Dasyeushan - the lower road

I did some moth photography this morning before breakfast (some amazing specimens, but none recognisable!) and as it was raining we only managed about 20 minutes of our pre-breakfast birding session in the grounds, before we decamped back to the rooms until 7.   We did find Ashy Wood-pigeon in a dead tree in the garden, some more of our old friends the Laughing-thrushes - this time the Rufous-crowned variety - along with Taiwan Yuhina and Sibia before we left for the day.

Grey-chinned Minivet

After breakfast we went off to the police station just outside the drive of the recreational area to try for some new species.  Collared owlet was calling but refused to respond, we had a male White-browed Robin but little else of note.

Further down the road we stopped at another car park and walked back up the road a short way.   This area was quite productive with Grey-chinned Niltava (another good spot by Phil), a male and female White-tailed Robin, a pair of Black-throated Tit - one with nesting material which we watched until we found their nest which appeared to be made of ferns, lichens and mosses.   Rufous-faced warblers had been with us for the last few days, embarrassingly close on many occasions but eluding our sight - driving us mad with their calls.   This morning was no different!

Asian House Martin collecting nesting material

We did hear a flower-pecker and see one on flight bit it was impossible to get anything on it - another one bites the dust!    We did have an excellent view of a Taiwan Barwing, which gave us a great show before flying off into the distance through the dense forest.   A Swinhoe's Pheasant shot across the road at one stage.

We stopped at a bridge which is well known for Asian House Martin - there must have been around 150 of them frantically collecting moss and soil which had collected on the smoothed stones on the side of the hill.   They wheeled around and performed acrobatic dances in the sky as they built their nests under the bridge.

Taiwan Yuhina

Overhead we had Indian Black Eagle and Crested-serpent Eagle.   White-backed Woodpecker was seen and better views of Rufous-capped Laughing-thrush.   Finally the Rufous-faced Warbler showed itself, giving scanty views at first, but with perseverance we eventually saw two birds really well.   Down near km 13 we added Spotted Dove for the day, White-rumped Munia, and heard Black-necklaced Scimitar-babbler, we were also back in the land of the Chinese Bulbul and Tree Sparrow.

After an excellent lunch, probably the best so far, we were back off up the road to try for some of those species we had missed this morning.

Fairy Pitta was heard calling - in fact we had them most of the day, which is great, but they obviously were not going to show themselves, having just arrived on migration, and being Pittas!  

Yellow Tit was our first notable find of the afternoon, and much as the Liocichla, Sibia, Ashy Woodpigeon, and  Swinhoe's Pheasant are great, we were delighted to find this enigmatic little bird, with a lovely blue/black crest showing beautifully against the yellow face and breast.

The Dasyeushan Hills

We watched the interaction between a couple of Grey-chinned Minivets, the brighter coloured male collected a caterpillar and feed the female in a pair bonding exchange.   Eurasian Jay was next on the tick list, and our final bird for the day was by far the best with much anticipation.   We had spent several sessions looking for Taiwan Wren-babbler which was another species we had heard close over the last couple of days but which had remained typically out of sight.

We made our final stop of the day back at the police station, where the owlet was calling again.   The Wren-babbler called from the fern-covered bank on the opposite side of the road and we followed it up and down several,times, unable to spot it.   At one stage I saw a glimpse of a bird as it moved but then could not see it again.   Finally after much frustration our guide spotted it right in front of us.   He pointed it out and we all had the most incredible views, the tiny little bird was moving around like a mouse, keeping to the dark covered areas, but with patience we had fantastic views.

Seaweed Soup, Chicken and Ferns!

After much congratulations we went off with broad smiles to have our team photograph taken with the local constabulary - lets hope it was not for anything sinister!