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WildWings, 577 Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Bristol. BS16 3AF.UK
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Summary
Wildwings’ 14th trip to this renowned Asian migration spot was another roaring success. The group of 26 enjoyed 18 days of blistering birding which produced a record total of 267 species. Highlights were numerous and it’s difficult to list all of them. Firstly, four species were seen for the first time on this tour – Brown Dipper, Siberian Accentor, Japanese Bush Warbler and Russet Sparrow. Amongst the many other highlights included 3 Chinese Egrets, an Oriental White Stork, 4 Pied Harriers, an Upland Buzard, 3 Greater Spotted Eagles, 2 Saker Falcons, Ruddy-breasted Crake, 4 Ibisbills , 2 Long-billed Plovers, up to 9 Relict Gulls (including a hardly-ever seen breeding adult), 3 Lesser Cuckoos, 2 Northern Hawk Cuckoos, a stunning Brown Hawk Owl (or Northern Boobok), 15 White-throated Needletails, 2 Crested Kingfishers, 2 Mongolian Larks, 3 Asian House Martins, 2 Rosy Pipits, a Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike, Long-tailed Minivet, 2 Japanese Waxwings, Siberian Bush Warblers, a Grey-crowned Warbler, 3 Blue and White Flycatchers, 3 Rufous-gorgeted Flycatchers and a Daurian Jackdaw. As well as a diverse range of birds some impressive counts were made, including record numbers of Mugimaki Flycatchers and Japanese Grosbeaks. Waders are always popular and we amassed a list of 42 species, many of them in superb breeding dress, and we recorded the highest numbers of Red-necked Stints seen in recent years. Thrushes, too, have mass appeal and 10 species were recorded, including at least 7 much-desired Siberian Thrushes. Incredibly, one location – the Friendship Hotel – attracted all 10 of them at some time or other.
Rarities aside, one of the most appealing parts of this trip is the often fantastic views of the commoner species. Stunning birds like male White-throated Rock Thrush, Yellow-rumped and Mugimaki Flycatchers, Daurian Redstart, Yellow-breasted and Siberian Meadow Buntings were just as memorable, and then there’s the mythical ‘sibes’ like Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Blue Robin and White’s Thrush. Vagrants to the UK like Pallas’s and Radde’s Warblers were seen in huge numbers, with birds just feet away in the right conditions.
Development Update
Like many parts of this vast country, development continues unabated in the Hebei province. Two of the key sites we cover at Beidaihe, the Heng Ho Reservoir and Yang He Estuary, are being affected and we are closely monitoring the situation. Part of the reservoir is in the process of being turned into a nature reserve – of sorts! The work done so far didn’t look too promising but with proper management the area could be actually improved. Few visits were made to Yang He, partly due to access problems and partly because birding was so good at other sites. In the right conditions this area can be superb and hopefully any development won’t be too intrusive; again, the situation will be closely watched.
The situation in the south did not give cause for long term optimism, while although the Magic Wood remains intact the Big Wood is now perilously close to a large works that simply ‘sprung up’ nearby in a matter of months. The work appears to have stopped or been suspended on Happy Island, but the dredging and earth moving continues along the coast, inadvertently affecting the tidal regime. With our experience and local knowledge we will hopefully continue to make the most of the birding here, whatever lies in store.
Daily Summary
Sunday 4th May
Arriving in Beijing mid-morning on our overnight KLM flight from Amsterdam, we were met by Jean, our local guide. Conditions were typically much warmer and humid than those we had left behind in the UK. After a short coach journey through the suburbs, during which Jean relayed some interesting facts about the city and it’s Olympic preparations, we were quickly booked into the comfortable Lingnan Hotel. The group were then shown the conveniently placed mini-market across the street, where we could buy fruit, water and snacks including ‘proper’ and very tasty Pot Noodles!
Following a short lunch break we headed for the former imperial retreat of the Summer Palace, a large wooded park with ornamental lakes. Predictably it was very busy and with this in mind we began to walk towards the quieter areas. From the go it was apparent that a raptor passage was taking place, most of it at considerable height, over the park. Among them were two Oriental Honey Buzzards, two Grey-faced Buzzards, an Amur Falcon, a very distant harrier sp., two Eurasian Sparrowhawks and a further six accipiters. Continuing into the park, the resident Azure-winged Magpies aside, passerines were few; the weather being too favourable for migration. However, there were single Tristram’s and Little Buntings and at least six Yellow-browed Warblers and a single Pallas’s Warbler. Also noted were Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Willow Tits and 20 smart little Yellow-bellied Tits. Making our way around the lakes which held Great Crested and Little Grebes (the latter is the race poggei with a white eye) we came across one of three distinctive mandarinus Blackbirds which would set the precedent for a record number during the trip of what is usually a very seldom seen species. We then found one of the park’s speciality birds – a superb Crested Kingfisher, complete with its ‘punk rocker’ hair do! One of the wooded islands harboured a pair of wild Mandarin Ducks and two Chinese Pond Herons, while two Great Egrets, a fly-over Osprey, two Pacific Swifts and 25 Night Herons rounded off a very interesting spell of city birding. The day concluded with our first taste of fantastic authentic Chinese food at a nearby restaurant, followed by completion of the bird log – an invaluable but interesting exercise that enables yearly comparisons to be made and the trip report to be compiled.
Monday 5th May
We were up early and then on the road, heading for the hills where we would look for Ibisbills. It was a fine, clear morning and, despite having to take a detour due to road works, we were soon enjoying views of wooded hillsides and lofty peaks as the coach hugged the windy roads. Disembarking at our stake-out, we cautiously made our way along the track with much of the group collecting new birds on the way. At least 4 Russet Sparrows, which generally occur much further south, were a real surprise here and a new species for this tour. Single Brown Shrikes and Bluethroats, six Daurian Redstarts and Vinous-throated Parrotbills were seen, along with Grey, White (both Amur and Swinhoe’s forms) and Yellow (Grey-headed and Siberian) Wagtails. It wasn’t long before our main target birds – three Ibisbills – were located. Initially, they seemed flighty, but after careful approach we were soon enjoying fantastic views of this truly splendid and enigmatic wader. Incredibly, they were seen to display and, later joined by a fourth bird, were oblivious to our presence. In proximity was another specialised wader – two Long-billed Plovers – alongside Little Ringed Plovers for comparison! Two Grey-headed Lapwings completed a rare wader hat-trick. Further highlights of the morning included an Upland Buzzard soaring over a distant ridge, an exceptionally rare fly-over Oriental White Stork, two Yellow-throated Buntings, two Choughs and a Citrine Wagtail. Singing Meadow and Godlewski’s Buntings, two oriental Honey Buzzards and at least five Grey-faced Buzzards (a raptor that shows a suite of other species’ characters) added to a superb morning’s birding.
Later in the afternoon, after a short break back at the hotel, the group had the option of visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City or doing a spot of city birding at the nearby Yuan Yuantan Park. Although inundated with people, this relatively small park always turns up something of interest. Here we found a Wryneck along with resident Great Spotted and Grey-headed Woodpeckers, two Olive-backed Pipits, 10 Taiga Flycatchers, 10 White-cheeked Starlings, a pair of cracking Chinese Grosbeaks and, best of all, an early Arctic Warbler.
Tuesday 6th May
It was necessary to be up at first light this morning, to ensure we arrived at Beidaihe for breakfast. After coach journey of around four hours we booked into the Jin Shan Hotel – our base for the next fortnight – and were soon tucking into a hearty English-style breakfast. It was a warm, pleasant day and birders already here were quick to share information, and with news of nine Relict Gulls (a very rare species in Beidaihe and one which we search for in the areas further south) just down the road, we promptly boarded the bus and headed for the Sandflats, which would be our first stop on a tour of key birding sites in the area. At the Sandflats a quick scan revealed a high tide and good numbers of waders, gulls and terns. Six Relicts were quickly picked out among the loafing Black-headed Gulls; these superb, hefty birds stood out like hulking forwards in a rugby team! At least 6 Black-tailed Gulls were also present. There was an excellent variety of waders feeding and roosting on the mud and sandbars, with 6 Avocets, 25 Kentish Plovers, a Lesser Sand Plover, 3 Grey Plover, 20+ Whimbrel, 2 Terek Sandpipers, single Red Knot and Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Sakhalina Dunlin, 6 Sanderling and an impressive 15 Red-necked Stints counted. Terns numbered 10 Gull-billed, 3 Longipennis Common, 2 Little and 26 Whiskered. The leader and assistant agreed this area seemed to be producing its highest numbers and variety of species in recent years.
We then moved onto the nearby Heng Ho Reservoir and began a steady circuit. New birds were coming thick and fast: a Dusky Thrush, Black Drongo, a Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, a flock of 40 Chestnut-flanked Whiteyes and 30 Chinese Penduline Tits. The neighbouring lagoons held more waders, including 17 Black-winged Stilts, 6 Marsh and 8 Wood Sandpipers and 3 sought-after Long-toed Stints. There was an excellent array of Yellow Wagtails too, including 3 birds of the smart taivana or Green-headed form and 8 macronyx or Grey-headed birds. Another Citrine Wagtail added variety.
Two of the group who fancied something different ventured through the coastal woodland towards Qinhuangdao and found a raft of 40 Black-necked Grebes offshore. The final few hours were spent birding in the vicinity of the Jin Shan, with the migrant trap of Lighthouse Point and the Jin Shan Field being the focus of our attention. Day totals of 20 Taiga Flycatchers, 15 Siberian Stonechats, 12 Pallas’s Warblers, 30 Yellow-browed Warblers, 5 Radde’s and 10 Dusky Warblers, plus single a White’s Thrush, a Lanceolated Warbler and a Brown Flycatcher gave many people their first taste of the diverse spring migration through Beidaihe. We had hit the ground running and later completed the log after the first of many delicious evening meals at the Jin Shan.
Wednesday 7th May
Although rather steady to begin with, as is often the case, our first major fall occurred a few hours after day break. It was cooler and slightly overcast, and an Eastern Crowned Warbler was found alongside the road down to Lighthouse Point. At the point two White-winged Scoters, two Black-necked Grebes, a single Great Cormorant and two Japanese Cormorants were seen offshore. More surprising were two Blue and White Flycatchers seen briefly in the Jin Shan grounds. Noticeably larger numbers of Radde’s and Yellow-browed Warblers were beginning to arrive by the time the coach was summoned to take us up to Lotus Hills – a local park that offers mature woodland and watch point which is ideally located for visible migration. The wooded section was very quiet; birds perhaps not yet filtering in the extra couple of kilometres. With winds from the east, very little was seen from the point except for two Hobby and the regular Rufous-bellied Rock Thrushes, so we decided to hot-foot it back to coast, hoping for an opportunity to return if conditions allowed. Back at the Jin Shan the group split up and began to comb the area for migrants. The wooded grounds of the Friendship Hotel began to pull in the thrushes, with a Grey-backed, two Dusky, 6 Eye-browed, 2 mandarinus Blackbirds and two White’s being found. At Lighthouse Point a Grey-crowned Warbler was found alongside the first Mugimaki Flycatcher and La Touche’s Warbler of the trip. At the Jin Shan there was a corking Japanese Grosbeak with 8 Chinese Grosbeaks and a Two-barred Greenish Warbler.
The main players, however, were the commoner phylloscopus warblers with day totals of 500 Radde’s, 200 Dusky, 1000 Yellow-browed and 100 Pallas’s. Usually a retiring species, many Radde’s were out avidly feeding in short grass, offering brilliant views. Two Eastern Marsh Harriers and three Chinese Goshawks passed over, along with c.60 Red-throated Pipits and 50+ Yellow Wagtails. There was also a marked arrival of chats, with at least 20 Siberian Rubythroats, 50 Siberian Blue Robins and 50+ Bluethroats. Also recorded today were 5 Japanese Quails, 40 Olive-backed Pipits, c.50 Brown Shrikes, 100 Siberian Stonechats, 5 each of Black-browed Reed and Lanceolated Warblers, 3 Yellow-rumped Flycatchers, a Japanese Waxwing, a Hawfinch and, incredibly, another Relict Gull (this time in mega-rare adult breeding plumage) had joined the Sandflats birds. It had been a superb day’s birding and the food and drink tasted especially good that evening.
Thursday 8th May
Although there had been large-scale departure of many birds overnight, today would more quality than quantity. Early doors found a group on the Jin Shan field watching a lovely, but very tired, male Yellow-breasted Bunting down to just a few feet! Another male was on the beach down at Lighthouse and the first, and early, Grey-streaked Flycatcher was by the tennis courts at the Jin Shan. For the majority, the Sandflats proved the place to be with the star bird a superb Mongolian Lark. In the baking sunshine you couldn’t have blamed the bird for thinking it had already reached its breeding grounds in the Gobi desert! Seven Relict Gulls remained and were seen with 20 Black-tailed Gulls, including a corking and rarely seen full-summer adult, 3 hulking Mongolian Gulls, 2 heinei Common Gulls and 3 very dapper Saunders’ Gulls. At the nearby marsh a single Pechora Pipit was flushed along with a rare Rosy Pipit, an impressive party of 30+ Yellow-breasted Buntings were seen briefly, but more typical were 2 Pallas’s Reed Buntings and several Black-faced Buntings. A Black-capped Kingfisher, a Grey-sided Thrush and the only White-breasted Waterhen of the trip were seen in the nearby wood.
Temperatures were soaring and were almost as hot as the birding, as back up the road the Friendship Hotel pulled in three more thrushes – another Grey-sided Thrush, a Pale Thrush and a kaleidoscopic male White-throated Rock Thrush, with Eye-browed Thrushes now numbering 8. Amazingly, another Mongolian Lark turned up on the Jin Shan Field, where it would stay for a further 3 days. Fifteen Great Cormorants over the Jin Shan at dusk highlighted the need to stay switched on at all times, even when a hot shower and great food beckon!
Friday 9th May
This morning, after breakfast, we would head for the Great Wall at Jiaoshan Mountain to look for local specialities and perhaps drop on some visible migration. The first couple of hours at Beidaihe produced a Chinese Goshawk and 3 Richard’s Pipits at the Jin Shan Field, our first Siberian Thrush – a male – at the Friendship Hotel, and a Daurian Jackdaw, 15 Chinese Grosbeaks and a first for Wildwings – two brief Siberian Accentors at Lighthouse Point.
It was becoming another warm, dry day when we arrived at the Great Wall. After taking the chairlift up the mountain and pausing briefly to appreciate a male Amur Falcon, we made for the areas that hopefully held our target species. At the first port of call our main target – Chinese Hill Warbler – failed to show but we were treated to great views of three inquisitive Pere David’s Laughing Thrushes. A little later it was a case of third time lucky as a male Chinese Hill Warbler performed superbly in front of us. Bird firmly under the belt we headed back to the coach, picking up a soaring Oriental Honey Buzzard along the way. Other noteable birds were a Raven, Red-bellied Blue Rock Thrushes, two Long-tailed Tits and singing Godlewski’s and Siberian Meadow Buntings.
Back at Beidaihe in the afternoon the first Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Thick-billed Warbler and Oriental Reed Warbler were added to the list. Eight Pallas’s Reed Buntings were at the Sandflats, and off Lighthouse Point early evening there were 20 White-winged Scoters, 10 Great Crested Grebes and two Red-breasted Mergansers.
Saturday 10th May
Our fifth day at Beidaihe and things were beginning to move up a gear. Once again it was a warm and dry although a light westerly wind failed to remove a rather heavy haze. Down at Lighthouse, 5 Garganey, 10 White-winged Scoters and 10 Red-breasted Mergansers were logged moving offshore and 15 Heuglin’s Gulls passed over. After breakfast the group once again split up to cover the most suitable habitats. Three birders decided to visit the Yang He Estuary area, which can be excellent in the right conditions but was reportedly suffering from development.
Two of the group who spent most of the day at the reservoir had a truly great time of it, seeing 4 Eastern Marsh Harriers, one of which was seen mobbing a Greater Spotted Eagle, 3 Amur Falcons, two of which looked to have taken over a magpie’s nest which mirrored the events of last year, 3 Oriental Pratincoles, a Forest Wagtail and a Grey-backed Thrush. Wader counts at the Sandflats and lagoons included 51 Greenshank, 23 Wood Sandpipers, 10 Marsh Sandpipers and an impressive 6 Long-toed Stints. Two Relict and a Saunders’ Gull were also at the flats. The Friendship Hotel had become ‘Thrush City’ with 3 White-throated Rock Thrushes, at least 2 White’s Thrushes, 3 mandarinus Blackbirds, 3 Chinese Song, a male Siberian, a Grey-sided, 2 Dusky and single Naumann’s Thrushes! A Manchurian Bush Warbler at Lighthouse Point was an excellent lowland record, with 2 Red-flanked Bluetails also seeking refuge here. There was another influx of chats, with day totals of 10 Siberian Rubythroats, 5 Bluethroats and 20 Siberian Blue Robins – of which several were seen in the Friendship Hotel grounds.
Phylloscopus Warblers were well represented with totals of 9 Eastern Crowned, 5 Pale-legged Leaf, a Two-barred Greenish, 2 Arctics, 40 Pallas’s and 200+ Yellow-browed Warblers. Flycatchers were beginning to arrive in numbers, with counts of 13 Asian Brown, 15 Taiga, 2 Mugimaki and an excellent 15 Yellow-rumped. A Woodcock was an unusual addition to the list and a good variety of buntings were recorded with 20 Black-faced, 15 Tristram’s, 6 Chestnut and single Japanese Reed Bunting. The Yang He trio reported an excellent variety of species including a nice flock of 40 Pacific Golden Plovers. Another excellent May day at Beidaihe.
Sunday 11th May
Today dawned overcast with the forecasted rain threatening. Most of the group took off to the reservoir early doors to try and catch up with the Amur Falcons and the Forest Wagtail. The Amurs showed well but the wagtail couldn’t be relocated. There was a slight northerly bearing in the wind; this undoubtedly producing two ring-tail Pied Harriers and 5 Amur Falcons over the Jin Shan Field. A 1st summer Little Gull – quite a rarity – passed offshore at Lighthouse Point, while an Eastern Marsh Harrier and 90+ Heuglin’s Gulls passed overhead. Indeed, the Jin Shan Field and the point were the places to be this morning as 2 Blyth’s Pipits were seen along with 5 Black-naped Orioles, 50 Chestnut-flanked White-eyes, a Red-flanked Bluetail, an Ashy Minivet, 2 Pallas’s Reed Buntings and a Chestnut Bunting.
After breakfast it began to rain as we departed for four days’ birding down south in the Laoting area. The rain became very heavy as we arrived at the Magic Wood, a small but ideally situated coastal copse, a couple of hours later. One of the first birds we found was a tired, and later very wet-looking, female Siberian Thrush. Tired migrants had clearly attracted at least 2 Japanese Sparrowhawks, a Chinese Goshawk, 4 Amur Falcons and 2 Hobbys; the falcons could be seen perched up, looking rather forlorn, in the rain. We decided to spend a couple of hours here until our waterproofs could take no more, and notched up a surprising number of species including a wet and very annoyed-looking Oriental Scops Owl, a Japanese Quail, a Black-capped Kingfisher,3 Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers, 9 Olive-backed Pipits, 5 Rufous-tailed Robins, 2 Siberian Rubythroats, a Siberian Blue Robin, yet another mandarinus Blackbird, 5 Lanceolated Warblers, 2 Eastern Crowned and 4 Pale-legged Leaf warblers and c.50 Pallas’s Warblers - many of which could be watched feeding only a few feet away! In less-than-ideal conditions, for birders at least, the Magic Wood was already living up to its name.
With the weather deteriorating we made for our hotel in the nearby town of Jintang. En-route we decided to make a quick call at the harbour at Laou Yu Jian to check for waders. The wind and rain meant only a brief scan but 30+ Lesser Sandplovers, 40+ Great Knot and 25 Bar-tailed Godwits were counted. We booked into our hotel earlier than usual to give us time to get our gear dried off, and to get warmed through with a welcoming hot shower.
Monday 12th May
After a quick breakfast we were back on the coach and heading for the Magic Wood for our second of several visits planned for the next few days. The rain had cleared overnight giving us a sense of anticipation as to what new migrants would be awaiting us. Our second Japanese Waxwing of the trip was the first bird to be ‘scoped’ as we clambered off the bus. An increase in Pallas’s Warblers was evident and another Grey Nightjar was seen, along with an Oriental Reed warbler, a male Siberian Thrush, 3 Common Rosefinches and a Chinese Grosbeak. A little later on the star bird of the day – and for some the bird of the trip – was found in the form of a superb Brown Hawk Owl (it should now be known by its evocative new name of Northern Boobok). The bird gave stunning views as we were all caught in the stare of its captivating, almost insane-looking eyes! Everyone had time to appreciate this magnificent bird before we headed to the harbour to catch the boat to Happy Island.
We were told there was a good selection of birds present and birders here too were working the wooded inner circle in anticipation rather than charging around manically. We had just unloaded our gear from the trucks when our first White-throated Needletail Swifts blasted through in typical ‘blink and you miss ‘em’ fashion. Five more of these avian jet fighters would pass through today. Then, 3 Japanese White-eyes were identified among the Chestnut-flanked White-eye flock by the temple. A Northern Hawk Cuckoo was at large in the inner circle, as was a Grey-sided Thrush, 2 Daurian Redstarts, 2 White-throated Rock Thrushes, a La Touche’s Warbler, 7 Pale-legged Leaf Warblers, 3 Mugimaki Flycatchers and another, albeit much more elusive, Brown Hawk Owl. The areas with scattered trees and scrub was also pulling in the birds with 4 Yellow-browed Buntings, two flocks of highly mobile Japanese Grosbeaks numbering a truly exceptional 59 birds, and 2 Hawfinch the pick of the bunch. Three Arctic Warblers, 3 Yellow-breasted Buntings and c.150 buntings sp., mostly Black-faced, were frequenting the coastal scrub. Two attempts were made to pin down the sought-after Asian Dowitchers, of which double figures had been reported. The tide here is notoriously hard to predict and it can be a game of pot luck. The wader flock was generally too distant during the morning effort, but an afternoon attempt resulted in a single bird being located; unfortunately the wind and rain had returned and getting other observers on to it proved impossible. During the searches we counted 25 Shelduck, a Goldeneye, 10 Saunders’ Gulls, 44 Grey Plover, 100 Bar-tailed Godwit and 20 impressive Far-eastern Curlew with their monstrous bills. The dowitcher aside, generally it had been an excellent day here, as further good birds like Osprey, Peregrine, Striated Heron, 100 White-winged Black Terns and a Lesser Cuckoo demonstrates.
Back on the mainland we stopped briefly at the harbour once again, and this time we found a rather bedraggled 1st summer Saunders’ Gull – a welcome tick for people yet to see the species. With the weather showing little signs of improving we kept our evening foray at the Magic Wood fairly brief, and with little else new of note it was time to head back to our hotel with memories of an eventful first full day in the south.
Tuesday 13th May
Fine weather had returned this morning. En-route to a traditionally good Little Whimbrel site one sharp-eyed birder spotted a Saker Falcon take off from pylons by the roadside. Unfortunately this agricultural area looked too wet for our target species but we did record 2 coramandus Cattle Egrets and, bizarrely, a Grey-streaked Flycatcher down on furrows! We again headed for the Magic Wood in anticipation. Here, flycatchers were much in evidence, especially Mugimaki Flycatchers which were easily in double figures. A productive couple of hours saw us notch up a Daurian Redstart, 3 Brambling, 2 Daurian Starlings, 2 Chestnut and a rare lowland Yellow-throated Bunting. The morning highlight was the 3 Needletail Swifts that bombed through with no more than a couple of flutters! Two of the group were led a merry dance by a skulking but very interesting warbler that would have to be left unidentified. Our next port of call was an area of promising-looking large lagoons we had briefly checked out earlier that morning. The man-made pools held some impressive numbers of waders, with counts of 30 Spotted Redshank, 50 Marsh Sandpipers, 40 Wood Sandpipers, 15 Common Sands, 30+ Sharp-tailed and 75 Curlew Sandpipers. A long-toed Stint was seen along with 350+ White-winged Black Terns, 4 Asian Short-toed Larks and 40 Yellow Wagtails.
A little later on we arrived at the Big Wood to find the better areas still intact. Here we had lunch before cautiously working our way through the habitat. A White’s Thrush crept, reptilian-like, among the leaf litter and a La Touche’s Warbler fed in its characteristic nuthatch-like style in front of us. With several Asian Brown and Mugimaki Flycatchers in such a small area it wasn’t too surprising that our ground agent identified a mega-rare Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher. Unfortunately this wanderer from the south-west couldn’t be pinned down again. Two Forest Wagtails were a welcome sight for those who missed the Beidaihe bird, and 20+ Japanese Grosbeaks were no doubt part of the Happy Island influx. To maximise chances of connecting with Asian Dowitcher and other scarce waders, half the group made another visit to the harbour while others began another search of the Magic Wood. The mysterious ditch-dwelling warbler was re-found and this time it was more cooperative. It was definitely a cettia and initially thought to be a Manchurian Bush Warbler, but with more revealing views the bird was clearly different and showed characters of Japanese Bush Warbler – another Wildwings first and fitting in well with the occurrence of other eastern birds at the time. The harbour group counted 50+ Lesser Sandplovers, c.30 Grey Plover, 30 Great Knot, 12 Red-necked Stints, 75 Eurasian Curlew and 3 Saunders’ Gulls. Another fascinating day in the field came to a close with the show-stealers being the flycatchers, with day totals of 7 Grey-streaked, 15 Asian Brown, 5 Taiga, 8 Yellow-rumped and c.50 Mugimaki – a record number on a Wildwings tour.
Wednesday 14th May
After a shorter than usual stay at the Magic Wood we arrived at a different harbour in order to catch the earlier boat over to Happy Island. We hoped this would enable us to catch the high tide and, hopefully, the reported dowitchers or better. Reaching the island it was dry and overcast and there was a rather chilly onshore wind as we began to scan the wader flocks from the sea defence wall. Once again, Asian Dowitcher eluded us, but we were well compensated with a Chinese Egret – a threatened eastern speciality with a very limited distribution. As usual there was an impressive selection of shore birds; counts included 6 Avocets, 200+ Grey Plover, 60+ Great Knot, 10 Far-eastern Curlew and 6 Terek Sandpipers. Back at the temple and we learned that flycatchers were again in the limelight, with two Rufous-gorgeted and two Elisae’s reported. We caught up with the Elisae’s easily but the Rufous –gorgeted was a lot more difficult. A good variety of migrants again awaited us in the wooded inner circle, including an Oriental Scops Owl, a Grey Nightjar, a Red-flanked Bluetail, 2 Forest Wagtails, 10 Pale-legged Leaf Warblers, 2 La Touche’s, 6 Two-barred Greenish and an Arctic Warbler. Pallas’s Warblers were the most numerous with at least 70 present, while Dusky Warblers were more common than in recent days.
A single, and our twelfth, White-throated Needletail passed through and up to 6 Eastern Marsh Harriers, including three handsome adult males, an Osprey and two Amur Falcons were seen by birders venturing into the more open areas. Cuckoos were more in evidence today, although most weren’t calling! Single Indian, Oriental and Common were identified but the rest had to be assigned to ‘cuckoo sp.’ Just two Japanese Grosbeaks from the big influx remained, along with a Hawfinch. Black-faced Buntings were again numerous with 50+ counted, and a moribund Chestnut-eared Bunting was picked up. Our boat ride back was longer than usual but we were treated to excellent views of feeding and roosting waders, including 150+ sakhalina Dunlin. After a brief stop at the Magic Wood, where we enjoyed more Pallas’s Warblers, it was time to return to our hotel and dinner.
Thursday 15th May
This fine morning was our last down south, and we again split the group into two – one making an early effort at the Magic Wood and the other checking the harbour. At the harbour the tide was advancing slowly and our persistence was rewarded with excellent views of a good variety of waders, including c.100 Bar-tailed Godwits, 10 Great Knot, 6 Red Knot and an impressive c.80 Red-necked Stints. Grey-tailed Tattler is one of our target birds and one duly obliged; working its way along the tide line, ever the loner, onto our very tidy wader list. A Thick-billed Warbler had joined the Oriental Reed Warbler at the Magic Wood, and a Yellow-streaked Warbler – an upland breeder, was also found. After the Magic Wood group had enjoyed the wader fest at the harbour, we all returned to the wood for one last bash. Three Siberian Rubythroats, a Rufous-tailed Robin, 3 Siberian Blue Robins and 3 Bluethroats kept a low profile and 4 Lanceolated Warblers were located, including the obligatory ‘too close to focus’ bird! As is often the case, as the first Locustellas and Acros’ begin to appear the commoner Phylloscopus warblers can thin out, although two Arctics, a Pale-legged Leaf and a Two-barred Greenish Warbler still entertained. Incredibly, another Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher was seen and this was followed by a Siberian Bush Warbler – both being found by the same observer! This bird was found in the same ditch as the Japanese Bush Warbler. Neglect these areas at your peril! A Russet Sparrow was a fitting finale to our time at this special place – it had certainly woven its magic for us in the last few days.
We moved onto the Big Wood for our lunch and were greeted by another Oriental Reed Warbler singing nearby. Another Arctic and a La Touche’s Warbler were quickly under the belt and we moved on to work another part of the wood which hosts the heronry. This was done extremely carefully to keep disturbance to a minimum, as an estimated 100 pairs of Black-crowned Night Herons and 30 Pairs of Chinese Pond Herons were nesting here. A Rufous-tailed Robin, 4 Eye-browed Thrushes and a Grey Nightjar were notched up with the minimum of fuss. With the hours passing by we headed off back to Beidaihe to find out what we’d missed. A couple of hours later, back at the Jin Shan, we were told an Asian Dowitcher had been seen that morning at the Sandflats – hardly surprising considering it had been looking so good. We decided to make use of the coach once again and were quickly down at the Sandflats watching the rising tide. Once again the dowitcher proved to be the ‘bogey bird’ but another Chinese Egret, 14 Pacific Golden Plover, 5 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and another very impressive total of c.80 Red-necked Stints did make up for it somewhat. Another Arctic Warbler was in the Sandflats wood and the first Baillon’s Crake of the trip showed well at the reservoir. A second Chinese Egret was found at Lighthouse Point later and a Grey-backed Thrush was another good Friendship Hotel find that evening.
Friday 16th May
Despite a westerly breeze, birding today was very much hampered by a lingering mist. It was patchy at dawn but got progressively worse, especially down at the Sandflats and reservoir. Birding in the more sheltered areas was fine but things were much steadier migration-wise; days like these increase the appreciation and anticipation when conditions are better. Still, as per usual, there was an excellent variety of birds to be had. Brown Shrikes were the only significant arrival with 60+ birds in the area. Another, or the same, Daurian Jackdaw was seen at Lighthouse Point along with the Chinese Egret. At the Friendship Hotel a female Siberian, a Pale and a Dusky Thrush remained. A Thick-billed Warbler and another Lanceolated Warbler were found, while further entertainment was provided by 2 Rufous-tailed Robins, a Siberian Rubythroat and 4 Siberian Blue Robins.
The reservoir had started to attract Black-browed Reed Warblers, with a reported 10 birds singing early doors. Later in the day here there was an Eastern Marsh Harrier, a pair of Amur Falcons constantly patrolled the inlet end and a flock of c.50 Chestnut-flanked White-eyes busily flitted through the canopy. Two Baillon’s Crakes gave crippling views and a Water Rail – an excellent local bird – was also seen. During a recce at paddies near Beidaihe railway station a Saker Falcon was seen heading towards the reservoir. Our mobile phone network sprang into action but the marauder managed to sneak under the radar! At the Sandflats a Chinese Egret was just visible through the mist, a Pechora Pipit was located again in the marshy area, and a Painted Snipe was booted out of here by a gang of stampeding Swedes, while a member of our group was on hand nearby to say ‘thank you very much’! A day total of 8 Oriental Rufous Turtle Doves was noteable and flycatchers remained in modest numbers with 5 Asian Brown, 2 Grey-streaked, 2 Mugimakis and 4 Yellow-rumped. Phylloscopus warblers were well represented again, with 20+ Raddes and Dusky warblers, 2 Arctics and 3 Pale-legged Leaf, but only single figure counts today of Pallas’s and Yellow-browed. With more late-comers due and a lot of Acro’ warblers yet to arrive we had this real feeling the flood gates were about to open!
Saturday 17th May
For those out at first light it was pleasing to see a marked improvement in viewing conditions. It was still overcast but with an easterly breeze blowing it looked like we were in for a much more pleasant day. The first couple of hours at the Jin Shan Field produced 7 Richard’s Pipits, 20+ Yellow Wagtails and 30 bunting sp. over – a good sign birds were moving. Four Thick-billed Warblers were soon found in close proximity to each other in the grounds of the Jin Shan, and a pair of Chinese Grosbeaks (with the male singing) was in trees nearby. At Lighthouse Point a noticeable arrival of Black-browed Reed Warblers had occurred; many noisily staking out their feeding territories. After breakfast the group were out in force and new birds weren’t long in coming. A Ruddy-breasted Crake took refuge in the unlikely setting of the Jin Shan Hotel boundary hedge! This was followed by a Manchurian Reed Warbler which was found among the many Black-browed Reed Warblers. Black –browed Reed is a carrier species and there is sure to be rarer birds around when there are this many, and three Pallas’s Grasshopper Warblers found in vicinity of the point demonstrate this. Action at the point continued with a Grey Nightjar, 5 Ashy Minivets, 2 Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers and our first Dark-sided Flycatcher of the trip. Birders watching the flycatcher were more than a little distracted when the Saker briefly circled the wooded escarpment above them! Next came a superb male Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike that was found working its way through trees along the sea front. This handsome bird was far less popular with the native magpies and hoopoes than with the group!
During the late afternoon a front moved in and light rain began to fall, forcing lots of hirundines to feed low over the area. Four Asian House Martins – an exceptional total – required a concentrated effort to pick out in the dull conditions. Elsewhere, new birds were also finding there way on to lists. At the Sandflats a Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler was pinned down in the marshy area and a Von Schrenk’s Bittern was also a good find here. Waders foraging out on the flats included 14 Red-necked Stints and 2 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. At the reservoir two Yellow Bitterns were seen along with 2 Baillon’s Crakes, 2 Long-toed Stints and an Indian Cuckoo. Two ducks in the form of Shoveler and Pochard were noteable additions to the list. Back at Lighthouse Point a late spot of seawatching accounted for a Japanese Cormorant, a Striated Heron and 29 Whimbrel. Siberian and Grey-sided Thrushes remained faithful to their chosen spot in the Friendship Hotel and a Dollarbird flew through the Jin Shan grounds. Some excellent day counts were made including 20+ Pacific Swifts, 7 Lanceolated Warblers, 250+ Black-browed Reed Warblers, 20+ Oriental Reed Warblers, 15+ Thick-billed Warblers, 5 Two-barred, 11 Arctic, c.60 Radde’s and c.40 Dusky Warblers, 20 Asian Brown and 7 Yellow-rumped Flycatchers, 100 white-eye Sp., 20+ Black-naped Orioles and, again, 60+ Brown Shrikes. Also figure in 2 Amur Falcons, 2 Oriental Scops Owls, a White’s Thrush, a La Touche’s Warbler, 5 Black Drongos, Tristram’s and Pallas’s Reed Buntings and it was a truly excellent day’s birding.
Sunday 18th May
Today dawned bright and pleasant and after the first couple of hours’ birding it was clear there had been a large-scale departure overnight. Acrocephalus warblers were conspicuous by their absence with just single Black-browed Reed, Oriental Reed and Thick-billed Warblers noted. Phylloscopus warblers too had obviously found last night’s conditions conducive to migration, with just 10 Dusky and single figures of Yellow-browed, Pallas’s and Radde’s Warblers recorded. As usual, though, there was something extra and in this case it was a splendid 1st summer male Siberian Thrush in the Jin Shan Hotel grounds. Still very shy, 1st summer birds tend to be that bit more obliging than mega-wary adult males, and this bird performed superbly for all who desired to see it. After breakfast we boarded the coach for the journey to Old Peak to look for more upland specialities. An hour or so later as we began to approach the mountains, remnants of the original Great Wall could be admired and Wildwings’ first Brown Dipper was spotted from the coach as we drove alongside a braided river. Moving on through small mining communities it was then necessary for us to change over to two small minibus’s for the journey up the steep, winding roads to the Old Peak Park. A cool north-west wind was cause for optimism and viewing conditions were very good as we made our first stop at the entrance to the park. Here, a singing male Manchurian Bush Warbler proved very obliging, delivering its strange, brief song, which is very reminiscent of the bird song heard in the background in movies like Deliverance and Southern Comfort! A Common Buzzard and 3 Grey-faced Buzzards gained height over a not-too-distant ridge and 3 White-throated Needletails sped through – making a very respectable trip total of 15. Daurian Redstarts were common here and a Spangled Drongo flew across our field of view, while the expected but handsome Godlewski’s and Siberian Meadow Buntings sung from the bush tops and telegraph wires. After a short lunch break and another stretch of winding roads we arrived at our hotel, which is situated to give stunning views over near and far peaks. When the sun is shining, like it was today, the whole place is supremely atmospheric, even without last year’s Chinese version of the Pan Pipes resounding through the courtyard!
Booking into our hotel was, as usual, a cinch and we were soon appreciating a Chinese Nuthatch in conifers behind the hotel. Whilst watching this bird our attention was drawn to a female Long-tailed Minivet – another lifer for most of the group – that entertained us from the canopy. We then took the minibus up to the top of the mountain. At 1,300 metres above sea level it certainly felt different to what we had done for the last two weeks, and fleeces and coats were fastened up accordingly! Chinese Leaf Warbler was soon under the belt; its peculiar mechanical, sewing machine-like song easily picked out from the shorter melodious trills of the La Touche’s Warbler - a common breeder in this habitat. A Grey-backed Thrush was heard singing in the distance as we moved off to look for White-bellied Redstart. This stunning but incredibly skulking chat requires a specialist approach to see it well and, after much patient watching, most of the group had sufficient views. While returning to the coach park 4 Large Hawk Cuckoos were calling, together with an Oriental and an Indian. People could now opt for a steady descent by foot to the hotel or take the minibus. Those who opted for the natural way discovered how surprisingly diverse the bird life was in this wooded mountainside, with Jay, singing Grey-sided Thrush, singing Siberian Blue Robin and Asian Stub-tailed Warbler, 3 more Chinese Leaf Warblers and 3 corking Yellow-throated Buntings vying for attention. It was soon time sit down and sate our mountain air-induced appetite with some more fine local cuisine.
Monday 19th May
With the aim of spending the morning at Old Peak we were up at first light in order to maximise our time. Again we took the minibus to the top and on this sunny, bracing morning we were greeted with magnificent views of the neighbouring peaks. After tantalising looks at White-bellied Redstart again we returned to the area of montane scrub around the coach park. Yesterday’s Chinese Leaf Warbler was in full song again and a total of 10 singing Grey-sided Thrushes were counted. Two pairs of Bull-headed Shrikes were soon located and a Richard’s Pipit was a surprise find on the deck near the viewing pagoda. A migrant Pied Harrier drifted overhead, followed by a Black Stork a little later on, and 4 Hobbys were seen patrolling air space above the tree tops. A singing Yellow-streaked Warbler flitted around us and two Hume’s Warblers delivered their delightful song. Bizarrely, two more Japanese Grosbeak over the watchpoint added to this record year for this species. After a late breakfast we departed for Beidaihe, calling in at the park entrance once again. Here we had Chinese Hill Warbler, another Spangled Drongo, Yellow-streaked Warbler, the Manchurian Bush Warbler again, a Lesser Cuckoo and 2 Large Hawk Cuckoos - making a total of 8 for the day.
Back at Beidaihe it was much warmer and closer, and after a brief cuppa or pot noodle most of the group were back into the field. At the Friendship Hotel the female Siberian Thrush continued to show for the patient, being joined briefly by a fantastic adult male. The reservoir hosted a Schrenck’s Bittern, while the Sandflats held 10 Red-necked Stints and 4 Far-eastern Curlews among the commoner waders. Thirty four Black-tailed Gulls, a Heuglin’s and a Mongolian Gull were loafing in the surf. A second Rosy Pipit of the trip was found at the Sandflats marsh, whilst two birders who opted to stay in Beidaihe the last two days reported 150 Pacific Swifts through earlier in the day. Phylloscopus warblers were now thin on the ground but 5 Pale-legged and 3 Arctic maintained the variety, yet Dark-sided and Grey-streaked Flycatchers increased with 6 and 11 respectively. It had been another thoroughly satisfying day’s birding in a diverse range of habitats, and we went down for dinner that evening ready for one last major effort in the morning.
Tuesday 20th May
Our last day at Biedaihe again dawned bright and very pleasant. Three Lanceolated Warblers down at Lighthouse Point were a good sign that more migrants had arrived and, with an increase in Acro’ warblers again, we had the feeling something good was lurking. Our optimism was proven when a Spotted Bush Warbler was found skulking along the boundary hedge of the Jin Shan. With patience this elusive creature would show very well and, albeit briefly, we even heard its strange, insect-like call. Up at the Friendship Hotel another two Lanceolated Warblers were found, plus 3 Eye-browed Thrushes, a Rufous-tailed Robin, 2 Siberian Rubythroats and 2 Siberian Blue Robins.
Those satisfied with their lists took the opportunity to photograph the stunning male Yellow-rumped Flycatchers that were still on show.
Birders at the reservoir were enjoying a last hurrah with 2 Greater Spotted Eagles seen drifting over, Yellow and Great Bitterns, 2 Amur Falcons and a Forest Wagtail. Thirty Red-necked Stints, 6 Pacific Golden Plovers, 3 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and 2 Terek Sandpipers and the usual Tringa’s continued the shore bird bonanza on the Sandflats. Early evening migration watchers at Lighthouse Point and the Jin Shan Field had a Pied Harrier and a total of 230+ Whimbrel heading east, plus a Purple Heron in-off.
There were impressive day totals of 4 Eurasian Cuckoos, 30+ Pacific Swifts, 12+ Black-browed Reed, 4 Oriental Reed and 8 Thick-billed Warblers, 10 Arctic Warblers, 25+ Black-naped Orioles, 40+ Brown Shrikes, 3 Chestnut-eared Buntings and 19 Oriental Greenfinches. Factor in a Chinese Egret, 3 Japanese Quail, a Dollarbird, Black-capped Kingfisher, an Ashy Minivet, an Indian Cuckoo, 4 Yellow-rumped and 2 Mugimaki Flycatchers, and a Yellow-breasted Bunting and you have a remarkable array of migrant birds for a finale.
That evening, after another superb dinner and another marathon log, quite a few of a very happy group hit the bar for a couple of celebratory beers. The need to be up very early next morning for our trip back to Beijing and flight home prevented a proper knees-up, however!
Beidaihe Birding TopTen
Every year we ask everyone to write down their top ten birds of the trip. Each bird is then given points, ten for top down to one point for number ten bird. This year 53 species were voted for, not surprising considering the quality of birds on this years trip.
The results are as follows:
1 Ibisbill - takes the crown for the second year running!
2 Siberian Thrush - no surprises here
3 Brown Hawk Owl - good views got this one on
4 Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - always hovers around the top five
5 Mongolian Lark - great bird, atmospheric viewing
6 White-throated Needletail - simply stunning this year
7 Siberian Rubythroat - always a thrill
8 Relict Gull - a first for the list, excellent views no doubt secured this spot
9 Lanceolated Warbler - Lets face it, a little bundle of magic!
10 Mugimaki Flycatcher - this years unprecedented influx was quite incredible
and this years outsider, at number 11, who’d have thought it – Chinese Hill Warbler
