Taiwan 2-6 Aug 2018 - short trip mainly for food

This is my 4th time visiting Taiwan. Last time, Wing Tung and I went for the Siberian Crane (Small White) in winter. In this August, we went mainly for food to spend the 5 days summer holidays. 

Thanks to the help from Hunter Ko again, we saw some birds include lifers in this hot boring season on 4 Aug!!

We revisited plenty places like hotel, night markets, stores, enjoyed same food and bird species like the last Taiwan Trip. Some rain throughout the hot 5 days, luckily we didn’t meet any typhoon here.


The general itinerary mainly in Chinese (birding spot in English) as here:

2 Aug
CX 564 (0810-1000) -> 機場捷運 - 台北車站 -> 度小月台北忠孝店 -> 
神旺大飯店 (忠孝敦化站 3) -> 一禾堂面包 -> 國父紀念館 -> 
台北101 / 鼎泰豐 / 誠品 / 信義百貨 -> 臨江街夜市 (信義安和站 4) 

3 Aug 
永和豆漿大王 -> 
台北植物園 Taipei Botanical Garden (小南門站 Xiaonanmen MRT station 3) -> 
中正紀念堂 -> 鴨肉扁 / 西門町 (西門站 1) -> 東區地下街 -> 上引水產 (行天宮站 3) -> 
台北地下街 -> 大潤發 / 忠孝Sogo 

4 Aug 
羅東 -> 太平山 Taiping Shan / 翠峰湖 Cueifong Lake -> 爭鮮 -> 饒河夜市 (松山站 1) 

5 Aug
扶旺號 -> 淡水老街 (淡水站 1) -> 林口三井 outlet Mitsui Outlet Park(林口站 1) -> 台北 101 -> 寧夏夜市 (雙連站 1) 

6 Aug
大安森林公園 Daan Forest Park (大安森林公園站 Daan Forest Park MRT station 4) -> 
神旺大飯店 -> 爭鮮 -> 台北車站 -> 桃園機場 -> CX 531 (2000-2155)


The trip:

2 Aug

this was our second time to try the A350, a modern plane. (the first time we were flying to Singapore in last Apr, an overnight flight)

enjoyed the Avengers 3 again, a great movie from Marvel Studio of their 10-year plan. What are we going to do in the next 10 years?

we only got a bread on plane, so needed to have lunch when we arrived immediately, in 度小月. Wing Tung and I tried to visit the one in HK once but full booked that time

small oysters are always better than HK in Taiwan

revisited this bakery again, Tung loves the bread here and tried many last time

especially this one, still tasted good

and needed a drink in the hot summer day

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

anothe view of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

a squirrel feeding busily 

after a short visit, we moved to the Taipei 101

Oriental Turtle Dove under 101, first bird photo of this trip

dinner in Din Tai Fung, my favorite restaurant in Taiwan, taste better (and cheaper) than in HK

my favorite chicken!

the crab is also edible 

we didn't try this one, just thought the chickens were cute

Love the Ibis. Never forget why do we love, who do we love. Remember who all this was for.

101, very japanese style

a interesting shop we 'discovered' last time, selling many stuff include fossil!

Trilobites

keichousaurus, a triassic aquatic reptile

egg shells of elephant bird

dinosaur arm

some dinosaurs' eggs fossil and shark teeth

model of more aquatic reptile

cute dog, from the other shop

there are many night markets in Taiwan, we planned to visit one by one each night

fried chicken is a must in night market

drink made by lemon and Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang 檸檬愛玉, famous and also recommended by Tung

and restaurant for noodle

noodle in Taiwan style ended the first food day

3 Aug

the first breakfast in Taiwan this time

soybean milk with omelette

Taipei Botanical Garden is the first 'tourist spot', allowed us to do some birding

summer in Taiwan is as boring as HK, but the Malayan Night Heron here is the friendliest in the world

can you spot the night heron?

the first time Tung ticked this species also in Taiwan, but not in Botanical Garden

when we visited the Botanical Garden last time, it was raining heavily, only managed to see the juvenile night heron

this time, only one adult was found here, may be still nesting?

Malayan Night Heron, a successful colonizer in urban Taiwan

Malayan Night heron - a close up, the long bluish crest help separating the similar Japanese Night Heron, as here 

last time when we saw the Taiwan Barbet, it was very far to take a shot under rain

this time, the weather was much better, and there were many Taiwan Barbets nearby but only one could be seen

still a good view when comparing last time, I also saw very close birds before knowing Wing Tung in Taiwan, they are very common

Japanese White-eye - fifi

a juvenile Common Moorhen in the lake

there were many Common Moorhen in Taiwan as well

Common Moorhen with waterlily

cold tea, Japans' are better I think

a short walk from Botanical Garden, we arrived Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

a famous tourist spot, and many Asian Glossy Starling nesting here

together with ibis

again, Malayan Night Heron, there were one juvenile and one adult with ring here

the night heron were absolutely fearless

juvenile Malayan Night Heron

probably a first year bird which was born this spring

adult, which was ringed

a close up of this individual, the facial skin was more bluish

Grey Treepie, and endemic subspecies, under post breeding molting

time to lunch, goose

this restaurant 鴨肉扁 is also famous here 

milk-tea after lunch

Ximending, again we didn't visit in detail last time because of rain

this was a relaxing trip, back to hotel to take a short rest when no birding, eating or shopping

many shops can be visited in the underground street just down below our hotel

Bugu, a chicken and Kuboo, a penguin

Bugu is really cute and I wish to buy one to Tung

this looked like fighting

afternoon tea in this famous fish market and sushi shop, we also visited last time, and Tung ticked her first Malayan Night Heron nearby

you can choose to eat inside or outside. Sushi is fresher and more delicious inside but more expensive. We tried dinner there last time so we just bought our stuff and eat outside this time.

not bad, but still Japan's better

we didn't go to night market this night because of heavy rain, just shopping around mall or in underground street. This one is cute so we bought one too, got the budgerigar.

Taiwan Blue Magpie, and Yellow Tit

tea again

more food before sleep

again!

oyster omelette to finish day two, the same restaurant we went in the food court near hotel

4 Aug

this was the only full-birding day and it is very easy to take bus from Taipei to Yilan to meet Hunter

after meeting Hunter, we saw the first lifer on the way to Taiping Shan - Striated Swallow, the heavier streaking, larger size and slower flight help separating Red-rumped Swallow

Mountain Hawk Eagle, missed in Taiwan last time

Crested Serpent Eagle, note the wing shape is different to hawk eagle

Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, a Taiwan endemic

Oriental Honey Buzzard, this one showing quite obvious white window

Cueifong Lake

the water level was a bit low this year. In this lake, there is a long staying White-tailed Eagle, sadly we didn't see the eagle this time.

but we saw Taiwan Fulvetta, an endemic lifer

trees with red leaves in Taiping Shan

autumn is coming

Taiwan Rosefinch, a distant male

rain came after seeing the rosefinch, we waited till the rain stopped. And birds started coming out again,. Another lifer of this trip - Taiwan Bush Warbler

this bush warbler was very friendly, only in breeding season

even it was late in season, but this bird chose to display itself

we could even record its song by iPhone

Taiwan Yuhina

Steere's Liocichla, busy feeding youngs

Steere's Liocichla

Ferruginous Flycatcher, a summer visitor in Taiwan

much cooler in Taiping Shan than Taipei city

we went to look for Taiwan Bamboo Partridge but still failed, try again next time then. We still got one more raptor anyway - Besra

dinner time after a whole day birding

this sushi shop locates just opposite to our hotel and opens 24 hours, Wing Tung and I went there last time at 2am!

dessert

we passed Bugu again and again

night market tonight, where the Siberian Crane also visited (the metro station nearby)

owl of the trip

octopus!

this one is new (?) and quite good

oyster omelette costed 60 TWD

delicious 

and need a healthier drink to end the night

we chose number 43

not bad to me, maybe I am used to love the bitter taste

5 Aug

breakfast time, basically a shopping and sightseeing day

this one was better

walking along the coast was relaxing too, in Tamsui

ibis, and a Greater Crested Tern flew by

mega sized ice cream in hot summer day

old street, shops selling souvenirs, where we didn't go last time

shopping time in outlet

lunch is rather easier and more Japanese style

my set

the best tea in this trip

this trip is only about food...

again

could not resist the chicken

and fried chicken

also fried mushroom

we also bought some mango to eat in hotel and back to HK

revisited another night market we went last time, but too full to eat, just bought a cup of lemon and Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang 檸檬愛玉 again (a long name in english?)

6 Aug

final morning this trip, spent some time in Daan Forest Park, a place where we haven't been to before, there were many Cattle Egret nearby

funniest encounter, this baby thought I was its Dad because I was wearing a white shirt

followed me, my kid

ibis with the baby

also many Malayan Night Heron as usual in Taiwan

this Malayan gave me a feel of Japanese Night Heron (think too much)

more Malayan Night Heron in different lighting

they were all busy feeding in the park, crestless in this angle

crested in this angle

one of the juvenile

two adults with one juvenile, a family?

Black Bulbul

unlike Botanical Garden, the Taiwan Barbet here were more showy 

a bright individual

a duller individual

you can hear the voice everywhere in the park

Taiwan Barbet, a very common endemic

Taiwan Barbet, I love the green

Singing Barbet

Taiwan Barbet

last species in the park, Crested Goshawk, three juveniles were seen and two ringed birds were born in the park this season, while the remaining one dispersed from other places. Crested Goshawk is like Malayan Night Heron, a very successful urban colonizer in Taiwan.

juvenile Crested Goshawk - last bird photo of the trip. This juvenile tried to attack a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, gave us a superb view after the fail attempt.

still early when leaving the park, so just back to hotel and have my breakfast before check out - a reddish banana

lunch after check out, the same sushi shop

new sushi, urchin with swordfish

and old bread

many shops and restaurants around the Taipei Station, last shopping and eating

Platostoma palustre drink 仙草茶

chicken!

we took the Taoyuen Metro back to the airport, faster than the bus, and you can charge the phone by wireless charger

last milk tea, airport limited!

a wooden Fifi model (also Collared Bush Robin, Ruddy Kingfisher and Taiwan Blue Magpie)

time to back to HK, a B777 when we going back

our home

The bird list of this non-birding trip (following HBW):

Rock Dove Columba livia

Ashy Wood Pigeon Columba pulchricollis

- 2 seen in flight in Taipingshan

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis orii

Red Turtle Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica humilis

Eastern Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis chinensis

House Swift Apus nipalensis kuntzi

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus chloropus

African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus

- 1 in Tamsui

Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus melanolophus

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax

Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis coromandus

Little Egret Egretta garzetta garzetta

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius curonicus

Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii cristatus

- 1 in Tamsui

Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus orientalis

- 1 in Taiping Shan

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela hoya

- 1 in Taiping Shan

Mountain Hawk Eagle Nisaetus nipalensis nipalensis

- 1 in Taiping Shan

Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus formosae

Besra Accipiter virgatus fuscipectus

Taiwan Barbet Psilopogon nuchalis

White-bellied Erpornis Erpornis zantholeuca tyrannulus

Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris griseogularis

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus harterti

Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus braunianus

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach schach

Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae formosae

Taiwan Blue Magpie Urocissa caerulea

Common Magpie Pica pica serica

Chestnut-bellied Tit Sittiparus castaneoventris

Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus insperatus

Taiwan Cupwing Pnoepyga formosana

- heard only in Taipingshan (again and again)

Taiwan Grasshopper Warbler Locustella alishanensis

Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus nigrimentale

Striated Swallow Cecropis daurica striolata

Pacific Swallow Hirundo javanica namiyei

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica gutturalis

Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus nigerrimus

Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis formosae

Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis fulvifacies

- heard only in Taipingshan

Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Horornis fortipes robustipes

- 1 seen well in Taiping Shan but I identified as Yellow-bellied Bush... the Taiwan subspecies of Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler shows much yellowish underpart than HK bird

Taiwan Fulvetta Fulvetta formosana

- 2 in Taiping Shan

Taiwan Yuhina Yuhina brunneiceps

Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus simplex

Rufous-capped Babbler Cyanoderma ruficeps praecognitum

Dusky Fulvetta Schoeniparus brunneus brunneus

- heard only in Taipingshan (missed the view again!)

Morrison's Fulvetta Alcippe morrisonia

White-whiskered Laughingthrush Trochalopteron morrisonianum

White-eared Sibia Heterophasia auricularis

- heard only in Taipingshan (didn't really try to look for a view)

Steere's Liocichla Liocichla steerii

Black-collared Starling Gracupica nigricollis

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis tristis

Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus

Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis

Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea

Small Vivid Niltava Niltava vivida

Taiwan Shortwing Brachypteryx goodfellowi

- heard only in Taipingshan (heard only as usual)

White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucura montium

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus saturatus

White Wagtail Motacilla alba

Taiwan Rosefinch Carpodacus formosanus

we will return to clear the endemics...