Super Singers of Shanghai – Spring Premiere

It’s spring and its time for the brand new season of Super Singers in Shanghai. This is the time of the year, even the notorious skulkers come out of the undergrowth and “show-off” their skills to attract the mate. The spring morning on April 09 started bit slow at Yangshan island. Flycatchers are not here yet but plenty of Thrushes were on the move. Dusky Thrushes were in huge no’s, even on the mudflats. The season’s first Japanese Thrushes were too shy to show their breeding colors but the Red-throated Pipits were flaunting their “reddish” throats and even a single fellow put up quiet an audition which is the cover photo of the blog post.

1st winter

Adult male Pale Thrush

“reddish” throat

Red-billed and White-cheeked Starlings are very much showing their courtship manners by bringing the “catch” to their mate.

Silky aka Red-billed Starling

Breeding colors

Kevin is been into Butterflies recently and eventually i have caught up with the butterfly fever. We have been seeing plenty of butterflies since autumn but the spring has brought a plethora of flowers and butterflies. The weekend’s new arrival is a “Common Yellow Swallowtail“(Papilio machaon). I initially ID’d it as Southern Swallowtail but after some homework, i arrived at the right ID. Just getting started at the long road and time to buy a butterfly field guide.

Update : After a brainstorming session with Kevin P, we came to a conclusion that this is not a Papilio machaon. Kevin pointed out that the parallel lines on the forewing closer to the body is entirely different from the smudged forewings of Papilio machaon. Thanks to Mark Andrews who confirmed that this is an “Asian Swallowtail“(Papilio xuthus).

Common Yellow Swallowtail

Back at Nanhui, the “Walker herd” is getting more and more at the holiday Inn. The daytripping crowd was inevitable but it was a mystery how the campers n bikers have not been here few years before. Despite all the recent “landscaping”, i picked up the song of a “Bluethroat” and a long wait was rewarded with brilliant views.

Super Singer

The chorus group for the Bluethroat were numerous Marsh Grassbirds, Little and Chestnut-eared Buntings,Reed Parrotbills. Just a week before I was searching for the Grassbirds at Hengsha and Nanhui along with Keving Pickering and Russell Boyman. The absence of the Grassbirds during late March made me to think, have they left Shanghai? They are tad late but nothing was missing in their display and song. A single  “Eurasian Wryneck” and a Japanese Quail were additional spring bonus.

Little guy with a catchy song

Chestnut-eared Bunting in breeding plumage

During March 26, the trio of Kevin Pickering, Russell Boyman and myself hit Hengsha and Nanhui. Hengsha still held plenty of waterfowl and we witnessed the arrival of few shorebirds. Plenty of habitat has been taken over in less than 3 months and we saw lots of people surveying the land for “future” use. Among the shorebirds, there were 30+ Great Knots were the highlight. Hengsha island currently holds the unadulterated mudflats anywhere around Shanghai and it’s a critical stopover place for the Great Knots. Since these birds are known for their “site loyalty”, we have seen Great Knots in the same area, season after season. Another potential site for the shorebirds will disappear soon. Back in Nanhui, we had much more variety in terms of Shorebirds and top bird of the day being a highly elusive “Slaty-breasted Rail” spotted by Russell.

Eurasian Skylark

Pallas’s Reed Bunting

Great Knots

Chinese Penduline Tit

Slaty-breasted Rail

Hoopoe

Consolidated Species List :