Birding in Beijing (1 Viewer)

Shi Jin · Nov 7, 2009

I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon at the botanical gardens yesterday.

The highlight of the visit was a Collared Finchbill:

a photo of this and many other photo-highlights of my travels in China in 2009 can be seen on my website at: http://www.chinesecurrents.com/wild_water.html

There were also c50 Naumann's and Dusky Thrushes (more of the former); 1 pair of Chinese Nuthatches; a Red-flanked Bluetail; and several Pallas's Warblers.

BTW: A few weeks ago in the Huairou district of Beijing, I managed to get a photo of a pair of Ibisbills. Also at:

http://www.chinesecurrents.com/wild_water.html

Gretchen · Nov 9, 2009

Sounds like nice birding (bluetail still hanging around...). The Collared Finchbill is new to me. I enjoyed your pictures - especially the magpie eating persimmons (I know some birds love those and so shouldn't be surprised, but still an unusual pic to me) and nice work on the ibisbills. Had looked at your pics earlier this year, and was quite astonished at the water rail on ice (in Beidiahe) as I had no idea they might be here all winter.

Cheers, Gretchen

xiaoming · Nov 11, 2009

Collared Finchibills are common in a small patch at Botanical Garden, but very rare in North China(including Beijing and Hebei). I think this group may be escaped or released by some Buddhists and now they have lived there for several years.

Shi Jin · Jan 13, 2010

Went to the botanical gardens yesterday.

Very cold indeed. But excellent light.

Brambling c10
Tree Sparrow Lots
Yellow-bellied Tit (photo) c15
Chinese Nuthatch (photo) sev
Eastern Great Tit few
Vinous-throated Parrotbill (photo) c30
Marsh Tit 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker (photo) few
Grey-headed Woodpecker 1
Long-tailed Tit (photo) c15
Chinese Hill Warbler (photo) 3
(1 near Wofo; 2 in Cherry Valley)
Azure-winged Magpie (photo) c30
Magpie c10

.................................................. ..............
Photos of the 7 species can be seen at:

http://www.chinesecurrents.com/2010birds2.html

Gretchen · Jan 14, 2010

Ah, very nice to see these pics of guys I should be seeing too |:$| (It's also nice to have names to match with them.) I love the parrotbills, and am waiting to see the longtailed tits for myself. I've not seen the yellow bellied tit before either - so it's fun to see their pics.

Looking forward to watching you make your 365 challenge!

Shi Jin · Jan 14, 2010

Hi Gretchen

I've seen flocks of yellow-bellied tits in winter in the conifers in the "stone garden" in Beidaihe (opposite the beach just round the corner from the road that connects the south and north gates of the Lotus Hills)

Also, when it gets a bit warmer (Feb), go up to Old Peak... excellent for PD laugher, Sibe Accentor and quite a few more things.

Cheers.

Gretchen · Jan 15, 2010

Thanks Shi jin! I've never really looked around that park (jieshi yuan - I take it from a map) - I've always stuck to the coastal side of the road. Hopefully will have a look around Beidaihe this weekend.

Gretchen

rockfowl · Jan 16, 2010

Gretchen said:
Thanks Shi jin! I've never really looked around that park (jieshi yuan - I take it from a map) - I've always stuck to the coastal side of the road. Hopefully will have a look around Beidaihe this weekend.

Gretchen

Good luck Gretchen, let us know how you get on. FYI, if you want to see Long-tailed Tits, the Dongshan Hotel and the woods around the reservoir are very good for wintering birds.

Gretchen · Jan 17, 2010

rockfowl said:
Good luck Gretchen, let us know how you get on. FYI, if you want to see Long-tailed Tits, the Dongshan Hotel and the woods around the reservoir are very good for wintering birds.

Unfortunately the reservoir woods were not so good today :-C We only walked around freezing for an hour and a half (too short? too impatient?), but not till the end did we even catch sight of a few woodpeckers (one Grey-headed and a couple of Greater Spotted). Saw what I believe were a few pheasants flying in the distance and that was it! Lots going on at the reservoir (I'll write on the other thread - here), so maybe that was it, or bad luck, or too little ability to find birds!

I didn't get as far as the stone park, but perhaps will get there and the Dongshan after my trip to Thailand. Thanks for the ideas and encouragement - I trust I'll not feel so discouraged when I get defrosted again. (Of course just having read about Mike's great day didn't help my mood ...

)

Gretchen

Shi Jin · Jan 18, 2010

The reservoir developments you write about are a worry. I await your write-up with interest.

Shi Jin · Jan 20, 2010

Beijing Botanical Gardens
20th January 2010, 10am - 2pm

................................................ .................................

Pere David's Laughingthrush (photo) 2
Collared Finchbill (photo) 5
Brambling (photo) Two flocks (10+5)
Spotted Dove 1
Tree Sparrow (photo) c50
Yellow-bellied Tit c10
Chinese Nuthatch (photo) 2
Eastern Great Tit c30
Marsh Tit 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker few
Grey-headed Woodpecker 1
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker 4
Long-tailed Tit c10
Chinese Hill Warbler (photo) 2
Azure-winged Magpie c50
Magpie c10
Red-billed Blue Magpie (photo) 4
Siberian Accentor (Armchair!) 1

..................................................

Photos of the 7 species can be seen at:

http://www.chinesecurrents.com/2010birds3.html

Gretchen · Jan 20, 2010

Wow, a squirrel too! Do you see those frequently?

Despite it being "mild" those birds are pretty fluffed up - the sparrows are nearly spherical! Does the brambling seem unusually yellow, or is that typical?

Nice collection for a winter day, and seems like you're "list" is coming along well.

xiaoming · Jan 20, 2010

Hi Shijin:
We plan to visit LuGou Bridge this weekend. Not far from downtown(near Southwest Fifth Ring Road).
Also many Pallas's Sandgrouse, Mongolian Larks there.
Welcome to join us.

Xiao Ming

Shi Jin · Jan 22, 2010

I posted this on one of the general threads, but for the sake of keeping my Beijing records in one place, I'll put a summary here:

Wenyu River, Chaoyang/Shunyi, Beijing

Thursday, 21st January 2010, 9am to 12.45pm .

.................................................. .................................

Green Sandpiper (photo) 1
Water Pipit (photo) 1
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (photo) 3
Siberian Meadow Bunting (photo) 2
Long-billed Crow c20
Eastern Buzzard 1
Magpie c30
Azure-winged magpie c30
Marsh Tit (photo) 1
Mallard (photo) c800
Gadwall 2 (a pair)
Teal c20
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
Grey-headed Woodpecker 1
Rufous Turtle Dove 2
Spotted Dove 4
Collared Dove 1
Tree Sparrow c200
Oriental Greenfinch (photo) 2
Wren (photo) 1

Photos at http://www.chinesecurrents.com/2010birds4.html

Shi Jin · Jan 24, 2010

Machang Cun, Jingliang Qiao, Beijing

Saturday, 23rd January 2010, 9.30am to 3.30pm

Many thanks to Xiaoming for his kind invitation to join him and a group of more than a dozen other Beijing birders for a wonderful day's birding.

Here's a summary of what I saw:

Mongolian Lark (2 photos) c150
Asian Short-toed Lark (photo) c500
Pallas's Sandgrouse (3 photos) 6
Eurasian Skylark c30
Pallas's Reed Bunting (photo) c80
Siberian Meadow Bunting 2
Little Bunting (photo) c50
Large-billed Crow c20
"Oriental" Crow (photo) c30
Daurian Jackdaw c200
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (photo) 1
Upland Buzzard (2 photos) 2
Saker (photo) 2
Magpie c30
Azure-winged Magpie c20
Tree Sparrow c100
Chinese Grey Shrike (photo) 1
Hen Harrier (2 photos) 1

Photos at:

http://www.chinesecurrents.com/2010birds5.html

KFC · Feb 14, 2010

Shi Jin

I stumbled upon this thread and your photos in my research for a visit to China. Wow - such beautiful photo's and of species which don't often seem to be photographed. Thanks for sharing.

Ken

bobf · May 17, 2010

Ibisbill in Beijing in summer

I'll be in Beijing a few days in early July and again mid-August. At either of these times, do I have much chance at the Ibisbill site north of Beijing, or is that just a wintering site?

Thanks, Bob

blancheliu · May 18, 2010

bobf said:
I'll be in Beijing a few days in early July and again mid-August. At either of these times, do I have much chance at the Ibisbill site north of Beijing, or is that just a wintering site?

Thanks, Bob

Based on several years' observation of Beijing local birders, Ibisbill will breed at this site, and this year birders have taken photos for their mating. Hope they breed successfully this year.

So, yes, they will stay here for the whole year.

Wish you a good luck.

bobf · May 21, 2010

blancheliu said:
Based on several years' observation of Beijing local birders, Ibisbill will breed at this site, and this year birders have taken photos for their mating. Hope they breed successfully this year.

So, yes, they will stay here for the whole year.

Wish you a good luck.

Thanks for the update. The best directions I could find for this site on the web in trip reports (other than references to an issue of Dutch Birding, which I don't get) was: "between Huairo and Fengning, at km post 99" Do you perhaps have anything more precise?

Thanks,
Bob

rockfowl · May 26, 2010

The Ibisbill had young on the river as of two weeks ago. You can join the river at post 99 and follow it along as they appear to have recently been ranging a little further afield due to habitat change. The river is undergoing some dramatic changes and chances are these birds will probably not remain for too much longer I fear. The braided sections are few and far between with a series of 'ornamental ponds' appearing and separating the good bits. Still good birding in the area though with breeding Long-billed Plover, Russet Sparrows etc

Suggest you contact one of the Beijing birders on here to take you up there, Xiaoming, blancheliu?

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