The botanical gardens in north-west Beijing are
always worth a visit. Indeed, when the sun is shining brightly on a mild winter’s morning, there are few other
places – in Beijing at least – I would rather be. This time of year, the gardens, which nestle between the
Fragrant Hills and the Jade Spring Mountain, attract many birds that spend the warmer months at higher elevations, or higher
latitudes.
.
This morning the birds were literally jumping… In just four hours I managed to see and
photograph more than 20 species, including Pygmy Woodpecker (1 of 4 “pygmies” seen and heard); a flock of 6 Siberian
Accentors; 2 Chinese Hill Warblers; 2 Red-billed Blue Magpies; several Eastern Great Tits; a Northern Goshawk; several Spotted
Doves; a few Dusky and Naumann’s Thrushes; 7 Chinese Grosbeaks; at least 2 Chinese Nuthatches; a dozen Bramblings; more
than 100 Azure-winged Magpies; a Collared Finchbill; and 20 Long-tailed Tits with 2 “very late” Pallas’s
Warblers in attendance – birds that should already be in southern China and beyond, or at least well-south of the Yellow
River by now.
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Perhaps the surprise of the day was the Red-flanked Bluetail - not because
it's a rare bird, but because it was in full voice - mistaking the unusually mild weather for a sign of an
early spring perhaps?
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If you ever
find yourself in Beijing and the pace of the city is getting a little bit too much, then why not hop into a taxi and ask for
Beijing Zhíwùyuán北京植物园. 30 minutes later (from central Beijing)
you’ll be walking in the best area of mature woodland that Beijing has to offer and you'll also be seeing and hearing
some of Beijing's best birds.
.
Birds that appear below:
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Grey-capped Pygmy
Woodpecker (2)
Red-flanked Bluetail
Collared Finchbill (1 seen, but photo taken in Botanical Gardens on 6 November)
Pallas's Warbler (2 seen, but photo taken in Botanical Gardens on 6 November)
Chinese Nuthatch
Chinese Grosbeak
Long-tailed Tit
Spotted
Dove
Chinese Hill Warbler
Dusky/Naumann's Thrush
Naumann's Thrush
Siberian Accentor
