Hanoi: Some autumn passage records, 19th Sept.-3rd Oct. 2016

The past 15 days have seen much less migrants passing through Hanoi compared to the 2 first weeks of September. The weather is now probably too good ; many migrants simply passed through without stopping. Unfortunately, no overcast skies, contrary winds or rain in the forecast for the next few days.

The lush microforest at Vuon Nhan yielded both Hill Blue and Chinese Blue Flycatchers, 2 other Brown-breasted Flycatchers (on 20th Sept. and 3rd Oct.), Brown-chested Jungle Flycatchers regularly seen, three species of Drongos (Hair-crested and Ashy D. (leucogenis/salangensis and hopwoodi races) in the wood, Black D. in the open landscape), first Siberian Rubythroat on 2nd October, Siberian Blue Robins often seen/heard (mostly female but also 1 stunning ad. male and 1cy male), the first Orange-headed Thrush of the autumn on 20th Sept., 3-4 individuals on 3rd Oct., first Sulphur-breasted Warblers on 21th, often in mixed-species foraging flocks with Japanese White-eyes, resident Cinerous Tits, Pylloscs ssp. (Arctic, Claudia's, Eastern Crowned...), Amur Paradise Flycatchers...

First Baikal Bush-warbler and Black-browed Reed Warbler of the autumn on 25th. Pale-footed Bush Warbler heard on 3rd October. Seicercus warblers seen at almost each visits - didn’t call and therefore remained unidentified.
1 Black-capped Kingfisher and 1 Dollarbird on 2nd October. The same day, a lone Chestnut-crowned Warbler (excellent bird for the city!) and the first Grey-headed Canary-flycatchers of the season.

Some passage of Black-winged Cuckooshrikes also. A secretive Chestnut-winged Cuckoo noted on 21th, a Nightjar sp. (likeky Grey N.) photographed the 20th by Tuong Bach, 2 Wrynecks and 1 passage migrant Hoopoe on 21th. And another juvenile Malayan Night Heron on 29th.

No sighting of Tiger Shrike anymore (early autumn migrant), and much less Amur Paradise Flycatchers than 2 weeks ago. Few sightings of Yellow-rumped Fycatchers also (in Hanoi, most of autumn records are in the last ten days of August and the first twenty days of September) and none of Asian Koels (regularly seen at the beginning of September).

Mid-September, near Vuon Nhan, the mudflats along the Red River at Vinh Thuy bridge also yielded 90+ Grey-headed Lapwings.
At Botanical Gardens, a gorgeous male Siberian Thrush found on 3rd Oct..

In the same area (Vuon Nhan), Tom Kompier also spotted at least 8 Blue-throated Bee-eaters and 1 Thick-billed Green Pigeon on 24th Sept.- both are interesting records for Hanoi. Sightings of  Treron in the city are scarce (the other one recorded here is Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon). Most green pigeons are noted wanderers so there is always the possibility of encountering vagrants in unusual locations. 

And last but not least, Tom's girlfriend, Kameliya, found 3 Red-necked Phalaropes on 28th Sept. at West Lake, the largest lake of the city. Two individuals (juveniles) were still there on 29th, 30th Sept.and 1st Oct. incredibly tame as usual. At the Phalarope's spot, I spotted on 30th a distant flock of 7 unidentified Terns.

At this time of year, considering the number of bird photographers at Vuon Nhan and other small woodlots, we go out not hoping, but expecting to get interesting records. Recently, we have rarely been disappointed. Hey guys, keep up the great work and don't forget to share with me your data (species, count, location and date)  - and not only beautiful images on Facebook ;) !


Sébastien

Male Siberian Thrush, 3rd Oct., Botanical Gardens

It's been too long since I've seen this Thrush, my favorite one, in Hanoi. What a fantastic bird, both beautiful and elusive. The second Zoothera thrush seen this autumn. Turdus thrushes will arrive later (usually in late Oct.-early Nov.).

Male Orange-headed Thrush (top), Vuon Nhan, 28th Sept.
Female Orange-headed Thrush (below), Botanical Gardens, 3rd Oct.
Like the microforest of Vuon Nhan, the Botanical Gardens is a very effective migrant trap.

Brown-brested Flycatcher, Vuon Nhan. A scarce but regular passage migrant

Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes/borealoides, Vuon Nhan. As is usually the case, because the bird in this photo was not singing (passage migrants can sing in spring), I was unable to identify it beyond the level of Pale-legged/Sakhalin

Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope, West Lake, 29th Sept.
A scarce passage migrant in Vietnam, mostly recorded along the coast in C. and S. Annam, Cochinchina, sometimes in large flocks at coastal aquaculture ponds. Also regularly recorded inland in the Da Lat Plateau. Rarer in the North, recorded at least from Xuan Thuy N.P.

Very tame, most approachable of all waders

Female Black-naped Monarch, Vuon Nhan

Female Siberian Blue Robin, Vuon Nhan

1st calendar year male Siberian Blue Robin, Vuon Nhan

Male Hill Blue Flycatcher, Vuon Nhan

Same individual

1st calendar year Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Vuon Nhan

Same individual, close-up on head

1st calendar year Dark-sided Flycatcher, Vuon Nhan, so weak and exhausted it cannot stand on a perch

Chestnut-crowned Warbler, 2nd October, Vuon Nhan
Scarce migrant (altitudinal I think) in Hanoi, all records in autumn (previous ones: 10th Oct. 2013, mid-Nov. 2014)

Sulphur-breasted Warbler, Vuon Nhan

Claudia's Leaf Warbler, 2nd Oct., Vuon Nhan - a common passage migrant

Black-browed Reed Warbler, 25th Sept., Vuon Nhan 

Juvenile Malayan Night Heron playing hide-and-seek, 29th Sept, Vuon Nhan

Residents and (few) migrants at Ba Vi / 2-3th May

One week ago, I headed to Ba Vi National Park and spent 2 days there.  I chose Ba Vi because there were lots of tourist during these days at Tam Dao. Of course Ba Vi attract also lots of tourist but they generally avoid my secrete place hehe..., right under the ruins of the French church (at ca 650m asl).

The first day was not too easy, I arrived at 2pm and soon found a singing male Hainan Blue Flycatcher. Not so long after, I spotted 2 other individuals. Some common birds in fruiting trees include Puff-throated and Black Bulbuls, Black-naped Oriole - the latter being a lifer. Before the sunset, I got some shots of a male Fork-tailed Sunbird. 

The day after, I woke up early and went to an alt. of 400m, cannot go higher because of the fog...  I spotted there a pair of Crimson Sunbird, a Grey-chinned Minivet, a pair of Striped Tit Babblers... After that, I saw a Green-billed Malkoha perched on a dead branch, but too far for a good shot. 

At 10am, when the fog lifted, I went back to the place under the church. 

For the second time I saw a male Red-headed Trogon perched 100m away. I quickly took out my camera but as I was about to pull the trigger, some Drongos mobbed it, and it flew off, never to be seen again. Arghhh, f........g drongos! 

One hour after, I was more than happy to discover a nest of Red-vented Barbet. I hide myself in my camouflaged tent for more than 2 hours. Had some good shots of this lifer :D  But I didn’t want to make the birds uncomfortable, so after that, I left quickly the place. 

After having a very fast lunch, I stayed at the feet of a fruiting tree and waited for some more birds.  Same stuff: Black and Puff-throated Bulbuls, Black-naped Oriole… But finally, 2 lifers came for a nice ending birding trip: an Orange-bellied Leafbird and a stunning male Siberian Thrush. 

Le Viet Tuan Hoang

singing male Hainan Blue Flycatcher

Black-naped Oriole

male Fork-tailed Sunbird

Red-billed Blue Magpie

Red-vented Barbet at nest

Puff-throated Bulbul

Black Bulbul

male Orange-bellied Leafbird

male Siberian Thrush

More thrushes

Morning visit to the botanical gardens:

Japanese Thrush 10 + (1st winter m and f, adult f)
Grey-backed Thrush 2 (?) 1st winter f
Eyebrowed Thrush 1 f
Siberian Thrush 1 f
Scaly Trush 1

Simon and Florian

Some great thrushes in the botanical gardens

This morning there were at least 20 thrushes in the botanical gardens. Since I was in a rush I concentrated on identifying the easy ones:
Japanese Thrush adult male 3
Japanese Thrush adult female 2
Japanese Thrush 1st winter male 4
Black-breasted Thrush adult female 1
Chinese Blackbird 2 (male and female)

I left all the 1st winter females....

Florian then visited shortly afterwards and found an adult male Black-breasted Thrush!

Simon

• At noon there, I saw also :

Grey-backed Thrush female adult 1
Grey-backed Thrush 1st winter 1-2
Eyebrowed Thrush male adult 1
Siberian Thrush 1 (without tail !)
Orange-headed Thrush 1
Rufous-tailed Robin 1

Videos will follow !

Sebastien

Eyebrowed Thrush male (the shiest of all the Thrushes there)

Siberian Thrush... with a little problem

Grey-backed Thrush female. Compared to the Black-breasted female : brownish bill, slightly marked on breast, paler brown-olive tinged upperparts (Robson).

Grey-backed Thrush female (in the background/no spots on the rufous flanks, slight streeks on breast) and - I suppose - a Grey-backed Thrush 1st winter

This supposed Grey-backed Thrush 1st winter : flanks largely orange with spots, heavily marked on breast than adult female.

Black-breasted Thrush male adult

Ba Vi National Park

Hi all,

Last Saturday, a day trip to Ba Vi produced - only - 23 species :

Asian Barred Owlet (heard), Bulbuls (Puff-throated, Ashy, Black, 10+ each), White-bellied Yuhina, Sunbirds (1 Fork-tailed, 1 Black-throated/lifer for me), Trushes (2-3 Orange-headed, 7-8 Siberian, 1 Scaly), 1 Crested Goshawk, 1 Mountain Tailordbird, Babblers (1 Grey-throated, 1 Buff-breasted), Barbets (many Golden-throated, 1 Green-eared), some flocks of Scarlet Minivets, 1 Red-headed Trogon, some Silver-eared Mesias, 2 Grey Bushchats, 3 Orange-bellied Leafbirds, 1 Silver-breasted Broadbill, some Phyllos non ID...

Sebastien
Siberian Thrush male

Siberian Thrush male 1st winter

Buff-breasted Babbler

Silver-breasted Broadbill

Crested Goshawk

Lenin Park, Hanoi - Siberian Thrush, Blue-and-White Flycatcher

Hi all,

amongst others the following was seen at Lenin Park today (28th):

1 male Grey Bushchat (northern entrance, thanks Sebastien!)
1 male Siberian Thrush (flower nursery - only poor views)
1 female Blue-and-White Flycatcher (still behind the toilets)
1 Thick-billed Warbler (in the Bamboo stands near the nursery)
1 Dusky Warbler (in the hedge row next to the nursery)
1 Asian Brown Flycatcher
8-10 Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers
3 White Wagtails

Cheers,
Roland Männel, Falk

Rufous-ckeeked Laughingthush! Ba Vi

After numerous fruitless attempts I finally managed to see the Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush in Ba Vi. No tape or effort needed, they were just there, a quiet party of six birds, at the beginning of the steps up to the left peak (Uncle Ho's). Seen once more on the way down, really good and close views, beautiful birds!
Other interesting birds: 2 Orange-headed thrushes, 2 Siberian Thrushes (female and male), 1 first winter Blue-and-white Flycatcher. And one more lifer, but I won't tell which one ;-)
Florian, with Christian and Nils

Trip list here.

Thrushes in Botanical Gardens

During a quick morning visit we found a nice selection of thrushes in the botanical gardens:

Eyebrowed Thrush 1 female/1st winter
Siberian Thrush 1 female (prob. the same seen by Sebastien yesterday)
Orange-headed Thrush 5
Blue Whistling Thrush 1
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher 1

Simon and Florian

Siberian Thrush - Botanical Garden

Hi all,

Today 19th October a lunchtime visit to the Red River Island produced nothing special (if I refer to the observations of the 16-17th October), except 1 female Grey Bushchat.

In the Botanical Garden, I came across a Thrushes party around the huuuge banian at the eastern part of the park, with :

- 5 Orange-headed T.

- 1+ Blue Whistling T.

- 1 (probably 2) Siberian T. /pics below

after an active foraging, it stayed motionless a long time on the ground in this position. Strange bird...

An Asian Stubtail was still hanging around the toilets.
Three cheers for hanoian`s public toilets !

Sebastien