China Birds (Nick Sismey) 2010 List (UK, China, Hong Kong & ?) (1 Viewer)

[ChinaBirds]

14 May 2010 (Continued)

Nothing was picked up during the next hour as we drove from Weeting Heath to Hunstanton although DAS was always on the look-out for Grey Partridge. The gap therefore was closing.

1800 Hours Total = 94 (‘08 = 92)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Down at the Sailing Club end of the sea front car park (Photo1) the Fulmar were in good numbers using the updraft of the wind to get airborne off the cliffs, Feral Pigeons joining them.

Then it was onto the Choseley Drying Barns (Photo 2) where Corn Bunting were added before parking up at Titchwell and taking the path (Photo 3) to the beach, Curlew and Pochard leaving us one off triple figures but more importantly three behind the record!

95-----1803-----Feral Pigeon
96-----1807-----Fulmar
97-----1829-----Corn Bunting
98-----1858-----Curlew
99-----1900-----Pochard

1900 Hours Total = 99 (‘08 = 102)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Titchwell really did come up trumps the next hour taking us straight up to 110 birds over the next hour, Temmink’s Stint being a plus for the day and year as they had only been reported at Cley on Birdguides up till then. Little Tern (Photo 4) and Eider were both also year ticks. Unfortunately there were no Common Scoter, let alone Velvet Scoter out on the sea.

186.Little Tern-------------------Titchwell--------------------------England
187.Temmink's Stint--------------Titchwell-------------------------England
188.Eider------------------------Titchwell--------------------------England

100-----1902-----Curlew Sandpiper
101-----1902-----Little Tern
102-----1908-----Temmink's Stint
103-----1908-----Pintail
104-----1915-----Whimbrel
105-----1917-----Meadow Pipit
106-----1917-----Common Gull
107-----1925-----Grey Plover
108-----1925-----Turnstone
109-----1936-----Eider
110-----1947-----Great Black Backed Gull

2000 Hours Total = 110 (‘08 = 112)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was then fish and chip time, which only lost us ten minutes as we drove straight to Wolferton triangle to dip on Golden Pheasant. Then after finishing off our meal at Dersington Bog car park (Photo 5) we then proceeded to dip on both Nightjar and Woodcock for the first time in one of these bird races.

Therefore we were stuck on 110 birds, our equal second best score, which wasn’t even added to on the way back to Manthorpe with the odd owl or two!

Disappointing but otherwise a great day with some great company and we will be back in 2011 for that elusive 116th bird!

2100 & 2200 Hours Total = 110 (‘08 = 115)

Total Mileage in 2010 = 2709.4 miles

 

[ChinaBirds]

15 May 2010

I had to be up reasonably early this morning despite not arriving home from our dawn till dusk raid until 1am therefore I made the most of it being a glorious day and made a quick visit to Padley Gorge (Photo1). Almost as soon as I entered the gorge I could hear a Pied Flycatcher (Photo 2) calling, making it very easy to find the bird.

189.Pied Flycatcher----------------Padley Gorge--------------------England

Another bird came down the hill side and directed me to a Redstart which another birder was on, the bird right at the top of a tree, just in sight in-between the branches.

190.Redstart-----------------------Padley Gorge--------------------England

This same birder, relatively new to the hobby but so enthusiastic gave me directions to a Tree Pipit which I found further up the gorge (Photo 3)

191.Tree Pipit----------------------Padley Gorge--------------------England

There were no Wood Warblers calling so I made the ten minute drive to the delightful Sherriff Wood (Photo 4) the other side of Grindleford along the road to Haversage. Sure enough a Wood Warbler (Photo 5) was calling its spinning coin song, great bird!

192.Wood Warbler------------------Sherriff Wood-------------------England

Total Mileage in 2010 = 2787.2 miles

 

[ChinaBirds]

22 May 2010

A Black Tern (Photo1) came up on Birdguides this morning at Willington therefore a quick visit was a must!

193.Black Tern---------------------Willington----------------------England

Total Mileage in 2010 = 2813.2 miles

 

[ChinaBirds]

27 May 2010

With a Red Backed Shrike at Barton-in-Fabis coming up on the web it was a quick early evening dash to Barton where I duly got lost down a long gravel road. Luckily another birder, “Ray”, whose local patch is Long Eaton just over the River Trent was also lost. Better instructions then came up on his pager and so we were able to find the correct area, confirmed by the number of cars parked in every available spot.

We still managed to take a couple of wrong turns after parking the car but once we got into the wood we could see other birders across the fields through the gaps in the trees. When we arrived there were maybe ten other birders but no shrike, it had dived into the bottom of the hedge.

By the time the sun had set I was starting to get worried but then someone spotted it moving and after repositioning ourselves (Photo1) we got onto the bird (Photo 2) which I just managed to get a record shot with the failing light.

194.Red Backed Shrike------------Barton-in-Fabis-------------------England

This a first for the UK for me, taking my UK list to 257

Total Mileage in 2010 = 2847.2 miles

30 May 2010

Having been decorating all day I was only able to try and chase down the Red Rumped Swallow at Ogston Reservoir late in the evening. Unfortunately the weather had improved and so all the hurrendines were way up above the woods.

I had hoped to reach 200 UK birds by the end of May but with more decorating on the agenda this would not be possible!

Total UK Mileage in 2010 = 2881.2 miles

Next stop China on 1 June, starting with Shanghai, then a weekend birding in the mountains southwest of Beijing, before passing through Tianjin and Haikou, followed by a day’s birding near Chengdu. Then I have a couple of days birding in Xinjiang Province, based in Urumqi, which should be very interesting, while a day each birding around both Guangzhou and Zhuhai should make for a good trip. Can’t wait!

 

[ChinaBirds]

2 June 10

My first trip of the year to China started with a China Eastern Airlines (Photo1) flight from Heathrow to Shanghai where the 268 mph Maglev (Photo 2) took me to the outskirts of downtown Shanghai (Photo 3).

The first bird China bird was a Swallow at Pudong airport but I had to wait until I went for a walk near my hotel, close to Changfeng Park and river (Photo 4), for my first year bird, the venerable Chinese Bulbul that can always be counted upon! This was very quickly followed by two more very common birds, all over China, a Long Tailed Shrike and a Spotted Dove.

195.Chinese Bulbul------------------Shanghai-------------------------China
196.Long Tailed Shrike--------------Shanghai-------------------------China
197.Spotted Dove------------------Shanghai-------------------------China

Later, several Black Crowned Night Herons (Photo 5) were fishing off the marina walkways while Crested Myna were noisily arguing over street lamp roosting arrangements, leaving the China total at a grand score of 8 after the first day.

198.Crowned Night Heron-----------Shanghai--------------------------China
199.Crested Myna -----------------Shanghai--------------------------China

 

[ChinaBirds]

3 June 10

A quick visit to Changfeng Park (Photo’s 1 & 2) before work produced far more people than birds, however a family party of Venous Throated Parrotbills (Photo 3) were feeding young in the willow trees

200.Venous Throated Parrotbill-----------Shanghai--------------------China

A small pond (Photo 4) deep in the park attracted a very busy flock of Japanese Whiteye

201.Japanese Whiteye-------------------Shanghai--------------------China

That afternoon we took several of our customer’s personnel to the Sofitel in the Songjiang area of southwest Shanghai, where Little Egrets were feeding in the marshland (Photo 5) behind the grounds of the hotel, taking my China year total to 12. I knew where I would be early the next day!

 

[ChinaBirds]

4 June 10

Leaving the grounds of the Sofitel (Photo1) at 0630 (everyone else was suffering from too much Maotai and Karaoke ) I headed for the river (Photo 2) and marshland area behind the hotel. Chinese Pond Herons (Photo 3) were continually passing overhead while several Plain Prinia (Photo 4) were perched at the highest vantage point they could find to defend their territory.

202.Chinese Pond Heron--------------Shanghai-----------------------China
203.Plain Prinia-----------------------Shanghai-----------------------China

A couple of Grey Capped Greenfinch together with a male and female Yellow Billed Grosbeak flew through, their calls alerting me to both species.

204.Grey Capped Greenfinch----------Shanghai-----------------------China
205.Yellow Billed Grosbeak------------Shanghai-----------------------China

After spending two hours looking for the lone Red Rumped Swallow (Photo 5 – taken later in my trip) at Ogston Reservoir back in England a few days earlier, one flew past as I walked along the river.

206.Red Rumped Swallow ------------Shanghai-----------------------China


More to follow…………….

 

[ChinaBirds]

4 June 10 (Continued)

Turning away from the river I disturbed a Cattle Egret (Photo 1) feeding in the waterlogged fields, which flew towards an Intermediate Egret (Photo 2) feeding with Little Egrets right behind the hotel (Photo 3)

207.Cattle Egret------------------Shanghai---------------------------China
208.Intermediate Egret------------Shanghai---------------------------China

Tracking my way across the marshland, having to double back on several occasions when it became impassable a Spot Billed Duck (Photo 4) had clearly “spotted” me before I had it as I only manage one shot before it was gone.

209.Spot Billed Duck--------------Shanghai---------------------------China

Heading back to the hotel across the river again a White Breasted Waterhen made a brief showing along the concrete banking.

210.White Breasted Waterhen-----Shanghai--------------------------China

The China year ticks had now doubled to 24!

 

[ChinaBirds]

5 June 10

Having flown up from Shanghai to Beijing the previous evening it was a sensible start to Saturday, Yan Shen and Fred Li picking me up from the hotel at 8am before we met up with fellow Birdforum member Xiaoming (Li Ming) and headed southwest into the mountains, our destination Bai Chao Pan Mountain

Before we even met up with Li Ming two birds were added to the year list, both flying over the fifth Beijing ring road

211.Azure Winged Magpie-------------Beijing--------------------------China
212.White Cheeked Starling-----------Beijing--------------------------China

It had been 9 months since Li Ming and I had been birding in Beidaihe so we had a lot to catch up on, Large Billed Crows being the only thing to distract us from our conversation

213.Large Billed Crow-----------------Beijing--------------------------China

About an hour after picking up Li Ming we pulled up for a brief stop where we heard an Indian Cuckoo (Photo 1) calling from the top of a tree. Being notoriously difficult to see we didn¡¯t hold much hope but after a short while we spotted the bird through a small gap in the foliage.

214.Indian Cuckoo-------------------Beijing--------------------------China

As we started to climb the foothills a Hoopoe (Photo 2) dashed across the road and disappeared into the shadows, tracking it down took some time! Our time was rewarded with a Black Drongo (Photo 3) also adding to the year list

215.Hoopoe-------------------------Tuo Li--------------------------China
216.Black Drongo--------------------Tuo Li--------------------------China

A further stop near a river running though a small canyon (Photo 4) gave us wonderful views of Red Billed Choughs (Photo 5) as they circled the canyon walls.

217.Red Billed Chough---------------Tuo Li--------------------------China

More to follow...

 

[ChinaBirds]

5 June 10 (Continued)

We had just got back into the car when Yan shouted "Big Bird!" high above us so it was a mad dash out of the car to pick up a prehistoric looking Black Stork (Photo1)

218.Black Stork-----------------------Tuo Li-------------------------China

Further up the valley the road was just rubble so we parked up for a while (Photo 2) to allow the train of large black diesel billowing lorries pass through. This short break was rewarded with a Daurian Redstart (Photo 3) and a Koel calling its own name as it flew down the valley.

219.Daurian Redstart-----------------G108 Road---------------------China
220.Koel-----------------------------G108 Road---------------------China

Climbing the Bai Chao Pan Mountain (Photo 4) the road was blackened due to the open cast mining there, but this did not deter my first Godlewski's Bunting (Photo 5) of the year.

221.Godlewski's Bunting--------------Bai Chao Pan-------------------China

More to follow....

 

[ChinaBirds]

5 June 10 (Continued)

Passing through the gates of Bai Chao Pan Mountain (Photo’s 1&2) we stopped for lunch (Photo3) and then wound our way up the twisty mountain roads (Photo 4) to the summit of the mountain, a height of 2,200 metres.

Chinese Leaf Warblers were singing continuously from the very top of pine trees their call reminiscent of an old fashion printing press.

222.Chinese Leaf Warbler-------------Bai Chao Pan-----------------China

Once we had parked up we made our way down through the wood where a Hulme’s Warbler gave us wonderful views.

223.Hulme’s Warbler -----------------Bai Chao Pan-----------------China

More to follow…..

 

[ChinaBirds]

5 June 10 (Continued)

The further we descended along the wooden walkway (Photo1) the more warblers we found, the next one being a lifer, a Claudia’s Warbler (Photo 2), which I would never have identified without the help of fellow Birdforum members. There were many more species but I couldn’t get good enough photos to positively identify them.

224.Claudia’s Warbler ---------------Bai Chao Pan--------------China

After about 45 minutes of brisk walking (climbing and descending) we arrived at Bai Chao Pan’s renowned mountain meadow (Photo3), the refreshing breeze cooling us down after our exertions.

We couldn’t stay long however as dusk was falling and we had to get back to the top of the mountain. Yan and I had arrived first so set off back first. I lost count how many times we had to stop to get our breath back, talk about a step workout!

During one of these breathers I heard a call that wasn’t exactly familiar but reminded me of our good old English Robin. Going off piste I eventually tracked the sound down to a Siberian Blue Robin (Photo 4) singing two thirds up a tree, a wonderful way to finish off the day.

225.Siberian Blue Robin----------------Bai Chao Pan-------------------China

Back at the top of the mountain, we found several astronomical telescopes (Photo 5) set up ready to view the night sky. The astronomers were hoping for a crystal clear sky, but when we left the restaurant an hour later and made our way to our hotel rooms the fog had started to roll in!

 

[ChinaBirds]

6 June 10

Fred had got up at 2am hoping to view the heavens but the fog was even thicker, the one astronomer on watch not banking on any star gazing that night!

Li Ming and I arose at a much more sensible time 6am (having switched the alarm off at 5am after peering outside). To our surprise Fred was also up, while Yan (who was doing the bulk of the driving) got his beauty sleep.

The fog (Photo1) was still prevalent giving only limited visibility. We decided to descend along the road a couple of kilometres looking for pheasants but only picked up the common variety. We were also hoping for Rosefinches but again came up short.

I wasn’t disheartened however as a lifer flew past me, an Oriental Cuckoo.

226.Oriental Cuckoo---------------Bai Chao Pan---------------------China

Li Ming and I then spent some time walking around a smaller meadow hanging to the side of the mountain, where a bird that we couldn’t identify was singing from an outcrop of rock. I just had to get a better view, but after ten minutes of climbing I just managed to get myself up and over the rock to view the bird when I heard Li Ming call from below “It’s flied away!”

Back up at the hotel (Photo 3) Yan was awake so after a Chinese breakfast (I had a biscuit and some water) we headed down the mountain, our destination the Shidu canyon, which was always good for birds in the winter, but somewhere we had never birded in spring before!

Stopping at a petrol station, while the attendant filled up the car I walked round to the back yard of the station which came to an abrupt end with a 100 foot drop. Conscious of this I watched a Russet Sparrow (Photo 4) calling above me, while just as I was about to get back into the car a Hobby flew through. Not a year bird but a new China year bird, one that you can never tire of seeing.

227.Russet Sparrow---------------Road to Shidu--------------------China

The road to Shidu had been recently constructed and what a road, you felt more like you were in the Alps than in China, it was truly a spectacular feat of engineering, the views breathtaking if somewhat misty!

Finally arriving at Shidu a couple of Hill Pigeons were racing across the splendid canyon walls (Photo 5, which does not do it justice), while inseparable male and female Plumbeous Water Redstarts were flicking their tails on the rocks and a Brown Dipper dived under one of the many bridges.

228.Hill Pigeon---------------------Shidu---------------------------China
229.Plumbeous Water Redstart-----Shidu----------------------------China
230.Brown Dipper------------------Shidu----------------------------China

A pair of Mandarins also flew through, again not a year tick but probably more thoroughbred than the ones in the UK!

More to follow…………

 

[ChinaBirds]

6 June 10 (Continued)

With Shidu catering for more people than birds this time of year (we counted 40 brides and grooms having their photos taken in one area alone!) we decided to visit the Old Summer Palace (Photo1) in Beijing as it was not far from where Li Ming lived. Passing the New Summer Palace it was not long before we were parked up. The temperature in Beijing must have been 20 degrees hotter than when we first awoke on the top of the mountain. I had on every piece of clothing I could muster considering this was a summer trip but was still cold up there!

Following lunch we entered the palace grounds, Li Ming directing us to where he had seen our target species, Black Napped Orioles, a couple of weeks earlier, away from the main public gaze.

An Oriental Turtle Dove (Photo 2) was very obliging, posing for photos, while a Red Billed Starling (Photo 3) was feeding in the bottom of the dried up river bed.

231.Oriental Turtle Dove-----Old Summer Palace (Beijing)---------------China
232.Red Billed Starling -------Old Summer Palace (Beijing)--------------China

This was not looking good as orioles like to nest near water. A photographer joined us who said he had not seen or heard the orioles. Moving through the park a Grey Headed Woodpecker caught our attention as did two Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other incessantly.

233.Grey Headed Woodpecker--Old Summer Palace (Beijing)------------China

We took a rest where we had seen the woodpeckers, next to one of the lakes (this one full), spending nearly an hour chatting to the photographer and attempting to photograph Grey Capped Greenfinch as they fed on the ground. He then decided to move on and just as he went out of sight I received a phone call. The call was short lived as a flash of yellow caught my eye above me together with that tell tale oriole call, “Got to go” I said without any explanation! The four us then followed two birds high up in the branches of the trees above us (Photo 4). Yan thought he saw four but I could only make out two. Eventually after much chasing around I got my first reasonable shot of a Black Napped Oriole (Photo 5), which had Li Ming and I hi-fiving!

234.Black Napped Oriole-------Old Summer Palace (Beijing)------------China

After our success it was time to take Li Ming home and for myself to return to my hotel. A big thanks to Yan and Fred for organising the trip and for Li Ming’s time and expertise.

 

[ChinaBirds]

9 June 10

After a further two days in Beijing it was a three hour flight to Haikou on Hainan Island. The first morning it was a quick walk around the hotel (Photo1) and down to the beach (Photo 2) which gave clear views of Haikou (Photo 3).

A Magpie Robin was calling from a high vantage point on the roof of the hotel, while in the hotel gardens young White Shouldered Starlings (Photo 4) were noisily moving through the fir trees.

235.Magpie Robin-----------------------Haikou----------------------China
236.White Shouldered Starlings----------Haikou----------------------China

Overhead a Pied Kingfisher made just as much noise

237.Pied Kingfisher----------------------Haikou----------------------China

More to follow…………

 

[ChinaBirds]

9 June 10 (Continued)

I then made my way along the edge of the beach (Photo 1) in the front of other hotels to the river (Photo 2), which despite a great deal of construction was still pretty much left alone! There a Little Heron (Photo 3) was resting before searching out its next meal.

238.Little Heron-------------------Haikou---------------------------China

Up at the bridge a Common Myna was marching up and down on one of the street lights while I was pleasantly surprised that the river (Photo 5), further inland, looked to have recovered the dredging that had taken place there 9 months previous that had left it totally barren!

239.Common Myna-----------------Haikou--------------------------China

 

[ChinaBirds]

10 June 10

It was an early start the next morning, to try and get some birding in before work, the temperature soaring, without a breath of wind. Within 30 mins I was walking along the river (Photo1) around the various duck ponds, away from the coast to the wonderful pastural farmland (Photo 2).

In the fir trees alongside the river a Black Shouldered Kite was preening while a Greater Coucal (Photo 3) burst out of the undergrowth.

240.Black Shouldered Kite-----------Haikou----------------------China
241.Greater Coucal-----------------Haikou-----------------------China

High in the sky several Oriental Pratincoles were feeding on the abundance of insects, a Richard’s Pipits doing the same where the grasslands merged into the river. The pratincole I had seen at Frampton Marsh in May so the pipit could only be added to the year list.

242.Richard’s Pip--------------------Haikou----------------------China

There was no means of crossing the river so it necessitated a long walk round via a road, the sun beating down incessantly, and radiating off the hot tarmac. Back at the river a White Throated Kingfisher (Photo 4) flew over followed by a Pied Kingfisher, while a Cinnamon Bittern left the security of the weed at the edge of the river.

243.White Throated Kingfisher-----Haikou------------------------China
244.Cinnamon Bittern-------------Haikou------------------------China

Several bee eaters were flying overhead but always coming out of the sun therefore it wasn’t until two settled on a tree that I was able to identify them as Blue Throated Bee Eaters (Photo 5) one of my favourite types of bird….

245.Blue Throated Bee Eater------Haikou------------------------China

More to follow…..

 

[ChinaBirds]

10 June 10 (Continued)

By now the temperature was getting unbearable, I have been in high temperatures before but this was different, even with a hat, full sunscreen and plenty of water I was starting to feel like I was getting sunstroke. Therefore I slowly made my way back to the hotel.

A Black Collared Starling (Photo1) flew up onto an electric cable where a pair of Scaly Breasted Munia (Photo 2) had already settled.

246.Black Collared Starling----------Haikou----------------------China
247.Scaly Breasted Munia-----------Haikou----------------------China

Indian Cuckoos (Photo 3) were also chasing each other overhead, while the occasional House Swift was mixing it with the pratincoles. My main priority however was to get back to the hotel.

248.House Swift--------------------Haikou-----------------------China

There was a slight, welcome, breeze coming off the sea as I neared the coast. A Little Tern (Photo 4) was using this to its benefit as it hovered over the sea in search of fish, occasionally joining its mates on the shoreline (Photo 5) for a wash and brush up.

That was also what I needed, it taking an hour before I felt better back in my air conditioned room

 

[ChinaBirds]

11 June 10

Having arrived in Chengdu the previous evening, I had an hour or so to wonder around the park and lake (Photo1) near my hotel after work.

Several White Browed Laughingthrushes (Photo 2) and an even larger flock of Black Throated Tits were all that was added to the year list, before the rain began

249.White Browed Laughingthrush----------Chengdu---------------China
250.Black Throated Tit----------------------Chengdu---------------China

 

[ChinaBirds]

11 June 10

The rain continued the next day when I met up with fellow Bird forum member Wei Qian and Albert Jiang from our Chengdu office. It was dark when we arrived at Qing Long Lake in Chengdu. By the time dawn broke umbrella’s (Photo 1) were a must!

Just after dawn a lifer came into sight, my first Watercock, which was sharing the same shoreline as a Purple Heron, both birds visible in the scope at the same time, but too far away and too dark to digiscope.

251.Watercock---------------Qing Long Lake----------------China
252.Purple Heron--------------Qing Long Lake------------------China

Driving between the lake and a fast flowing river we stopped to try and locate the Large Hawk Cuckoo that was calling. The bird waited until we got back into the car before it dashed along the river. A Collared Finchbill was sitting on the electricity cable alongside the river.

253.Large Hawk Cuckoo-------Qing Long Lake------------------China
254.Collared Finchbill-----------Qing Long Lake-------------------China

Back to the lake and Wei Qian’s sharp eyes picked out a Pheasant Tailed Jacana amongst the pond flora.

255.Pheasant Tailed Jacana-----Qing Long Lake-----------------China

Having picked up around 5kg’s of mud on each boot as we checked out some smaller ponds we again headed back to the lake, trying to clean our boots as we went. It was now raining even harder so we decided to give up on the lake, however both a Brown Shrike and Tiger Shrike were waiting for us in a tree near the car. As we were leaving the lake a Cuckoo flew over.

256.Brown Shrike---------------Qing Long Lake------------------China
257.Tiger Shrike-----------------Qing Long Lake-----------------China
258.Cuckoo---------------------Qing Long Lake------------------China

After making a quick visit to the Chengdu International Racing Circuit, which was nearby we had lunch, a very hot Sichuan lunch, amongst the lotus ponds (Photo 3). A subsequent walk around the ponds didn’t produce another bird however!

Our final destination was a large river, swollen by the heavy rain, not too far from my hotel and the airport, as I was flying to Urumqi that evening. A Zitting Cisticola (Photo 3) was calling from the grass verge just over a disused bridge. I say disused, but it was a major bridge carrying a dual carriageway to nowhere, how they can build such a bridge and not use it beats me!

259.Zitting Cisticola----------------Chengdu----------------------China

A Yellow Bittern briefly flew from one small island of weed in the river to another, disappearing as soon as it landed

260.Yellow Bittern-----------------Chengdu----------------------China

Walking along the river with Albert and Wei Qian (Photo 4) our last birds of the days were a family of Ashy Throated Parrotbills (Photo 5) which were noisily working their way through the foliage on the bank.

261.Ashy Throated Parrotbill------Chengdu-----------------------China

It was then a big thank you to Albert and Wei Qian before catching my flight.