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Panjin Birding by the Old Fat Man (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Owen Krout
- Start date
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Love the weasel shots. Beautiful animal.
Owen Krout
Well-known member
Oct-21
I've recently expanded my explorations to check out potential birding sites and to figure out ways of using public transport to cheaply access good birding sites. (Cheaply - :t: ) As part of that I checked out a potential bus routing to reach Honghaitan -Red Beach. The routing works and fits into the parameter of you can pay for the transport to the birding in two ways, either time or money. If your time is more valuable you could spend several hundred RMB on Didi or taxi, either from our home or from the railroad station in Panjin, for a one-way trip to Honghaitan; pay a Chinese travel agency and get stuck in an annoying tour group; or a combination with starting from the Yingkou train station. If money is more important than time, as with me, it was a combination or three bus routes and a two hour bus ride from home. About 66 km one way for 8 RMB per person, less than a $1.25 US or £1 British. :t:
This brought me to the village of Erjiegou, which sits at the south entrance to Honghaitan. It was low tide, exposing large areas of mudflats, which in the past has proven to be an area very productive of waders and gulls. At times it has been even better than Honghaitan itself in a much more concentrated area. This trip added to my recently growing concern over an apparent sharp decline in the numbers of birds I am seeing. My overall species counts are still holding reasonably well, but counts of individuals have been consistently low this year. One area where even species counts have been sharply down though is with waders, shorebirds in general. Maybe I have just been unlucky in my choice of days, but even when checking out previously highly productive areas this fall I have encountered very low or even zero counts both in species and individuals.
This day was a extreme of that. For waders there were only Far Eastern Curlew and a couple of Whimbrel to be found. Even the gulls were only present in small numbers of Black-Tailed Gull, Saunder's Gull & Black-Headed Gull compared to what I am used to seeing there. The BHG and SG were especially depleted from what was a reliable site. Only seven species to be found on what I would have expected to be a perfect day and time for these mudflats to produce.
HongHaiTan (Red Beach), Liaoning, CN
Oct 21, 2018 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 kilometer(s)
Comments: At the village of Erjiegou at the south entrance to Honghaitan
7 species
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 2
Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) 18
Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) 5
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 5
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) 33
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) 8
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 20
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49335652
I've recently expanded my explorations to check out potential birding sites and to figure out ways of using public transport to cheaply access good birding sites. (Cheaply - :t: ) As part of that I checked out a potential bus routing to reach Honghaitan -Red Beach. The routing works and fits into the parameter of you can pay for the transport to the birding in two ways, either time or money. If your time is more valuable you could spend several hundred RMB on Didi or taxi, either from our home or from the railroad station in Panjin, for a one-way trip to Honghaitan; pay a Chinese travel agency and get stuck in an annoying tour group; or a combination with starting from the Yingkou train station. If money is more important than time, as with me, it was a combination or three bus routes and a two hour bus ride from home. About 66 km one way for 8 RMB per person, less than a $1.25 US or £1 British. :t:
This brought me to the village of Erjiegou, which sits at the south entrance to Honghaitan. It was low tide, exposing large areas of mudflats, which in the past has proven to be an area very productive of waders and gulls. At times it has been even better than Honghaitan itself in a much more concentrated area. This trip added to my recently growing concern over an apparent sharp decline in the numbers of birds I am seeing. My overall species counts are still holding reasonably well, but counts of individuals have been consistently low this year. One area where even species counts have been sharply down though is with waders, shorebirds in general. Maybe I have just been unlucky in my choice of days, but even when checking out previously highly productive areas this fall I have encountered very low or even zero counts both in species and individuals.
This day was a extreme of that. For waders there were only Far Eastern Curlew and a couple of Whimbrel to be found. Even the gulls were only present in small numbers of Black-Tailed Gull, Saunder's Gull & Black-Headed Gull compared to what I am used to seeing there. The BHG and SG were especially depleted from what was a reliable site. Only seven species to be found on what I would have expected to be a perfect day and time for these mudflats to produce.
HongHaiTan (Red Beach), Liaoning, CN
Oct 21, 2018 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 kilometer(s)
Comments: At the village of Erjiegou at the south entrance to Honghaitan
7 species
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 2
Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) 18
Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) 5
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 5
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) 33
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) 8
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 20
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49335652
Attachments
Seems an ominous indication that the abusive development of the coastal regions in Asia is having the expected consequences. Apparently there will not be any serious political priority given to environmental concerns until there is a catastrophe. We can only hope the ecosystem can still recover at that point.
Owen Krout
Well-known member
Oct-23
The night before having brought strong northerly winds followed by several hours of heavy thunderstorms and pouring rain, I decided to check out the Panjin Wetland Park for any possible fall from the weather. I didn't find as much as I really expected to, but did find a small flock of Great Cormorant too far out to get any pictures I care to share but close enough to ID for sure and a mixed flock producing Common Coot, Great Crested Grebe and Common Pochard.
The Common Pochard seem to display a lot of variability here often causing me to struggle with certain individuals. The bills on some of these, for instance, showed solid blackish with no indication of any terminal band, even with extended observation in the binoculars, and the bills seemed a bit larger to me. However, I sometimes obsess over minor details and don't see the forest for the trees.
Black-Tailed Gull seem to be in larger numbers this year than in the past and a flock of them were competing with a few Black-Headed Gull and Saunder's Gull. No usable shots came through, but I observed a little Saunder's bobbing and weaving as the less maneuverable Black-Tailed Gull tried to steal the minnow he had just snatched from the lake. Finally shook them off by dodging into the trees.
Panjin Wetland Park, Liaoning, CN
Oct 23, 2018 12:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 kilometer(s)
13 species
Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha) 19
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) 12
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 3
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) 9
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) 8
Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) 6
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) 16
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 4
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) 4
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) 5
Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) 4
Pallas's Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus proregulus) 6
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 50
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49390568
The night before having brought strong northerly winds followed by several hours of heavy thunderstorms and pouring rain, I decided to check out the Panjin Wetland Park for any possible fall from the weather. I didn't find as much as I really expected to, but did find a small flock of Great Cormorant too far out to get any pictures I care to share but close enough to ID for sure and a mixed flock producing Common Coot, Great Crested Grebe and Common Pochard.
The Common Pochard seem to display a lot of variability here often causing me to struggle with certain individuals. The bills on some of these, for instance, showed solid blackish with no indication of any terminal band, even with extended observation in the binoculars, and the bills seemed a bit larger to me. However, I sometimes obsess over minor details and don't see the forest for the trees.
Black-Tailed Gull seem to be in larger numbers this year than in the past and a flock of them were competing with a few Black-Headed Gull and Saunder's Gull. No usable shots came through, but I observed a little Saunder's bobbing and weaving as the less maneuverable Black-Tailed Gull tried to steal the minnow he had just snatched from the lake. Finally shook them off by dodging into the trees.
Panjin Wetland Park, Liaoning, CN
Oct 23, 2018 12:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 kilometer(s)
13 species
Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha) 19
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) 12
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 3
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) 9
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) 8
Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) 6
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) 16
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 4
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) 4
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) 5
Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) 4
Pallas's Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus proregulus) 6
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 50
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49390568
Attachments
Owen Krout
Well-known member
November 9
A number of birding outings over the last couple of weeks produced little to nothing. Several sunrise outings literally produced nothing. Even though it has been an unusually warm autumn this year it has been steadily cooling off, but still only two or three light frosts a week.
It rained lightly but steadily all day the eighth, accompanied with a north wind and temperatures just above freezing so I got out again the next morning to see if anything new appeared.
Still not as much as I am used to seeing in the location chosen, but did have three Red-Flanked Bluetail skulking in the brush and four Varied Tit caching what looked like sunflower seeds behind cracks in the bark of a tree. Several Japanese Tit were in the same area and one had decided it was easier to watch the Varied Tit and steal their caches as soon as they left.
About a dozen Japanese Grosbeak were feeding on some seeds still hanging on a maple tree and I was actually alerted to their presence by the "crack - crack - crack" of them using those huge bills to crack the seeds open. Mixed in with them were four Chinese Grosbeak.
The outing was kept lively though by the Azure-Winged Magpie in the largest flock I have ever seen of at least 75 individuals. They were especially agitated, constantly loudly patrolling their territory. Not seeing any reason for all the agitation, I moved on and soon left them behind.
That is when I heard the flute like whistle call that I believe is a location call of the Red Billed Blue Magpie. I was quickly able to track down three individuals foraging along the canal bank and the edge of the water. They were constantly back and forth from some good cover provided by one particular pine tree and the nearby canal. Two were staying very close together with the third one hanging out nearby. Possibly a mated pair and maybe one of their offspring from this year.
Then the Azure-Winged Magpie found them and this was apparently what had them so stirred up in the first place. They would harass and harry the RBBM until they would finally fly off with the AWM in pursuit. Within a few minutes the RBBM would manage to lose them and return to the same pine tree and a few minutes later it would start all over again. At one point the RBBM pair tired of it all and rushed a nearby large group of the smaller AWM. That broke things up for quite awhile while they built up enough courage to return. When they did return, they apparently decided that the Great Spotted Woodpecker nearby along with a single Hoopoe and myself were to blame and chased them off and started dropping twigs on me while yelling at me. Deciding they could resort to biological warfare, I chose to leave at that point. (pictures to follow)
I also spent some time closely checking out one oddly patterned Chinese Bulbul from a flock of noisy normally colored ones.
Panjin, Dawa County, Liaoning, CN, Liaoning, CN
Nov 9, 2018 12:00 PM - 2:16 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 kilometer(s)
11 species
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) 1
Gray-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus) 2
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) 120 Two very large flocks. One estimated at 75, second estimated at 40. Plus isolated individuals. Numbers being seen are considerably higher than average this year
Red-billed Blue-Magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha) 3
Varied Tit (Sittiparus varius) 4
Japanese Tit (Parus minor) 8
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) 25 Two flocks one of 15 & one of 10 individuals
Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) 3
Yellow-billed Grosbeak (Eophona migratoria) 4 Mixed in with flock of Japanese Grosbeak
Japanese Grosbeak (Eophona personata) 12
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 60 Two large flocks
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49819285
A number of birding outings over the last couple of weeks produced little to nothing. Several sunrise outings literally produced nothing. Even though it has been an unusually warm autumn this year it has been steadily cooling off, but still only two or three light frosts a week.
It rained lightly but steadily all day the eighth, accompanied with a north wind and temperatures just above freezing so I got out again the next morning to see if anything new appeared.
Still not as much as I am used to seeing in the location chosen, but did have three Red-Flanked Bluetail skulking in the brush and four Varied Tit caching what looked like sunflower seeds behind cracks in the bark of a tree. Several Japanese Tit were in the same area and one had decided it was easier to watch the Varied Tit and steal their caches as soon as they left.
About a dozen Japanese Grosbeak were feeding on some seeds still hanging on a maple tree and I was actually alerted to their presence by the "crack - crack - crack" of them using those huge bills to crack the seeds open. Mixed in with them were four Chinese Grosbeak.
The outing was kept lively though by the Azure-Winged Magpie in the largest flock I have ever seen of at least 75 individuals. They were especially agitated, constantly loudly patrolling their territory. Not seeing any reason for all the agitation, I moved on and soon left them behind.
That is when I heard the flute like whistle call that I believe is a location call of the Red Billed Blue Magpie. I was quickly able to track down three individuals foraging along the canal bank and the edge of the water. They were constantly back and forth from some good cover provided by one particular pine tree and the nearby canal. Two were staying very close together with the third one hanging out nearby. Possibly a mated pair and maybe one of their offspring from this year.
Then the Azure-Winged Magpie found them and this was apparently what had them so stirred up in the first place. They would harass and harry the RBBM until they would finally fly off with the AWM in pursuit. Within a few minutes the RBBM would manage to lose them and return to the same pine tree and a few minutes later it would start all over again. At one point the RBBM pair tired of it all and rushed a nearby large group of the smaller AWM. That broke things up for quite awhile while they built up enough courage to return. When they did return, they apparently decided that the Great Spotted Woodpecker nearby along with a single Hoopoe and myself were to blame and chased them off and started dropping twigs on me while yelling at me. Deciding they could resort to biological warfare, I chose to leave at that point. (pictures to follow)
I also spent some time closely checking out one oddly patterned Chinese Bulbul from a flock of noisy normally colored ones.
Panjin, Dawa County, Liaoning, CN, Liaoning, CN
Nov 9, 2018 12:00 PM - 2:16 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 kilometer(s)
11 species
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) 1
Gray-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus) 2
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) 120 Two very large flocks. One estimated at 75, second estimated at 40. Plus isolated individuals. Numbers being seen are considerably higher than average this year
Red-billed Blue-Magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha) 3
Varied Tit (Sittiparus varius) 4
Japanese Tit (Parus minor) 8
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) 25 Two flocks one of 15 & one of 10 individuals
Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) 3
Yellow-billed Grosbeak (Eophona migratoria) 4 Mixed in with flock of Japanese Grosbeak
Japanese Grosbeak (Eophona personata) 12
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 60 Two large flocks
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49819285
Attachments
Last edited:
Owen Krout
Well-known member
Owen Krout
Well-known member
November 10
I decided to check out the Panjin Wetlands Park again today and found that the pay to enter section was opened up again. Apparently the scheme to make money didn't pay off. A large area of trees had been decked out in lights however ruining it for evening roosting and the results were obvious as the only Passerines to be found in what used to be a good area for them was a flock of Long-Tailed Tit that flew over without stopping.
The Black-Tailed Gull were scattered across the lake as were Great Crested Grebe. A small flock of Eastern Spot Billed Duck were resting on the far side of the lake and one Little Grebe made an appearance.
Very quiet otherwise except for the Azure-Winged Magpie and Oriental Magpie busy harassing a Eurasian Kestrel, which was angrily calling "keeee" back at them.
On a side note from birding, I found that the Yellow Ground Squirrel colony had been eradicated. Not a single one to be seen and I could not find any burrows.
Panjin Wetland Park, Liaoning, CN
Nov 10, 2018 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 kilometer(s)
12 species
Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha) 10
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 1
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) 22
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) 25
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 1
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) 4
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 1
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) 37
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) 7
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) 20
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 70
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49819434
I decided to check out the Panjin Wetlands Park again today and found that the pay to enter section was opened up again. Apparently the scheme to make money didn't pay off. A large area of trees had been decked out in lights however ruining it for evening roosting and the results were obvious as the only Passerines to be found in what used to be a good area for them was a flock of Long-Tailed Tit that flew over without stopping.
The Black-Tailed Gull were scattered across the lake as were Great Crested Grebe. A small flock of Eastern Spot Billed Duck were resting on the far side of the lake and one Little Grebe made an appearance.
Very quiet otherwise except for the Azure-Winged Magpie and Oriental Magpie busy harassing a Eurasian Kestrel, which was angrily calling "keeee" back at them.
On a side note from birding, I found that the Yellow Ground Squirrel colony had been eradicated. Not a single one to be seen and I could not find any burrows.
Panjin Wetland Park, Liaoning, CN
Nov 10, 2018 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 kilometer(s)
12 species
Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha) 10
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 1
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) 22
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) 25
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 1
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) 4
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 1
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) 37
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) 7
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) 20
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 70
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49819434
Lancy Cheng
Well-known member
Nice to see photos of Herring-type gulls! What I'm hungry for 
My defense is in next month = not much birding time. Big news is Newfoundland is hosting the second Grey Heron for THE YEAR! Common in China but an ABA code 5 bird. People flew in to see it, including 1 or 2 big year birders.
Hoping to find a Black-tailed Gull sometime this winter!
My defense is in next month = not much birding time. Big news is Newfoundland is hosting the second Grey Heron for THE YEAR! Common in China but an ABA code 5 bird. People flew in to see it, including 1 or 2 big year birders.
Hoping to find a Black-tailed Gull sometime this winter!
Owen Krout
Well-known member
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Good to hear you having some productive sessions after drawing a few blanks Owen.
Japanese Grosbeak is one of my favourite birds - any pix of them with the Chinese Grosbeaks?
Loved your description of the Magpie Wars - I can exactly see it in my mind's eye as you describe.
Cheers
Mike
Japanese Grosbeak is one of my favourite birds - any pix of them with the Chinese Grosbeaks?
Loved your description of the Magpie Wars - I can exactly see it in my mind's eye as you describe.
Cheers
Mike
Lancy Cheng
Well-known member
Just for you, Lancy!
Drooling...
Owen Krout
Well-known member
No, Mike, although their behavior is as similar as their appearance, they seem to prefer to stay separated. The Chinese are the most common here.
The Azure-Winged Magpie are normally common here, but this year has been a real irruption with them thick everywhere.
Owen Krout
Well-known member
8-P I'm still processing photos from today, but again just for you a preview. I had hardly been seeing any Black-Headed Gull and was wondering where they had disappeared to. I found them today. Over a hundred at Gedalou Reservoir. Seem to have pushed out even the Mongolian's that I saw on the last trip to there.
Attachments
Owen Krout
Well-known member
November 13
Gedalou Reservoir proved interesting yesterday. Apparently the missing Black-Headed Gull from several other outings lately and Great Crested Grebe have been having an extended pool party at Gedalou. There were minimally 100 of the BHG scattered about on and above the main lake and the fish ponds that ring the lake. They had even displaced the Mongolian Gull that were present last time I checked out the area. Still drawing "Please include further details" because it is "an unusually high count for this date" from e-bird were the, by actual count, 180 Great Crested Grebe. I only covered under 5 km along the west shore, so I would expect that there were at least that many more out of my sight.
Those were the main species present, but also caught over flights by 6 Great Cormorant and 5 Goosander.
Occupying some time puzzling over just what I was seeing were what, when I finally got a decent look, proved to be three flocks totaling 62 a female Smew. The really small size next to a few nearby Black-Headed Gull gave the first clue and finally one flock relocated near enough to ID with the binoculars. Cropped photo later confirmed.
Another oddity that I saw several times briefly as they flew and finally got a close look at and three quick photos was what I finally decided were some strongly orange colored Naumann's Thrush. Adding to the puzzle at the time was that they sounded more like Pipit, but were behaving more like Thrush. Not included in my list was one small flock I briefly saw through the trees that looked to possibly be Common Starling. I didn't have a good view though and have not seen them here before.
A couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Gray-Headed Woodpecker with unusually grey eyes came in close to check me out.
Finally the area is always thick with Oriental Magpie and I managed to catch one with the light perfect to show his colors.
Gedalou Reservoir, Panjin, Dawa County, Liaoning, CN, Liaoning, CN
Nov 13, 2018 10:30 AM - 1:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.5 kilometer(s)
10 species (+1 other taxa)
Smew (Mergellus albellus) 62 Three all female flocks resting on lake
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 5
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) 180 Individuals and small groups scattered all across the large lake
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 100 Flocks resting on water & distributed across large lake. Individuals soaring over outlying fish ponds & feeding
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 6
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) 2
Gray-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus) 1
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) 21
Japanese Tit (Parus minor) 3
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) 4
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush (Turdus eunomus/naumanni) 18
Gedalou Reservoir proved interesting yesterday. Apparently the missing Black-Headed Gull from several other outings lately and Great Crested Grebe have been having an extended pool party at Gedalou. There were minimally 100 of the BHG scattered about on and above the main lake and the fish ponds that ring the lake. They had even displaced the Mongolian Gull that were present last time I checked out the area. Still drawing "Please include further details" because it is "an unusually high count for this date" from e-bird were the, by actual count, 180 Great Crested Grebe. I only covered under 5 km along the west shore, so I would expect that there were at least that many more out of my sight.
Those were the main species present, but also caught over flights by 6 Great Cormorant and 5 Goosander.
Occupying some time puzzling over just what I was seeing were what, when I finally got a decent look, proved to be three flocks totaling 62 a female Smew. The really small size next to a few nearby Black-Headed Gull gave the first clue and finally one flock relocated near enough to ID with the binoculars. Cropped photo later confirmed.
Another oddity that I saw several times briefly as they flew and finally got a close look at and three quick photos was what I finally decided were some strongly orange colored Naumann's Thrush. Adding to the puzzle at the time was that they sounded more like Pipit, but were behaving more like Thrush. Not included in my list was one small flock I briefly saw through the trees that looked to possibly be Common Starling. I didn't have a good view though and have not seen them here before.
A couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Gray-Headed Woodpecker with unusually grey eyes came in close to check me out.
Finally the area is always thick with Oriental Magpie and I managed to catch one with the light perfect to show his colors.
Gedalou Reservoir, Panjin, Dawa County, Liaoning, CN, Liaoning, CN
Nov 13, 2018 10:30 AM - 1:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.5 kilometer(s)
10 species (+1 other taxa)
Smew (Mergellus albellus) 62 Three all female flocks resting on lake
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 5
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) 180 Individuals and small groups scattered all across the large lake
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 100 Flocks resting on water & distributed across large lake. Individuals soaring over outlying fish ponds & feeding
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 6
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) 2
Gray-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus) 1
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) 21
Japanese Tit (Parus minor) 3
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) 4
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush (Turdus eunomus/naumanni) 18
Attachments
Owen Krout
Well-known member
Owen Krout
Well-known member
Sometimes I think it is a good idea to share what didn't come out like I had planned also, just to encourage any newer people. My cousin recently asked how I could get such good photos. I told her the secret was to be willing to shoot a hundred and throw out all but the five, or if you are lucky, the ten that are decent. An example being here where I was trying to get shots of the BHG diving on a school of fish. Fast action and a very narrow field of view just didn't work well together this time.
