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Bird news from Vietnam, from Vietnam's resident and visiting birders.

18 March 2012

Birding the tomato fields! - Hanoi

Yesterday afternoon I managed to snatch a couple of hours birding around the Hanoi's flower and apricot village of Nhat Tan, which is famous for producing kumquat trees for Tet. I spotted all the 'usual suspects' we encounter at this period of the year in the cultivation.

The most interesting areas were not the kumquat gardens but the tomato fields! I have noticed for a while that those plots provide interesting habitat for some passerine birds, especially when the rows are not well kept (few chemical treatments), thus facilitating the development of weeds. For example, two skulkers, the Siberian Rubythroat and the Bluethroat, often forage in or around those fields.
Star bird of the day was Black-faced Bunting, the second time I have spotted this species in the area, with previous sighting also in March.

Two blurred shots of a stunning male in full breeding plumage

Very skittish bird

This one should have been the best of the serie, but...

An another male, perched on stick with grey skybackground - the usual winter atmosphere here...

The whitish throat and whitish submoustachial stripe makes me think it is a 1st winter bird.

Also a supposed young male, with an obvious dark malar line and a less greyish breast


The 2 external rectrices are white.

This little brown jobbie was skulking slowly on the ground. I didn't found any key features to clinch the ID. Yellowish legs, buffy supercilium, blackish eyestripe, buffy flanks-wash. Any ideas ? A Bush Warbler (?) but which one...


Funny Prinias... (Yellow-bellied above, Plain bellow)

Sebastien

11 comments:

  1. Great work, as always. Your photos are getting better and better. Any chance of throwing up a Gmap, of the tomato fields, as I am yet to see a black-faced bunting in Asia.

    Wayne

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  2. I think the warbler in question fits OK for a Dusky. Did you hear any calls?
    Cheers,
    Falk

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  3. Hi Falk,
    No, not a single call. In the photo this bird appears to me a little bit `strange`. It's just an overall impression. Maybe this guy just woke up!

    Sebastien

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  4. Where outside of Asia have you seen Black-faced Bunting Wayne?!

    Also a vote in support of Dusky Warbler and the tomato fields - they're usually be best place to search for birds on the island!

    Simon

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  5. Hi Simon

    Actually i think I got mixed up with a Reed bunting which I saw in Llobregat, Spain, which had a black face.

    Sebastien, were you on Island, or on Nhat Tan, off the side of Au Co, kind of opposite the Xuan Dieu?

    Wayne

    Wayne

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  6. I was not on the island, but in the cultivations between the island (the channel if you want) and the town, in front of the tip of the island.

    Sebastien

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  7. Ah, right by my house then. Kind of close to the cemetaries there? I will have a dig around, when I am back from Thailand.

    Wayne

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    Replies
    1. superbes photos d' oiseaux. Nous n' avons pas les mêmes à SJDLL. Toujours aussi bon ornithologue notre Seb. Je viens de les découvrir. Félicitations
      Romain35

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    2. Avé Romain, bienvenue sur ce blogue ! Tu as trouvé tout seul ou un indic t'a mis sur la piste ;)
      Eh oui, on ne se refait pas - zoziaux un jour zoziaux toujours !
      A +
      Sebastien

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  8. Hello. I'll be in Hanoi in July for work and would love to go birdwatching for a day. Are there any guides in the area? Specific recommendations of where to go/to do? Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous,

      You wouldn't need guides for Hanoi - not necessarily at least. Have a look through this blogspot, and you'll find information on a few sites, including Red River Island and the city's parks. However, birding Hanoi in July is normally rubbish, so better to go to Cuc Phuong National Park, Ba Vi National Park or Tam Dao National Park. Only Cuc Phuong offers guiding services. Maybe one of our VN guys/guides wants to offer his/her services here?
      It's easy to get to the parks if you rent a car with driver - trickier if you try on your own with public transport (definitely possible for Cuc Phuong and Tam Dao though). As I said, July will be a tough time, so don't expect too much...

      Cheers,
      Falk

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