Sunday, 4th April, 9am to 4.15pm

Beidaihe, Nandaihe and Qilihai

No Vs, Ws, Ys, or whatever in the way of crane sky-writing. Which, given that the flying-conditions were more or less perfect, doesn't bode well (for would-be crane-watchers that is). In fact, there was nothing whatsoever in the sky (moving purposely in a northish direction) all day.

I started off at the Nandaihe ponds - several of which, very sadly, have already succombed to the march of "progress" (note to self: take a deep breath and try to avoid setting off on a thousand word rant). All I will say at this point is that the saddest sight I've seen for a while was a pair of kingfishers taking turns to drill out a nesting hole in a temporary sand bank made by the bulldozers. The futility of this was just too upsetting to photograph.

Not the best start to the day (for them or for me).

The Grey-headed Lapwing I saw here - my first of the spring - did nothing to lift my spirits.

On to Qilihai - which I'm liking more and more, because it's the one place in the region where you can't hear and see construction work.

It's interesting to see the turnover of birds in a short period of time (this was my 3rd visit there in 6 days). The new arrivals were a pair of Black-winged Stilts [I had seen a dozen earlier at the Yang river in Nandaihe, with 4 Garganey there also], a Common Sandpiper, 2 Siberian Stonechats, c50 Far Eastern Curlew (I didn't see a single Eurasian today), and far more Hoopes (c20 here).

Avocet numbers were down to c100 (from c400 on the 30th March); and Eastern Black-tailed Godwits to c60 (from c100).

Will try again for Eastern Water Rail and Japanese Reed Bunting tomorrow at Sandflat's reedbed, while keeping an eye out for approaching cranes (and bulldozers).

Photos of:

245 Grey-headed Lapwing (monotypic)
246 White Wagtail (sp leucopsis)
247 Black-winged Stilt (monotypic)
248 Common Sandpiper (monotypic)
249 Common Teal (nom ssp crecca)
250 Japanese Quail (monotypic)

and a flock of Shelduck and Black-tailed Godwit

Monday, 5th April, 7.00 to 12pm

Beidaihe, Sandflats and "Reservoir"

A bitingly cold and penetrating easterly wind, gusting to gale force, made birding on the Sandflats challenging to say the least.

A Spotted Redshank (251) was new for the year as were chapped lips and chin.

Tuesday, 6th April, 9.30 to 6pm

The Lotus Hills were quite lovely, as was the view from the top, from where you could see beyond the white igloo monstrosity just before Qilihai, about 20 bird-miles away. The thing that struck me as I stood on top of the highest peak there was the complete lack of visible migration. There wasn't a single bird in the azure sky - despite the seemingly ideal migration conditions. How odd.

But birds had arrived. I saw more Red-flanked Bluetails (photo) here in a few hours than I'd ever seen in a single day anywhere. About 50 birds.

An "Asian" Goldcrest (253), ssp/sp japonensis, which I rank as quite a scarce passage migrant in these parts, was new for the year; as was the Black-faced Bunting (254) . Also, several Brambling, 3 Elegant Buntings and a few Daurian Redstarts (photo) were also nice to watch.

The Friendship Hotel at Beidaihe is one of the migration hot-spots in May. Today, though, I didn't even see a single Bluetail here, which is surprising given that a plane load had touched down a mile or so to the west. Just outside the gardens, though, was a small group of Chinese Grosbeaks (photo), including an immaculate male that very kindly twisted its head in my direction as I was lining it up in the viewfinder.

No matter how old you are, there's always a few new things to see. During my 2 hour walk to Qinhuangdao, I saw three things I've never witnessed before.

The first was a marauding flock of bird photographers. I'd seen them in China before, but never in such numbers, and never so heavily tooled up. BTW I refer to them as "them" because, although I don't have anything against (most) bird photographers, I do have a policy of only taking photographs of birds I find myself , so it's not often I find myself in the their company.

Anyhow, this lot had surrounded a flock of gulls on the beach. They were doing what bird photographers tend to do... inching forwards to get a better shot than the last shot. I went back to watching my "own" flock of gulls, several hundred yards from them. While I was photographing an interesting medium-size gull that was showing characteristics of Common Gull, I heard a man screaming. I turned to witness a very odd sight indeed. One of the photogaphers had broken away from the group and was charging towards the line of gulls, with his camera held out in front of him like a gun. If gulls have ever rolled their eyes and shook their heads before flying off, then this was the time to see it. The bucket and spade brigade often disturb feeding and resting waders and gulls on the Sandflats, but there's now a new threat... the Banchee Photographer.

I re-focussed my attention on the bird that looked like a "Common Gull". I had been looking for one of these (on and mostly off of course) for years, and there it was... a bird that had both things, if my understanding is right, that constitute a heinei Common Gull (255) : pale [khaki?] legs, and a same-colour, ringed bill. It was standing near to a bright yellow-legged and bright-yellow (unringed) billed Kamchatka Gull which helped a lot of course. So, if I'm right (have a look at the photo and decide for yourself), it's a "new" bird not only for the year, but also for my China list. In case you are wondering, The BBBC recognise Kamchatca Gull (monotypic) and Common Gull (ssp henei) as distinct species. And The BBBC list is the list that counts of course. Please

I looked behind me and, seeing that the Banchees were approaching, I decided to get as far away from them as possible... and set-off to walk to Qinhuangdao.  Photos of a Black-tailed Gull (2 photos), a summer-plumage Kentish Plover, and a Mongolian Gull on the way.

After three or four miles, and having survived a raid from a scout, who began waving his camera-free arm at a flock of gulls I was watching (until I shouted at him), I saw something gold ginting on the sea, about a 7 iron (150 yards) out.

This was the third thing I'd never seen before: A Black-necked Grebe actually on the Bo sea (In China, up until then, I'd only seen them on ponds and lakes). I watched and photographed it for several minutes as it was diving and surfacing with glistening small fish, before I noticed another one close by. Getting the two together in the same frame (and both in focus) proved to be too difficult.

As luck would have it, about a mile further down, I found another pair of summer-plumage Black-necked Grebes (256) among a flock of Goldeneye, that were slightly closer-in. Not a great photo by any stretch of the imagination, but getting any photo of a pair of BNG's swimming together on the sea in China can't be that bad a shot.

Wednesday, 7th April

Yan Mountains

There are some good mountain areas within 90 minutes drive of Beidaihe, and today I visited two locations: "Temple Mountain" and the "East Gate" of "Old Peak".

If you are a bird flying over the area, Temple Mountain must look like an oasis. This pines here are outstanding - not just because the are surrounded by denuded slopes - but also that there were more Chinese Nuthatches (photo) here than I have seen at any other location. I had so many sightings in the two hours there that I tend to think that there were three pairs, although it could have been that one of the pairs was ranging widely.

As well as the nuthatches, there were three or four Pallas's Warblers, at least one Yellow-bellied Tit, one Goldcrest, c40 Vinous-throated Parrotbills (photo), several Brambling and a pair of Songar Tits. I was particularly interested in the Songars because I hadn't photographed them so far this year - but try as I might, I could only manage photos of the branches they had just perched on. Also, the three Bluetails I saw here confirmed what I suspected - that this "oasis" would be a good migrant stop-over.

I also saw a Chinese Nuthacth about 1KM up from The East Gate of Old Peak (which remains a well-forested protected area I'm pleased to report). Also there, several Godlewski's Buntings (photo) and a Songar Tit (257) that did make it on to the memory card.

Near here, a party of 4 or 5 Common Swifts graced the hillside.

Thursday, 8th April

Qilihai, 3.30 to 5.30pm

If you have a 6 year-old, then the beach at Qilihai is a great place to go.  Sahara-like sand dunes, and the best beachcombing on the coast.  But, as much as I enjoy hunting for beautifully-patterned shells, I just had to take my camera along... "just in case". 

Just as well, because I saw something that I suspect is quite an unusual sight - 3 "bean" geese flying over the sea.  "Bean" geese per se can be expected at this time of year, but I certainly didn't expect to see both types of them flying together.  Unless I've completely lost the plot (don't bet against it), then the photos show a serrirostris ("Tundra"), sandwiched between two middendorffii ("Taiga") 258.  Mark Brazil in his East Asia book sums it up very well indeed: "Taiga slightly larger, with longer, more slender bill and more Whooper Swan-like head and bill shape.  Tundra has shorter, thicker neck, rounder head and stubbier bill..."  

And, would you believe it, I found yet another pair of Black-necked Grebe on the sea (one of which was not quite in summer-plumage).