DOF-turen til 

Nordøstkina 

7.-22. maj 2004

af 

     Hans Meltofte & Jesper Hornskov

Internetversion

Dansk Ornitologisk Forening
BirdLife - Denmark
Deltagere

DOF-leder: Hans Meltofte
Lokal leder: Jesper Hornskov

Deltgere:
Anna-Lis Martinussen
Bodil og Jørgen Nørgaard
Ebbe A. Hansen
Elisabeth Mygind
Else Helmer
Hans Skotte Møller
Henrik Læssøe
Henrik Møller
Mogens Friis
Stefan Pihl
Ulrik Svane Sørensen

En nøgle til danske, engelske og latinske fuglenavne findes på Navnegruppens hjemmeside: http://www.dof.dk/pdf/NAG/DofAves11022004.pdf hvor der også er en søgefunktion.
Dagbog

af Hans Meltofte

Fredag den 7. maj
En flot dag, hvor 12 forventningsfulde og spændte DOF’ere og en ikke mindre spændt leder samledes i Kastrup Lufthavns udenrigsterminal. Det var en skøn blanding af gamle kendinge fra Nordtibet-turen, gamle venner og nye venner. Indcheck gik glat, og første stop var Helsinki, hvor vi ventede i tre timer på flyafgangen til Peking. En enkelt deltager måtte lige ud og kratluske i nabolaget. Det gav Bogfinke og Musvit. En anden blev kaldt over højtaleranlægget uden at det lykkedes os at finde ud af hvorfor. Det fandt vi ud af senere – meget senere heldigvis. 
Flyveturen over Rusland og Sibirien, mens det blev mørkt, gav ingen store udsyn, da der var overskyet.

Lørdag den 8. maj
Efter få timers søvn landede vi så midt i en anden verden. Alle krydsede fingre for at al bagagen var med, og det havde åbenbart den rette effekt. Jesper havde travlt med at afvikle en anden tur, så hans søde og effektive kone, Aiqin, stod parat i lufthavnen med en minibus. Og så gik det af sted mod øst og kysten. Nogle sov, mens andre scorede de første 2 Amurfalke.
	Fremme i Beidaihe blev vi indlogeret på et super luksushotel lige ud til vadefladerne. Men før vi kunne mæske os i de første ’rigtige’ fugle, skulle vi lige have et madorgie med Pekingand og et væld af andre retter. Nogle gjorde her deres første vanskelige erfaringer med spisepindene, som skulle blive en fast bestanddel af ethvert måltid de næste to uger.
	Vadefladerne med det sigende navn Sandflats bød som noget af det første på en flok Rødhalsede Ryler, hvoraf en bar en hilsen fra overvintringen i Australien i form af et orange ’flag’ om benet. Hertil 4 Østspover og en stribe interessante og udfordrende måger.
	I baglandet langs med Reservoiret stod den på Manchurerstendrosssel og Sibiriske Bekkasiner, som var nye for de fleste.

Søndag den 9. maj
Flot vejr. Op og af sted kl. 04 selv om nogle ikke havde sovet de foregående mere end 30 timer. Det betalte sig! Efter nogle få timers søgen på græsflader og afhøstede ris- og majsmarker fandt vi en af turens targetarter: Dværgspove. – Hele 25 blev det til og nogle på klodshold! I kanaler og reservoirer fandt vi tillige både Spidshalede og Langtåede Ryler. 
Lidt kratlusk i en lund gav Blånattergal, men også en noget oprivende oplevelse med en illegal fuglefænger, der havde et system af spejlnet med lokkefugle i små bure i træerne. Han forsvandt i en fart, men måtte lide den tort at få alle sine net ødelagt og lokkefuglene sluppet fri. Flere af fuglene i nettene var døde: de var åbenbart ikke interessante/værdifulde nok til, at han havde gidet pille dem ud i tide. 
Og mange stiftede for første gang bekendtskab med kinesiske gravhøje på marker og i lunde, hvor klynger af meterhøje, spidse jordbunker med små sten på toppen markerer forfædrenes hvilepladser.
	På vejen hjem stoppede vi ved Yang-flodens udmunding, hvor vi så endnu en targetart: Østlig Silkehejre –  samt fine Strandhjejler og Små Kobbersnepper – og en hurtig Dværgfalk.
	Fra et veldækket bord i Beidaihe stressede vi direkte til Qinhuangdao station, hvor vi blev sluset ind på perronen før de andre passagerer, men måtte, da toget kom, deltage i det kollektive slagsmål om påstigning. Efter en lang dag i felten var komforten på 1. klasse yderst velkommen.

Mandag den 10. maj
Så begyndte eventyret for alvor: Manchuriet eller nærmere Det Indre Mongoli. Tidligere endeløse sletter og lavvandede sumpe, nu mest opdyrkede marker og ’tyndbenede’ plantager, der æder sig mere og mere ind på naturområderne. Tørke siden 1997 har tillige betydet, at mange af sumpene er tørret ud og nu vrimler med kvæg og hyrder. Første dag var noget af en prøvelse, idet det blæste kraftigt og luften var fuld af støv fra de store opdyrkede marker. Hvordan er det så ikke om vinteren, hvor det fryser ned til 35C?
Op kl. 4.45, af toget i al hast i Kaitong med syngende og ’dansende’ morgenmennesker på alle pladser med store højtalere. Fem jeeps stod parat til at køre os ud til vores hotel ved Xinghai-reservatet. Flere Amurfalke på vejen, ellers mest marker og plantager. Efter en hurtig kinesisk morgenmad af sted ud til søen og sletterne, hvor støv- og sandstormen varede ved hele dagen, så de af os, der havde smurt sig med sololie eller læbepomade, så ret sjove ud. Og bilerne måtte kæmpe sig frem gennem sanddriverne.
	Det varede ikke længe, inden den første Japanske Trane var i teleskoperne, og et par mere blev det til den dag. Ellers endnu flere Amurfalke (50), hjemlige Viber, Gråhovedede Viber og Knarænder. Og i søerne Sorthalsede Lappedykkere, mange ænder incl. Fløjlsand og 3 Svanegæs, som de fleste først missede, men som vi heldigvis fandt igen. Men Manchurerand lykkedes det ikke at finde, på trods af flere ’tilnærmelser’.

Tirsdag den 11. maj
Flotteste vejr – og mange flere geder, får, kvæg og heste – samt mennesker – overalt i reservatet. Tydelige tegn på overgræsning på trods af opsatte hegn, som var lagt ned mange steder. Planer om at flytte 5900 mennesker væk fra området for at beskytte det. Også mange dæmninger, der regulerer vandstrømmene – når der er noget vand at regulere. Det skulle blive bedre fra og med i år takket være et nyanlagt system af kanaler. En nys fyldt sø, som vi nåede frem til om eftermiddagen, viste områdets sande potentiale - hvilket sted: En overvældende fuglerigdom med 550 Sibiriske Krikænder, 5 Seglænder, Sibiriske Sneppeklirer, Dværgspover, spillende Damklirer, 350 Blisgæs og 12 Svanegæs. Og så alle de ’hjemlige’ steppe- og steppesøfugle såsom Lille Lappedykker, Toppet Lappedykker, Sorthalset Lappedykker (500), Grågås, Rustand, Knarand, Atlingand, Taffeland, Tårnfalk, Stylteløber, Orientbraksvale, Lille Præstekrave, Vibe, Stor Kobbersneppe, Rødben, Hættemåge, Fjordterne, Hvidskægget Terne, Hærfugl, Sanglærke og Gul Vipstjert. Sjov at se dem her blandt alle de eksotiske arter og så vide, at de findes mere eller mindre ubrudt hele vejen fra Europa til Østasien. Hertil Eurasisk Skestork, Taigabekksin, 300 Sibiriske Tundrahjejler, Storspove og 400 Tinksmede, 1000 Krikænder m.m.m. på træk. Et sandt eldorado, hvor vi tilbragte adskillige timer, inden vi kørte hjem og fejrede oplevelserne med flere flasker kinesisk ildvand til middagen. Så glemte vi for en stund, at Manchurerstork, Munketrane og Hvidhalset Trane trods alt havde manglet. Man kan ikke få det hele!
	Bagsiden af medaljen er, at Østasiens fugle – især vandfuglene – har det værre end i de fleste andre dele af verden. Det skyldes både jagt, fangst, forstyrrelser og ødelæggelse af levestederne, som er værst i Kina, og som hænger sammen med en næsten total mangel på tradition for naturbeskyttelse og verdens højeste befolkningstæthed. Jesper ser dog tegn på en positiv udvikling, idet flere arter åbenbart er begyndt af gå frem, men der skal sikkert ødelægges meget endnu, inden udviklingen for alvor vender.

Onsdag den 12. maj
Op kl. 3.30 – hvornår fik vi nogensinde sovet ud på den tur? Regn og blæst, lang omkørsel, punktering, meget kinesisk morgenmad i Baicheng, folk med tildækkede ansigter i blæsten, illegale fuglenet oppe flere steder og så endelig fremme ved målet: Tumuji-reservatet. Det begyndte godt med en immature Snetrane i en slettesø, som lettede og fløj nordpå. Visse forår kan der raste op til 3-400 Snetraner her, men i år var der kun set op til 30. 
Næste stop gav rede af Mongollærke med 4 æg, Mosehornugle med 6 dunede unger i vidt forskellige størrelser og Steppeagerhøne med 10 æg – alt sammen ’organiseret’ til os af Mr. Li, som er en lokal entusiast, der arbejder helhjertet for naturbeskyttelsen i reservaterne, og så af ’manden på motorcyklen’, som havde været ude dage i forvejen for at finde highlights’ne til os.
	Det blev en vild dag med mange timers kørsel ad markveje rundt mellem pletterne af oprindelig vegetation – og kronet med en syngende Jankowski’s Bunting – en af verdens sjældneste fugle og formentlig på vej til de evige jagtmarker. Der var blevet hegnet 30 km2 til tre af de 10 par, man kendte til i området. Men det var ikke den eneste belønning for anstrengelserne og flere deltageres meget mørbankede bagdele: også 2 Jomfrutraner, der landede i en fyldgrav ved vejen, og 4 Stortrapper tæt på værlingen. Store flokke af heste græssede på sletterne, og grå, lerklinede mongolske huse med flade tage fyldte ikke meget på de store vidder – som langt overvejende var opdyrkede! 
	Også nogle få sisler blev det til – også en følgesvend helt fra de ungarske stepper – inden vi i Baicheng forlod Det Indre Mongoli på ’hard sleeper’ med nattoget sydpå til Beidaihe. For mange af os var det lækre aftensmåltid i togets spisevogn en af turens store ”ikke-fugle” oplevelser.

Torsdag den 13. maj
Efter Manchuriets støv var det velkomment med hotelværelser til alle i en time, så vi kunne få et bad og rette krøllerne lidt ud. Morgenmad med wienerbrød og så sydpå i bragende sol og tiltagende blæst. Stop ved fiskedamme med hundreder af Hvidvingede Terner og masser af vadefugle, samt i en lund med en hejrekoloni og masser af småfugle, Asiatisk Natravn, Gulddrossel og tre spættearter. Det var en appetitvækkende forsmag på, hvad der ventede os de næste fem dage på Happy Island, hvortil vi sejlede fra Laoyujian i tiltagende mørke om aftenen – dog ikke mere mørke, end at vi lige nåede at score den første Reliktmåge! Indkvartering i treværelses hytter, som efter nogen parlamenteren blev forsynede med madrasser til sengene. Hele seks danskere var allerede på øen, så det samlede antal på 20 danskere nok er rekord for Beidaihe og Happy Island. Det havde Axel Hemmingsen næppe forestillet sig i sin vildeste fantasi, da han sad interneret i Beidaihe af japanerne under 2. verdenskrig og opdagede Østasiens bedste træksted.

Fredag den 14. maj
Op til en gang tidlig trækobs. og kratlusk inden en elendig morgenmad kl. 9. Stille og fint vejr, som dog endte i tiltagende skydække og blæst. Vi obs’ede inde på øen hele dagen, men det forhindrede ikke, at Kinesisk Dværgmåge kom i bogen, for slet ikke at nævne den Dværgrørvagtel, som en glad DOF-leder trampede op på mindre end en meters afstand lige ved hytterne. Foruden disse højdepunkter var der så også lige en Tigertornskade og fine hanner af Sibirisk Drossel, 2 Brundrosler, Blåstjert, Blåhals, Daurisk Rødstjert m.m.m. Frokosten var der ikke noget i vejen med, og aftensmaden kl. 19.30 kunne gå an. Vi var jo forkælede i forvejen!

Lørdag den 15. maj
Let overskyet det meste af dagen. Kratlusk morgen og eftermiddag, og tur til vadefladerne om formiddagen. Se, det gav jo ’rigtige’ fugle såsom 500 Storryler, 1000 Små Kobbersnepper, 120 Krumnæbbede Ryler og 2 Ørkenpræstekraver, foruden 7 Reliktmåger, 25 Kinesiske Dværgmåger, 20 Sandterner og 1 Rovterne. Ok, ok, kratlusk’en gav bl.a. 2 Blege Dværghornugler, 4 Grønne Ellekragers, 100 Blånattergale, 10 Stribede Græshoppesangere, 500 Hvidbrynede Løvsangere, 300 Brune Løvsangere, 1 Hårdrongoer og 1 Silkestær – og så lykkedes det at bestemme en Slaty-backed Flycatcher som det første fund i Østkina. Så var der vist heller ikke nogen, der havde noget at klage over?

Søndag den 16. maj
En våd dag! Let overskyet om morgenen med en enkelt byge, men regn fra midt på formiddagen, så en lille særekskursion til vadefladerne endte med tre gennemblødte mudderentusiaster. De nåede dog at hygge sig med vade- og mågefugle, hvor f.eks. nogle af de Alm. Ryler skiller sig ud ved at være tydeligt mere langnæbbede og klarere i farverne, end dem vi kender hjemmefra. De tilhører racen pacifica, som yngler i det vestlige Alaska., og som er de mest langnæbbede Alm. Ryler i verden. Ellers kratlusk det meste af dagen, men lidt mere stille end i går. Højdepunkterne var 1 Japansk Silkehale og 1 Japansk Rødhals som ny for øen. Herudover 2 Tigertornskader, Mongolsk Piber, Vendehals, Orientsejler, 3 Tornhalesejlere, 1 Blå Glente og 150 Store Kobbersnepper i rejedammene. Thomas, Calle, Rasmus og Jimmy viste endnu engang beredvilligt de fugle frem, som de havde fanget til fotografering. Det satte vi stor pris på.

Mandag den 17. maj
Letskyet det meste af dagen, men overskyet fra sidst på eftermiddagen. Trækobs. og kratlusk morgen og formiddag og mudder til halsen om eftermiddagen. Seks Paddespurvehøge, 3 Hårdrongoer og 2 Gulbrynede Værlinger var highlights i lundene, hvor der var klart færre småfugle. På vadefladerne var der tykt med Storryler, Islandske Ryler, Små Kobbersnepper, Almindelige Ryler, Krumnæbbede Ryler, Strandhjejler, Terekklirer og Rødhalsede Ryler samt 2 Kærløbere – alle sammen på vej til Sibirien og Alaska. Ikke mindre end 43 vadefuglearter er det blevet til indtil nu. Desuden så vi ikke mindre end 64 Reliktmåger, som yngler i de mongolske steppesøer længere vestpå end hvor vi var i Manchuriet!
Mudderfladerne omkring Det Gule Hav er sidste stop for 2 mio. vadefugle, der mest overvintrer i Australien, inden de flyver til Nordsibirien i ét hug. De æder sig tykke og fede inden 2-4 dages non-stop flyvning, men bestandene er under pres, fordi 40% af vadefladerne her allerede er inddigede og yderligere 40% af resten er planlagt inddiget. Især er der bekymring for Skenæbbet Ryle, som vi var mange, der havde håbet at få at se, men der er nu formentlig kun nogle hundrede ynglepar tilbage på Chukotka-halvøen på østspidsen af Sibirien. Dette kompleks af vadeflader er dog stadig verdens største med sammenlagt omkring 1 mio. ha vade, og tæthederne af fouragerende vadefugle er større her, end man oplever det ret mange steder i verden. 
Under vores ophold på Happy Island og omkring Beidaihe så vi i alt syv vadefugle (2 Rødhalsede Ryler, 2 Små Kobbersnepper, 1 Storryle, 1 Krumnæbbet Ryle og 1 Terekklire) med gule og orange ’flag’ om benene foruden de gængse metalringe. Vi har indtil nu fået svar på fire af dem fra Australien, hvor to Rødhalsede Ryler var mærket i Victoria, 9000 km SSØ for os, og en Lille Kobbersneppe og en Krumnæbbet Ryle var mærket i Nordvestaustralien, 6500 km mod syd.
	Dagen sluttede med kinesisk ildvand, og nogle unge danskere blev lettere visne i toppen.

Tirsdag den 18. maj
Sidste dag på Happy Island, som blev brugt til kratlusk og trækobs. hele morgenen og formiddagen. Vejret var solrigt og varmt, men med tiltagende vind. Artssammensætningen var klart nok ændret i forhold til de første dage, og det var især ’vandsangere’ – såsom Manchurian Reed Warbler – og Tyknæbbede Drosselrørsangere samt Japansk Rørspurv, der tiltrak sig opmærksomhed. Hertil 10 Lundsangere og 50 Gulbrystede Værlinger. Desuden 208 Store Kobbersnepper og Hvidhalset Smyrnaisfugl i kanaler og rejedamme. 
	Under overfarten med båden til land var det højvande, så der var ikke så meget at se som på udturen. Heller ikke i fiskedammene og lunden med hejrekolonien var der så meget som på udturen, men i mundingen af Yang-floden blev det lige til 2 Sibiriske Gråklirer. Plingeling!
	Dagen sluttede med et bad og god mad, som var rigtig godt ovenpå Happy Islands noget simple kost og indkvartering.

Onsdag den 19. maj
Op kl. fem minutter i alt for tidligt og af sted til en bemærkelsesværdig morgen ved Den Store Mur ved Shanhaiguan. Det var der mange kinesere, der også havde fundet på, men af helt andre årsager end os: De gjorde morgengymnastik, som bestemt ikke gik stille af. Der var en løben op og ned ad muren, snotten og harken til højre og venstre, og den ene efter den anden udstødte primalbrøl, så det var lige før, at nogen af os var mere ’fascinerede’ af dette leben, end af de mange spændende fugle. Et stykke oppe ad muren kunne vi gå ud i terrænet, og bl.a. takket være play-back fra Jespers båndoptager fik vi nogle superoplevelser med bl.a. Chinese Hill Warbler, Vinous-throated Parrotbill og Pere David’s Laughingthrush samt Godlewski’s Bunting, Stor Høgegøg, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Alpekrager, Orientsejler (200) og Brunirisk. Hertil gamle kendinge som 2 Sumpmejser, 10 Musvitter og 2 Skovskader, som ikke ser ud helt som de hjemlige. Turen sluttede med besøg i et lille tempel og en ”spring-på-og-hop-af-i-en-fart” svævebanetur ned fra bjerget.
	Eftermiddagen bød på en meget udbytterig tur i reservoiret og de tilstødende sumpe, som gav helt vidunderlige tæt-på-oplevelser med Rødbrystet Rørvagtel samt 4 Okkergule Dværghejrer, 1 Mørk Dværghejre og 2 ’Vandhaner’, da det var ved at være helt mørkt.

Torsdag den 20. maj
Varmt og blæsende ligesom i går. Morgentur til fiskedamme syd for Yang-floden samt endnu et besøg ved selve floden. Dammene gav ikke meget ud over Manchurian Reed Warbler og en flok Sibiriske Alliker. Floden gav endnu engang Østlig Silkehejre og 18 Terekklirer i flok samt Spidshalede og Krumnæbbede Ryler. Hvidklirerne blev endnu engang set grundigt efter i sømmene, men ingen Sachalinklirer til os denne gang heller. 
	Efter frokost af sted mod Wulingshan nordøst for Peking, hvor gamle DOF-venner, Stig og Jesper, kom med. Der blev smukkere og smukkere, efterhånden som vi kom ind i bjergene, som var en voldsom kontrast til det grimme, ’snavsede’ og spolerede kystland. En strækning kørte vi langs med Den Store Mur – altså den rigtige mur – og ikke den rekonstruerede ved Shanhaiguan. Et stop ved en flod gav Brun Vandstær, Klippesvaler og Asiatiske Bysvaler. En halv times fejlnavigation fra chaufføren førte til den voldsomste ’sang fra de varme lande’, som han sikkert havde oplevet i hele sit liv. ’Chokterapi’ kaldte Jesper det. I Xinglong skiftede vi til to stærkere mini-mini-busser, som skulle køre os op til hotellet i 1800 meters højde. Alligevel kogte den ene over, da kileremmen røg. Vi benyttede reparationspausen til at ”spille” en Blue-and-White Flycatcher frem. Hotellet var klamt og køligt, men den omgivende skov lovede godt for næste dag.

Fredag den 21. maj
Kold morgen –  +4C, blæsende og skygge fra bjergene i flere timer – hvor nogle friske var ude allerede i gryningen kl. 4.10 og se en Grey-sided Trush sidde og synge i en trætop. Der lå endnu snedriver på skyggesiden af bjergene, og da Jesper var på rekognoscering her i april lå der snedriver på vejene på nordskråningerne. Siden så vi også en Grey-sided Trush ruge lige ved hotellet. Tykt med småfugle såsom 100 Fuglekongesangere, 75 Hume’s Warbler, 55 Chinese Warbler, 11 Yellow-streaked Warbler, 16 Chinese Song Trush, 15 Langhalet Minivet, 10 Daurian Redstart, 2 Elisa’s Flycatcher, 9 Yellow-bellied Tit, 3 arter asiatiske gøge og Koklassfasan hørt fra de utroligt uspolerede skove. Men ligesom med steppefuglene fra Europa var indslaget af ’europæiske’ småfugle spændende: Gærdesmutte, Halemejse, Fyrremejse ( her i inkarnationen Songar Tit), Musvit, Spætmejse, Nøddekrige, Grønsisken, Karmindompap, Hvidrygget Spætte og søsterarten til Grønirisk: Brunirisk. 
	Efter frokost af sted mod Peking, hvor vi blev indlogerede på et 4-stjernet hotel og siden gik hen til en lokal stjernerestaurant og åd og drak os skæve i Pekingand, øl og kinesisk ildvand. Festmiddagen sluttede med takketaler og højt humør.

Lørdag den 22. maj
Hjemrejse. Stor morgenmadsbuffet og en kort køretur til lufthavnen, og så kom det lige i nakken: Elisabeth havde ingen flybillet! Det var derfor, hun var blevet kaldt over højtalerne i Helsinki. Og så en hurtig befrielse for hende og lederen: Billetterne lå parat til os i check-in-skranken. Flot service fra Finair. Vel placerede i flyet viste der sig tekniske problemer med maskinen, så vi sad og kogte i halvanden time. Endelig kom vi af sted. Der var igen mest overskyet, men et enkelt glimt af Tien-Shan-bjergene blev det da til. Nærmest fløjlsblød landing i Helsinki. På grund af forsinkelsen i Peking, meget kort tid i Helsinki, hvor en nærmest desperat Ebbe ilede direkte til rygerummet, hvor han efter sigende gik til den med to smøger ad gangen. Hjemme i Kastrup regnede det. Al bagagen var heldigvis med –  på trods af den korte tid mellem flyene i Finland. Varm afsked.
	Hvad bliver mon den næste Kinatur med Jesper?

Annotated list of 271 bird species recorded

By Jesper Hornskov

“Bird-days” is the day totals added up – it indicates relative abundance but does not consider the “problem” of lingering birds or, important in a non-scientific context such as a birding holiday abroad, how satisfying the encounters were. 25 bird-days for e.g. Spoon-billed Sandpiper could be one distant flock of migrating birds or one bird lingering for 25 days, offering the observers point-blank views anytime in that period…

Numbers in [ ] refer to notes on nomenclature at the end of the list.

Everyone on the trip is warmly thanked for coming along and for contributing to making the trip fun and enjoyable.

Daurian Partridge Perdix dauurica
  18 bird-days (plus a nest containing six eggs on 12th) in Manchuria.

Japanese Quail  Coturnix japonica
  18 bird-days. 1-5 birds noted on eight dates.
 
Koklass Pheasant  Pucrasia macrolopha
  Two heard giving territorial call at Wulingshan on 21st.

Common Pheasant Phasanius colchicus  
  31 bird-days (excluding birds on Happy Island, where the thriving population derives from birds released in autumn 2004).

Swan Goose  Anser cygnoides
  15 bird-days. At Xianghai three on 10th and 12 on 11th.
*** An Endangered species with a “very rapidly declining” world population of <30,000-50,000 (Red Data Book: The Threatened Birds of Asia).

Greylag Goose  Anser anser
  Seven bird-days. At Xianghai one on 10th and six the next day.

Greater White-fronted Goose  Anser albifrons
  80 at Xianghai on 11th was one of the day’s many pleasant surprises.

Common Shelduck  Tadorna tadorna
  80 bird-days. Recorded on four dates with a maximum of 55 at Happy Island on 17th.

Ruddy Shelduck  Tadorna ferruginea
  Two at Xianghai on 11th.

Gadwall  Anas strepera
  52 bird-days. 2-40 noted on three dates in Manchuria.

Falcated Duck  Anas falcata
  Five at Xianghai on 11th.

Eurasian Wigeon  Anas penelope
  43 bird-days. 40 at Xianghai on 11th and three on Happy Island on 17th.

Mallard  Anas platyrhynchos
  86 bird-days. Noted on six dates with a maximum of 50 at Xianghai on 11th.

Chinese Spotbill  Anas zonorhyncha [1]
  Recorded on 10 dates at Beidaihe, in Manchuria (daily max 75 on 11th) and on Happy Island.

Northern Shoveler  Anas clypeata
  27 bird-days. Recorded on three dates.

Northern Pintail  Anas acuta
  29 bird-days.

Garganey  Anas querquedula
  24 bird-days. Recorded on three dates with a daily maximum of 20 at Xianghai on 11th.

Baikal Teal  Anas formosa
  550 at Xianghai on 11th was a sight that caught us all off-guard…

Common Teal  Anas crecca
  C. 1,020 bird-days: at Xianghai 20 on 10th and c. 1,000 on 11th.

Common Pochard  Aythya ferina
  C. 100 bird-days in Manchuria.

Tufted Duck  Aythya fuligula
  25 at Xianghai on 11th.

Velvet Scoter  Melanitta fusca stejnegeri
  Four distant birds at Xianghai on 10th initially threatened to split the group…

Smew  Mergellus albellus
  One female at Xianghai on 11th.

Red-breasted Merganser  Mergus serrator
  Two at Xianghai on 10th.

Little Grebe  Tachybaptus ruficollis  [2]
  57 bird-days. 

Great Crested Grebe  Podiceps cristatus
  25 bird-days. Noted at Xianghai with five on 10th and 20 on 11th.

Black-necked Grebe  Podiceps nigricollis
  C. 560 bird-days. Noted only at Xianghai – 60 on 10th and c. 500 on 11th.

Eurasian Spoonbill  Platalea leucorodia
  Five at Xianghai on 11th.
***Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor not eliminated in the case of the group of four fly-bys but that species is very unlikely to occur on the border of Inner Mongolia…

Yellow Bittern  Ixobrychus sinensis
  Four at the Beidaihe Reservoir on 19th.

Schrenck’s Bittern  Ixobrychus eurhythmus
  One at Beidaihe on 19th.

Black-crowned Night Heron  Nycticorax nycticorax
  C. 176 bird-days. Noted on seven dates with a daily maximum of 60 near Laoyujian on 18th.

Striated Heron  Butorides striata
  Three bird-days. Singles noted on 8th, 9th and 14th.

Chinese Pond Heron  Ardeola bacchus
  150 bird-days. Noted on ten dates with a maximum of 40 S of Beidaihe on 9th.

Cattle Egret  Bubulcus ibis
  18 bird-days. Singles on 16+18th and 16 at Yang River on 20th.

Grey Heron  Ardea cinerea
  14 bird-days. Noted on five dates with a daily maximum of four on 11th (Xianghai) and at Beidaihe on 19th.

Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea
  27 bird-days. 1-6 noted on nine dates.

Great Egret   Ardea alba
  47 bird-days. Noted on four dates, mainly at Beidaihe.

Intermediate Egret  Egretta intermedia
  Four distant birds (with a Cattle Egret) over Happy Island on 16th.

Little Egret  Egretta garzetta
  57 bird-days.

Chinese Egret  Egretta eulophotes
  Four bird-days: two at Yang River on 9+20th.

Great Cormorant  Phalacrocorax carbo
  Four bird-days. Noted on three dates on the coast.

Common Kestrel  Falco tinnunculus
  19 bird-days. Noted on eight dates with a daily maximum of five on 12th.

Amur Falcon  Falco amurensis
  125 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates with a daily maximum of 50 at Xianghai on 10th. Numerous encounters allowed everyone in the group to become thoroughly familiar with this attractive long-distance migrant.

Merlin  Falco columbarius
  One hunting over Yang River on 9th was later on the season than usual.
 
Eurasian Hobby  Falco subbuteo
  32 bird-days. Noted on nine dates with a maximum of 10 on 19th.

Oriental Honey Buzzard  Pernis ptilorhynchus
  Ten bird-days. Noted on just five dates. Two on 20th and five on 21st in the Wulingshan area…

Black-winged Kite  Elanus caeruleus
  One on Happy Island on 16th.
***An erratic species in Hebei, with 1st records in 1998.

Eastern Marsh Harrier  Circus spilonotus
  13 bird-days. Noted on seven dates with a maximum of four at Xianghai on 11th.

Pied Harrier  Circus melanoleucos
  Eight bird-days. Noted on six dates.

Chinese Goshawk  Accipiter soloensis
  Ten bird-days. Six over Happy Island on 17th and four over Shanhaiguan on 19th was well above average – the species is not seen on every spring visit to the area…

Japanese Sparrowhawk  Accipiter gularis
  24-25 bird-days. Noted on five dates.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk  Accipiter nisus
  Five bird-days. Noted on four dates.
***In additon, single Japanese / Eurasian Sparrowhawks were noted on two dates.

Grey-faced Buzzard  Butastur indicus
  Six bird-days. 1-2 birds were noted on five dates at Happy Island, Great Wall and near Wulingshan.

Common Buzzard  Buteo buteo
  Two bird-days. Singles in Manchuria on 11+12th.

Upland Buzzard  Buteo hemilasius
  One on the border of Inner Mongolia on 12th.

Great Bustard  Otis tarda
  Four on the border of Inner Mongolia on 12th.

Water Rail  Rallus aquaticus
  One near Beidaihe Reservoir on 8th was a bonus.

Baillon’s Crake  Porzana pusilla
  One at Happy Island on 14th.

Ruddy-breasted Crake  Porzana fusca
  Ten, a couple of which eventually performed superbly at <10m in response to playback, at Beidaihe on 19th.

Watercock  Gallicrex cinerea
  Three bird-days: heard on 8th near Beidaihe Reservoir, then a very satisfying encounter with two males there on 19th.

Common Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus
  66 bird-days. Noted on seven dates with a daily maximum of 30 in the Beidaihe Reservoir area on 19th.

Demoiselle Crane  Anthropoides virgo
  Two appeared on cue on the borders of Inner Mongolia on 12th.

Siberian Crane  Grus leucogeranus
  A 2nd calendar-year bird performed for us on the borders of Inner Mongolia on 12th.
***A critically endangered species: the 2,500-3,000 bird strong population is “expected to undergo an extremely rapid decline in the near future, primarily as a result of the destruction and degradation of wetlands in its passage and wintering grounds. The wintering site [Poyang Lake, Jiangxi, China], holding 95% of the population, is threatened by hydrological changes caused by the Three Gorges Dam” (Red Data Book –Threatened Birds of Asia).

Red-crowned Crane  Grus japonensis
  Seven bird-days. At Xianghai three on 10th and four on 11th.

Eurasian Oystercatcher  Haematopus ostralegus
  11 bird-days. 1-5 noted at / near Happy Island on four dates.

Black-winged Stilt  Himantopus himantopus
  305+ bird-days. Recorded on 10 dates with a daily maximum of c. 200 at Xianghai on 11th.

Pied Avocet  Recurvirosta avosetta
  55 bird-days. Noted on seven dates in Manchuria and at / near Happy Island.

Northern Lapwing  Vanellus vanellus
  95 bird-days. At Xianghai 20 on 10th and 75 on 11th.

Grey-headed Lapwing  Vanellus cinereus
  125 bird-days. 15-75 daily in Manchuria (where we were in the heart of this striking but rather scarce species’ breeding range); four on 16th  and one on 18th on Happy Island.

Pacific Golden Plover  Pluvialis fulva
  C. 532 bird-days. Noted on seven dates, with birds on passage particularly in evidence at Xianghai on 11th – 300 were logged that day, and we all had repeated opportunities to get to know this vagrant to the Western Paleartic.

Grey Plover  Vanellus squatarola
  C. 890 bird-days. Noted on nine dates at / near Beidaihe and on / near Happy Island.

Little Ringed Plover  Charadrius dubius
  41 bird-days. Noted at / near Beidaihe and in Manchuria.

Kentish Plover  Charadrius alexandrinus
  170 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates.

Lesser Sand Plover  Charadrius mongolus
  35 bird-days. Recorded on three dates, with particularly memorable views of ten at Yang River on 20th.

Greater Sand Plover  Charadrius leschenaultii
  Two on Happy Island on 15th.

Eurasian Woodcock  Scolopax rusticola
  Two on Happy Island on 14th.

Pintail Snipe  Gallinago stenura
  32 bird-days. 1-8 noted on eight dates.

Swinhoe’s Snipe  Gallinago megala
  Four bird-days. Singles at Xianghai, Happy Island (17+18th) and at Yang River.

Common Snipe  Gallinago gallinago
  65 bird-days. Noted on five dates, with 40 at Xianghai on 11th being of note.

Asian Dowitcher  Limnodromu semipalmatus
  48 bird-days. Three at Xianghai on 11th; on Happy Island 25 on 15th and 20 on 17th.
***Good views were obtained by all but we had come hoping for greater numbers…

Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa limosa
  465 bird-days. In Manchuria one on 11th and six on 12th; on Happy Island 150 on 16th, 100 on 17th and 208 on 18th.

Bar-tailed Godwit  Limosa lapponica
  C. 2,110 bird-days. Recorded mainly on Happy Island, with a daily maximum of 1,000 there on 15th.

Little Whimbrel  Numenius minutus
  39 bird-days. Close encounters with 25 S of Beidaihe almost over-fulfilled the expectations of the wader enthusiasts on the trip… in Manchuria two on 11th and 12 on 12th were a bonus.

Whimbrel  Numenius phaeopus
  178 bird-days. Recorded on nine dates on the coast.

Eurasian Curlew  Numenius arquata
  373 bird-days. Noted on eight dates with a daily maximum of 150 on Happy Island on 17th.

Far Eastern Curlew  Numenius madagascariensis
  46 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Four at Beidaihe Sandflats on 8th were particularly instructive, demonstrating just how pale spring birds look in bright light and that bill length is of little value as an id feature against the long-billed, eastern Eurasian Curlews.

Spotted Redshank  Tringa erythropus
  28 bird-days. Noted on four dates with a daily maximum of 15 on 12th.

Common Redshank  Tringa totanus
  170 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates with a daily maximum of 75 at Xianghai on 11th.

Marsh Sandpiper  Tringa stagnatilis
  148 bird-days. Noted on six dates with a daily maximum of 50 at Xianghai on 10th. 
***Roadbuilding work had degraded, we hope temporarily, a site en route to Happy Island where we might otherwise have enjoyed 100s of these graceful birds.

Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia
  345 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates with a daily max of 70 on Happy Island on 14th.

Green Sandpiper  Tringa ochropus
  13 bird-days. 1-5 noted on six dates.

Wood Sandpiper  Tringa glareola
  C. 642 bird-days.  Noted on eight dates with a daily max of c. 400 at Xianghai on 11th.

Terek Sandpiper  Xenus cinereus
  101 bird-days. Noted on seven dates with a daily max of 40 on Happy Island on 17th.

Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos
  44 bird-days. Recorded on 10 dates with a daily maximum of 25 on Happy Island on 18th.

Grey-tailed Tattler  Heteroscelus brevipes
  Four bird-days. Two at Yang River on 18+20th.

Ruddy Turnstone  Arenaria interpres
  One on 13th was the only record.

Great Knot  Calidris tenuirostris
  C. 1,000 bird-days: on Happy Island 500 on 15th, 50 on 16th and 450 on 17th.

Red Knot  Calidris canutus
  C. 718 bird-days. Noted on five dates – four on the border of Inner Mongolia on 12th may have been unusual there; on Happy Island best counts 250 on 15th and 450 on 17th.

Sanderling  Calidris alba
  24 bird-days. Recorded on Happy Island on three dates – ten on 15th, four on 16th and 10 again on 17th.

Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
  223 bird-days. Noted on seven dates with a maximum of 70 near Happy Island on 13th.

Temminck’s Stint  Calidris temminckii
  Nine bird-days. Three at Beidaihe on 8th and six en route on 13th.

Long-toed Stint  Calidris subminuta
  Three bird-days – S of Beidaihe two on 9th and one on 13th.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper  Calidris acuminata
  74 bird-days: 50 S of Beidaihe on 9th, one at Xianghai on 11th, and 10 en route on 13th.

Curlew Sandpiper  Calidris ferruginea
  C. 386 bird-days. Recorded on seven dates – best counts on Happy Island 120 on 15th and 200 on 17th.

Dunlin  Calidris alpina
  C. 1,350 bird-days. Recorded on / near Happy Island on four dates with best counts 600 on 15th and 500 on 17th.

Broad-billed Sandpiper  Limicola falcinellus
  Two on Happy Island on 17th.

Ruff  Philomachus pugnax
  One at Xianghai on 11th.

Oriental Pratincole  Glareola maldivarum
  113 bird-days. Recorded on six dates with a daily maximum of 50 at Xianghai on 11th.

Black-tailed Gull  Larus crassirostris
  185 bird-days. Noted along the coast on six dates with a daily maximum of 75 on 9th.

Common Gull  Larus canus  [3]
  Three bird-days: two at Beidaihe Sandflats on 8th and one on Happy Island on 15th.

Vega Gull  Larus vegae  [4]
  Four bird-days.

Yellow-legged Gull  Larus cachinnans mongolicus  [5]
  Two bird-days – singles at Beidaihe Sandflats on 8th and at Happy Island on 17th.

Heuglin’s (/ Lesser Black-backed) Gull  Larus heuglini (/ fuscus) taimyrensis  [6]
  13 bird-days. Ten at Beidaihe Sandflats on 8th and three on Happy Island on 17th.

Common Black-headed Gull  Larus ridibundus
  785 bird-days. Noted on 12 dates – max 200 S of Beidaihe on 9th and at Xianghai on 11th.

Saunders’s Gull  Larus saundersi
  114 bird-days: 9-40 daily on Happy Island.
***The Red Data Book gives <7,000 as the estimated world population of this graceful gull.

Relict Gull  Larus relictus
  72 bird-days. Seen only on Happy Island – one fly-by as we disembarked on 13th, seven on 15th and an impressive 64 on 17th.

Gull-billed Tern  Sterna nilotica
  C. 101 bird-days. 10-20 daily on / near Happy Island over 13-18th.

Caspian Tern  Sterna caspia
  Two bird-days. Singles on Happy Island on 15+17th.

Common Tern  Sterna hirundo
  97 bird-days. Noted on nine dates with a daily max of 30 at Xianghai on 11th.

Little Tern  Sterna albifrons
  440 bird-days. Recorded on seven dates along the coast with a daily max of 200 on Happy Island on 15th.

Whiskered Tern  Chlidonias hybrida
  250 bird-days. Noted on six dates – notable counts were 50 at Xianghai on 11th and c. 150 en route to Happy Island on 13th.

White-winged Black Tern  Chlidonias leucopterus
  C. 2,180 bird-days. Noted on eight days – 1,700 on 13th pretty much in one sweep, flashing white wings in bright sunlight as they paused over shrimp ponds and ploughed-up wet paddies to feed was an impressive sight.

Oriental Turtle Dove  Streptopelia orientalis
  78 bird-days. 1-10 noted on 13 dates.

Eurasian Collared Dove  Streptopelia decaocto
  Seven bird-days. One at Xianghai on 11th…

Spotted Dove  Streptopelia chinensis
  Five bird-days. Noted en route near Beijing on 8th and 21st.

Large Hawk-Cuckoo  Cuculus sparverioides
  Eight bird-days. One en route to Happy Island on 13th, three at Shanhaiguan on 19th and four at Wulingshan on 21st.

Indian Cuckoo  Cuculus micropterus
  Four bird-days. Singles recorded on four dates – getting better views in the quiet garden of our four-star hotel in Beijing was something to do before breakfast and departure on 22nd…

Common Cuckoo  Cuculus canorus
  49 bird-days. 2-10 noted daily over 14-20th.

Oriental Cuckoo  Cuculus saturatus
  65 bird-days. 2-15 noted daily from 13th, incl. at Wulingshan (five on 21st).

Oriental Scops Owl  Otus sunia
  Three bird-days. Two on Happy Island on 15th and one heard near Beidaihe Reservoir on 19th.

Little Owl  Athene noctua
  Five bird-days. Four in Manchuria on 12th and one near Beidaihe Reservoir on 19th.

Brown Hawk-Owl  Ninox scutulata  [7]
  Two on Happy Island on 14th.

Short-eared Owl  Asio flammeus
  Two adults at nest w/ six downy young on the border of Inner Mongolia on 12th.
***To our dismay reserve officials, who had not told us the nest was there, deliberately flushed the adults in an attempt to impress us visitors – and we were further dismayed to discover that no one, field staff or official, had realised that the pair were owls, not “eagles”.

Grey Nightjar  Caprimulgus indicus
  Three bird-days – singles on 13+14+16th. The first bird was one of several to cause us to shift into Red Alert mode – we arrived at Big Wood to find it alive with migrants, three-whistles signals for “new bird” sounding in quick succession…

White-throated Needletail  Hirundapus caudacutus
  Eight bird-days. Three on 16th and five on 17th.

Common Swift  Apus apus
  24 bird-days.

Fork-tailed Swift  Apus pacificus
  C. 267 bird-days. Noted from 16th; best day c. 200 over Great Wall on 19th.

Dollarbird  Eurystomus orientalis
  Seven bird-days. Four on 15th, one on 17th and two on 19th.

Black-capped Kingfisher  Halcyon pileata
  One on Happy Island 18th was a below-average showing.

Common Kingfisher  Alcedo atthis
  Eight bird-days. 1-2 noted on seven dates on the coast.

Hoopoe  Upupa epops
  49 bird-days. 2-8 noted on 12 dates.

Northern Wryneck  Jynx torquilla
  One on Happy Island on 16th.

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker  Hypopicus hyperythrus
  12 bird-days. 1-4 birds were recorded on six dates, mainly on Happy Island.

White-backed Woodpecker  Dendrocopos leucotos
  One at Wulingshan on 21st.

Great Spotted Woodpecker  Dendrocopos major
  16 bird-days. 

Grey-headed Woodpecker  Picus canus
  4+ bird-days.

Ashy Minivet  Pericrocotus divaricatus
  Eight bird-days. Noted on five days, incl. on the Inner Mongolian border on 12th.

Long-tailed Minivet  Pericrocotus ethologus
  16 bird-days. One at Great Wall on 19th and 15 at Wulingshan on 21st.

Tiger Shrike  Lanius tigrinus
  Three bird-days. Seen only on Happy Island - one on 14th and two on 16th.

Brown Shrike  Lanius cristatus
  208 bird-days. Noted on 12 dates with a daily maximum of 50 on 14th and 18th.

Chinese Grey Shrike  Lanius sphenocercus  [8]
  13 bird-days. 1-6 daily over 10-12th in Manchuria.

Black-naped Oriole  Oriolus chinensis
  63 bird-days. Recorded on nine dates with a daily max of 15 on Happy Island on 14th.

Black Drongo  Dicrurus macrocercus
  42 bird-days. Noted on nine dates with a daily maximum of 12 on 20th.

Hair-crested Drongo  Dicrurus hottentottus
  Six bird-days. Noted on four dates – daily max three on Happy Island on 17th.

Eurasian Jay  Garrulus glandarius
  Two at Great Wall on 19th.

Azure-winged Magpie  Cyanopica cyanus
  In/near Beijing two on 8th and four on 21st.

Red-billed Blue Magpie  Urocissa erythrorhyncha  [9]
  Seven bird-days.

Common Magpie  Pica pica
  Not systematically recorded – common on the mainland and in Manchuria, but two on Happy Island on 16th constituted a minor surprise.

Eurasian Nutcracker  Nucifraga caryocatactes
  Three at Wulingshan on 21st.

Red-billed Chough  Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
  Six bird-days – four at Great Wall on 19th and two near Wulingshan on 20th.

Daurian Jackdaw  Corvus dauuricus
  Five bird-days – two at Xianghai on 10th and three over Yang River on 20th.

Rook  Corvus frugilegus  [10]
  Five bird-days. 1-3 daily in Manchuria over 10-12th.

Carrion Crow  Corvus corone  [11]
  18 bird-days. 4-10 daily in Manchuria over 10-12th.

Large-billed Crow  Corvus macrorhynchos  [12]
  20 bird-days. 15 over Shanhaiguan on 19th and five at Wulingshan on 21st.

Japanese Waxwing  Bombycilla japonica
  One bird remained on Happy Island over 16-17th. “And there was much rejoicing”.

Great Tit  Parus major  [13]
  19 bird-days. Noted at Great Wall, S of Beidaihe and at Wulingshan.

Yellow-bellied Tit  Parus venustulus
  Ten bird-days – one S of Beidaihe on 9th and nine at Wulingshan on 21st.

Marsh Tit  Parus palustris
  Four at Great Wall on 19th.

Songar Tit  Parus songarus  [14]
  26 bird-days. Fairly common in the Wulingshan area.

Penduline Tit  Remiz pendulinus  [15]
  70 bird-days. Noted on 10 dates, incl. in Manchuria with 1-2 daily over 10-12th.

Sand Martin  Riparia riparia  [16]
  160+ bird-days. Noted on eight dates.

Pale Sand Martin  Riparia diluta  [17]
  Three over our hotel in the morning of 10th.

Barn Swallow  Hirundo rustica
  Not systematically recorded – seen daily except on 21st, often in good numbers.

Eurasian Crag Martin  Ptyonoprogne rupestris
  Ten near Wulingshan on 20th.
 
Northern House Martin  Delichon urbicum
  Three bird-days. 1-2 birds over our hotel at Xianghai on 10+11th.

Asian House Martin  Delichon dasypus
  30-40 near Wulingshan on 20th was a bonus.
***Diagnostic black underwing coverts – and other features! – seen clearly.

Red-rumped Swallow  Cecropis daurica  [18]
  125+ bird-days. Noted on 12 dates.

Long-tailed Tit  Aegithalos caudatus
  15 at Wulingshan on 21st.

Mongolian Lark  Melanocorypha mongolica
  15 (plus a nest containing four eggs) on the Inner Mongolia border on 12th.

Asian Short-toed Lark  Calandrella cheleensis  [19]
  110+ bird-days. C. 40 S of Beidaihe on 9th and many in Manchuria…

Eurasian Skylark  Alauda arvensis  [20]
  20+ bird-days. Recorded only in Manchuria.

Horned Lark  Eremophila alpestris
  Three at Xianghai on 10th.

Fan-tailed Warbler  Cisticola juncidis
  Four bird-days. Recorded only on 8+9th – mysteriously absent from Happy Island this season…

Chinese Hill Warbler  Rhopophilus pekinensis  [21]
  Three at Great Wall on 19th.

Chinese Bulbul  Pycnonotus sinensis
  89 bird-days. Recorded on nine dates with a daily max of 25 on Happy Island on 18th.

Lanceolated Warbler  Locustella lanceolata
  22 bird-days. 1-10 recorded daily over 14-19th.

Thick-billed Warbler  Phragmaticola aedon  [22]
  42 bird-days. Noted daily over 14-19th with a daily max of 20 on 18th.

Oriental Great Reed Warbler  Acrocephalus orientalis
  22 bird-days. Noted on five dates from 9th; daily maximum 12 at Yang River on 20th.

Black-browed Reed Warbler  Acrocephalus bistrigiceps
  65 bird-days. Noted on eight dates from 9th, with a daily maximum of 25 on 18th.

Manchurian Reed Warbler  Acrocephalus tangorum  [23]
  Three bird-days – one on Happy Island on 18th and two at Yang River on 20th. Without the last two (one of which was seen very well) that morning would have seemed exceptionally quiet (which in fact it was!) – as it was, their presence confirmed that at that time of the year it is always worth getting out of bed at “five minutes to far too early”.

Dusky Warbler  Phylloscopus fuscatus
  C. 585 bird-days. Seen almost daily (incl. in Manchuria) – daily maximum c. 300 on Happy Island on 15th.

Yellow-streaked Warbler  Phylloscopus armandii
  14 bird-days. Singles on Happy Island on 14+15+16th, and 11 at Wulingshan on 21st.

Radde’s Warbler  Phylloscopus schwarzi 
  130 bird-days. Noted on eight dates with a daily maximum of 50 on Happy Island on 15th.

Chinese Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus yunnanensis  [24]
  59 bird-days. Two on the mainland on 13th, singles on Happy Island on 15+17th, and 55 at Wulingshan on 21st.

Pallas’s Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus proregulus
  198 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates with a daily maximum of 75 on Happy Island on 15th.

Yellow-browed Warbler  Phylloscopus inornatus
  980+ bird-days. Noted daily over 8-19th with a daily max of c. 500 on Happy Island on 15th.

Hume’s  Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus humei  [25]
  75 at Wulingshan on 21st.

Arctic Warbler  Phylloscopus borealis  [26]
  29 bird-days. Recorded on seven dates from 13th; daily maximum 10 on 18+19th.

Greenish Warbler  Phylloscopus trochiloides plumbeitarsus  [27]
  94 bird-days. Noted on eight dates (incl. a singleton on 8th); best counts 25 on 14+15th on Happy Island.

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus tenellipes
  111 bird-days. Noted daily over 13-20th; daily maximum 25 on 15+16+18th.

Blyth’s Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus reguloides  [28]
  C. 105 bird-days. 1-2 noted on four dates at Happy Island and the nearby mainland woods; 100 at Wulingshan on 21st.

Bianchi’s Warbler  Seicercus valentini
  One at Happy Island on 14th.
***This taxon is the only “Golden-spectacled Warbler” species to have been identified (based on DNA) on the Hebei coast.

Pere David’s Laughingthrush  Garrulax davidi
  Five at Great Wall on 19th.

Vinous-throated Parrotbill  Paradoxornis webbianus  [29]
  Six bird-days. Five at Great Wall on 19th and one en route to Wulingshan on 20th.

Chestnut-flanked White-eye  Zosterops erythropleurus
  495 bird-days. Noted on eight dates with a daily maximum of 200 on 18th.

Japanese White-eye  Zosterops japonicus
  Nine bird-days. Recorded only on Happy Island with four on 14th, two on 16th and three on 17th.

Northern Wren  Troglodytes troglodytes
  Seven at Wulingshan on 21st.

Eurasian Nuthatch  Sitta europaea
  Seven at Wulingshan on 21st.

Daurian Starling  Sturnus sturninus
  11 bird-days. 1-3 noted daily on Happy Island over 14-18th.

Red-billed Starling  Sturnus sericeus
  Two bird-days. Presumably the same singleton present on Happy Island over 15-16th.
***The species appears to be spreading N, ones and twos now being recorded annually on the Hebei coast.

White-cheeked Starling  Sturnus cineraceus
  44 bird-days. Recorded on eight days.

Blue Whistling Thrush  Myophonus caeruleus
  One en route to Wulingshan on 20th.

Siberian Thrush  Zoothera sibirica
  Nine bird-days. Two on 13th (on the mainland) and 14th, five on 15th.

White’s Thrush  Zoothera aurea  [30]
  Nine bird-days. On the mainland three on 13th; on Happy Island five the next day, and one on 15th. 
***A well-below-average showing but satisfying none the less, the species being one of those charismatic vagrants to the Western Paleartic that one has “known” since one got one’s first field guide. It seems reasonable to assume that the main wave had gone through ahead of schedule, just before our arrival, triggered by temps not usually encountered until a fortnight later.

Chinese Blackbird  Turdus mandarinus  [31]
  One on Happy Island on 18th.

Grey-sided Thrush  Turdus feae
  11 bird-days. None found on Happy Island but Wulingshan rode to the rescue with four on 20th and seven on 21st, incl. an incubating bird on a nest within a stone’s throw of our hotel (thanks!).

Eyebrowed Thrush  Turdus obscurus
  51 bird-days. Noted on five dates, with 20 on Happy Island on 15+16th ensuring good looks for all.
  
Naumann’s Thrush  Turdus naumanni  [32]
  Five bird-days. On Happy Island two on 14+17th and one on 15th.

Chinese Song Thrush  Turdus mupinensis
  11 bird-days. One seen briefly on Happy Island on 14th, and on Wulingshan four on 20th and six on 21st.

Japanese Robin  Luscinia akahige  
  One on Happy Island on 16th (ALM) was a bonus – probably the 1st record for the island.

Bluethroat  Luscinia svecica
  25 bird-days. 3-10 daily over 14-18th.

Siberian Rubythroat  Luscinia calliope
  58 bird-days. Noted on nine dates (incl. daily in Manchuria) with a daily max of 25 on Happy Island on 15th.

Siberian Blue Robin  Luscinia cyane
  C. 191 bird-days. Noted on eight dates, with 50 on 14th and 100 on 15th being of note.

Red-flanked Bluetail  Luscinia cyanura
  Four bird-days. On Happy island two on 14+16th.

Rufous-tailed Robin  Luscinia sibilans
  28 bird-days. Noted on five days – daily maximum ten on 15+16th.

Daurian Redstart  Phoenicurus auroreus
  12 bird-days. Singles on 13+14th and 10 (mostly males sitting out singing!) on Wulingshan on 21st.

White-bellied Redstart  Hodgsonius phaenicuroides  [33]
  Ten on Wulingshan on 21st.

Common Stonechat  Saxicola torquatus  [34]
  C. 244 bird-days. Noted on 10 dates with a maximum of c. 150 on Happy Island on 15th.

Blue Rock Thrush  Monticola solitarius philippensis  [35]
  Five bird-days. 1-2 noted on four dates.

White-throated Rock Thrush  Monticola gularis
  21 bird-days. A good showing, with records on eight dates from 8th; daily max five on Happy Island on 17th.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher  Muscicapa griseisticta
  Six bird-days. Singles on 13+14+16th and three on 18th.

Sooty Flycatcher  Muscicapa sibirica
  81 bird-days. Recorded on eight dates from 13th; daily maximum 40 on 16th.

Asian Brown Flycatcher  Muscicapa dauurica
  C. 227 bird-days. Seen on nine dates with a daily maximum of c. 100 on 15th.

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher  Ficedula zanthopygia
  71 bird-days. Noted on nine dates from 8th (though none in Manchuria) – daily max c. 20 on 14th.

Elisa’s Flycatcher  Ficedula elisae [36]
  Two males (one apparently a 2nd calendar-year bird) on Wulingshan on 21st. Tingaling!

Mugimaki Flycatcher  Ficedula mugimaki
  12 bird-days. Noted on five dates with a daily maximum of five on 14th.

Slaty-backed Flycatcher  Ficedula hodgsonii
  One on Happy Island over 14-15th.
***Initially thought to be the previously recorded vagrant Slaty-blue Flycatcher F. tricolor. Photographs obtained by other birdwatchers…

Red-throated Flycatcher  Ficedula albicilla  [37]
  70 bird-days. Noted on 12 dates with a daily maximum of 20 on 15th.

Blue-and-White Flycatcher  Cyanoptila cyanomelaena
  Eight bird-days. Recorded only on Wulingshan with three on 20th (when we made an unscheduled stop last just long enough to allow us to tape out a singing male of this otherwise retiring species) and five the next day.

Brown Dipper  Cinclus pallasii
  Three bird-days. Superb views of two en route to Wulingshan on 20th and one in the foothills on 21st.

House Sparrow  Passer domesticus
  Two bird-days. Singles in Manchuria on 10+12th.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow  Passer montanus
  Not systematically recorded.

Forest Wagtail  Dendronanthus indicus
  45+ bird-days. Noted on seven dates from 13th; best day 16th, with 15 birds on Happy Island.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla tschutschensis  [38]
  136 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates with a daily maximum of a modest 40 on Happy Island on 18th.

Citrine Wagtail  Motacilla citreola
  One at Xianghai on 10th was the only record.

Grey Wagtail  Motacilla cinerea
  21 bird-days. 1-5 birds were noted on eight dates.

White Wagtail  Motacilla alba leucopsis [39]
  14 bird-days. 

Richard’s Pipit  Anthus richardi  [40]
  113 bird-days. Noted on nine dates with a daily maximum of 30 on happy Island on 18th.

Blyth’s Pipit  Anthus godlewskii
  Seven bird-days. 1-3 birds were noted on four dates.

Olive-backed Pipit  Anthus hodgsoni
  122 bird-days. Recorded on 11 dates with a daily maximum of 30 at Xianghai on 10th.

Pechora Pipit  Anthus gustavi
  Seven bird-days. On Happy Island singles on 15+17+18th and four on 16th.

Buff-bellied Pipit  Anthus rubescens  [41]
  Ten bird-days at Xianghai, nine on 11th and one the following day.

Brambling  Fringilla montifringilla
  Five bird-days. 1-2 birds were recorded on four dates.

Oriental Greenfinch  Carduelis sinica
  24 bird-days. 

Eurasian Siskin  Carduelis spinus
  Four bird-days. Singles were noted S of Beidaihe on 9th, on Happy Island on 16th, at Great Wall on 19th and at Wulingshan on 21st.

Common Rosefinch  Carpodacus erythrinus
  150 bird-days. Noted on 10 dates with a daily maximum of 40 on Happy Island on 16th.

Chinese Grosbeak  Eophona migratoria
  12 bird-days. Noted on six dates, incl. over our hotel garden at Xianghai on 11th.

Eastern Rock Bunting  Emberiza godlewskii  [42]
  Nine bird-days: four at Great Wall on 19th and five at Wulingshan on 21st.

Meadow Bunting  Emberiza cioides
  13 bird-days. At Xianghai one on 10th and two on 11th; at Great Wall 10 on 19th.

Jankowski’s Bunting  Emberiza jankowskii
  One fine male near Xianghai on 12th.

Tristram’s Bunting  Emberiza tristrami
  20 bird-days. Noted on five dates on the coast with a daily max of eight on 15th.

Chestnut-eared Bunting  Emberiza fucata
  12 bird-days. 1-4 noted on six dates.

Little Bunting  Emberiza pusilla
  218 bird-days. Recorded on 10 dates with a daily maximum of 150 on the Inner Mongolia border on 12th.

Yellow-browed Bunting  Emberiza chrysophrys
  Three bird-days. On Happy Island one on 16th and two the next day.
***The heat wave presumed to have triggered the early departure of our White’s Thrushes may also have deprived us of significant numbers of Yellow-browed Buntings…

Yellow-throated Bunting  Emberiza elegans
  Five bird-days. Two at Xianghai on 10th and three on Happy Island on 14th.

Yellow-breasted Bunting  Emberiza aureola
  87 bird-days. Noted on eight dates, incl. three at Xianghai on 11th and two on the Inner Mongolia border the next day. Best day 50 on Happy island on 18th.

Chestnut Bunting  Emberiza rutila
  48 bird-days. Eight on the Inner Mongolia border on 12th and 5-10 daily on Happy Island over 14-18th.

Black-faced Bunting  Emberiza spodocephala
  80 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates with a maximum of 15 on happy Island on 15+16th.

Pallas’s Reed Bunting  Emberiza pallasi  [43]
  46 bird-days. Noted on six dates – 40 at Xianghai on 11th by far the best day…

Japanese Reed Bunting  Emberiza yessoensis
  Three bird-days. Singles on 14+18+19th.

Notes:  the recent “Howard and Moore, 3rd Edition”, edited by E C Dickinson is undoubtedly the most useful, one-volume world checklist. The sequence of the list above follows that used by Dickinson and the following notes are intended to shed (further) light on various issues, including taxonomic decisions where Dickinson is not followed.

[1]  included with A. poecilorhyncha by Dickinson.
[2]  T. r. poggei (replaced by ssp capensis in Xinjiang (and Tibet?) differ from nominate in iris colour and vocalizations.
[3]  sspp heinei, kamtschatschensis and brachyrhynchus.
[4]  ssp birulae was provisionally NOT recognised by Dickinson.
[5]  the taxa cachinnans, barabensis and mongolicus.
[6]  taimyrensis was considered a synonym (of heuglini) by Dickinson who did not follow the trend of elevating Heuglin’s Gull to full species status.
[7]  sspp florensis [name replaces ussuriensis: Dickinson], japonica and burmanica.
[8]  Dickinson, in error, omitted N Tibet from the range of this taxon.
[9]  alticola (W+N Yunnan, NE Burma: Dickinson) was described in 1938 (?): Birckhead, H (1937) The birds of the Sage West China Expedition. Amer. Mus. Novit. 966:1-17
[10]  sharpii in W Xinjiang in winter; orientalis elsewhere.
[11]  frugilegus NW-SW Xinjiang, pastinator elsewhere.
[12]  intermedius, tibetosinensis, mandschuricus and colonorum…”There is little doubt that there are two species or more here [in C. macrorhynchos]”: Dickinson.
[13]  Dickinson: Three species may be involved – P. major (ssp major (incl. kapustini) in Xinjiang), P. cinereus (ssp commixtus in S+E China and hainanus in Hainan), and P. minor (ssp tibetanus (apparently incl. Cheng’s subtibetanus and artatus ) in SE Tibet – W Sichuan and minor in NC+NE China).
[14]  sspp songarus, affinis, stoetzneri and weigoldicus. Ranges from SE Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan E to N Hebei. Chinese records of Siberian Tit P. cinctus likely to concern misidentified Songar Tits: Harrap (1996).
[15]  Three ssp recorded for China (eg Cheng 1987) – coronatus, stoliczkae and  consobrinus. The first two are often considered a valid species, White-crowned  Penduline Tit, and the last either treated as conspecific with it or as a fourth “Penduline Tit” species, Chinese Penduline Tit.
[16]  sspp taczanowskii and ijimae
[17]  sspp gavrilovi (?), thibetana and fohkiensis.
[18]  one on 31 May 2001 between Ili and Qingshuihe, Xinjiang (JH pers. obs.) was  probably ssp rufula, a form not included for China by Cheng (1987). Elsewhere sspp daurica, japonica and nipalensis.
[19]  “Probably, but not certainly, separate from C. rufescens”: Dickinson. Five sspp in China. C. rufescens heinei could occur in W Xinjiang – it occurs E to N Kazakhstan and W Altai:  Dickinson.       
[20]  The view that the extralimital japonica should be treated as a separate species (or as a race of A. gulgula) has not gained wide acceptance: Dickinson.
[21]  DNA studies may reveal this species to be closer to babblers than to warblers.
[22]  Moved from Acrocephalus following Helbig and Seibold (1999): Dickinson.
[23]  “Molecular studies [Helbig and Seibold (1999)] show it deserves treatment at specific level”:  Dickinson.
[24]  The “newly described” “Phylloscopus sichuanensis” in fact dates back to 1922:  Dickinson. It remains to be seen if the German name should be changed from Alstromlaubsanger  to Latouchelaubsanger?
[25]  Sspp humei and mandellii.
[26]  Dickinson accepts only three sspp:  borealis, xanthodryas and kennicotti.
[27]  Dickinson retains plumbeitarsus as a full species.
[28]  Sspp assamensis (NW Yunnan), claudiae (C China – to N Hebei?), fokiensis  (Guizhou –  Fujian) and goodsoni (Hainan).
[29]  Includes Ashy-throated Parrotbill. This arrangement “[which retains Brown-winged Parrotbill P. brunneus as a separate species] follows a large, careful study of Han (1991), and maps in earlier publications were corrected by Cheng (1993), who endorsed Han’s findings”.
[30]  Sspp aurea and toratugumi – the northern forms split from dauma on size and voice: Dickinson.
[31]  Sspp sowerbyi and  mandarinus. Dickinson divides the species into groups which “may merit treatment as three species”: A – merula, azorensis, cabrerae, mauritanicus, aterrimus,  syriacus and intermedius; B – maximus, buddae, sowerbyi and mandarinus; C (in India and Sri Lanka) – nigropileus, spencei, simillimus, bourdilloni and kinnisii. However, birds within the range given by Cheng (1987) for “maximus” (with which he lumped buddae) – in a gap in the species’ range as given by Dickinson – NE of Lhasa do not seem convincingly “Chinese Blackbird”-like.
[32]  Sspp naumanni and eunomus. Dickinson splits the two “based on Russian work” but judging from mixed characters shown by many birds on migration and in winter quarters there is very extensive interbreeding (JH pers. obs.).
[33]  Specific name usually spelt  phoenicuroides.
[34]  Sspp maurus, przewalskii and stejnegeri. Dickinson: “proposed splits of this complex species seem unsatisfactory if only in how the forms are ascribed to species”.
[35]  Sspp longirostris, pandoo and philippensis.
[36]  There seems little justification for continuing to treat this as a subspecies of narcissina (as done by Dickinson). Equally there seems to be no doubt that “beijingnica” was “misguided” – Dickinson is diplomatic: “we have felt it best to include beijingnica [..] here [with elisae] as a species inquirenda. It was proposed as a species but critical acoustic information is missing and the description might apply to a subadult form of elisae. Listing it as a subspecies would be misleading.”
[37]  Dickinson: “for the present we continue to treat this as conspecific [with parva]”.
[38]  this species consists of tschutschensis (includes simillima), taivana and macronyx.
[39]  Dickinson evidently consider without merit the idea that lugens is a valid species. Alstrom and Mild (2003) also concludes that various factors “suggest that the White Wagtail is best treated as a single species under the BSC”.
[40]  Sspp dauricus, centralasiae, ussuriensis and sinensis.
[41]  ssp japonicus.
[42]  All recognised sspp occur in China: decolorata (W Xinjiang), godlewskii, khamensis,  yunnanensis and omissa.
[43]  Dickinson would appear to be in error in following Stepanyan (1990:667) in attaching minor to Pallas’s Reed Bunting - Byers et al. (1995): ”E. schoeniclus minor (Transbaikalia to Manchuria). It is not quite clear whether this is a valid subspecies or a synonym for  pyrrhulina. There is also some confusion as to whether the name minor should be attributed to a race of Pallas’s Reed Bunting or of Common Reed Bunting. However, the original, rather inadequate, description does mention rufous edges to upper wing-coverts, and thus obviously refers to E. schoeniclus.” Pyrrhulina (with minor forming Byers et al.’s “Eastern group” of Common Reed Buntings) is “of medium size, [with a] proportionately large bill”.
Ssp lydiae may be a separate species – Dickinson: “requires further research to determine whether conspecific [with pallasi and polaris]; atypical in habitat.” It is also becoming apparent that there are vocal differences: JH et al.