Left Beidaihe at 4.30am to head to Happy Island, birding en route.
In some rice paddies we had 34 Whiskered and 9 White winged Black Terns, 1 Chinese Pond Heron, 1 Marsh Sand and 10 Wood Sands, 10+ Gull billed Terns, 3+ Yellow Wagtails, 1 Eastern Cattle Egret.
Then into the fabled 'Magic Wood'. A small open plantation wood that was quite easy to work, and it was lifting with birds. As some of us walked in, flocks flew out!
The first birds seen were a few Radde's Warblers, then me and JWR parted and moved off left. Here above a ditch a movement cought our eye in a small bush. The bird was back on to us and we suspected another Radde's. As we strained for a closer look the bird turned its head to see us. You'd think we had been struck by lightning. A full adult male Siberian Rubythroat in all its glory. What a belter.
Further on we flushed a nice male Sibe Blue Robin that did two obliging fly pasts.
Other fantastic birds followed, Tristram's Bunting, Rufous tailed Robin, Japanese Quail, White's Thrush sat in the open, 5 Eyebrowed Thrushes in a dead tree, Pale legged Leaf Warbler, an arctic look a like with a squeaky bike call note, 30+ Pallas's Warblers, many Yellow broweds, 8+ Brown Shrikes, 10+ Dusky Warblers.
By now the rain was so heavy we had to give up, cut our losses and head for Happy Island.
The crossing was very uncomfortable in the torrential rain on a boat without cover, but good birds continued to be seen - Great Knot, 2 Far Eastern Curlews and another 2 Saunders Gulls.
Happy Island 11am.
Above - These were taken from inside our bedroom through my window! YBW, Daurian Redstart and Radde's. Happy Island Garden Birds...
Unloaded and into our accomodation, wooden porta-cabin style huts that were very basic but not as bad as the nightmare scenarios that people had told us about. A quick change to dry off, the rain easing to just 'pouring' and off we went with high hopes. Try this for a list -
Blue Rock Thrush 2
Eastern Marsh Harrier 3
Radde's Warbler 7
Dusky and Yellow browed common, uncounted.
Daurian Redstart 1 male.
Hoopoe 4
Pale legged Leaf Warbler 1
Above - Japanese Grosbeaks
Japanese Grosbeak 25+
Oriental Scops Owl 1 sitting next to us in a bush.
Yellow rumped Flycatcher 1 female and 2 males.
Mugimaki Flycatcher 3
Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo 1 sitting for all to see, possibly bird of the trip.
Eastern Crowned Warbler 1
Taiga Flycatcher 4+
Chinese Grosbeak 1
Pallas's Warbler 20+
Chestnut flanked White Eye 40+
Olive backed Pipit 11
Above - Little Bunting.
Little Bunting 6+
Japanese Quail 2
Hobby 2
Oriental Turtle Dove 3+
Black naped Oriole 1 male
Black faced Bunting 3
Brown Shrike 4+
That beats Holy Island!
