18 months in Shanghai: March 2012 - August 2013 (1 Viewer)

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Thursday 25th April:
Journey: Xiaojin > Mengbi > Barkam (Maerkang)

Bird pics # 3: Buzzard; Active birders x 2; phyllosc spp. x 2

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Thursday 25th April:
Journey: Xiaojin > Mengbi > Barkam (Maerkang)

Bird pics # 4: White-throated Dipper; White-capped Water Redstart; Chinese Song Thrush; Grey-backed Shrike; Old man of Barkham

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Friday 26th April:
Journey: Barkam > Hongyuan
Birding: Along road
Overnight: Hongyuan

Leaving our new favourite city we embarked on another day of roadside birding stopping where we found interest and making our way towards Hongyuan. A short stop near the “Watershed of Changjiang and Yellow River” followed a monastery visit. Seven lifers throughout the day kept the scores moving along nicely...

The first stop brought us to a streamside patch of cultivated land with plenty of scrubby cover. Early doors still saw a few birds kicking around including female rosefinches of some sort or other; more Sichuan Tits; a smart Rufous-breasted Accentor and...oh joy...a phyllosc...new for Phil here was China's most boring-looking laugher...poor old Pere David's...

Moving on to a monastery this was almost the first bird seen along with a couple of Oriental Greenfinch abluting themselves. Walking around the complex we became pals with one monk who wanted a picture with us uglies...they were putting seed out to feed the birds (nice monksies) and a pair of Chinese White-browed Rosefinch were not about to waste it...a Marsh Tit here was new for the trip...

Moving on our next stop was due to a small thing with a white rump flitting about that resolved into Siberian Stonechat and the stop also delivered our only Robin Accentors of the trip...a wary pair...

Another pit stop after spying some Ruddy Shelduck also delivered big time as one of my most wanted species chose this moment to make an entrance...White-browed Tit-Warbler did not disappoint...a pair actively feeding in roadside scrub...super cool birds. Godlewski's Bunting and Hodgson's Redstart also favoured the area and a smart male Kessler's Thrush was also flitting about. A heavily marked pipit distracted us from the Sichuan Tit flock...two pics to identify for you dear reader...

Moving on a short way we stopped for Black-eared Kite and then again shortly after at what appeared to be unpromising roadside scrub...however...a little search soon revealed a cracking White-browed Tit...very nice...

Another short journey and a side track produced another quality encounter as we spent some time working a patch of scrub that just kept on giving new birds: Alpine Leaf-Warbler; more White-browed Tit-Warbler, make and females both ultra-confiding; another Godlewski's Bunting or two; male Blue-fronted Redstart; and a small group of Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch...or are they now Himalayan? Has there been a realignment of species limits recently? A White-throated Redstart was the final jewel in this particular crown.

Moving up onto the grasslands outside Hongyuan we came across some outdoor butchery going on attended by a posse of hopeful Daurian Jackdaw's. Roadside pools held Common Redshank...and smart black-backed Citrine Wagtail. But they were just the aperitif as eventually our searching eyes found the main prize...a pair of Black-necked Cranes working the marshy field and stream...one of the trips other main targets shows up on schedule...Skylarks distracted momentarily before swapping our search to the other side of the road we found what would turn out to be four of a group of 17 or so birds.

The four were a family party with two adults escorting two young birds...last years offspring presumably. As the weather worsened and snow flurries filled the air, the adults chose their moment to engage in a spot of courtship dancing...very atmospheric!

Better was to come as shifting down the road a little and so finding the bulk of the flock I noticed that we had one Common Crane amongst them...nice to have the familiar to scale against the new...

That pretty much wrapped the day up with only a lone Hoopoe and an equally lonely Black-eared Kite perched on wires and telegraph poles to pad the list out.

Tonight we had the chance to sample traditional Tibetan hospitality and it was an experience worth...experiencing...sitting around a stove powered by yak dung sipping tea and listening to the lady of the house laughing and joking with bith Roland and her family was a welcome change from hotel living...I think we ordered takeaway food and there was a couple of beers to relax with...and so to bed...

Pictures: scenery then birds once again...

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Scenery pics # 2

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Scenery pics #3: The Monastery

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Scenery pics # 4: Old lady off to spin the prayer wheels; rural dwelling; young lady; some shans; butchery and Daurian's

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 1: Rosefinch spp.; Rufous-breasted Accentor; phyllosc spp. x 2; Pere David's Laughingthrush

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 2: Oriental Greenfinch; Chinese White-browed Rosefinch; Robin Accentor; White-browed Tit-Warbler; Godlewski's Bunting

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 3: Pipit spp. x 2; Sichuan Tit; White-browed Tit-Warbler x 2

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 4: Kessler's Thrush; Black-eared Kite; White-browed Tit x 2; Alpine Leaf-Warbler

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 5: White-browed Tit-Warbler, female; Godlewski's Bunting; Blue-fronted Redstart; Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch; White-browed Tit-Warbler, male

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 6: Common Redshank; Black-necked Crane x 4

 

[McMadd]

Mr Loma Man...Spicy, Sexy Sichuan

Barkam > Hongyuan

Birdy pics # 7: dancing Black-necked Crane x 4; Black-necked and Common Crane

 

[MKinHK]

Those dancing cranes as pretty special!

Cheers
Mike

 

[Frogfish]

As always Mark ... very amusing and interesting read. Love some of the shots both environmental and birds. That White-browed Tit-Warbler is something special !

 

[McMadd]

Wotcha

One day we'll get this thread finished but in the meantime here a link to some recent Indian mischief involving a day-twitch from Kolkata to Guwahati tip for Greater Adjutant with mandatory re-arranging of flights as us old-skool Shangers and HK birders like to do... :0)

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=282026

By the by, it's nice to see "the international team working with 'Spoon-billed Sandpipers in China', at Rudong" keeping an eye on things...maybe ZL and Tong could be given a mention for the work they've put in there over the years...maybe I read too much into condescending facebook posts...? Still...as long as they keep the white-water rafters out of the roosting ponds it's all good eh lads...?

MK in HK...coming to a runway near you in August...look out!!

cheers lads 'n' lasses
McM

 

[MKinHK]

Nice report, good tick . . but they sure is ugly!

Let me know when you have dates Mark. There will be no birds in August, but very happy to meet up.

Cheers
Mike

 

[McMadd]

I was on page 2...not 'avin' that

 

[McMadd]

Just received the below from a colleague...sounds...interesting (and also gets me back on the front page...

"China: Chongming Island transformation plan revealed by Shanghai government

On 30 December 2016, the Shanghai government of China revealed its master plan to transform Chongming Island into a world-class ecological island by 2020...

On 30 December 2016, the Shanghai government of China revealed its master plan to transform Chongming Island into a world-class ecological island by 2020. The plan included improving 95% of the island's ground water to good quality standard, processing all agricultural sewage before releasing into rivers, and raising the natural wetlands and forest coverage to 43% and 30% of the island respectively. The government also planned on constructing an expressway in the west of the island and a metro line connecting the island to other city districts. The plan also included doubling the average income of the island's population from 2010 and keeping the population to around 700,000. Original content in English"

 

[mcaribou]

The plan should have been made when u were in Shanghai.