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Beidaihe, China - Awaiting the Birds of Heaven (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter rockfowl
- Start date
briddo13
Briddo13
Hi, found this link , which shows the tracking of two Siberian Cranes on migration. http://www.scwp.info/imaps/ they seem to be North and heading slightly West of where you are . wonder if they are with a much larger flock ? would really like to be hearing those Cranes you described earlier, as you say a wonderful sound. I have only heard migrating Sandhills so far but one day ???
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
I bet!!! Been following the rare bird threads
You'd like these Mongolian Gulls though :eek!:
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Brilliant, thanks very much.. They're not that far away now, they should.. come right over the top of us :t:
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Yep, thought about you re the Water Pipits .... Blaikstonis! Lovely!!!
Beidiahe has actually really improved, they really are improving the area for birds!! Can you believe it!
M:t:
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Development or improvement in Beidaihe ?
"Beidiahe has actually really improved, they really are improving the area for birds!!"
This is such good news. By the time I'd reached there a few years ago, some of the famous spots had been lost or, like Lighthouse Point, were in the process of serious degradation (tree removal, for instance).
What, exactly, are some of the improvements, Mark ? Is actual habitat being protected for environmental reasons ? If so, many people worldwide will be so pleased.
It's cold here (north Norfolk), too; but the only cranes are down the road around Hickling.
"Beidiahe has actually really improved, they really are improving the area for birds!!"
This is such good news. By the time I'd reached there a few years ago, some of the famous spots had been lost or, like Lighthouse Point, were in the process of serious degradation (tree removal, for instance).
What, exactly, are some of the improvements, Mark ? Is actual habitat being protected for environmental reasons ? If so, many people worldwide will be so pleased.
It's cold here (north Norfolk), too; but the only cranes are down the road around Hickling.
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
After a night of heavy N Easterly winds which continued throughout dawn we woke up this morning thinking there was not going to be alot of movement. Standing on the rooms balcony overlooking the sandflats we'd decided that we'd probably not bother lugging the heavy kit around today, just a pair of binocs and our waterproofs and all the warm weather gear we could muster. At the point of decision a group of Common Cranes flew south and we thought Mmmm that's unusual, Cranes at 08.00 and in strong winds....S**t!
Down to the Sandflats pronto....and we waited...and waited....then OMFG!!!! The doors opened at 10.45am and CRANE WAVE!!!! A the start of the flood south of incoming V's, small groups, big groups, mixed groups...all angles, all fast tracking!
The days totals...
Red-crowned Crane - 75 including 10 juveniles (14 with 2 Bean Geese!+14+10+4+10+23)
Siberian Crane - 12 including 2 Juveniles, see attached.
Hooded Crane - 171 (28+121+11+10+1) some mixed with Common Crane
Common Crane - 30 (21+5+4)
Oriental Stork - 302 (61+2+239)
Great Bustard - 5 South over Sea!
Bean Goose - 60+
Ruddy Shelduck - 30
Short-eared Owl - 2
Peregrine
Hen Harrier 2
Common Buzzard - 6
and 2 Siberian Meadow Buntings...
It's cold, we're frozen but right now, we just don't care! :bounce:
Mark
(John, I'll answer re development when I have a moment, gotta rest the eyes!)
Down to the Sandflats pronto....and we waited...and waited....then OMFG!!!! The doors opened at 10.45am and CRANE WAVE!!!! A the start of the flood south of incoming V's, small groups, big groups, mixed groups...all angles, all fast tracking!
The days totals...
Red-crowned Crane - 75 including 10 juveniles (14 with 2 Bean Geese!+14+10+4+10+23)
Siberian Crane - 12 including 2 Juveniles, see attached.
Hooded Crane - 171 (28+121+11+10+1) some mixed with Common Crane
Common Crane - 30 (21+5+4)
Oriental Stork - 302 (61+2+239)
Great Bustard - 5 South over Sea!
Bean Goose - 60+
Ruddy Shelduck - 30
Short-eared Owl - 2
Peregrine
Hen Harrier 2
Common Buzzard - 6
and 2 Siberian Meadow Buntings...
It's cold, we're frozen but right now, we just don't care! :bounce:
Mark
(John, I'll answer re development when I have a moment, gotta rest the eyes!)
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china guy
A taff living in Sichuan
Brilliant posts Rockfowl - China birding can be very spectacular.
As for -
"Beidiahe has actually really improved, they really are improving the area for birds!!"
Well if the Chinese sense there's money in them birds - sometimes they see a reason for having more of them!!!
As for -
"Beidiahe has actually really improved, they really are improving the area for birds!!"
Well if the Chinese sense there's money in them birds - sometimes they see a reason for having more of them!!!
Paul Higson
Well-known member
Vicarious birdwatching - I love it!!!
Seriously considering joining you all next year, so could you answer a few questions for me please Mark..
Whats the best way to book accommodation and how much does it cost
Are there trip reports from your previous years on the web?
Is the beer still cheap?
Cheers,
Paul
PS Hope Uncle Frank is keeping up with you young uns.
Seriously considering joining you all next year, so could you answer a few questions for me please Mark..
Whats the best way to book accommodation and how much does it cost
Are there trip reports from your previous years on the web?
Is the beer still cheap?
Cheers,
Paul
PS Hope Uncle Frank is keeping up with you young uns.
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rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Vicarious birdwatching - I love it!!!
Seriously considering joining you all next year, so could you answer a few questions for me please Mark..
Whats the best way to book accommodation and how much does it cost
Speak to Frank
Are there trip reports from your previous years on the web?
Not yet
Is the beer still cheap?
Oh Yes :t:
Cheers,
Paul
PS Hope Uncle Frank is keeping up with you young uns. - Think of the the theme tune to Rocky
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FXM
Frank Moffatt
Many magical moments already and it's only day 5 - 12 still to go. Caught up with virtually everything ... except I've now missed all 10 Great Bustards. I've been assured there are plenty more to come. Hope so.
Frank
P.S. Report nearly completed Paul. I'm already down to Little Grebe.
Frank
P.S. Report nearly completed Paul. I'm already down to Little Grebe.
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Firstly, May I apologise to all the local community traveling on the coastal highway at 08.00hrs this morning. I have no idea why I suddenly came over all 'forest gump' and caused raised heartbeats, undue stress and smoking rubber dashing across all six lanes in front of oncoming traffic - had something to do with the four B52's flying along the eastern edge. :eek!: Compensation claims should be addressed to Rockfowl, C/O PO Box 42, Ulan Bator, Mongolia. :smoke:
Apologies also on behalf of 'sniper' to all those on the pavement that witnessed the volley of expletives delivered around the same time. It is pointless trying to translate using your mandarin/english dictionaries but would rather advise getting a copy of the latest series of 'shameless'
Joking aside, a strange day with the inevitable westerly bias bringing in 'ming', no not the emperor, just poor visibility. A good start slowly declining throughout the day....
Highlights -
Great Bustard - 4 low flying south at 08.00
Saker Falcon - Stunning bird tangling with a Short-eared Owl in front of us!
Common Crane - 9 (1+4+4 inc 2juv)
Chinese Grey Shrike - Waited a long time for this one, surprisingly!
Bean Goose - 29
Short-eared Owl - 3
Long-eared Owl - 1
Lapland Bunting - Small numbers through.
Yellow-throated Bunting - 12+
Rustic Bunting - 13
Little Bunting - 9
Japanese Reed Bunting - 2
Dusky Thrush- 3
Naumann's Thrush - 2
Approx 150 Oriental Stork South but we couldn't see them, it was all a bit 'Gorillas in the Mist'
Mark
Apologies also on behalf of 'sniper' to all those on the pavement that witnessed the volley of expletives delivered around the same time. It is pointless trying to translate using your mandarin/english dictionaries but would rather advise getting a copy of the latest series of 'shameless'
Joking aside, a strange day with the inevitable westerly bias bringing in 'ming', no not the emperor, just poor visibility. A good start slowly declining throughout the day....
Highlights -
Great Bustard - 4 low flying south at 08.00
Saker Falcon - Stunning bird tangling with a Short-eared Owl in front of us!
Common Crane - 9 (1+4+4 inc 2juv)
Chinese Grey Shrike - Waited a long time for this one, surprisingly!
Bean Goose - 29
Short-eared Owl - 3
Long-eared Owl - 1
Lapland Bunting - Small numbers through.
Yellow-throated Bunting - 12+
Rustic Bunting - 13
Little Bunting - 9
Japanese Reed Bunting - 2
Dusky Thrush- 3
Naumann's Thrush - 2
Approx 150 Oriental Stork South but we couldn't see them, it was all a bit 'Gorillas in the Mist'
Mark
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
aiya - vicarious vis mig - sets me smiling and the heart racing just imagining it - the three Chinese Blackbirds arriving in my village this morning doesn't quite compare.
I also remember the cold.
One thought - if the bustards are so low I wonder if they are overnighting somewhere just north of the town.
also very interested to hear about habitat improvements
Cheers
Mike
I also remember the cold.
One thought - if the bustards are so low I wonder if they are overnighting somewhere just north of the town.
also very interested to hear about habitat improvements
Cheers
Mike
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Agreed, but difficult though, with a good passage of cranes passing at ridiculous heights, easy to lose, complicated to count and very hard to age!
I think we've all got sore backs, necks and eyes - I know, I can hear the world's smallest violin! Rather disturbed by a late, solitary, lost juvenile which came down onto the Sandflats briefly before continuing south alone. Just hope it manages to join up with other family groups. What happened we'll never know but these birds move with and are taught the route by their parents all the way to their wintering grounds. We see adult birds calling whilst circling landmarks when in company with young, looks like their saying, remember this! Wholly adult groups tend to move straight through in a direct line. This is the second time we've found 'lost' juveniles on this trip - see Whooper Swan on the earlier posts. Are there hunting problems further north, was it natural or man-made, why was it separated from its parents?
Anyway, the days counts..
Red-crowned Crane - 81 involving 18 Juveniles (9+10+23+33+1+5)
Common Crane - 7 involving 2 Juv (5+2)
Oriental Stork - 158
M
Attachments
FXM
Frank Moffatt
Tougher day today with seemingly little (relatively) migration and with poor visibility not helping things. Spent the early part of the morning trying to unravel the mystery commonly known as 'Gulls'. So for me today was a 'training' day... in more ways than one! Still great fun, however, with plenty to occupy the mind.
Frank
Frank
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Westerly winds and poor visibility meant virtually no migration today..
The only record of note was 43 Oriental Stork from Lotus Hills early morning which we didn't see due to being rather fog bound!
Worrying developments have surfaced with regards proposed environment change which I will update as soon as the full details are known! Think the wool might have been pulled over our eyes!
Mark
The only record of note was 43 Oriental Stork from Lotus Hills early morning which we didn't see due to being rather fog bound!
Worrying developments have surfaced with regards proposed environment change which I will update as soon as the full details are known! Think the wool might have been pulled over our eyes!
Mark
