The Deskbound Birder: White-browed Bush-Robin

Monday, 10 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 10th February (Day 16)

We headed back up to KM108 at Alishan Forest Recreation Area again this AM for our final mornings birding in the area. We wandered up and down the road and also a short way up the track to the visitor centre seeing much the same as yesterday and missing all remaining targets for the site. Highlights were a pair of Yellow-throated Marten foraging around the car park, great views of Steere's Liochichla, Taiwan Rosefinch and White-browed Bush-Robin. At around 10:00 we began the long drive south to Kenting National Park. My eBird checklist can be viewed here.

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

Steere's Liochicla - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Taiwan Rosefinch - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

White-browed Bush-Robin - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

Taiwan Fulvetta - Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Taiwan

We arrived at Kenting National Park in the far south of the island just before 14:30. The park is just above sea level and this was the first lowland birding we had done on the island and it was noticeably warm and with a strong sea breeze blowing. We quickly located our target here, the now rare and localised, Styan's Bulbul but it took some time before we all had obtained satisfactory views. Other species here included a range of familiar wildfowl seen from the very plush hide. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed here.

After Kenting we headed back north to Pingtung University arriving just as it was getting dark at 17:30, we sussed out the site for tomorrows birding and had some nice views of Savanna Nightjar as darkness fell. After dinner we headed to our accommodation at the Hakka Eco-Farm where we heard more Savanna Nightjar and a booming Malayan Night-Heron. My eBird checklists for these two sites can be viewed here and here.

Brown Shrike - Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Scaly-breasted Munia - Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Styan's Bulbul - Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Black Drongo - Kenting National Park, 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.

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.