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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FXM" data-source="post: 1641789" data-attributes="member: 48286">Hi Folks,Weather first thing as I left Beidaihe was F5-6 virtually N, very cold and overcast. I'd been informed Shen Yang had no cranes but that Storks remained so it seemed like a chance worth taking. I tried further south in the general vicinity of Qilihai and all lilkely places between but nothing of particular note. Nandaihe was a shadow of its former self. I used to love the grasslands there but they don't look much anymore. Building pressing ahead in the general region it seems.Headed back to Beidaihe and was at the res. by 1100. Three Baikal Teal, a Great White Egret, single Daurian Redstart and lots of Rustic and Little Buntings were the most noteworthy sightings. Additional bits and pieces also but there has been a very obvious reduction in migrants there over the last two days or so.And so out to the sandflats for a pretty cold five hour stint. It appears we are due for a definite quiet spell and so it turned out. No cranes, storks, geese or bustards. Best me and my Chinese birding pal could muster were:Saunder's Gull - two 1st wintersRuddy Shelduck - two.Carrion Crow - two in-offEastern Buzzard - two in-offKestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk - both in-offBuff-bellied Pipit - singleHoopoe - one appeared to come in-off and head into Pigeon Nest ParkDon't think there's anything else new to report from the flats. Saunder's were good value - as usual.The visibility today was much, much better so no excuses. If 'they' were there we would have nailed them. As we were picking up wildfowl with ease beyond the high rise flats at Qinhuangdao I'm certain we'd have locked onto anything large. It takes the cranes at least 15 minutes to cover that distance as they head down the beach. The 'eastern' route was also checked very frequently.I departed the windmill at 1700hrs freezing cold and not too disappointed as reports suggested it might well be craneless.Having said that there is another known stopover point between Beidaihe and Shen Yang (400kms north). It lies just the far side of Shanhaiguan and is about 200kms to the north. Basically it sits at the mid-point between Beidaihe and Shen Yang. I only found out about it tonight and I'll get the name tomorrow (in case you are not aware of it).That raises a lot more questions. I'd always assumed that birds leaving Shen Yang came down and past Beidaihe in one movement - on a good day. This news almost certainly means things are not quite that simple. They could very easily do this part of their journey in two stages if need be. Might explain several of the timings over the years. Many seem to arrive too early at Beidaihe suggesting they departed much nearer than Shen Yang. Maybe this is part of the answer."Hope Tian Ma Hu proves good; and that a crane flurry before you leave, Frank."Thanks for that Martin. Three of us are heading there first thing tomorrow morning. Full report later. Here's hoping once again.You are so right Mark. The skies will be white over Beidaihe very shortly after my departure - unless a SW sets in again.  It's just been one of those years. It happens in birding. Still you never know what we might turn up tomorrow.CheersFrank<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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