Some top China birds - six potential China ticks for me - and stuck in fog-bound pollution-bound migrant-free valley that hasn't managed even a Bluetail this winter! (grumble grumble grumble)
Cheers
Mike
Joined Terry Townhend, Paul Holt, and Bai Qingquan for a 3 day trip from Dalian to Dandong and the Dandong area including Feng Huang Shan. We also took the ferry from Zhuanghe Port to two of the islands in the Yellow Sea and back. Paul is doing a complete report which I will link to this thread in the future. Here is the complete trip species list and some of the photos. Counting credits go to Paul.
Hazel Grouse - 2
Common Pheasant - 4
Common Sehelduck - 193
Mallard - 355
Spot-billed Duck - 104
Eurasian Teal - 49
Long-tailed Duck - 64
Common Goldeneye - 692
Smew - 10
Common Merganser - 29
Red-breasted Merganser - 236
Litte Grebe - 23
Pelagic Cormorant - 70
White-tailed Sea Eagle - 3
Cinereous (Black) Vulture - 3 (life bird)
Eastern Marsh Harrier - 1
Hen Harrier - 4
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 2
Eastern Buzzard - 2
Upland Buzzard - 8
Rough-legged Buzzard - 1 (not many around this winter)
Eurasian Kestrel - 29
Merlin - 1
Long-billed Plover - 1
Eurasian Curlew - 300
Relict Gull - 2
Black-tailed Gull - 110
Common Gull - 345
Glaucous Gull - 1
Vega Gull - 31
Mongolian Gull - 222
Slaty-backed Gull - 3
Oriental Turtle Dove - 15
Little Owl - 1
Japanese Pgymy Woodpecker - 6
White-backed Woodpecker - 5 (life bird)
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2
Grey-headed Woodpecker - 3
Chinese Grey Shrike - 5
Eurasian Jay - 5
Large-billed Crow - 1
Marsh Tit - 18
Varied Tit - 10
Coal Tit - 5
Great Tit - 10
Chinese Penduline Tit - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 5
Eurasian Skylark - 26
Brown-eared Bulbul - 15
Chinese Hill Warbler - 1
Goldcrest - 4
Winter Wren - 1
Eurasian Nuthatch - 12
Naumann's Thrush - 2
Dusky x Naumann's Thrush - 1
Daurian Redstart - 2
Alpine Accentor - 5
Siberian Accentor - 6
Brambling - 1
Oriental Greenfinch - 4
Meadow Bunting - 6
Yellow-throated Bunting - 32
Pallas's Reed Bunting - 96
Common Reed Bunting - 3
Afternoon visit to the reservoir was completely useless except for 2 Eastern Buzzard and a few Pheasants. The Sea Farming Ponds had a nice adult White-tailed Sea Eagle (first record for that specific area) which was being mobbed by over 30 magpies. After watching for a while, 3 Upland Buzzard and one Eastern Buzzard joined in the pestering. Quite a sight! Eventually the eagle moved off and landed at the other end of the ponds with one buzzard staying with it all the way. Check out how the eagle dwarfs even the biggest of buzzards. Back at the same spot as yesterday, I refound the adult Merlin and today he posed nicely.:t:
Been out a few times yesterday and today. Today was more of a shopping trip but we drove past a few places. Saw 2 more Rough-legged Buzzards, one White-tailed Sea Eagle, 1 Upland and 1 Eastern Buzzard today on the way for groceries this afternoon!
Attached is a picture showing Common Shelducks and my new place for gulls (now) and shorebirds (in a few months) right here in Jinshitan. Ironically, demountainization led to it now being accessible for me quite quickly. I'm thinking of concentrating on gulls and shorebirds this spring as I need to learn more in those areas. Those of you who know me will smile at that....The picture of my son is also the new place. Have to think of a name for it.
Also attached is a photo of a Yellow-legged Vega Gull? Comments welcome.
Afternoon drive around Jinshitan. The one photo of the owl in the sunset depicts an all too familiar scene here in Jinshitan. New apartment blocks and coal burning energy plants.
Common Pheasant
Common Shelduck - well over 500 at the new place. The most I've ever seen in one area at one time.
Ruddy Shelduck - 2
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Eurasian Kestrel - 3
Hen Harrier - 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Eastern Buzzard - 4
Upland Buzzard - 2
Rough-legged Buzzard - 1
Black-tailed Gull - many
Common Gull - many
Vega Gull - a few
Mongolian Gull - a few
Oriental Turtle Dove - 18 (two large groups)
Little Owl - 1
Eurasian Skylark - 7
Yellow-throated Bunting - many
Japanese Reed Bunting - 6