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China observations (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gretchen
- Start date
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Yeah, I thought of you as I wrote that :t:
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Mike,
While it was a couple large flocks, and not 80-100 in a single flock, the yellow-bellied tits were impressive (once I found them in good light to figure out what they were).
They're quite pretty little birds.
JH
While it was a couple large flocks, and not 80-100 in a single flock, the yellow-bellied tits were impressive (once I found them in good light to figure out what they were).
They're quite pretty little birds.
JH
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thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
Love those "tits". You would be seeing more of them in Nanjing including the 3 woodpecker species. I don't know whether the ongoing destruction going in your area resulted in the absence of the buntings, mainly the most common of all, the Black-faced Bunting.
Even, in Shanghai when you get out of the city reed buntings can't be missed. Very less reed buntings this winter and i'm yet to see a Tristram's in the local parks.
Even, in Shanghai when you get out of the city reed buntings can't be missed. Very less reed buntings this winter and i'm yet to see a Tristram's in the local parks.
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Century Park Shanghai
I made a quick pass through Pudong Century Park in Shanghai this afternoon. Not a lot of variety but one new bird for this visit - Japanese white-eye. I had a few of them mixed in with a large flock of vinous-throated parrotbills.
Besides that flock, thrushes dominated the action. The majority were pale thrushes and blackbirds, but I did have one dusky and one Naumann's. Other birds were the more common stuff: azure-winged magpies, light-vented bulbuls, white-cheeked starlings, yellow-billed grosbeaks, leucopsis white wagtails, one great tit, and lots of spotted and turtle doves. Also had a little grebe and a common moorhen on the edge of bird island.
And continuing the trend...no buntings.
I made a quick pass through Pudong Century Park in Shanghai this afternoon. Not a lot of variety but one new bird for this visit - Japanese white-eye. I had a few of them mixed in with a large flock of vinous-throated parrotbills.
Besides that flock, thrushes dominated the action. The majority were pale thrushes and blackbirds, but I did have one dusky and one Naumann's. Other birds were the more common stuff: azure-winged magpies, light-vented bulbuls, white-cheeked starlings, yellow-billed grosbeaks, leucopsis white wagtails, one great tit, and lots of spotted and turtle doves. Also had a little grebe and a common moorhen on the edge of bird island.
And continuing the trend...no buntings.
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thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
No black-faced bunting in Century park? That's very strange. The west side of the park should be filled with plenty of them, starting from the reeds infront of gate 7(Usually Park maintenance crew will clear the reeds every winter). Glad to hear about the white-eyes, i din't see them in the park recently but there is always a flock in my old apartment compound.
I would have thought Jeff saw enough BF Buntings in Poyang to last him a lifetime 8-P
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Well, I'd only seen one before (in Taiwan), so seeing the ones in Poyang wasn't a hardship.
And Dev, since I only had a couple hours, I spent most of my time on the east side of the park (closer to my hotel). The reeds on that side of the park were cleared as you expected.
JH
thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
Jeff's search for Buntings reminds me of the Christmas day @ the urban park in City Outskirts (Binjiang Forest Park). I got my first Rustic Bunting in the city, first one came from Chongming Island an year before but the Rustics in the park are an entertaining pair.
No Rustic Bunting pics for now but presenting the most "Common Man" of winter.
(Binjiang Forest Park). I got my first Rustic Bunting in the city, first one came from Chongming Island an year before but the Rustics in the park are an entertaining pair.No Rustic Bunting pics for now but presenting the most "Common Man" of winter.
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thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
Thanks Mike! It was a working day in Shanghai and fortunately i got bailed myself out of the office, it was a very quite day in the park, hardly i came across 10 visitors.
Here is a rustic bunting from the same day. I'm still lacking the Oriental Greenfinches, which were abundant in the park last year.
Here is a rustic bunting from the same day. I'm still lacking the Oriental Greenfinches, which were abundant in the park last year.
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Brr ... Chilly mornings
I haven't really been out very many times this winter. Last week I traveled down to the Stone Park in Beidaihe to look for thrushes and took along a friend who is just getting interested in birds.
We may have been a little too early (8:15), because it was fairly quiet, except for the noisy flock of Chinese Bulbuls. We did see a Great Tit, Blue Winged Red Billed Magpies (which was a hit with my friend), and a Spotted Dove. We also had poor views of a few Grosbeaks, and I think some Hawfinches (first for me). Unfortunately these birds were all seen up against the sky or into the sun, and we were nearly frozen by the time we saw them, so I couldn't really do better. Three Blackbirds drinking at the stream were all the thrushes we saw :eek!: I had been counting on better. (Though it was my first time to see that many blackbirds.)
Today on campus there was a mixed flock of tits - well actually one Coal Tit and one Great Tit together - really a small "flock" :-O I found a new drip this winter - a nice place to look for birds, and amidst the bulbuls, I got a quick look at what I think was another first time bird - a Siberian Accentor. It was smaller than I expected (I saw it next to a bulbul and it was definitely smaller), but I saw the face pattern fairly well. The rest of my walk wasn't too productive except coming across a few more isolated Coal Tits and lots of Magpies; I'm pretty sure I heard Red-Billed Magpies, but didn't see them. Getting good views of a Great Spot was the only other excitement. I do love to listen to them too, and he was really hacking away at a tree looking for something. No thrushes at all, but okay for a quick hour.
The problem with being out of practice for winter birding is forgetting how to dress warmly enough!
I haven't really been out very many times this winter. Last week I traveled down to the Stone Park in Beidaihe to look for thrushes and took along a friend who is just getting interested in birds.
We may have been a little too early (8:15), because it was fairly quiet, except for the noisy flock of Chinese Bulbuls. We did see a Great Tit, Blue Winged Red Billed Magpies (which was a hit with my friend), and a Spotted Dove. We also had poor views of a few Grosbeaks, and I think some Hawfinches (first for me). Unfortunately these birds were all seen up against the sky or into the sun, and we were nearly frozen by the time we saw them, so I couldn't really do better. Three Blackbirds drinking at the stream were all the thrushes we saw :eek!: I had been counting on better. (Though it was my first time to see that many blackbirds.)
Today on campus there was a mixed flock of tits - well actually one Coal Tit and one Great Tit together - really a small "flock" :-O I found a new drip this winter - a nice place to look for birds, and amidst the bulbuls, I got a quick look at what I think was another first time bird - a Siberian Accentor. It was smaller than I expected (I saw it next to a bulbul and it was definitely smaller), but I saw the face pattern fairly well. The rest of my walk wasn't too productive except coming across a few more isolated Coal Tits and lots of Magpies; I'm pretty sure I heard Red-Billed Magpies, but didn't see them. Getting good views of a Great Spot was the only other excitement. I do love to listen to them too, and he was really hacking away at a tree looking for something. No thrushes at all, but okay for a quick hour.
The problem with being out of practice for winter birding is forgetting how to dress warmly enough!
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Congratulations on the Siberian Accentor Gretchen!
They were one of my favourite winter birds from my time in Beijing.
A same you couldn't get to grips with the grosbeaks/hawfinches - if you only get silhouettes it's worth remembering that Hawfinch is rather short-tailed.
Cheers
Mike
They were one of my favourite winter birds from my time in Beijing.
A same you couldn't get to grips with the grosbeaks/hawfinches - if you only get silhouettes it's worth remembering that Hawfinch is rather short-tailed.
Cheers
Mike
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Thanks Mike. I've been looking forward to the accentor for some time - very good looking birds - and was sorry not to have longer views of this one. It goes on "the list" as another nice bird which appeared once on campus. I'm sure I saw Grosbeaks - managed to see the distinctive head pattern on a male or two. Then I saw a smaller finch-y bird with them in another location, but that was looking sunwards and with frozen fingers. Just a "probable", but next time I'll pay more attention to tail length.
thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
That's a nice winter day Gretchen with a Siberian Accentor.
Winter in Shanghai is settling now. Made my usual trip to Binjiang Park. Varied Tits are everywhere in the park. Not sure if its the same flock which is moving around. At one point, i left counting them. I encountered the flock of 5-6 birds all the time.
Picked up the regular thrushes just right infront of the parking lot. Pale Thrushes are the majority followed by the Naumann's, Dusky's and Grey-backed. One Eyebrowed Thrush got flushed by an annoying Long-tailed Shrike.
Elegant Buntings as usual skulked and flew away on a slight presence of human. The usual pair of Rustic Buntings were missing this time, their territory was occupied by Chinese Grosbeaks, Yellow-bellied Tits, Olive-backed Pipits n Bramblings.
The flock of White-Cheeked Starlings were disturbed by the Common Buzzard and a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Hawfinches were as usual flew to the canopies whenever there is a human presence.
Oriental Turtle Doves congregated in huge no's. Never seen a flock of 150 idle throughout the day.
Should be having a break after this following a working weekend and the Chinese New year on the brink, i don't even think about travelling during that period.
Happy new year to my fellow birders in the Forbidden Kingdom(新年快乐)
Winter in Shanghai is settling now. Made my usual trip to Binjiang Park. Varied Tits are everywhere in the park. Not sure if its the same flock which is moving around. At one point, i left counting them. I encountered the flock of 5-6 birds all the time.
Picked up the regular thrushes just right infront of the parking lot. Pale Thrushes are the majority followed by the Naumann's, Dusky's and Grey-backed. One Eyebrowed Thrush got flushed by an annoying Long-tailed Shrike.
Elegant Buntings as usual skulked and flew away on a slight presence of human. The usual pair of Rustic Buntings were missing this time, their territory was occupied by Chinese Grosbeaks, Yellow-bellied Tits, Olive-backed Pipits n Bramblings.
The flock of White-Cheeked Starlings were disturbed by the Common Buzzard and a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Hawfinches were as usual flew to the canopies whenever there is a human presence.
Oriental Turtle Doves congregated in huge no's. Never seen a flock of 150 idle throughout the day.
Should be having a break after this following a working weekend and the Chinese New year on the brink, i don't even think about travelling during that period.
Happy new year to my fellow birders in the Forbidden Kingdom(新年快乐)
Took the public bus from Shanghai to Yancheng last Wednesday.
Spent two days in the reserve area, and then caught the train to Nanjing, where I birded Purple Mountain for two days.
My trip report and photos are here:
http://www.chinesecurrents.com/wild_side.html
Spent two days in the reserve area, and then caught the train to Nanjing, where I birded Purple Mountain for two days.
My trip report and photos are here:
http://www.chinesecurrents.com/wild_side.html
Wonderful picture of the Greater Necklaced Laughingthrushes! (As well as the very handsome Berthemy’s
)
thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
The woodland species definitely says you had a great time @ the Purple Mountain. The female Japanese Robin is less attractive than the male but who cares when it comes to the full frame shots.
Wonderful trip report Shi Jin.
