Today (5/10/11), I had an amazing day of birding ZhongShan Park. Although there
were some occasional light rain showers, I ended up with six lifers!

I had a flock of at least a dozen EYE-BROWEDTHRUSHes, a CHINESE THRUSH (lifer),
ASIAN BROWN FLYCATCHER, DARK-SIDED (aka SIBERIAN) FLYCATCHER, MUGIMAKI
FLYCATCHER - orange-breasted male & female (lifer), E. CROWNED WARBLER,
YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER - most abundant bird in the park, PALE-LEGGED LEAF
WARBLER - spent some quality time with this bird as it pumped its tail, several
RADDE'SWARBLERs - w/one singing in a bush, YELLOW-STREAKED WARBLER (lifer) -
very buffy-yellowish underparts and streaking and different call note than the
Radde's,, ORIENTAL REED WARBLER (lifer), HOOPOE, COMMON KINGFISHER, CHINESE POND
HERON, EASTERN GREAT EGRET,STRIATED HERON, AZURE-WINGED MAGPIE, CRESTED MYNA,
CHINESE BLACKBIRD & GROSBEAK, TRISTRAM'S BUNTING, JAPANESE WHITE-EYE, BROWN
SHRIKE, OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT, EURASIAN TREE SPARROW, CHINESE BLACKBIRD, and
CHESTNUT BUNTING (female).

Perhaps best of all, I saw a RUFOUS-TAILED ROBIN and a beautiful male SIBERIAN
BLUE ROBIN (lifer) in the same steep ravine that I had named the "Magic Ravine"
for the many life birds that I have seen in it. Initially, I had brief views of
the S. Blue Robin from the rim and I just saw the blue back and the horizontal
posture well. Although I knew I had my lifer, I was quite unsatiisfied with
those views.

Meanwhile, I did enjoy some great views of a RUFOUS-TAILED ROBIN as fed it in
the bottom of the ravine. The RT Robin often had its tail cocked up and it
frequently shook its hind quarters.

Failing to relocate the SB Robin, I birded farther down the ravine and returned
a couple of times to where I had seen it before. Later, I just stood and waited
where I had seen the RT Robin feeding. Finally, I saw the SB Robin go into a
very dark overhang of dead branches and it disappeared into the darkness. At
that point, I was wondering if the SB Robin was some kind of cave dweller!
Fortunately, it emerged to feed in a very similar fashion as the RT Robin (i.e.
shaking its hind quarters, but not cocking its tail). As I watched, the S. Blue
Robin caught a large nightcrawler (longer than the bird), and it slowly began
consuming it a little bit at a time (for over a fifteen minute period). At
first, it laid the nightcrawler down and walked about a meter away, but then
returned to its meal. As it continued eating the its prey, the robin simply left
it dangling from its mouth. The bird would take a rest for minute just standing
still, take a few more gulps, rest again, and then repeat that process.

Of course, the Siberian Blue Robin is truly a beautiful bird. It has a deep blue
back, snowy underparts, and a thin black border between the blue and the white
colors of the bird's upper half. There is some blue flecking on the white lower
flanks and it has rather long pale pink legs.

Birding was so good that I was afraid to stop for lunch or anything else.

Here is another report from late April in ZhongShan Park back on 4/26/11. I
named this birding event "Day of the Buntings"

One of my favorite bird genuses is Emberiza. I truly love the colorful East
Asian buntings and seeing virtually all the possible species in our region in
full alternate plumage has been incredibly exciting. In ZhongShan Park here in
Qingdao today, the weather was warm and sunny. The park was loaded with
migrants. In particular, buntings were everywhere. I saw BLACK-FACED (20+),
TRISTRAM'S (10), my lifer YELLOW-BROWED -3 (all adult males), and one male lifer
YELLOW-BREASTED. In addition, I saw SIBERIAN STONECHAT -4, RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL
-2, BRAMBLING -10, OLIVE-BACKED PIPITs - 16, CHINESE GROSBEAK - 30, three
species of warblers (E. Crowned, Yellow-browed, and a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler).
Most of the thrushes and all the Pallas's Leaf Warblers that I saw last week
seem to have left, and the large flocks of Chinese Grosbeaks have thinned out.

Along a shady path that enters the Golden Triangle (the birdy southeastern
corner of the park), I had a mixed flock of Little Buntings, Bramblings, and
Olive-tree Pipits all feeding together on the ground. There were a couple of
Tristram's Buntings sneaking around the edge too.

There is a small, terraced, peach orchard in the Golden Triangle that was in
full-on, pink-blossom. glory on that day. . On the dirt ground of this orchard
and under the peach blossoms, Little Buntings, Black-faced Buntings,
Yellow-browed Buntings, and one Yellow-breasted Bunting were all feeding
together. It was pretty amazing to see five different species of buntings in one
day!

Here are some random impressions on some of the species that I have seen over
the last month here in Qingdao:

Since I spent quite a bit of time with the Pale-Legged Leaf Warbler (well named
for its frosty pink leg color), I noticed that it preferred to feed no higher
than a couple of meters off the ground. It would sometimes spend quite a bit of
time feeding in just one bush or tree before moving on to the next one. Since
most of the other members of this genus seem to want to move quickly from tree
to tree, I thought that this was interesting behavior for a member of the
Phylloscopus genus.

Pallas's Leaf Warbler is probably the cutest species of Palearctic warblers that
I have seen. They are somewhat like a vibrant colored kinglet, full of energy,
and they have an amazing song that sounds more like a gifted wren.

I enjoy following Radde's Warblers around. They are usually quite active in
feeding, but they sometimes stop and pose for you. They often tip their bottom
side up to show off their cinnamon buff undertail coverts field mark to you.

With their larger size, butter colored beak, darker striped crowns, and yellow
vents, Eastern Crowned Warblers are probably the most elegant looking
Phylloscopus warbler that I am familiar with. They feed more slowly than most
others of the genus and are often quite confiding. When I see them now, I feel
like I'm seeing an old friend.

Tristram's Bunting can often be a skulkers in deep shrubbery. However, they will
come feed on the ground and allow a quiet observer to view them closely.

I've seen Little Buntings in both basic and alternate plumage, and they look
attractive in both states. In transition plumage, they remind me of Savannah
Sparrows with a very similar breast pattern. On the "Day of the Buntings" they
were in chestnut-headed splendor, and were scattered through out the park.

Yellow-browed Warblers are ubiquitous on migration and are easily the most most
numerous migrant. They are hyper active and frequently give high pitched
vocalizations.

Chinese Grosbeaks are lovely songsters and nice looking birds as well. In early
spring, I encountered large numbers of them in the park.

There were a couple of Red-flanked Bluetails wintering in Qingdao, and they are
around in small numbers in migration too. Virtually, all the RF Bluetails that I
have seen have been females. To date, I have only seen one full adult male.

Chinese Pond Heron - This may be my favorite heron. In springtime, they are very
colorful and their pattern is unique with the dark head and neck that contrasts
nicely with the white wings and body.

DaurianRedstart - The male is simply dazzling with it's frosted silvery head,
black face, orange breast and tail, and white wing patches. They prefer to be
near water.

Chinese Blackbird - is capable of some mimicry and sounds a little like a
mockingbird at times.

the genus Luscinia - With the exception of the bluetail, these birds are
generally shy and elusive. However, they are some of the most worthwhile birds
to see. They are great fun to watch, and they are often patterned in vibrant
colors. I've been fortunate to have seen five different species in this group of
charming "little thrushes" (i.e. Bluethroat, Siberian Rubythroat, Red-flanked
Bluetail, Rufous-tailed Robin, and Siberian Blue Robin).

There were so many lifers and potential lifers to sort through, that it would
have been really nice to have had some other birders there. I've been
birding Zhong Shan Park solo for over the last six weeks, and I am extremely
pleased with birds that I am seeing in this park (which is partially coastal
forest). I just wish some of my friends on Tweeters or Inlanders could bird here
with me now.

Yours in China,

Gina Sheridan
Qingdao, China

















Yours in Qingdao,

Gina