Tweeters:

Just returned from three weeks in Northeast Asia, can't resist sharing a few birding highlights. The Russian Far East mainland near Vladivostok was terrific for pipits and shrikes this month. Imagine a 6-PIPIT DAY (581 individual pipits) and 230 EUR. SKYLARKS, October 17th at the north end of Vladivostok, steppe-songbird migration having reached a peak:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25457655

The shrikes included two encounters with the hard-to-find CHINESE (GREAT) GRAY SHRIKE, including one videotaped (that same day, posted on the flickr site, don't expect much), but this was eclipsed by an apparent Russia first of a LONG-TAILED SHRIKE last weekend, (love that "raccoon" mask), of which I obtained some decent photos near Perevoznaya, about 65 miles from the North Korean border:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/22275605339/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/22275605329/in/dateposted-public/

And following up last email, for your fans of Phylloscopus warblers, I've posted 4 of the 8 species photographed on a recent day in Dalian, China. These are a real i.d. challenge, so unlike a lot of our Wood Warblers, but entertaining in their own way. I've got RADDE'S, YELLOW-BROWED right here,

https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/21811429113/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/22244723749/in/dateposted-public/

but DUSKY and mainland ARCTIC are in there too with scrolling. And here is the checklist for the good day there:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25350284

More Russia photos are being uploaded now.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com