Short birding strolls at the local "hot spots" (Lenin Park (1), Botanical garden (2), wooded area of the Red River Island (3), new patch at Gia Lam (4)) produced the following, among others :
Asian Stubtail exploring rubble full of rubbish. The challenge was how to take a photo of this guy without plastic bags around. Lenin Park/Toilet area.Good video (October 2010, exactly at the same place) here.
- 1 Manchurian Bush-warbler (3), good views (during 15 seconds. With a such mega-skulker I can consider it was a good observation ! But not enough - not yet !- for a photo)
- 1 Ashy Minivet, 1 Verditer Fly (3)
- 2 Asian Stubtails (1, 2), both behind the WC
- 1 female Orange-headed Thrush (4)
- 2 Grey Bushchats (1), male and female together
- some Asian Brown Fly (1, 2, 3, 4)
- 2 Taiga Fly (4)
- some Dusky Warblers (1, 3, 4)
- some Grey-headed Canary Fly (1, 2, 3, 4)
- some Black Drongos (1, 3)
- 1 Ashy Minivet, 1 Verditer Fly (3)
- 2 Asian Stubtails (1, 2), both behind the WC
- 1 female Orange-headed Thrush (4)
- 2 Grey Bushchats (1), male and female together
- some Asian Brown Fly (1, 2, 3, 4)
- 2 Taiga Fly (4)
- some Dusky Warblers (1, 3, 4)
- some Grey-headed Canary Fly (1, 2, 3, 4)
- some Black Drongos (1, 3)
Sébastien Delonglée
A Flycatcher and its friend enjoying the morning sun/Lenin Park
A gorgeous female Orange-headed Thrush
The famous Toilet area of the Lenin Park that the World envies us !Flycatchers list for memory : Dark-sided Flycatcher, Asian Brown Fly, Brown-breasted Fly, Brown-chested Jungle Fly, Ferruginous Fly, Verditer Fly, Yellow-rumped Fly, Green-backed Fly, Mugimaki Fly, Taiga Fly, Snowy-browed Fly, Blue-and-White Fly, Fujian Niltava, Hainan Blue Fly, Chinese/Hill Blue Fly, Grey-headed Canary Fly, Black-naped Monarch, Asian Paradise Fly - among many other good birds - have been spotted here !
Lenin Park scenery 
Very nice! Also, great write-up. But you're not leaving, aren't you?
ReplyDeleteCheers
Falk
Yeah, I've got fond memories of those toilets :)
ReplyDeleteLast news (20th October) : a flock of 15-20 Temminck`s Stints under the Vinh Tuy Bridge/Hanoi.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am still in Hanoi, but my birding activities these days are a little bit `up and down`, sorry for that...
Sebastien
Sorry, but the "stubtail" is actually a Radde's Warbler.
ReplyDeleteHi David,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to this blog, I read yours almost every day !
Well, I am sorry David but this guy is really a stubtail. The difference in shape between A. stubtail and Radde`s W. is, in my opinion, important. The stubtail has a very short tail and the head appear very big, a little bit `disproportionate` with the rest of the body. I will add for argument the pinkish legs (for this individual it is particularly striking/...and I didn`t push the color slider of Photoshop or Lightroom too far to the right!) and the behaviour (of course invisible on the pic) : always on the ground (fly up to branches only when disturbed), moving slowly with continous slight wings movements (that`s why the wings appear blurred on the photo)...
I hope I have convinced you.
Cheers,
Sebastien
David, I just want to add this : if you really think that this guy is a Radde`s W., then you must admit it is also the case of the bird on the video. I invit you to watch it carefully ;)
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Sebastien
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteI can see where you're coming from. I too thought the bird shared some features of a Radde's Warbler.
The bill doesn't look stout enough for a Radde's. The legs are almost bright pink, and I'd say the upper parts are relatively dark.
After having read Sebastien's descriptions, I have not much doubt that this bird is indeed an Asian Stubtail, though - as I said - I can see what you mean.
Cheers
Falk
Re: My previous post
ReplyDeleteSorry, that might have been a bit confusing. I meant to agree with Sebastien also because of the features I added.
Oh, and by the way, it's always nice to share reasons for different identifications, so people can learn from each other.
No offense,
Falk
The more I look at this bird, the more it actually looks like a Pale-footed Bush Warbler...
ReplyDeleteOK, I'll stop thinking about it right now!
Falk
So what now guys? Three opinions, can you please decide what it is? :-)
ReplyDeleteStubtail for me, from compact and bit wierd shape (the 2 proposed warblers should be longer I think), rufous color, behaviour...
Cheers, and keep up finding and posting! Thrush time soon!
xin chao Florian,
ReplyDeleteIt was a Stubtail with a Raddle`s head or a Raddle with a Stubtail`s body ;)
No,seriously, it was a Stubtail. I am sure 100%.
Cheers,
Sebastien