It’s September already, this summer is been the overall hottest summer since 2012 with not a single drop of rain throughout July-August and the average mid-day high temperatures raising to 36.5C for 25 days. We started our fall birding by mid August with the day time temperatures peaking at 38C. During these hot days, I have been seeing some tiny pale butterflies during my morning walk to office but never got a chance to have a good look as they never settled down anywhere. The last weekend at XiaoYangshan and Nanhui finally put my mind to peace as i was finally able to get some good looks and photos of these tiny blue ones. At the end of the day, we were overwhelmed by the variety we had seen.
The Blue-s of Shanghai :
Dark/Pale Grass Blue
Long-tailed Blue commonly known as Peablue
Tongeia filicaudis mushanus
Short-tailed Blue at XiaoYangshan
We had few other flutterbies other than the blues but not in great no’s. We once again managed to see the Asian Swallowtail.
Common Three Ring
Common straight Swift feeding on Abelia
Indian Red Admiral at Hengsha island
Inspiration for Matrix’s Sentinels?
Back to the main picture now. On the birding front, We had a single Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Hengsha island on 27th August feeding among half a dozen Red-necked Phalaropes. A couple Asian Dowitcher on the same day. Since we are talking about the Blue(s), we had several Siberian Blue Robins.
Male Siberian Blue Robin at XiaoYangshan
Several Arctic Warblers have arrived over the weekend with plethora of Asian Brown Flycatchers and Brown Shrike. There were few Eastern Crowned Warblers in the mix.
Eastern-crowned Warbler
At Nanhui, there was a huge shorebird flock during the high tide with over 100 Great and Red Knots, a single Asian Dowitcher and 100+ Sanderlings. While scanning the tight flock of the Sanderlings, we found a single bird with an orange engraved flag on tibia above, yellow flag on tarsus of the left leg and a metal ring on the tarsus of the right leg. Australian Wader Studies Group (AWSG) sent me the details that this bird was flagged on 2-Nov-2012 at Yanerbie Beach near Streaky Bay, Australia. The bird was 2+ years old at the time of flagging.
Flagged
Sanderling Flagged at Southern Australia
Shorebirds are known for their sight loyalty and these tight flock of 100+ birds were seen exactly at the same place three years ago. So, its one more evidence why the habitat is very vital for the survival of these shorebirds.
Sanderlings from 2013, exactly at the same place.
Red-collared Dove at Hengsha
Pied Avocet at Hengsha
Eastern Marsh Harrier at Nanhui
Russell & Kevin at Hengsha
Russell Boyman and Kevin Pickering locked on the mega bird of this autumn, “Spoon-billed Sandpiper”. Forgot to put our field guides and research material in between, will improve during the next outing.
With passerines started to showing up, the autumn is going to get lot more interesting over the next couple of weeks.
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