Trick or Treat?

On 24th October, me and Kevin Pickering were birding with Len Kopka from U.S. It’s a third straight year we have birded with Len in Shanghai, with that said Len is a regular vagrant to Shanghai. During his previous visits we had gone to Binjiang Forest Park then Nanhui and Xiao Yangshan. So, this time we decided to hit the Hengsha island for a slightly different birding habitat than the usual.
In the previous weeks me and Kevin had good no of waterfowls in Yanghshan and Nanhui, so i thought Hengsha would have got plenty of waterfowl.  “Eastern Spot-billed Ducks” were plenty, thousands of ducks in small groups floating like small buoys in the sea, we also picked up a lone  “Common Shelduck“, the only waterfowl surprise of the day.

“Black-browed Reed Warblers” were plenty, we came across several individuals over the vast spread reed beds. During the initial search for the reed warblers we also picked up a couple “Dusky Warblers” and highly vocal “Reed Parrotbill“. Plenty of Pipits and Wagtails were on the side of the road picking up on the dead insects. While checking a flock of resting teals on a pool, Kevin and myself picked up our respective lifers for the third consecutive week. Kevin got a “Pechora Pipit” and i got a “Red-throated Pipit“, the other pipits for the day included Richard’s, Blyth’s and Buff-bellied Pipits.

When we were thinking that the winter is almost over,  couple of sweet surprises came our way to say that, migration ain’t over yet. First of the list was a couple “Himalayan Swiflets” along with few “Pale Martins“, i also saw few “tytleri” Barn Swallows. I first saw these ssp in April, the brick red underparts are clear give away. With  birds seen on two straight seasons, these birds could be passing through regularly, another reason not to ignore as “just” Barn Swallows.

H.r. tytleri (Barn Swallow)

Plenty of shorebirds still hanging around (not to forget the Red knots from last week). About 25+ Eurasian Curlews and Far-Eastern Curlews were busy feeding in the retreating tide. Dunlins and Red-necked stints are still hanging around in large no’s. Shorebird surprise was in the form of a loney “Broad-billed Sandpiper” and 300+ “Pied Avocets“.

“Feed me more”

Which flag?

We usually see locally(chongming) banded birds around Shanghai but this is the first bird we have seen with a different flag. Recent update from “Shorebird leg-flag sightings in EAAF” facebook group that his bird was banded near Sobolevo, Western coast of Kamchatka.

We had good raptor action this weekend as well. “Peregrine Falcon“, “Common Kestrel“, “Hen Harrier“, “Eastern Marsh Harrier” and (“never seen one, myself”  moment) our first for the patch a “Black-eared Kite“.

Juv. Eastern Marsh Harrier

Look at the talons!

Black ear coverts

Typical scouting behaviour of Hen Harrier

Hengsha, is usually a definite place or used to be for “Black-faced Spoonbills” but workers have been busy doing the reclamation work on the pools which have resulted in ousting these endangered birds from their regular place. Most of the time, we see the birds sleeping with their bills tucked in their back but when you see just one birds, it’s kind of sad and questions their future.

This season has been also good as last one for the Bull-head Shrikes, we saw lot of young birds over the past few weeks,

With sudden drop of temperature by the beginning of the week, the migration will seize in about a week or two. This fall had been brilliant with several quality birds and big passage of the Amur Falcons, a definite treat to be living in the flyway and experience the migration. #Numbergames

Species List : (Total : 91)