Dalian (Jinshitan) Birding Reports (1 Viewer)

Jinshitan Country Club and Sea Farming Ponds April 30, 2013

5:00 to 10:00 today with Remco Hofland and his girlfriend Belle from Holland. I didn't have much time to spend with them but we still enjoyed migration this morning. We did not have time to cover all of the Sea-farming Pond areas but did cover the Country Club well. The list below is a total from both places:

Common Pheasant
Mallard - 20
Spot-billed Duck - 4
Garganey - 2
Baikal Teal - 95% sure of 1 female
Striated Heron - 1
Chinese Pond Heron - 1 (FOS)
Purple Heron - 7 (my most ever together in Liaoning)
Chinese Egret - 3
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Little-ringed Plover - 5
Swin-tailed Snipe - 2
Snipe Sp. - 3
Whimbrel - 6
Common Greenshank - 2 (FOS)
Black-tailed Gull - 2
Vega/Mongolian Gull - 1
Black-headed Gull - 3
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Spotted Dove - 2
Common Kingfisher - 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2
Ashy Minivet - 2 (heard more) (FOS)
Brown Shrike - 2 (FOS)
Great Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - 15
Barn Swallow - 10
Chinese Bulbul - 2
Pallas's Leaf Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 60 minimum
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler - 1 (FOS)
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 2
Crested Myna - 6
Red-billed Starling - 1
White-cheeked Starling - 5
Grey-backed Thrush - 3
Eurasian Blackbird - 2 (FOS)
Dusky Thrush - 25
Siberian Stonechat - 6
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - 1 (FOS)
White Wagtail - 25 (all leucopsis and 1 ocularis)
Olive-backed Pipit - 2
Pechora Pipit - 2 (FOS)
Buff-bellied Pipit - 5 (FOS)
Brambling - 10
Greenfinch - 10
Eurasian Siskin - 20
Hawfinch - 2
Chinese Grosbeak - 6
Meadow Bunting - 1
Tristram's Bunting - 2
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 6
Little Bunting - 8
Yellow-browed Bunting - 10
Black-faced Bunting - 15
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 3

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That pipit looks interesting, and on this view to monochrome for Buff-bellied - any more pix Tom?

Cheers
Mike

Pipits

Mike, the one titled Pipit 1 might not be the same bird but is very similar. Is it blakistoni Water Pipit? This is what I called it in the field but changed my mind once it was on the computer screen.

The one titled Pipit 2 below is an obvious Buff-bellied in my opinion and was at the same place.

Thanks for your valued input Mike.

That would be my guess Tom, but the pale legs raise questions - I believe blakistoni should have black legs.

Cheers
Mike

May 2, 2013 Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds

5:00 - 8:00 this morning at the ponds. I covered the far northern parts and stayed for a long time in one spot watching a huge group of snipe.

Pheasant
Japanese Quail - 4 (sorry Remco!)
Common Shelduck - 3
Gadwall - 2
Mallard - 20
Garganey - 1
Little Grebe - 16
Chinese Pond Heron - 1
Grey Heron - 1
Purple Heron - 1
Chinese Egret - 5
Northern Goshawk - 1
Common Moorhen - 1 (FOS)
Common Coot - 3
Black-winged Stilt - 2 (FOS)
Little-ringed Plover - 10
Kentish Plover - 25
Swin-tailed Snipe - 2 confirmed
Common Snipe - maybe 5 confirmed
Snipe Sp. - 20 (flying around like plovers)
Whimbrel - 60
Common Greenshank - 2
Green Sandpiper - 3
Wood Sandpiper - 20 (FOS)
Terek Sandpiper - 1 (FOS)
Black-tailed Gull - 10
Black-headed Gull - 30
Pacific Swift - 8
Common Kingfisher - 2
Eurasian Wryneck - 1 (FOS)
Great Tit - 2
Chinese Penduline Tit - 5
Barn Swallow - 15
Red-rumped Swallow - 2
Chinese Bulbul - 1
Dusky Warbler - 2
Pallas's Leaf Warbler - 2
Yellow-browed Warbler - 50
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Crested Myna - 2
Siberian Stonechat - 5
Yellow Wagtail - 2 taivana (FOS)
White Wagtail - 15 leucopsis
Olive-backed Pipit - 2
Greenfinch - 5
Eurasian Siskin - 4
Meadow Bunting - 6
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 1
Little Bunting - 3
Yellow-browed Bunting - 1
Black-faced Bunting - 10
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 10

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Migration! We are having beautiful days that start out around 5 degrees and warm to around 15 in the afternoon. The flood gates have opened and I am currently three reports behind with many unprocessed pictures on my camera.

Yesterday morning I decided to hike up to the ridge beside the sea-farming ponds at first light and again witnessed the magic of migration in Liaoning Province. I did this two weeks ago and ended up cold with very few birds so didn't write a report about it. Yesterday was much different. I arrived at 5 and birds were clearly moving north in waves. They were mostly Pipits and Buntings and moving in huge numbers. I went back again this morning and did the same thing but ended up leaving by 7:00 to look at the mudflats because there was not even close to the numbers I observed yesterday moving over the ridge. After yesterday I decided to bring a note pad and pen this morning and recorded everything. All of this is coming in a report later but after counting this morning, I estimate that I saw the following yesterday:

Olive-backed Pipit - near 1000
Black-faced Bunting - 800
Yellow-browed Bunting - 400
Tristram's Bunting - 250

It was truly a spectacle! I had never hiked the ridge before in spring. During fall migration I have gone up there for raptors many times. In addition to the species listed above there were many many others that will come in a later report. The ridge is about 1 km from the ocean and between that and taller mountains, must be right on the flyway. I usually see Yellow-browed Bunting in small groups during a one week period here, to see that many was staggering. I used my camera to take pictures of individuals in the migrating flocks to determine what they were. It's hard to ID buntings on their flight call, especially the ones that I don't spend a lot of time with each year (Tristram's and Yellow-browed).

Anyway, I have to go now but will be catching up on reports, that include White-throated Needletail, later.

Tom

Jinshitan Ridge near the Sea-farming Ponds May 4, 2013

I arrived at 5 am and immediately realized it was going to be a good morning. On the ride in, I saw some kind of owl species flying that would have been a lifer for me. It was large and had a very floppy wing beat but the wings seemed to be pointed too much for Short-eared Owl. It was quite distant and was not quite daylight yet so it remains a mystery. Brown Hawk Owl? Yellow-browed Warblers were abundant to say the least near where the trail starts (almost every tree had at least 1 and the noise was truly amazing). I flushed a Scops Owl along the trail and it only got better from there. Once I got out of the forest where the trees thin near the top, I could see waves of buntings and pipits moving straight north just over the elevation of the ridge top. I used my camera to shoot into the groups and ID the buntings this way. The pipits were obviously Olive-backed on call. I stayed there until 9:00 when I other things to do. I later returned with both of my kids just after lunch and there were almost no birds moving then. The bulk were on the move between 5 and 6 but it was still going strong by 7. At almost exactly 8:00 it slowed to a trickle but was still enough to keep me there.

Here is the list. This includes other species that were there but not migrating. Also, there is a clear view of the entire pond area form the ridge so things like egrets and ducks are also included below.

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - 5
Mallard - 50
Spot-billed Duck - 10
Little Grebe - 5
Striated Heron - 1
Grey Heron - 8
Great Egret - 4
Little Egret - 5
Chinese Egret - 18 in one group on a sand bar in the middle of the ponds.
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Amur Falcon - 1
Japanese Sparrowhawk - 3 (FOS)
Little-ringed Plover - 4
Kentish Plover - 10
Snipe Sp. - 6
Whimbrel - 50
Common Greenshank - 2
Black-tailed Gull - 20
Black-headed Gull - 15
Hill Pigeon - 3
Oriental Turtle Dove - 8
Scops Owl (probably Oriental) - 1
Pacific Swift - 15
Common Kingfisher - 1
Eurasian Wryneck - 1
Ashy Minivet - 3
Brown Shrike - 2
Great Tit - 5
Yellow-bellied Tit - 15
Chinese Penduline Tit - 2
Barn Swallow - 30
Red-rumped Swallow - 5
Chinese Hill Warbler - 3
Pallas's Leaf Warbler - 50
Yellow-browed Warbler - 100
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 8
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 20
Chestnut-flanked White-eye - 4
White-eye Sp. - 30
Chinese Nuthatch - 1 heard
Grey-backed Thrush - 6
Dusky Thrush - 50
Grey Wagtail - 2
White Wagtail - 15 leucopsis
Olive-backed Pipit - near 1000 (simply awesome to watch)
Red-throated Pipit - 10 (FOS)
Brambling - 5
Oriental Greenfinch - 15
Eurasian Siskin - 30
Hawfinch - 1
Meadow Bunting - 10
Tristram's Bunting - 250
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 1 IDed
Little Bunting - 50
Yellow-browed Bunting - 400
Chesnut Bunting - 1 (FOS)
Black-faced Bunting - 800
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 10

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Bird Watching gives absolute pleasure at this time, isn't it Tom? The no's are superb.

Sea-farming Ponds May 5, 2013

Yesterday I hiked the ridge again but the visible migration was much slower than the previous day. I left the ridge area around 7 and spent another hour in the mudflat area. I returned with both kids just after lunch and sat where the river meets the ocean for about 1.5 hours. This morning I returned to the ponds with my daughter at 5 and spent 3 hours covering my main paths as well as most of the mudflats.

I should note that the weather on the huge migration day was overcast with a very weak north wind. The next day was clear skies and a stronger (15-20 km/h) WNW wind.

Here is the list from all of the times combined:

Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - 4
Mallard - 25
Spot-billed Duck - 5
Garganey - 1
Little Grebe - 13
Striated Heron - 1
Grey Heron - 6
Chinese Egret - 10
Amur Falcon - 1
Eurasian Kestrel - 2
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Common Moorhen - 1
Common Coot - 4
Little-ringed Plover - 12
Kentish Plover - 30
Lesser Sand Plover - 2 (FOS)
Snipe Sp. - 3
Whimbrel - 35
Common Redshank - 1 (FOS)
Marsh Sandpiper - 4 (FOS)
Common Greenshank - 10
Green Sandpiper - 1
Wood Sandpiper - 30
Grey-tailed Tattler - 3 (FOS)
Terek Sandpiper - 6
Common Sandpiper - 6
Ruddy Turnstone - 3 (FOS)
Sanderling - 1 F(FOS)
Red-necked Stint - 3
Dunlin - 1
Black-tailed Gull - 50
Black-headed Gull - 10
Little Tern -1 (FOS)
Oriental Turtle Dove - 5
Indian Cuckoo - 1 calling the majority of the morning yesterday (FOS)
White-throated Needletail - 2 (FOS)
Common Kingfisher - 2
Ashy Minivet - 6
Brown Shrike - 3
Great Tit - 6
Chinese Penduline Tit - 10
Barn Swallow - 8
Red-rumped Swallow - 1
Chinese Hill Warbler - 1
Chinese Bulbul - 3
Dusky Warbler - 2
Pallas's Leaf Warbler - 4
Yellow-browed Warbler - 50
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 2
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 1 group
Siberian Stonechat - 5
Mugimaki Flycatcher - 1 (FOS)
Yellow Wagtail - 8
White Wagtail - 20 leucopsis
Richard's Pipit - 1
Olive-backed Pipit - 82 (over the ridge on May 4)
Red-throated Pipit - 11 (over the ridge on May 4)
Buff-bellied Pipit - 2 (over the ridge on May 4)
Brambling - 2
Oriental Greenfinch - 15
Eurasian Siskin - 30
Hawfinch - 5
Chinese Grosbeak - 1
Meadow Bunting - 10
Tristram's Bunting - 12
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 1
Chestnut Bunting - 3
Black-faced Bunting - 7
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 3
Bunting Sp. (unidentified) over the ridge on May 4 - 66

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Nice wader shots Tom, but I like the Little Tern even better.

I'm a bit surprised to hear that Indian Cuckoo occurs so far north

Cheers
Mike

Country Club May 5, 2013

Mike,

Indian Cuckoo is regular here but usually appears later in May or even early June. Not usually seen but heard annually.

A quick visit to the Country Club from 2-4 on May 5:

Common Pheasant
Chinese Pond Heron - 1
Whimbrel - 5
Oriental Turtle Dove - 2
Common Kingfisher - 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Ashy Minivet - 2
Brown Shrike - 2
Great Tit - 4
Barn Swallow - 10
Chinese Bulbul - 1
Radde's Warbler - 2 (FOS)
Yellow-browed Warbler - 20
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 6
White-cheeked Starling - 3
Red-billed Starling - 1
Grey-backed Thrush - 2
Eurasian Blackbird - 1
Pale Thrush - 1
Dusky Thrush - 3
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1 (FOS)
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1 (FOS)
White Wagtail - 2 leucopsis
Olive-backed Pipit - 2
Oriental Greenfinch - 10
Eurasian Siskin - 15
Hawfinch - 1
Chinese Grosbeak - 4
Tristram's Bunting - 5
Chestnut-eared Bunting - 1
Little Bunting - 4
Yellow-browed Bunting - 6 (check out the photo!)
Black-faced Bunting - 4

Pictures that go with the morning of May 5, 2013

More pics from the mudflats.

Country Club May 10, 2013

Had a bit of time there this afternoon. Wonderful weather, possibly hitting 20 degrees for the first time - my first coat-free birding of the year. Plenty of migrants around. Also another hare pacing the perimeter fence.

Common Pheasant - 3
Striated Heron - 2
Chinese Pond Heron - 1
Cattle Egret - 2 (FOS)
Whimbrel - 2
Common Sandpiper - 2
Oriental Scops Owl - 1 calling
Pacific Swift - 2
Common Kingfisher
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2
Great Tit - 10
Barn Swallow - 80
Red-rumped Swallow - 40
Chinese Bulbul - 1
Radde's Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 5
Arctic Warbler - 5 (FOS)
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler - 6
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 10
White-cheeked Starling - 2
Grey-backed Thrush - 1
Eyebrowed Thrush - 3 (FOS)
Swinhoe's Robin - 2 (FOS)
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1
Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 1 (FOS)
Dark-sided Flycatcher - 1 (FOS)
Mugimaki Flycatcher - 2
White Wagtail - 2 leucopsis
Forest Wagtail 1 heard (FOS)
Oriental Greenfinch - 30 very sharp looking individuals dressed in their spring time threads.
Chinese Grosbeak - 1
Chestnut Bunting - 3 (FOS)

Sounds like migration is in full swing there Tom, just as its winding down in HK.

Cheers
Mike

Brent Goose! Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds May 11, 2013

I was wondering what my first lifer would be this migration season and received my answer today. Today was a family excursion of tadpole catching and just generally being outside enjoying the recent weather. We ended up on the sea wall where the main river channel meets the sea and while the kids played, my wife and I just sat and enjoyed the ocean views. I was noticing the birds as there were a few things flying in and out of the channel. Out of the corner of my eye I saw what looked like cormorants flying low over the water. The Pelagics are mostly gone now so I expected them to be Great Cormorants. I raised my binoculars to have a better look and let out a yelp that had my wife jumping and the kids running over to see what happened! Four Brent Geese were flying towards us and soon they landed out in deep water at the mouth of the river. They stayed there for around 30 minutes and then moved on. This is a much wanted species and a very decent record anywhere China.

Also seen today while out:
Common Pheasant
Brent Goose - 4
Mallard - 5
Spot-billed Duck - 10
Little Grebe - 1
Little Egret - 2
Chinese Egret - 15
Eurasian Kestrel - 1
Kentish plover - 10
Whimbrel - 10
Terek Sandpiper - 1
Red-necked Stint - 6
Black-tailed Gull - 25
Oriental Turtle Dove - 1
Indian Cuckoo - 1 heard
Oriental Cuckoo - 2 calling (FOS)
Black-naped Oriole - 3 (FOS) I can do their call and called them right in behind us while tadpole collecting.
Barn Swallow - 6
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
White Wagtail - 10 leucopsis
Greenfinch - 10

Congrats Tom - Brent Geese a superb record! What will be next? Hoping you see a Streaked Reed Warbler or Swinhoe's Rail...