Birding in China (中国观鸟)
@BirdinginChina
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I live and work here in Shanghai and, in particular, have a special fondness for the birds of China. [All images are my own].
Shanghai, People's Republic of China
Joined February 2019
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Camping high-up in the
#Himalayas
there were no human activities whatsoever but the
#birds
unsurprisingly were thriving in this environment with even the normally shy and skulking Chestnut-headed Tesia (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) uncharacteristically confident [].
25
403
2K
This Red-throated Thrush (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) image was captured earlier today as the
#bird
pit-stopped in this forest clearing on its way towards its breeding grounds further north [].
10
240
2K
This image of a Gould’s Shortwing (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) with its chestnut upperparts, vermiculated slate-grey breast and star-shaped spots on its flanks was taken this morning in its alpine boulder-strewn breeding habitat here in the eastern Himalayas [].
21
225
2K
This Bar-throated Minla (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) with its black stripes across its throat is also known as the Chestnut-tailed Minla with its cinnamon patch at the base of the tail and this image taken earlier today highlights both features [].
22
276
2K
The Grey-cheeked Warbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is a small colourful
#Himalayan
resident with a grey head, white eye-ring, and lemon-yellow underparts and this individual was one of many that were seen and heard today [].
11
221
2K
Despite the rain today this male Blood Pheasant (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was content to pose right out-in-the-open on top of this boulder high up in the
#Himalayas
, showing well its greenish underparts splashed with crimson [].
14
205
1K
Lying on the ground made this male Citrine Wagtail (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) seemingly undeterred by my presence and as a result was able to capture this very close encounter with the “Flying Lemon” [].
4
178
1K
Camping this weekend in the
#Himalayas
at 2400m the forests are alive with birdsong none more so than this Whistler’s Warbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) with its greyish-green wings, yellow underparts and unbroken pale eyering [].
6
170
1K
Despite a number of leech bites on my legs, this image of a male Ward’s Trogon (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), a maroon-coloured
#bird
with a pink bill, forehead and belly and a prominent blue eye-ring was taken earlier today in this mature
#Himalayan
forest [].
13
132
1K
The Chestnut-headed Tesia (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is a ground-dwelling warbler that rarely leaves the safety of deep vegetation but when it does venture out into the open its plumage is really something to behold combining lime, yellow and rufous tones [].
2
145
1K
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year from
#Guangxi
Province, which is where these images of a Spectacled Barwing (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) were taken earlier today, showing well the
#bird
’s short crest, greyish cheeks, cinnamon underparts and white eyering [].
15
115
969
Have experienced numerous failures for a close encounter with “the highly skulking” Spotted Elachora (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) but finally today this
#bird
took a leap of faith and came right out into the open revealing its delicate white spots and barred wings []
11
145
942
A close encounter today with a Bar-winged Wren Babbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) showing well its umber-brown upperparts spotted black-and-white, narrowly barred wings, rufous belly and white throat. Small, shy and skulking but awesome when making an appearance []
7
127
931
The Himalayan Monal (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) resembles a work of fiction with its “metallic” copper, green and purple upperparts and spatulate-tipped crest but as this image taken today high-up in the
#Himalayas
proves, this
#bird
is not a fictional creation [].
2
137
926
This image of a male Siberian Blue Robin (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) was taken today on its
#Yunnan
wintering grounds in Xishuangbanna’s tropical rainforests, showing well its metallic cobalt upperparts and broad black band from its eye down to its flanks [].
7
99
912
This image of a Fire-tailed Sunbird (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was taken earlier today on its high-altitude
#Himalayan
breeding grounds of rhododendron shrubberies above the tree-line and showing well its unmistakeable crimson tail longer even than its own body [].
13
142
876
The stars aligned to produce a phenomenal day in the field today as this female Himalayan Monal (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), with her blue eye patch, white throat and chevron underparts, accompanied her three chicks for a morning feed in her high-altitude home [].
3
127
854
This Rusty-flanked Treecreeper (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) paused momentarily whilst foraging for food today showing well its brick-red flush on its flanks from which it derives its name [].
7
107
803
This Grey-sided Bush Warbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) with its cinnamon crown, pale supercilium and greyish underparts was photographed today at 3800m on its high-altitude breeding grounds here in the
#Himalayas
[].
4
97
787
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas tomorrow and thanks for all your encouragement over the year. This image below of a male Siberian Rubythroat (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) was taken yesterday here in
#Yunnan
Province, showing well its fabulous scarlet throat [].
17
72
795
This Blue Whistling Thrush (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) shortly after landing would for a few moments slowly lift its tail up-and-down and this image was taken as the
#bird
was halfway through that process [].
19
97
779
This male Gold-naped Finch (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) perched momentarily on the pine earlier today showing well its black face and majestic crown [].
4
96
756
This Temminck’s Stint (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) pit-stopped on this flooded meadow to feed and was so vigorously refuelling for the next leg of its northern journey that it was seemingly oblivious to my presence lying almost adjacent to it [].
0
86
740
The Himalayan Cutia (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) inhabits mossy, humid, broadleaf forests and this close encounter with a female was captured today showing well her grey crown, brown eyestripe, spotted mantle, blue wing panel, rufous rump and streaked flanks [].
15
109
721
Scaly Laughingthrush (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) with its golden wing flash and dark tipped feathers giving its “scaly” appearance is normally exceedingly shy but with no human disturbance here on this Himalayan slope they regularly appeared right out-in-the-open []
11
92
697
This image of a female Pallas’s Sandgrouse (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was taken as she was diligently preening herself and with high winds and dust storms common throughout spring in the Gobi Desert it becomes especially important to maintain feather hygiene [].
2
78
667
This close encounter with a male Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), a near threatened
#bird
, was captured this afternoon whilst he was feeding on some discarded honeycomb on the ground and allowed an approach within quite literally a few meters []
1
73
649
Lying flat on the ground here in Inner Mongolia this Pere David’s Snowfinch (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was seemingly oblivious to my presence, facilitating this close encounter and showing well its black face, sandy upperparts and flash of white in the wing [].
9
86
628
Guangxi Autonomous Region is in southern
#China
, bordering Vietnam, which is where this image of a Blue-naped Pitta (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) was taken today: a largish
#bird
with a fulvous breast, olive-green upperparts and its trademark blue hindcrown [].
2
73
599
After numerous prior failures had really hoped for a close encounter with a Gould’s Shortwing (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) and then came across two birds in as many days with this individual singing today on its Himalayan boulder-strewn habitat above the treeline [].
7
56
564
The female Silver-breasted Broadbill (Main Image) is noticeably brighter than the male (Inset) and in particular its necklace is distinctly white whereas the male’s necklace is much more subtle, almost to the point of being inconspicuous
#BirdsSeenIn2023
[]
5
51
555
At just 17cm in length this Pied Falconet (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is one of the smallest raptors on our planet. It is resident in southern
#China
and fittingly has an endearing somewhat “panda-like” appearance [].
10
77
515
All five species of Tragopan have been recorded in
#China
but this Blyth’s Tragopan (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) photographed today with its yellow face, sunset-red neck and dark upperparts dotted with white and brownish-maroon spots is one of the hardest to see [].
9
59
443
The stars aligned to produce a fabulous morning in the field with this male Black-billed Capercaillie (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), a
#bird
of northern
#China
, displaying and showing well its arc of white tail spots, red brow and thick-set butch structure [].
5
66
408
Of the eleven Sunbirds recorded in
#China
the Fire-tailed Sunbird (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) breeds at the highest altitudes and this image was taken today, above the treeline, at 4500m as the
#bird
paused momentarily showing off its long, trailing crimson tail [].
6
52
398
Long-toed Stints (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) are currently migrating northwards through
#China
to their breeding grounds in
#Siberia
and in summer plumage these
#birds
show rufous upperparts such as this individual photographed earlier today [].
1
42
398
This image of a Northern Hawk Owl was taken today in Inner Mongolia,
#China
. With temperatures at minus 35 degrees it was somewhat of a challenge to press my finger on the camera shutter [].
16
26
396
This image of a male Rufous-breasted Bush Robin (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was taken earlier this morning as it was singing from the top of this pine tree, showing well its dark blue upperparts, lighter blue brow and orange underparts [].
9
40
365
Pallas’s Sandgrouse (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) breeds in the Gobi Desert with these images taken today showing the differences between the two sexes with the female (Main) having an apricot-coloured and the male (Inset) an orange-and-blue coloured face [].
4
25
370
The Cinereous Vulture (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is a dark brown
#bird
with a fluffy neck ruff and a strong hooked bill well adapted for tearing chunks of flesh from a carcass, as reflected in this image taken earlier today [].
2
46
369
My garden is in the heart of Shanghai, a megacity whose population is around 25m and yet despite the concrete jungle can still generate a nice surprise including a stunning male Siberian Rubythroat (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) on passage earlier this morning [].
8
34
371
The Chinese name for the Bar-backed Partridge (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) is 褐胸山鹧鸪 (hè xiōng shān zhè gū) and translates as Brown-breasted Partridge and this image taken today in
#Guangxi
Province shows well how it derives both its English and Chinese names [].
2
39
353
This Black-throated Parrotbill (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) paused just long enough today on this bamboo to show off its multicoloured orange, grey, white and black head pattern plus a ring on its left leg denoting its origin in the eastern Himalayas [].
0
49
348
This image of a Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl (
#BirdsSeenin2022
) was taken last night here in
#Yunnan
Province. It took a number of midnight excursions this week before finally achieving this close encounter with this fabulous
#bird
[].
7
37
329
I have been fortunate to photograph a number of pittas but this North Moluccan Pitta (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
) here today on the island of Halmahera was the first time I witnessed a bird so at ease with his surroundings that he tucked his leg into his belly [].
7
35
335
This image of a pair of Altai Snowcocks (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was taken earlier today as the
#birds
perched briefly on this mountain ridge before being spooked by a passing Golden Eagle [].
5
23
292
Had hoped for an encounter with the Rusty-backed Thrush (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), an Indonesian endemic, but had not anticipated the
#bird
would behave so obligingly showing-off very well its white facial patches, black-and-white wings and chestnut upperparts [].
7
28
294
This image of a Black-billed Capercaillie (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) was taken this week moments after the
#bird
finished displaying. Perhaps due to sheer exhaustion, or possibly the disappointment of failing to attract a mate, it sat motionless in this posture [].
2
37
294
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern
#China
where temperatures regularly plummet to minus 40 degrees at this time of year are the wintering grounds for this Northern Hawk Owl [
#BirdsSeenIn2023
, ].
13
33
288
Nikolay Przevalski was a 19th century Russian geographer who discovered six
#Chinese
endemic
#birds
including this Przevalski’s Redstart (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
), this image showing well its blue-grey head, orange back, white shoulders and dark wings [].
6
33
288
Last winter, just south of
#China
’s
#Tibetan
border, in
#India
’s Arunachal Pradesh, this stunning Fire-tailed Myzornis paused for a few moments on this tree high up in the
#Himalayas
[].
10
38
275
Olive-green head and breast, lemon-yellow throat and belly, candy-red bill and blue-and-green facial skin, this Sumatran Trogon (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
) photographed today, is one distinctive-looking bird [].
6
35
277
Having noticed that
#birds
were pit-stopping on this patch of wet meadow in an otherwise arid section of the
#Himalayas
I laid down and waited and this Citrine Wagtail (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) approached within just a few meters of my position [].
5
15
266
There are around thirty species of Bunting recorded in
#China
but none have a spiky mane like this male Crested Bunting (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) [].
4
29
268
This image of a male Scarlet Finch (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) was taken in
#China
’s
#Yunnan
Province as the
#bird
paused momentarily on this branch. Its Chinese name is 血雀, xuè què, which translates somewhat appropriately as Blood Finch [].
2
22
265
The Black-naped Woodpecker (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) has an overall greenish plumage with wings tinged rufous, a black moustachial stripe and grey cheeks with the male (Right) showing a red crown which is lacking in the female (Inset) [].
0
16
259
This image of a White-hooded Babbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) was taken earlier today in southern
#China
. It is a large-headed, long-tailed
#bird
with a hooked bill and a yellow iris. This particular individual is a mature on account of its all-white head [].
3
23
246
The Fire-tailed Myzornis (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is a Himalayan speciality with its lime green plumage, black crown scalloping and “bleeding heart” breast and amazingly it is also one of those
#birds
I have always had good fortune in encountering. Happy Days! []
4
36
248
These images of an adult Ibisbill (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), with its black face and down-curved scarlet bill, alongside its very recently fledged offspring, with its brownish upperparts and dark bill, were taken earlier today in this montane
#Himalayan
stream [].
1
25
250
The Bluethroat (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) is a colourful robin that is always a delight to encounter with its pale supercilium and unique combination of blue, chestnut, black and white across its throat such as this individual photographed in
#Xinjiang
Province [].
4
30
242
It has taken some time to get a good image of Fire-tailed Myzornis. Attempt one in
#Bhutan
failed. Attempt two in
#Yunnan
Province, western
#China
also failed. Finally, this week, attempt three in the eastern
#Himalayas
, north east
#India
, succeeded [].
18
31
235
This Satyr Tragopan (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) which occupies rhododendron forests between China, Bhutan and India was photographed at sunrise today showing well its crimson neck, bluish-black face and black-bordered white spots throughout its entire body [].
3
30
228
This very close encounter today with an Ashy-throated Warbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) reveals the
#bird
’s grey throat, yellow belly, white supercilium, dark eyestripe and double-wing bars [].
4
25
229
Would appreciate assistance in retweeting this post as the algorithm performance is deteriorating. For such an occasion, a rare one: Mishmi Wren Babbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) thought extinct until it was rediscovered in 2004 in the eastern Himalayas []
6
81
232
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is a rare wader whose global population is thought to be only around 300
#birds
and as they migrate southwards are just starting to arrive on the coastal mudflats near
#Shanghai
to pit-stop and refuel [].
6
26
229
The Long-billed Wren Babbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is like its relatives shy and reclusive, but this individual was relatively bold, posing briefly today and showing well its long curved bill, pale-streaked underparts and rotund structure [].
8
17
228
Wren-Babblers might be described as small, brown non-descript
#birds
but this would be a major disservice as perhaps highlighted by this Rufous-throated Wren Babbler (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) which shows red irises, grey cheeks and a bright orange throat [].
0
21
226
There are 12 Scimitar Babbler species in
#China
(
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), all characterised by decurved bills, but perhaps none as striking as the Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler with its rufous underparts, grey head, white brow and extremely long, fine bill [].
1
12
224
This close encounter today in West Papua with this Feline Owlet-Nightjar, a species related to the nightjars but with an upright stance like an owl and cat-like facial whiskers, has to rank as one of my top all-time birding experiences here in Asia
#BirdsSeenIn2024
.
20
32
231
The Scaly Laughingthrush (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is a brownish
#bird
with red irises, flashes of gold in both the wing and tail, and body feathers edged black, thereby generating its scaly appearance [].
8
21
227
The Streaked Spiderhunter (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) often hovers, using its long, curved bill to feed on the nectar of flowers and had just paused briefly when this image was taken earlier this week in
#Guangxi
Province, southern
#China
[].
1
18
216
The Annam Limestone Wren-Babbler (Main) and Streaked Wren-Babbler (Inset) share some similar traits (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) including the dark scalloping on the crown and nape but the former has a heavy black-streaked white throat, lacking in the latter [].
0
17
211
Xishuangbanna in southern
#Yunnan
is one of just a few areas of tropical rainforest in
#China
, which is where this image of a Silver-breasted Broadbill (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) was taken today showing its black brow, blue wing-flash and broad-based pale bill [].
3
16
210
Siberian Rubythroat, Lanceolated Warbler, Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, Inner Mongolia, China
0
35
201
A displaying male Western Parotia (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
) taken this morning, one of Papua New Guinea’s Birds of Paradise, and showing well his wiry head plumes, white forehead, blue eyes, iridescent golden breast band, and umbrella-shaped courting dance [].
2
30
208
In the distance something moved. The setting was Hong Kong’s famous Mai Po Nature Reserve in South China. Closer inspection proved it to be a Pintail Snipe. Creeping up even further allowed this shot taken no more than 10m away from the bird [].
1
19
201
The Chinese name for the Temminck’s Stint (
#BirdsSeenIn2022
) is Green-legged Stint (青脚滨鹬 qīng jiǎo bīn yù) and despite seeing these
#birds
on many occasions in
#China
none have been as confiding as this individual photographed recently in
#Xinjiang
[].
3
18
194
@tim_cook
Dear Tim, I am a professional wildlife photographer and my new book “Portraits of the Birds of China” is out soon. The landscape images were all shot on an iPhone. Would it be possible to help connect me with one of your marketing colleagues? With kind regards, Nick
6
9
194
This image of a Papuan Frogmouth (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
), the largest frogmouth globally, was taken last night here in Papua New Guinea and had to be captured in portrait layout in order to show the full length of this enormous bird [].
3
25
196
The Fulvous Parrotbill (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) makes its living in bamboo forests and this individual put in a particularly close appearance today showing well its rich buff plumage, prominent black eyebrow and pale belly [].
3
14
192
The blue-throated Bee-eater (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) breeds throughout south east
#China
and this individual posed just long enough today to show its elongated tail streamers, greenish wings, chestnut crown and trademark blue throat [].
4
21
193
After numerous failed attempts finally enjoyed a close encounter today with the range-restricted, vulnerable and yet stunning Beautiful Nuthatch (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
), unmistakeable with black upperparts marked with brilliant blue and cinnamon-orange below [].
7
32
187
The Chinese Pond Heron (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) is non-descript in winter plumage but in the breeding season its colours come to life with a chestnut head and tri-coloured blue, yellow and black bill such as this male photographed today in
#Jiangxi
Province [].
0
19
184
This image of a male Western Parotia (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
) with his glittering metallic breast band, wiry antennae and luminous blue eyes band was taken earlier this morning here in the rainforests of New Guinea [].
8
24
189
This image of a Green-backed Kingfisher (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) an endemic to
#Indonesia
was taken earlier this morning. This kingfisher makes its living inside the tropical rainforest subsisting on a diet of lizards and millipedes rather than fish [].
4
11
184
These images of a male and female Scarlet Finch (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) were taken in
#China
’s
#Yunnan
Province where these
#birds
are at the eastern edge of their Himalayan range and show well the male’s blood-red and the female’s golden-cinnamon coloration [].
3
14
185
As these two male MacQueen’s Bustards (
#BirdsSeenIn2023
) faced-off with one another on their breeding grounds here in the Gobi Desert the birds would spread their wings and tail feathers (Bottom) and leap into the air almost landing on their rival (Top) [].
1
9
185
This female Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
), a tiny bird just 13cm in length, paused momentarily today showing well her grey crown, brown ear coverts, barred back and lightly streaked underparts [].
4
18
181
Portraits of one of the Himalayas hidden beauties, the Beautiful Nuthatch (
#BirdsSeenIn2024
), showing well its glittering mix of aquamarine and sapphire upperparts. This species is classified as vulnerable and has a highly restricted range [].
5
23
183