Hanoi, Tay Ho, Phylloscopus sp.

Hi everyone,

on monday 26th a Phylloscopus sp. up high in roadside trees at the north-western corner of West Lake. Not calling, moving around quickly, no distinctive features recognized.

Cheers,

Falk

Black-capped Kingfisher - Hanoi

One Black-capped Kingfisher flying high in a northwards direction over Truc Bach Lake during breakfast today.

Post-breeding dispersal is underway!

Van Long NR

Hello everyone,

a weekend trip (24th - 25th) to Van Long / Cuc Phuong produced the following (amongst others)..

En route the HCM-Higway - 5 Ashy Woodswallows, 4 Long-tailed Shrikes, 1 female-type Circus sp. near Xuan May.

Van Long - 1 Little Cormorant, 1 Lesser Whistling Duck, 5 White-browed Crakes, 2 Purple Swamphens, 6 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, 1 Cinnamon Bittern, ~ 15 Yellow Bitterns (estimated), 1 White-shouldered Starling
+ 1 family group Delacour's Langurs.

Nothing of particular interest in Cuc Phuong.

Last night 1 Barn Owl flying over Café Joma, Tay Ho District.

The record of the Little Cormorant at Van Long seems to be quite interesting as I've never had this species there before. Does anyone know of recent records of this species in Northern Vietnam?

Cheers,
Falk

Volunteer needed - bird survey at Ba Na

The Douc Langur Foundation are planning a rapid biodiversity survey of the new northern extension to Ba Na Nature Reserve (Da Nang city) during the middle of August 2010, and are looking for a keen birder to volunteer their services to survey birds.

Anyone interested should contact Dr Vu Ngoc Thanh < thanhdouc@gmail.com >

Bridled and Black-naped Terns - Hoi An

Having a quick drink at the Victoria Hotel on Hoi An beach on Saturday (July 23rd 2010) Martin Fowlie (BirdLife) and I saw at least two Black-naped Terns and at least one Bridled Tern flying along the coast, close to shore.

Looking off shore, the two islets at the northern end of the Cham islands (Cu Lao Cham) look uninhabited and a possible nesting site for terns and other seabirds. It would probably be worth checking out those islets at some point, given that it has been possible to arrange boat trips to the Cham islands for several years now.

Jack T

First migrant of the autumn

One Barn Swallow west over Nghi Tam, Hanoi at 1pm today is the first autumn migrant I've seen this year.

However, one swallow doesn't make an autumn...