China observations (1 Viewer)

[thrush]

Jocko, I have to salute you; because of you, when birding around Shanghai I'm never again going to look at adult male "Blue-and-white" Flycatchers the same way. Now every one will be scrutinized carefully, lest it turn out to be a Zappey's.

Also, nice work on the Northern Wheatear, which I too found on that same eventful Sunday.

I've written up a report on last weekend's doings. Elaine and I missed the Rufous-bellied Woodpecker and Zappey's, but we got a few worthy birds, among them

-- A female Siberian Blue Robin that had crashed into a window and slowly "rebooted" before flying away (Magic Parking Lot, Nánhuì, Sunday)

-- Oriental Dollarbird, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, and Siberian Thrush (adult male as well as female). All the foregoing were from Garbage Dump Gully on Lesser Yangshan on Saturday. In addition, we were seeing non-adult-male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher at the Gully on Sat. and Sun.

My Latest Pictures shows record shots as well as artistic shots from last weekend plus recent images from my big Yangkou (Rudong) trip.

The report about last weekend has each sighting listed twice, first according to site and later according to species. All is in correct taxonomical order according to the IOC. See the report here.

 

[mcaribou]

back from wader banding in Darwin,Australia and found that Beijing people had
STREAKED REED WARBLER !

Leaving for survey of the SBS Task Force and hope to see one in Rudong.

 

[bfoutch]

Rodney Dangerfield of Shanghai birding

After arriving Shanghai the 26th, I went to old botanical gardens in hopes of meeting the SWBS outing. Seems they must have meant the new botanical gardens... Quite crowded and gave it up quickly. Next day went to BinJiang Forest Park and gave it a try. Walked for hours leaving no tree un-glassed. Managed an immature cuckoo, which, if I observed the barring and slender shape correctly, may have been an Indian juvenile. Flew off before I was sure. The forest park was otherwise almost devoid of birds unless they were all hiding behind trees. No one here mentioned the need for periscopic binoculars...

The new Fudan campus at the north terminus of Metro line 10 proved better, but few new ones. I did see what I believe was a female Japanese Paradise Flycatcher on the walk along the riparian area between Metro entrance 7 and the south gate to Fudan. Her back was to me, but the colors were pretty unmistakable as Paradise sp'. Also, on a morning walk in that same area yesterday, an irruption of Vinous-throated Parrotbills were flitting about, bushtit like, between the reeds and the low vegetation.

But, what really let me down today were two species which had me excited for awhile. The first was a couple of large starlings in with a group of smaller White-cheeked. Wow! Maybe Daurian or Chestnut cheeked??? However, after really good views on grass and in trees, I could see they were Black-collared and I new they must be escapees.

Building on that theme, the other bird I saw was a bright yellow, starling size bird flying between groups of tress, further up to north campus in a large grassy area with several tree 'islands'. OK, I thought, at last a lifer; the Black-naped Oriole. Of course, it wasn't to be, and further inspection showed no black nape, but all the correct colors and markings of the European Golden Oriole. Another escapee?..

So far then, the Shanghai birds aren't giving me any respect! However, I'll keep on trying.

Bruce

 

[jonathmartinez]

very likely a 1st year bird concerning your oriole, lots of them on the moove at the moment.

 

[MKinHK]

Hi Bruce

Here's a photo of a Black-naped Oriole from last week in HK showing little black on the nape. Did you rbird look something like this?

Cheers
Mike

 

[bfoutch]

Mike,

Thanks for the photo link. The back of the bird I saw was distinctly green and it flashed vivid yellow on the undersides and rump when flying. Some streaking on breast and seemed smaller billed than the photo bird. Guess I'll go back and try for another look now that I know what to look for.

Bruce

 

[MKinHK]

Hi Bruce

Golden Oriole are extremely rare away from Xinjiang in the far northwest, where they breed in very small numbers. Black-naped Oriole, as Jonathan says are migrating through eastern China in very large numbers.

To put it into perspective your bird is about as likely to be a Golden Oriole as a Semipalmated Plover is to be a Common Ringed Plover in California.

Cheers
Mike

 

[bfoutch]

Thanks Mike. I guess that adds another lifer to the list! With everything I have heard regarding escapees, I just started going that way once the adult pattern didn't show up in my bins. Amazing how easy it is to see just what you want to see once you fixate on an ID. I do hope to go back though and look again this afternoon or in the morning. I need to get the 'true' image burned into my brain. I also added a pair of Oriental Magpie Robins to my Mainland list at Gongqing park. They were around the small grassy area near the quay where you can overlook the river.

No luck on the Oriole this afternoon at a windy Fudan. Oh yes, I did add Grey Heron for my Mainland list at Fudan. And, during that wave of V-T Parrotbills at Fudan a couple days ago, I saw for the first time how they can quickly shred the reed stems into thin, long strips with their powerful little bills. Seems one advantage to seeing few birds is that I can take time to watch the ones I do see. Many of the Little Grebes still have their summer colors and the red throat and cheeks make for a handsome looking little bird.

 

[Gretchen]

Changchun

I've had a kind of crazy time since arriving - in addition to the usual craziness of setting up a new place to live and getting used to a new job etc etc, I injured my foot and was supposed to "rest" it - apart from the demands of walking and standing as a teacher. So it's been a poor birding month.

I have had exciting times since I actually have trees outside my windows! A few times there have been Phyllos sp. there, but that has been a rough way to jump back into Asian birds... trying to get my eye on them again. Other than that I've been surprised at the local gang of Azure-winged Magpies - didn't know they were up here. Yesterday on a tour of a couple local parks I saw very little, but the exciting part was a small flock of thrushes enjoying the water of a small dubious looking stream. I'm really not used to seeing more than one at a time. They were Duskies and intergrades - don't think there was a true Naumann's among them. Anyway, lots of fun to see them hopping around on the rocks. I wondered if they were interested in water bugs because they weren't really bathing but did spend a lot of time in that area.

 

[MKinHK]

Welcome back indeed Gretchen, and best wishes for a swift and full recovery for your foot.

Very much agree that thrushes and Azzie-wings are a better introduction than phylloscs!

Just had a quick peek at Changchun on Google Maps. It looks like Changchun has a good-sized park in the middle, which ought to attract some ducks and other waterbirds to the lakes before they freeze and hopefully finches, tits, thrushes, buntings, waxwings and woodpeckers to other wooded areas.

Cheers
Mike

 

[MKinHK]

I heard news yesterday of a very tame Swinhoe's Rail found in the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing. Unfortunately I also heard that some idiot photographer picked it up and the bird promptly zipped away . . .

Lots of education to do . . .

Cheers
Mike

 

[Gretchen]

Very much agree that thrushes and Azzie-wings are a better introduction than phylloscs!

Just had a quick peek at Changchun on Google Maps. It looks like Changchun has a good-sized park in the middle, which ought to attract some ducks and other waterbirds to the lakes before they freeze and hopefully finches, tits, thrushes, buntings, waxwings and woodpeckers to other wooded areas.

Concerning phylloscs - can anyone say if there are ones other than Pallas's which show a bright clear band on the rump? (like this pic) I definitely saw some of those and wondered if they were diagnostic.

Concerning Changchun - I'm looking forward to seeing what's about since it is a pretty green city. I've been curious to see the closer spaces (and we're further out of town, which sounds good, but...). however, South Lake is obviously a fairly promising destination. Like any Chinese park, being very early and on a weekday increases the chances that one will see more birds. Many years ago that lake was the first place I ever saw a grebe. It was before I knew about the existence of these duck-like birds, and we watched them diving in the distance wondering about what that tiny long-diving duck was. The park is much more developed than it was 15 years ago, but I've seen ebird reports that folks still find things there. So just need to find time and go do it!

 

[Dong Bei]

Asian Yellow Rail

Mike, I heard there was an Asian Yellow Rail there last Saturday?! Apparently there are good photos...... A real shame if someone picked it up?!?! Wonder if we're talking about the same bird?

Tom

 

[Terry Townshend]

Yes, there are some stunning photos of the Beijing Swinhoe's (Asian Yellow) Rail. See http://birdnet.cn/thread-860109-1-2.html

It was seen on Saturday around noon in a small 'wild' area of the Temple of Heaven that is regularly frequented by bird photographers... lots of great species turn up there. I have also heard rumours that one photographer 'caught' it and started to 'play' with it but I don't know any more details... not surprisingly it was not seen the following day.

Terry

 

[jonathmartinez]

i'm not quite sure if there is any other photoes of this species in the wild....

 

[Dong Bei]

"Asian Yellow (Swinhoe's) Rail" oops Shows how much I know about it!

 

[Terry Townshend]

Tom, you know more than me about Swinhoe's (Asian Yellow) Rail.. You've seen one and I haven't!

 

[thrush]

Concerning phylloscs - can anyone say if there are ones other than Pallas's which show a bright clear band on the rump?

Hi Gretchen--The Pallas's Leaf Warbler Complex consists of 6 species. Each is similar to the other, being small and having 1–2 pale wingbars, a pale median crown-stripe, and a pale rump patch. All are present in China, but in Changchun, you're most likely to see Phylloscopus proregulus, Pallas's Leaf Warbler. It's at least a passage migrant in Jilin and may breed there.

In Changchun, your biggest challenge may be distinguishing Pallas's Leaf Warbler from Yellow-browed Warbler P. inornatus. A passage migrant and possible breeder in Jilin, P. inornatus is small, but larger than P. proregulus; and while like P. proregulus P. inornatus has 1–2 wingbars, it lacks (or has a very faint) median crown-stripe and no pale rump patch.

Both P. proregulus and P. inornatus have a "dweet" call, but with some experience you'll be able to tell the "dweets" apart. The "dweet" of P. proregulus is deeper, more nasal. In springtime here in the Shanghai region, I've heard P. inornatus adding a flurry of sounds to its opening "dweet," something I've not heard in P. proregulus.

Per Alström has an excellent outline of the leaf warblers in China. You'll derive much profit from a careful reading.

 

[Gretchen]

In Changchun, your biggest challenge may be distinguishing Pallas's Leaf Warbler from Yellow-browed Warbler P. inornatus. A passage migrant and possible breeder in Jilin, P. inornatus is small, but larger than P. proregulus; and while like P. proregulus P. inornatus has 1–2 wingbars, it lacks (or has a very faint) median crown-stripe and no pale rump patch.

Both P. proregulus and P. inornatus have a "dweet" call, but with some experience you'll be able to tell the "dweets" apart. The "dweet" of P. proregulus is deeper, more nasal. In springtime here in the Shanghai region, I've heard P. inornatus adding a flurry of sounds to its opening "dweet," something I've not heard in P. proregulus.

Thanks, I thought those were the suspects (along with the Humes). I had looked at the Alstrom paper, but hadn't noticed the comments on the rumps! Glad to see that. I have spent time staring at their heads looking for the coronal stripe before - but the rump patch I hadn't recalled as a distinguishing feature. Somehow seeing the rump as they fly away seems to work better than trying to see the tops of their heads. They seem to be quiet now, but next spring I'll start working on calls again. Thanks again for your help Craig.

 

[thrush]

Thanks, I thought those were the suspects (along with the Humes). I had looked at the Alstrom paper, but hadn't noticed the comments on the rumps! Glad to see that. I have spent time staring at their heads looking for the coronal stripe before - but the rump patch I hadn't recalled as a distinguishing feature. Somehow seeing the rump as they fly away seems to work better than trying to see the tops of their heads. They seem to be quiet now, but next spring I'll start working on calls again. Thanks again for your help Craig.

The Alström paper has helped me considerably. When I see leaf warblers now, I literally know what page I'm on--the page in Per's PDF! China has two-thirds of the world's species of Phylloscopus. With so many species, and with so many of them looking alike, one's best bet is to first associate the leaf warbler one is viewing with the appropriate group of species and continue working inward from there. For example, in Changchun, when you see small, rather strongly marked leaf warblers making a "dweet" call, then you know you're probably looking at something in the Pallas's Complex or the Yellow-browed-Hume's group. The most likely species are going to be P. proregulus and P. inornatus. But for safety's sake, it'll be good to make sure you're not looking at the odd Hume's Leaf Warbler P. humei or Chinese Leaf Warbler P. yunnanensis.