• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Dalian (Jinshitan) Birding Reports (2 Viewers)

Jan. 26-28

Second set
 

Attachments

  • Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker.jpg
    Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker.jpg
    100.2 KB · Views: 53
  • Long-tailed Duck.jpg
    Long-tailed Duck.jpg
    98.9 KB · Views: 44
  • Pelagic Cormorant.jpg
    Pelagic Cormorant.jpg
    70.6 KB · Views: 37
  • Upland Buzzard.jpg
    Upland Buzzard.jpg
    109.5 KB · Views: 50
  • Varied Tit.jpg
    Varied Tit.jpg
    66.7 KB · Views: 45
Some top China birds - six potential China ticks for me - and stuck in fog-bound pollution-bound migrant-free valley that hasn't managed even a Bluetail this winter! (grumble grumble grumble)

Cheers
Mike
 
Hm, Hazel Grouse sounds unusual, but perhaps not? I'm quite jealous of the pygmy woodpeckers, I'm wanting to see one very much. I like the varied tits, who remind me of clowns a little for their patchwork coloring. Sounds like great birding, and hope the rest goes well.
 
Last edited:
Some top China birds - six potential China ticks for me - and stuck in fog-bound pollution-bound migrant-free valley that hasn't managed even a Bluetail this winter! (grumble grumble grumble)

Cheers
Mike

Mike, shall we exchange our local patches? I have only bluetails(only 1 male so far), im bored of them.:C
 
Tempting . . . this year anyway, but in the long run I will always prefer a rural part of HK to urban Shanghai!

Cheers
Mike
 
Jinshitan February 2, 2012

A short drive and stopped at the only area of running water in the area. Sometimes there's some good stuff around it in the winter -- 2 Green Sandpipers today. Also another photo of Bai qingquan, Terry Townshend, and Paul Holt at Fenghuang Shan north of Dandong.
 

Attachments

  • Fenghuang Shan.jpg
    Fenghuang Shan.jpg
    190.1 KB · Views: 52
  • Frozen Jinshitan.jpg
    Frozen Jinshitan.jpg
    121.3 KB · Views: 43
  • Green Sandpiper.jpg
    Green Sandpiper.jpg
    133.3 KB · Views: 53
  • Mongolian Gull.jpg
    Mongolian Gull.jpg
    77.8 KB · Views: 51
Nice images of the Green Sand and the Mongolian Gull, Tom! The gull's wing-tip pattern can be seen very well - showing black on the wing-tip to p4 - and the typical 'neck shawl' of Mongolian in winter.
 
Jinshitan February 2, 2012

A few hours in the car with my son. We drove around a flat scrub area. In the end we had some good sightings and sang every song he knew 4-5 times;). He loves being out in the car but it was too cold to get out for long. Saw a Saker Falcon cruise past clearly on its way somewhere which is only my second record for the area. Also had a very nice adult male Merlin very close to the car chasing one of the sparrowhawks out of the area but it wouldn't sit for a photo. I need a Merlin photo desperately for the next edition of my book. Two Rough-legged Buzzards hung around for the entire time. I had one so far this winter and now have seen 3 in the last week. Clearly they have moved into the area now. I'm checking out the reservoir tomorrow morning.

Ruddy Shelduck - 16
Common Shelduck - 28
Mallard - 1
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Merlin - 1 gorgeous male, beautiful birds!
Saker Falcon - 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 2 adult males
Rough-legged Buzzard - 2
Eurasian Skylark - approx 50
 

Attachments

  • Eurasian Kestrel.jpg
    Eurasian Kestrel.jpg
    51.1 KB · Views: 42
  • Eurasian Skylark.jpg
    Eurasian Skylark.jpg
    157 KB · Views: 49
  • Eurasian Sparrowhawk.jpg
    Eurasian Sparrowhawk.jpg
    142.2 KB · Views: 39
  • Rough-legged Hawk.jpg
    Rough-legged Hawk.jpg
    47.9 KB · Views: 48
  • Rough-legged Hawk 1.jpg
    Rough-legged Hawk 1.jpg
    125 KB · Views: 44
Jinshitan Feb. 3, 2012

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.:t:
 

Attachments

  • Eurasian Kestrel.jpg
    Eurasian Kestrel.jpg
    107.7 KB · Views: 47
  • Merlin.jpg
    Merlin.jpg
    121.8 KB · Views: 59
  • White-tailed Sea Eagle.jpg
    White-tailed Sea Eagle.jpg
    45 KB · Views: 51
  • White-tailed Sea Eagle 1.jpg
    White-tailed Sea Eagle 1.jpg
    43.1 KB · Views: 47
Hazel Grouse

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

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
 
Merlin

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.

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.:t:
 
Jinshitan area Feb. 6+7

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.
 

Attachments

  • Common Gull.jpg
    Common Gull.jpg
    116.8 KB · Views: 60
  • Common Shelducks.jpg
    Common Shelducks.jpg
    128 KB · Views: 77
  • Great-crested Grebe.jpg
    Great-crested Grebe.jpg
    89.5 KB · Views: 62
  • IMG_2026.JPG
    IMG_2026.JPG
    169.7 KB · Views: 86
  • Vega Gull.jpg
    Vega Gull.jpg
    113.7 KB · Views: 83
Jinshitan Feb. 8, 2011

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
 

Attachments

  • Hen Harrier.jpg
    Hen Harrier.jpg
    81.1 KB · Views: 62
  • Jinshitan.jpg
    Jinshitan.jpg
    70 KB · Views: 59
  • Little Owl.jpg
    Little Owl.jpg
    96.7 KB · Views: 56
  • Mongolian Gull.jpg
    Mongolian Gull.jpg
    93.7 KB · Views: 67
  • Northern Goshawk.jpg
    Northern Goshawk.jpg
    70 KB · Views: 72
Yellow-legged Gull

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.


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.
 
Rough-legged Buzzard

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.



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
 
Jinshitan Feb. 9, 2012

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
 

Attachments

  • Azure-winged Magpie.jpg
    Azure-winged Magpie.jpg
    107.9 KB · Views: 53
  • Common Pheasant.jpg
    Common Pheasant.jpg
    139 KB · Views: 47
  • Chinese Hill Warbler.jpg
    Chinese Hill Warbler.jpg
    105.7 KB · Views: 67
Laotieshan Feb. 10, 2012

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
 

Attachments

  • Bull-headed Shrike.jpg
    Bull-headed Shrike.jpg
    72 KB · Views: 63
  • Chinese Grosbeak.jpg
    Chinese Grosbeak.jpg
    133.9 KB · Views: 60
  • Daurian Redstart.jpg
    Daurian Redstart.jpg
    83 KB · Views: 46
  • Eurasian Siskin.jpg
    Eurasian Siskin.jpg
    178.4 KB · Views: 70
  • Naumann's Thrush.jpg
    Naumann's Thrush.jpg
    118.5 KB · Views: 56
More from Laotieshan

same day
 

Attachments

  • Seal.jpg
    Seal.jpg
    147.8 KB · Views: 71
  • Siberian Accentor.jpg
    Siberian Accentor.jpg
    118.7 KB · Views: 62
  • Yellow-bellied Tit.jpg
    Yellow-bellied Tit.jpg
    166.2 KB · Views: 57
  • Yellow-bellied Tit 2.jpg
    Yellow-bellied Tit 2.jpg
    117.8 KB · Views: 56
  • Yellow-throated Bunting.jpg
    Yellow-throated Bunting.jpg
    71.3 KB · Views: 51
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top