Photo stroll at noon 21/03

Hi all,

A wander around the Red river Island at noon produced some interesting birds. En route to this area, I picked up a flock of 50 Black-crowned Night Herons above the West Lake, apparently seeking a place to roost.
After this, I encountered in the channel 5 Kentish Plovers together.
In the main woodland of the island, nothing special except this smart male Grey Bushchat amazingly showy, probably very proud of its brand new breeding plumage.

For this male Sibechat, the molt is underway.

In the woodland, I met a snake hunter, with 3 snakes in a bag. He showed me one of them, a non-venomous specimen, long at least 1.50m. He told me that there are "rắn hổ mang" (cobras) in this area. I'm not surprised; last year I saw one on the sand, at the northern tip of the island. I don't know much about snakes but I noticed its characteristic dilated neck taking shape as a hood.

So, watch your steps whenever you're walking around and avoid tall grass !

For information, the poor snake of the photo will end its life in the "famous" village of snake of Lệ Mật, just outside the city, disemboweled alive, the still beating heart dropped into a glass of rice wine...

Sebastien

Grey Bushchat - Lenin Park

if problem, please use settings 480p (and not 360p) to watch this video

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

Lenin Park, Hanoi

Hi all,

Today (25th) a very quiet (bird-wise only!) Lenin Park held pretty much the same birds as yesterday. 1 Asian Stubtail, 2 Orange-headed Thrushes and 3 Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers.

Cheers
Falk

Morning stroll over there produced few birds, highlights were 1 Blue-and-White Flycatcher female - probably the one seen the 20th October/same area almost the same perches ! - and a cute Grey Bushchat male buzzing from tree to tree. If you want to see them, check out the corner near the moto parking of the north entrance. Maybe you will have to share the place with a Red-Whiskered Bulbuls trapper, the one who have caught the Blue Whistling Thrush two weeks ago...
Sebastien

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