The Deskbound Birder: Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler

Thursday, 6 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 6th February (Day 12)

We spent the first part of the day birding the Huisin Forest Reserve looking for Crimson Oriole but with no luck. There was a nice range of birds to be seen with a flock of 13 Brown-headed Thrush which contained a single Eyebrowed Thrush, our first of the trip. We also enjoyed further views of Malayan Night-Heron, up to 18 Taiwan Blue Magpie and six Chestnut-bellied Tit. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed here.

Brown-headed Thrush - Huisin Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Eyebrowed Thrush - Huisin Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Chestnut-bellied Tit - Huisin Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Daurian Redstart - Huisin Forest Reserve, Taiwan

As our target was not showing we decided to head for the Dizang Budhist Temple at Puli for the Oriole. This site showing as one where the species is frequently seen according to eBird. The birding at the temple was very pleasant and there was a distinctly tranquil feel to the site with shady paths and well managed grounds. We failed once again to see Crimson Oriole. Highlights were several Arctic Warbler, Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler and a displaying Crested Goshawk. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed here.

Olive-backed Pipit - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

Black-crowned Night-Heron - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

Crested Honey-Buzzard - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

Crested Goshawk - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

Besra - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

Plumbeous Redstart - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler - Dizang Budhist Temple, Taiwan

From Puli we drove eastwards along Highway 14 to Ren'ai and the Wushe area. We visited our booked hotel, the bizarrely named ‘Cingjing Brilliant Twins of Seattle’, but unusually for such a welcoming country the chap on reception was rather rude and unhelpful and the hotel appeared grotty and so we decided to leave and check into an alternative the 'Maple Land Hotel'. After lunch we headed uphill to the Blue Gates trail and parked just below the Police Station and walked down the road to the upper part of the trail. The track contoured along a steep forested slope but it was rather quiet in the late afternoon and none of our targets revealed themselves and the best birds we recorded were Taiwan Cupwing, Steere's Liochichla and White-browed Bush-Robin. We birded here until the light faded. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed here.

Taiwan Barbet - Bluegates Trail, Wushe, Taiwan

White-browed Bush-Robin - Bluegates Trail, Wushe, Taiwan

Grey Treepie - Bluegates Trail, Wushe, 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.

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 4th February (Day 10)

We started the day birding the lower areas of Dasyueshan Forest Reserve at KM15, we were hoping to find a trail here but ended up walking through an orchard and a bamboo plantation which were both devoid of birds. The area around the bridge proved to be fairly birdy and we bumped into a feeding flock which contained a couple our targets Chestnut-bellied Tit and Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler. The bridge over the river produced a pair of Brown Dipper which were new for the trip. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed here.

Chestnut-bellied Tit - KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Grey-chinned Minivet - KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler- KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler - KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Plumbeous Redstart - KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

White-tailed Robin - KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Brown Dipper - KM15, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Our next stop further down the road was along the roadside at KM6 at a stakeout for the fast declining Taiwan Hwamei. The species is loosing habitat and is inbreeding with Chinese Hwamei which is imported as a cage bird for its singing abilities. The bird at this location showed quickly and well in the roadside vegetation. My eBird checklist for this location can be viewed here.

Spotted Dove - KM6, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

Taiwan Hwamei - KM6, Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, Taiwan

The afternoon was then spent birding the road between KM16.5 to KM21 the forest here looked superb but we saw very little and failed to see our two main targets of Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler and Rusty Laughingthrush. Highlights were a flock of 33 Ashy Woodpigeon, Chestnut-bellied Tit and White-bellied Erpornis. My eBird checklists for the area can be viewed here and here.