Bus Day....Bumblebee....is that dog for dinner

On the road again......Always knew the transformers were real!

Another long travel day between birding spots. Lunch...tables indoors...kitchen outdoors.

Finally arrived at Firefly B&B and whizzed off to sit in a hide for two hours in complete silence - a somewhat difficult task for me! It was however worth it with good views of Swinhoes Pheasant..crap iPhone photo.

Also brief views of some scatty Taiwan Partridge youngsters...scooting around...dare I say cute ! 

Back to the lodge.... things on the dinner menu are getting more alarming for the meat eaters!

Not really, this little chap was caged to stop him snaffling leftovers from guests, he'd gotten rather plump...Hmmm know how he feels!

Bit of night owling followed.....God knows why...never see anything...just lots of owl calls from trees. Though the fireflys were out in force and were mesmerising! 

Lanyu....Owls, Scooters & Dried Fish

Caught the hydrofoil over to Lanyu  - just over 2 hrs of swell - but managed to survive guts intactus! 

First real swell bought squeals from the lower deck of day trippers. Birders are not deterred and brave the elements! 

On the bird front - Pom Skua, Masked Booby, Wedge tailed and Streaked  shearwater. The island is about 80k of the coast of the mainland and looks like something out of Jurassic Park...yikes! 

Lots of day trippers...seems the Taiwanese have a thing about scooting around the island in packs.....it's like Margate but without the parkers and leather jackets.

On the island had a number of concerns...

Transport ! 

Accommodation!

Food! 

And for the meat-eaters a new one on the menu.....fish stomachs...YUM...oh got that wrong...overwhelming YUK ! 

Bagged all the island birds within the first 4hrs....spot the owl in this picture! 

We hoped for some migration fall...but weather too good! So much time spent sitting & chatting, with someone always on point duty looking up

Sea calm on return...

All in all a jolly good time ! 

Forecast heavy rain & 7 Eleven for lunch

We are back at the coast where the weather is hot and humid and the forecast is for heavy rain! 

At last we have moved onto bottles instead of tinnies on the beer front - but the size of the glass is a tad on the small side! 

I continue to eat all things green...which include the top of fern fronds!! 

New birds have been added to the list....Little Curlew x 3 today...Hurrah!!!!!

This nice little chap was lurking in the undergrowth Taiwanese Bamboo Viper...venomous...won't kill you but will probably lose a limb if he bites our guide told us as she smiled ! 

Lunch stop was a 7 eleven today - sushi, noodles, something vaguely resembling a hot dog, Ferrero Rocher and Doritos amongst the snacks purchased...even did mini Jagermeister....perhaps not a lunch time!  

Off to Lanyu Island tomorrow ......seasickness tablets at the ready....boat journey oh dear !

Sheep & Snicker Loving Buddha

Still the area of homage to all things Shaun the Sheep ! Have become such regular at the adjacent Starbucks that I had to pose for photographs with the Taiwanese baristas and their multiple smartphones! 

Some more sheep related pics...peeps from Hong Kong and Singapore also come to pay toursit homage to the sheep! 

So we said a fond fair well to the little wooly critters and embarked upon another travel day. On the bird front Siberian Rubythroat new today....stonking. 

Eventually drove over the highest point in SE Asia 3275 metres....with a little potter for Alpine Accentor, followed by some huffing and puffing! Did manage to get a iPhone shots of Whiskered Laughing Thrush...

Also discovered why the Buddha is happy...it's all those Snickers bars! 

Back down to warmer parts !

 

Sheep as a tourist attraction!

4 days into our trip and we are bagging the endemics - with the exception of Taiwan Tit...only heard! 
Back down the mountains and briefly on the plains hot & humid and then back up the mountains....to an area were being photographed with Sheep is the top tourist attraction - I kid you not. Shaun lovers and Shaun gifts in abundance. 

Added Taiwan Bamboo Partridge & Black-Necklaced Scimitar-Babler this am, afternoon birding a bit slow even our youngest member of the group stared into the undergrowth 

and found nothing!  

However there were other critters to be had....leeches....this one hitching a ride on Ste's  hat 

The tasty food continues - I think this is squid starting back at me.... YUK 

Rain....and a lot of it

Woke in the early hours to thunderous rain on the roof of the cabin....which continued till 10:00. 

Birders however are not deterred by a touch of inclement weather...up and out at 05:30 and back up the mountain! Adding to the rain was a good amount of mist.....you could hardly see past the end of your nose! Glum faces were heartened by the call of breakfast alfresco....under the porch of the visitors centre...fresh filter coffee, cereal, bread and jam...not forgetting the obligatory hard boiled egg.  I also get my own coffee cup for the trip! 

Despite the weather we bagged some excellent lifers...Mikado Pheasant, Collared Bush Robin, Flamecrest. The rain eventually subsided and we walked some misty trails....adding more ticks to the list! All in all a very good day.

The montane forest is wonderful and as the mist subsided the views are beautiful! 

Hurrah....No Rain

Even earlier start today...but the rain had cleared and we headed back up the mountain for Golden Parrotbill and Taiwan Barwings......tick. Much discussion on what would constitute wild cooking....

Then backdown the mountain and another long drive..few stops to pick up rufous crowned laughing thrush. 

Choices for lunch....Hmmmmmm...definitely items of unknown origin ! 

Taipei....Umbrella required!

We finally arrived in Taipei, our Kitty Air flight was full...of Tawianese school children...snappy happy with their smartphones....a low growl managed to keep them at bay...lots of excited squeals! The luggage carousels in Taipei airport are clearly managed by someone with a bit of OCD..all suitcases facing the same way, handles out and in nice tidy groups of around 8! 

On arrival at our hotel....bags were dumped and shot off in search of coffee..Starbucks.... in order to find Starbucks card for Lou! I have never been in a Starbucks where everyone...I mean everyone....is on their iPad or Laptop.....heads down..not a whispered conversation to be heard! Coffee'd up, I went in search of an industrial strength hair dryer....heat and humidity has made hair very mad...sort of a 1980's perm gone wrong.

Ste love of shopping quickly emerged as he made a beeline back to the hotel...I collected a umberlla as it started to rain heavily and ventured back out into Taipei for a bit of window shopping. A fine micro brewery played host for tea...stir fry cabbage for me...Hmmmm....so much for the veggie options...but the beer was very good indeed.

Monday and it's the first proper birding day. Breakfast proved to be a delight...steered clear of most things as they were not identifiable. Our tour bus is stupendous....gold on the inside with tastled curtains and three microphones...much muttering about use of them for Karoke...it's like something out of a Bollywood movie.  First stop the botanical gardens, first two lifers of the trip in the bag....plus the usual glances, grins and sniggers at the westerners peering deep into the undergrowth. 

Lunch stop at a motorway services......where hot water was served in the washrooms between Nov and April..puzzling indeed! Headed up a long and winding road, where we came across a group of Japanese birders peering excitedly over the edge....three Swinhoes Pheasants and Steere's Liocichia....stunning views. 

Ended up at 2600 metres today.....to top the day 2 earthquake tremors whilst having dinner....don't think it was the Taiwan beer!

Oh yes I have bites....lots of them

Fish Balls & Cable Cars

Sadly the bird fest did not commence today! The usual HK species were bagged, with Red Whiskered Bulbul being my favourite hair-do bird of the day. 

As there was not much about, decided to take the cable car..which advertises stunning views...except for today when the top of Lantau Island was covered in mist and strong winds made the cable car swing merrily from side to side ! 

On the plus side two Starbucks coffees were consumed and a new pin badge for my collection was purchased. The humidity is growing, which is playing havoc with me mop! Saw this tasty morsel advertised today....

Hmmmm...makes me glad I am a veggie ! 

Tomorrow ...Taiwan bound...yay....may the birding commence if not then will console ones self with a few Hello Kitty Beers at the Barbie themed restaurant....oh is that Pink ! 

Hong Kong...A quick stop over!

So here I am on my birding travels...on route to Taiwan with a 2 night stop in Hong Kong! I am armed with a new found geeky bird app for my iPhone...ready to record all of my ticks! For the bird folk....possible 63 lifers....hurrah! 

I have no plans for what to do in Hong Kong on the tweet front...but a long walk is in order may even have Pak Choi for lunch at the Monastery on the island....think green glutinous slime....yuk...perhaps not. 

So Taiwan has other attractions beside birding....the worlds first Barbie themed resturant is a must! As a beer lover I hope to partake in the Hello Kitty variety of afore mentioned beverage and Taiwan is one of the worlds leading destinations for veggies like moi....or will it be more mouthfuls of Pak Choi...hmmmm!!!!

So I have watched the sun go down in the company of my liitle tomato buddy....Opps just eaten him !!!! 

May the bird fest begin in earnest tomorrow...of course after a leisurely breakfast !!!!!