|
May 17-21, 2008 —
Five Days Birding in Taiwan — Simon Liao (leader)
Valerie Gebert
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Birding in Taiwan with Simon Liao is a joyful event. He is an
amazing guide and a charming man. He knows where to find each of
the 15 endemic bird species in Taiwan's Central Mountains with
minimal effort. He knows their habitats and their habits. Our
first walk in the woods garnered 22 species, followed by another
casual stroll through the jungle mountainside reaping 20 more. Wow,
my first day's total: 42 species, 10 endemics. Pretty good
"Dollar-To-Bird-Ratio," as my friend used to say when we had a
particularly bounteous day birding in Texas or Arizona.
I'm
not a hard-core “lister” -- I love to spend time studying new
additions to my life list, if possible, getting a feel for the
bird's quirks and personality in a real-life setting. Unfortunately,
our feathered friends in Taiwan don't hang around very long after
being allowing themselves to be spotted. You're lucky to get your
glasses up and focused by the time the little guy has decided that
you're not a threat and quickly moves to another perch, deeper in
the jungle thicket. This makes identifying the critter a
"challenge" which Simon reminds you of throughout the day. "It's
quite a challenge" he says as you carefully search the verdant copse
of bamboo-laced tropical flora searching for the Streak-breasted
Scimitar-Babbler. When I confirmed seeing the White-browed
Shortwing, he "high-fived" me proclaiming that this bird was
particularly challenging. (Too challenging to get a photo of the
elusive critter.)
Simon has an honest joy, a true glee for the birds on his native
island of Taiwan. If fate does not bring about a meeting of you and
the Mikado Pheasant at twilight along the road with 6 local
photographers, who are also awaiting its predictable emergence from
the steep embankment along the road, he will take a detour and
return later for a victorious sighting of a PAIR of these noble
creatures. He seems to know just where and when these mysterious
encounters will take place; a blessing for a visitor with time
limitations.
Often, Simon would stop the car and ask "Do you want more photos of
(for example) the Muller's Barbet? There's one on the telephone
wire. "Fantastic! Better light and closer this time. Perfect.
Thanks, Simon.”
I carried a
lightweight 12x zoom Panasonic Lumix Digital camera which took very
good photos. I will not lug around heavier options which need
tripods and more light, but deliver higher-quality shots of the
birds. My shoulders and back would revolt. So, I shoot often and
with as many variations in exposure as I can before the bird has
flown away. None of my shots will be on the cover of National
Geographic, but they make me smile and remember all the great
experiences.
On
my fifth and final morning, after staying in the Firefly B&B on a
Tea Farm, we sat in a blind at dawn and patiently awaited the
arrival of the Taiwan Partridge and Swinhoe's Pheasant. We were
rewarded by the arrival of two Swinhoe Pheasant hens, one more
dominant than the other followed by the male who proclaimed his
eminent domain of the area by drumming his wings a number of times
over the course of 20 minutes. Simon was amazed at the length of
time we were allowed to watch these creatures; usually they cross
the area and leave. This morning the male was bound and determined
to let us know he knew we were watching him.
I
did not see Styan's Bulbul (which is confined to an area far south
of where we were birding) or the dramatically painted Taiwan
Partridge on this five day trip. Always leave something to look for
on a return visit. Mission accomplished.
     
Cattle Egret
Malayan
Night-Heron
Crested
Serpent-Eagle
Crested Goshawk
Besra
Gray-faced
Buzzard
TAIWAN PARTRIDGE
(Heard)
Chinese
Bamboo-Partridge
SWINHOE'S
PHEASANT
MIKADO PHEASANT
Greater
Painted-Snipe
Ashy Wood-Pigeon
Oriental
Turtle-Dove
Red
Collared-Dove
Spotted Dove
Large
Hawk-Cuckoo (Heard)
Mountain Scops-Owl
(Heard)
Brown Wood-Owl
(Heard)
Collared Owlet
House Swift
Black-browed
Barbet
Gray-capped
Woodpecker
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Asian Martin
Striated Swallow
White Wagtail
Gray-chinned
Minivet
Collared
Finchbill
Light-vented
Bulbul
Black Bulbul
FLAMECREST
Brown Dipper
FORMOSAN
WHISTLING-THRUSH
White-browed
Shortwing
Zitting
Cisticola
Golden-headed
Cisticola
Striated Prinia
Yellow-bellied
Prinia
Japanese
Bush-Warbler (Heard)
Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler (Heard)
TAIWAN
BUSH-WARBLER
Rufous-faced
Warbler
Ferruginous
Flycatcher
Vivid Niltava
White-browed
Bush-Robin
COLLARED
BUSH-ROBIN
Plumbeous
Redstart
White-tailed
Robin
Little Forktail
Black-naped
Monarch
Taiwan Hwamei
WHITE-WHISKERED
LAUGHING THRUSH
STEERE'S
LIOCICHLA
Spot-breasted
Scimitar-Babbler
Streak-breasted
Scimitar-Babbler
Pygmy Wren
Babbler (Heard)
Rufous-capped
Babbler
TAIWAN BARWING
Streak-throated
Fulvetta
Dusky Fulvetta
Grey-cheeked
Fulvetta
WHITE-EARED
SIBIA
TAIWAN YUHINA
White-Bellied
Yuhina
Vinous-throated
Parrotbill
Black-throated
Tit
Coal Tit
Green-backed Tit
YELLOW TIT
Varied Tit
Eurasian
Nuthatch
Fire-breasted
Flowerpecker
Japanese
White-eye
Maroon Oriole
Black Drongo
Bronzed Drongo
FORMOSAN MAGPIE
Gray Treepie
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian
Nutcracker
Large-billed
Crow
Common Myna
Eurasian Tree
Sparrow
White-rumped
Munia
Chestnut Munia
Vinaceous
Rosefinch
Gray-headed
Bullfinch
Lesser Coucal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Species
89 (82 seen / 7 heard) 14 ENDEMICS
|
_small.JPG)
