Taiwan Trip Report - Summer 2011

Indian Black Eagle
Photo credit: Birding in Taiwan

I spent the first three weeks of July in Taiwan visiting in-laws in Kaohsiung County. I did most of my birding in Daliao (Kaohsiung County), as on previous trips.

In addition, I made two weekend field trips, one down to Kenting National Park on the southern tip of the island, and another to the mountains in south-central Taiwan (Nantou County).

I used two field guides during the trip: Mark Brazil’s Birds of East Asia and Wu Sen-Hsiong's Field Guide to the Wild Birds of Taiwan.

Birding in Kaohsiung


Chestnut Munia
Photo credit: Flickriver

In Kaohsiung, I did most of my birding in Daliao, in the hills between the Taiwan Military Academy and the Jhong I Guo Xiao on Highway 25. I also made a brief visit to the Naiosong Wetlands adjacent to Chenching Lake. Over the course of my stay, I observed 43 species in the county, including a pair of Chestnut Munias (lifers). Perhaps the most surprising sighting was a singing male White-eared Sibia near the military academy. The sibia is a mid- to high-elevation species that typically resides in mountainous areas above 800 m. This was the first time that I have seen one in the lowland, as Daliao is located at around 50 m.


White-eared Sibia.
Photo credit: Photos & Graphics Index


Here is a list of my observations:

Mallard
Yellow Bittern
Cinnamon Bittern
Great Egret
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Crested Goshawk
White-breasted Waterhen
Ruddy-breasted Crake
Common Moorhen
Little Ringed Plover
Rock Pigeon
Red Collared-Dove
Spotted Dove
Lesser Coucal
House Swift
Common Kingfisher
Taiwan Barbet
Black Drongo
Black-naped Monarch
Gray Treepie
Eurasian Magpie
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Striated Swallow
Light-vented Bulbul
Zitting Cisticola
Golden-headed Cisticola
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Plain Prinia
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler
White-eared Sibia
Japanese White-eye
Crested Myna
Javan Myna
Common Myna
White Wagtail
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Indian Silverbill
Nutmeg Mannikin
Chestnut Munia

Pingtung County


Slaty-legged Crake.
Photo credit: >Richard2Formosa

I made a few trips to Pintung County. I visited several friends that live in the agricultural district just east of the Gao Ping River. There area is punctuated by many small farms and rice paddies, as well as many small tributaries that feed the Gao Ping. The highlights of the agricultural area were a Oriental Pratincole, a calling Slaty-legged Crake (lifer), and a small flock of Black-winged Stilts.


Crested Serpent Eagle.
Photo credit: >Simon van der Meulen

I also made a weekend trip down to Kenting. As usual, I visited the beach at Baisha, Longluan Lake Wildlife Area. I also took a short hike up into the mountains behind our hotel near Baisha. In the past, Kenting has not been a very productive birding area for me; however, this year seemed to be a bit different. While not overwhelmingly good, I did see more birds that I am accustomed to in that area. The highlights were several species of terns (Black-naped, Gull-billed & Bridled), the last of which was a lifer. I also observed two resident raptors – Crested Serpent Eagle and Indian Black Eagle - soaring along some of the local ridges. At night, I heard a Mountain Scops Owl calling from the hills about a half mile up the road from Baisha.


Bridled Tern.
Photo credit: >Mike Pope

During the course of my birding adventures in Pingtung, I observed 46 species. Here is a list of my observations:

Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Chinese Bamboo-Partridge
Yellow Bittern
Great Egret
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Osprey
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Black Eagle
Slaty-legged Crake
Ruddy-breasted Crake
Common Moorhen
Little Ringed Plover
Black-winged Stilt
Oriental Pratincole
Greater Painted-snipe
Bridled Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Black-naped Tern
Rock Pigeon
Red Collared-Dove
Spotted Dove
Lesser Coucal
Mountain Scops-Owl
House Swift
Taiwan Barbet
Black Drongo
Bronzed Drongo
Black-naped Monarch
Gray Treepie
Plain Martin
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Striated Swallow
Styan's Bulbul
Light-vented Bulbul
Black Bulbul
Zitting Cisticola
Plain Prinia
Taiwan Hwamei
Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler
Japanese White-eye
Javan Myna
Common Myna
Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Nantou County


White-bellied Yuhina.
Photo credit: Flickriver

In addition to local birding, I also made two field trips to Nantou County in south-central Taiwan. First we visited the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute (TERSI) in Jiji. There is an excellent education center on site, as well as a nice wetlands area and trail system adjacent to the institute. In the wetlands area, I observed a number of Bronzed Drongos, as well as a nest with three fledgling Malayan Night Herons in attendance. On a hillside adjacent to the institute, I came across a mixed flock of Gray-cheeked Fulvettas and White-bellied Yuhinas, not to mention a swarm of skeeters that left welts on both of my twigs.

We then made our way up to a “leisure farm” at the top of one of the local ridges. The elevation was around 2200 m. The scenery in the morning was absolutely breathtaking. The whole valley was blanketed by a sea of clouds. The clouds were pouring over the surrounding ridges like a waterfall. Bird song provided a wonderful soundtrack.


Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler
Photo credit: Donald Liao

To make the most of the birding opportunity, I arose before sunrise to listen for birds. Among the first birds I encountered was a raucous flock of Steere’s Liocichlas. They were seemingly everywhere. I spotted a Green-backed Tit just down the road from our lodge. In a tended field on the slope below the lodge, there were several Bamboo Partridges and Barred Buttonquail foraging. In the distance, several Taiwan Hill Patridges were calling. A small group of Strong-footed Bush Warblers was also making their way around some heavy undergrowth along the edges of the field.


Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler
Photo credit: Birding in Taiwan

I took a short hike along a trail that straddled the slope just below the ridge line. At one point, the trail was washed out leaving 40 foot sloped drop to the brush below. The slope was heavily overgrown, so I did not feel there was much chance of sliding 2200 meters to the ground, so I jumped over to the other side. It was well worth the leap, as I picked up a Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler (lifer). A flock of Taiwan Yuhinas and several White-tailed Robins on the other side.


During the course of my birding adventures in Nantou, I observed 42 species. Here is a list of my observations:

Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Taiwan Partridge
Chinese Bamboo-Partridge
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Malayan Night-Heron
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Besra
Barred Buttonquail
Oriental Turtle-Dove
Red Collared-Dove
White-bellied Pigeon
House Swift
Taiwan Barbet
Bronzed Drongo
Black-naped Monarch
Gray Treepie
Plain Martin
Pacific Swallow
Green-backed Tit
Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler
Collared Finchbill
Light-vented Bulbul
Black Bulbul
Striated Prinia
Plain Prinia
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
White-tailed Robin
Steere's Liocichla
Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler
Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler
Rufous-capped Babbler
Gray-cheeked Fulvetta
White-eared Sibia
Taiwan Yuhina
White-bellied Yuhina
Japanese White-eye
White Wagtail
Brown Bullfinch
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Nutmeg Mannikin
Summary

In all, I observed 81 species, 11 of which were lifers for me. The overall highlights of the trip were the raptors at Kenting and the high-elevation birds in Nantou County. There were also some disappointment. I still have not been able to find a Formosan Magpie. It is a fairly common bird on the mountainous areas, but it is proving to be my nemesis bird for Taiwan. Hopefully, I will able to find on on a future trip.