The Deskbound Birder: South Korea and Taiwan

Saturday, 1 February 2020

South Korea and Taiwan - 1st February (Day 7)

We were up at 05:45 for a 06:45 taxi from our rooms in Seoul to the airport. We checked in and then relaxed with fruit, sandwich and coffee before our 09:40 flight to Taiwan. The flight left more or less on time and we landed in Taipei at 11:30. The Coronovirus, Covid-19, was gaining prominence, with China closing its borders and the vast majority of people in the immigration queues now wearing face masks. We quickly escaped the crowds in the airport, collected our hire car and drove the 2.5 hours south-west to Dasyueshan Forest Reserve, the key birding location on the island supporting the majority of the endemic birds.

After stopping in Dongshi for supplies we climbed the winding mountain road flanked by mature forest and into the Dasyueshan Forest Reserve leaving behind the lowlands with its highways, towns and villages. Our first birding stop was at KM23 at 17:00 where we saw Swinhoe’s Pheasant, Taiwan Partridge, Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Rufous-cheeked Warbler and Taiwan Barbet. We then headed up to Anma Lodge at the main visitor centre and checked-in. A Collared Bush-robin showed briefly in the main car park. After unloading our luggage from the cars into our lodges we drove up to KM50 as the light faded, we saw little but flushed six White’s Thrush from the access road getting good views of a couple of birds. We ate in the lodges canteen in the evening, undoubtedly the worst food of the trip. After dinner we enjoyed some great views of Red and White Giant Flying Squirrel feeding in trees above our lodge. My eBird checklist for KM23 of Dasyueshan Forest Reserve can be viewed here.