Ba Be Lake Sunday 22 and Monday 23 December 2013

A first winter Black-legged Kittiwake was a very unexpected find at Ba Be Lake on the afternoon of Sunday 22 December. It was still present on the 23 December.  This appears to be the first record for Vietnam and South-East Asia.  Also present on the 22 and again on 23 December was a female Greater Scaup.  Also present at the shallow margins of the south shore of the lake was a Eurasian Coot, four Long-billed Plovers and perhaps 10 Buff-bellied Pipits.  The largest flock of Mandarin Duck counted was 29 individuals.  On the morning of 23 December I counted five White-eared Night Herons returning to roost and later found an immature roosting near the lake edge.
Jonathan C Eames

Black-legged Kittiwake Ba Be Lake 22 December 2013

Long-billed Plover Ba Be Lake 23 December 2013

Female Greater Scaup Ba Be Lake 23 December 2013

Mandarin Ducks Ba Be Lake 22 December 2013

White-eared Night Heron Ba Be Lake 23 December 2013

White-eared Night Heron, Ba Be NP, 23/04/11

Hi all,

A successful trip to Ba Be on the weekend produced the hoped-for adult White-eared Night Heron.
However, no Eared Pittas were recorded.
Quite a few Limestone Leaf Warblers put in an appearance, and a possible Collared Treepie was heard but in the end eluded us. A big flock of Black Bulbuls (both, leucothorax and stresemanni) and a few alboides White Wagtails were seen.
Not much else was around on a very tiring trip.

Cheers,
Simon + Falk