The Eastern Odyssey begins . . .

Our first day in Taiwan and we were in the capital Taipei.   We left Heathrow late on Sunday, changed at Hong Kong and arrived in Taiwan late on Monday evening - the seven hour time difference making it's mark on us all.

We started off with birds from the hotel with the familiar, (but introduced) Magpie followed by Feral Pigeon, Tree Sparrow and Barn Swallow. We also picked up a few more exotic species namely Asian Glossy Starling, Spotted Dove, Japanese White-eye, Chinese Bulbul and a Great White Egret.   Amazing what you can see from a hotel room window!

After an eclectic breakfast of things like toast with Anchor butter from New Zealand and Smuckers jam and marmalade from USA, next to noodles, pak choi, strange fish dishes, odd looking cakes and pastries, completed by fruit and cereals.

Elegant Entrance to the Garden

Our first stop was at Taipei Botanical Gardens where the locals  practise Tai Chi in the shade of the trees. There are wooden board-walks with handrails which older, less able people used for support as they walked around the gardens.   Many carers or young family members were helping the older generations enjoy the gardens.   

We were not alone in our bird watching, there were several locals who stopped to chat to our guide, asking what we were watching, then taking as much delight as ourselves in Taiwan Barbet.   Our list included Himalayan Black Bulbul, Black-naped Monarch, Moorhen and Little Egret.  At one point a Malayan Night-Heron dropped from its perch right next to us and fed on bugs in the grass as we watched and photographed it.  

Malayan Night-Heron

As we left the gardens a colourful parade was passing down the street with drums beating - a Tao parade.   Check out the background to Tao-ism,  but basically it was a celebration of Ying and Yang and a holistic natural approach to life.

We left the buzz of the city and headed north towards the coast, along the way, in the paddy fields we had eastern cattle egret - looking far more handsome in their extensive rusty plumage than the European ones I have seen before,  House Swifts were spotted as we continued towards The Geopark - an area where tourists congregate to look at strangely eroded rock statues and have their photos taken next to them.   There were also large school groups enjoying this outdoor classroom.    

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Plain Prinia gave themselves away as they sang from reedy perches, showing off their long tails.   A Brown Shrike was spotted by Phil.   A Dark Reef Egret fed along the shoreline, disturbing a Blue Rock Thrush, but both merging well with the dark rocks along the shoreline.    Several Peregrine Falcon soared above us with Crested Serpent-eagle.  Taiwan Scimitar-babbler was our next find, and as we continued along a path 

through some trees, leaving all the human activity behind, we found a Tristram's Bunting - a delightfully smart bunting beautiful white stripes through its black head.   We were thrilled to find this migrant right by our side in the low bushes.

Taiwan appears to have an active birding population, often photographers rather than watchers, and we came across our first twitch of the trip along this path.   Around 20 photographers were pitched on a bend looking for Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher.   I got in with the pack as most of their lenses were pointing way up into the trees and I stood no chance of getting in the way of their lenses, and had excellent views.   A pair of Blue Monarch confused the issue a couple of times as they collected nesting material for their new home in a palm tree.

Tristram's Bunting

Nematodes were seen clinging onto the smooth rocks as we retraced our steps, back to the bus.   Soon we were off for our lunch, leaving the crowds behind.   We stopped at a roadside facility where a small banquet was brought out for us and spun around on a lazy Susan.   Dumpling soup, squid with grated cabbage and 

mayonnaise, king prawns, pork in gravy, duck, vegetables and two sweet dishes completed the feast.

Outside we scanned some small paddy fields and found Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Intermediate Egret, then Red-throated Pipit, Black-crowned Night-heron, and finally on a wire above us were Javan and Common Myna. 

Some local College grounds were the next stop and here we added Black-faced Bunting, Pale Thrush, Brambling - another familiar species, Black-winged/shouldered Kite were soaring overhead, Red Turtle-Dove completed our site list, and then it was back on the bus for a short drive to a depleted piece of wetland habitat which sadly now has road cutting it into small parcels, we made the most of it however, finding Greater Sand Plover and Kentish Plover in the distance, Dusky Thrush, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail and White Wagtail came thick and fast.   A Sacred Ibis flew overhead, Terek's Sandpiper was heard, then seen as it flew away from us.   A Golden-headed Cisticola perched high in a reed stem for us to see, looking handsome in the dull light of the day.   Purple Heron, Garganey, and Spot-billed Duck were all seen as they flew - the ducks finally settling for us to watch with the scopes.  

Great Knot

As we moved back towards the bus, a Common Kingfisher flew away from us, then John asked what the "knotty things" were in one of the paddies - they were Great Knot.   A group of four of them feeding in the shallow water.   Another group of birds caught our attention a little further away - they were Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - a species I had rather oddly only seen back in Kent, at Oare in August 2007.   These were far more distinctive in their breeding plumage - can't understand my identification issues all those years ago!!

A Pied harrier gave us a good show, then a Greater Painted Snipe appeared.   The male of this species looks after the young and the proud father had four chicks to look after.   There were also more Wood Sandpiper and Marsh Sandpiper.

So, finally, after a great first day in the paddy fields of Taiwan we were off back to the hotel for dinner, checklist and our instructions for tomorrow.