Brown Crake - Nanxinxiang, Nancheng
Brown Crake - Nanxinxiang, Nancheng
Brown Crake - Nanxinxiang, Nancheng
We then headed north-east to the shores of Paying lake and the Nanjishan Wetland Reserve. On the way I spotted three Siberian Crane from the bus in fields to the north of Shanzizhou. After a hurried stop we had good views of two adults and a juvenile that were soon joined by another family party of two adult and a juvenile. Fantastic birds, rather primitive looking and with very large bills and small red face patches, the combination of which gave the bill a ‘stuck-on’ appearance.
Siberian Crane - Shanzizhou, Nancheng
Siberian Crane - Shanzizhou, Nancheng
Siberian Crane - Shanzizhou, Nancheng
Siberian Crane - Shanzizhou, Nancheng
Siberian Crane - Shanzizhou, Nancheng
Siberian Crane, the only shot I got of all six birds together - Shanzizhou, Nancheng
We then birded the wetlands around the Poyang Lake edge at Nanjishan Wetland Reserve. Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China the basin area measuring some 0.16 million square kilometres, although we didn’t see the actual lake! The birding was excellent with a high number of birds. Eurasian Bittern was incredibly abundant and we had excellent views of brids feeding by the roadside, in total we probably saw more than 50 birds. On the water we recorded Tundra Bean Goose and Taiga Bean Geese (of the race middendorffii) in high numbers, the Taiga distinct with their pale swan like necks and long sloping bill while the Tundra are short necked with dark brown feathering and short bill with a steep curved forehead. Other birds on the lakes included Swan Goose, Greylag Goose, Bewick’s Swan, Pochard, Spoonbill, Marsh Sandpiper, Whiskered Tern and Spotted Redshank. While in the vegetation we recorded Yellow Bittern, Purple Heron, Plain Prinia, Zitting Cisticola, Black-browed Reed Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Penduline Tit and Black-faced Bunting. Lunch was at a small restaurant in a tourist trap town, the scene as we walked in was one of utter carnage with food spread everywhere and dogs under the table cleaning up – it was an experience.
Eurasian Bittern - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Eurasian Bittern - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Eurasian Bittern - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Eurasian Bittern - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Oriental Skylark, a bit of a rubbish photograph of a song flighting birds but it shows two diagnostic features that help separate it from Eurasian Skylark, the buff trailing edge to the wing and the tail held closed when in song flight- Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Mixed Geese (Tundra Bean Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, Swan Goose, Greylag goose and Greater White-fronted Goose) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Taiga (of race middendorffii) and Tundra Bean Goose, the Taiga are the rear row of birds and the Tundra the front row. The former are distinctive (even in this long range photograph) in their long swan like necks, long sloping foreheads and paler appearance - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Purple Heron (juvenile of race manilensis) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Purple Heron (juvenile of race manilensis) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Purple Heron (adult of race manilensis) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Long-tailed Shrike - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
White-throated Kingfisher - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Red-throated Pipit - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Amur Falcon (female) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Amur Falcon (male and juvenile) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Amur Falcon (juvenile) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Amur Falcon (juvenile) - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Zitting Cisticola of race tinnabulans - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Black-browed Reed Warbler - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Black-browed Reed Warbler - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Black-browed Reed Warbler - Nanjishan Wetland Reserve, Poyang Lake
Life Birds;
- Brown Crake
- Siberian Crane
- Plain Prinia
Links to Other Days of the Trip (Click to View)