Oriental Pratincole in Tainan

To re-post my lifer on 24-7-2011. Oriental Pratincole, a summer migrant at Guantian in Tainan.

  

Happy Birding. 

Caspian Tern at Taijiang National Park in Tainan.

Caspian Tern, one of the common abundant birds at Taijiang National Park in Tainan.

Taijiang National Park and Sihcao Wetland Ecology in Tainan are the recommended birding sites to see these endangered species of Black-faced Spoonbills as well as other water birds of Asia, both areas are IBA (Important Bird Area) recognized by BirdLife International.

Happy Birding.

Prinia in the Summer

In this summer, I have sighted two species of Prinia, namely the Plain Prinia (Prinia inornata) and Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris), both were my lifer in Taiwan in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

The Yellow-bellied Prinia was digiscoped at Huben in Yunlin, the call of the bird is easily recognized, it sounds like a goat calling. The Plain Prinia was digiscoped at Barclay Memorial Park in Tainan, it is the most common Prinia in that park (I hope the Tainan City Government will stop destroying their natural habitat at the park). Both Prinia are the fascinating birds, always like to play and seek, hide behind or under the bushes.

(click on the pictures for the enlarged view)

Yellow-bellied Prinia

Plain Prinia

Finally exposed

Happy Birding

Great Slaty Woodpecker in Temengor

Great Slaty Woodpecker in Temengor Forest Reserve, Perak, Malaysia, one of the common woodpeckers in Temengor. Both pictures and call were taken and recorded during the Hornbill Volunteer Program in Temengor, in 2009. 

and its recorded call:

Happy Birding.

Plain-pouched Hornbills in Temengor

Plain-pouched Hornbill is rated as "Vulnerable" species due to the rapidly declining population as a result of hunting and extensive deforestation. This species occurs in south-east Myanmar, west, south-west and extreme southern Thailand, and northern Peninsular Malaysia (BirdLife International 2001). Click HERE to learn more about Plain-pouched Hornbill.

I was in Temengor for the "MNS Hornbill Volunteer Program" in 2008 and 2009 for the Plain-pouched Hornbills (Aceros subbruficolis) survey and count. Since July-September are the time frame for the Hornbill Volunteer Program, I therefore would like to share the picture and the calls of this unique bird which I digiscoped and recorded during my visit to Temengor in 2009. I hope more birders will be encouraged to involve in this meaningful volunteering work.

The recorded call of the Plain-pouched Hornbill :

Click on this LINK to learn more about the Hornbills in Malaysia and the Plain-pouched Hornbill in Temengor:

      

A Pair of Common Kingfisher at Huben

Sighted and digiscoped this pair of Common Kingfisher at Huben in Yulin County.

Do you know how to distinguish the male and the female?
""Click on this LINK to find out the answer""

click on the picture to enlarge

Happy Birding.

Common Kingfishers at NCKU

Today (4-15-2013), I spotted a pair of Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis 翠鳥) at NCKU (National Cheng Kung University) in Tainan, Taiwan. (click on the picture to enlarge)

 

 

A female Common Kingfisher with the reddish lower mandible.

A male Common Kingfisher with the dark lower mandible.

Happy Birding.

Daurian Redstart at NCKU

In the last spring (10 March 2013), I sighted this beautiful migratory bird which has an attractive orangy plumage and silvery crown. Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus) is an uncommon spring visitor at NCKU (National Cheng Kung University) in Tainan.

Front View

Side View

Happy Birding

Black Bulbul at NCKU

In last winter (16-Jan-2013), I sighted huge flock of Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus) foraging and competing for food on most of the fruiting bayan trees at NCKU (National Cheng Kung University) in Tainan. There are two species of bulbuls can be sighted at NCKU, the Black Bulbul and the Chinese Bulbul. Chinese Bulbul is a common resident in the campus, while the Black Bulbul is the winter visitor.

Black Bulbul

Chinese Bulbul

 Happy Birding

Brown-headed Thrush at NCKU

In last winter (16-Jan-2013), I sighted more than 10 of this smart and beautiful Brown-headed Thrush (Turdus chrysolaus) at NCKU (National Cheng Kung University) in Tainan. It was my lifer.

Happy Birding

Black-faced Spoonbills at Taijiang National Park

Black-faced Spoonbills at Taijiang National Park in Tainan, Taiwan.

Taijiang National Park and Sihcao Wetland Ecology in Tainan are the recommended birding sites to see these endangered species of Black-faced Spoonbills, both areas are IBA (Important Bird Area) recognized by BirdLife International.

Watch the video about the Balck-faced Spoonbills at Taijiang National Park in Tainan, Taiwan:

Golden Plover and Grey Plover at Taijiang National Park

I'm back to my bird-blogging again.

Today, I would like to share the pictures of the Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) and Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola). I saw these two unique plovers standing close to each other in last winter at Taijiang National Park in Tainan, and Grey Plover was one of my lifers. From the pictures, you can clearly distinguish the non-breeding plumage of both species, one in golden plumage and the other one with grey plumage.

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Happy Birding, 4-13-2013.