ChinaBirds
Nick Sismey
This is the second year I have recorded my year’s list on Bird Forum, my current total for the number of birds seen (not heard – I agree with Peter Kaestner on that) this year is 398 both in the UK and Worldwide as of 30December2007. This includes 200 in the UK (seeing over 100 birds in the first week of a year for the first time), 236 in China (some China birds I had already seen in the UK) and 17 in Hong Kong.
In 2007 my targets were again 200 in the UK and 365 Worldwide, the latter made possible due to a number of scheduled trips to China through work.
I am pleased to say I surpassed the 365 mark on 20September2007 in Hong Kong, and my UK200 on 30December2007 at Draycote Reservoir.
---------UK------World
2004----157------276
2005----183------358
2006----205------410
2007----200------398
My current Life List is 740, China List 425 and UK List 235
New birds to my Life List are marked in bold.
1 January 2007
At 0658 hours my day started waiting at the bottom of my drive for my mate, David Salisbury, to pick me up for a New Years Day birding at Attenborough Nature Reserve (Notts), Carsington Reservoir (Derbys) and Ogston Reservoir (Derbys). Across the road were my first two birds of the year using the light from a street lamp to feed on a lawn; dawn was still an hour away!
1.Song Thrush----------------------------Derby-------------------England
2.Blackbird--------------------------------Derby------------------England
Arriving at Attenborough I had to copy the two birds above, making use of a street lamp to see to write down the name of the next bird we saw.
3.Robin----------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
The next ten birds I just had to guess what I was writing as it was still relatively dark! I could just about make them out when light finally arrived, with blue skies, but high winds.
4.Canada Goose------------------------Attenborough------------England
5.Mute Swan---------------------------Attenborough------------England
6.Mallard-------------------------------Attenborough------------England
7.Jackdaw-----------------------------Attenborough-------------England
8.Coot---------------------------------Attenborough-------------England
9.Rook---------------------------------Attenborough-------------England
10.Morehen----------------------------Attenborough-------------England
11.Shoveler----------------------------Attenborough-------------England
12.Grey Heron--------------------------Attenborough------------England
13.Great Crested Grebe-----------------Attenborough------------England
While we failed to see the Bittern opposite the Delta Hide (twice!) we did pick up a number of other birds in the area, the Willow Tit and Treecreeper being the best pick of the next bunch.
14.Cormorant--------------------------Attenborough-----------England
15.Magpie-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
16.Black Headed Gull-------------------Attenborough-----------England
17.Woodpigeon------------------------Attenborough-----------England
18.Teal-------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
19.Tufted Duck------------------------Attenborough-----------England
20.Little Grebe-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
21.Gadwall----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
22.Kestrel-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
23.Pochard----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
24.Goosander--------------------------Attenborough-----------England
25.Pheasant---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
26.Bullfinch----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
27.Goldcrest---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
28.Chaffinch---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
29.Wren-------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
30.Blue Tit-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
31.Great Tit----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
32.Willow Tit---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
33.Treecreeper-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
We also dipped on Water Rail and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but walking along the Trent, the Delta Wood and passed all other ponds down to the Erewash Field produced another 21 birds
34.Lesser Black Backed Gull--------------Attenborough-----------England
35.Goldfinch----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
36.Dunnock-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
37.Starling------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
38.Collared Dove------------------------Attenborough-----------England
39.Long Tailed Tit-----------------------Attenborough-----------England
40.Lapwing-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
41.Greylag Goose-----------------------Attenborough-----------England
42.Goldeneye---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
43.Common Gull-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
44.Pied Wagtail-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
45.Tree Sparrow------------------------Attenborough-----------England
46.Egyptian Goose----------------------Attenborough-----------England
47.Redwing-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
48.Meadow Pipit------------------------Attenborough-----------England
49.House Sparrow----------------------Attenborough-----------England
50.Mistle Thrush------------------------Attenborough-----------England
51.Feral Pigeon-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
52.Buzzard-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
53.Skylark------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
54.Stockdove---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
After refuelling, ourselves not the car, with self prepared doorstop sandwiches and coffee, which was as usual too sweet we moved onto the gravel pits at Long Eaton. Wigeon is always a certain there, and sure enough it was as if they were waiting for us! Sharp eyed David then spotted a Green Woodpecker’s roller coaster flight the other side of the main pit.
55.Wigeon------------------------------Long Eaton--------------England
56.Green Woodpecker-------------------Long Eaton--------------England
Making our way down to the end of the lane we met up with a birder we had seen earlier at Attenborough, whose telescope’s tripod legs we threatened to break as he smirked about the fact that he had had very good views of the Bittern minutes after we had left the Delta Hide! He did point out some Fieldfares to us as if to apologise……..we of course accepted!
57.Fieldfare----------------------------Long Eaton--------------England
Thirty minutes later we arrived at Carsington Reservoir Sheepwash car park where we picked up our next bird on top of a tree.
58.Greenfinch-------------------------Carsington--------------England
We then made our way down the Paul Stanley hide where we picked up two great birds in the trees above the hide.
59.Siskin------------------------------Carsington--------------England
60.Redpoll-----------------------------Carsington--------------England
In the hide we soon saw our third grebe species of the year
61.Black Necked Grebe-----------------Carsington--------------England
Then, thanks to some expert gull watchers in the hide we picked up one of the more specialist gulls on the island in the middle of the reservoir.
62.Yellow Legged Gull-----------------Carsington--------------England
Followed by two more common gulls and an introduced duck
63.Herring Gull------------------------Carsington--------------England
64.Ruddy Duck------------------------Carsington--------------England
65.Great Black Backed Gull-------------Carsington--------------England
Another birder we had been speaking to earlier then arrived to confirm that the Great Northern Diver was near the Yacht Club, so we made a quick dash spotting (no pun intended) the second woodpecker species of the day in the trees as we left the hide.
66.Great Spotted Woodpecker----------Carsington--------------England
Try as we might we could not see the diver, but then a couple of more experienced birders arrived and found it for us in a matter of minutes! Like all walks of life, however good you think you are at something there are always others who are better, it is rather humbling!
67.Great Northern Diver----------------Carsington--------------England
It was now just after 1500 hours with the light going fast, and rain on its way. However we decided to make the dash to Ogston Reservoir to see the gull roost. Luckily Matlock Bath and Matlock itself were not too busy and so we arrived at Ogston before the light disappeared altogether. Unfortunately the rain had started in earnest and so after five minutes we decided to pack up for the day.
By the end of the day I had recorded exactly the same number of birds as this time last year thanks to the help from so many great birders. David’s total for the day was 70 as he had also seen a Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk and Snipe!
4 January 2007
A late night trip from Derby to the village of Manthorpe, near Stamford in Lincolnshire, was rewarded with two owls.
68.Little Owl-------------------Wymondam-----------------------England
69.Barn Owl--------------------Manthorpe-----------------------England
5 January 2007
Today’s birding trip was a mirror of the last trip of 2006, exactly a week earlier, the aim to increase my year list to over 100 in the first week of the year for the first time.
First stop was Welney, in Cambridgeshire, for the swans and sure enough both species were out feeding in the fields
70.Whooper Swan--------------Welney--------------------------England
71.Bewick Swan----------------Welney--------------------------England
It wasn’t until driving past Heacham in north Norfolk that the next year birds appeared on arable farmland, the first a Norfolk specialty these days!
72.Grey Partridge---------------Heacham-----------------------England
73.Curlew----------------------Heacham-----------------------England
Entering Hunstanton, the next birds were busily feeding on a playing field
74.Oystercatcher---------------Hunstanton---------------------England
75.Turnstone-------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
A quick look on the beach and groins in Hunstanton, hoping for Purple Sandpiper provided eight more year birds, but no sandpipers!
76.Sanderling-------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
77.Kittiwake--------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
78.Bar Tailed Godwit------------Hunstanton---------------------England
79.Ringed Plover----------------Hunstanton---------------------England
80.Knot------------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
81.Brent Goose-----------------Hunstanton---------------------England
82.Fulmar----------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
83.Redshank--------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
Then onto one of the most visited RSPB reserves in the UK, Titchwell, which as usual came up trumps with 19 more birds added to the year list, with a Ruff being the 100th bird of the year! The highlights included:-
• The shear number of Red Throated Divers on the sea together with a couple of Great Northern Divers, it was the first time I had both bird species in the scope at the same time!
• A Water Rail swimming across a small brook towards me.
• A Bearded Tit showing well for many birders to see.
84.Pink Footed Goose---------------Titchwell---------------------England
85.Little Egret----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
86.Pintail---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
87.Shelduck------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
88.Golden Plover--------------------Titchwell---------------------England
89.Avocet--------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
90.Water Rail-----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
91.Black Tailed Godwit--------------Titchwell---------------------England
92.Common Scoter-----------------Titchwell---------------------England
93.Red Throated Diver--------------Titchwell---------------------England
94.Razorbill-------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
95.Grey Plover----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
96.Dunlin---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
97.Linnet---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
98.Eider----------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
99.Stonechat-----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
100.Ruff----------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
101.Snipe---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
102.Bearded Tit---------------------Titchwell---------------------England
Then it was the hour and half drive to Stubb Lane near Hicklin to try again to see a lifer, the Common Cranes. The previous week there had only been one other birder and myself and no cranes. Today, just as I arrived at the raised platform, where there were twenty other birders, nine cranes flew across the horizon. A few minutes later four more flew on front of us.
What incredibly wonderful birds to finish a great trip to Norfolk, the numerous Marsh Harriers, and escaped Harris Hawk the last birds seen before the light disappeared.
103.Common Crane----------------Stubb Mill-------------------England
104.Marsh Harrier--------------------Stubb Mill------------------England
Later a quick trip out picked up the final bird of the day flying up into a tree near Manthorpe
105.Tawny Owl----------------------Manthorpe-----------------England
The final count for the day was 80 species, including 36 new birds for the year and one lifer.
Avocet, Bar Tailed Godwit, Bearded Tit, Bewick Swan, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Brent Goose, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Common Crane, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Egyptian Goose, Feral Pigeon, Fieldfare, Fulmar, Goldeneye, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Northern Diver, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Grey Plover, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Magpie, Marsh Harrier, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorehen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Pintail, Pochard, Razorbill, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Ringed Plover, Robin, Rook, Ruff, Sanderling, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Snipe, Starling, Stonechat, Tawny Owl, Teal, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Water Rail, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
6 January 2007
Before returning to Derby I had a slow drive from Manthorpe (Sounth Lincolnshire) to Baston and Langtoft gravel pits this morning. The first new year bird I picked up was a flock of Corn Bunting sharing a telegraph wire with a flock of Linnets halfway between Manthorpe and Wilsthorpe; the shear number of birds was very reminiscent of Choseley drying barns near Titchwell.
106. Corn Bunting---------------------Wilsthorpe------------------England
The other side of Wilsthorpe there was a large flock of Chaffinch with one of two Yellowhammer mixed in; year bird number two!
107.Yellowhammer--------------------Wilsthorpe--------------------England
At Baston and Langtoft pits the first Reed Bunting of the year made itself known on the top of a hedge
108.Reed Bunting----------------------Langtoft----------------------England
I then received a call from fellow Bird Forum member Wrexile1 (Josh Jones) who was also birding the same area, his local patch. It was great to meet him again I had met him three or four years ago before I knew about Bird Forum. Together we picked up my next year bird on one of the lakes
109.Red Creasted Pochard-------------Langtoft-------------------England
After a too short visit to the pits I needed to make my way back to Derby but picked up another bird feeding on a fen field on the way home.
110.Red Legged Partridge-------------Baston---------------------England
Finally, later in the day when back in Derby another year bird shot across the car and into a garden
111.Sparrowhawk--------------------Derby----------------------England
Total birds for the day was 48
Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Coot, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Greylag, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorehen, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Red Crested Pochard, Red Legged Partridge, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
15 January 2007
Thanks to some traffic jams on the M40, on my way to Heathrow this morning, dawn broke just as I was travelling past the Stokenchurch junction, just north of London, where there were several red kites gliding over the motorway
112. Red Kite------------------M40 (Nr Stokenchurch)-------England
16 January 2007
Most unexpected place to spot next bird was in Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok airport terminal while catching up on my e-mails. A Chinese Bulbul started calling, and after much tracking down it was spotted high up in the roof! That is twice now that the Chinese Bulbul has been the first Asian bird of the year!
113. Chinese Bulbul------------Chek Lap Kok------------------Hong Kong
Arriving in a wet and cold Nanjing at around 1330 hours, the Airport Expressway was the first chance to look for birds, Crested Myna being in abundance on the leafless trees and power cables, together with White Wagtails marching around the toll booths as Joseph Yang, one of my reps, drove me to the Sheraton hotel; every now and then a Spotted Dove made a kamikaze dash across the road.
114. Crested Myna-------------Nanjing--------------------------China
115. White Wagtail-------------Nanjing--------------------------China
116. Spotted Dove-------------Nanjing--------------------------China
After a quick wash and brush up we were off to Purple Mountain near Nanjing by 1500 hours; both being wrapped up against the cold. A short cut delayed us due to some road works but after 30 mins we entered the park. Immediately a flock of Yellow Billed Grosbeaks, the king of finches, were busying them in a small tree,
117. Yellow Billed Grosbeak------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Parking near the Front Lake, which, like many parts of rural China is slowly being surrounded by buildings we walked where we could until we came across a large gate, picking up two new birds for the year on the same tree!
118. Orange Flanked Bush Robin--Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
119. Daurian Redstart------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Arriving at another car park further up the mountain near the Rear Lake, two birds caught my eye, they were both Grey Treepies, only the second time I had seen the bird.
120. Grey Treepie----------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
The next six birds were all together on a couple of trees as we walked down one of the very noisy board walks; it was a mad five minutes!
121. Grey Headed Woodpecker----------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
122. Red Billed Blue Magpie-------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
123. Grey Capped Pygmy Woodpecker--Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
124. Black Throated Tit----------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
125. Pallas Leaf Warbler---------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Walking between the massive historic city wall and the Rear Lake there were very few birds of note, but just as we approached the car park again a flock of Vinous Throated Parrotbills made themselves know and minutes late the harsh cries of Masked Laughingthrush filled the air as they flew across the road, concluding the day.
126. Vinous Throated Parrotbill---------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
127. Masked Laughingthrush-----------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Joseph and I then joined fellow Bird Forum member Shrike Zhang for a very welcome meal!
17 January 2007
Walking to the China Eastern Jiangsu Airlines canteen, at Nanjing airport, at lunch time, added two more birds to the year list
128. Long Tailed Shrike--------------------Nanjing-------------------China
129. White Cheeked Starling---------------Nanjing-------------------China
18 January 2007
Wondering around the garden of a restaurant near Chengdu airport a couple of White Browed Laughing Thrush darted between the bushes.
130. White Browed Laughing Thrush--------Chengdu------------------China
19 January 2007
A Plain Prinia zipped between two tall lumps of grass on some rough ground near Guangzhou airport today.
131. Plain Prinia------------------Guangzhou----------China
This evening flew from Guangzhou to Wuhan with Lool, one of the leading bird watchers in Guangzhou. At Wuhan met up with Joseph Yang, one of my reps and our taxi driver Mr Ming, who drove us the 300km to Yueyang, a “small” city of just under 1 million situated near the infamous Dongting Lake. In December birders from all over China “flock” here for the annual bird race, which I have so far missed due to work commitments and bird flu in 2005.
The word quaint could be used to describe the hotel, named the Country Hotel, at £5.50 per night, but only when you are reading this, actually staying here is anything but quaint, but there is a bed and running water so what more could you want. I am quite sure once we are out near the lake tomorrow all of this will be forgotten, until tomorrow night of course!
20 January 2007
After finally getting to sleep when the large Coca-Cola sign outside my fourth floor window was switched off and I got used to the air conditioning until wheezing and banging it seemed like no time at all when the alarm went off at 0545. One good thing about that time, being 8 hours ahead of the UK, it gives you a chance to ring back to the family.
It was pitch dark, cold and raining when we set off for a wood on an island near the edge of the lake. Thirty minutes later, as dawn broke, the rain stopped but it was still very misty
In the gloom the larger birds we easier to pick out, the beautiful Blue Whistling Thrush the first new one for the list, followed by a couple of more common birds.
132. Blue Whistling Thrush-----------Dongting Lake-------------------China
133. Azure Winged Magpie-----------Dongting Lake-------------------China
134. Collard Finchbill-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
The Black Faced Bunting was skulking in some undergrowth, the Hwamei’s that had been the main stay of the dawn chorus finally showing themselves.
135. Black Faced Bunting------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
136. Hwamei------------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Walking between some large trees, Dusky Thrushes and a large flock of Yellow Bellied Tits were busying themselves, the tits sounding like Nuthatches the way they were attacking the seed pods.
137. Dusky Thrush------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
138. Yellow Bellied Tit---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
All cultivatable ground was covered in tea plantations, here a male and female Tristram’s Bunting were spotted.
139. Tristrams Bunting--------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Monkey’s lined the trees as we continued through the wood, the single Brambling being a new bird to Lool. Beyond their a flock of up to twenty Jays let everything else know we were about!
140. Brambling---------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
141. Jay---------------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Making our way to the edge of the wood we walked down to the edge of the lake, being careful not to touch the water due to the worm that can infect you if you do! The only new bird was the Little Bunting.
142. Little Bunting------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Before we left the wood we went searching for Long Eared Owls that were know to roost in some of the bigger trees. There were no owls but a Peregine Falcon trying to take on two Buzzards was a nice plus; together with the Brown Shrike.
143. Peregrine Falcon---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
144. Brown Shrike-------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
We then made our way to a small restaurant after crossing mile after mile of marshland. The restaurant was just inside one of the enormous levees, built on a small hill (which would be come an island when the lake flooded) with a raised walkway from the levee. While waiting the hour for the food to be produced (they clearly had not heard of fast food) five more birds were added to the year list
145. Greenshank-------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
146. Kingfisher---------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
147. Water Pipit-------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
148. Hoopoe-----------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
149. Olive Backed Pipit-------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Finally finishing lunch we drove along one the levees, which was covered in trees and bushes on the one side, with a Black Crowned Night Heronry where two levees came together; Grey Capped Greenfinch sharing the facility!
150. Grey Capped Greenfinch--------Dongting Lake-------------------China
151. Black Crowned Night Heron-----Dongting Lake-------------------China
Further along the levee we stopped for the last time picking up several new birds in the trees, mud and lake, the best by far being the Oriental Stork, which was a lifer. There were four of them mixed in with the Spoonbills.
152. Green Sandpiper---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
153. Red Billed Starling--------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
154. Spoonbill----------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
155. Oriental Stork--------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
156. Smew------------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
157. Intermediate Egret------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
158. Oriental Skylark---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
159. Oriental Turtle Dove-----------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Back at the hotel the owner insisted in bringing his teenage son, who spoke a little English, to my room to meet me. After a quick meal I fell asleep to the sound of singing somewhere in the hotel.
55 birds were seen in total, they are listed below:-
Azure Winged Magpie, Black Crowned Night Heron, Black Faced Bunting, Black Throated Tit, Blackbird, Blue Whistling Thrush, Brambling, Brown Shrike, Buzzard, Chinese Bulbul, Collard Finchbill, Coot, Cormorant, Crested Myna, Daurian Redstart, Dusky Thrush, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Grey Capped Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Hoopoe, Hwamei, Intermediate Egret, Jay, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Little Bunting, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Shrike, Moorehen, Olive Backed Pipit, Orange Flanked Bush Robin, Oriental Skylark, Oriental Stork, Oriental Turtle Dove, Peregrine Falcon, Pheasant, Red Billed Starling, Redshank, Smew, Sparrowhawk, Spoonbill, Spotted Dove, Tristrams Bunting, Vinous Throated Parrotbill, Water Pipit, White Cheeked Starling, White Wagtail, Yellow Bellied Tit, Yellow Billed Grosbeak
21 January 2007
Not such an early start today, but like yesterday no breakfast except for a few biscuits and water that we had brought along ourselves. After a false start, which saw us return to the hotel as I had forgotten my camera and binoculars (!), we headed straight for the levee, passing several gangs of prisoners marching to work in the fields and rivers.
Once at the levee we walked down amongst some reed beds frightening three Spot Billed Ducks. Then came the tick, tick of a Dusky Warbler that nipped between clumps of reeds.
160. Spot Billed Duck---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
161. Dusky Warbler-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Probably the best bird of the weekend then came on the scene, 20 – 30 strong, the Chinese Penduline Tit, which was not only a lifer but according to the books not resident in that part of China. See photo attached, not brilliant but at least the bird can be identified.
162. Chinese Penduline Tit--------Dongting Lake-------------------China
We had to borrow some old pieces of wood (and I mean borrow, we had to return it!) to enable us to get across a small creak and onto the marshland where there were hundreds of duck and geese. The first flock of geese contained three species of goose, two of which I had not seem before, the Lesser and Bean
163. Lesser White Fronted Goose----Dongting Lake----------------China
164. Greater White Fronted Goose---Dongting Lake-------------------China
165. Bean Goose-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Being the only one with waterproof boots I made my way across the marshland to the edge of the mud picking up the last two new birds of the day, the Swan Goose again being a lifer.
166. Kentish Plover-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
167. Swan Goose----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Lunch was then the order of the day before heading back to Wuhan for Lool to catch he flight. During lunch it cost just 1 Yuan for my muddy boots to be cleaned, but 10 Yuan swapped hands she did such a good job.
It was then the 300km drive home to Wuhan where, arriving on the outskirts of the city, we were surprised to see a flock of Rooks; the first time I had seen Rooks in China and a new bird to Lool.
54 birds were seen in total for the day, they are listed below:-
Avocet,,Azure Winged Magpie, Bean Goose, Bewick Swan, Blackbird, Black Crowned Night Heron, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chinese Penduline Tit, Cormorant, Crested Myna, Curlew, Daurian Redstart, Dunlin, Dusky Warbler, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greater White Fronted Goose, Grey Capped Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Plover, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Hoopoe, Intermediate Egret, Kentish Plover, Lapwing, Lesser White Fronted Goose, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Shrike, Magpie, Mallard, Oriental Skylark, Oriental Stork, Pheasant, Pintail, Plain Prinia, Redshank, Rook, Shelduck, Shoveler, Smew, Snipe, Spoonbill, Spot Billed Duck, Spotted Dove, Swan Goose, Teal, White Cheeked Starling, White Wagtail, Wigeon, Yellow Billed Grosbeak.
The total number of birds seen over the weekend was 80. Thanks to Joseph Yang for coordinating the trip, to Lool for her expertise and Mr Ming for all of the driving!
23 January 2007
Having arrived at the Sheraton Hotel, situated on the beach, in Haikou, on Hainan Island, off the south coast of China, last night, I strolled around the gardens, along the beach to a small river before returning back to the hotel by road early this morning.
A flock of Japanese White Eye made themselves heard first as they flew between the tops of the palm trees, while Swallows made the most of the early morning flies. The Magpie Robin hopping around the lawn was my 92nd China bird of the trip, I couldn’t believe it had taken so long to see my first Magpie Robin, so common are they!
168. Japanese White Eye----------Haikou--------------------China
169. Swallow---------------------Haikou--------------------China
170. Magpie Robin----------------Haikou--------------------China
It wasn’t until I arrived at the small river that the next new bird of the year appeared a gorgeous White Throated Kingfisher, which was accompanied by my next bird the Chinese Pond Heron. The river was typically cluttered with garbage and behind yet more settlements were under construction.
171. White Throated Kingfisher---Haikou--------------------China
172. Chinese Pond Heron----------Haikou--------------------China
The next bird was a complete surprise, turning out to be a lifer, it looked for all purposes like a small white bellied Blackbird, but closer inspection as it skulked under the bushes showed that in fact it was a Japanese Thrush; nothing like a lifer before breakfast! There was a small brown warbler that I could not identify but on the way back to the hotel a Lesser Coucal flew across the path in front of me.
173. Japanese Thrush----------Haikou--------------------China
174. Lesser Coucal---------------Haikou--------------------China
After my meetings I managed another trek across the rough ground in front of the hotel heading inland, with one of my reps Huang Gang, it was an ideal birding area but would soon no doubt be developed.
Just as we entered some long grass a Japanese Quail left at a high rate of knots, we thought we had seen where it had landed but when we got there, there was no sign! However a Black Shouldered Kite soon took our attention as it hovered over some coniferous trees.
Before we left this area heading further inland over some huge sand dunes, to a small river and some farmers fields a lovely Blue Rock Thrush appeared on a small wall.
175. Japanese Quail-----------------Haikou-----------------China
176. Black Shouldered Kite----------Haikou-----------------China
177. Blue Rock Thrush---------------Haikou-----------------China
As we moved along the river and through the fields amongst the bemused farmers we could hear Black Collared Starlings calling, two appearing in a tree a couple of hundred yards away, my 100th bird in China for the year, not bad in a week. Then the fluidic sound of a Pied Kingfisher caught our attention as the bird flew down the river.
178. Black Collared Starling--------Haikou-----------------China
179. Pied Kingfisher----------------Haikou-----------------China
Both Common and Green Sandpiper were quite common, but the former was a first for the year, as was a Black Drongo hitching a ride on a water buffalo.
180. Common Sandpiper---------------Haikou-----------------China
181. Black Drongo-------------------Haikou-----------------China
Our final two birds before the long walk back were House Swifts busying themselves overhead and a Grey Wagtail mixing it with Pied Wagtails in one of the uncultivated fields.
182. House Swift--------------------Haikou-----------------China
183. Grey Wagtail-------------------Haikou-----------------China
In 2007 my targets were again 200 in the UK and 365 Worldwide, the latter made possible due to a number of scheduled trips to China through work.
I am pleased to say I surpassed the 365 mark on 20September2007 in Hong Kong, and my UK200 on 30December2007 at Draycote Reservoir.
---------UK------World
2004----157------276
2005----183------358
2006----205------410
2007----200------398
My current Life List is 740, China List 425 and UK List 235
New birds to my Life List are marked in bold.
1 January 2007
At 0658 hours my day started waiting at the bottom of my drive for my mate, David Salisbury, to pick me up for a New Years Day birding at Attenborough Nature Reserve (Notts), Carsington Reservoir (Derbys) and Ogston Reservoir (Derbys). Across the road were my first two birds of the year using the light from a street lamp to feed on a lawn; dawn was still an hour away!
1.Song Thrush----------------------------Derby-------------------England
2.Blackbird--------------------------------Derby------------------England
Arriving at Attenborough I had to copy the two birds above, making use of a street lamp to see to write down the name of the next bird we saw.
3.Robin----------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
The next ten birds I just had to guess what I was writing as it was still relatively dark! I could just about make them out when light finally arrived, with blue skies, but high winds.
4.Canada Goose------------------------Attenborough------------England
5.Mute Swan---------------------------Attenborough------------England
6.Mallard-------------------------------Attenborough------------England
7.Jackdaw-----------------------------Attenborough-------------England
8.Coot---------------------------------Attenborough-------------England
9.Rook---------------------------------Attenborough-------------England
10.Morehen----------------------------Attenborough-------------England
11.Shoveler----------------------------Attenborough-------------England
12.Grey Heron--------------------------Attenborough------------England
13.Great Crested Grebe-----------------Attenborough------------England
While we failed to see the Bittern opposite the Delta Hide (twice!) we did pick up a number of other birds in the area, the Willow Tit and Treecreeper being the best pick of the next bunch.
14.Cormorant--------------------------Attenborough-----------England
15.Magpie-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
16.Black Headed Gull-------------------Attenborough-----------England
17.Woodpigeon------------------------Attenborough-----------England
18.Teal-------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
19.Tufted Duck------------------------Attenborough-----------England
20.Little Grebe-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
21.Gadwall----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
22.Kestrel-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
23.Pochard----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
24.Goosander--------------------------Attenborough-----------England
25.Pheasant---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
26.Bullfinch----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
27.Goldcrest---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
28.Chaffinch---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
29.Wren-------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
30.Blue Tit-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
31.Great Tit----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
32.Willow Tit---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
33.Treecreeper-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
We also dipped on Water Rail and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but walking along the Trent, the Delta Wood and passed all other ponds down to the Erewash Field produced another 21 birds
34.Lesser Black Backed Gull--------------Attenborough-----------England
35.Goldfinch----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
36.Dunnock-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
37.Starling------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
38.Collared Dove------------------------Attenborough-----------England
39.Long Tailed Tit-----------------------Attenborough-----------England
40.Lapwing-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
41.Greylag Goose-----------------------Attenborough-----------England
42.Goldeneye---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
43.Common Gull-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
44.Pied Wagtail-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
45.Tree Sparrow------------------------Attenborough-----------England
46.Egyptian Goose----------------------Attenborough-----------England
47.Redwing-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
48.Meadow Pipit------------------------Attenborough-----------England
49.House Sparrow----------------------Attenborough-----------England
50.Mistle Thrush------------------------Attenborough-----------England
51.Feral Pigeon-------------------------Attenborough-----------England
52.Buzzard-----------------------------Attenborough-----------England
53.Skylark------------------------------Attenborough-----------England
54.Stockdove---------------------------Attenborough-----------England
After refuelling, ourselves not the car, with self prepared doorstop sandwiches and coffee, which was as usual too sweet we moved onto the gravel pits at Long Eaton. Wigeon is always a certain there, and sure enough it was as if they were waiting for us! Sharp eyed David then spotted a Green Woodpecker’s roller coaster flight the other side of the main pit.
55.Wigeon------------------------------Long Eaton--------------England
56.Green Woodpecker-------------------Long Eaton--------------England
Making our way down to the end of the lane we met up with a birder we had seen earlier at Attenborough, whose telescope’s tripod legs we threatened to break as he smirked about the fact that he had had very good views of the Bittern minutes after we had left the Delta Hide! He did point out some Fieldfares to us as if to apologise……..we of course accepted!
57.Fieldfare----------------------------Long Eaton--------------England
Thirty minutes later we arrived at Carsington Reservoir Sheepwash car park where we picked up our next bird on top of a tree.
58.Greenfinch-------------------------Carsington--------------England
We then made our way down the Paul Stanley hide where we picked up two great birds in the trees above the hide.
59.Siskin------------------------------Carsington--------------England
60.Redpoll-----------------------------Carsington--------------England
In the hide we soon saw our third grebe species of the year
61.Black Necked Grebe-----------------Carsington--------------England
Then, thanks to some expert gull watchers in the hide we picked up one of the more specialist gulls on the island in the middle of the reservoir.
62.Yellow Legged Gull-----------------Carsington--------------England
Followed by two more common gulls and an introduced duck
63.Herring Gull------------------------Carsington--------------England
64.Ruddy Duck------------------------Carsington--------------England
65.Great Black Backed Gull-------------Carsington--------------England
Another birder we had been speaking to earlier then arrived to confirm that the Great Northern Diver was near the Yacht Club, so we made a quick dash spotting (no pun intended) the second woodpecker species of the day in the trees as we left the hide.
66.Great Spotted Woodpecker----------Carsington--------------England
Try as we might we could not see the diver, but then a couple of more experienced birders arrived and found it for us in a matter of minutes! Like all walks of life, however good you think you are at something there are always others who are better, it is rather humbling!
67.Great Northern Diver----------------Carsington--------------England
It was now just after 1500 hours with the light going fast, and rain on its way. However we decided to make the dash to Ogston Reservoir to see the gull roost. Luckily Matlock Bath and Matlock itself were not too busy and so we arrived at Ogston before the light disappeared altogether. Unfortunately the rain had started in earnest and so after five minutes we decided to pack up for the day.
By the end of the day I had recorded exactly the same number of birds as this time last year thanks to the help from so many great birders. David’s total for the day was 70 as he had also seen a Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk and Snipe!
4 January 2007
A late night trip from Derby to the village of Manthorpe, near Stamford in Lincolnshire, was rewarded with two owls.
68.Little Owl-------------------Wymondam-----------------------England
69.Barn Owl--------------------Manthorpe-----------------------England
5 January 2007
Today’s birding trip was a mirror of the last trip of 2006, exactly a week earlier, the aim to increase my year list to over 100 in the first week of the year for the first time.
First stop was Welney, in Cambridgeshire, for the swans and sure enough both species were out feeding in the fields
70.Whooper Swan--------------Welney--------------------------England
71.Bewick Swan----------------Welney--------------------------England
It wasn’t until driving past Heacham in north Norfolk that the next year birds appeared on arable farmland, the first a Norfolk specialty these days!
72.Grey Partridge---------------Heacham-----------------------England
73.Curlew----------------------Heacham-----------------------England
Entering Hunstanton, the next birds were busily feeding on a playing field
74.Oystercatcher---------------Hunstanton---------------------England
75.Turnstone-------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
A quick look on the beach and groins in Hunstanton, hoping for Purple Sandpiper provided eight more year birds, but no sandpipers!
76.Sanderling-------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
77.Kittiwake--------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
78.Bar Tailed Godwit------------Hunstanton---------------------England
79.Ringed Plover----------------Hunstanton---------------------England
80.Knot------------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
81.Brent Goose-----------------Hunstanton---------------------England
82.Fulmar----------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
83.Redshank--------------------Hunstanton---------------------England
Then onto one of the most visited RSPB reserves in the UK, Titchwell, which as usual came up trumps with 19 more birds added to the year list, with a Ruff being the 100th bird of the year! The highlights included:-
• The shear number of Red Throated Divers on the sea together with a couple of Great Northern Divers, it was the first time I had both bird species in the scope at the same time!
• A Water Rail swimming across a small brook towards me.
• A Bearded Tit showing well for many birders to see.
84.Pink Footed Goose---------------Titchwell---------------------England
85.Little Egret----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
86.Pintail---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
87.Shelduck------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
88.Golden Plover--------------------Titchwell---------------------England
89.Avocet--------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
90.Water Rail-----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
91.Black Tailed Godwit--------------Titchwell---------------------England
92.Common Scoter-----------------Titchwell---------------------England
93.Red Throated Diver--------------Titchwell---------------------England
94.Razorbill-------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
95.Grey Plover----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
96.Dunlin---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
97.Linnet---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
98.Eider----------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
99.Stonechat-----------------------Titchwell---------------------England
100.Ruff----------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
101.Snipe---------------------------Titchwell---------------------England
102.Bearded Tit---------------------Titchwell---------------------England
Then it was the hour and half drive to Stubb Lane near Hicklin to try again to see a lifer, the Common Cranes. The previous week there had only been one other birder and myself and no cranes. Today, just as I arrived at the raised platform, where there were twenty other birders, nine cranes flew across the horizon. A few minutes later four more flew on front of us.
What incredibly wonderful birds to finish a great trip to Norfolk, the numerous Marsh Harriers, and escaped Harris Hawk the last birds seen before the light disappeared.
103.Common Crane----------------Stubb Mill-------------------England
104.Marsh Harrier--------------------Stubb Mill------------------England
Later a quick trip out picked up the final bird of the day flying up into a tree near Manthorpe
105.Tawny Owl----------------------Manthorpe-----------------England
The final count for the day was 80 species, including 36 new birds for the year and one lifer.
Avocet, Bar Tailed Godwit, Bearded Tit, Bewick Swan, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Brent Goose, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Common Crane, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Egyptian Goose, Feral Pigeon, Fieldfare, Fulmar, Goldeneye, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Northern Diver, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Grey Plover, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Magpie, Marsh Harrier, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorehen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Pintail, Pochard, Razorbill, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Ringed Plover, Robin, Rook, Ruff, Sanderling, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Snipe, Starling, Stonechat, Tawny Owl, Teal, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Water Rail, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
6 January 2007
Before returning to Derby I had a slow drive from Manthorpe (Sounth Lincolnshire) to Baston and Langtoft gravel pits this morning. The first new year bird I picked up was a flock of Corn Bunting sharing a telegraph wire with a flock of Linnets halfway between Manthorpe and Wilsthorpe; the shear number of birds was very reminiscent of Choseley drying barns near Titchwell.
106. Corn Bunting---------------------Wilsthorpe------------------England
The other side of Wilsthorpe there was a large flock of Chaffinch with one of two Yellowhammer mixed in; year bird number two!
107.Yellowhammer--------------------Wilsthorpe--------------------England
At Baston and Langtoft pits the first Reed Bunting of the year made itself known on the top of a hedge
108.Reed Bunting----------------------Langtoft----------------------England
I then received a call from fellow Bird Forum member Wrexile1 (Josh Jones) who was also birding the same area, his local patch. It was great to meet him again I had met him three or four years ago before I knew about Bird Forum. Together we picked up my next year bird on one of the lakes
109.Red Creasted Pochard-------------Langtoft-------------------England
After a too short visit to the pits I needed to make my way back to Derby but picked up another bird feeding on a fen field on the way home.
110.Red Legged Partridge-------------Baston---------------------England
Finally, later in the day when back in Derby another year bird shot across the car and into a garden
111.Sparrowhawk--------------------Derby----------------------England
Total birds for the day was 48
Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Coot, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Greylag, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorehen, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Red Crested Pochard, Red Legged Partridge, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
15 January 2007
Thanks to some traffic jams on the M40, on my way to Heathrow this morning, dawn broke just as I was travelling past the Stokenchurch junction, just north of London, where there were several red kites gliding over the motorway
112. Red Kite------------------M40 (Nr Stokenchurch)-------England
16 January 2007
Most unexpected place to spot next bird was in Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok airport terminal while catching up on my e-mails. A Chinese Bulbul started calling, and after much tracking down it was spotted high up in the roof! That is twice now that the Chinese Bulbul has been the first Asian bird of the year!
113. Chinese Bulbul------------Chek Lap Kok------------------Hong Kong
Arriving in a wet and cold Nanjing at around 1330 hours, the Airport Expressway was the first chance to look for birds, Crested Myna being in abundance on the leafless trees and power cables, together with White Wagtails marching around the toll booths as Joseph Yang, one of my reps, drove me to the Sheraton hotel; every now and then a Spotted Dove made a kamikaze dash across the road.
114. Crested Myna-------------Nanjing--------------------------China
115. White Wagtail-------------Nanjing--------------------------China
116. Spotted Dove-------------Nanjing--------------------------China
After a quick wash and brush up we were off to Purple Mountain near Nanjing by 1500 hours; both being wrapped up against the cold. A short cut delayed us due to some road works but after 30 mins we entered the park. Immediately a flock of Yellow Billed Grosbeaks, the king of finches, were busying them in a small tree,
117. Yellow Billed Grosbeak------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Parking near the Front Lake, which, like many parts of rural China is slowly being surrounded by buildings we walked where we could until we came across a large gate, picking up two new birds for the year on the same tree!
118. Orange Flanked Bush Robin--Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
119. Daurian Redstart------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Arriving at another car park further up the mountain near the Rear Lake, two birds caught my eye, they were both Grey Treepies, only the second time I had seen the bird.
120. Grey Treepie----------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
The next six birds were all together on a couple of trees as we walked down one of the very noisy board walks; it was a mad five minutes!
121. Grey Headed Woodpecker----------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
122. Red Billed Blue Magpie-------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
123. Grey Capped Pygmy Woodpecker--Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
124. Black Throated Tit----------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
125. Pallas Leaf Warbler---------------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Walking between the massive historic city wall and the Rear Lake there were very few birds of note, but just as we approached the car park again a flock of Vinous Throated Parrotbills made themselves know and minutes late the harsh cries of Masked Laughingthrush filled the air as they flew across the road, concluding the day.
126. Vinous Throated Parrotbill---------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
127. Masked Laughingthrush-----------Purple Mountain (Nanjing)------China
Joseph and I then joined fellow Bird Forum member Shrike Zhang for a very welcome meal!
17 January 2007
Walking to the China Eastern Jiangsu Airlines canteen, at Nanjing airport, at lunch time, added two more birds to the year list
128. Long Tailed Shrike--------------------Nanjing-------------------China
129. White Cheeked Starling---------------Nanjing-------------------China
18 January 2007
Wondering around the garden of a restaurant near Chengdu airport a couple of White Browed Laughing Thrush darted between the bushes.
130. White Browed Laughing Thrush--------Chengdu------------------China
19 January 2007
A Plain Prinia zipped between two tall lumps of grass on some rough ground near Guangzhou airport today.
131. Plain Prinia------------------Guangzhou----------China
This evening flew from Guangzhou to Wuhan with Lool, one of the leading bird watchers in Guangzhou. At Wuhan met up with Joseph Yang, one of my reps and our taxi driver Mr Ming, who drove us the 300km to Yueyang, a “small” city of just under 1 million situated near the infamous Dongting Lake. In December birders from all over China “flock” here for the annual bird race, which I have so far missed due to work commitments and bird flu in 2005.
The word quaint could be used to describe the hotel, named the Country Hotel, at £5.50 per night, but only when you are reading this, actually staying here is anything but quaint, but there is a bed and running water so what more could you want. I am quite sure once we are out near the lake tomorrow all of this will be forgotten, until tomorrow night of course!
20 January 2007
After finally getting to sleep when the large Coca-Cola sign outside my fourth floor window was switched off and I got used to the air conditioning until wheezing and banging it seemed like no time at all when the alarm went off at 0545. One good thing about that time, being 8 hours ahead of the UK, it gives you a chance to ring back to the family.
It was pitch dark, cold and raining when we set off for a wood on an island near the edge of the lake. Thirty minutes later, as dawn broke, the rain stopped but it was still very misty
In the gloom the larger birds we easier to pick out, the beautiful Blue Whistling Thrush the first new one for the list, followed by a couple of more common birds.
132. Blue Whistling Thrush-----------Dongting Lake-------------------China
133. Azure Winged Magpie-----------Dongting Lake-------------------China
134. Collard Finchbill-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
The Black Faced Bunting was skulking in some undergrowth, the Hwamei’s that had been the main stay of the dawn chorus finally showing themselves.
135. Black Faced Bunting------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
136. Hwamei------------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Walking between some large trees, Dusky Thrushes and a large flock of Yellow Bellied Tits were busying themselves, the tits sounding like Nuthatches the way they were attacking the seed pods.
137. Dusky Thrush------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
138. Yellow Bellied Tit---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
All cultivatable ground was covered in tea plantations, here a male and female Tristram’s Bunting were spotted.
139. Tristrams Bunting--------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Monkey’s lined the trees as we continued through the wood, the single Brambling being a new bird to Lool. Beyond their a flock of up to twenty Jays let everything else know we were about!
140. Brambling---------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
141. Jay---------------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Making our way to the edge of the wood we walked down to the edge of the lake, being careful not to touch the water due to the worm that can infect you if you do! The only new bird was the Little Bunting.
142. Little Bunting------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Before we left the wood we went searching for Long Eared Owls that were know to roost in some of the bigger trees. There were no owls but a Peregine Falcon trying to take on two Buzzards was a nice plus; together with the Brown Shrike.
143. Peregrine Falcon---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
144. Brown Shrike-------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
We then made our way to a small restaurant after crossing mile after mile of marshland. The restaurant was just inside one of the enormous levees, built on a small hill (which would be come an island when the lake flooded) with a raised walkway from the levee. While waiting the hour for the food to be produced (they clearly had not heard of fast food) five more birds were added to the year list
145. Greenshank-------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
146. Kingfisher---------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
147. Water Pipit-------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
148. Hoopoe-----------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
149. Olive Backed Pipit-------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Finally finishing lunch we drove along one the levees, which was covered in trees and bushes on the one side, with a Black Crowned Night Heronry where two levees came together; Grey Capped Greenfinch sharing the facility!
150. Grey Capped Greenfinch--------Dongting Lake-------------------China
151. Black Crowned Night Heron-----Dongting Lake-------------------China
Further along the levee we stopped for the last time picking up several new birds in the trees, mud and lake, the best by far being the Oriental Stork, which was a lifer. There were four of them mixed in with the Spoonbills.
152. Green Sandpiper---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
153. Red Billed Starling--------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
154. Spoonbill----------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
155. Oriental Stork--------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
156. Smew------------------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
157. Intermediate Egret------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
158. Oriental Skylark---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
159. Oriental Turtle Dove-----------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Back at the hotel the owner insisted in bringing his teenage son, who spoke a little English, to my room to meet me. After a quick meal I fell asleep to the sound of singing somewhere in the hotel.
55 birds were seen in total, they are listed below:-
Azure Winged Magpie, Black Crowned Night Heron, Black Faced Bunting, Black Throated Tit, Blackbird, Blue Whistling Thrush, Brambling, Brown Shrike, Buzzard, Chinese Bulbul, Collard Finchbill, Coot, Cormorant, Crested Myna, Daurian Redstart, Dusky Thrush, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Grey Capped Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Hoopoe, Hwamei, Intermediate Egret, Jay, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Little Bunting, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Shrike, Moorehen, Olive Backed Pipit, Orange Flanked Bush Robin, Oriental Skylark, Oriental Stork, Oriental Turtle Dove, Peregrine Falcon, Pheasant, Red Billed Starling, Redshank, Smew, Sparrowhawk, Spoonbill, Spotted Dove, Tristrams Bunting, Vinous Throated Parrotbill, Water Pipit, White Cheeked Starling, White Wagtail, Yellow Bellied Tit, Yellow Billed Grosbeak
21 January 2007
Not such an early start today, but like yesterday no breakfast except for a few biscuits and water that we had brought along ourselves. After a false start, which saw us return to the hotel as I had forgotten my camera and binoculars (!), we headed straight for the levee, passing several gangs of prisoners marching to work in the fields and rivers.
Once at the levee we walked down amongst some reed beds frightening three Spot Billed Ducks. Then came the tick, tick of a Dusky Warbler that nipped between clumps of reeds.
160. Spot Billed Duck---------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
161. Dusky Warbler-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Probably the best bird of the weekend then came on the scene, 20 – 30 strong, the Chinese Penduline Tit, which was not only a lifer but according to the books not resident in that part of China. See photo attached, not brilliant but at least the bird can be identified.
162. Chinese Penduline Tit--------Dongting Lake-------------------China
We had to borrow some old pieces of wood (and I mean borrow, we had to return it!) to enable us to get across a small creak and onto the marshland where there were hundreds of duck and geese. The first flock of geese contained three species of goose, two of which I had not seem before, the Lesser and Bean
163. Lesser White Fronted Goose----Dongting Lake----------------China
164. Greater White Fronted Goose---Dongting Lake-------------------China
165. Bean Goose-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Being the only one with waterproof boots I made my way across the marshland to the edge of the mud picking up the last two new birds of the day, the Swan Goose again being a lifer.
166. Kentish Plover-----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
167. Swan Goose----------------Dongting Lake-------------------China
Lunch was then the order of the day before heading back to Wuhan for Lool to catch he flight. During lunch it cost just 1 Yuan for my muddy boots to be cleaned, but 10 Yuan swapped hands she did such a good job.
It was then the 300km drive home to Wuhan where, arriving on the outskirts of the city, we were surprised to see a flock of Rooks; the first time I had seen Rooks in China and a new bird to Lool.
54 birds were seen in total for the day, they are listed below:-
Avocet,,Azure Winged Magpie, Bean Goose, Bewick Swan, Blackbird, Black Crowned Night Heron, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chinese Penduline Tit, Cormorant, Crested Myna, Curlew, Daurian Redstart, Dunlin, Dusky Warbler, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greater White Fronted Goose, Grey Capped Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Plover, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Hoopoe, Intermediate Egret, Kentish Plover, Lapwing, Lesser White Fronted Goose, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Shrike, Magpie, Mallard, Oriental Skylark, Oriental Stork, Pheasant, Pintail, Plain Prinia, Redshank, Rook, Shelduck, Shoveler, Smew, Snipe, Spoonbill, Spot Billed Duck, Spotted Dove, Swan Goose, Teal, White Cheeked Starling, White Wagtail, Wigeon, Yellow Billed Grosbeak.
The total number of birds seen over the weekend was 80. Thanks to Joseph Yang for coordinating the trip, to Lool for her expertise and Mr Ming for all of the driving!
23 January 2007
Having arrived at the Sheraton Hotel, situated on the beach, in Haikou, on Hainan Island, off the south coast of China, last night, I strolled around the gardens, along the beach to a small river before returning back to the hotel by road early this morning.
A flock of Japanese White Eye made themselves heard first as they flew between the tops of the palm trees, while Swallows made the most of the early morning flies. The Magpie Robin hopping around the lawn was my 92nd China bird of the trip, I couldn’t believe it had taken so long to see my first Magpie Robin, so common are they!
168. Japanese White Eye----------Haikou--------------------China
169. Swallow---------------------Haikou--------------------China
170. Magpie Robin----------------Haikou--------------------China
It wasn’t until I arrived at the small river that the next new bird of the year appeared a gorgeous White Throated Kingfisher, which was accompanied by my next bird the Chinese Pond Heron. The river was typically cluttered with garbage and behind yet more settlements were under construction.
171. White Throated Kingfisher---Haikou--------------------China
172. Chinese Pond Heron----------Haikou--------------------China
The next bird was a complete surprise, turning out to be a lifer, it looked for all purposes like a small white bellied Blackbird, but closer inspection as it skulked under the bushes showed that in fact it was a Japanese Thrush; nothing like a lifer before breakfast! There was a small brown warbler that I could not identify but on the way back to the hotel a Lesser Coucal flew across the path in front of me.
173. Japanese Thrush----------Haikou--------------------China
174. Lesser Coucal---------------Haikou--------------------China
After my meetings I managed another trek across the rough ground in front of the hotel heading inland, with one of my reps Huang Gang, it was an ideal birding area but would soon no doubt be developed.
Just as we entered some long grass a Japanese Quail left at a high rate of knots, we thought we had seen where it had landed but when we got there, there was no sign! However a Black Shouldered Kite soon took our attention as it hovered over some coniferous trees.
Before we left this area heading further inland over some huge sand dunes, to a small river and some farmers fields a lovely Blue Rock Thrush appeared on a small wall.
175. Japanese Quail-----------------Haikou-----------------China
176. Black Shouldered Kite----------Haikou-----------------China
177. Blue Rock Thrush---------------Haikou-----------------China
As we moved along the river and through the fields amongst the bemused farmers we could hear Black Collared Starlings calling, two appearing in a tree a couple of hundred yards away, my 100th bird in China for the year, not bad in a week. Then the fluidic sound of a Pied Kingfisher caught our attention as the bird flew down the river.
178. Black Collared Starling--------Haikou-----------------China
179. Pied Kingfisher----------------Haikou-----------------China
Both Common and Green Sandpiper were quite common, but the former was a first for the year, as was a Black Drongo hitching a ride on a water buffalo.
180. Common Sandpiper---------------Haikou-----------------China
181. Black Drongo-------------------Haikou-----------------China
Our final two birds before the long walk back were House Swifts busying themselves overhead and a Grey Wagtail mixing it with Pied Wagtails in one of the uncultivated fields.
182. House Swift--------------------Haikou-----------------China
183. Grey Wagtail-------------------Haikou-----------------China
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