Hi all,
Apologies for the delay! In the end I had only a morning free at Laotieshan itself, but all your advice was extremely helpful.
The day before, I was taken along to visit the bird ringing station nearby, where birds caught included Red-flanked Bluetail, Coal Tit, Brambling, Yellow-throated Bunting, Dusky Thrush, Grey-backed Thrush, Tristram's Bunting, Little Bunting and Rustic Bunting. Frustratingly I didn't manage to see all of these species anywhere else, though a walk around the station did turn up what I'm almost certain was a Yellow-browed Bunting - I can post pictures when back home.
The next morning, I arrived at the car park near the lighthouse shortly after dawn, and it was immediately apparent that birds were on the move. The first hour was amazing. By far the most numerous species was Chinese Bulbul (which I suppose has massively expanded its range northwards since my field guides were published). From first light, flocks of thousands were continually arriving, flocking round the trees and lighthouse in impressive murmurations and then heading out to sea - this continued throughout the time I was there (until around midday). Smaller flocks of Brown-eared Bulbuls would fly up to join the Chinese Bulbuls at the last moment as they headed south. There also seemed to be a steady stream of magpies coming in from the north, congregating around the lighthouse and then heading out to sea.
There were lots and lots of Coal Tits around - while I'm not sure I specifically saw any head out to sea, groups kept whipping past my face at pace, and they certainly seemed to be on the move - though not a species I was aware to be migratory.
There were also lots of Japanese Tits, Yellow-browed Warbler, Dusky Thrush and Goldcrest around, and as the day progressed flocks of Oriental Greenfinches arrived, with a few Brambling and Siskin among them. Then later on, a steady stream of raptors was arriving off the sea (arriving from the north-east and using the peninsula as a staging post to build up height before heading off south again?). While my raptor ID skills are pretty pitiful, the vast majority of these looked like Eastern Buzzards to me. Plenty of Accipiters were also coming through, though none that looked definitely like anything other than Eurasian Sparrowhawk.
I may have to post a few pictures on the ID page. It didn't seem to be possible to get up to the lighthouse platform, though I didn't really try - there was plenty to be seen standing by the eagle status commemorating the first birding festival.
Overall it was a pretty amazing morning - not a huge variety of species, which seems to be higher earlier in the season - but several species in astounding numbers, and wonderful to watch migration unfolding so visually at such a scale. Also great to get a lifer in the form of Chinese Hill Warbler, and very pleased to see Yellow-bellied Tit. I would love to return, possibly a little earlier in the year and hopefully with other pairs of eyes to help out.
My species list from a morning at Laotieshan (though I certainly missed plenty), in order of sighting:
Daurian Redstart
Oriental Magpie
Chinese Bulbul (thousands)
Tree Sparrow
Coal Tit (hundreds)
Yellow-throated Bunting
Japanese Tit
White-cheeked Starling
Peregrine
Yellow-browed Warbler
Dusky Thrush (hundreds)
Oriental Turtle Dove
Brown-eared Bulbul
Pallas's Warbler
Goldcrest
Oriental Greenfinch
Brambling
Siskin
Pheasant
Black-tailed Gull
Vega Gull (or Mongolian? didn't really look)
Wren
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Chinese Hill Warbler
Yellow-bellied Tit
Eastern Buzzard
Amur Falcon
Long-tailed Tit (caudatus)
Thank you again all!
By this late in the year, depending on the temperature, they might all be in their winter dens. However, look carefully before venturing off the trail too far. There are a lot of rat snakes, Keelbacks, etc.. that are not poisonous but there are Pallas's Pit Vipers in the area (as well on Snake Island off the the coast there) that you do not want to encounter. Long thick pants and good boots!
