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Dalian (Jinshitan) Birding Reports (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter Dong Bei
- Start date
Gretchen,
The time in the Philippines was great. I've seen both waxwings north of here in Dandong but seeing them here in Dalian was extra special -- thanks to Terry's eye for that. Oriental Storks at this time of the year is quite normal but seeing them out on the sea ice is not. Four weeks ago there were 3 and now this is 8 there. A larger group of them usually winter in an area of rice stubble about 1.5 hours north of here.
Tom
The time in the Philippines was great. I've seen both waxwings north of here in Dandong but seeing them here in Dalian was extra special -- thanks to Terry's eye for that. Oriental Storks at this time of the year is quite normal but seeing them out on the sea ice is not. Four weeks ago there were 3 and now this is 8 there. A larger group of them usually winter in an area of rice stubble about 1.5 hours north of here.
Tom
Tom, thanks too for the pictures of the bay and Laotieshan - nice to see the general habitat.
Wonder what brought the storks down to the sea... stubble didn't produce the usual small prey? Do temps seem pretty normal up there? Seems quite reasonable, or maybe a bit warm here.
Hope your last day goes well!
Wonder what brought the storks down to the sea... stubble didn't produce the usual small prey? Do temps seem pretty normal up there? Seems quite reasonable, or maybe a bit warm here.
Hope your last day goes well!
Jinshitan Feb. 9, 2011
We spent Terry's and Spike's last day in Dalian in my local area of Jinshitan. We visited the Jinshitan Reservoir, the Country Club, and the Jin Shi Golf Course. We did very well with over ten Pallas's Rosefinches and Long-tailed Rosefinches seen in two different locations. Managed 4 Varied Tit in the golf course woods. The Jinshitan Reservoir and the golf course required some fancy talking to get permission to enter as we were stopped at both places. Cold today at around -5 with wind but a beautiful clear day. List:
Common Pheasant
Mallard
Falcated Duck
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Eurasian Kestrel
Hen Harrier
Northern Goshawk
Rough-legged Buzzard
Japanese Quail
Black-tailed Gull
Vega Gull
Oriental Turtle Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Eurasian Treecreeper
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Varied Tit -- 4
Chinese Hill Warbler
Chinese Bulbul
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Naumann's Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Accentor
Brambling
Greenfinch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pallas's Rosefinch
Meadow Bunting
Rustic Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
Pallas's Reed Bunting
We spent Terry's and Spike's last day in Dalian in my local area of Jinshitan. We visited the Jinshitan Reservoir, the Country Club, and the Jin Shi Golf Course. We did very well with over ten Pallas's Rosefinches and Long-tailed Rosefinches seen in two different locations. Managed 4 Varied Tit in the golf course woods. The Jinshitan Reservoir and the golf course required some fancy talking to get permission to enter as we were stopped at both places. Cold today at around -5 with wind but a beautiful clear day. List:
Common Pheasant
Mallard
Falcated Duck
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Eurasian Kestrel
Hen Harrier
Northern Goshawk
Rough-legged Buzzard
Japanese Quail
Black-tailed Gull
Vega Gull
Oriental Turtle Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Eurasian Treecreeper
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Varied Tit -- 4
Chinese Hill Warbler
Chinese Bulbul
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Naumann's Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Accentor
Brambling
Greenfinch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pallas's Rosefinch
Meadow Bunting
Rustic Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
Pallas's Reed Bunting
Attachments
Terry Townshend
Regular vagrant
Thanks Tom for your excellent hospitality and great company. We had a really good time. Now I just have to work out how I am going to get back in May.
The 3 wing-tagged Mongolian Gulls had travelled a fair way. Two were ringed at a breeding colony on Lake Baikal (almost 2,000km away) and one was from a colony at Khokh Nuur in Mongolia (around 1,300km from Dalian).
Attaching a couple of my favourite images from the trip.. more on my blog
The 3 wing-tagged Mongolian Gulls had travelled a fair way. Two were ringed at a breeding colony on Lake Baikal (almost 2,000km away) and one was from a colony at Khokh Nuur in Mongolia (around 1,300km from Dalian).
Attaching a couple of my favourite images from the trip.. more on my blog
Attachments
Spike Millington
Member
Hi Tom, many thanks for taking the time to help us with this great trip and for your expert help and company. It seems a good winter for Pallas's Rosefinches with a few recent reports from the hills around Beijing. No Long-tailed's though 
Look forward to showing you some great birds around Beijing (at least one lifer guaranteed !)
All the best, Spike
Look forward to showing you some great birds around Beijing (at least one lifer guaranteed !)
All the best, Spike
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Hybrid Panda ?
Not quite the right thread for this but, inspired by Sandy (?) (help!), below is what one sees on exiting the airport at Chengdu.
Is it Giant, or Red, or some ghastly mutation ?
Entrancing, in a bizarre sort of way, though.
Not quite the right thread for this but, inspired by Sandy (?) (help!), below is what one sees on exiting the airport at Chengdu.
Is it Giant, or Red, or some ghastly mutation ?
Entrancing, in a bizarre sort of way, though.
Attachments
All nice pics (and well, Sandy is unforgettable), nice to see the coal tit too. It does look quite similar to the one I saw, though I really couldn't see a wing bar - probably trying to remember too much at once.
Jinshitan Feb. 16+17
Been out and about a bit in the last 2 days. Yesterday just driving around and then this morning at the Jin Shi Golf Course. Found a group of 3 Pelagic Cormorants in the ocean there. This is my first record of Pelagic here in Jinshitan. I've seen Great Cormorant quite a few times in the same location but these are Pelagic I believe. If I am wrong, please correct me. My only other record of Pelagic was from an island about 1.5 hours north in the Yellow Sea in summer. I was also surprised to see 2 Blue Rock Thrushes. I saw one last year in the middle of the winter as well so maybe there are some that are spending the winter here now. The other highlight this afternoon was hearing a Peregrine Falcon take a Pigeon right behind me. I heard the event but couldn't see due to a cliff face behind me. A few seconds later a Peregrine flew around the corner with a fat Hill Pigeon that it was still trying to get a good grip on before flying off over the water to a distant cliff ledge. List from the last two days:
Common Pheasant
Mallard
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Black-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Eurasian Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Black-tailed Gull
Common Gull
Vega Gull
Mongolian Gull
Black-headed Gull
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Chinese Hill Warbler
Chiense Bulbul
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Goldcrest
Dusky Thrush
Naumann's Thrush
Blue Rock Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Accentor
Brambling
Greenfinch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pallas's Rosefinch
Yellow-throated Bunting
Meadow Bunting
Been out and about a bit in the last 2 days. Yesterday just driving around and then this morning at the Jin Shi Golf Course. Found a group of 3 Pelagic Cormorants in the ocean there. This is my first record of Pelagic here in Jinshitan. I've seen Great Cormorant quite a few times in the same location but these are Pelagic I believe. If I am wrong, please correct me. My only other record of Pelagic was from an island about 1.5 hours north in the Yellow Sea in summer. I was also surprised to see 2 Blue Rock Thrushes. I saw one last year in the middle of the winter as well so maybe there are some that are spending the winter here now. The other highlight this afternoon was hearing a Peregrine Falcon take a Pigeon right behind me. I heard the event but couldn't see due to a cliff face behind me. A few seconds later a Peregrine flew around the corner with a fat Hill Pigeon that it was still trying to get a good grip on before flying off over the water to a distant cliff ledge. List from the last two days:
Common Pheasant
Mallard
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Black-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Eurasian Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Black-tailed Gull
Common Gull
Vega Gull
Mongolian Gull
Black-headed Gull
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Chinese Hill Warbler
Chiense Bulbul
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Goldcrest
Dusky Thrush
Naumann's Thrush
Blue Rock Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Accentor
Brambling
Greenfinch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pallas's Rosefinch
Yellow-throated Bunting
Meadow Bunting
Attachments
Terry Townshend
Regular vagrant
Jinshitan reservoir Feb. 18, 2011
List from the Jinshitan reservoir yesterday: Nothing out of the ordinary. Quite dead really....
Common Pheasant (another heart-resetting experience at less than 3 feet)
Common Buzzard -- about 10 individuals. Haven't seen any of them for the last while. Some were even riding thermals and gliding off into the distance.
Eurasian Treecreeper
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Naumann's Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Accentor
Brambling
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pallas's Rosefinch
Rustic Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
List from the Jinshitan reservoir yesterday: Nothing out of the ordinary. Quite dead really....
Common Pheasant (another heart-resetting experience at less than 3 feet)
Common Buzzard -- about 10 individuals. Haven't seen any of them for the last while. Some were even riding thermals and gliding off into the distance.
Eurasian Treecreeper
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Naumann's Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Accentor
Brambling
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pallas's Rosefinch
Rustic Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
Attachments
Jinzhou Bay and Dalian Bay Feb. 19, 2011
Afternoon trip with my wife today. Jinzhou Bay is still completely frozen but I had to be careful where I walked as it is breaking up a little in places. We enjoyed good scope views of wintering ducks in Dalian Bay.
Common Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck
Falcated Duck
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Eurasian Teal (not a common Feb. wintering record here)
Common Pochard
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Great-crested Grebe
Oriental Stork -- 4
White-tailed Sea Eagle (1 on Jinzhou Bay, 2 on a frozen section of Dalian Bay)
Black-tailed Gull
Common Gull
Vega Gull
Mongolian Gull
Heuglin's Gull
Black-headed Gull
Afternoon trip with my wife today. Jinzhou Bay is still completely frozen but I had to be careful where I walked as it is breaking up a little in places. We enjoyed good scope views of wintering ducks in Dalian Bay.
Common Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck
Falcated Duck
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Eurasian Teal (not a common Feb. wintering record here)
Common Pochard
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Great-crested Grebe
Oriental Stork -- 4
White-tailed Sea Eagle (1 on Jinzhou Bay, 2 on a frozen section of Dalian Bay)
Black-tailed Gull
Common Gull
Vega Gull
Mongolian Gull
Heuglin's Gull
Black-headed Gull
Attachments
Jinshitan Sea-farming Ponds Feb. 26, 2011
Horrible news: The Sea-farming ponds are all in the process of being filled in. After destroying good agriculture habitat for a few years, the equipment is now across the road filling in almost every pond. The main river channel is untouched for now but all the ponds and the reeds and scrub between them are being buried as I type. This has been very good bunting, pipit, and reed warbler habitat. I have also seen species such as Black-faced Spoonbill, Watercock, and Baikal Teal using the ponds. Plenty of Harrier, falcons, etc... also requented the area. Also, it is the last sea-farming pond habitat easily reachable for me. Four years ago there were two huge areas like this (the other was the amazing Chinese Egret site now under fill). Why is it being filled in? Three more golf courses, a marina (we'll see if it happens or not), a huge movie production area, and more housing.
I was there today for a few hours:
Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck
Gadwall
Falcated Duck
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Eurasian Teal
Common Goldeneye
Smew
Common Merganser
Little Grebe
Eurasian Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Common Buzzard
Rough-legged Buzzard
Black-tailed Gull
Vega Gull
Mongolian Gull
Chinese Grey Shrike (almost none around this winter)
Great Tit
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Greenfinch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Little Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
Pallas's Reed Bunting
Horrible news: The Sea-farming ponds are all in the process of being filled in. After destroying good agriculture habitat for a few years, the equipment is now across the road filling in almost every pond. The main river channel is untouched for now but all the ponds and the reeds and scrub between them are being buried as I type. This has been very good bunting, pipit, and reed warbler habitat. I have also seen species such as Black-faced Spoonbill, Watercock, and Baikal Teal using the ponds. Plenty of Harrier, falcons, etc... also requented the area. Also, it is the last sea-farming pond habitat easily reachable for me. Four years ago there were two huge areas like this (the other was the amazing Chinese Egret site now under fill). Why is it being filled in? Three more golf courses, a marina (we'll see if it happens or not), a huge movie production area, and more housing.
I was there today for a few hours:
Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck
Gadwall
Falcated Duck
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Eurasian Teal
Common Goldeneye
Smew
Common Merganser
Little Grebe
Eurasian Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Common Buzzard
Rough-legged Buzzard
Black-tailed Gull
Vega Gull
Mongolian Gull
Chinese Grey Shrike (almost none around this winter)
Great Tit
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Greenfinch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Little Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
Pallas's Reed Bunting
