2019年5月31日 星期五

Guangxi Nonggang 7-11 Mar 2019 - limestone birding

During 7 to 11 Mar 2019, we made a short visit to Nonggang, Guangxi. As recommended by Carrie, we contacted Xao Lung (小農 / 農大海) through WeChat (13377092718 / wxid_c9wuf67x59xb22), and he organised everything for us including the traffic, meals, bird photography in hide, birdwatching and monkey watching etc. Thanks so much!

Birding is comparative easy in Nonggang as many major targets are fed, but birding in early March may not be a good season as the weather this trip was really bad, raining for long which made photographing also become difficult. Also, the breeding season started a little bit early this year so we dipped and nearly dipped some species. Interestingly the Nonggang Bird Race was also held in this period.

For example, we did not see any Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Large Scimitar-babbler and we only saw the female Blue-rumped Pitta, not the male. Nonggang Babbler is usually a guaranteed species in Autumn till March, if no heavy raining. Luckily rain stopped for several hours on 9 Mar and so we saw a gang of 5 feeding at noon. Limestone Leaf-warbler should be another specialty, very range restricted in Guangxi and Vietnam, turned to be very common here and many individuals were very responsive, having good views was easy but not good photos!

Surprisingly, some species were missed in this trip even the habitat is good.... Like Long-tailed Shrike, Rock Pigeon, Heron & Drongo etc.....

Birders who wish to come, it is also recommended to contact Xao Lung, or other 'bird guide' as in other trip reports, which should be the same as all villagers in Nonggang are working hard together to keep the birding industry grows.

Nonggang Babbler - a bird discovered in Nonggang, 
made a change in destiny of a poor village in mainland China


Itinerary 

7 Mar 2019
A noon flight HX139 (1345-1540) to Nanling, Guangxi. So I could enjoy Captain Marvel right before the flight! On arrivial, we were picked by Xao Zhao (小趙), he was our driver for following days, 3 hours drive before arriving Xao Lung’s house. After dinner, we went for owling, resulted two Collared Scops Owl.

not bad but I should have a even better breakfast..

and still had time to enjoy Captain Marvel before the flight

green tea

HK Airlines

rainy in HK too

our HK International Airport

very simple meal... really....

weather was bad when we arrived Guangxi

Guangxi is also famous for non-avian dinosaurs

home of Xao Lung - 22.4799432, 102.9802321

charge in birding in Nonggang

first beer of the trip before birding

Collared Scops Owl


8 Mar 2019
Rain started since 3 Mar, we first visited the stakeout for Chestnut-capped Babbler and Yellow-eyed Babbler. The Chestnut-capped was not showy because of breeding, while the Brown Crake was feeding actively, but in a distance where not good for photos. Afternoon, we tried the hide for White-winged Magpie, we were lucky to spot the first Limestone Leaf Warbler and Pale-footed Bush Warbler there too.

the first birding hide we visited, next to a stream where someone reported White-eared Night Heron before: 22.4990649, 106.9689320

Karst topography in fog

heavy rain welcomed us

limestone scene

two Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Yellow-bellied Prinia - also as Chinese Prinia

Chestnut-capped Babbler - probably a bad timing for this species. They called in the stream but none responding, you could have flight or blocked view until this one popped up for 3 seconds... Only photo of this trip

Little Grebe in rain

Little Grebe fishing

Common Kingfisher

Common Tailorbird

Rufous-capped Babbler - there are many cotton trees in Guangxi so the birders here love setting up as scene

Rufous-capped Babbler

Japanese Tit

Japanese Tit in rain

Japanese Tit

the other major target in this hide - Yellow-eyed Babbler

Yellow-eyed Babbler

Yellow-eyed Babbler

Yellow-eyed Babbler

Brown Crake was curious what we were doing...

Brown Crake - swimming in rain

Brown Crake - came and fed

Brown Crake - swimming

Brown Crake - swim more...

bad weather good lunch 

Plain Flowerpecker is common

Plain Flowerpecker - note the white lore

after lunch we went to the magpie stakeout, before arriving we needa pass a sugarcane field... taller than human

the GPS for the White-winged Magpie hide - 22.4966333, 106.9889332

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler - friendlier than the HK relatives

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

David's Fulvetta with Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler - how come not yet split in HBW?

David's Fulvetta - in appearance it is similar to Huet's but with a weaker brow

our first Limestone Leaf Warbler singing, responding to us

female Small Niltava

not long before we heard and saw the first Pale-footed Bush Warbler, but thanks to Canon I got this pic

White-winged Magpie - enjoying the meat, this one is an immature, note the dull color of head and bill

immature White-winged Magpie

White-winged Magpie - adult, they fed in family

White-winged Magpie - in HBW it is split into two species, while the other one is Hainan endemic Hainan White-winged Magpie

male White-tailed Robin

White-tailed Robin - Taiwan's birds were friendlier 

Buff-breasted Babbler

Grey-throated Babbler

Grey-throated Babbler

Rufous-tailed Robin - it showed up and had a bath in late afternoon...

beer for the first birding day


9 Mar 2019
It kept raining for the whole morning but still we were lucky enough to get good views of Indochinese Green Magpie in the hide. Before lunchtime, rain stopped for awhile so I asked for going the NG Babbler hide,finally, a gang of 5 Nonggang Babbler were cooperative and we got this major target in this trip! Afternoon, we looked for Blue-rumped Pitta with no joy.

birding day started with good breakfast

house of Xao Lung

waiting the Indochinese Green Magpie inside rain

the view outside he hide

Puff-throated Bulbul with Red-whiskered Bulbul

Puff-throated Bulbul

Puff-throated Bulbul

Puff-throated Bulbul - to me this is not easy to ID from its close relatives like Grey-cheeked, Orchaeceous etc.. Luckily onlt Puff-throated in Nonggang.

Puff-throated Bulbul - and they are not really rare as well

Puff-throated Bulbul

Puff-throated Bulbul with a gang of Red-whiskered Bulbul

Red-whiskered Bulbul

White-throated Fantail - how come some mainland photographers misID this as a Nonggang Babbler.....

Buff-breasted Babbler

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

finally... here they came, and noisy birds too - Indochinese Green Magpie

Indochinese Green Magpie - there are introduced populations in HK as well, which I only heard but never seen before. Like the White-winged Magpie, they love meat more than worms.

Indochinese Green Magpie

Limestone Leaf Warbler - well we finally managed to take some better shots

Limestone Leaf Warbler - showing the distinctive crown stripes, like water melon

Limestone Leaf Warbler - they are very very common in Nonggang, commoner than White-eye

Chestnut-crowned Warbler

the GPS for this point is 22.4815988, 106.9807327, and still need around 10 mins walk to the stakeout

a real muddy slope to climb...

after climbing it is time to wait for the babblers...

David's Fulvetta

David's Fulvetta

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

White-rumped Shama singing in dark

we didn't need to wait long before they came... Nonggang Babbler!

Nonggang Babbler - one of the very few 'true new species' (not a spliter) in recent years

Nonggang Babbler - they are now not just found in Nonggang but also in nearby Vietnam

Nonggang Babbler - views were excellent but difficult to get decent photos

Nonggang Babbler - enjoying the mealworm fancy 

Nonggang Babbler - the front view is cute

Nonggang Babbler 

Nonggang Babbler

Nonggang Babbler - we nearly dipped this major species because of the bad weather... lucky us

Nonggang Babbler - a species which was difficult to be found few years ago until now they are all well fed in Nonggang

Nonggang Babbler - but they are not easy to be seen in breeding season

Nonggang Babbler - superficially similar to the relative Sooty Babbler, which is also on my target list

Nonggang Babbler - the blue eye

Nonggang Babbler

Nonggang Babbler

domestic chickens...

helping poor by birding industry 1

helping poor by birding industry 2

helping poor by birding industry 3

helping poor by birding industry 4

we needed a nice meal to celebrate the Nonggang Babbler!

still raining in the afternoon so the path was still very muddy...

Where is the pitta hiding in these limestones....

the first one to come - White-rumped Shama

White-rumped Shama

White-rumped Shama

White-rumped Shama

White rumped Shama

Buff-breasted Babbler

Small Niltava - a male one this time

Small Niltava

Small Niltava - love the worms?

Puff-throated Bulbul

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

Pin-stripped Tit-babbler - a common species but hard to take photos

White-throated Fantail

White-throated Fantail came to bath

Black-crested Bulbul - a species I dipped in Malaysia few months ago

Black-crested Bulbul

Black-crested Bulul - the crest

Spot-necked Babbler - they did not come to feed but just calling loudly nearby. Marvellous Canon focus again.

Spot-necked Babbler

sadly no pitta today and we had to leave early

still some time, we visited the nest of Blue-bearded Bee-eater but no bee-eater could be seen, too early

Rufescent Prinia

dinner time

and also beer time, for the Nonggang Babbler


10 Mar 2019
We spent a morning for Long-tailed Broadbill, though we were told still early for this species, however we saw several pair once arrived the spot, together with White-browed Piculet. We had some fantastic view of both Limestone Leaf Warbler and Pale-footed Bush Warbler in lunchtime.
Last afternoon in this trip, we tried the Blue-rumped Pitta again in another hide, and succeeded this trial, our last target even just a female could be seen!

they were just waiting us.. a very successful morning

Long-tailed Broadbill

a pair of Long-tailed Broadbill with their nest

Long-tailed Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill - the first time I saw this species was kept in a cage in HK

Long-tailed Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill by iPhone

Long-tailed Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill with nest - the huge nest was just hanging on wire like this

Long-tailed Broadbill - waging tail

Long-tailed Broadbill

Long-tailed Broadbill perching in Bamboo

another bird could be found in bamboo... White-browed Piculet

White-browed Piculet

White-browed Piculet hiding - can you see me?

White-browed Piculet drumming

White-browed Piculet

Rufescent Prinia - we investigated the ID for awhile, from Grey-breasted Prinia, conclusion is the breast of this bird was not grey enough...

Rufescent Prinia

Rufescent Prinia

Yellow-bellied Warbler

Yellow-bellied Warbler

Black Bulbul - just for a record

Karst topography

Pale-footed Bush Warbler

we finally got a friendlier Pale-footed Bush Warbler

Pale-footed Bush Warbler

Pale-footed Bush Warbler - showing the short wing

Pale-footed Bush Warbler - this bird even sang on floor

Pale-footed Bush Warbler

Pale-footed Bush Warbler - a good singer

Pale-footed Bush Warbler

Pale-footed Bush Warbler - one of my favorite of this trip

Pale-footed Bush Warbler

Pale-footed Bush Warbler

two Crested Serpent eagle

a Limestone Leaf Warbler foraging at the same tree of the Pale-footed Bush Warbler

Hartert's Leaf Warbler - a really poor shot

more and more Limestone Leaf Warbler in this path

Limestone Leaf Warbler

singing Limestone Leaf Warbler

Limestone Leaf Warbler - honestly I see no difference with Sulphur-breasted Warbler, better to identify by call, song and location if you cannot get the DNA!

Limestone Leaf Warbler

fantastic view of Limestone Leaf Warbler

cute looking Limestone Leaf Warbler

Limestone Leaf Warbler

Hainan Blue Flycatcher

after 20 mins climb we saw nothing special but more limestones, not just leaf warbler

A questionable Tailorbird. I still go for Common (?) because the throat is not really black enough even the vent is yellow and the call is a little bit strange

Common Tailorbird ? - please correct me if wrong

Common Tailorbird ? - there is also Dark-necked Tailorbird in this region. And the Dark-necked I saw in Singapore and Malaysia showed much more extensive black neck.

the call of the Tailorbird. Um... I uploaded as Dark-necked in HBW. Okay I will do some more reading if I can still remember this bird....

more Limestone Leaf Warbler on the way to lunch

Limestone Leaf Warbler - maybe maybe duller or more whitish than Sulphur-breasted Warbler

Yellow-bellied Warbler

rain stopped and our last trial of the pitta

this is the GPS of the stakeout (22.5180176, 106.9586387)

again another climb of muddy path

Red-flanked Bluetail

a record shot of White-bellied Erpronis

Common Tailorbird

David's Fulvetta

White-tailed Robin

White-tailed Robin

male Small Niltava

and also White-winged Magpie visited us

then a Fujian Niltava - a male

Fujian NIltava - a first winter male as seen the brownish flight feather. Lack of solid orange vent, extensive glossy bluish crown and shoulder patch help separating from similar Rufous-bellied Niltava which could be seen here as well

Fujian Niltava with Grey-throated Babbler

waited for few hours, and the pitta showed!! again the Canon focus is nice

it popped and popped slowly, thanks to Canon again

Blue-rumped Pitta - a shy female

Blue-rumped Pitta - eventually it came out and fed, but in a bad lighting spot

Blue-rumped Pitta - though it only came for short. Anyway, still a tick for me.

displaying Peregrine Falcon

Last night in Nonggang of this trip

this night I joined some birders in mainland for night safari, who came here for the race, but we were not targeting owls but other wildlife, like this one... quite funny looking, a hammerhead

looking for snakes and frogs, but sadly none. Collared Scops Owl calling nearby.

snail. Nonggang endemic haha?

eggs of frog

no woodcock no nightjar no buttonquail no bird

anyway a beer for last night

there are endemic frogs in Nonggang


12 Mar 2019
We left Nonggang and visited the monkey reserve in Chongchor first in the morning. Monkey watching was easier than expected. Before flight, we had a walk in Daiwangtan (大王灘旅遊區), with 20RMB entrance fee, produced Olive-backed Sunbird and Crimson Sunbird. We took the flight KA713 (1940-2120) back to HK.

foggy morning

goodbye Nonggang

here we are... we paid 100RMB extra for the monkeys.... They were firstly found at the top of this limestone mountain when we arrived.

need a 800mm for the monkeys...

White-headed Langur - they are specialized for the limestone / Karst habitat

White-headed Langur - the golden one is juvenile

White-headed Langur - like an onion head

White-headed Langur - parent and baby

White-headed Langur - they have super long tail

White-headed Langur - a family

White-headed Langur

White-headed Langur

honestly I'm not a monkey lover but White-headed Langur is an endangered species and only can be found in western China and Vietnam

many photographers came for the monkey

monkey came lower and closer

White-headed Langur feeding

White-headed Langur

besides monkey we also looked for birds... Barn Swallow and Asian House Martin

Imperial Eagle - quite an unexpected found

Blue Rock Thrush

the monkey reserve with fake monkey

a walk in nearby field produced Yellow-eyed Babbler and fushed two Barred Buttonquail... my tick.... Also more Limestone Leaf Warbler.

Karst topography - a habitat of White-headed Langur

easy lunch

easy lunch 2

Olive-backed Sunbird - male

Crimson Sunbird

Olive-backed Sunbird - they were competing for flowers

Crimson Sunbird again

Light-vented Bulbul - the subspecies here shows black head

Richard's Pipit - last species of the trip

Coffee before flight

the plane back. Dragon air this time

Goodbye Guangxi

much better meal comparing the 'breakfast' going to Guangxi.....

a wish to the moon


Trip List (following HBW)

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis poggei 

Eastern Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis chinensis 

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis sinensis 

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo Surniculus lugubris barussarum 
- heard only

Brown Crake Zapornia akool coccineipes 
- 1 seen on 8 Mar

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus chloropus 

Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator blakistoni 
- 2 flushed

Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei brodiei 
- heard only

Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides whiteleyi 
- heard only

Collared Scops-owl Otus lettia erythrocampe 
- 2 seen at night on 7 Mar

Crested Serpent-eagle Spilornis cheela ricketti 
- 2 seen on 10 Mar

Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca 
- 1 subadult seen on 11 Mar

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis bengalensis 

White-browed Piculet Sasia ochracea kinneari 

Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis sinensis 

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus perpallidus

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus peregrinator 

Blue-rumped Pitta Hydrornis soror tonkinensis 
- 1 female seen on 10 Mar

Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae dalhousiae 
- 5 seen on 10 Mar

a group of Long-tailed Broadbill

White-bellied Erpornis Erpornis zantholeuca tyrannulus 

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus fohkiensis 

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis celsa 

White-winged Magpie Urocissa xanthomelana 

White-winged Magpie call

Indochinese Green Magpie Cissa hypoleuca jini 
- a small group seen on 9 Mar

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos colonorum 

Great Tit Parus major tibetanus 
- as Japanese Tit

Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens rufescens 

Chinese Prinia Prinia sonitans 

Plain Prinia Prinia inornata extensicauda 

Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius longicauda 

Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus 

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica gutturalis 

Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus henrici 

Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus leucocephalus 

Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus flaviventris vantynei 

Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus jocosus 

Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis hainanus 

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus 

Pallas's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus proregulus 

Chestnut-crowned Warbler Phylloscopus castaniceps sinensis 

Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus 

Limestone Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus calciatilis 


Limestone Leaf Warbler singing

Hartert's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus goodsoni fokiensis 

Pale-footed Bush-warbler Hemitesia pallidipes laurentei 

Pale-footed Bush Warbler song

Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris superciliaris 

Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis fulvifacies
- heard only

Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus coronatus 
- heard only

Brownish-flanked Bush-warbler Horornis fortipes davidianus 

Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense sinense 

Indochinese Yuhina Yuhina torqueola 

Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus simplex 
- as Chinese White-eye

Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler Pomatorhinusruficollis reconditus 

Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps yunnanensis 
- as Northern Grey-throated Babbler

Nonggang Babbler Stachyris nonggangensis 
- 5 seen on 9 Mar

Spot-necked Babbler Stachyris strialata tonkinensis 


alarm call?

typical song

Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileata smithi 

Pin-striped Tit-babbler Mixornis gularis lutescens 

Rufous-capped Babbler Cyanoderma ruficeps davidi 

Buff-breasted Babbler Trichastoma tickelli fulvum 


Buff-breasted Babbler singing happily

Grey-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe morrisonia schaefferi 
- as David’s Fulvetta

Oriental Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis saularis 

White-rumped Shama Kittacincla malabarica interposita 


White-rumped Shama male singing

Small Niltava Niltava macgrigoriae signata 

Fujian Niltava Niltava davidi 

Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus thalassinus 

Hainan Blue-flycatcher Cyornis hainanus hainanus 

Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophris carolinae 
- heard only

Rufous-tailed Robin Larvivora sibilans 

White-tailed Blue Robin Myiomela leucura leucura 

Orange-flanked Bush-robin Tarsiger cyanurus 

Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus auroreus 

Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius pandoo 

Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferreus ferreus 

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus stejnegeri 
- as Stejneger's Stonechat

Plain Flowerpecker Dicaeum minullum olivaceum 

song of Plain Flowerpecker

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum cruentatum 

Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis rhizophorae 

Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja tonkinensis 

Fork-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga latouchii latouchii 

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus saturatus 

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni hodgsoni 

Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi richardi 

White Wagtail Motacilla alba leucopsis & alboides 

Crested Bunting Emberiza lathami

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