Seeing a Black-throated Laughingthrush at Nanhui was a shock. I listed it on eBird – however my expertise (and never solely mine) is that the motto of eBird reviewers typically is “If I see it, it’s a vagrant – when you see it, it’s an escapee.”
And so it turned out.
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike is breeding in a number of Shanghai places – I think that some bushes close to the Nanhui resort is perhaps one other one, given the vigorous singing of this fowl.
The Amur Paradise Flycatcher is one other species breeding in Shanghai.
This Giant-billed Crow appears to be chewing on some “unknown thriller bone” (The Burning Hell, “Beginner Rappers”) – possibly a rabbit?
Some herons: a phenomenal grownup Black-crowned Evening Heron …
… and a reasonably much less engaging kindergarten of the identical species.
A Chinese language Pond Heron …
… and the identical species pretending to be a giraffe.
A Purple Heron on Chongming Island
Cattle Egrets, additionally on Chongming Island
Black-winged Stilts …
… and Gray-headed Lapwings are their neighbors within the flooded rice paddies of the island.
The Silver-throated Bushtit is a species wherein the juvenile birds appear to be extra colourful than the adults, in a reversal of the everyday scenario.
Not so for the Little Grebe.
A Mild-vented Bulbul accumulating nest constructing materials – or is it for nest renovation already?
Whereas the HBW distribution map of the Chinese language Hwamei signifies that its distribution stops a bit wanting Shanghai, it’s really extraordinarily frequent within the Binjiang Forest Park.
The species title canorus (melodious) signifies why it’s a widespread cage fowl – in truth, a number of of my neighbors in my compound appear to maintain the poor birds in reasonably small cages.
That’s although the species was designated as a second-level nationwide key protected species in 2021, that means that conserving it at house is not permitted in China (supply).
The identical examine discovered that individuals nonetheless conserving the fowl argue with advantages for the group members’ well being, cultural heritage, and contributions to native livelihoods – the identical arguments that is also introduced ahead to justify the observe of footbinding.
Yellow-rumped Flycatchers are breeding in the identical park.
Additionally breeding right here: Japanese Thrush.
A pair of Chestnut-winged Cuckoos are studiously avoiding doing the identical within the park, wanting as an alternative for some foster dad and mom, which (in response to the HBW) might embrace laughingthrushes (possibly the Hwamei?) in addition to another species discovered within the park, particularly Lengthy-tailed Shrike, Oriental Magpie, and Oriental Magpie Robin.
Possibly this additionally contains the Azure-winged Magpie, one other frequent species within the park.
How come the Gray-streaked Flycatcher (proven) and the Asian Brown Flycatcher have precisely the identical coloration however completely different color-based names? I’ve lengthy suspected that colorblindness is widespread amongst ornithologists.
And might you guess the title of this bittern? A touch: the title begins with a coloration.
Sure, you might be proper: Yellow Bittern.
No, this Crested Myna shouldn’t be breeding in a cannon however in a half-turned lamppost.
This feminine Ring-necked Pheasant thought I had not seen it. So it stayed.
A US birder requested me whether or not I get bored with Eurasian Hoopoe – not but, I’m glad to say.
Lastly, drongos: Black Drongo …
.. and Hair-crested Drongo.
