Chinese Penduline Tits at Hanoi

Today (31th  December) was one of those days that makes me grateful to be a regular patchworker. There is always something new to see, something new to learn, and sometimes a great surprise around the corner.
 

This morning I headed to the Red River, more exactly to the place called “Bai Da Song Hong”, only few kilometers from the city center. This area is a mix of shrubs, woodland, grassland, reedbeds, sandbars and open water, crossed by small tracks. This is the most popular place in Hanoi for... wedding photos. A scenic place, good birds, beautiful brides..... A great spot!

I parked my bike and headed out onto the trails. After a few minutes walk, a small bird perched on a reed attracted my attention. I hurriedly put my bins to my eyes and was more than happy to discover a Chinese Penduline Tit, part of a small party (ca 5 ind.) busily exploring reedbeds.

Below a heavily-cropped (photographer speak for crap) record shot taken with a... 100mm macro lens (a great lens for butterflies and dragonflies but not for birds!). The worse photo ever published on this blog for sure, sorry for that, but enough to validate the sighting. Should have my 400mm next week, fingers crossed.

Apparently there are very few records of Chinese Penduline Tit from Vietnam (1 or 2 according to Lê Manh Hung), although of course the lack of people checking suitable habitat in winter is certainly a factor.

This species is recorded in Robson for East Tonkin, as vagrant. 

Happy New Year!

May you see wonderful birds in 2015!

Sébastien

PS : relocated the flock on January 2. Got better views and slightly better images. Five individuals, majority of first-winter (pale mask), at least one adult male. Perched on reeds and tall grasses at the edge of a pond, sometimes on top of peach trees in a nearby orchard.

Remiz consobrinus, male ad. and 1st winter bird. 
Hopefully they will stick around a few more days and someone will take better photos than me.

According to literature, breeds in the Russian Far East and northeast China. Winters in eastern and southern China (Yangtze valley, Yunnan, Hong Kong), South Korea and South Japan. An increase in the wintering grounds was recorded in the last decades.