Birding In Taiwan

ITINERARY

Matsu Archipelago and Taiwan Island

July 19–20, 2008, with July 21-26 Extension

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The summer months are typhoon season; also coastal fog can disrupt air travel.  Weather may necessitate an adjustment of plans.   

July 19 (Saturday),  Day 1:   Meet Simon Liao at Shungshan Airport (domestic terminal, elev. 6 m; 20 ft., Taipei City), by 9 a.m.   The flight will depart at 11:00 a.m. for 50-minute trip to Nangan Island, Matsu Archipelago.  Afternoon boat to the Matsu Tern Reserve (about 3 hours there and back) for the very rare and globally endangered Chinese Crested Tern (Matsu Tern), Thelasseus  bernsteini.  Watch for other terns;  Great Crested (common), Black-naped (common), Roseate (common), Bridled (common), Whiskered, Gull-billed, Caspian, Little, and Black-tailed Gull.   Night at Sheng Nong Resort, Nangan.

July 20 (Sunday),  Day 2:      Weather back-up for Day 1.  Return to Taipei.  Matsu tour ends. 

Those continuing on the Extension will drive south to Wulai, elev. 220 m (725 ft).

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Extension

July 21 (Monday), Day 1:  Wulai, in southern Taipei County.  Look for Brown Dipper in Tonghou River; watch for endemics Formosan Magpie and Formosan Whistling-Thrush.  Wulai is also an excellent area for butterflies.  Drive farther south and ascend to Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area in the Anmashan Mountain Range.  Night at Dasyueshan NFRA. 

July 22 (Tuesday),  Day 2:   Walk Trail 210, elev. 2000 m. (6600 feet) looking for the stunning Swinhoe’s and elegant Mikado Pheasants, Collared Bush-Robin, Green-backed Tit, Brown Bullfinch, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Varied and Black-throated Tits.   Drive higher, to Hsiaolaishan (Shiaosyueshan), 2600 m (8,530 ft.), looking for White-whiskered Laughingthrush, Vinaceous Rosefinch, Gray-headed Bullfinch and other species of high elevation.  In the afternoon, another walk on Trail 210 or similar.  Night at Dasyueshan NFRA. 

July 23 (Wednesday),  Day 3:   Drive south to Huisun Forest Station, mid-elevation forest, for Formosan Magpie, Black-browed Barbet, Gray-capped Woodpecker, Gray-chinned Minivet, Gray Treepie, Black Bulbul, Rufous-capped Babbler, and Malayan Night-Heron which sometimes can be seen foraging on the lawn.  Another chance for Swinhoe’s Pheasant.   Night at Huisun Forest Station, elev. 770 m (2530 ft).

July 24 (Thursday),  Day 4:   Drive to Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area, elev. 1200 m (3900 ft.) for afternoon birding.  Look in Naoliao Creek for Plumbeous Redstart, and with luck, the rare Little Forktail.  Watch for Taiwan Yuhina, Yellow (Taiwan) Tit, White-eared Sibia, Formosan Whistling-thrush, (Taiwan) Hwamei, Fire-breasted and Plain Flowerpeckers.  Try for Mountain Scops-Owl and Northern Boobook (Brown Hawk Owl) after dark.  Night at Aowanda NFRA.

July 25 (Friday),  Day 5: Morning birding at Aowanda, for Rufous-faced Warbler, perhaps  Chinese Bamboo Partridge.  Drive north through and east through Hehuanshan Forest Recreation Area, elev. 3275 m (10,750 ft.), the highest elevation of the tour, just inside the western edge of Taroko National Park.  (“Shan” means “mountain” in Mandarin.)  We will look for high-elevation species; White-whiskered Laughingthrush, Flamecrest, Yellow Tit, Alpine Accentor, Vinaceous Rosefinch and Coal Tit.  We will continue eastward through the upper part of the Taroko Gorge, in Taroko National Park, to Tienhsiang looking for Styan’s Bulbul.  Night at Tienhsiang, elev. 485 m (1592 ft.

July 26 (Saturday),  Day 6:   Continue through Taroko National park to Taiwan’s east coast, then turn northward.  Continue to Taipei via Yilan.  On arrival in Taipei, the tour ends.

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TRAVEL NOTE:  Please arrange your incoming flight so that you arrive in Taipei on Friday, July 18 at the latest.  We can book accommodation for you at either the YMCA International House or the Grand Hotel.  On the morning of Saturday, July 19, be at Shungshan Airport to meet the leader by 9 a.m.

            Please arrange your departing flight for the night (late) of July 26, or better, the following day, July 27. Taiwan Taoyuan (formerly Chiang Kai-shek) International Airport is situated about 40 km west of Taipei; driving time is about 1 hour, sometimes more because of traffic.  If you expect to transfer directly from Shungshan Airport to the international airport, allow 2 hours.  If you wish to stay on in Taipei for a day or more for sightseeing or visiting the excellent National Palace Museum, we can book accommodation for you.