(0) Preface:
==============
By writing and reading this trip report, I can recall my good memory of
bird watching in that moment. Also, this short report may serve as an
introduction to bird watching route in "Dong Zhai".
(I) Introduction:
===================
Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, with a total area of 46,800 hectares,
304 species of birds.
Source:
http://www.dongzhai.com/News_View.asp?NewsID=112
(II) Route:
=============
Round-trip Route: Hong Kong->Shen Zhen->Guang Zhou East Station->Xin Yang->Se Gang->Dong Qiao
Bird Watching Route: Dong Qiao->Wang Da Wan->Bai Yun Protection Area
Bird Watching Route: Dong Qiao->Gao Jia Zhai
Bird Watching Route: Ling Shan Scenic Area
(III) Bird Watching Area:
===========================
1. Wang Da Wan
----------------------
Habitat: Forest Edge
Transportation: Walking
In May 18, it was a sunny day. In the morning, when I arrived at "Dong Qiao",
I saw a Red-rumped Swallow, a Collared Finchbill and an Ashy Drongo standing
on a wire.
There were few small houses scattered near fields, a small river and a small
forest. The small river was the living area for chickens, ducks, a
Common Blackbird and a Common Kingfisher.
In the small forest, a Large Hawk-Cuckoo and a Indian Cuckoo were hidden
on the top. Near the ground, some Vinous-throated Parrotbills were moving
in panic, perhaps, because of a Tiger Shrike.
On a tree, an Asian Barred Owlet was driving off an intruder, a
Grey-headed Woodpecker.
The atmosphere was full of the songs by an Ashy Minivet, a Forest Wagtail
and a Black-winged Cuckooshrike. Occasionally, Red-billed Starlings,
Common Magpies and Azure-winged Magpies were chatting and laughing.
Besides, few Russet Sparrow babies were crying.
2. Dong Qiao to Gao Jia Zhai
------------------------------------
Habitat: Field
Transportation: Walking
In the four days, I had round-trips from "Dong Qiao" to "Gao Jia Zhai"
(about 2km) twice.
In May 18, I started from the river at "Dong Qiao". After walking about
20 minutes, I reached a valley. The river was almost dry. When I went
to the river bed, a pair of Grey-headed Lapwings were flying around over
me and screaming like a warning alarm. There was no more road at the river
and so I returned to the country road 032.
I continued the way to "Gao Jia Zhai". On the road, I saw many fields of
"oil vegetables". I thought that there would be some bunting inside the
fields. The scene in front of me was a scenic rural landscape. However,
I still paid much attention to the vehicles behind me.
In the crops nearby, there were few Grey-capped Greenfinchs and Russet
Sparrows. Black Drongos widely distributed on the wires, which made a
couple of tightly packed Brown-breasted Bulbuls eye-catching.
In distant fields, Collared Crows, Red-billed Starlings, White-cheeked
Starlings and Crested Mynas followed the farm tillers restlessly.
On the way, I saw several small water storage pools. Strangely, all of
them were dried and full of weeds. A Meadow Bunting was singing and a
Brown Crake was walking carefully on one of the pool.
After ten more minutes, I saw another valley which was extended from the
valley mentioned above. The river was drier. An old man was pasturing
his water buffalo on the river bed. At the same time, a small construction
loader was working. Under this disordered situation, however, I still saw
a pair of Blue-throated Bee-eaters, a pair of Yellow-billed Grosbeaks,
a pair of Crested Kingfishers and a pair of Common Pheasants. I returned
to the "Dong Qiao" after I stayed there for a while.
3. Bai Yun Protection Area
----------------------------------
Habitat: Forest
Transportation: Walking
In this trip, I woke up at 5:30am every morning. Hopefully, I thought
I would see a Fairy Pitta.
In the morning of May 19, it was still very dark but the Brownish-flanked
Bush Warblers were singing loudly. A bird wave of Black-throated Tits was
forming one after one. When the last bird wave went, the environment
became quiet again.
Suddenly, I heard a very soft sound with two tones like "gee.....gee.....".
A few seconds later, a White-crowned Forktail came out. It was dancing
on the river. Its elegance attracted other audiences near the river:
a couple of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers, a Black-capped Kingfisher and a
Chinese Goshawk.
After 40 minutes, I arrived at the "Bai Yun Station". There were many
people gathering in the car park. They were bird watchers, photographers
and researchers. Other residents at there includes a Blue Whistling Thrush,
a Grey-capped Woodpecker, some Common Magpies and some Crested Mynas.
After passing the "White-crowned Long-tailed Pheasant Breeding Centre",
I heard the call of a Fairy Pitta. Some photographers are waiting for it
there. After waiting for a moment, I chose to keep moving forward.
In this forest, I heard the calls of Oriental Turtle Doves, Blue Magpies and
Masked Laughingthrushs, the weak calls of Fairy Pittas and the song of a
Hwamei. Sometimes, a scary sound made by a wild boar roaring or by a hare
jumping came close to me suddenly.
After a half hour, the road condition didn't look very good. It was covered
by short bamboos. The light was dim because the environment was surrounded
by many branches and leaves. When I wanted to return, I saw two shiny blue
oval-shaped objects moving quickly on the ground and then flying away.
Yes, they are two Fairy Pitta. I decided to sit there and waited for their
returns for one hour. During the waiting, occasionally, Hair-crested
Drongos called loudly and jumped to the ground. Another interesting thing
I saw was a pair of Black Bazas standing on the tree just above my head for
a while. It was about 10 o'clock. No more Fairy Pitta called. Finally,
they didn't come back.
On the way back to the "Bai Yun Station", in the long bamboo area near the
"breeding centre", I saw a Chinese Goshawk, a Eurasian Jay and two Black
Bazas. The Black Baza couple are busy in nest building.
As I was a first-time visitor in the area, it was very lucky for me to see
the two Fairy Pittas.
In the morning of May 21, the last day in "Dong Zhai", god gave me four
more gifts:
a migrating Great Cormorant,
a couple of Mandarin Ducks on a tree,
a photo of a Fairy Pitta,
and a sight of a Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler.
I'm satisfied with the results in this adventure.
4. Ling Shan Scenic Area
--------------------------------
Habitat: Mountain
Transportation: Car
In the afternoon of May 19, I didn't plan to enter the "Ling Shan Scenic Area".
Outside the "scenic area", I finished the lunch in a canteen beside the
country road 032. There was a small river behind the canteen. Toward the
direction to "Dong Qiao", I planned to walked on a footpath along the river
for about 1 to 2km. Big trees were planted on both river banks. In the
higher part of the trees, two Black-naped Oriole were flying like a flash.
In the lower part of the trees, birds of the same species chasing each other.
They are two Yellow-rumped Flycatchers, two Grey-capped Woodpeckers, two
Forest Wagtails and three Tiger Shrikes.
After I'd walked about 1km, I saw an array of 60 tall cultivated trees which
were surrounded by vegatable fields. In this rectangular area, a Grey-capped
Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were seeking for food on the ground.
Obviously, all the trees didn't provide any worm for them. However, one of
the trees was a home of a couple of Black-naped Orioles. Their nest was
mainly made of plastic bags, cloth stripes and sticks.
There was no more path along the river. Then, I passed through several fields
and returned to the country road 032 again. I went back to "Dong Qiao" by a
yellow mini-bus and finished the travelling in that day.
In the afternoon of May 20, a friend from Wuhan Bird Watching Society drove
a car and took me to the "Ling Shan Scenic Area". Initially, near the top
of a house next to the entrance gate of the area, a female Plumbeous Redstart
was singing on a wire and wagging its tail. This bird was his new record.
Both of us were happy.
After the car was climbing for about 10 mintues, I found two White-crowned
Long-tailed Pheasants, a female adult and a baby, sitting on a slope.
Although they were less than 10m from us, we could not see them clearly
because they were covered by bush. After a while, mother escaped from us first.
Later, the baby followed his mother.
Just leaving them shortly, we encountered a Black-capped Kingfisher standing
on a tree. As expected, it escaped from us quickly without any hesitation.
After 5 more minutes, we arrived at a wide grassy slope. Six photographers
were sitting there. Their camouflage clothings and lens coats looked very
new. We wanted to sit next to them and wait for a White-crowned Long-tailed
Pheasant. However, they worried that the pheasant would not show up if
there were too many people. They asked us to go to the mountain top to
find other pheasants.
Therefore, we left there and went up. Just turning few corners, we saw
one male White-crowned Long-tailed Pheasant sitting on the road. It was
very stable. Then, we were enjoying our bird watching and photo taking
for a long time.
Finally, we reached the end of the road and went back. On the way, we saw
two more White-crowned Long-tailed Pheasants running on the road. This
was another surprise of the day.
On that day, we saw totally five White-crowned Long-tailed Pheasants:
three males, one female and one baby.
(IV) Conclusion:
==================
In this four-day trip, 72 species were seen.
Although I could not see any Asian Paradise Flycatcher, I was still very
happy to see the Fairy Pittas, the Crested Kingfishers, the White-crowned
Forktails and the White-crowned Long-tailed Pheasants.
In this trip, although I visited only a limited area of Dongzhai National
Nature Reserve, bird watching in an unfamiliar environment can broaden
my horizons. I hope I'll explore the region again in future.
Finally, I'd like to give my speical thanks to the friend from Wuhan Bird
Watching Society for his kindness and generosity in taking me to
"Ling Shan Scenic Area" by car.
Thanks for your reading!
--End--
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Last edited by ac130 at 27/05/2012 00:31 ]
