BEIDAIHE & LIST

CHINA

HEBEI PROVINCE (Beidaihe), (ne)

SE00o00´/00o00´ ha Coastal area with rocky outcrop, beaches, flat fields and scrub. Further WSW is the huge mudflats of the Yang Ho Estuary and inland are isolated rocky hills covered with semi-natural woodland. Happy Island is a 200km further WSW but is often included in a trip to Beidaihe.

Protected/registered status

Best Time for visit End of April and May (2nd May to 21st May 1998)

 

Birding Site Guide

Beidaihe is a holiday resort located on the Gulf of Bohia around 200km ESE from Beijing. The trip 2 friends and I undertook was with WildWings and the group leader was Tony Marr with David Rosair as deputy leader. Both the cost and leadership were very good. Using a tour operator for China is highly recommended, not just to help with bureaucracy, but also to deal with the language barrier, as almost no one speaks English. At this time of year other tourist are not around, so finding a hotel is easy and in China always cheap (even though prices have rocketed since our visit). We stayed at the luxury five star Jin Shan Hotel, which was less than £10 a night and the fantastic 8 course meals with beers were never more than £2 pounds wherever we ate.

The birding areas traditionally include Beidaihe coast and absolutely any area of grass, shrubs or trees that can be located and reached. There are also several important parks and hills within easy travelling distance. It is also possible to include other areas on a trip here such as some areas around Beijing and Happy Island further WSW (Happy Island will be mentioned here but also have its own account).

Needless to say the general countryside has been devastated and wiped clear of troublesome wildlife as surely as a war, over the millennia by the huge population and this is true for other Asia countries too. The real wildlife now is only seen on migration and at the very few badly degraded patches of green, such as parks and gardens, but these oases of green now have the benefit for birders of concentrating all the birds in small areas, and the birding is truly fantastic.

The trip usually starts in Beijing with a trip to the Fragrant Hills, a rocky group of hills with semi-natural vegetation, where amongst other commoner species Père David’s Laughing Thrush can be sought. There is also the possibility of visiting local urban parks such as Yuyuantan where some nice oriental species such as Siberian Rubythroat can be seen.

The Summer Palace was our next stop, and in the large gardens within earshot of the waltzing Chinese couples many interesting species could be found. From Beijing a train can be caught to Beidaihe and takes around 6hrs. Chinese trains are not late and will arrive exactly to the minute, then, finding a hotel at this time of year, preferably very close to the coast should be easy enough. No one will speak English, but not knowing another language doesn’t usually deter! Fortunately the Chinese are impeccably honest and will not rip you off (well maybe in Beijing!). I was often more frustrated waiting to get any change than being ripped off, giving the smallest Yuang note I had, less than 10p, is like giving £50 for a packet of matches and results in frantic attempts by the recipient to change it with other shop owners. I ended up doing a runner a couple of times just so I did not waste birding time waiting for change. However being so honest, one shop owner chased me down the road to give me the change (for ancient eggs, very different, do not try!) and another gave me the change for my excellent noodle soup the next day. In 2 weeks I could not spend £100, but then some of my ‘friends’ may say this is normal for me anywhere!

Birding areas within striking distance of our hotel, which was a few hundred metres from the coast were, Legation Gully- most areas are just patches of grass and roadside trees, often used as public latrines. There is also a reservoir and Radar Marsh. Along the sea wall at Fishook Point or Lighthouse Point is also worth a try, and since it is not a large town walking the entire coast in a mornings birding is no problem. Fields such as the Jin Shan Fields on the inland side of town or any with any grass or scrub can be good, especially for evening bunting roosts etc.

Further from town, it is possible to visit by taxi the Lotus Hills, usually in the largest hotels there is someone who speaks a little English, and the word taxi, as with hotel is universal. Probably the most rewarding site within short travelling distance is the Yang Ho Estuary (Yellow River), which is 3 miles WSW of here. The extensive mudflats and large grass areas are often teeming with birds, as are the nearby small and isolated woods.

The land is predominately flat and intensely cultivated, often without the use of machines, though we did see a few Case tractors! The more common sight was of the rotavator/tractor with cow-horn bars being ridden along the deserted (of traffic) roads. From this extensive plain, spread very widely apart are isolated rock mountains, and these for want of a better use have been turned into parks and attract huge numbers of visitors from the neighbouring towns who pay a small entry fee. These are the Lotus and Fragrant Hills etc.

Somewhere between Beidaihe and Old Peak is the Zu Shan Forest Park which is well worth birding. 

Happy Island is reached via the fishing port of Lao Yu Jian, which has an overpowering smell of shrimp, from the drying mounds. Do not let this deter you from the birding, because it is well worth the effort. Just before the port is a couple of isolated woods which teem with birds which seem to move so fast through that every hour sees a new turnover of birds. The ferry to Happy Island is a great place to get a chance to look at gulls, and this was the only place we saw our one and only Relic Gull. The lovely Saunders’ Gull is more readily found. Anywhere along the coast from Beidaihe to here can turn up the odd Vega Gull, Heuglin’s Gull (Siberian race) L.h. taimyrensis or Black-tailed Gull with Little Gull and Black-legged Kittiwake less common.


Species seen

  • PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
  • Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis DI
  • CICONIIFORMES: Ardeidae
  • Grey Heron Ardea cinerea BD
  • Purple Heron Ardea purpurea BD
  • Great Egret Ardea alba I
  • Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia DI
  • Little Egret Egretta garzetta D
  • Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes Vulnerable I
  • Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus BD
  • Striated Heron Butorides striata D
  • Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax BD
  • Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis I
  • Schrenck's Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus I
  • CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae
  • Black Stork Ciconia nigra L
  • ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
  • Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna D
  • Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope D
  • Eurasian Teal Anas crecca D
  • Mallard Anas platyrhynchos D
  • Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha DIJ
  • Garganey Anas querquedula DI
  • White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca D
  • Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula B
  • FALCONIFORMES: Accipitridae
  • Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus A
  • Eastern Marsh-Harrier Circus spilonotus EJ
  • Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos D
  • Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis D
  • Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus DJ
  • Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis D
  • Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos A
  • FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
  • Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus many places
  • Amur Falcon Falco amurensis many places
  • Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo many places
  • Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus D
  • GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
  • Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica many places
  • Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus B
  • GRUIFORMES: Turnicidae
  • Yellow-legged Buttonquail Turnix tanki dead only
  • GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
  • Water Rail Rallus aquaticus seen
  • Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla D
  • Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca D
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus seen
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Rostratulidae
  • Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis D
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae
  • Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus I
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
  • Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus IK
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
  • Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum I
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
  • Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus CDH
  • Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva DIM
  • Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola many places
  • Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius I
  • Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus many places
  • Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolus many places
  • Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii DK
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
  • Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura DI
  • Swinhoe's Snipe Gallinago megala D
  • Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Rare/Accidental J
  • Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Near-threatened J
  • Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica many places
  • Little Curlew Numenius minutus I
  • Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus many places
  • Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata IJ
  • Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis J
  • Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus many places
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos DI
  • Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus many places
  • Gray-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes I
  • Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus IJ
  • Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia many places
  • Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis I
  • Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola many places
  • Common Redshank Tringa totanus many places
  • Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres I
  • Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris J
  • Red Knot Calidris canutus IJ
  • Sanderling Calidris alba J
  • Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis I
  • Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii I
  • Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta DI
  • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata I
  • Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea many places
  • Dunlin Calidris alpina J
  • Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus I
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
  • Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris IJ
  • East Siberian Gull Larus vegae D
  • Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans DI
  • Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus IJ
  • Saunders' Gull Larus saundersi Vulnerable J
  • Relict Gull Larus relictus Vulnerable J
  • CHARADRIIFORMES: Sternidae
  • Little Tern Sternula albifrons J
  • Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica many places
  • Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia I
  • White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus seen
  • Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida many places
  • Common Tern Sterna hirundo D
  • COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
  • Rock Pigeon Columba livia seen
  • Oriental Turtle-Dove Streptopelia orientalis many places
  • Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto D
  • Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis seen
  • CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
  • Large Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus sparverioides many places
  • Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus heard
  • Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus C
  • Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus JM
  • STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
  • Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia D
  • Brown Hawk-Owl Ninox scutulata J
  • CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
  • Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus I
  • APODIFORMES: Apodidae
  • White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus D
  • Common Swift Apus apus many places
  • Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus many places
  • CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
  • Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis many places
  • Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata DHI
  • CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae
  • Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis seen
  • CORACIIFORMES: Upupidae
  • Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops many places
  • PICIFORMES: Picidae
  • Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus J
  • Rufous-bellied Woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus J
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major many places
  • Gray-faced Woodpecker Picus canus many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
  • Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
  • Sand Martin Riparia riparia I
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica many places
  • Asian Martin Delichon dasypus seen
  • Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
  • Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi many places
  • Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii K
  • Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus many places
  • Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni many places
  • Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi seen
  • Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta seen
  • Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus H
  • White Wagtail Motacilla alba seen
  • Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava I
  • Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola D
  • Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea seen
  • PASSERIFORMES: Campephagidae
  • Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus seen
  • PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae
  • Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
  • White-throated Rock-Thrush Monticola gularis J
  • Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius many places
  • Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica J
  • Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma DJ
  • Gray-sided Thrush Turdus feae Breeding endemic Vulnerable seen
  • Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus DJ
  • Dusky Thrush Turdus naumanni D
  • Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis Breeding endemic D
  • PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae
  • Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis DJ
  • White-browed Chinese Warbler Rhopophilus pekinensis Endemic A
  • PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
  • Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps H
  • Manchurian Bush-Warbler Cettia canturians D
  • Spotted Bush-Warbler Bradypterus thoracicus seen
  • Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata KD
  • Pallas' Warbler Locustella certhiola D
  • Black-browed Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps D
  • Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola I
  • Blunt-winged Warbler Acrocephalus concinens I
  • Oriental Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis HI
  • Thick-billed Warbler Acrocephalus aedon K
  • Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus many places
  • Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii seen
  • Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi many places
  • Pale-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus many places
  • Chinese Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis Breeding endemic DM
  • Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus many places
  • Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis HI
  • Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides many places
  • Pale-legged Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes many places
  • Eastern Crowned Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus C
  • Blyth's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides CM
  • Golden-spectacled Warbler Seicercus burkii seen
  • PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
  • Gray-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta seen
  • Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica many places
  • Korean Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia J
  • Narcissus Flycatcher & Elisae's Ficedula narcissina seen
  • Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki J
  • Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva albicilla many places
  • Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana seen
  • Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans LD
  • Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope D
  • Bluethroat Luscinia svecica DI
  • Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane JMD
  • Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus D
  • Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus A
  • Plumbeous Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosa DI
  • Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus many places
  • Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferreus J
  • PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae
  • Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi seen
  • PASSERIFORMES: Timaliidae
  • Père David's Laughingthrush Garrulax davidi Endemic A
  • PASSERIFORMES: Paradoxornithidae
  • Vinous-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis webbianus A
  • PASSERIFORMES: Aegithalidae
  • Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus M
  • PASSERIFORMES: Paridae
  • Marsh Tit Poecile palustris many places
  • Yellow-bellied Tit Pardaliparus venustulus Endemic M
  • Great Tit Parus major AM
  • PASSERIFORMES: Sittidae
  • Snowy-browed Nuthatch Sitta villosa M
  • PASSERIFORMES: Remizidae
  • Chinese Penduline-Tit Remiz consobrinus Breeding endemic D
  • PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae
  • Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae
  • Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
  • Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus seen
  • Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae
  • Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus M
  • Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus J
  • PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
  • Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus A
  • Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha many places
  • Eurasian Magpie Pica pica many places
  • Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax M
  • Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos LM
  • PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
  • Daurian Starling Sturnia sturnina J
  • White-cheeked Starling Sturnus cineraceus many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
  • Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus many places
  • PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
  • Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A
  • Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus J
  • Oriental Greenfinch Carduelis sinica D
  • Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes D
  • Yellow-billed Grosbeak Eophona migratoria J
  • Japanese Grosbeak Eophona personata J
  • PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
  • Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii ALM
  • Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides LM
  • Ochre-rumped Bunting Emberiza yessoensis Near-threatened DI
  • Tristram's Bunting Emberiza tristrami IK
  • Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata D
  • Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla many places
  • Yellow-browed Bunting Emberiza chrysophrys J
  • Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans AM
  • Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola Near-threatened many places
  • Chestnut Bunting Emberiza rutila DJ
  • Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala many places
  • Pallas' Bunting Emberiza pallasi DF
  • Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra H


KEY

  • A Fragrant Hills, Beijing
  • B Summer Palace, Beijing
  • C Yuyuant Park, Beijing
  • D Beidahie
  • E Beidahie Fish-hook Point
  • F Beidahie Reservoir
  • G Beidahie sand
  • H Lotus hills
  • I Yang Ho Estuary
  • J Happy Island
  • K Da Pu He Estuary
  • L Great Wall
  • M Old Peak


Author: BSG

 

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