The Deskbound Birder: Taiwan Barbet

Showing posts with label Taiwan Barbet. Show all posts

Sunday, 9 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 9th February (Day 15)

We were up at 06:00 and after breakfast at Firefly Lodge headed to KM108 on Highway 18 that passes through Alishan National Forest Recreation Area. On our drive, at approximately KM104 two stunning Yellow-throated Marten ran across the road in front of the vehicle and we eventually had great views of these beautiful mustilids. We began the morning by birding the car park area where we had a flock of nine Grey-headed Bullfinch fly along the road, Taiwan Rosefinch, Collared Bush-robin and Steere’s Liochicla. Wandering up the road that passes the Tourist Information Centre and the Giant Taiwan Hemlock we trawled for Golden Parrotbill, Taiwan Shortwing and Taiwan Bush Warbler our only remaining species in the higher altitudinal habitats but with no success. We did enjoy further great views of three Yellow-throated Marten and bird species such as Taiwan Fulvetta, Taiwan Barwing, Taiwan Barbet and Flamecrest. We finished walking the loop trail and arrived at the Tataka Visitor Centre which was closed for refurbishment although the restaurant was open and serving terrible food, we had peanut butter on toast with hundreds and thousands! We then birded back down the road to the car seeing much the same as before, the highlight was probably a flock of six Japanese Waxwing which we saw in flight - a scarce bird in Taiwan.

After finding a hotel in the main visitor centre complex further down the road we birded a few random spots on our way back up to KM108 but saw relatively little. We spent the last few hours of the day birding at KM108 but saw much the same as we had this morning. I came across two Grey-headed Bullfinch feeding in a weedy patch but they flushed before I spotted them on the ground and flew into the forest not to be seen again. My eBird checklists for the day can be viewed here, here, here and here.

Collared Bush-Robin - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Coal Tit - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Taiwan Barbet - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

White's Thrush - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Black-throated Tit - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Flamecrest - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Taiwan Fulvetta - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Pale Thrush - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Yellow-throated Marten - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Formosan Macaque - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Links to Other Days of the Trip (Click to View)

South Korea

26th January (Day 1 and 2) – International flight then Han River area.

28th January (Day 3) – Songdo Tidal Flats and Korea National Arboretum.

29th January (Day 4) – Seosan Reclamation.

30th January (Day 5) – Seosan Reclamation then Geum River.

31st January (Day 6) – Yubu Island, and Han River.

Taiwan

1st February (Day 7) – Fly Seoul (South Korea) to Taipei (Taiwan) then Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

2nd February (Day 8) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

3rd February (Day 9) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

4th February (Day 10) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

5th February (Day11) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve then Huisin Forest Reserve.

6th February (Day 12) – Huisin Forest Reserve then Blue Gates Trail.

7th February (Day 13) – Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area.

8th February (Day 14) – Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area then Firefly Lodge.

9th February (Day 15) – Alishan.

10th February (Day 16) – Alishan, Kenting National Park and Pintung University.

11th February (Day 17) – Pingtung University then international flight.

Saturday, 8 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 8th February (Day 14)

We were up early to get to the top of Hehuanshan Mountain before the crowds of selfie-takers and hopefully before the fog arrived at the summit to, hopefully, find the endemic subspecies of Alpine Accentor. We left at just gone 06:00 and wound our way up the mountain. First we stopped in a car park just below the summit, here we recorded White-whiskered Laughingthush, Daurian Redstart and Taiwan Rosefinch but no Accentor. The pass was again fog bound and thronging with selfie takers even at this early hour and so we desended to the Song Shue Lodge area on the the east side of the pass. The sun was shining and we had high hopes for finding the accentor but despite spending at least an hour here there was no sign and all we saw were 25 Asian House Martin as well as the usual species. We then made a brief stop at a small car park at the foot of the climb to the peak of the mountain and immediately located a fine Alpine Accentor of the endemic subspecies fennelli foraging in the car park. The bird gave great views down to a few metres in the sunshine. My eBird checklists for the area can be viewed here and here.

Alpine Accentor - Song Shue Lodge, Hehuan Shan Mountain, Wuling, Taiwan

With our target species secured we began the descent of the mountain winding around hairpin bends and dodging Taiwanese drivers cornering on the wrong side of the road. A stop at the Blue Gates trail for one last try for Taiwan Shortwing produced relatively little but for Taiwan Cupwing, Eurasian Jay, Yellow Tit and three adult Taiwan Partridge with a very small downy chick. We returned to our hotel, packed our bags and set off on the 3.5 hour drive to Firefly Lodge. My eBird checklist for the Blue Gates Trail can be viewed here.

Taiwan Barbet - Bluegates Trail, Wushe, Taiwan

Black-throated Tit - Bluegates Trail, Wushe, Taiwan

On arrival at Firefly Lodge we were whisked at high speed through the forest up a steep track to the bird hide where over the next couple of hours we enjoyed good views of up to six Taiwan Partridge and five Swinhoe’s Pheasant. At 17:30 we were taken back to the lodge where we settled into our Pink Panther themed room, showered and ate and did the log in the garden getting views of Collared Scop's Owl and hearing Mountain Scop's Owl and Collared Owlet. My eBird checklists for the area can be viewed here and here.

Taiwan Partridge - Firefly Lodge, Dingben, Taiwan

Swinhoe's Pheasant - Firefly Lodge, Dingben, Taiwan

Links to Other Days of the Trip (Click to View)

South Korea

26th January (Day 1 and 2) – International flight then Han River area.

28th January (Day 3) – Songdo Tidal Flats and Korea National Arboretum.

29th January (Day 4) – Seosan Reclamation.

30th January (Day 5) – Seosan Reclamation then Geum River.

31st January (Day 6) – Yubu Island, and Han River.

Taiwan

1st February (Day 7) – Fly Seoul (South Korea) to Taipei (Taiwan) then Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

2nd February (Day 8) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

3rd February (Day 9) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

4th February (Day 10) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve.

5th February (Day11) – Dasyueshan Forest Reserve then Huisin Forest Reserve.

6th February (Day 12) – Huisin Forest Reserve then Blue Gates Trail.

7th February (Day 13) – Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area.

8th February (Day 14) – Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area then Firefly Lodge.

9th February (Day 15) – Alishan.

10th February (Day 16) – Alishan, Kenting National Park and Pintung University.

11th February (Day 17) – Pingtung University then international flight.

Sunday, 2 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 2nd February (Day 8)

After a good nights sleep in our very cold rooms which have hot water but no heating, we began our first day at Dasyueshan Forest Reserve with a drive up hill to KM50 looking for Mikkado Pheasant but with no luck. We then headed down hill to KM23 arriving at around 08:30. In the fruiting trees here were many White-eared Sibia, Taiwan Yuhina and Vivid Niltava. It was not long before one of the most difficult Taiwan endemics appeared, a stunning Taiwan Thrush whose head shone in the dull morning light. We spent some time at these fruiting trees watching the birds coming and going, we eventually saw two Taiwan Thrush here plus Taiwan Yellow Tit, Swinhoe’s Pheasant, Taiwan Barbet and White-tailed Robin. We then walked down the road a short way where we saw a third Taiwan Thrush, Pale Thrush and our only Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush of the trip, a small group of six birds foraging through the understorey. My eBird checklist for this location can be viewed here.

Taiwan Thrush - KM23, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

White-eared Sibia - KM23, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Taiwan Barbet - KM23, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

White-tailed Robin - KM23, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Vivid Niltava- KM23, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Vivid Niltava - KM23, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

We then had to head back to the lodge to finish the check-in process and to gather some gen on birding sites for the next few days birding at the reserve. The rest of the day was then spent in the area around KM50 where many of the speciality birds, including Mikkado Pheasant can be encountered. Over the next 5.5 hours the highlights included Taiwan Barwing, Flamecrest, White-whiskered Laughingthrush, Collared Bush-robin, Spotted Nutcracker, Ashy Woodpigeon and Brown-headed thrush. My ebird lists for the afternoon can be seen here, here and here.

Red-flanked Bluetail- KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Red-flanked Bluetail - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

White-whiskered Laughingthrush - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Taiwan Barwing - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Black-throated Tit - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Flamecrest - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Coal Tit of subspecies Ptilosus - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Reeve's Muntjac - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Eurasian Wren - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Ashy Woodpigeon - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Taiwan Yuhina - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Brown-headed Thrush - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Spotted Nutcracker - KM50 area, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

As the day drew to a close we took a slow drive down the road back to the lodge and at KM47 we encountered a stunning male Mikkado Pheasant feeding on the roadside. My eBird list can be viewed here.