Day six dawns and its another transfer day, but first back to Huben and a hectic few minutes as we left the bus with Black Drongo, Striated Swallow, Taiwan Barbet, Japanese White-eye, Blue Magpie, Grey Treepie and Brown Shrike. Better was yet to come however as our local expert took us into a small farmed area with banana trees and surprisingly a mist net. There were a team of ringers on site. As we settled to listen for Black-necklaced Scimitar-babbler it started to rain, so we used umbrellas and banana leaves to give some shelter. We waited listening as a bird called for what felt like ages for the bird to appear. A couple of us had fleeting glimpses as it moved in the bush but only our guides saw it well . . . . as we moved around the area, a Taiwan Barbet was spotted in the mist net, and with two very experienced Bird Ringers in our group we hastened over to extract it and get it out of the rain. As we neared the nets however we also found the Scimitar-babbler!
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| Brown Shrike |
The Ringers took a bird each, extracted them, the Scimiter-Babbler was a retrap, but the Barbet was an unringed bird and we were able to take it back to the ringing team, and the extractor, Phil, had the pleasure of ringing it whilst we all watched on - no pressure there. It was great to see two birds in the hand, and have the chance of seeing them so well - even if the Barbet did bite its rescuer several times!
Time to move on as more birds and a long drive awaited us. We had very scanty views of the Vinous-throated Parrotbill, an Emerald Dove and delightful views of a young Black Drongo family with two juveniles. They perched on a telegraph wire waiting for the parents to feed them - another ahhh moment.
Next stop a reserve set up to increase awareness of Pheasant-tailed Jacana.
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| Stunning Pheasant-tailed Jacana |
We followed paths around the reserve with hides which were populated by enthusiastic photographers wielding large telephoto lenses and shutters which fired off like AK47's. Moorhen and Little Grebe were our first spots, then a Pheasant-tailed Jacana was spotted, then several more - elegant and striking, they were a real treat. A Chinese Pond-heron in breeding plumage was good to see - I saw them previously in their non-breeding colours which did not do them justice. Great White and Little Egret stalked amongst the lilies.
We moved out of the reserve proper and looked over the nearby fields, an Oriental Pratincole flew over along with a Cuckoo with its distinctive flight. An Oriental Skylark was heard, and then found hovering high up, just to parachute down in that fashion we are so used to at home. Ring-necked Pheasant called but remained unseen in the long tufts of reedy grasses. I spotted a large white bird of prey, which was identified as a White-bellied Sea-eagle, then we found a huge 'kettle' or spiral of birds - around 150, which were Chinese Sparrowhawk.
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| Oriental Pratincole (with Eastern Yellow Wagtail in the background) |
Lunch called and we stopped at a roadside restaurant where they found us a private dining room. As usual, the food began to arrive within minutes. Soup with mushrooms, special fried rice, tofu in soy sauce, bamboo in mayonnaise with cabbage and the by now expected steamed vegetable greens.
Our journey continued with a stop at a harbour where we hoped to see some gulls and terns. Tree Sparrows were perched on the mopeds parked by the fishermen, a Long-tailed Shrike sat up on an old cactus flower. We cut through some rough ground and onto the pier. Over 300 cattle egret flew over off the sea on migration, they were mixed with some Intermediate and Little Egret. Their colours were brilliant -a rich orange head neck and throat with a red bill, so unlike the ones we see in Europe. Eastern Yellow Wagtail were coming over in large groups too.
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| Cattle (and Little) Egret Migration |
Caspian, Greater Crested and Little Tern were spotted flying through, some feeding, but we dipped out completely on the Gulls . . . . . . we have decided that Taiwan has no gulls whatsoever!
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