Wheat fields at Burniston, North Yorkshire
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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 |
| Article Index |
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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 24 of 29
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus LT—very common migrant, beginning of September to the end of October. H—seen from late August to the end of October, most commonly in October. COE—297 bird-days, 9 April to 31 May.
1986: 504 bird-days, 29 August to 4 November. Passage was mainly concentrated during the three-week period 24 September to 14 October, when 389 bird-days were logged and the highest day count—44 birds—was made on 30 September. Only one was seen after 21 October.
1987: 766 bird-days, 2 September to 9 November; 475 bird-days between 27 September and 11 October; highest day totals 84 on 27th, 67 on 29 September and 85 on 7 October.
1988 (Ho): 182 bird-days, 11 September to 27 October; highest day totals 34 on 26 September and 24 on 8 October.
1989: from 16 September to early October, highest day total 60 on 22 September; 201 bird-days, 8 October to 5 November; highest day totals 45 on 13th and 21 on 24 October.
1990: before 23 October, 169 bird-days. From 23 October, 33 bird-days, 23 October to 8 November; highest day total 13 on 23 October; only six bird-days in November, when maximum three on 4th.
Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii LT, H, COE—no records. Ch—breeding range extends from central China to Liaoning and includes western Hebei.
1990: one on 1 October.
Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi LT—common migrant, about 19 September to mid-October. H—seen from 25 September to 19 October. COE—216 bird-days, 7-28 May.
1986: 351 bird-days, 21 September to 14 October. The patterns of occurrence of this species and the closely-related Dusky Warbler were much as in spring 1985, i.e. the peak passage periods roughly coincided but the occurrence of the Radde’s Warbler was more concentrated. During the three-and-a-half weeks of passage, the following bird-day totals were logged: 24 during 21st-23rd and 224 during 24-30 September, 79 during 1st-7th and 25 during 8-14 October. A major arrival of the species was evident on 28 September, when 149 birds—the highest day total—were seen.
1987: 229 bird-days, 3 September to 26 October; 164 bird-days between 27 September and 11 October; highest day totals 25 on 27 September, 35 on 7th and 26 on 8 October.
1988 (Ho): 41 bird-days, 22 September to late October; highest day total 22 on 26 September; only 12 bird-days in October.
1989: from 18 September to early October, highest day total 35 on 25 September; 69 bird-days, 7-23 October, when highest day totals 12 on 9th and 18 on 13 October.
1990: before 23 October, 63 bird-days, highest day totals 13 on 18th and 19 on 25 September. From 23 October, the only record was one at LH on 24 October.
Dusky Warbler/Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus/P. schwarzi
1986: 77 bird-days, 18 September to 12 October; the highest day count was 16 on 28 September. Most were recorded on the basis of a tac call heard; this call is typical of the Dusky Warbler; the Radde’s Warbler may give a similar call, though not usually sounding exactly similar to Dusky Warbler—’higher-pitched … and at least sometimes more ringing than the clicking dek dek of Ph. fuscatus’ and ‘sometimes repeated at a quick rate … becoming … even chuckle-like.’ (Hemmingsen’s description, which fits our experience of the two species).
1987: 26 bird-days, 30 August to 24 October; some may have been Yellow-streaked Warblers.
Yellow-browed Warbler (Inornate Warbler) Phylloscopus inornatus inornatus LT—common, 18 August to 30 October. H—common, 28 August to 5 November. COE—2453 bird-days, 11 April to 25 May.
1986: 1528 bird-days, 20 August to 10 November. Significant passage began at the end of August and lasted until the third week of October. The main passage was from about 21 September to 14 October, when 1060 bird-days were recorded, and there were high day totals of 114 on 28 September, 81 on 3rd, 87 on 7th and 101 on 9 October. Numbers dropped sharply after this period. Birds were seen throughout the survey area.
1987: 1476 bird-days, 22 August to 9 November; 859 bird-days from 27 September to 16 October; highest day totals 74 on 29 September, 65 on 2nd and 120 on 13 October.
1988 (Ho): 421 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 3 November; highest day total 56 on 17 October.
1989: from 14 September to early October, highest day totals 100 on 18th and 211 on 22 September; 310 bird-days, 7 October to 8 November; 29 on 9 October; influx produced 101 bird-days over 11-14 October (28 on 13th); further influx resulted in 80 bird-days over 27-30 October (29 on 27th), after which only six bird-days were logged.
1990: before 23 October, 866 bird-days, highest day totals at least 125 on 10th, 70 on 21 September and 50 on 13 October. From 23 October, 86 bird-days, 23 October to 11 November; highest day totals 14 on 29th and 16 on 31 October; 12 bird-days in November, when the only record after 5th was one on 11th.
Pallas’s Leaf-Warbler (Lemon-rumped Warbler) Phylloscopus proregulus LT—common, about 22 September to the end of October. WH—autumn dates from 7 September to 25 October, with one early record on 25 August, at Beidaihe. H—common, 9 September to the end of October. COE—542 bird-days, 1 April to 28 May.
1986: 883 bird-days, 22 September to 19 November; unlike the Yellow-browed Warbler, we found this species more common in autumn than in spring. Passage was quite concentrated, with 773 bird-days logged from 3-21 October. Only seven bird-days were logged in November. The highest day totals were 224 on 12th, 115 on 13th and 64 on 14 October.
1987: 1460 bird-days, 26 September to 19 November; highest day totals 195 on 13th, 395 on 15th and 160 on 16 October.
1988 (Ho): 199 bird-days, 27 September to 8 November.
1989: recorded from 25 September; 1573 bird-days, 7 October to 16 November; 1383 bird-days from 8-20 October (highest day totals 240 on 12th, 395 on 13th and 152 on 19th); 32 bird-days 27-30 October, when it was outnumbered by Yellow-browed Warblers, the bulk of which pass earlier than the Pallas’s Leaf-Warbler; 28 bird-days in November, with the only records after 8th two at LH on 14th and two at Study Gully on 16th.
1990: before 23 October, 225 bird-days, highest day totals 20 on 2nd and 45 on 22 October. From 23 October, 202 bird-days, 23 October to 15 November; highest day totals 66 on 23rd and 51 on 24 October; 21 bird-days in November, when the only record after 9th was one on 15th.
Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis LT—common, 10 August to mid-September. H—some uncertainty over identification, birds believed to be this species seen and/or heard from 15 August to at least 5 September, maybe 5 October. COE—less than 145 bird-days (total includes some misidentified Pale-legged Leaf-Warblers), 28 April to 31 May.
1986: 81 bird-days, 20 August to 13 October. A steady trickle of birds passed to 26 September: seven bird-days were logged from 20-26 August, 23 from 27 August to 7 September, 14 from 8th-13th and 34 from 16-26 September; nine bird-days were logged after 26th. The highest day totals were eight on 20th and seven on 26 September. Recorded throughout the area.
1987: 138 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 10 October; highest day totals 15 on 11th and 11 on 13 September.
1988 (Ho): 27 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 18 September.
1989: 33 bird-days, highest day total six, 15-29 September; 12 bird-days, 7-31 October; a late bird was at Re from around 16 October (seen on five days).
1990: 130 bird-days, highest day totals 15 on 24th, 11 on 26th and 28 on 29 August; all before 23 October.
Two-barred Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides plumbeitarsus LT—abundant, ‘generally travels with P. borealis [Arctic Warbler], but remains much later in autumn.’; observed from the latter half of August to about 22 September—must remain later as one shot 4 October. ‘At the beginning of September 1913 and 1914 this bird swarmed for a few days on some jujube-bushes behind our house.’ H—none identified. COE—less than 69 bird-days (total includes some misidentified Arctic Warblers), 5 May to 1 June.
1986: 35 bird-days were logged from 24 August to 10 October. The main passage followed that of the Arctic Warbler, with 20 bird-days logged from 26 September to 4 October. The highest day total was five on 4 October. This species is very similar to the Arctic Warbler, and records of both may be somewhat unreliable.
1987: 30 bird-days, 5 September to 10 October; highest day total four on 8th and 9 October.
1988 (Ho): five bird-days, 11 September to 3 October.
1989: one on 18th, two on 19th and one on 20 September, one at LH on 9 October.
1990: four bird-days, highest day total two on 16 September; all before 23 October.
We found the Two-barred Greenish Warbler rather uncommon—not abundant as reported by La Touche.
Arctic Warbler/Two-barred Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus borealis/P. trochiloides plumbeitarsus
1986: 57 bird-days were logged from 20 August to 3 October.
1987: 20 bird-days, 30 August to 7 October.
Pale-legged Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes LT—not common, specimens 7th and 29 September, call a loud tsic resembling that of Arctic and Two-barred Warblers. WH—no records, though species recorded in Hebei by other authors. H—27 dates in two autumns, 26 August to 7 October; ‘The call is easily imitated by a short human lip whistle … and resembling that of Phoenicurus a. auroreus [Daurian Redstart] in pitch, tone and frequency, abt. 7-8 call per 5 seconds. Yet it was emitted at less regular intervals and often only 1 or 2-3 calls at a time, and perhaps it was also less "creaking".’ Four specimens collected; comparison of measurements and soft parts colours with those published for Phylloscopus warblers known to occur in Hebei showed that they fit this species only; but one of two specimens taken to Stockholm did not fully correspond with the other specimens available for comparison, e.g. underside much less white and wing formula differs: this was attributed to bird being in (then unknown) juvenile plumage. COE—perhaps five or more birds, misidentified as Arctic Warblers. Ch—migrates through coastal China.
1986: 13 bird-days, 25 August to 13 September. The birds were initially identified as Arctic Warblers, partly on the basis of experience in spring 1985, when the same mistake was made. They were typically rather skulking, dull green above, grey cast on the crown, with a striking pale supercilium and perhaps a faint wing bar on the greater coverts, and exhibited a characteristic downward tail flick, often accompanied by the ‘squeaky-gate’ call, which is presumably the same as Hemmingsen described (but bears little resemblance to Arctic and Two-barred Greenish Warbler calls, in contrast to La Touche’s assertion).
1987: 38 bird-days, 3 September to 8 October; highest day total 20 on 5 September.
1988 (Ho): 40 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 20 September; highest day totals 11 on 10th and nine on 18 September.
1990: five bird-days, highest day total two on 12 September; all before 23 October.
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus LT—three birds, 16 May 1913. H—only one identified, 25 May 1944. COE—44 bird-days, 25 April to 29 May. Ch—breeds in, and migrates through, Hebei.
1986: 22 bird-days, 24 August to 30 September. Only one was seen after 9 September; records were mainly from 24-27 August, when 13 bird-days were logged, and six birds—the highest day count—were seen on 24th.
1987: 11 bird-days, 24 August to 24 September; eight bird-days from 24-29 August.
1990: eight bird-days, all in August, highest day total five on 29th.
Unidentified leaf warblers Phylloscopus sp.
1987: 86 bird-days, beginning of the survey to mid-October.
1988 (Ho): seven bird-days.
Goldcrest Regulus regulus LT—’apparently a very common migrant on the China coast … in October and November.’ H—eight or nine birds in two winters. COE—80 bird-days, from the beginning of the survey to 27 April. Ch—migrant and winter visitor to Hebei.
1986: 91 bird-days were logged from 14 October to 20 November. Eighteen bird-days were logged to 27 October, and 37 bird-days from 28 October to 5 November, marking a shallow peak of passage. The highest day count was six birds, recorded on five dates.
1987: 68 bird-days, 7 October to 25 November; highest day total nine on 3rd and 7 November.
1988 (Ho): 33 bird-days, 12 October to the end of the survey.
1989: 55 bird-days, 23 October to 14 November; highest day total 12 on 10 November.
1990: before 23 October, 18 bird-days. From 23 October, 105 bird-days, throughout the period; highest day total nine on 4 November.
Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed Warbler) Cisticola juncidis LT, H—no records. Sh—one record in Hebei, October. COE—up to three singing males at Re plus three birds elsewhere, assumed to be on passage. Ch—vagrant to Beijing and Tianjin municipalities (though not listed for Beijing in Cai 1987).
1986: 39 bird-days, 20 August to 7 October. During August, 15 bird-days were logged and the maximum day count—five birds—was made on 22nd. A further six bird-days were logged to 8 September; there was then a gap in records until 17th, and the rest of September produced seven bird-days. During the last week of occurrence, 11 bird-days were logged and there was another day total of five birds, on 6 October. Recorded at YH, Re and GS.
1987: 29 bird-days, beginning of the survey to 22 October, though only two records of single birds after 3 September; highest day total six on 28 August.
1989: five bird-days, 8-20 October.
1990: 14 bird-days, highest day total three on 24 August and 12 October; all before 23 October.
Chinese Hill-Warbler Rhopophilus pekinensis (Also considered by some authorities to belong to the babblers.) LT—very common in the mountains. H—no records. COE—five birds, 7 April to 19 May.
1986: there were six records of single birds: in September, at YH on 25th and TH on 30th, and in October at YH on 1st, Se on 2nd, EG on 13th and 14th, and Re on 19th.
1987: 70 bird-days, 24 August to 2 November; two on 24 August and 5 September; more frequent from 13 September; highest day total six on 6 October. Mainly recorded at TH/YH.
1988 (Ho): nine bird-days, 8-18 October.
1989: 30 bird-days, 12 October to 15 November; five bird-days to 28 October; highest day total four on 30 October.
1990: one on 26 September.
It appears that records of this species earlier this century were only from the mountains, and the numbers of birds recorded at Beidaihe in recent years suggest a population increase, perhaps because of mild winters.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 21 May 2006 )
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