice adult White-tailed Sea Eagle (first record for that specific area) which was being mobbed by over 30 magpies. After watching for a while, 3 Upland Buzzard and one Eastern Buzzard joined in the pestering. Quite a sight! Eventually the eagle moved off and landed at the other end of the ponds with one buzzard staying with it all the way. Check out how the eagle dwarfs even the biggest of buzzards. Back at the same spot as yesterday, I refound the adult Merlin and today he posed nicely.

[Dong Bei]

Been out a few times yesterday and today. Today was more of a shopping trip but we drove past a few places. Saw 2 more Rough-legged Buzzards, one White-tailed Sea Eagle, 1 Upland and 1 Eastern Buzzard today on the way for groceries this afternoon!

Attached is a picture showing Common Shelducks and my new place for gulls (now) and shorebirds (in a few months) right here in Jinshitan. Ironically, demountainization led to it now being accessible for me quite quickly. I'm thinking of concentrating on gulls and shorebirds this spring as I need to learn more in those areas. Those of you who know me will smile at that....The picture of my son is also the new place. Have to think of a name for it.

Also attached is a photo of a Yellow-legged Vega Gull? Comments welcome.

[Dong Bei]

Trip Report from Terry and Paul's recent Liaoning trip is available here.

http://birdingbeijing.wordpress.com/

[Dong Bei]

Afternoon drive around Jinshitan. The one photo of the owl in the sunset depicts an all too familiar scene here in Jinshitan. New apartment blocks and coal burning energy plants.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - well over 500 at the new place. The most I've ever seen in one area at one time.
Ruddy Shelduck - 2
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Eurasian Kestrel - 3
Hen Harrier - 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Eastern Buzzard - 4
Upland Buzzard - 2
Rough-legged Buzzard - 1
Black-tailed Gull - many
Common Gull - many
Vega Gull - a few
Mongolian Gull - a few
Oriental Turtle Dove - 18 (two large groups)
Little Owl - 1
Eurasian Skylark - 7
Yellow-throated Bunting - many
Japanese Reed Bunting - 6

[BIJ]

Tom: Have you consulted the oracle PI ? I would humbly suggest winter Mongolian Gull although the posture is more reminiscent of a very pale Heuglin's.I think winter Vega should have streaked head and nape.
I think the third shot of the small creature is a very rare Chinese record of a Sproglet canadensis (M).Never seen one in winter plumage before.
Brian.

Originally Posted by Dong Bei

Been out a few times yesterday and today. Today was more of a shopping trip but we drove past a few places. Saw 2 more Rough-legged Buzzards, one White-tailed Sea Eagle, 1 Upland and 1 Eastern Buzzard today on the way for groceries this afternoon!

Attached is a picture showing Common Shelducks and my new place for gulls (now) and shorebirds (in a few months) right here in Jinshitan. Ironically, demountainization led to it now being accessible for me quite quickly. I'm thinking of concentrating on gulls and shorebirds this spring as I need to learn more in those areas. Those of you who know me will smile at that....The picture of my son is also the new place. Have to think of a name for it.

Also attached is a photo of a Yellow-legged Vega Gull? Comments welcome.

[BIJ]

Tom: You seem to do very well with Rough-legged Buzzard numbers .It is a rare winter visitor elsewhere in China,annual single wintering birds at Yeyahu (Wild Duck Lake).
Brian.

Originally Posted by Dong Bei

Afternoon drive around Jinshitan. The one photo of the owl in the sunset depicts an all too familiar scene here in Jinshitan. New apartment blocks and coal burning energy plants.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - well over 500 at the new place. The most I've ever seen in one area at one time.
Ruddy Shelduck - 2
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Eurasian Kestrel - 3
Hen Harrier - 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Eastern Buzzard - 4
Upland Buzzard - 2
Rough-legged Buzzard - 1
Black-tailed Gull - many
Common Gull - many
Vega Gull - a few
Mongolian Gull - a few
Oriental Turtle Dove - 18 (two large groups)
Little Owl - 1
Eurasian Skylark - 7
Yellow-throated Bunting - many
Japanese Reed Bunting - 6

[Dong Bei]

Ride around with my son for a 2 hours.

Common Pheasant
Mallard
Red-breasted Merganser - 8
Eurasian Kestrel
Black-tailed Gull
Mongolian Gull
Hill Pigeon
The Elusive Azure-winged Magpie - 10
Great Tit
Chinese Hill Warbler - 6
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 2 groups
Naumann's Thrush - 2
Red-throated Thrush - 1
Daurian Redstart - 2
Oriental Greenfinch - 3
Yellow-throated Bunting - many

[Dong Bei]

Laotieshan all day yesterday. It's the place where all the raptors are seen during fall migration. Winter can have some unusuals who are not able or willing to make the jump across the BoHai Bay south. I can comfirm that there is indeed not any Pallas's or Long-tailed Rosefinches in the Dalian area this winter because this is the place they would have been. None in Jinshitan yet this winter which is very strange. I hiked every trail and found some new ones. I also found a new hotel and driver much closer to the point. This one is in walking distance but the owner's son is a driver with a nice car. I explained that foreigners come into the area to bird during spring and fall and he was excited about shuttling people to the point and back for lunch, etc... I have his contact details as well as the close hotel. Price was RMB 158 a night with free internet, a selection of restaurants across the road, etc..

I was up early ready to go and my car that I was borrowing had a flat tire! I simply love China in this kind of situation. The hotel owner's son took me about 1 minute down the road to the local tire guy who works out of a traditional Chinese house, he comes back in the car with us with his jack in our trunk, puts the semi-flat spare on, I drive back to his shop where he pumps up the spare, patches the old tire after checking meticulously for the hole with soapy water, puts the patched tire in my trunk, and sends me on my way for RMB 20 (about 3 dollars). I was not happy about the late start but somewhat enjoyed the experience!

I spent about 1.5 hours at the sea watch spot where not much was happening with birds but I did see one seal and 2 kinds of porpoise. One kind was small, grey, and had almost no dorsal fin. The other was a bit bigger, totally dark black, and had a small but very pointy dorsal fin. Can anyone suggest species?

Anyway, here's the list from the point area and an agricultural/mountain area a few kms inland on the Laotieshan access road.

Japanese Quail - 2
Common Pheasant - many seen and heard
Red-breasted Merganser - 6
Common Merganser - 3
Vega
Great-crested Grebe - 4
Eastern Buzzard - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Mongolian Gull - 10
Vega Gull - 3
Black-tailed Gull - around 50
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Bull-headed Shrike - 1
Great Tit - many
Yellow-bellied Tit - 13 (2 groups at two different locations)
Chinese Hill Warbler - over 20 seen and more calling.
Chinese Bulbul - 2
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - many many
Goldcrest - 1
Dusky Thrush - 3
Naumann's Thrush - 16 (some X with Dusky)
Daurian Redstart - 15
Siberian Accentor - over 20 seen and more calling (somewhat surprised given that there are very few in Jinshitan this winter)
Brambling - 3
Oriental Greenfinch - 1
Eurasian Siskin - 3
Chinese Grosbeak - 13 (a bit of a surprise for this time of year)
Meadow Bunting - 6
Yellow-throated Bunting - many many many

I stopped at Dalian Bay on the way home and saw:

Common Shelduck - 16
Common Goldeneye - 150
Mallard - 8-
Falcatced Duck - 60
Smew - 1
Red-breased Merganser - 2
Common Merganser - 30
Great-crested Grebe - 50
Little Grebe - 2

About 1000 Gulls that were very distant and the sun was almost down. I did identify the following out of the group:
Black-headed
Common
Mongolian
Black-tailed

[Dong Bei]

same day

[Dong Bei]

from the last weeks

[Dong Bei]

Drive around with my three year old son again. He calls all the gulls Pelicans. I wish. Spent a lot of time investigating a report that some grouse-like birds were seen in Jinshitan. Spent 2 hours slowly driving around the area with eyes and ears open but nothing.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - 260
Ruddy Shelduck - 2
Gadwall - 4
Falcated Duck - 40
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Common Goldeneye - 4
Common Merganser - 1
Little Grebe - 5
Pelagic Cormorant - 1
Eurasian Kestrel - 10
Hen Harrier - 1
Eastern Buzzard - 2
Upland Buzzard - 1
Black-tailed Gull - 200
Mongolian Gull - 50
Hill Pigeon - 8
Chinese Grey Shrike - 1
Great Tit
Eurasian Skylark - 6
Chinese Bulbul - 4
Naumann's Thrush - 1
Siberian Accentor - 1
Oriental Greenfinch - 16
Meadow Bunting - 8
Yellow-throated Bunting - many
Japanese Reed Bunting - 1

[Dong Bei]

Explored my new place a bit on my motorbike. Lots of places that I had not seen before including a marsh area and flat scrub where water will pool after rain and would be good for snipe and the like... Quite excited about this place actually and it looks like it won't be completely destroyed for at least another year. Spent much of the time figuring out the roads in and out and the easiest route from home and work....

Common Pheasant - 2
Common Shelduck - around 800
Mallard - only a few
Common Goldeneye - 10
Common Merganser - 2
Red-breasted Merganser - 2
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Black-tailed Gull - 30
Common Gull - 80
Mongolian Gull - 1
Little Owl - 1 (found a hang out of one there)
Eurasian Skylark - around 100
Naumann's Thrush - 2
Meadow Bunting - 2
Yellow-throated Bunting - 30

[Dong Bei]

Video of a Peregrine hunting today. Needs to be watched in full screen. Not BBC quality!

http://www.birdforum.tv/action/viewv...ng_2/?ref=Dong Bei

[thirudevaram]

Wow, obviously peregrine is the fastest flying machine. I envy your blue sky during winter.

[Dong Bei]

Thirudevaram,

The blue sky is nice but if we could negotiate a trade for your temperatures we would be talking.....

[rockfowl]

Hi Tom,

The Seal looks like a Spotted Seal (Chinese - Ban Haibo) and would suggest Finless Porpoise (Jian Tun) for the cetaceans, one rolling on it side so that the flipper was prominent, suggesting a dorsal?

[Dong Bei]

Spent over an hour at a nearby fishing village in Jinshitan yesterday after work. I believe the Yellow-legged Vega Gulls seen yesterday and in a previous post are sub-species birulai. This is according to something I read on Oriental Bird Images (OBI) where someone posted a very similar bird and called it ssp birulai. They cited Olsen and Larrson pg. 344. I don't have that Gull book on hand (I should) but this seems like a likely possibility. Please comment if you agree or disagree. I don't think they are dark-mantled enough to be Heuglin's. To throw more confusion into the mix, one of the Yellow-legged gulls looked more like Mongolian than Vega.... I'll attach some photos here. Everyone labelled Vega is what I believe to be ssp birulai.

I am wading into new territory here so if I am wrong I'd like to know. What do others think?

The list is from yesterday and one short trip last weekend.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck – 800
Falcted Duck – 150
Eurasian Wigeon – 2
Mallard – 100
Spot-billed Duck – 30
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Pelagic Cormorant – 6
Eurasian Kestrel - 3
Merlin - 1
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Hen Harrier - 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk – 2
Upland Buzzard – 1
Eastern Buzzard – 1
Black-tailed Gull – 200
Common Gull – 80
Vega Gull ssp birulai - 5
Mongolian Gull – 25
Black-headed gull – 6
Oriental Turtle Dove
Great Tit
Eurasian Skylark – 75
Chinese Bulbul
Daurian Redstart

[Dong Bei]

This Vega had yellow legs

[Dong Bei]

At least 3 Black-tailed and 2 Black-headed oiled birds there yesterday.

[MKinHK]

Don't do it Tom!

Taxonomy and identification, especially when you get intote hybrids of large white-headed gulls is a sure path to howling insanity!

Cheers

Mike

[Dong Bei]

Mike, had a good laugh at that!

Mainly the coastal area near the Jinshitan point yesterday. Saw 17 Pelagic Cormorants flying north at around 4:30 as has been observed many times this winter.

Had an issue getting in the gate again. I usually park my motorbike at the guard house and have to walk in. I've been buying an entry ticket (RMB 20) each time instead of sneaking in to try to establish a good relationship with the place. This time I was told that I was not allowed to walk in but if I was in a car, it would be no problem. I clarified the following: walking in - no, driving a motocycle in - no, driving a car in - yes. I called my local Jinshitan buddy and he arrived 5 minutes later in his car. I then got in the car, bought an entry ticket, and drove in. The lady at the gate was laughing, understanding the stupidity of the "new rule" but sometimes that's the difference between birding and not birding at this place.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - 2
Mallard - 30
Spot-billed Duck - 4
Common Merganser - 3
Red-breasted Merganser - 15
Pelagic Cormorant - 17
Mongolian Gull - 15
Great Tit
Chinese Hill Warbler - 1
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Daurian Redstart - 2
Brambling - 4
Oriental Greenfinch - 8
Meadow Bunting - 4
Black-faced Bunting - 1
Yellow-throated Bunting - many

[BIJ]

Tom: I think you are right. The other alternative would be a winter plumage Taimyr Gull but that has a darker mantle and eye. It looks like sp.Birulai to me but I suggest you read Nial Moores excellent article on the following> Page 1 deals with sp.Birulai.
http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Iden...ll-Page1.shtml
Brian.

Originally Posted by Dong Bei

Spent over an hour at a nearby fishing village in Jinshitan yesterday after work. I believe the Yellow-legged Vega Gulls seen yesterday and in a previous post are sub-species birulai. This is according to something I read on Oriental Bird Images (OBI) where someone posted a very similar bird and called it ssp birulai. They cited Olsen and Larrson pg. 344. I don't have that Gull book on hand (I should) but this seems like a likely possibility. Please comment if you agree or disagree. I don't think they are dark-mantled enough to be Heuglin's. To throw more confusion into the mix, one of the Yellow-legged gulls looked more like Mongolian than Vega.... I'll attach some photos here. Everyone labelled Vega is what I believe to be ssp birulai.

I am wading into new territory here so if I am wrong I'd like to know. What do others think?

The list is from yesterday and one short trip last weekend.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck – 800
Falcted Duck – 150
Eurasian Wigeon – 2
Mallard – 100
Spot-billed Duck – 30
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Pelagic Cormorant – 6
Eurasian Kestrel - 3
Merlin - 1
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Hen Harrier - 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk – 2
Upland Buzzard – 1
Eastern Buzzard – 1
Black-tailed Gull – 200
Common Gull – 80
Vega Gull ssp birulai - 5
Mongolian Gull – 25
Black-headed gull – 6
Oriental Turtle Dove
Great Tit
Eurasian Skylark – 75
Chinese Bulbul
Daurian Redstart

[Dong Bei]

Excellent article Brian, thanks for the link. I certainly see a lot of gulls that don't fit into the mold of what field guides show - this is an excellent resource. Very interesting how much we don't know yet......always learning. Birding this part of the world has a certain pioneering appeal doesn't it! Home renovations had me not out at all last weekend and I will be in Shenyang (not for birding) next weekend. Blizzard here the last 2 days.

[Dong Bei]

Got out yesterday for a brief visit to the Jinshi Golf Club. Very dead. We had a good amount of snow Monday and Tuesday and it was cold again at around -10 with the wind.
Walked around a lot to get a very small list. Some days you do, some days you don't. I guess the Brown-eared Bulbul were nice and I should be content with that -- good China tick anyway.......

Common Pheasant
Mallard
Northern Goshawk- one huge adult
Mongolian Gull
Common Gull
Brown-eared Bulbul - 4
Daurian Redstart
Naumann's Thrush
Great Tit
Brambling - around 100 in two large groups (only faint sign of spring)
Meadow Bunting
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 1
Yellow-throated Bunting