Asian Openbill - No going back home.

Hi all,

I've been recorded Asian Openbill migrateed to Northern more than two years ago, 24 individuals at that time in Van Long. Last year I saw more and more individuals in different places as Van Long again and Thanh Mien bird garden in Hai Duong Pro, about more than 500 inds in both places. This year I often go passing through Van Long and I always see them there. I though that Van Long is very good new habitat and they do breeding there. I also see Watercock, Black Bittern, Garganey and more resident stuff.

Asian Openbill - Van Long

Asian Openbill - Van Long

 Plain Prinia - Van Long

 Delacour Langur - Endemic to Vietnam

 My photo team

Cheers!

Bui Duc Tien - Bird watching and  bird photography tour guide: tienpitta@gmail.com

Asian Openbills over Hanoi

Hi all!

Yesterday, in the way back from Bavi I saw 18 Asian Openbills soaring over the marshes area (near Thien Duong Bao Son - 8 km from Big C, Hanoi) at about 2 pm. They have tried to land but there were several people and also one hunter looked for other birds at the site. It seems to be they started migrating back to the breeding sites.

I stopped and have some more photos of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas then have to chased them before the hunter arrived.

The Raptors were slow at Bavi this week, but I have good shots of Grey-headed Parakeets (new photos for me in north of Vietnam).

Anyway, many birds have been sold along to the Thang Long highway including White-breasted Waterhen, Common Moorhen, Black-crowned Night Heron, Egrets, Doves, 01 Great Bittern and even many Drongos.

Bests!

Hung Le

Asian Openbills soaring just above Thang Long highway

  Jacanas at the marshes area where Asian Openbill wanted to land

Grey-headed Parakeets at Bavi National Park

More Asian Openbill in North Vietnam

Dear All!

Sunday 23 Sep, I had the chance taking some school childrens visit Dao Co Thanh Mien at Thanh Mien District, Hai Duong Province (about 80 km from Hanoi). I was a little bit surprise with about 250 Asian Openbill roosting at the garden with very peaceful even many visitors around them.

An adult-non breeding individual

Very peaceful group

Juvenile

Even on the top of a small pagoda

Hung Le

Asian Openbills - Van Long

Ca 200 Asian Openbills spotted the 1st September at Van Long. Nice place, nice sight!

Van Long - Asian Openbills still around!

Hi all,

A morning spent at Van Long Nature Reserve revealed the hoped-for Openbill storks!
At least 29 were counted!

Other birds seen included (amongst others),
Yellow, Cinnamon and Black bittern, Purple Heron, Great White Egret, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Purple Swamphen, Little Grebes with chicks, White-browed Crakes, 1 possible Ruddy-breasted Crake, White-breasted and Common Kingfishers, Common Moorhen, Oriental Reed Warbler.

It was great to see that once very common countryside birds (now absent from many areas, especially in northern VN) like Crested Mynas, White-shouldered Starlings, Scaly-breasted Munias and Paddyfield Pipits are doing well at Van Long.

Unfortunately a lot of fishing / collecting went on in the wetland areas.

No Bonelli's eagles or Watercocks.

We didn't try for the langurs but opted for some cold beers at the excellent Van Long Restaurant instead. There we saw 2 pretty late warblers - Eastern Crowned and Arctic.

Cheers,
Wayne Hodgkinson, John Parr, Falk Wicker

The stars of today

White-shouldered Starling

Cinnamon Bittern

Paddyfield Pipit

Huge Openbill Storks roost at Dien Bien Phu

Information found in the vietnamese press online yesterday (Vietnam+) : 600-700 Asian Openbill Storks have been roosting in some pine hills at Dien Bien Phu for one month now. The birds leave the place at dawn and return before sunset.

The same flock spotted recently at the frontier district of Muong Te (Lai Chau Province), 100 kms north ?

The local authorities took measures to stop poaching - that's good !

Sébastien

'Strange Birds' News

Hi all,

Just read interesting new online articles about "chim lạ" ("strange birds" in Vietnamese), concerning vagrants Asian Openbills in North̃-West & Centre Vietnam (recently) and flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes in Ninh Thuân province (one month ago).

Asian Openbills feeding in rice fields in Muong Te district, Lai Châu province (Dan Tri, 23th April 2012)

*The first articles (here and here, 23th April 2012) concern “hundreds of strange birds” (Asian Openbills) recently appeared at the frontier district of Muong Te (Lai Chau province). The local authorities told the farmers not to kill the birds, with few success. The farmers think that the birds trampled their rice plants - an excellent reason to shoot them. This article said also that those birds were “relatively tame and approachable, so easy preys for local people”! At least 10 individuals have been shot dead and eaten.

*The second one (here, 20th April 2012) concern a huge (200 individuals) Asian Openbills roosting flock in the perimeter of a temple (khu di tích lịch sử Văn hóa đền Cả) in Nghe An province (Yen Thanh district). The birds arrived on April 20th in the afternoon, flew up the day after at 6 o’clock and disappeared heading due south. The author said that the birds were not afraid at all by the curious who came to “admire” them. Apparently, the local authorities took measures to protect them against hunters.

From where did those Asian Openbills come ? From the Thai population? Post-breeding dispersion? What do you think?

Red-necked Phalaropes in the district of Thuân Nam, Ninh Thuân province (Ninh Thuân Online, 23th April 2012)
*And again news about big flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes in shrimp ponds of Ninh Thuân province (Centre Vietnam), according to the official provincial Website (here, video here), 1 month ago. “Thousands of strange birds”, in March, so the same month as one year ago (read my 1st Online Press Review here). Also the same story : farmers were afraid that the birds would spread the "white spot" virus - one of the most important viral disease of shrimp - from one pond to another so they didn't give them a warm welcome. You can understand what I mean...
Sebastien

29 Asian Openbills take a rest at Van Long Natural Reserve

Hi everyone,

Birding trip at Cuc Phuong (on 14th-15th). Nothing of particular interest for all of you, but not for me ! 2 new species in the pocket, I dare not tell you which ones... I send you a photo of a mammal. If you have any idea of the species, please tell me ! I was pishing along the Loop trail in order to attract hidden birds. My pish attracted nothing but this curious animal, which approached me less than 2 meters... Hey guy, buy glasses !

On the road back to Hanoi, short stop at Van Long, mainly to rest tired butt muscles (I am a motobirder, a rare species). The marshy area 1 km on the left of the small harbour for boat trips were full of Egrets (Little 60+, Great 15-20, Cattle 30 among buffaloes). A nice unexpected surprise was a group of 29 Asian Openbills with both juveniles and adults perched quietly on top of trees, for all the local people to... admire (not the most appropriate verb, I know). They choosed a small clump of willows (?) located 500m on the right of the boats place.

An erratic group of the wealthy thai population ?

Cheers,

Sébastien Delonglée