Hump-nosed Lizard
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Autumn migration at Beidaihe 1986-1990 - species |
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Written by Martin Williams
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Saturday, 20 May 2006 |
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Autumn migration at Beidaihe 1986-1990 - species
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Bitterns, egrets and herons
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Spoonbills, Ibises, Storks
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Swans, Geese, Shelducks and Ducks
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Raptors
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Partridges, pheasants and quail
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Cranes
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Rails, Crakes, Coot and Bustards
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Shorebirds
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Skuas, Gulls and Terns
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Sandgrouse and Doves
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Cuckoos, Owls and Swifts
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Kingfishers, Dollarbird, Hoopoe, Wryneck and Woodpeckers
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Larks, Martins and Swallows
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Wagtails and Pipits
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Minivet, Bulbuls, Shrikes
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Waxwings, Orioles, Drongos and Starlings
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Crows
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Wrens and Accentors
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Robins and Chats
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Rockthrushes and Thrushes
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Laughinthrushes, Parrotbill and Bush-Warblers
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Marsh-, Grasshopper, and Reed Warblers
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Phylloscopus warblers, Cisticolas, Kinglets, hill warbler
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Flycatchers
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Tits
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Nuthatches, Wallcreeper and White-eyes
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Finches
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Buntings
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Page 12 of 29
Large Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus sparverioides LT, H, COE—no records. Ch—vagrant to Hebei. Cai (1987)—recorded at Beijing (gives two June and two September dates).
1986: a juvenile was at Se on 12 September, and what was probably the same bird was there on 16th.
Judging by recent observations in spring, this species evidently breeds at Old Peak, north of Qinhuangdao (MDW, pers. obs.).
Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus fugax LT, H, COE—no records. WH—specimen brought to taxidermist shop, 19 June 1919. Cheng—found in summer in northeast provinces and Hebei, migrant in east China; status: uncommon.
1989: one was at Se during 11-14 October.
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus LT—passes 25 September to 7 October, probably breeds. H—all cuckoo sightings, ‘probably all’ Common Cuckoos, 17 August to 18 September, less common than in spring. COE—46 bird-days, 12-31 May.
1986: five were identified from 25 August to 3 September.
1987: 44 bird-days (including two identified flying south), beginning of the survey to 28 September; only one bird after 16 September.
Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus LT—specimens, 7 June 1911 and 29 August 1913. H—no records; mentions having seen specimens of Oriental Cuckoos in which the width of and intervals between the bars on the underparts were the same as on Common Cuckoos (wider, more distinct barring has been considered a feature of the Oriental Cuckoo). Sh—summer visitor, rather rare compared to the Common Cuckoo. COE—two on 25th and one on 26 May (identified by call).
1987: 15 bird-days (including one identified flying south), beginning of the survey to 11 September.
1988 (Ho): singles on 11 September and 1 October.
1990: nine bird-days, highest day total three on 29 August; all before 23 October.
Common Cuckoo/Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus canorus/C. saturatus
1986: 75 bird-days, 20 August to 19 September: 42 during the last 12 days of August and 33 during September. Since only two specimens of the Oriental Cuckoo have been collected in the area, Shaw considered this species rather rare compared to the Common Cuckoo, and Hemmingsen only heard the song of Common Cuckoos at Beidaihe (three were identified by song in spring 1985), it seems likely that most were Common Cuckoos.
1987: 73 bird-days from 23 August to 22 September.
1988 (Ho): four bird-days, 9-18 September.
1990: 55 bird-days, highest day totals five on 23rd and seven on 29 August; all before 23 October.
Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus LT, H, COE—no records. Sh—very rare summer visitor; only one record. Ch—range extends to Hebei, Liaoning and extreme southeastern Heilongjiang.
1986: one seen at LH on 29 August.
1987: 12 bird-days, 24 August to 4 October; highest day total three on 6 September.
1990: singles were recorded on 27th, 29 August, 2nd, 17th and 18 September.
Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia LT—not uncommon on passage; three autumn specimens, mid-September to early October. H—three on 25 September 1943; probably also two on 15 September 1944. COE—two records.
1986: two were seen—one at YH on 30 September, and one at LH on 6 October.
1987: singles on 5th and 9 October.
Northern Eagle Owl Bubo bubo LT—common resident (in the mountains?); ‘it appears on the plain in winter… The natives often shoot this bird and bring the skins to the port for sale.’ Wilder (1940): during visit 16-25 March 1940, ‘Of resident birds the eagle owl at Lotus Hills, probably now nesting, was noteworthy’. H—one specimen 11-12 January 1945, probably a second bird present.
1986: there were two records at LH: singles on 9 October and 5 November.
1987: singles at LH on six dates from 21 October to 13 November.
1988 (Ho): singles on five dates from 13 October to 18 November; one flew over the town, the remainder were at LH—as in 1986 and 1987, it may be that only one bird was involved.
1989: 14 bird-days, 29 October to 14 November; all but one bird (at Re) seen at LH; two on 30 October, 2nd and 3 November, otherwise singles.
1990: one was at LH on 5 November.
Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata LT—one shot by collectors 16 May 1913, one believed seen at Shanhaiguan on 10 October 1914, and another seen at Qinhuangdao (date not given). H, COE—no records.
1987: one, 6 October.
Little Owl Athene noctua LT—common in winter on the plain. H—not uncommon; one record in June, 33-34 records 19 September to 20 November. COE—no records.
1986: 29 bird-days, 21 August to 7 November. There were three bird-days during August and September, and a further 21 during October. The actual number of individuals may have been quite low (conceivably less than seven). LH and Se were the favoured localities, and the highest day total was three birds on 3 October.
1987: 30 bird-days, 2 September to 23 November; only singles on three days until 5 October; highest day total four on 13 October.
1988 (Ho): 18 bird-days (four to five individuals), 9 September to 18 November.
1989: one at LH on 6 October; 13 bird-days, 9 October to 9 November; two on 9th and 29 October, otherwise singles.
1990: heard daily from August to mid-September.
Long-eared Owl Asio otus LT—very common migrant, ‘seen throughout October and November.’ H—two autumn records. COE—8-11 birds.
1986: 139 bird-days, 7 October to 20 November. Most of these derived from counts of birds leaving or returning to a roost in trees beside the Diplomatic Personnel Guest House where, according to hotel staff, there is a regular roost in winter. The roost may have been first established as early as 20 October; numbers increased during the last week of the survey period and the highest count made was 25 birds on 19 November. The total of 109 bird-days which accrued on and after 9 November were derived solely from this roost, and it may be that as few as 35 individuals were seen during the survey. Also seen at LH and YH.
1987: 57 bird-days, 15 October to the end of the survey; 50 bird-days after 5 November (mainly/wholly birds using the roost at the D.P. Guest House); highest day totals eight on 18th and 20 on 21 November.
1988 (Ho): singles on 16 September and 13 November; the roost at the hotel was not checked.
1989: ten bird-days, 12 October to 5 November; singles only; no records from D.P. Guest House, even though there were observers staying here and occasionally watching for roosting birds.
1990: before 23 October, one seen. From 23 October, singles at LH on 24th, 26th and 31 October, and at TH on 4 November. There were no observations at the D.P. Guest House.
In recent years, this species has been uncommon, not a very common migrant as reported by La Touche.
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus LT—11-12 autumn records. H—no autumn records. COE—ten birds, 17 March to 16 April.
1986: 19 bird-days, 18 September to 20 November. The first record was of one flying in from over the sea at SF and was not followed until 3 October when one was at YH. Subsequently, there were eight on 10 October (all at LH, on a migration ‘wave’ day), one on 13th and one on 19 October, two in from over the sea on 2 November and another arriving from over the sea on 6 November. Singles were then recorded on 9th, 11th, 13th and 20 November.
1987: 35 bird-days, 30 September to 11 November; 12 were recorded flying south; highest day total four on 24th and 26 October.
1988 (Ho): four bird-days, 13 October to 7 November.
1989: ten bird-days, 9 October to 3 November; two on 13 October and 1 November, otherwise singles.
1990: before 23 October, four bird-days. From 23 October, singles at LH on 26 October and TH on 4 November.
Long-eared Owl/Short-eared Owl Asio otus/A. flammeus
1986: 13 were recorded from 18 September to 1 November.
1987: six bird-days, 23 October to 11 November.
Jungle Nightjar (Grey Nightjar) Caprimulgus indicus LT—a few, 27 August to 21st or 26 September. H—10-12 dates in two autumns, 20th or 23 August to 19 October. COE—seven birds, 1-28 May.
1986: ten bird-days (perhaps only six individuals), 24 August to 15 September. Singles were recorded on five days to 7 September, two were seen on 8th and 10th, and one on 15 September. Seven bird-days logged at LH, sometimes by observers arriving before sunrise to begin watching for passing migrants; the remaining three records were from Re.
1987: 18 bird-days, 2-21 September; highest day total four on 10 September.
1988 (Ho): three bird-days, 9-14 September.
1989: singles at LH on 12th and Re on 14 October.
1990: 11 bird-days, highest day total four on 17 September; all before 23 October.
White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacuta LT—a few pass in September. H—no records. COE—34 birds, 24 April to 18 May. Ch—breeds northeast China, south to northeast Hebei.
1986: 1387 bird-days, 20 August to 2 October; the number of individuals seen will have been very close to this total, as most were seen flying south. All records were from LH. Sixty-one were logged during the first week of the survey, and 363 during the next week, to 1 September. The peak of passage was from 6-11 September, when 516 birds were recorded. From 13-17 September only 21 were seen, but 424 flew south over 21st-22nd. After this, a further 12 birds were seen. The highest day totals were 353 on 21 September, 225 on 29 August, and 212 on 9th and 170 on 10 September.
1987: 1348 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 28 October; all but 179 were recorded flying south; highest day total 1160 on 6 September.
1988 (Ho): 270 bird-days, 9 September to 6 October; highest day totals 160 on 12th and 60 on 14 September.
1989: six flew south on 18th and one on 27 September.
1990: 97 bird-days, highest day total 36 on 26 August; all before 23 October.
Common Swift (Eurasian Swift) Apus apus pekinensis LT—breeds at Shanhaiguan, irregular at Qinhuangdao. H—no records at Beidaihe but numerous at Beijing. COE—142 birds from 10 April to 30 May.
1986: seven birds were recorded: singles on 23rd and 24 August and five on 23 September. All except one were seen passing LH.
1987: two flew south on 25 August and singles flew south on 8th and 19 September.
1990: one seen on 23 August.
Pacific Swift (Fork-tailed Swift) Apus pacificus LT—mid-August to the last ten days of September. Weigold—observed on passage on 29th and 30 August (singly), on 17 August many, which passed along the coast to the southwest speeding very high. H—’Seen in numbers from single ones up to flocks of several hundreds. … Those seen 17.IX 1943 were large flocks migrating in scattered formation toward W along the S shore. 20.VIII 1945 thousands passed EC [East Cliff, eastern Beidaihe] moving toward S in scattered flocks. From 5 p.m. (or earlier) up to 5.30 p.m. there was a continuous flow of birds.’ Seen all summer (suggesting breeding in the mountains?), and until 22 September. COE—4071 bird-days, 28 March to end of survey.
1986: 10,855 bird-days, 20 August to 22 October. As with the White-throated Needletail, the number of individuals seen will have been close to this total as most were seen flying south. The period 20-26 August saw 3002 bird-days logged; 7745 birds were recorded during the following seven-day period to 2 September. This total includes the maximum day count of 5190 birds on 30th, 4000 of which (considered a low estimate) passed south over Se from 16h00-18h00. The next highest day count was 1221 on 20 August. After 14 September, records were of no more than five birds in a day and just five were seen over three dates in October.
1987: 13,704 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 10 October; 13,615 bird-days from the beginning of the survey to 6 September. Highest day totals 1430 on 20th, 1180 on 25th and 7800 on 28 August. Most were recorded flying south.
1988 (Ho): 12 bird-days; 11 bird-days from 8-13 September, and a late bird on 9 November.
1989: one flew south on 22 September.
1990: not systematically recorded; all before 23 October.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 21 May 2006 )
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