Black-headed Bunting in Shanghai?

We are slowly heading into the winter mode with temperatures oscillating between sudden cold waves to warm days. On 7th November, it was 14 degrees at 4AM and rain was just getting started. I picked up Kevin and headed to Nanhui Holiday Express Inn hotel to pick up our guest of the day Dr.Carsten Cordes. Since, we were early to Nanhui, we decided to check into the car park before any neanderthal makes an appearance. We were totally stumbled upon by a male “Siberian Rubythroat“, it was out in the open, picking up the mealworms leftover by the photographers from yesterday.

When i casually looked back, there was a 1st winter male “Japanese Thrush” on a feeding frenzy over another “natural setup”. Two stonkers in few seconds, not bad for starters.

Is it the infinity scarf?

A 1st winter male

At XiaoYangshan, couple of “Eastern Buzzards” and an “Eurasian Sparrowhawk” lightened up the day for us. After that it was a slow day, Bramblings were seen in good no’s, reminding of the “Numbergames” special from last year.

Number games (last year edition)

Buntings were really tough, they really won’t show up from the undergrowth untill the temperature drop close to 0C. We still managed to pick up the regular ones. Little Buntings showed in really good no’s, compared to the usual singles, also the first “Rustic Bunting” of the season. We followed up on a bird, which initially looked like an Oriental Skylark when it was perched up on a rock but it  flew up into a bush and started walking on the wines like a pipit but the bulbous conical bill clearly said it was a bunting and i really had no clue which  bunting. The usual passage and wintering buntings don’t have this huge bill and the bunting was bit confiding compared to the very skittish “regulars”. After gruelling references at the field guide and the web at home, it was a deciding game between the Black-headed and Red-headed Bunting. Even Brazil mentions, more of these 1st winter Black-headed have occured along the east coast in Taiwan and Fujian but what are the chances for Red-headed? Time to ask the experts opinion. It’s not very conclusive from the below photo and the experts in Birdforum also said the same. Will get back to the computer and see if i can roll up some more pics with the rump and vent visible.

Shanghai’s first? (Techincally Zhejiang)

We have more winter guests arrived over the weekend that truly concludes a very exciting and engaging fall migration. We did not miss any weekend due to rain which is again unusual for Shanghai which is been very dry since summer. So, a small tribute to the weather gods and migrant magnet “Xiao Yangshan”

Garbage Dumping site – The smell is uninviting but birds like it here

The overlooking rocky cliff is the temple valley and behind that are the wharfs of mighty Yangshan deep water port

Lushful lagoon with an abadoned pagoda

Thanks to Dr.Carsten for giving us a free consulation on “heart care” and incredible patience for answering our questions. I’m sure Kevin got some relief  and i have stepped into the panic room for the first time and my mind voice said, I should stop going to “All you can eat Buffet”.

Species List :