Someone extremely educated within the space of search engine optimisation (search engine marketing) strongly beneficial that I ought to write extra posts together with Japanese Tits. I don’t suppose I’ll stoop that low.
The marketing consultant additionally prompt growing readership by catering to extremely particular area of interest curiosity teams. So, right here is one thing for foot fetishists.
In response to Wikipedia, “A lowlife is a time period for an individual who is taken into account morally unacceptable by their group”. The native Nanhui shrikes are properly conscious that the phrase “lowlife” has an owl hidden inside, and mark the looks of owls of their territory with harsh protests.
Even when they give the impression of being as charming as this Northern Boobook. Properly, they primarily feed on birds, which can clarify their low recognition.
Clearly, it’s a very lame joke to state that Nanhui nowadays has the improper form of cranes. Sadly, it’s true although.
Luckily, Oriental Magpies have a sturdy humorousness and thus aren’t too offended by my substandard puns.
And for the third month in a row: Oriental Dollarbird. Be at liberty to insert your personal joke concerning the current energy of the US greenback right here. Too troublesome for me.
Additionally already proven final month however price displaying once more: Siberian Thrush.
The male (juvenile) …
… and the feminine.
For the White-throated Rock Thrush, Wikipedia offers the marginally puzzling assertion “The hen’s inhabitants is unknown, however is just not growing or declining.” Hm. We have no idea something, however we all know it’s not altering? Anyway, here’s a feminine.
Certainly, there was only one at that spot, and the quantity was not growing nor lowering.
The male is definitely acknowledged by the attribute white throat spot that gave the hen its title. Not.
eBird states that “small white patch on throat is just not apparent and troublesome to see”.
They usually use a photograph that I submitted as important illustration, so that they should be proper.
Observe to self: If I’m ever reincarnated as a Widespread Kestrel, I want to ensure to not have my picture taken whereas preening. It simply appears silly.
There appears to be some confusion concerning the classification of the Black-capped Kingfisher – inside the identical paragraph, the HBW claims that it’s categorised as Susceptible and as Least Concern. Birdlife Worldwide appears to substantiate its standing as Susceptible: “Though this species has an especially massive vary and certain exceeds 10,000 mature people, the inhabitants pattern seems to be lowering with occupancy and reporting price developments suggesting fast declines inside the previous three generations; primarily because of intensive riparian administration. For that reason, the species is evaluated as Susceptible.”
Whereas I’m typically not keen on leaf warblers as a result of their infuriating behavior of being just about indistinguishable (ever heard about individuality, hen?), the Sulphur-breasted Warbler will get some bonus factors as it’s “readily distinguished from most different leaf warblers in vary by shiny coloration” (eBird).
The Rufous-tailed Robin was referred to as Swinhoe’s Robin however apparently, any person determined that there have been already too many hen species (6, in accordance with the HBW) named after him.
The scientific literature on the Japanese Sparrowhawk (right here, a feminine) is a bit puzzling. On the one hand, the HBW states that the sparrowhawk often feeds on “medium-sized birds, e.g. Azure-winged Magpies”. Alternatively, a paper states that the Azure-winged Magpie “nests in affiliation with Japanese lesser sparrowhawks so as to cut back nest predation whereas paying few prices”, additional explaining that “Observations of pure nests confirmed that magpies didn’t defend their nests when nesting near a hawk, and that hawks not often preyed on magpies”. Perhaps for as soon as, additional analysis is certainly wanted …
One thing else that this sparrowhawk preys on is juvenile Purple-flanked Bluetails, as described in a paper.
The Purple-flanked Bluetail can also be the topic of an in any other case comparatively unremarkable paper, however it makes use of the attention-grabbing time period “autumn weight problems”.
Perhaps this Marsh Sandpiper additionally suffers from autumn weight problems?
The Eurasian Pastime was one other notable raptor of the month. I used to play Subbuteo as a child … a form of tip-kick soccer sport that was named after this species (apparently, the inventors first wished to call the sport “Pastime” however that was rejected as too generic, or so the story goes).
Gray-faced Buzzards move via Shanghai in autumn.
Belief scientists to show the plain once more – Gray-faced Buzzards select their migration routes by geography and wind, as proven in a paper aptly titled “Raptor migration in an oceanic flyway: wind and geography form the migratory route of grey-faced buzzards in East Asia”. Sadly, this disproves my concept that migration routes of this species are principally chosen to incorporate scenic spots.
In distinction to their grey-faced relations, Jap Buzzards aren’t unusual in Shanghai in winter.
October in Shanghai additionally signifies that the Daurian Redstarts are again. They had been missed.
In fact, it’s laborious to withstand taking a look at a paper titled “Host character predicts cuckoo egg rejection in Daurian redstarts”. Mainly, the character of a feminine redstart (daring or shy) predicts the responses to parasitic eggs – daring hosts usually tend to reject parasitic eggs.
A German politician not too long ago made some headlines for suggesting utilizing a washcloth as an alternative of having a shower so as to save vitality. Seemingly impressed by this, I noticed a feminine Daurian Redstart bathing not by dipping into the water however relatively by flapping round some leaves that had been moist from the early morning dew. A curious sight.
And for the final time this 12 months: the Blue-and-white Flycatcher. Although admittedly, I solely present this picture to cite the road of a Gary Larson cartoon: “The Bluebird of Happiness lengthy absent from his life, Ned is visited by the Rooster of Melancholy.” No, I do not likely know why that is humorous, both, however I’m satisfied it’s.
Competing with the juvenile flycatcher within the “who can have the nicest mild blue coloration” is the Verditer Flycatcher. Additionally a juvenile, I feel.
This Amur Stonechat will need to have learn its eBird entry that it’s “present in all kinds of open landscapes, typically sitting on uncovered perches”. Although it’s in all probability not very happy with the outline as a “chunky little hen”.
Chinese language hen names are typically pretty descriptive – why the Gentle-vented Bulbul is named Bai tou bei (white-headed Bulbul) is a thriller to me although. Sure, there may be some white, but additionally quite a lot of black …
The Black-naped Oriole suffers from an abundance of subspecies – 20 are presently acknowledged, in accordance with the HBW. It appears those I acquired respectable pictures of are all juveniles – it typically appears to be simpler to get pictures of juveniles as they haven’t fairly realized to keep away from people.
In response to the HBW, the title of the Mugimaki Flycatcher combines the Japanese phrases mugi (wheat, barley) and maki (sowing) – apparently, “in Japan this flycatcher is seen primarily within the autumn when the farmers sow wheat and barley”. I feel I might in all probability provide you with a extra attention-grabbing rationalization – possibly subsequent time I get some pictures of the species …
In a research presumably sponsored by the town of Chengde, China, researchers in contrast the well being and particle matter in Eurasian Tree Sparrows in Shijiazhuang, a comparatively polluted metropolis in China, and Chengde, a much less polluted one. And sure, sparrows in areas with polluted air are much less wholesome. Thank god that this doesn’t apply to people.
Folks apparently catch and eat Yellow-breasted Buntings as a result of they suppose its meat has aphrodisiac properties (supply), which ends up in it being categorized as Critically Endangered. Generally being a member of the human race feels very embarrassing.
Regardless of “Elegant” not being the title of a slave-owning naturalist, the hen beforehand referred to as Elegant Bunting acquired renamed and is now referred to as the Yellow-throated Bunting. The Latin species title, nevertheless, remains to be elegans. And it’s nonetheless justified.
Do you’ve issues getting good sleep when synthetic lighting is on? You could be glad to listen to that Chestnut Buntings even have a problem with this. In response to a research carried out with this species, “synthetic mild primarily delayed sleep onset, diminished sleep length and elevated frequency of awakenings”.
The frequent title for White’s Thrush amongst Shanghai birders is hu ban di dong, or Tiger stripe thrush (the official title is Huai shi hu dong, with the primary two syllables presumably being a translation of the “White’s” into pinyin). Not a foul title and motive to point out this species once more.
With regard to the Gray-backed Thrush, “additional analysis ought to deal with identification of nest predators, implications of nest publicity and begging calls on nesting success, and breeding habitat necessities at totally different spatial and temporal scales of Gray-backed Thrush in fragmented landscapes of northeast China.” Say Daqing Zhou, Chunfa Zhou, Xiangkun Kong, and Wenhong Deng, the 4 authors of a paper on the species. Properly.
The Pale Thrush is the invisible workplace employee among the many thrushes passing Shanghai nowadays. Fairly just a few of them additionally winter in Shanghai, possibly working in temp jobs.
Given the hate many Chinese language have for all issues Japanese, it’s not shocking that the Chinese language title of the Japanese Thrush is “Wu hui dong”, Black gray thrush, relatively than Japanese Thrush.
For these males who delight themselves on being good karaoke singers, it could be pleasing to listen to that amongst male Japanese Thrushes, males breeding with two females tended to have extra varied trills than monogamous male breeders (supply).
I do know I’ve quoted it earlier than, however right here it’s once more – a line from Alan Energy’s “Prodigal Son“:
“It didn’t take a lot so that you can fall underneath my spell
However up till then you definately’d by no means seen karaoke sung properly”
When given a selection of a mating accomplice, Japanese Quail of each sexes choose a primary cousin of the alternative intercourse (supply). Sounds a bit like inbreeding to me, however the hen I noticed had just one head, so it ought to be okay.
They’ll additionally study phonetic classes (supply).
They’re additionally raised commercially for meat and eggs, as described in that beacon of ornithological information, the World’s Poultry Science Journal.
The Latin title of the Bull-headed Shrike is bucephalus, which apparently means big-headed or bull-headed, relatively than being named after Alexander’s horse Bucephalus (which had been my guess).
Male Brownish-flanked Bush Warblers with a higher repertoire of songs are capable of maintain their territory longer than these with smaller repertoires (supply). Once I was nonetheless enjoying guitar, my repertoire was relatively small. Makes me marvel.
Additionally, it doesn’t appear to be fairly clear what the proper title is for the hen – “brown-flanked” or “brownish-flanked”? Brownish appears to match actuality a bit higher (I feel) however the HBW goes for “brown-flanked” regardless of describing the hen as having “brownish-olive flanks” (and including a relatively unflattering general description as “a medium-sized bush-warbler with an undistinguished face sample”.
I’m shocked there are – no less than to my information – no plush toys representing Dunlins. They appear to be good for that function.
And if advertising individuals had been then requested to provide you with a premium model of the Dunlin, the consequence would in all probability be the Curlew Sandpiper. Including to the exclusivity of the premium model is the truth that the species is assessed as Close to Threatened.
These two species have downturned payments – the Pied Avocet prefers the opposite route. How is that for a pointless hyperlink between species? Perhaps I ought to have caught with the traditional Monty Python “And now for one thing fully totally different” …
Whereas Black Drongos often feed through the daytime, some have apparently shifted their working hours to make use of electrical mild which attracts bugs (supply). Not this one although.
Lastly, one other Oriental Scops Owl made a late expertise – too late to be featured in my weblog publish on that species, however I don’t want a motive to point out just a few extra pictures of this hen.
