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Mikado Pheasant, Anmashan

 

 

 

 

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Vivid Niltava, Anmashan

 

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Finest birding in Asia

 

Emerald Dove, Longluan Lake

 

Collared Bush Robin, Yushan NP

 

Daurian Redstart, near Huisun FR

 

 

All birds photographed ‘on tour’

are opportunity shots by

Stijn

 

 

Daurian Redstart, Jiji endemic station

 

Eye-browed Thrushes, Anmashan

 

Little Ringed Plover, Kenting

 

Sacred Ibis, Tsengwen

 

Malayan Night Heron, Huisun FR

 

Forest in Yushan NP

 

 

 

All photographs © Stijn De Win

Copyright © Birding2asia.com     All rights reserved.

 

B2A Taiwan 2012

Endemics and Black-faced Spoonbills, 12 - 21 November

  

Participants; John van der Woude and Nollie Marissen, Bill Glanz, Jürgen Lehnert

  

Anmashan, Huisun Forest Reserve, Wushe area, Tsengwen Estuary,

Kenting and Yushan National Park

 

Our triplist.

 

Latin names of distinct subspecies in bold green;

 

Little Grebe  Tachybaptus ruficollis

common Tsengwen estuary

 

Great Cormorant  Phalacrocorax carbo

3 Longluan Lake

 

Grey Heron  Ardea cinerea

40+  Tsengwen estuary

 

Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea

1 seen Longluan Lake

 

Great Egret  Ardea alba

Tsengwen and Longluan

  

Intermediate Egret  Egretta intermedia

About 15 Tsengwen

  

Little Egret  Egretta garzetta

common

  

Cattle Egret  Bubulcus ibis

regularly recorded in small numbers

  

Striated Heron  Butorides striata

1 seen Anmashan

 

Black-crowned Night-Heron  Nycticorax nycticorax

fairly common

 

Malayan Night-Heron  Gorsachius melanolophus

2 sightings on Anmashan and 2 adults seen Huisun Forest Reserve

  

Sacred Ibis  Threskiornis aethiopicus  Introduced

About 10 at Tsengwen

 

Black-faced Spoonbill  Platalea minor  Endangered

Approx. 100 birds seen from the birdwatching pavilion at the Tsengwen Estuary which may only confirm its endangered status; back in 2010 we had over 600 birds present! Anyway, aren’t we blessed to have enjoyed these birds on our trip… after all  it remains highly unlikely we’ll be able to repeat this by the time I’ve got grown a stylish white beard!

  

Eurasian Wigeon  Anas Penelope

3 birds counted at Longluan Lake

 

Eurasian Teal  Anas crecca

200+ were present  at Tsengwen estuary

 

Mallard  Anas platyrhynchos

Longluan Lake

 

Eastern Spot-billed Duck  Anas zonorhyncha

50+ birds at Longluan Lake

 

Northern Pintail  Anas acuta

2 birds noted Tsengwen estuary

  

Northern Shoveler  Anas clypeata

Around 20 birds at Tsengwen

 

Tufted Duck  Aythya fuligula

400 + on Longluan Lake

 

Osprey  Pandion haliaetus

2 birds at Longluan Lake.

 

Black-shouldered Kite  Elanus caeruleus

2 sightings of a single bird at Tsengwen Estuary

 

Crested Serpent-Eagle  Spilornis cheela hoya

Rather common with regular sightings on our trip.

 

Eastern Marsh-Harrier  Circus spilonotus

2 birds at Longluan Lake.

 

Crested Goshawk  Accipiter trivirgatus formosae

At least 5 birds noted during the tour.

  

Japanese Sparrowhawk   Accipiter gularis

Seen only once, at Anmashan.

 

Besra  Accipiter virgatus fuscipectus

Photographed on Anmashan and also seen Wushe

 

Black Eagle   Ictinaetus malayensis

4 birds seen at Anmashan

 

Mountain Hawk-Eagle  Spizaetus nipalensis

1 seen Anmashan and 2 Wushe

 

Eurasian Kestrel  Falco tinnunculus

4 birds seen on the trip

 

Peregrine Falcon  Falco peregrinus

One bird seen Longluan Lake

 

Taiwan Partridge  Arborophila crudigularis  Near-threatened (NT)  Country endemic

A huge new landslide blocked the access road to Bedongyueshan which would have been our best chance to see these elusive birds. Unfortunately heard only on this trip although John and Nollie got lucky with a sighting on the Blue Gate track as they had stayed on in the area for a few extra days after the main tour.

 

Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge  Bambusicola sonorivox  Country endemic

4 birds seen at Longluan Lake, also heard Wushe

 

Swinhoe's Pheasant  Lophura swinhoii  Near-threatened (NT)  Country endemic

Daily sightings at Anmashan however I must note we saw an amazing total of 6 males and 6 females on the 14th. A record number for 1 day I guess!

 

Mikado Pheasant  Syrmaticus mikado  Near-threatened (NT)  Country endemic

A male on the 14th on Anmashan with a pair seen the next day. At Yushan NP we added 2 females to the list.

 

Slaty-breasted Rail  Gallirallus striatus  taiwanus

A good find at Tsengwen ponds.

 

White-breasted Waterhen  Amaurornis phoenicurus

2 birds at Jiji endemic research station.

  

Common Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus

Longluan Lake and Jiji endemic research station.

 

Eurasian Coot  Fulica atra

50 birds at Longluan Lake

 

Black-winged Stilt  Himantopus himantopus

100+ at Tsengwen

 

Pacific Golden-Plover  Pluvialis fulva

About 10  at Tsengwen

 

Grey Plover  Pluvialis squatarola

3+5 at Tsengwen

 

Little Ringed Plover  Charadrius dubius

Common Tsengwen and near Longluan Lake

 

Kentish Plover  Charadrius alexandrinus

Small numbers Tsengwen

 

Lesser Sandplover  Charadrius mongolus

6 at Tsengwen

 

Common Snipe  Gallinago gallinago

20+ near Longluan

 

Bar-tailed Godwit  Limosa lapponica

3 + 5 birds at Tsengwen

 

Whimbrel  Numenius phaeopus

Single bird seen Tsengwen

 

Eurasian Curlew  Numenius arquata

5 birds at Tsengwen

 

Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos

Tsengwen, Longluan and 1 at Lushan

 

Green Sandpiper  Tringa ochropus

Single at Tsengwen

 

Spotted Redshank  Tringa erythropus

Single bird at Tsengwen

 

Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia

Small numbers Tsengwen and Longluan

 

Marsh Sandpiper  Tringa stagnatilis

Good numbers Tsengwen and few Longluan

 

Wood Sandpiper  Tringa glareola

Few Tsengwen and Longluan Lake

 

Common Redshank  Tringa totanus

4 birds at  Tsengwen

 

Red-necked Stint  Calidris ruficollis

Single bird at Tsengwen

 

Temminck’s Stint  Calidris temminckii

Single bird seen en-route to Kenting

 

Long-toed Stint  Calidris subminuta

About 20 en-route to Kenting

 

Curlew Sandpiper  Calidris ferruginea

Single bird Tsengwen

 

Dunlin  Calidris alpina

Approx. 100 birds seen at Tsengwen

 

Saunders’ Gull  Larus saundersi

Always nice to get and we enjoyed 3+ 2 birds at Tsengwen.

 

Little Tern  Sternula albifrons

150+  Tsengwen

 

Caspian Tern  Hydroprogne caspia

Estimated 450 and 300 birds on visits to Tsengwen

 

Whiskered Tern  Chlidonias hybrida

common Tsengwen

 

Ashy Wood-Pigeon  Columba pulchricollis

1 + 6 + 4 + 1 at Anmashan and a few seen near Wushe.

 

Oriental Turtle-Dove  Streptopelia orientalis orii

Small numbers seen throughout

 

Red Collared-Dove  Streptopelia tranquebarica

common Tsengwen and coast

 

Spotted Dove  Streptopelia chinensis formosona

fairly common in lowlands throughout

 

White-bellied Pigeon  Treron sieboldii soronius

2 at Anmashan and 20+ at Chung Yang farm

 

Collared Scops Owl  Otus lettia  glabripes

Heard Wushe

 

Silver-backed Needletail  Hirundapus cochinchinensis formosanus

About 10 birds at Anmashan

 

House Swift  Apus nipalensis  kuntzi

Good for sightings on most tour dates.

 

Common Kingfisher  Alcedo atthis

6 birds seen during the trip

 

Taiwan Barbet  Megalaima nuchalis  Country endemic

Seen on every but 1 tour date with up to 15 daily.

 

Grey-capped Woodpecker  Dendrocopos canicapillus kaleensis

Seen on 5 tour dates.

 

White-backed Woodpecker  Dendrocopos leucotos insularis

Two sightings at Anmashan, second bird was a female.

 

Oriental Skylark  Alauda gulgula  wattersi

3 birds at Tsengwen

 

Grey-throated Martin  Riparia chinensis chinensis

10  birds seen at Tsengwen

 

Barn Swallow  Hirundo rustica

Few in the lowlands.

 

Pacific Swallow  Hirundo tahitica namiyei

fairly common at lower altitudes + coast, noted on all  tour dates

 

Asian Martin  Delichon dasypus nigrimentalis

common at higher altitudes

 

Striated Swallow  Cecropis striolata striolata

fairly common, usually in and  near towns

 

Red-throated Pipit  Anthus cervinus

5 near Longluan Lake

 

White Wagtail  Motacilla alba

Birds noted on 5 tour dates (leucopsis)

 

Eastern Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla flava

taivana (Green-headed Wagtail), en-route to  Wushe, Tsengwen

 

Grey Wagtail  Motacilla cinerea

Singles Anmashan and Wushe

 

Grey-chinned Minivet  Pericrocotus solaris

Fairly common

 

Collared Finchbill  Spizixos semitorques cinereicapillus  Near-endemic

Anmashan and fairly common around Wushe

 

Styan's Bulbul  Pycnonotus taivanus Endemic

About 40 seen at Longluan Lake.

 

Chinese Bulbul  Pycnonotus sinensis formosae

common

 

Black Bulbul  Hypsipetes leucocephalus nigerrimus

common

 

Flamecrest  Regulus goodfellowi  Country endemic

A few sightings and plenty more heard Anmashan, also heard Yushan and seen Hehuan Pass.

  

Winter Wren  Troglodytes troglodytes taivanus

Only one seen, on Anmashan

 

Alpine Accentor  Prunella collaris fennelli

Two birds on Hehuan Pass.

 

Blue Rock-Thrush  Monticola solitarius

Six birds seen on the trip, near Longluan Lake and Wushe area

 

Taiwan Whistling-Thrush  Myophonus insularis  Country endemic

4 sightings Anmashan, also 2 en-route to Huisun

 

Scaly Thrush  Zoothera dauma

3 on Anmashan and 2 Yushan NP.

 

Taiwan Thrush  Turdus niveiceps  Country endemic

A pair of this great rarity seen from the car on Anmashan was a perfect find.

 

Eye-browed Thrush  Turdus obscurus

Amazingly seen on every single tour date with 20+ birds recorded on most days.

 

Pale Thrush  Turdus pallidus

Small numbers in the Wushe area only.

 

Brown-headed Thrush  Turdus chrysolaus

Small numbers seen in the Wushe area.

 

Japanese Thrush  Turdus cardis

We found a female on the Huhuan Pass. Rare in Taiwan and good for ‘the’ surprise find of the trip.

 

Taiwan Shortwing  Brachypteryx goodfellowi  Country endemic

This tour was scheduled a little later in November. In the first half of the month many Shortwings are still present on the breeding grounds but now they had gone down to lower altitude. This rarely is a problem because at Bedongyueshan at only 1500m asl the forest is full of them. But again, this new landslide made a visit impossible this time. We found 1 bird on the road to Bedongyueshan, it was singing but not cooperative and kept out of view.

 

Zitting Cisticola  Cisticola juncidis

1 seen Tsengwen

 

Striated Prinia  Prinia crinigera striata

Few seen  Chung Yang Farm and also en-route near Puli

 

Yellow-bellied Prinia  Prinia flaviventris

Seen en-route near Puli

 

Plain Prinia  Prinia inornata flavirostris

Few seen Tsengwen

 

Manchurian Bush-Warbler  Cettia canturians

1 showed well along the road above Wushe as it was easy to squeak out

 

Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler  Cettia fortipes robustipes

2 seen at Anmashan

 

Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler  Cettia acanthizoides concolor

Few seen at Anmashan top and at Huhuan pass, and we got 20+ at Yushan in 1 morning

 

Taiwan Bush-Warbler  Bradypterus alishanensis  Country endemic

One bird showed well (after much effort) on the same Anmashan stake-out we used in Nov. 2010. Taiwan Bush-Warblers are not singing and highly elusive out of the breeding season. Additionally they move to lower altitudes for the winter which makes trying at any of the familiar spots from spring-time to produce nothing. Once a winter site is known things turn feasible again and we even got our bird into some bits of song after playback.

 

Oriental Reed-Warbler  Acrocephalus orientalus

1 seen Tsengwen

 

Dusky Warbler  Phylloscopus fuscatus

1 seen Tsengwen

 

Arctic Warbler  Phylloscopus borealis

few seen at Jijhi endemic research station and Longluan Lake

 

Rufous-faced Warbler  Abroscopus albogularis

Fairly common

 

Grey-streaked Flycatcher  Muscicapa griseisticta

Another surprise find, at Jiji endemic research institute gardens, first time I see this in Taiwan.

 

Vivid Niltava  Niltava vivida vivida

Up to 10 daily on Anmashan, also Blue Gate track Wushe

  

Siberian Rubythroat  Luscinia calliope

1 found singing at Chung Yang farm showed well a couple times.

  

Taiwan Robin  Tarsiger formosana  Country endemic

Worryingly absent for a while but then we found 1 that showed very well on the Blue Gate track at Wushe.

 

Collared Bush-Robin  Tarsiger johnstoniae  Country endemic

Few sightings at Anmashan but up to 10 in a morning seen in  Yushan NP and seen once in the Wushe area.

 

Plumbeous Redstart  Rhyacornis fuliginosa affinis

Common along streams and waterfalls; Anmashan,, Wushe area, Yushan…

  

Daurian Redstart  Phoenicuris auroreus

Real good numbers present on our trip especially in the Wushe area with many sightings daily.

   

White-tailed Robin  Cinclidium leucurum montium

A bit elusive this time with only 2 sightings but this included a fine male at Anmashan.

 

Little Forktail  Enicurus scouleri fortis

1 seen  on a small waterfall at Anmashan.

 

Black-naped Monarch  Hypothymis azurea oberholseri

Fairly common with regular sightings.

 

Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush  Garrulax ruficeps  Country endemic

A group of about 10 birds at Anmashan.

   

Rusty Laughingthrush  Garrulax poecilorhynchus  Country endemic

We encountered a group of about 10 to 15 birds at Anmashan. As compared with the spring time this is one of the more tricky species to find in November for the simple fact that it is easier to find a vocal pair in an area with a chance in 5 locations (10 birds spread out) than it would to find 1 group of 10 silently working through the vegetation.

 

Taiwan Hwamei  Garrulax taewanus  Country endemic

2 seen at Anmashan and 3 birds were singing at Longluan Lake

  

White-whiskered Laughingthrush  Garrulax morrisonianus  Country endemic

Fairly common at higher altitudes of Anmashan, Hehuan and Yushan.

 

Steere’s Liocichla  Liocichla steerii  Country endemic

common throughout in the mountains

 

Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler  Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis  Country endemic

4 birds seen on our first day at Anmashan, more heard later on during the tour.

 

Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler  Pomatorhinus musicus  Country endemic

Good sightings on Anmashan and at Longluan Lake.

 

Taiwan Wren-Babbler  Pnoepyga formosana  Country endemic

We heard quite a few until we found 1 very cooperative bird at Yushan NP, perfect views obtained!

 

Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps praecognita

Fairly common and vocal.

 

Taiwan Barwing  Actinodura morrisoniana  Country endemic

15 birds seen in Yushan NP

 

Taiwan Fulvetta  Alcippe formosana  Country endemic

About 10 seen Yushan NP and 2 birds on the Blue Gate track Wushe

 

Dusky Fulvetta  Alcippe brunnea brunnea

2 birds seen at Anmashan and 2 Wushe area

 

Grey-cheeked Fulvetta  Alcippe morrisonia morrisonia

common

 

White-eared Sibia  Heterophasia auricularis  Country endemic

common

 

Taiwan Yuhina  Yuhina brunneiceps  Country endemic

fairly common in flocks

 

White-bellied Erpornis  Erpornis zantholeuca

One seen Huisun Forest Reserve

 

Black-throated Tit  Aegithalos concinnus

fairly common

 

Coal Tit  Periparus ater ptisolus

seen only at Anmashan top

 

Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus insperatus

fairly common and regularly encountered

 

Yellow Tit  Macholophus holsti  Near-threatened (NT)  Country endemic

Only seen Anmashan but good for daily sightings there.

 

Varied Tit  Sittiparus varius castaneoventris

Three sightings at Huisun FR..

 

Eurasian Nuthatch  Sitta europaea

Regular encounters at Anmashan and once at Wushe

 

Plain Flowerpecker  Dicaeum concolor uchidai

Seen Anmashan and  also on the Blue Gate Track.

 

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker  Dicaeum ignipectum formosum

Single seen Anmashan

 

Japanese White-eye  Zosterops japonicus simplex

common

  

Maroon Oriole [Red Oriole]  Oriolus traillii  ardens

A fine male at Huisun Forest Reserve.

  

Brown Shrike  Lanius cristatus

4 sightings on the tour

 

Long-tailed Shrike  Lanius schach formosae

1 seen Tsengwen

 

Black Drongo  Dicrurus macrocercus harterti

fairly common

 

Ashy Drongo  Dicrurus leucophaeus

2 birds km 13 Anmashan

 

Bronzed Drongo  Dicrurus aeneus brounianus

Regular sightings at Anmashan and Huisun

 

Eurasian Jay  Garrulus glandarius taivanus

2 at Anmashan and 1 Yushan NP

 

Taiwan Blue Magpie  Urocissa caerulea  Country endemic

We enjoyed great views of all 3 groups usually present  at Huisun Forest Reserve.

 

Grey Treepie  Dendrocitta formosae formosae

common

 

Eurasian Magpie [Oriental Magpie]  Pica pica sericea

Recorded on 4 tour dates

 

Eurasian Nutcracker  Nucifraga caryocatactes owstoni

Up to 20 birds at Anmashan and 5 seen at Yushan NP

 

Large-billed Crow  Corvus macrorhynchos

small numbers throughout

 

Javan Myna  Acridotheres javanicus  Introduced

several noted en-route throughout

 

Common Myna  Acridotheres tristis  Introduced

Single bird noted.

 

White-shouldered Starling  Sturnus sinensis

50 birds around  Longluan Lake, Kenting.

 

Eurasian Tree Sparrow  Passer montanus

common

 

White-rumped Munia  Lonchura striata

Noted twice, at Anmashan and Chung Yang Farm.

 

Scaly-breasted Munia  Lonchura punctulata

Once at Tsengwen

 

Vinaceous Rosefinch  Carpodacus vinaceus formosanus

Two males and a female gave brilliant views on Hehuan Pass.

 

Eurasian Siskin  Carduelis spinus

Heard what must have been this species at Yushan NP.

 

Brown Bullfinch  Pyrrhula nipalensis uchidae

5 on the Blue Gate Track and a further 3 seen in flight near Wushe town.

 

Beavan’s Bullfinch [Owston’s]  Pyrrhula erythaca owstoni

6 in flight on Anmashan and later 4 + 2 seen well in Yushan NP

 

Black-faced Bunting  Emberiza spodocephala

1 Anmahsan, 1 Tsengwen and several seen  at Chung Yang Farm near Wushe.

 

Hawfinch  Coccothraustes coccothraustes

1 found at km 48, Anmashan was a nice surprise as they only reach Taiwan accidentally.

 

 

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