In the first weekend of June, thanks to Jon, I could have a quick twitch of the laughingthrush, cleared one more endangered Chinese endemic in my bucket list.
This was really a weekend birding trip, we could have only one full-day for the birds, mainly the Blue-crowned Laughingthrush and Pied Falconet, my two lifers. For the others, we tried our luck but no success, maybe due to the rainy weather. Anyway, less than 50 species were recorded which was much fewer than I expected!
Itinerary
I took the flight HX 272 (1415-1605) directly from Hong Kong to Nanchang. Stayed a night in Vienna Hotel Nanchang Railway Station, the hotel is not bad, close to the Nanchang railway station and some restaurants and convenient shops.
the plane was hiding... a small A320
coffee time
better photos when boarding
heavy rain outside
goodbye Hong Kong, for a weekend
um... the meal, so familiar
I m too bored on a plane with no entertainment
landing Jiangxi
the first bird welcomed me was Silky Starling, carrying food too
the small A320
the hotel, around 10 mins walk to rail station
found a random restaurant for dinner... I really have no idea what is good in Jiangxi
beef.. well I admitted that I ordered to much, not realized the size is big...
beer too, and spicy stuff
Crayfish, this one was the best among the three
ice cream time for every trip
also wine with Games of Throne
1 June 2019
Wuyuen locates east of Nanchang, closer to Zhejiang Province. We took the rail D6262 from 0656, arrived Wuyuen station at 0939. Arriving Wuyuen we went straight forward to Caomencun Village 曹门村 for Courtois's Laughingthrush. Then we tried for Scaly-sided Merganser and Short-tailed Parrotbill in another spot (石梘) but both failed, especially wrong season for the merganser. Afternoon, back to the Inn in Xiaoqi 晓起 for Pied Falconet.
eBird checklist of Caomencun Village: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56952985
eBird checklist of Xiaoqi: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56951860
Nanchang station
Nanchang station
nearly 3 hours from Nanchang to Wuyuen
breakfast in rail
Caomencun Village here we were. The lady owner can bring you take photos of Blue-crowned Laughingthrush, of course you needa pay. Her number is +8613387939095, Ms. Ng 吴
we could spot the Laughingthrush right parked the car, in the big tree behind her house.
this big tree holds many nests of Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
coordinates of the village is 29.165278, 117.842222. Scaly-sided Merganser can be found in the river in winter while Short-tailed Parrotbill can be found in the bamboo forest behind the village. Sad both were not seen this time.
the bamboo forest
the GPS of the Inn for watching Pied Falconet: 29.3945935, 118.0263879
the Inn
a view from the rooftop and the falconet perch. The falconets nest in the big tree on the left.
beer after watching the falconets
and dinner of course
2 June 2019
I still had a morning so waited the falconet again from 0630 to 0955. The couple showed for two rounds with food for their chicks. I took the high speed rail G1619 from 1123 in Wuyuen to Nanchang West at 1316, then the flight HX 273 (1730-1920) back to Hong Kong.
a nice breakfast
Pied Falconet digiscoped by phone
quickly back to Nanchong Station
high speed train
lunch in the train
highspeed train
it is quite convenient to take airbus to airport from Nanchong West Station
the airport
small plane again
goodbye Jiangxi, probably visit next time in winter
and simple meal again
the flight was delayed so I made a check in flight radar
um.... little bit strange
Bird List (taxonomy following eBird)
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Rock Dove Columba livia
Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
- heard only
Swift / Swiftlet species.
- one unID distant bird in Wuyuen station on 2 June
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus
Grey-headed Lapwing in rain
Grey-headed Lapwing - adult, which has red iris
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Northern Boobook Ninox japonica
- one adult and one chick in tree hole in Caomencun Village
Northern Boobook in nest - with a white baby
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Pied Falconet Microhierax melanoleucos
- two adults and one chick seen in Xiaoqi
the nest hole for Pied Falconet
a distant view of Pied Falconet - panda face
Pied Falconet - it is really small in size
Pied Falconet in rain
Pied Falconet
Pied Falconet - the front view is cute
Pied Falconet
Pied Falconet - we revisited in the next morning, and they were much more active and caught a baby bird (chicken?)
Pied Falconet - then they caught another one, falconet is really a mini-raptor
Pied Falconet with prey
Brown-rumped Minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
Red-billed Blue-Magpie Urocissa erythroryncha
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
Japanese Tit Parus minor
Collared Finchbill Spizixos semitorques
Collared Finchbill
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
- heard only
Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis
Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus
Black Bulbul - really resemble Taiwan Thrush which I need lol
Chestnut Bulbul Hemixos castanonotus
Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis
- heard only
Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris
- heard only
Rufous-capped Babbler Cyanoderma ruficeps
Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis
Grey-sided Scimitar-Babbler Megapomatorhinus swinhoei
- heard only
Huet's Fulvetta Alcippe hueti
- interestingly birder also reported David's Fulvetta on eBird......
Huet's Fulvetta - should be this species in this range... the pale base of mandible and weak supercilium may indicate this is a juvenile?
Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Carrulax monileger
Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush - yellow iris separated from Greater
Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush - the necklace pattern is also different
Chinese Hwamei Garrulax canorus
- heard only
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush Ianthocincla courtoisi
- estimated more than 20 individuals were seen in Caomencun Village, including nest and fledged chicks
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - they were quite common in this spot
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - excellent view but difficult to photo
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - they were bust breeding here
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - they also fed on fruits
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - not always easy to see its bluish crown
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Uppertail of Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Undertail of Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - waiting to bath
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - in love
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - showing the yellow throat
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - poor light
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - front view
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - a little bit far
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - busy breeding everyone
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - a wet one
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - need good light for showing the blue crown
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - a recently fledged chick
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush - a family
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Chinese Blackbird Turdus mandarinus
Red-billed Starling Spodiopsar sericeus
nest hole for Red-billed (Silky) Starling
Red-billed Starling
Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata