Mr Loma Man...
Friday 19th April saw me up bright and early and ready for a day of not being in the office...in fact the first of several such days on my immediate horizon...it was 'Loma' time...
Up, showered, dressed, fed and watered and downstairs in the lobby by 0800 where I quickly hooked up with driver Mr Ni and off we headed into the Streets of Shanghai...winding our way towards Pudong where we would collect the first of our two passengers for today's little outing. Swiftly we arrived at stop number one and found Cynthia waiting for us...gear in the boot rearranged we headed off again and straight into a traffic jam...luckily I'd allowed time in our schedule for just such an eventuality and it merely made our arrival at Pudong T2 that bit more suitable to collect passenger number two...
Entering the terminal we found the flight just landing and so it was only a short while before my old birding pal from the UK, Phil, strolled out from the customs hall doing his best to look like all the high-flying car executives surrounding him...seems it was a week for car exhibitions in the city and arrivals was festooned with local managers waiting to meet 'n' greet the arriving big wigs from overseas...well he tried but was soon spotted and welcomes and introductions swiftly over, Cynthia and I tried to remember which floor we'd left Mr Ni and the car...
Second guess was correct and we, once again, rearranged the luggage to accommodate Phil's small ensemble...well...I had said to pack for all eventualities...
Off we set, due north through the city and then veering east and under the river to Chongming Island from where we continued N towards today's destination three hours say...the word famous Yangkou...one stop for a sticky rice lunch and a second to buy Phil some wellies...and the journey passed without fuss...conversation filling the car as we caught up on the goss and discussed plans for the next two weeks...
Arriving at Yangkou we checked in to the birders hotel with Cynthia's help and bumped in to Zhang Lin and Tong...seems the whole world was in residence! A quick chat and plans to hit the reeds and wasteland near the temple then the seawall for a first look at waders were made and Phil and I set off with Mr Ni...there may have been lunch at this point but it's all somewhat a blur!
First to the reeds and scrub and an introduction to the birds of China...first up...quelle surprise...Red-flanked Bluetail...they'd been all over the place for the previous week or so in Shanghai so I was suitably non-plussed...
Walking around the pools was slow work with only a Wryneck and several Dusky Thrushes showing themselves...Vinous-throated Parrotbills posed for good views but no sign of any of their bigger, reedier, cousins unfortunately...
Plain Prinia and Pallas's Leaf Warbler popped up and an Oriental Turtle Dove paused in the trees. Walking the rough ground pushed four Common Snipe into the air and away and a Red-billed Starling passed overhead...more were present later at the Temple proper. While trying for shots of the bluetail a Pale Thrush showed briefly to me and a male Grey-backed Thrush sat still long enough for a good luck at this smart lifer for Phil. Then a really good bird...faithful to this area since it's unexpected arrival last autumn popped up...Varied Tit! Cracking bird but, apart from a 'hide & seek' Black-faced Bunting that was it for the early afternoon...not the best time for birding anyway...
Next stop was to be the seawall...