Swan Goose

Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides, 鸿雁).

A migratory goose that winters in southern China, though truly wild ones are rare. More common are domesticated geese and there feral (having escaped from farms) cousins.

Black Bulbul

Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus, 黑短脚鹎). White headed morph.

I have been infrequently spotting this bird since mid-July on Yuelu Mountain by my college. In fact I have been seeing and hearing birds in greater numbers and variety along my favourite footpaths throughout the mountain this season than I have over the past several years; a trend I hope will continue.

Yellow-throated Bunting

Yellow-throated Bunting (Emberiza elegans, 黄喉鹀).

Another bunting, I often saw Huxingshan Yao Ethnic Township: every evening they were singing in the trees and on the telephone wires: welcoming the setting sun.

Meadow Bunting

Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides, 三道眉草鹀).

I did not have much time for birding, during my time at Huxingshan Yao Ethnic Township, but in my evening walks I could not help but notice the significant numbers of daurian redstarts, and even more bunting, throughout the local farmland.

Adult Black-crowned Night-heron

Black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, 夜鹭).

There are many of them now, fishing in the evening, in the lakes and the streams. This one was fishing in the lily pond at Xianjia Lake: there are many other species of bitterns, herons and egrets there too and a flock of myna which swarms into the pond every sunset.

Mountain Bulbul

Mountain Bulbul (Ixos mcclellandii, 绿翅短脚鹎).

One of a small flock, I spotted one early morning near the base of Yuelu Mountain. In the dry season various songbirds congregate in the few valleys with lingering rivulets or ponds, making now a good time for observing local birds; provided one can tolerate the heat, which is vigorous now, even in the shade.

Red-rumped Swallow

Red-rumped swallow (Cecropis daurica, 金腰燕).

Since early spring there have been large numbers of them hunting around the river and lakes. There are now fewer and fewer of them about. Last year, at this time, this one was injured his wing flying into a tree by the foot of Yuelu Mountain. I moved it where it would be more protected from people and cats, managed to give it some water and watched it until it went to sleep; sadly nature took its course.

Changsha Floods

A White Wagtail (Motacilla alba, 白鹡鸰). We have had steady rain for a couple weeks and expect rain for a few weeks more, but yesterday morning we were inundated with heavy downpour, drastically flooding parts of the city.

This is the season for heavy rain in this part of the world. 100 years ago in 1924, Changsha also experienced severe flooding; I cannot find much about what parts of the city were then affected but there are some (sadly low resolution) photos available from the University of Bristol's online Historical Photographs of China collections.

Image courtesy of George Trobridge Collection, University of Bristol Library (www.hpcbristol.net). C. July 1924.

Juvenile Chinese Blackbird

Juvenile Chinese Blackbird (Turdus mandarinus, 乌鸫).

Every summer there are great numbers of juvenile blackbirds around the parks. They are not very shy when they are young and they are invariably ugly, but in a cute way.

Juvenile Spotted Dove

Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis, 珠颈斑鸠).

A common scene: a single child growing up in the city.

Fledgling Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Juvenile Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush (Pterorhinus pectoralis, 黑领噪鹛).

I rarely see the young ones; this one has been keeping close to its mother and its flock but is slowly growing more bold in its explorations among the trees and bushes of Yuelu Mountain.

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover (Thinornis dubius, 金眶鸻). Juvenile.

Not a rare bird, but not one that is normally found in Changsha! Very briefly it was visible on the shore of the Xiang River between two thick banks of reeds, and then it was off, back on route to wherever it is journeying this summer.

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush (Pterorhinus pectoralis, 黑领噪鹛).

A beautiful south Asian forest bird, occasionally one sees (one more-often hears) them throughout the forests on Yuelu Mountain. On this occasion there was a small and friendly flock of six adults and one fledging, scouring the foliage together.

Female Oriental Magpie-Robin

Female Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis, 鹊鸲).

A mating pair has been a frequent and chatty presence near my office. Compared to the male birds, the females are always noticeable greyer above and have greyish white feathers below, as one can see here with a not-quite-improper glance.

 

Oriental Turtle-Dove

Oriental Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia orientalis, 山斑鸠).

One of the two most common birds in Changsha (the other is the light-vented bulbul), which could be said for many other urban spaces in China. They are sometimes a bit finicky about being observed and liable to fly away if a camera is raised towards them. In the city and the woods one can often hear their soft 'heer-heer-ooo-ooo' call.

This one was relaxing outside my office window this morning.

Chestnut Bulbul

Chestnut Bulbul (Hemixos castanonotus, 栗背短脚鹎).

These bulbuls are easiest to find in the forests, especially over the Winter and into the Spring, but they are more obscure in the Summer and I rarely see them in Autumn. This one has been happily singing every morning and evening by a rivulet near the bottom of Yuelu Mountain; I am fortunate enough to often hear it.

Juvenile Black-throated Tit

Juvenile Black-throated Tit (Aegithalos concinnus,  红头长尾山雀).

One of my favourite local birds. For whatever quirk of nature, this young bushtit lacked its parents orange plumage. It was shy but still aggressively and successfully hunting spiders by Taozi lake.

Chinese Pond Heron

Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus, 池鹭).

A very colourful bird. It is very noticeable against blue skies and clear waters, but among the reeds and lily-pads it is surprisingly efficient at camouflage. From the perspective of a fish or crustacean they must blend invisibly among the rocks, lilies and glare of the sun.

Spring Amur Stonechat

Female Amur Stonechat (Saxicola stejnegeri, 东亚石䳭).

Rather, it in all probability an Amur stonechat though it could also be a Siberian stonechat which is less common in Hunan but almost identical in appearance. I see stonechats in Fall, and Spring by the river: om cool days they are rotund with ruffled feathers while warm weather makes them much sleeker in appearance.

Juvenile Oriental Magpie

Juvenile Oriental Magpie (Pica serica, 普通喜鵲).

Spring is my favourite season for exploring the natural world in Hunan. While I am preparing for new flora and fauna I have been sorting through some old photos. Last spring, especially through April and May, I could often hear this magpie and its mother squawking to each other along the river mudflats. Like most young birds, it is awkward-looking but the metallic green and purples tail feathers were striking. I believe it is still around its old haunts, though now it is fully grown.