Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Oriental Birding > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Thursday, February 9 at 03:21 AM EST The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Gurneys Pitta,©Barry Kent Mackay

9 Feb Sandhill Crane Hunt Update | What's New International Crane Foundation ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 8 Feb Fw: Save Indian Bustards Campaign [Bharat Jethva ] 05 Feb Topic Reminder [Krys Kazmierczak ] 5 Feb Trip Report: Tal Chapar (Big Bird Day) [Sharad Sridhar ] 04 Feb Per Alström's research [Krys Kazmierczak ] 4 Feb Cheap (well reasonably cheap) trip to highlands of PNG 5-16th April? One place left [Phil Hansbro ] 3 Feb FW: World Wetlands Day event ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 2 Feb SHENDURNEY ANNUAL BIRD SURVEY [c susanth ] 1 Feb Cheap (well reasonably cheap) trip to highlands of PNG 5-16th April? [Phil Hansbro ] 01 Feb Budget (relatively) highlands of PNG trip 5-16th April anyone? ["philip.hansbro AT y7mail.com" ] 31 Jan Re: Update from Vietnam and Laos - trip December 2011-January 2012 ["Peter Collaerts" ] 31 Jan Help on a Treron sp. with a suitable link this time ! [Christophe Gouraud ] 30 Jan Help on a Treron sp. [Collection Baillon ] 29 Jan Re: RFI: Birding in Sumba [Michiel de Boer ] 29 Jan Update from Vietnam and Laos - trip December 2011-January 2012 ["Peter Collaerts" ] 29 Jan Bali sightings [Marc Gardner ] 29 Jan RFI: Birding in Sumba ["m.fehlow AT t-online.de" ] 29 Jan Cheer Pheasant in Nepal [Laxman Poudyal ] 28 Jan Records for Western Ghats [Anand Prasad ] 28 Jan Records for Western Ghats ["Clive Ellis" ] 28 Jan contact in Sabah to bird and song [Marg Cuthbert ] 28 Jan Looking for research paper on Nepal's vultures ["spirit_24_1" ] 27 Jan Missing sat tracked Pallid Harrier [Mátyás Prommer ] 26 Jan Harike. Mountain Chifchaf Phylloscopus sindianus. Information needed. ["Eugeni" ] 26 Jan Re: Sonkhaliya? ["topflusher" ] 25 Jan Looking for some Bornean bird sounds.. ["boyceangler" ] 24 Jan New stronghold for Japanese Murrelet found ["Simba Chan" ] 23 Jan Sectional editors and reviewers for Taprobanica sought ["RichardT" ] 23 Jan RE: Little / House Swifts in Indian Subcontinent ["Richard Klim" ] 23 Jan Little / House Swifts in Indian Subcontinent [Mathias Ritschard ] 23 Jan Re: Yellow-rumped Honeyguide ["Mark D. Read" ] 22 Jan New info page with GPS locations; Southern Thailand ["birding2asia" ] 22 Jan Guide on Tablas Island Philippines [Brendan Sloan ] 22 Jan Biodiversity in South Korea [Michael Rank ] 19 Jan Re: Yellow-rumped Honeyguide [manoj sharma ] 20 Jan Yellow-rumped Honeyguide ["Mark D. Read" ] 19 Jan FW: [Ramsar CEPA] Vacancy at Ramsar Secretariat for Intern/Assistant for Asia/Oceania Region ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 19 Jan Taiwan Bird Race. April 13th and 14th. ["tainanspoonbill" ] 18 Jan FW: Final call for comments on the BirdLife GTB Forums: Seaducks ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 17 Jan Re: please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? [Sylvia Ramos ] 18 Jan Re: please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? ["Philip D. Round" ] 17 Jan please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? [Sylvia Ramos ] 14 Jan Area around Sultanpur bird sanctuary declared eco-sensitive zone [Rajesh Sachdev ] 16 Jan Re: 100 days from now - 3,000 Siberian Cranes in blackburn lancashire? [mark welfare ] 16 Jan CMS Call for Applications Specialist Technical Advisor (Raptors) ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 16 Jan 100 days from now - 3,000 Siberian Cranes in Manchuria? ["Jesper\(gmail\)" ] 15 Jan Philippines trip summary [christian artuso ] 14 Jan RC23 ["Igor Karyakin" ] 13 Jan Asian Dowitcher in Gujarat, signifcant sighting ["Andy Garnett" ] 13 Jan Re: Birding in Pokhara, Nepal ["Mark D. Read" ] 13 Jan FW: [Ramsar Forum] New dynamic and interactive tools to showcase Ramsar Sites! ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 13 Jan A Siberian Crane observed near Tokyo [ ] 11 Jan BirdingASIA 16 ["OBC Admin" ] 10 Jan Photography contest ! submit online ! [Bharat Jethva ] 10 Jan Update Information needed for some rare species in India [Eugeni Capella ] 09 Jan Re: Hypocolius India ["kandm.claydon" ] 9 Jan RE: Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp ["Mundkur, Taej" ] 09 Jan Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp ["PraveenJ" ] 8 Jan Re: Hypocolius India [Jugal Tiwari ] 08 Jan South West India & the Anadamans ["trogon13" ] 6 Jan India ["Malcolm Roxby" ] 6 Jan photography contest [Bharat Jethva ] 06 Jan Full access to the "Chinese Journal of Zoology" ["robbi_zl" ] 5 Jan Hypocolius India ["Malcolm Roxby" ] 4 Jan Yellow-rumped Flycatcher in Sri Lanka [Amila Salgado ] 3 Jan Re: Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits [Ronald Orenstein ] 4 Jan Re: Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits ["David" ] 3 Jan Fw: Gujarat Tourism - FICCI Invitation [Avi Sabavala ] 03 Jan Great Himalayan National Park and Kullu area ["topflusher" ] 2 Jan 11 Migratory Crane die in Junagadh: [Bharat Jethva ] 01 Jan Re: INDIA HELP [Mike Prince ] 31 Dec RE: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp [Ads Bowley ] 31 Dec INDIA HELP ["Malcolm Roxby" ] 31 Dec Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp [Antony Whitehead ] 30 Dec Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp [Vivek Tiwari ] 30 Dec Recent observations of Falcated Duck & Eurasian Curlew in Assam, India [Pritam Baruah ] Subject: Sandhill Crane Hunt Update | What's New International Crane Foundation From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2012 09:11:06 +0100 Dear all, Interesting article here on crane management and population control in America. http://www.savingcranes.org/whats-new/2012/02/sandhill-crane-hunt-update/?utm_source=What%27s+New%3A+February+8%2C+2012&utm_campaign=What%27s+New+2%2F8%2F12&utm_medium=email One measure of conservation success? Best wishes, Taej Mundkur Flyway Programme Manager Wetlands International Ede, Netherlands. Tel +31614987324 Www.wetlands.org Sent from my HTC, excuse the brevity [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Fw: Save Indian Bustards Campaign From: Bharat Jethva <bharatjethva2000 AT yahoo.co.in> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:50:54 +0530 (IST) Please sign the petition. ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Kedar Gore To: nathistory-india AT Princeton.EDU Sent: Monday, 6 February 2012 11:04 AM Subject: Save Indian Bustards Campaign Dear Friends, To protect the rapidly shrinking habitat of the Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) in Kutch, Gujarat, The Corbett Foundation has launched an online petition requesting Shri. Narendra Modi, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Gujarat to stop and remove all encroachments on the Bustard habitat in Kutch. The situation is quite grim and needs immediate action to save these critically endangered birds from being wiped out from Gujarat in the near future. Requesting support from you in this campaign. Please read, sign and share the online petition http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-indian-bustard-campaign Thanks & regards, Kedar Gore Director, The Corbett Foundation www.corbettfoundation.org +91 9167006190 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Topic Reminder From: Krys Kazmierczak <krys AT krys.net> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:11:04 +0000 Dear All I have been asked by a member to remind you all that messages to OB should remain on topic, i.e. be relevant to wild birds, conservation and birding in the Oriental Region. This includes if you are looking for others to join you in a trip. The trip should be in the Oriental Region, please. Here is a reminder extract from our Welcome message: ******************** What subjects does the group cover? Almost any topic to do with wild birds, their conservation and birding in the Orient. For example: - Latest news and sightings of Oriental birds. - Conservation news, comment and action suggestions. - Short trip reports, details of birding sites, or pointers to web-based reports. - Discussion of identification and taxonomic issues. - Requests for information, help with projects, birding trips, companions, contacts etc. - News and reviews of recent books, journals, videos or audio guides (with lists of contents where appropriate). - Addresses of relevant websites and notification of updates. - Announcements of forthcoming meetings or events. Please remember to include your name and email address in a signature to your message. Some email programs remove the mail headers, making it difficult to identify the sender. Postings to the list are not deemed to be 'published'.For example, observations of rare species still need to be thoroughly written up and sent to the relevant records committee. In the absence of such a committee for the country in question, they should be submitted for publication in Forktail, the Journal of the Oriental Bird Club (mail AT orientalbirdclub.org). ******************** What should NOT be posted to OrientalBirding? - NO IMAGES, ATTACHMENTS, OR VERY LONG REPORTS. Such items should be uploaded to your own website, or the group website athttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/orientalbirding .Click on "Files" and follow instructions. You can then email the group to invite members to visit the web page. If you experience difficulty, email listmanager AT orientalbirdclub.org . Attachments will be automatically removed from postings. - NO FLAMES (ANGRY MESSAGES). If you are inflamed by something someone has posted to the group, please resist the temptation to send an immediate overheated reply. Take the time to cool down before writing a measured and critically constructive response. - NO SPAMMING.Spammers (senders of junk email, chain letters etc.) will be barred from the list immediately. - NO COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING. Members should refrain from crossing the fine line between providing information and commercial advertising. If reporting sightings from a commercial bird tour, one single mention of the name of the company is acceptable. - NO OFF-TOPIC MESSAGES such as personal messages, virus warnings, programmes etc. These may be well-intentioned but only waste valuable time and space as far as this list are concerned. Virus warnings are often hoaxes. It is recommended that you use a reputable anti-virus software. In any case viruses cannot be transmitted by plain text email, only by attachments, which should not be sent to the list. - PLEASE DO NOT BROADCAST THE ADDRESSES OF PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. Replies to requests for such information should go to the sender of the request only, otherwise you may infringe on the privacy rights of the individual concerned. If you are not sure whether a topic is suitable for posting to the group, please contact one of the list managers at listmanager AT orientalbirdclub.org PLEASE NOTE: this list is unmoderated. The list owner and the Oriental Bird Club do not accept liability for any opinions posted to this list. Such opinions are those of the poster(s) alone and are thus their responsibility. Posters who do not follow the above guidelines will be warned, their messages moderated and, if necessary, barred from the list. Best wishes Krys -- Krys Kazmierczak OB Owner/Moderator orientalbirding-owner AT yahoogroups.com ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Trip Report: Tal Chapar (Big Bird Day) From: Sharad Sridhar <sharadsridhar AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 20:49:59 +0530 Was the sole birder here.. Mr Poonia had to go off on personal work. My hardest day in Tal Chapar ever. Ended the day with 125 Species. Highlights: Yellow-Eyed Pigeon, Buff-bellied Pipit, Spotted Creeper (a very vocal pair), Black-crowned Sparrowlark, Hen Harrier Male, Stolizcka's Bushchat, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Laggar Falcon (breeding), Water Pipits, Red-necked Falcon Pair , Common Raven (on nest), Tawny Eagle (breeding), Eurasian Skylark, Rock Eagle Owl (with 3 chicks), Red-tailed Wheatear, Imperial. Big Dips: Barbary Falcon (seen only yesterday) and a possible lifer for me, Plain Leaf Warbler (seen day before by a group of Belgian Briders), White-bellied Minivet (photographed yesterday within the guest house compound), Indian Vulture (seen daily by Mr. Poonia), White-rumped Vulture (again seen yesterday), Singing Bushlark, Tree Pipit, Spanish Sparrow, House Bunting, Desert Warbler, Orphean Warbler (all normally possible), almost a dozen common birds - Large-billed Crow, Jungle Babbler, Common Redshank and the likes..... guess the count would have been over 150 had Mr. Poonia been here. Missing the dinner and have a night long train journey ahead. Happy Birding.. Sharad List Enclosed Buff-Bellied Pipit Yellow-Eyed Pigeon Grey Francolin, Francolinus pondicerianus, Rain Quail, Coturnix coromandelica Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus Bar-headed Goose, Anser indicus Spot-billed Duck, Anas poecilorhyncha Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Dendrocopos mahrattensis Black-rumped Flameback, Dinopium benghalense Common Hoopoe, Upupa epops, Indian Roller, Coracias benghalensis White-throated Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis Asian Koel, Eudynamys scolopacea Greater Coucal, Centropus sinensis Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri Rock Eagle Owl, Bubo (bubo) bengalensis Short-eared Owl, Asio flammeus Rock Pigeon, Columba livia Laughing Dove, Streptopelia senegalensis Red Collared Dove, Streptopelia tranquebarica Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto Demoiselle Crane, Grus virgo White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Common Coot, Fulica atra Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Pterocles exustus Painted Sandgrouse, Pterocles indicus Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Temminck's Stint, Calidris temminckii Ruff, Philomachus pugnax Eurasian Thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Red-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus indicus White-tailed Lapwing, Vanellus leucurus Pallas's Gull, Larus ichthyaetus Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus caeruleus Black Kite, Milvus migrans Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus Eurasian Griffon, Gyps fulvus Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus Western Marsh Harrier, Circus aeruginosus Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus Pallid Harrier, Circus macrourus Montagu's Harrier, Circus pygargus Shikra, Accipiter badius Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus White-eyed Buzzard, Butastur teesa Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo Long-legged Buzzard, Buteo rufinus Greater Spotted Eagle, Aquila clanga Tawny Eagle, Aquila rapax Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis Imperial Eagle, Aquila heliaca Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus Red-necked Falcon, Falco chicquera Laggar Falcon, Falco jugger Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Cormorant, Phalacrocorax niger Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea Great Egret, Casmerodius albus Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii Black Ibis, Pseudibis papillosa Rufous-tailed Shrike, Lanius isabellinus Bay-backed Shrike, Lanius vittatus Long-tailed Shrike, Lanius schach Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis Rufous Treepie, Dendrocitta vagabunda House Crow, Corvus splendens Common Raven, Corvus corax Black Drongo, Dicrurus macrocercus Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula (parva) albicilla Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica Oriental Magpie Robin, Copsychus saularis Indian Robin, Saxicoloides fulicata Black Redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros Stoliczka's Bushchat, Saxicola macrorhyncha Pied Bushchat, Saxicola caprata Variable Wheatear, Oenanthe picata Rufous-tailed Wheatear, Oenanthe xanthoprymna Desert Wheatear, Oenanthe deserti Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina Brahminy Starling, Sturnus pagodarum Rosy Starling, Sturnus roseus Asian Pied Starling, Sturnus contra Bank Myna, Acridotheres ginginianus Spotted Creeper, Salpornis spilonotus Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, Swallow Wire-tailed Swallow, Hirundo smithii White-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus leucotis Red-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus cafer Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis Rufous-fronted Prinia, Prinia buchanani Graceful Prinia, Prinia gracilis Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata Blyth's Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum Booted Warbler, Hippolais caligata Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita Common Babbler, Turdoides caudatus Large Grey Babbler, Turdoides malcolmi Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca Indian Bushlark, Mirafra erythroptera Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Eremopterix grisea Rufous-tailed Lark, Ammomanes phoenicurus Bimaculated Lark, Melanocorypha bimaculata Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla Crested Lark, Galerida cristata Eurasian Skylark, Alauda arvensis Purple Sunbird, Nectarinia asiatica House Sparrow, Passer domesticus White-browed Wagtail, Motacilla maderaspatensis Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla flava Paddyfield Pipit, Anthus rufulus Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris Long-billed Pipit, Anthus similis Tree Pipit, Anthus trivialis Water Pipit, Anthus spinoletta Indian Silverbill, Lonchura malabarica Grey-necked Bunting, Emberiza buchanani White-capped Bunting, Emberiza stewarti [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Per Alström's research From: Krys Kazmierczak <krys AT krys.net> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:34:09 +0000 Dear All Per Alström has kindly suggested I let you know about his new research page which might be of interest to you all. He has posted pdfs of all of his publications for which he is allowed to do that, and published abstracts and figures for many of the others, as well as some sound recordings (e.g. of all "Golden-spectacled/White-spectacled/Grey-chinned Warblers). Among interesting recent papers are systematic revisions of Locustellidae and Cettiidae and a split of the "Arctic Warbler" into three species. A revision of Sylvioidea should be added in a few months (submitted). The link is http://www.slu.se/sv/centrumbildningar-och-projekt/artdatabanken/kontakt1/personal-a-o/per-alstrom/per-alstroms-forskning/ Kind regards and many thanks to Per Krys -- Krys Kazmierczak OB Owner/Moderator orientalbirding-owner AT yahoogroups.com ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Cheap (well reasonably cheap) trip to highlands of PNG 5-16th April? One place left From: Phil Hansbro <philip.hansbro AT newcastle.edu.au> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 14:49:08 +1100 Hi All I sent this email a couple of days ago. There are now 3 of us but it would be good to have a fourth person. We are doing it as cheaply as possible and if we get 4 it almost can't be done any cheaper. The highlands of PNG are being logged quickly so it's a now or never situation. I have been top PNG a few times so have experience. Please email me if interested. Thanks Phil. > > > Hi all > > Two or 3 of us are now on for a trip to Warili lodge in the highlands of PNG. > > We are doing as cheaply (but safely) as possible. > > We are looking for 4 people total costs shared. > > Please contact me directly if interested. > > Thanks > Phil Hansbro > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: FW: World Wetlands Day event From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 12:00:42 +0100 Dear Colleagues, Please find information about the World Wetlands Day 2012 below. Kind regards, Taej Mundkur ________________________________ From: alex.kaat AT wetlands.org [mailto:alex.kaat AT wetlands.org] Sent: 03 February 2012 10:44 Subject: World Wetlands Day event Dear all, See here the link to the news release about our World Wetlands Day 2012 in The Hague, including a linlk to the speech of our CEO Jane Madgwick. Alex Kaat http://www.wetlands.org/News/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2863/Default.aspx Wetlands International presents future plans at World Wetlands Day event 03-Feb-2012 Netherlands, 3 Feb. 2012. With a well attended event in The Hague, the Netherlands, Wetlands International presented its plans for the coming years. Different speakers showed the effective approach of the organisation as a broker between science, policy and practice; between field level challenges and global trends and solutions and between different sectors and interests. The event took place in The Hague, Yesterday the 2nd of February on World Wetlands Day. It was well attended by Dutch politicians, partners, and donors; an illustration of the good network of the organisation in the host country, but also of the importance of the Dutch networks for our global work.[http://www.wetlands.org/../../../../../DesktopModules/QuickImageRepository/image.ashx?thumb=1&w=300&fileid=5737] Jan-Ernst de Groot, former managing Director of KLM and since 2010 chairman of Wetlands International emphasised the need as well as opportunities to work with the corporate sector. He stated the growing recognition of many companies of their dependence on natural resources and their willingness to go for more sustainable operations. [http://www.wetlands.org/../../../../../DesktopModules/QuickImageRepository/image.ashx?thumb=1&w=300&fileid=5738]Jane Madgwick, CEO of Wetlands International showed the impressive list of achievements on policy levels as well as in the field. the specific and very relevant role of Wetlands International as a broker of know how between science, field level practices and policies. She presented the organisation's mission of sustaining wetlands; not for their own sake, but for their local role for people's daily needs, for water regulation is for a much wider area and for climate mitigation and resilience. [http://www.wetlands.org/../../../../../DesktopModules/QuickImageRepository/image.ashx?thumb=1&w=300&fileid=5739] Bart Fokkens, former Director if the Ministry of Public Works and now Associate Expert of the organisation praised the very effective approach of the organisation in mobilising knowledge and raising the capacity of people on the ground. Click here for the complete speech of CEO Jane Madgwick. More Information: alex.kaat AT wetlands.org +31 6 5060 1917 Chester Zoo is a registered conservation and education charity. Our Vision is - A diverse, thriving and sustainable natural world. Our Mission is - To be a major force in conserving biodiversity worldwide. A Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No. 287902. Registered Office: North of England Zoological Society, Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, CH2-1LH. Registered Charity No. 306077. VAT No. 595 7286 79. Switchboard: 01244 380 280. Important Note: All documents attached to this email have been scanned for viruses by Postini. Please ensure that you also scan all messages, as Chester Zoo will not accept any liability for any contamination or damage to your systems. All information is supplied for your information only and is to be treated as strictly private and confidential. Please destroy this mail if you are not the intended recipient, and please notify the sender by phone on the above number. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: SHENDURNEY ANNUAL BIRD SURVEY From: c susanth <csusanth AT yahoo.co.in> Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 09:18:22 +0530 (IST) SHENDURNEY ANNUAL BIRD SURVEY 2012 Dear Birders, Warblers and Waders have been conducting Annual Bird Surveys at Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary since 1995. Shendurney Wildlife Santuary is situated in Kollam District,Kerala.A haven for birds and butterflies.A biodiversity hot spot of southern Western Ghats.This year KeralaForestand Wildlife Department and Warblers and Waders jointly conduct Annual Bird Survey at Shenduuney Wildlife Sanctuary during February 2012. Shendurney, the only Wildlife Sanctuary in Kollam District (Kerala), 272 bird species were recorded here from our earlier studies. The survey is fixed between 18-02-2012 to 20-02-2012. The number of participants is limited to 20. I am glad to invite you to participate in the survey. Please confirm your participation on or before 10th February 2012. If any of your friends who is a knowledgeable bird watcher and good in identification of forest birds and also wish to participate, please send his/her name and email ID to me at the earliest. The survey will commence on 18th February 2012 and will conclude by the noon of 20th instant. Please report at the Forest Information Centre at Thenmala Dam on or before 8pm of 17th February 2012.The destination place Thenmala Dam is 70 km(approx) from Thiruvananthapuram Bus Station(Thampanoor).Trivandrum-Thenkashi(via Thenmala Dam) inter-state K.S.R.T.C buses plying from Thampanoor Bus Station every one hour. Time of last Trivandrum-Thenkashi bus from Trivandrum bus station is 9.30pm.Please avoid traveling in last bus. Do's and Don'ts Keep a field note and pen for scribbling your observations. Keep water bottle, bed sheet, torch, cap and shoes. Please, do not wear bright/fluorescent, Black and White dress. Avoid large stripe shirts and T-shirts. Please, wear light shade, brown/grey/green shade dresses. Consumption of liquor, smoking cigarettes and using perfumes strictly prohibited in the camp. Please, obey the instructions/directions given by Group Leaders/Camp coordinators. LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE Eagerly waiting to meet you on 17th February 2012 at Thenmala Forest Information Centre. With warm regards C. Susanth Bird Survey Coordinator Warblers and Waders Mob: 9447699236 SAVE GREENERY, CONSERVE WETLANDS Prakriti¡¦ Indira Nagar, Peroorkada P.O. Thiruvananthapuram-695 005 Ph: 0471-2437244, Mob: 9447699236 Email: wandwaders AT yahoo.co.in c.susanth AT gmail.com  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Cheap (well reasonably cheap) trip to highlands of PNG 5-16th April? From: Phil Hansbro <philip.hansbro AT newcastle.edu.au> Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 19:34:41 +1100 Hi all Two or 3 of us are now on for a trip to Warili lodge in the highlands of PNG. We are doing as cheaply (but safely) as possible. We are looking for 4 people total costs shared. Please contact me directly if interested. Thanks Phil Hansbro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Budget (relatively) highlands of PNG trip 5-16th April anyone? From: "philip.hansbro AT y7mail.com" <philip.hansbro@newcastle.edu.au> Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:01:01 -0000 Hi All Just managed to rejoin after dropping off for some reason? I am planning a trip to Warili lodge, Tari for 5-16th of April (well we'll be on site 6-15th) on a cost share basis. There are 2 of us but would be better to have a team of 4 to share costs. Please email me if you are interested. Thanks Phil. ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Update from Vietnam and Laos - trip December 2011-January 2012 From: "Peter Collaerts" <peter.collaerts AT scarlet.be> Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:12:59 +0100 (Romance (standaardtijd)) Hello, I wrote a mistaken in my mail. The entrance fee for Fansipan Mountain is nowadays 150.000VND. Greetings, Peter -------Oorspronkelijk bericht------- Van: Peter Collaerts Datum: 29/01/2012 14:42:09 Aan: orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com Onderwerp: [OB] Update from Vietnam and Laos - trip December 2011-January 2012 Hello all, We are back from Vietnam and Laos since 2 weeks. Time for a short overview of our trip. Cat Tien: Germain's Peacock-Pheasant on the Bau Sau Trail. No Orange-necked Partridge (also not seen in Tan Phu Forest). Found Pale-headed Woodpecker in Cat Tien. Dalat-region. Ta Nung Valley: under development by a resort. Already new dam build, new gate and they start making a road that seems to go straight into the forest. Also it was difficult to find the trails that go into the forest because they dumped a lot of ground at the start of the trails. But we saw the crocias. Ho Tuyem Lam: we found cutia and crocias here. Also crossbill. Large scale tourist development with 450 villa's and a few 4- and 5-stars hotels and a golf course. Luckily the places where you have to go for the cutia are still good. But small scale logging was going on here. They were cutting down a few of the highest trees. Bi Doup: Unluckily, we did not make it to Bi Doup. There are 2 trails that you can Take to visit the mountain but both were no option for us. When you go from the Klong Klanh pass (shortest trail to good birding area S) you have to cross a wild river over a bridge only made of 2 thin tree Trunks. Because the river was swollen of the heavy rain of the last days, we Did not take the risk. The bridge is just made at a place where the river is Deep and very fast flooting. When you go from the Bidoup HQ entrance (longer distance to best birding area's according to the info we got from the local guide), you have to use a Rope to cross the same river. Also this was no option for us. Mull Vang vangmull AT yahoo.com, the local guide (working at the HQ in Dalat) Did not inform us about the entrance situation to the park. Transport from Dalat to the Klong Klanh Pass and the tickets to enter Bidoup were both Arranged by him. Getting a permit is nowadays no problem at all as the Government is starting to promote Bi Doup as a national park. They even made New English folders. And according to our guide, the are planning to make Good bridges in the near future. The transport he arranged was much overrated. I think it is much cheaper to Go to the pass with a common taxi. He asked 1.800.000VND. He just told us About the primitive bridge at the moment we arrived early morning at Klong Klanh Pass. After we saw and discussed the situation, we only got 100.000VND Back. As a compensation, they drove with us to another peak close near Bi Doup, More in the direction of Nha Trang. But the weather was so bad that only a Dalat Shrike-Babbler was observed. Loxo: we saw a couple of Black-crowned Barwings near the waterfall. We were not allowed to go on the Dak Blo Road. Finally we could go there by paying the guard $100. We refused that. Quang Binh Forest Road: very quiet but at the first place we played the tape for Vietnam Partridge we saw 2 birds. Laos: Bare-faced Bulbul and Sooty Babbler were very easy to find. Did not find Red-collared Woodpecker. Sapa - Fansipan: great birding. Saw Pale-throated Wren-Babbler but no White-throated. Heard Red-tailed LT twice (near first and second camp). Now entrance fee for Fansipan 15000 VND/day. They are still cutting down all the undergrowth at the lower parts of the Fansipan. This is the reason White-throated Wren-Babbler is out of the place Tam Dao: problems for entering the Watertank Trail the first day and even get out of the place after half an hour at the second day. Just at that moment, we found the flock of White-collated Babbler. So dipped the Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill but saw 1 Short-tailed Parrotbill. Concentrated our efforts on the transmitter trail. Heard Blue-naped Pitta twice (one on each day but probably the same bird) along the trail but the bad weather was not helpful in finding the bird(s). Greetings, Peter -------Oorspronkelijk bericht------- Van: Simon Mahood Datum: 5/10/2011 14:33:57 Aan: Peter Collaerts Onderwerp: Re: [OB] Bach Ma Hi Peter, Make sure you bird around Sapa (Fansipan) for a few days for kinnerei Long-tailed Wren-babbler (Pale-thraoted Wren-babbler) along the trail to the summit - first half before you reach the lower camp) and other good stuff (Red-winged Laugher etc high up), unfortunately you won't see White-throated Wren-babbler there (see my BirdingASIA little known bird article in the most recent issue). Cuc Phuong has few birds that you need but make sure you get "Tonkin" Chestnut-necklaced Partridge - it will be split eventually. Fujian Niltava on the grid at Bong, Pied Falconet is best seen from the Botanical Gardens, usually perched high on a dead tree on a limestone ridge visible from the main bot gardens trail when you're about half-way round. Winter thrushes can be good here. Ba Vi for Rufous-cheeked Laugher - take the left hand trail to the temple once you get to the summit carpark (very hit and miss at this site). Tam Dao for Grey Laugher, Short-tailed Parrotbill and the recently split Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill - all best along the watertank trail - just keep at it. Short-tailed has got rare again after being easy in 2008-9. It likes low bamboo and long grass. To see GRHP first find the flock of Collared babblers, this holds a pair of GRHP (and a pair of Coral-billed Scimys). The flock is very elusive and usually silent. They usually hang out about a third of their way along the watertank road where there is a sharp kink in the track with a large tree on your left, they don't usually tape in you have to climb up the bank on the right to see into the flock. The tape will get them singing though, then you at least know where the flock is! Quang Binh site on the website already sent for Annam Part, RE pecker, Brown Hornbill, Grey-faced Tit-babbler and it must have Ed Pheas along the road in the early morning??? Lo Xo - the road is now shut to traffic so you have to pay off the guard on the gate and walk first through degraded forest till you get to the Barwing. Km7 (the highest point in the road) is the best spot for them, just play some tape (this is 7 km from the highway). White-winged Magpie all over the place here, ESP lower. Mang Den - you have the Gen. CELT is easy. Da Lat stuff: At Nung is probably impossible to access at the moment, but you have Ho Tuyem Lam for the Crocias. Cutia likes the edge of broadleaved and pine forest. Mt. Bi Doup is now open - contact tourist agencies in Da Lat to try and arrange a two day trek - it has Indochese Fulvetta on the summit, you won't see it otherwise. Plus Collared Laugher and Black-crowned Fulvetta are easy there. If you do that site then forget Mt. Lang Bian. White-cheeked Laugher is easy everywhere in scrub, Greenfinch and crossbill like pines. Give Di Linh enough time for the Black-crowned Parrotbills plus its good for cochoa. There's plenty of trip reports online. Cat Tien - plenty of trip reports online. Bau Sau (crocodile) lake trail is best for pretty much everything. Otherwise...Orange-necked Part is hard, you need areas with lots of bamboo so further down the road from the entrance to that trail, or if you're really lucky then on heaven's rapids trail. Pale-headed Pecker along the road towards the grassland in big bamboo clumps Yok Don has easy Mekong Wag by the HQ in the evening (scope the bushes in the river) http://vietnambirdnews.blogspot.com/2010/12/27-hours-in-laos.html for Gen on Laos. Sooty Babbler is much easier there than in VN too, negating the need for you to visit Phong Nha Ke Bang. Ba Be Lake - White-eared Night Heron - no idea how easy/hard this is in mid winter. Find the guesthouse of Mr. Chat and he will show you the birds if he knows where they are. I can did out his phone number if you like (he speaks no EN). Limestone Leaf-warbler is in Cuc Phoung and Ba Be and Phong Nha Ke Bang. However, in the first two of these sites Sulphur-breasted Warbler is a winter visitor, so play the tape at any you find to confirm the ID. Let me know if you need any site/species specific info. Simon On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 6:04 PM, Peter Collaerts wrote: Hello Simon, I do not have a fixed itinerary yet. We are planning to visit all the traditional places in the south, central and north Vietnam. Main targets are of course the endemics and restricted range birds. Spoon-billed Sandp is not on the program. Is it easy to find the bulbuls-place on your own? All other you think that is valuable is welcome. Greetings, Peter On Wed, 5 Oct 2011 17:48:15 +0600, Simon Mahood wrote: > Hi Peter, > > Here is the paper, please do not distribute to others, it this is only for > your use as it has already been submitted to the OBC. > > Where else are you visiting? Do you need any other advice? A month is > enough > time to visit the Baldbul site in Laos as well (it only takes a couple of > days round trip from VN) if you get multiple entry VN visas. > > Simon > > On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 5:33 PM, Peter Collaerts > wrote: > >> Hello Simon, >> >> thanks for the info. The article you are writing is very welcome. >> >> We are arriving in Vietnam at December 17th and we are staying for a >> month. >> >> Greetings, >> >> Peter >> >> On Wed, 5 Oct 2011 17:19:52 +0600, Simon Mahood >> wrote: >> > Hi Peter, >> > >> > The road runs from the entrance to the summit. It is currently shut but >> you >> > can still walk up the road (8km) from the accommodation at the >> HQ/entrance >> > area to the Pheasant Trail. You can probably walk even further up the >> road >> > to get to areas where some of the other specialties can be found. >> > >> > However, I would not bother with Bach Ma, instead visit Mang Den (the >> > Chestnut-eared Laugher site) and a road in Quang Binh Province which I >> > visited earlier this year, detailed here: >> > http://vietnambirdnews.blogspot.com/2011/03/quan-binh-province.html >> > >> > I guess your Bach Ma targets are probably the following: >> > >> > Short-tailed Scimy-babb - learn the voice and you'll find them easily >> along >> > the road at Mang Den (when they sing, leave the road and walk into the >> > forest, tape them in - they will go silent for a while but wait 10mins >> or >> > so >> > and they will pop up right in front of you singing) >> > >> > Annam Partridge - hard along the Pheas Trail at Bach Ma, easy at the >> Quang >> > Binh site >> > >> > Red-collared Woodpecker - never seen at Bach Ma (forest is poor qaulity >> at >> > low elevations), more easily seen at the Baldbul site in Laos or Quang >> Binh >> > site >> > >> > Crested Argus - hunted out of the Bach Ma Pheas trail, you won't even >> hear >> > it there (I've heard it at Lo Xo - the Barwing site) >> > >> > Indochinese Green Magpie - Ta Nung Valley or Mang Den for a yellowy >> bird, >> > around Bong at Cuc Phuong for a green one >> > >> > Grey and Ratchet Tailed Treepies - Mang Den >> > >> > Austin's Brown Hornbill - I see pairs daily at Mang Den and there are >> > flocks >> > at Quang Binh (learn the voice) >> > >> > Sultan Tit of the black crested gayetti race - Mang Den where fairly >> common >> > >> > Blyth's Kingfisher - rarely seen on the river at the end of the Pheas >> trail >> > at Bach Ma, the rivers along the Quang Binh site look perfect for it... >> > >> > Hodgy Froggy - a bird I've never seen in VN. You can't get to the >> stakeout >> > at Bach Ma anymore because of the road closure, but it has been seen at >> Ta >> > Nung, Bi Doup and Di Linh. It must be at Mang Den, but any time I tried >> for >> > it there it was either windy or raining... >> > >> > Let me know if you need any other Vietnam birding advice. I'm >> > publishing >> a >> > BirdingASIA article on Mang Den next year and can sen you a draft if >> > you >> > like, I guess you'll be visiting before it is published. >> > >> > cheers, >> > >> > Simon >> > >> > On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 3:26 PM, Peter Collaerts >> > wrote: >> > >> >> ** >> >> >> >> >> >> Hello, >> >> >> >> is there recent information about the situation in Bach Ma? Is the >> >> entrance road still closed? If it is, is the park still accessible on >> >> foot? >> >> >> >> Greetings, >> >> >> >> Peter >> >> >> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Help on a Treron sp. with a suitable link this time ! From: Christophe Gouraud <collection.baillon AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:25:32 +0100 Dear all, We house a *Treron* specimen in our collection and would like to get your opinion on it. This specimen has been collected for Temminck during the first half of the 19th century. Original labels mention "*Columba aromatica* Wagler and *Columba curvirostra* Latham, from Ambon, Given by Temminck" Sub-species *T. pompadora aromatica* is present in Buru I., not so far from Ambon. *T. griseicauda wallacei*, which was not described yet at this time, is also not so far from Ambon. On the other hand, *T. curvirostra* which is closely related to both *T. pompadora* and *T. griseicauda* is located further more. Please visit our gallery at the following address to see 2 pictures of this *Treron* sp. https://picasaweb.google.com/101333062689725285918/TreronSp?authkey=Gv1sRgCLTZ6LWXyKr-jwE Thank you so far, kind regards. -- *Madeline Quemin & **Christophe Gouraud* Référents scientifiques de la Collection Baillon Scientific referees/advisors of the Baillon Collection Musée George Sand et de la Vallée Noire 71 Rue Venose 36400 La Châtre http://cahiersnaturalistes.free.fr/oiseaux/coll_orni1.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Help on a Treron sp. From: Collection Baillon <collection.baillon AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:10:06 +0100 Dear all, We house a *Treron* specimen in our collection and would like to get your opinion on it. This specimen has been collected for Temminck during the first half of the 19th century. Original labels mention "*Columba aromatica* Wagler and *Columba curvirostra* Latham, from Ambon, Given by Temminck" Sub-species *T. pompadora aromatica* is present in Buru I., not so far from Ambon. *T. griseicauda wallacei*, which was not described yet at this time, is also not so far from Ambon. On the other hand, *T. curvirostra* which is closely related to both *T. pompadora* and *T. griseicauda* is located further more. Please visit our gallery at the following address to see 2 pictures of this *Treron* sp. https://picasaweb.google.com/101333062689725285918/TreronSp# Thank you so far, kind regards. -- *Madeline Quemin & **Christophe Gouraud* collection.baillon AT gmail.com Scientific referees/advisors of the Baillon Collection Musée George Sand et de la Vallée Noire 71 Rue Venose 36400 La Châtre http://cahiersnaturalistes.free.fr/oiseaux/coll_orni1.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: RFI: Birding in Sumba From: Michiel de Boer <michiel.1 AT zonnet.nl> Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:13:32 +0100 Hi Mathias If you stay at Katy Hary (phone – 085239910745). in Lewa which is recommended they will take care of everything. I was there in september 2010. Though maybe not he latest info I would stiill recommend to go around it that way. You may be able to reach Katy through a friend who lives nearby and can be contacted by e-mail: b_karwelo AT yahoo.de You do not need a guide if it is for the nearby sites which may give you the endemics except for the Cockatoo and Button Quail transport by Ojek if you want to go to Watumbela forest and another site for the Cockatoo you will need a vehicle and a guide and permit which can be arranged also by Katy and car could be arranged in advance if you like by the guy of the e-mail address. Think his name was Budi. Cockatoo could be difficult but I saw it at three different sites with one on Timor. If you miss it at Watumbela your best bet is another site which Katy nows. It is the best to see it there but this is far from Lewa, I combined it with my ride to the other side of the island since I had to fly to Timor from a different airport. Consult the reports of Henk Hendriks and George Wagner. Somewhere there is an update for the Button Quail site which is moving under pressure of local agriculture. The info of the latest report of George is not up to date anymore but that was what I had when I went. There is however a local guide who may help you for rhe button quail. Good luck Lesser Sundas are an amazing place! Michiel m.fehlow AT t-online.de schreef: > > > Hi, > I will be in Sumba in early February and do not know the current > situation with the birding around Lewa. > Does anybody know how strictly the permit for the NP is enforced these > days and how difficult it is to get the permit in the first place? > Do I have to take a guide and how is he going to get to the places if > I don't have a car and travel to te birding spots by Ojek (motorbike > taxi) ? > Is the forest east of Lewa still outside the NP and freely accessible ? > > Any comments will be very helpful, best regards, > > Matthias > > Matthias Fehlow > Taunusstrasse 63 > D-65779 Kelkheim > Germany > m.fehlow AT t-online.de > > ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Update from Vietnam and Laos - trip December 2011-January 2012 From: "Peter Collaerts" <peter.collaerts AT scarlet.be> Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:42:09 +0100 (Romance (standaardtijd)) Hello all, We are back from Vietnam and Laos since 2 weeks. Time for a short overview of our trip. Cat Tien: Germain's Peacock-Pheasant on the Bau Sau Trail. No Orange-necked Partridge (also not seen in Tan Phu Forest). Found Pale-headed Woodpecker in Cat Tien. Dalat-region. Ta Nung Valley: under development by a resort. Already new dam build, new gate and they start making a road that seems to go straight into the forest. Also it was difficult to find the trails that go into the forest because they dumped a lot of ground at the start of the trails. But we saw the crocias. Ho Tuyem Lam: we found cutia and crocias here. Also crossbill. Large scale tourist development with 450 villa's and a few 4- and 5-stars hotels and a golf course. Luckily the places where you have to go for the cutia are still good. But small scale logging was going on here. They were cutting down a few of the highest trees. Bi Doup: Unluckily, we did not make it to Bi Doup. There are 2 trails that you can Take to visit the mountain but both were no option for us. When you go from the Klong Klanh pass (shortest trail to good birding area S) you have to cross a wild river over a bridge only made of 2 thin tree Trunks. Because the river was swollen of the heavy rain of the last days, we Did not take the risk. The bridge is just made at a place where the river is Deep and very fast flooting. When you go from the Bidoup HQ entrance (longer distance to best birding area's according to the info we got from the local guide), you have to use a Rope to cross the same river. Also this was no option for us. Mull Vang vangmull AT yahoo.com, the local guide (working at the HQ in Dalat) Did not inform us about the entrance situation to the park. Transport from Dalat to the Klong Klanh Pass and the tickets to enter Bidoup were both Arranged by him. Getting a permit is nowadays no problem at all as the Government is starting to promote Bi Doup as a national park. They even made New English folders. And according to our guide, the are planning to make Good bridges in the near future. The transport he arranged was much overrated. I think it is much cheaper to Go to the pass with a common taxi. He asked 1.800.000VND. He just told us About the primitive bridge at the moment we arrived early morning at Klong Klanh Pass. After we saw and discussed the situation, we only got 100.000VND Back. As a compensation, they drove with us to another peak close near Bi Doup, More in the direction of Nha Trang. But the weather was so bad that only a Dalat Shrike-Babbler was observed. Loxo: we saw a couple of Black-crowned Barwings near the waterfall. We were not allowed to go on the Dak Blo Road. Finally we could go there by paying the guard $100. We refused that. Quang Binh Forest Road: very quiet but at the first place we played the tape for Vietnam Partridge we saw 2 birds. Laos: Bare-faced Bulbul and Sooty Babbler were very easy to find. Did not find Red-collared Woodpecker. Sapa - Fansipan: great birding. Saw Pale-throated Wren-Babbler but no White-throated. Heard Red-tailed LT twice (near first and second camp). Now entrance fee for Fansipan 15000 VND/day. They are still cutting down all the undergrowth at the lower parts of the Fansipan. This is the reason White-throated Wren-Babbler is out of the place Tam Dao: problems for entering the Watertank Trail the first day and even get out of the place after half an hour at the second day. Just at that moment, we found the flock of White-collated Babbler. So dipped the Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill but saw 1 Short-tailed Parrotbill. Concentrated our efforts on the transmitter trail. Heard Blue-naped Pitta twice (one on each day but probably the same bird) along the trail but the bad weather was not helpful in finding the bird(s). Greetings, Peter -------Oorspronkelijk bericht------- Van: Simon Mahood Datum: 5/10/2011 14:33:57 Aan: Peter Collaerts Onderwerp: Re: [OB] Bach Ma Hi Peter, Make sure you bird around Sapa (Fansipan) for a few days for kinnerei Long-tailed Wren-babbler (Pale-thraoted Wren-babbler) along the trail to the summit - first half before you reach the lower camp) and other good stuff (Red-winged Laugher etc high up), unfortunately you won't see White-throated Wren-babbler there (see my BirdingASIA little known bird article in the most recent issue). Cuc Phuong has few birds that you need but make sure you get "Tonkin" Chestnut-necklaced Partridge - it will be split eventually. Fujian Niltava on the grid at Bong, Pied Falconet is best seen from the Botanical Gardens, usually perched high on a dead tree on a limestone ridge visible from the main bot gardens trail when you're about half-way round. Winter thrushes can be good here. Ba Vi for Rufous-cheeked Laugher - take the left hand trail to the temple once you get to the summit carpark (very hit and miss at this site). Tam Dao for Grey Laugher, Short-tailed Parrotbill and the recently split Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill - all best along the watertank trail - just keep at it. Short-tailed has got rare again after being easy in 2008-9. It likes low bamboo and long grass. To see GRHP first find the flock of Collared babblers, this holds a pair of GRHP (and a pair of Coral-billed Scimys). The flock is very elusive and usually silent. They usually hang out about a third of their way along the watertank road where there is a sharp kink in the track with a large tree on your left, they don't usually tape in you have to climb up the bank on the right to see into the flock. The tape will get them singing though, then you at least know where the flock is! Quang Binh site on the website already sent for Annam Part, RE pecker, Brown Hornbill, Grey-faced Tit-babbler and it must have Ed Pheas along the road in the early morning??? Lo Xo - the road is now shut to traffic so you have to pay off the guard on the gate and walk first through degraded forest till you get to the Barwing. Km7 (the highest point in the road) is the best spot for them, just play some tape (this is 7 km from the highway). White-winged Magpie all over the place here, ESP lower. Mang Den - you have the Gen. CELT is easy. Da Lat stuff: At Nung is probably impossible to access at the moment, but you have Ho Tuyem Lam for the Crocias. Cutia likes the edge of broadleaved and pine forest. Mt. Bi Doup is now open - contact tourist agencies in Da Lat to try and arrange a two day trek - it has Indochese Fulvetta on the summit, you won't see it otherwise. Plus Collared Laugher and Black-crowned Fulvetta are easy there. If you do that site then forget Mt. Lang Bian. White-cheeked Laugher is easy everywhere in scrub, Greenfinch and crossbill like pines. Give Di Linh enough time for the Black-crowned Parrotbills plus its good for cochoa. There's plenty of trip reports online. Cat Tien - plenty of trip reports online. Bau Sau (crocodile) lake trail is best for pretty much everything. Otherwise...Orange-necked Part is hard, you need areas with lots of bamboo so further down the road from the entrance to that trail, or if you're really lucky then on heaven's rapids trail. Pale-headed Pecker along the road towards the grassland in big bamboo clumps Yok Don has easy Mekong Wag by the HQ in the evening (scope the bushes in the river) http://vietnambirdnews.blogspot.com/2010/12/27-hours-in-laos.html for Gen on Laos. Sooty Babbler is much easier there than in VN too, negating the need for you to visit Phong Nha Ke Bang. Ba Be Lake - White-eared Night Heron - no idea how easy/hard this is in mid winter. Find the guesthouse of Mr. Chat and he will show you the birds if he knows where they are. I can did out his phone number if you like (he speaks no EN). Limestone Leaf-warbler is in Cuc Phoung and Ba Be and Phong Nha Ke Bang. However, in the first two of these sites Sulphur-breasted Warbler is a winter visitor, so play the tape at any you find to confirm the ID. Let me know if you need any site/species specific info. Simon On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 6:04 PM, Peter Collaerts wrote: Hello Simon, I do not have a fixed itinerary yet. We are planning to visit all the traditional places in the south, central and north Vietnam. Main targets are of course the endemics and restricted range birds. Spoon-billed Sandp is not on the program. Is it easy to find the bulbuls-place on your own? All other you think that is valuable is welcome. Greetings, Peter On Wed, 5 Oct 2011 17:48:15 +0600, Simon Mahood wrote: > Hi Peter, > > Here is the paper, please do not distribute to others, it this is only for > your use as it has already been submitted to the OBC. > > Where else are you visiting? Do you need any other advice? A month is > enough > time to visit the Baldbul site in Laos as well (it only takes a couple of > days round trip from VN) if you get multiple entry VN visas. > > Simon > > On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 5:33 PM, Peter Collaerts > wrote: > >> Hello Simon, >> >> thanks for the info. The article you are writing is very welcome. >> >> We are arriving in Vietnam at December 17th and we are staying for a >> month. >> >> Greetings, >> >> Peter >> >> On Wed, 5 Oct 2011 17:19:52 +0600, Simon Mahood >> wrote: >> > Hi Peter, >> > >> > The road runs from the entrance to the summit. It is currently shut but >> you >> > can still walk up the road (8km) from the accommodation at the >> HQ/entrance >> > area to the Pheasant Trail. You can probably walk even further up the >> road >> > to get to areas where some of the other specialties can be found. >> > >> > However, I would not bother with Bach Ma, instead visit Mang Den (the >> > Chestnut-eared Laugher site) and a road in Quang Binh Province which I >> > visited earlier this year, detailed here: >> > http://vietnambirdnews.blogspot.com/2011/03/quan-binh-province.html >> > >> > I guess your Bach Ma targets are probably the following: >> > >> > Short-tailed Scimy-babb - learn the voice and you'll find them easily >> along >> > the road at Mang Den (when they sing, leave the road and walk into the >> > forest, tape them in - they will go silent for a while but wait 10mins >> or >> > so >> > and they will pop up right in front of you singing) >> > >> > Annam Partridge - hard along the Pheas Trail at Bach Ma, easy at the >> Quang >> > Binh site >> > >> > Red-collared Woodpecker - never seen at Bach Ma (forest is poor qaulity >> at >> > low elevations), more easily seen at the Baldbul site in Laos or Quang >> Binh >> > site >> > >> > Crested Argus - hunted out of the Bach Ma Pheas trail, you won't even >> hear >> > it there (I've heard it at Lo Xo - the Barwing site) >> > >> > Indochinese Green Magpie - Ta Nung Valley or Mang Den for a yellowy >> bird, >> > around Bong at Cuc Phuong for a green one >> > >> > Grey and Ratchet Tailed Treepies - Mang Den >> > >> > Austin's Brown Hornbill - I see pairs daily at Mang Den and there are >> > flocks >> > at Quang Binh (learn the voice) >> > >> > Sultan Tit of the black crested gayetti race - Mang Den where fairly >> common >> > >> > Blyth's Kingfisher - rarely seen on the river at the end of the Pheas >> trail >> > at Bach Ma, the rivers along the Quang Binh site look perfect for it... >> > >> > Hodgy Froggy - a bird I've never seen in VN. You can't get to the >> stakeout >> > at Bach Ma anymore because of the road closure, but it has been seen at >> Ta >> > Nung, Bi Doup and Di Linh. It must be at Mang Den, but any time I tried >> for >> > it there it was either windy or raining... >> > >> > Let me know if you need any other Vietnam birding advice. I'm >> > publishing >> a >> > BirdingASIA article on Mang Den next year and can sen you a draft if >> > you >> > like, I guess you'll be visiting before it is published. >> > >> > cheers, >> > >> > Simon >> > >> > On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 3:26 PM, Peter Collaerts >> > wrote: >> > >> >> ** >> >> >> >> >> >> Hello, >> >> >> >> is there recent information about the situation in Bach Ma? Is the >> >> entrance road still closed? If it is, is the park still accessible on >> >> foot? >> >> >> >> Greetings, >> >> >> >> Peter >> >> >> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Bali sightings From: Marc Gardner <marcgardner AT bigpond.com> Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:10:11 +0930 Hi all Just been to Bali, Indonesia for a quick family holiday and of note was a flagged Common Sandpiper with a yellow on black flag on its right tibia (upper leg) and a metal silver ring on its left tarsus (lower leg) presumably banded from Kamchatka, Russia, seen on the 24 January at the Nusa Dua sewerage treatment ponds (southern Bali). At Palau Serangan (Island) were at least 8 Yellow Wagtails (mostly similina subsp.) and assumably 6 Pin-tailed Snipe (call, habits) on the 20 January. Also on a boat trip to Nusa Lembongan (island) for a day on the were an immature Pomarine Jaeger (1), White-tailed Tropicbird (1), Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds (1 each) and a Brown Booby (1) across the Badung Strait. Cheers Marc Kakadu NT Australia [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: RFI: Birding in Sumba From: "m.fehlow AT t-online.de" <m.fehlow@t-online.de> Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:32:14 +0100 Hi, I will be in Sumba in early February and do not know the current situation with the birding around Lewa. Does anybody know how strictly the permit for the NP is enforced these days and how difficult it is to get the permit in the first place? Do I have to take a guide and how is he going to get to the places if I don't have a car and travel to te birding spots by Ojek (motorbike taxi) ? Is the forest east of Lewa still outside the NP and freely accessible ? Any comments will be very helpful, best regards, Matthias Matthias Fehlow Taunusstrasse 63 D-65779 Kelkheim Germany m.fehlow AT t-online.de ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Cheer Pheasant in Nepal From: Laxman Poudyal <paudellp AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:52:24 +0545 Dear all, We assessed the density, population size, habitat use and threats to the cheer pheasant Catreus wallichii in Dhorpatan Valley, Nepal, within Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (DHR) and in the proposed buffer zone in 2003 and 2005. Cheer were found in the Surtibhag, Phagune, Bobang and Muri areas where densities of cheer pheasant recorded were 5 (± 1.2), 12.4 (± 1.2), 8 (± 0.88) and 7.5 (± 0.8) pairs per km2, and the areas of suitable habitat for cheer pheasant estimated were 7.5, 13.5, 11 and 13.5 km2 respectively. Based on density and suitable habitat, populations of cheer in Surtibhag, Phagune, Bobang and Muri areas were estimated to be 37 (± 9), 167 (± 16), 67 (± 10) and 101 (± 10) pairs of cheer pheasant respectively. The densities of cheer pheasant were the highest recorded from Nepal, and population levels in the Dhorpatan Valley had not changed since it was surveyed in 1981. The species preferred open forests and shrubs with grassy undergrowth on rugged, rocky slopes. Densities of cheer pheasant were negatively correlated with tree crown cover. There was no significant correlation with grass cover or measures of grazing pressure, suggesting that current levels of grazing, timber collection and grass burning were not hindering the species’ existence. Hunting and snaring may be major continuing threats to cheer pheasant despite legal protection. Future conservation and research activities are proposed to help support this population. You can find the full paper from following link. http://www.pheasant.org.uk/uploads/Pages%2022-30_Singh%20et%20al_Status%20habitat%20use%20and%20threats%20of%20cheer%20pheasant%20in%20DNR%20Nepal.pdf Thank you Best Wishes Laxman Prasad Poudyal Nepal [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Records for Western Ghats From: Anand Prasad <anandprasad AT phonecoop.coop> Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:30:24 +0000 I wrote Birds of Western Maharashtra which covers that part of the western ghats (this is revised version of Annotated Checklist of Birds of Western Maharashtra). The excellent Birds of Goa by Heinz Lainner covers the Goa section. Also excellent Birds of Kerala by Sashikumar et al. covers that section. There is also Birds of Western Ghats, Kokan and Malabar by Satish Pande Anand Prasad -- http://treshnishbirdlog.blogspot.com Records for Western Ghats Posted by: "Clive Ellis" ellisclive AT rocketmail.com ellisclive AT rocketmail.com Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:03 am (PST) Are there any comprehensive records for this area? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Records for Western Ghats From: "Clive Ellis" <ellisclive AT rocketmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:46:17 -0000 Are there any comprehensive records for this area? ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: contact in Sabah to bird and song From: Marg Cuthbert <blueheronmarg AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:37:18 +0700 If still looking for Bornian bird sounds, you might like to connect with Jason, we had 3 excellent birding days with him and he was very knowledgeable about bird song and location, good luck, regards, Marg Jason or Azahari Reyes AT Jason Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, Borneo +60178205098 ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Looking for research paper on Nepal's vultures From: "spirit_24_1" <spirit_24_1 AT yahoo.co.in> Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:00:43 -0000 Dear All, I am looking for the research paper 'Status of Critically Endangered Vultures in Dang Deukhuri Foothill Forests and West Rapti Wetlands' by Bishnu Prasad Shrestha, Bishnu Prasad Devkota. It was published in Vol4 (2011) in the journal 'The Initiation'. If anybody has copies of the journal, kindly let me know. Otherwise, if you know where I could get this journal (I live in Ratnagiri, India), it would be of great help! I would also be most grateful if anybody can forward the contact details of either of the authors to me. Thanking you, Regards, Sahila Kudalkar ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Missing sat tracked Pallid Harrier From: Mátyás Prommer <mprommer AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:19:33 -0800 (PST) FYI   www.vandorsolymok.hu www.kerecsensolyom.mme.hu ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "MikeJMcGrady AT aol.com" To: RaptorBiology AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, 27 January 2012, 9:25 Subject: [RaptorBiology] (no subject)   Dear All, Since early December we have not heard from the pallid harrier that we have been tracking for the past 2.5 yrs. The pattern of its final locations suggests that the tag was either dropped or removed from a dead bird in northern Saudi Arabia and moved to a village in Abu Dhabi. The tag has contact details for us, and we now hope to hear more about the fate of this bird. You can read about this on our blog _http://pallidharriertracking.blogspot.com/_ (http://pallidharriertracking.blogspot.com/) You can read more about this project at _http://www.natural-research.org/environmental-research-charity/current-research-projects/satellite-tracking-pallid-harriers-from-kaza khstan/_ (http://www.natural-research.org/environmental-research-charity/current-research-projects/satellite-tracking-pallid-harriers-from-kazakhstan/) and _http://www.natural-research.org/environmental-research-charity/current-research-projects/pallid-and-montagu-s-harriers-kazakhstan/_ (http://www.natural-research.org/environmental-research-charity/current-research-projects/ pallid-and-montagu-s-harriers-kazakhstan/) and more about us at _www.natural-research.org_ (http://www.natural-research.org/) Feel free to forward this email to others Mike [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Harike. Mountain Chifchaf Phylloscopus sindianus. Information needed. From: "Eugeni" <fartet2 AT yahoo.es> Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:09:52 -0000 Hello, After visit Mt. Abu and stay with fantastic birding with Jugal Tuwari at Kuth I go to Jaisalamer, Tal Chapar and Harike. If somebody now Harike place, I would like receive information about where to look for Mountain Chifchaf Phylloscopus sindianus, and if posible where to sleep. Best regards, Eugeni Capella ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Sonkhaliya? From: "topflusher" <topflusher AT yahoo.co.uk> Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:25:44 -0000 Just to tie up this loose end: A contact in India has kindly let me know the name and number of the local guide at Sonkhaliya but I feel it would be inappropriate to post details here. Anyone is welcome to ask me off-group should they want the details or you could contact the Delhi Bird Club for the latest situation prior to a trip. I would just reiterate that we used a well-known ground agent but despite reassurances, neither our driver or contacts at S knew where the closed area was or really where to look for bustards. If you have any doubts before visiting, you may want to ensure you have location and local guide details. All the best everyone, Andy Mears. --- In orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com, "topflusher" wrote: > > Hi, OBs. > Several people were kind enough to send me info on Great Indian Bustards at Sonkhaliya prior to my visit in November - many thanks to all. The conclusion was that there are still birds there but in predictably small numbers. Also, there is a local guide who can be contacted at a particular gas station and of late, he knew the precise location of one male bird. We do not know where the gas station is however, although we were given directions by a very helpful member of the Delhi Bird Club by telephone while at our hotel. Unfortunately, we could not use the information because we had run out of time by then. > > During a planned 2-day visit in mid-November, we lost one day on site due to a cancelled flight and our second day was spent birding somewhere outside the closed area, which was somewhat disappointing. While planning our trip, we were assured by our ground agent that our hotel would be able to arrange a visit to the reserve but in the event, the hotel staff only knew the general area... > > We did see some nice birds in the area including a large harrier roost at dusk, but no bustards, floricans, White-naped Tits or (identifiable) Stoliczka's Bushchats. > > Can anyone elaborate on how to get to the closed area entrance, and also how to meet the local guide, for future reference? > (Birdlife web pages give the general location as 74o 46.00' East 26o 18.00' North) > Have I missed an obvious web page that gives this info? > And are permits required these days...? > > Thanks a lot, > Andy. > > --- In orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com, "topflusher" wrote: > > > > Hi, OBs. If anyone has any recent bird news from the protected area of Sonkhaliya, most particularly sightings of Great Indian Bustard, I would be pleased to hear about them. > > Thanks in advance, > > Andy Mears. ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Looking for some Bornean bird sounds.. From: "boyceangler" <andyjboyce AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:35:03 -0000 Hey folks, I am going to be doing some survey work in Sabah and I am looking to fill a few holes in my sound collection gleaned from Xeno-canto. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could provide me with sounds from the following species: Black Partridge Bulwer's Pheasant Rajah Scops-Owl (brooki) Bornean Leafbird Bornean Bulbul Ochraceous Bulbul (fowleri) Cinereous Bulbul (connectens) Everett's White-eye Mountain Blackeye (song) Much appreciated!! Andy Boyce University of Montana [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: New stronghold for Japanese Murrelet found From: "Simba Chan" <simba AT birdlife-asia.org> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:55:38 +0900 Dear OBers, For your reference. Hope there will be more work on seabird in this region. Regards, Simba Chan BirdLife International Asia Division _____ From: FeedBlitz [mailto:feedblitz AT mail.feedblitz.com] On Behalf Of BirdLife International Sent: Monday, January 23, 2012 10:30 PM To: simba Subject: BirdLife Community > Top Posts - New stronghold for Japanese Murrelet found BirdLife Here are the BirdLife International instant news update for simba AT birdlife-asia.org _____ 01/23/2012 New stronghold for Japanese Murrelet found A recent study led by the Wild Bird Society of Japan has found that the Izu Islands, on the Pacific side of Japan, hold the second largest concentration of the threatened Japanese Murrelet . Email to a friend . Article Search . _____ size=2 width="100%" align=center> Click here to safely unsubscribe from "BirdLife Community > Top Posts." Click here to view mailing archives, here to change your preferences, or here to subscribe . Privacy _____ _____ size=2 width="100%" align=center> Your requested content delivery powered by FeedBlitz , LLC, 9 Thoreau Way, Sudbury, MA 01776, USA. +1.978.776.9498 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Sectional editors and reviewers for Taprobanica sought From: "RichardT" <bricker150162 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:19:02 -0000 Dear All, Thasun Amarasinghe, Editor-in-chief of Taprobanica, the journal of Asian biodiversity, asked me to post the message below on his behalf. Please contact Thasun for further details. Richard ---------------------------------- Richard Thomas Website Officer Oriental Bird Club Bulletin richard.thomas AT traffic.org ---------------------------------- Dear Ornithologists, Taprobanica, the journal of Asian biodiversity (ISSN: 1800-427X) is a peer reviewed, open access (online & printed), indexed journal . We are seeking sectional editors and reviewers for the Ornithology section for South Asia (especially the Indian region) and South-east Asia (especially the Indonesian region). Each sectional editor/ reviewer will receive a maximum of 5-6 manuscripts to edit/review per year. If you have relevant expertise on the birds of these regions and would be willing to assist, please contact me at as soon as possible. Taprobanica is non-profit organization and this is a voluntary position. Thank you Thasun Amarasinghe Editor-in-chief ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: RE: Little / House Swifts in Indian Subcontinent From: "Richard Klim" <richard AT klim.co.uk> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:14:20 -0000 Chantler 1999 (HBW 5) notes that the separation of Apus (affinis) nipalensis is based mainly on consistently longer, more forked tail and narower rump band, combined with potential sympatry in Himalaya. The split has been adopted by the major world checklists (H&M3, IOC, BLI and Clements). However, Rasmussen & Anderton 2005 does not adopt the split, noting that there is a continuum of racial characters from west to east, and also from north to south in the Indian Subcontinent, and that vocalisations of all forms studied are very similar, although evidence for sympatry in Himalaya requires study. Grimmett et al 2011 similarly comments that clarification of claimed sympatry and morphological variation is needed to justify the split. Richard Klim Somerset, UK From: orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mathias Ritschard Sent: 23 January 2012 14:33 To: orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [OB] Little / House Swifts in Indian Subcontinent Dear all, I have a question regarding the occurrence of Little & House Swifts in the Indian Subcontinent. Clements (current version) gives their distribution as follows: Apus a. affinis, S Somalia to n Mozambique, Pemba I. and Zanzibar to India Apus a. galilejansis, N and sub-Saharan Africa east to Pakistan Apus a. singalensis, S India and Sri Lanka Apus n. nipalensis, Nepal to se China, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, Philippines This implies that both House and Little Swifts occur in the Indian Subcontinent. Can anybody shed some light on this? What kind of evidence is such a taxonomic treatment based on? Where can we draw the (geographic) line between the two species? How may they be identified in the field? Thanks in advance, Mathias [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Little / House Swifts in Indian Subcontinent From: Mathias Ritschard <mat AT worldbirdtours.com> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:32:48 +0100 Dear all, I have a question regarding the occurrence of Little & House Swifts in the Indian Subcontinent. Clements (current version) gives their distribution as follows: Apus a. affinis, S Somalia to n Mozambique, Pemba I. and Zanzibar to India Apus a. galilejansis, N and sub-Saharan Africa east to Pakistan Apus a. singalensis, S India and Sri Lanka Apus n. nipalensis, Nepal to se China, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, Philippines This implies that both House and Little Swifts occur in the Indian Subcontinent. Can anybody shed some light on this? What kind of evidence is such a taxonomic treatment based on? Where can we draw the (geographic) line between the two species? How may they be identified in the field? Thanks in advance, Mathias ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Yellow-rumped Honeyguide From: "Mark D. Read" <markdread AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:24:00 +0545 Dear all, After generating quite a bit of private discussion, I just wanted to come back to you all and say thanks for all the feedback and suggestions for ID clarification as I'd originally hoped for (perhaps unclearly in the first message). Thanks in particular to Jesper Hornskov and Manoj Sharma. It now looks far more likely to actually be a female Scarlet Finch - still a somewhat displaced bird at 180m, but far more realistic. Thanks again, Mark Read Dhangadhi, Nepal Mob: +977 9813903563 Email: markdread AT gmail.com Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: New info page with GPS locations; Southern Thailand From: "birding2asia" <birding2asia AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:56:50 -0000 Southern Thailand birding locations; GPS coordinates, birds of interest, google map link and photos : http://www.birding2asia.com/W2W/GPS/ThailandSouth.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Guide on Tablas Island Philippines From: Brendan Sloan <brendansloan AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:31:45 +0000 Hi Folks Hope all well Wondering if anyone has contact details for a guide on Tablas called Rodel Montesa Or suppose any guide there who knows how to find the local species If anyone can assist would be very grateful best wishes Brendan [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Biodiversity in South Korea From: Michael Rank <rank AT mailbox.co.uk> Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:28:53 +0000 I noticed more or less by chance that the South Korean Environment Ministry has just published an online guide to biodiversity in Korea (67-page PDF). http://eng.me.go.kr/main.do (has other interesting links) Happy new year of the dragon, Michael Rank ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Yellow-rumped Honeyguide From: manoj sharma <treeswift AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:02:06 -0800 (PST) Hi Mark, The record is exceptionally interesting & worth publishing as their usual range is 1500-2300 m but also recorded from 610-3500 m (del Hoyo/HBW). This is also an addition to the habitat type known for the species. Kind regards Manoj Sharma   ________________________________ From: Mark D. Read To: orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 10:58 AM Subject: [OB] Yellow-rumped Honeyguide   I was wondering if any of you had knowledge of the altitudinal range and usual habitat for (winter) Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (Indicator xanthonotus). The reason I ask is because I had a female bird at 180m on the edge of a clearing within an extensive area of Sal Forest yesterday morning. The forest lies just outside of Dhangadhi, in the Terai of Far-Western Nepal (not too far from either Bardia NP, or Sukla Phanta WS). We have foothills just 15km north and apparently there was severe weather up there a couple of weeks ago. The bird was accidently flushed from the ground (just within the clearing), and flew directly into low undergrowth within the forest. The area is entirely flat (Terai), and I don't recall ever having seen any bees nests in the vicinity. None of the usual references indicate that Yellow-rumped Honeyguide occurs so low or away from cliffs and adjacent forest. Thanks in advance, Mark. Mark Read Dhangadhi, Nepal Mob: +977 9813903563 Email: markdread AT gmail.com Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Yellow-rumped Honeyguide From: "Mark D. Read" <markdread AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:13:52 +0545 I was wondering if any of you had knowledge of the altitudinal range and usual habitat for (winter) Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (Indicator xanthonotus). The reason I ask is because I had a female bird at 180m on the edge of a clearing within an extensive area of Sal Forest yesterday morning. The forest lies just outside of Dhangadhi, in the Terai of Far-Western Nepal (not too far from either Bardia NP, or Sukla Phanta WS). We have foothills just 15km north and apparently there was severe weather up there a couple of weeks ago. The bird was accidently flushed from the ground (just within the clearing), and flew directly into low undergrowth within the forest. The area is entirely flat (Terai), and I don't recall ever having seen any bees nests in the vicinity. None of the usual references indicate that Yellow-rumped Honeyguide occurs so low or away from cliffs and adjacent forest. Thanks in advance, Mark. Mark Read Dhangadhi, Nepal Mob: +977 9813903563 Email: markdread AT gmail.com Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: FW: [Ramsar CEPA] Vacancy at Ramsar Secretariat for Intern/Assistant for Asia/Oceania Region From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:37:39 +0100 Sorry for cross postings. FYI, great opportunity to support wetland conservation; see advert below. With best wishes, Taej Taej Mundkur, Ph.D. Programme Manager - Flyways, Wetlands International Headquarters Visiting address: Horapark 9 (2nd floor), 6717 LZ Ede, The Netherlands Office Tel: +31 318 660910 (Direct 660940), Cell: +31 614987324 Fax: +31 318 660950 E-mail: taej.mundkur AT wetlands.org Website: www.wetlands.org Skype: taejmundkur "Wetlands International works to sustain and restore wetlands, their resources and biodiversity." Subscribe to our: Press Releases & Global Newsletter RSS Feeds Twitter YouTube Save the environment and print this e-mail only if you really need to. Spaar het milieu en print deze e-mail alleen indien echt nodig. P.S. Please note that I usually do not work on Tuesdays ________________________________ From: ramsar-cepa-eng-bounces AT lists.ramsar.org [mailto:ramsar-cepa-eng-bounces AT lists.ramsar.org] On Behalf Of HAILS Sandra Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 6:03 PM To: ramsar-cepa-eng AT lists.ramsar.org Subject: [Ramsar CEPA] Vacancy at Ramsar Secretariat for Intern/Assistant for Asia/Oceania Region Greetings Everyone: The Ramsar Secretariat welcomes applications for the position of Intern/Assistant Advisor for the Asia/Oceania region, a 12-month posting (possibly extendable up to 18 months) in the Ramsar Secretariat in Switzerland to begin on 1 June 2012. IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, provides administrative services for the Ramsar Convention, and more information and online application for this post is available on the IUCN website at: https://hrms.iucn.org/iresy/index.cfm?event=vac.show&vacId=327 Here is a checklist of Ramsar's requirements for this position: * You are under 30 years old. * You have a university degree (preferably a post-graduate qualification) in a subject relevant to wetland conservation and sustainable use, such as, biology, hydrology, marine sciences, natural resources management, land use planning, geography or anthropology/sociology. * You are a national of countries in Asia or Oceania and have lived most of your life in the region. * You have perfect fluency in English, written and spoken. Knowledge of French would be an advantage. The deadline for applications is 16 February 2012. Note: A candidate should SUBMIT HIS/HER APPLICATION ONLINE, USING THE LINK ABOVE. No other method of application will be considered. Best regards, The Ramsar Secretariat ****************************** [cid:image002.gif AT 01CCD6D9.6BD3C630]Sandra HAILS CEPA Programme Officer Ramsar Convention Secretariat Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland hails AT ramsar.org Tel: +41 22 9990176; Fax: +41 22 9990169 www.ramsar.org/CEPA-Programme/ facebook: www.facebook.com/RamsarConventionOnWetlands ________________________________ This communication, together with any attachment, may contain confidential information and/or copyright material and is intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, you received it by error and you are asked to please delete it and promptly notify us. Any review, copying, use, disclosure or distribution of any part of this communication, unless duly authorized by or on behalf of IUCN, is strictly forbidden. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Taiwan Bird Race. April 13th and 14th. From: "tainanspoonbill" <tainanbarkingdeer AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:39:04 -0000 Taiwan Bird Race. April 13th and 14th. One of Taiwan's best birding destinations, Dasyueshan (aka Anmashan) Forest Recreation Area, will hold a bird race on April 13th and 14th 2012. Foreign teams are especially welcome - free accommodation will be provided on the 12th and 13th. For further details and registration, contact Lisa at edu AT bird.org.tw Located in central Taiwan, the race will cover an area from 300 to 3000 meters elevation. Excellent tropical, subtropical, temperate, and frigid forest. A great destination for species such as: Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Yellow Tit, Eurasian Nutcracker, Island Thrush, White-eared Sibia, Taiwan Partridge, Green-backed Tit, Vivid Niltava, Rufous-crowned Laughinghrush, Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler, Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler, Collared Finchbill, Taiwan Barbet, Formosan Whistling-Thrush, Rusty Laughingthrush, Taiwan Yuhina, Vinaceous Rosefinch and many more! Cheers! Richard ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: FW: Final call for comments on the BirdLife GTB Forums: Seaducks From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:27:33 +0100 Dear all, Kindly find attached below an email offering you the opportunity to provide feedback on status of globally threatened species, while the links below refer to seabirds, the forum covers a lot more species. Do note the deadline. With best wishes, Taej Taej Mundkur, Ph.D. Programme Manager - Flyways, Wetlands International Headquarters Visiting address: Horapark 9 (2nd floor), 6717 LZ Ede, The Netherlands Office Tel: +31 318 660910 (Direct 660940), Cell: +31 614987324 Fax: +31 318 660950 E-mail: taej.mundkur AT wetlands.org Website: www.wetlands.org Skype: taejmundkur "Wetlands International works to sustain and restore wetlands, their resources and biodiversity." Subscribe to our: Press Releases & Global Newsletter RSS Feeds Twitter YouTube Save the environment and print this e-mail only if you really need to. Spaar het milieu en print deze e-mail alleen indien echt nodig. P.S. Please note that I usually do not work on Tuesdays -----Original Message----- From: Joe Taylor [mailto:Joe.Taylor AT birdlife.org] Sent: 17 January 2012 17:31 Subject: Final call for comments on the BirdLife GTB Forums: Seaducks Hello all, Final call for comments - BirdLife International is seeking further input for the 2012 IUCN Red List update via the Globally Threatened Bird Forums. BirdLife International is inviting further participation in an online consultation process to discuss proposed revisions to the global threat status (i.e. IUCN Red List category of extinction risk) for selected species in each region or relevant to each taxonomic specialist group. We would be grateful for additional comments by 31 January 2012, on the following discussion topics, listed under Waterbirds : Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Greater Scaup Aythya marila Taxonomic changes in the genus Melanitta, part I: M. nigra and M. americana Taxonomic changes in the genus Melanitta, part II: M. fusca, M. deglandi and M. stejnegeri Please distribute this message as quickly and widely as possible to other relevant people within your networks. Globally Threatened Bird (GTB) Forums website Last year we moved the forums to a new platform, which may be found at www.birdlife.org/globally-threatened-bird-forums. We hope that this relatively new site, which is now better integrated with the rest of the BirdLife website, will prove more user-friendly than the old one. Please read the welcome and instruction pages for more details. How your information and opinion can influence the global conservation status of the world's birds * To read and contribute to discussions on the species under review, visit the new forums at www.birdlife.org/globally-threatened-bird-forums. * Click each link to view a short topic on each species, giving the rationale for the status review or a request for information. * Make your contribution through the forum by typing it in the box below the topic, and then clicking "Post a comment". Posts are then added subsequently by forum moderators (therefore there may be a delay before your posting appears on the site). For contributions that are used, your name and affiliation will be explicitly acknowledged in the species accounts that will appear on the BirdLife and IUCN websites, and in future publications. * The initial deadline for contributions is 31 January 2012, when we will assess the contributions made and post up a draft list of preliminary decisions. You will then have two more weeks to comment further. Final decisions will be made and posted up on 14 February 2012. The revised species assessments and updated factsheets will be released on the BirdLife website in May 2012, and incorporated into the IUCN Red List later in the year. * Note that the selected species under discussion are those for which newly published information is available (or new unpublished information has been sent to BirdLife) that implies a revision may be appropriate given the IUCN Red List criteria and quantitative thresholds. If you would like to propose additional species to be reviewed, please post a comment on the relevant 'Suggestions for new topics' discussion, or email andy.symes AT birdlife.org , in either case giving details of population/range estimates that may require revision. * You can subscribe to updates to your region(s) or taxonomic group(s) of interest by using the FeedBurner URL provided at the top of each regional list of topics. * For more general information about the GTB Update, visit http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/global_species_programme/gtb_forums.html . The 2012 comprehensive Red List update 2012 will see the release of the new comprehensive four-yearly Red List update, so in addition to the annual forum discussions we are also currently updating the factsheets and Red List assessments for over 2,000 Globally Threatened, Near Threatened (NT) and Data Deficient (DD) species. The comprehensive update involves extensive consultation with local, national, regional and species experts, who review and update our existing data and factsheet information. We may contact some of you separately in the coming weeks and months to request your help in this process, so please accept our apologies if you receive several emails from us. In addition, if you have particular knowledge of one or more threatened, NT or DD species or of key sites where these species occur, and would be willing to help in this process, then please do get in touch with Andy Symes andy.symes AT birdlife.org or Joe Taylor joe.taylor AT birdlife.org . And if you are aware of any inaccuracies in the information on our species factsheets , or of relevant new data on distribution, population, trends or threats, now's the time to let us know! We look forward to receiving your contributions before 31 January 2012. Many thanks, Joe Taylor On behalf of the Global Species Programme team Joe Taylor Global Species Programme Assistant BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge, CB3 0NA, UK Tel: +44 (0)1223 277318 | Fax: +44 (0)1223 277200 Email: joe.taylor AT birdlife.org | Web: www.birdlife.org Sign up to news alerts ________________________________ Please consider biodiversity and the environment before deciding whether to print this message and any attachments. The content of this e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this communication in error, be aware that forwarding it, copying it, or in any way disclosing its content to any other person, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the author by replying to this e-mail immediately. The BirdLife International Partnership is a Partnership of over 110 conservation organizations around the world. BirdLife International the Secretariat to the Partnership is a UK registered company no. 2985746, registered Charity no. 1042125, registered address: Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK. BirdLife International Secretariat Regional Offices: Amman, Brussels, Nairobi, Quito, Suva, Tokyo. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? From: Sylvia Ramos <sylviatramos AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:02:11 -0800 (PST) Thank you! This is very helpful! Sylvia ________________________________ From: Philip D. Round To: Sylvia Ramos Cc: "orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com" Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 1:19 PM Subject: Re: [OB] please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? Hi, Sylvia, You were correct the first time.  This is a juvenile Chinese Sparrowhawk (Chinese Goshawk if you prefer). The bird has a dark grey orbital ring (it is bright yellow in Besra); it has a quite bright (orange-yellow rather than lemon-yellow) and rather bulbous cere that is also characteristic of Chinese. It has got a long primary projection (long, pointed wings).  Another feature (maybe not obvious in the photos as this difference is very slight) is that the tarsi are slightly (proportionately) shorter, thicker than in most related species. Philip Round On 18/01/2012 10:45, Sylvia Ramos wrote: > Hi, > > I would appreciate some comments on the ID of this bird from Dumaguete in the Philippines. > > > We identified it as a Chinese Goshwak.Then, we received a comment on our website suggesting that it looks like a sub-adult Besra because of the dark mesial stripe. We also > noticed that some of the streaks on the upper breast are blackish. Can > this be used to differentiate between a Chinese Goshawk and a Besra? > > > Here's the link to the pictures: > http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/Other/PLS-ID/8133618_hsBGFQ > > Thank you! > > Sylvia Ramos > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? From: "Philip D. Round" <pdround AT ksc.th.com> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:19:23 +0700 Hi, Sylvia, You were correct the first time. This is a juvenile Chinese Sparrowhawk (Chinese Goshawk if you prefer). The bird has a dark grey orbital ring (it is bright yellow in Besra); it has a quite bright (orange-yellow rather than lemon-yellow) and rather bulbous cere that is also characteristic of Chinese. It has got a long primary projection (long, pointed wings). Another feature (maybe not obvious in the photos as this difference is very slight) is that the tarsi are slightly (proportionately) shorter, thicker than in most related species. Philip Round On 18/01/2012 10:45, Sylvia Ramos wrote: > Hi, > > I would appreciate some comments on the ID of this bird from Dumaguete in the Philippines. > > > We identified it as a Chinese Goshwak.Then, we received a comment on our website suggesting that it looks like a sub-adult Besra because of the dark mesial stripe. We also > noticed that some of the streaks on the upper breast are blackish. Can > this be used to differentiate between a Chinese Goshawk and a Besra? > > > Here's the link to the pictures: > http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/Other/PLS-ID/8133618_hsBGFQ > > Thank you! > > Sylvia Ramos > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: please ID - Chinese Goshawk or Besra? From: Sylvia Ramos <sylviatramos AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:45:33 -0800 (PST) Hi, I would appreciate some comments on the ID of this bird from Dumaguete in the Philippines. We identified it as a Chinese Goshwak.Then, we received a comment on our website suggesting that it looks like a sub-adult Besra because of the dark mesial stripe. We also noticed that some of the streaks on the upper breast are blackish. Can this be used to differentiate between a Chinese Goshawk and a Besra? Here's the link to the pictures: http://tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/Other/PLS-ID/8133618_hsBGFQ Thank you! Sylvia Ramos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Area around Sultanpur bird sanctuary declared eco-sensitive zone From: Rajesh Sachdev <leopardguy AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:02:31 +0530 http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Area-around-Sultanpur-bird-sanctuary-declared-eco-sensitive-zone/898703/ -- Regards Rajesh Sachdev http://www.facebook.com/leopardguy [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: 100 days from now - 3,000 Siberian Cranes in blackburn lancashire? From: mark welfare <mark.welfare AT hotmail.co.uk> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:08:31 +0000 was that e-mail title meant to be sung to a well known beatle song? would love to do that trip sometime mark welfare On 17 Jan 2012, at 02:50, Jesper(gmail) wrote: > Dear [OB]ers, > > > > Without wishing to in any way dismiss the kicks many birders & photographers have got out of the stray adult SIBERIAN CRANE Grus leucogeranus ‘near Imba-numa Lake in northern Chiba Prefecture’, Japan – 13 Jan 2012 [OB] posting by Hiraoka Takashi – I WOULD like to put things into perspective by reminding you all that in NE China, it is possible to seen up to 3,000+ SIBERIAN CRANES staging into early May. > > > > Over 5-11 May 2011 W Farrelly, I Graham, R Graham, A Huitfeldt, E Klim, R Klim, L Larsson, G Pettersson & I visited Manchuria & E-most Inner Mongolia, China, in search of waterfowl, cranes & JANKOWSKI'S BUNTING Emberiza jankowskii. > > > > Having allowed for 'interesting' weather and difficulties in locating what is very likely E Asia's most endangered species, JANKOWSKI'S BUNTING, the visit was a day longer than in 2010 - this paid off handsomely as we recorded 167 species. An additional 16 species were recorded near Beijing on 4th – all but two group members arrived early to allow for a bit of local birding near China’s capital at what tends to be a very rewarding time of the year. > > > > Among the highlights / my personal favourites / most interesting records were: > > > > SWAN GOOSE Anser cygnoides > > 70+ bird-days. Noted on three days. > > > > LESSER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser erythropus > > 144+ bird-days. This sought-after species was seen on three dates – unsurpassable views allowed us to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with it… > > > > FALCATED DUCK Anas falcata > > 29 bird-days. This superb duck was noted on five dates. > > > > BAIKAL TEAL Anas formosa > > 195 bird-days. Noted on two dates. > > > > AMUR FALCON Falco amurensis > > 100 bird-days. Noted almost daily – WOW! views on a number of occasions… > > > > SAKER Falco cherrug > > 3 on 10th – exactly what we’d climbed that hill hoping for… > > > > GREAT BUSTARD Otis tarda > > No less than 36 were counted on 7th – most were males, and many were doing the famous inside out, fluff of feathers display! > > > > EASTERN WATER RAIL Rallus indicus > > Two obliging individuals were ‘scoped on 8th. > > > > SIBERIAN CRANE Grus leucogeranus > > Noted on three dates, with a max count of 2,700 on 8th – a hard-to-beat spectacle, and cheering that more is nowadays done to protect these magnificent birds’ staging areas. > > > > RED-CROWNED CRANE Grus japonensis > > Noted only at Xianghai reserve. > > > > LONG-BILLED PLOVER Charadrius placidus > > Two seen well N of Beijing on 4th. > > > > ORIENTAL PLOVER C. veredus > > Four birds ‘just over the border’ on 10th – display-flighting in early morning sunshine these magnificent birds came close to upstaging even the Siberian Cranes… > > > > ASIAN DOWITCHER Limnodromus semipalmatus > > One on 6th – busily feeding ‘sewing machine’ style at reasonable range. > > > > WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL Hirundapus caudacutus > > Four bird-days. > > > > JANKOWSKI’S BUNTING Emberiza jankowskii > > Two pairs on 7th. > > ***One of the problems in working to save it is that even on the very brink of extinction it remained low-profile (and up until May 2010 listed as only ‘Vulnerable’) compared to the wetland species, notably cranes, for which many of the reserves in this little-visited part of Asia were created. > > None of this is very surprising, if still terribly sad: broadly speaking Jankowski’s Bunting’s slip towards extinction started with the opening up of Ussuriland and Manchuria to ever-more intense grazing and agriculture in the 1800s. > > > > Encouraged by the success of the 2011 visit another is being planned for spring 2012. Oriental Bird Club’s Conservation Fund got involved in the search for additional sites for Jankowski’s Bunting, and the 2011 group found no signs of additional destruction at the ‘known’ site. As for the wetlands – although the draught has not really abated a water dispute with the neighbouring province has been resolved, restoring the flow of a river that helps feed the extensive Xianghai reserve. Thus visitors should see greater numbers of wetland species, including breeding cranes, during the approaching spring… > > > > Good birding! > > > > JESPER HORNSKOV > > Beijing, China > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: CMS Call for Applications Specialist Technical Advisor (Raptors) From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:15:07 +0100 Dear all, The Interim Coordinating Unit for the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU) is seeking for a special technical advisor on raptors. Closing Date: Friday 20 January 2012 See, Call for Applications http://www.cms.int/secretariat/vacancies/saker_task_force.pdf , also copied below. With best wishes, Taej Taej Mundkur, Ph.D. Programme Manager - Flyways, Wetlands International Headquarters Visiting address: Horapark 9 (2nd floor), 6717 LZ Ede, The Netherlands Office Tel: +31 318 660910 (Direct 660940), Cell: +31 614987324 Fax: +31 318 660950 E-mail: taej.mundkur AT wetlands.org Website: www.wetlands.org Skype: taejmundkur "Wetlands International works to sustain and restore wetlands, their resources and biodiversity." Subscribe to our: Press Releases & Global Newsletter RSS Feeds Twitter YouTube Save the environment and print this e-mail only if you really need to. Spaar het milieu en print deze e-mail alleen indien echt nodig. P.S. Please note that I usually do not work on Tuesdays http://www.cms.int/secretariat/vacancies/saker_task_force.pdf Call for Applications Consultancy: Specialist Technical Advisor (Raptors) Closing Date: Friday 20 January 2012 Introduction The Saker Falcon Task Force (STF) was established by Resolution 10.28, adopted at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), held in Bergen, Norway in November 2011 – please refer to: http://www.cms.int/bodies/COP/cop10/resolutions_adopted/10_28_saker_e.pdf The Task Force aims to bring together Range States, Partners and interested parties, to develop a coordinated Global Action Plan, including a management and monitoring system, to conserve the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug). It will operate under the auspices of the Interim Coordinating Unit of the UNEP/CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU) – please refer to: http://www.cms.int/species/raptors/index.htm Responsibilities Under the supervision and guidance of the Programme Officer for the Raptors MoU, the selected consultant will be responsible for delivering the following activities and products: ï‚· Reviewing and researching background documentation and publications relating to the ecology and conservation of the Saker Falcon over the last 25 years; ï‚· Preparing a draft WorkPlan for the STF for presentation at the 1st meeting of the group; ï‚· Preparing a presentation on best practice protocols for the development of an international Single Species Action Plan; ï‚· Contributing to (and attending) the 1st Meeting of the STF – to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday 29th March 2012: ï‚· Providing additional technical advice and inputs during the meeting, as required; ï‚· Preparing a Report of the STF meeting, within an agreed deadline; ï‚· Taking forward follow-up actions agreed during the STF meeting; ï‚· Performing other duties as assigned by the Programme Officer. Qualifications (required) ï‚· University degree (preferably advanced, e.g. Masters) in environmental or biological sciences or a related discipline; ï‚· At least 5 years of professional and relevant work experience in nature conservation, including working experience in an international and multi-cultural environment; ï‚· In depth knowledge in birds (particularly raptors) and general nature conservation, including species action planning protocols and stakeholder involvement; ï‚· Sound judgment coupled with strong analytical and report writing abilities ï‚· A proven ability to provide independent and unbiased advice to policymakers; ï‚· Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills (spoken and written). Other desirable skills ï‚· In depth knowledge and understanding of the main ecological factors affecting the decline of Saker Falcon populations, and an awareness of the wider issues surrounding recent efforts to conserve the species. ï‚· Good knowledge of the software used by the UNEP/CMS, namely, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook), Internet Explorer and Adobe Acrobat. Languages ï‚· Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Duration and location of Contract ï‚· The starting date will be 1 February 2012; ï‚· A minimum of 8 days’ work will be required during a period of three months; Subject to the outcomes of the 1st meeting of the Saker Falcon Task Force, the contract may be extended (by negotiation with the selected Consultant); ï‚· There is no requirement for the consultant to be based at the UNEP/CMS in Abu Dhabi providing s/he has access to modern telecommunication facilities (i.e. broadband internet, landline and mobile telephone); ï‚· International travel may be required (e.g. to attend the STF meeting in Abu Dhabi) for which expenses will be reimbursed as per current standard UNEP/CMS policy. Fees Applicants are invited to indicate their expected daily fee rate in US Dollars. Application Interested individual Consultants should submit the following documents, incorporating information to demonstrate their qualifications: ï‚· Covering letter explaining your experience and suitability for the work (1 page); and, ï‚· Curriculum vitae. General Notes ï‚· For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 62 years old or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy. ï‚· The candidate must be an independent Consultant. ï‚· The successful applicant will be notified within one week of the closing date. UNEP/CMS is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. All applications will be treated in strict confidence. The UNEP/CMS Interim Coordinating Unit looks forward to receiving applications from interested candidates by Friday 20 January 2012 via email to: Nick P. Williams (nwilliams AT cms.int), Programme Officer (Raptors) at the UNEP/CMS Office in Abu Dhabi. Please include the term 'Specialist Technical Advisor (Raptors)' in the subject line of the message. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: 100 days from now - 3,000 Siberian Cranes in Manchuria? From: "Jesper\(gmail\)" <goodbirdmail AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:50:38 -0800 Dear [OB]ers, Without wishing to in any way dismiss the kicks many birders & photographers have got out of the stray adult SIBERIAN CRANE Grus leucogeranus ‘near Imba-numa Lake in northern Chiba Prefecture’, Japan – 13 Jan 2012 [OB] posting by Hiraoka Takashi – I WOULD like to put things into perspective by reminding you all that in NE China, it is possible to seen up to 3,000+ SIBERIAN CRANES staging into early May. Over 5-11 May 2011 W Farrelly, I Graham, R Graham, A Huitfeldt, E Klim, R Klim, L Larsson, G Pettersson & I visited Manchuria & E-most Inner Mongolia, China, in search of waterfowl, cranes & JANKOWSKI'S BUNTING Emberiza jankowskii. Having allowed for 'interesting' weather and difficulties in locating what is very likely E Asia's most endangered species, JANKOWSKI'S BUNTING, the visit was a day longer than in 2010 - this paid off handsomely as we recorded 167 species. An additional 16 species were recorded near Beijing on 4th – all but two group members arrived early to allow for a bit of local birding near China’s capital at what tends to be a very rewarding time of the year. Among the highlights / my personal favourites / most interesting records were: SWAN GOOSE Anser cygnoides 70+ bird-days. Noted on three days. LESSER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser erythropus 144+ bird-days. This sought-after species was seen on three dates – unsurpassable views allowed us to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with it… FALCATED DUCK Anas falcata 29 bird-days. This superb duck was noted on five dates. BAIKAL TEAL Anas formosa 195 bird-days. Noted on two dates. AMUR FALCON Falco amurensis 100 bird-days. Noted almost daily – WOW! views on a number of occasions… SAKER Falco cherrug 3 on 10th – exactly what we’d climbed that hill hoping for… GREAT BUSTARD Otis tarda No less than 36 were counted on 7th – most were males, and many were doing the famous inside out, fluff of feathers display! EASTERN WATER RAIL Rallus indicus Two obliging individuals were ‘scoped on 8th. SIBERIAN CRANE Grus leucogeranus Noted on three dates, with a max count of 2,700 on 8th – a hard-to-beat spectacle, and cheering that more is nowadays done to protect these magnificent birds’ staging areas. RED-CROWNED CRANE Grus japonensis Noted only at Xianghai reserve. LONG-BILLED PLOVER Charadrius placidus Two seen well N of Beijing on 4th. ORIENTAL PLOVER C. veredus Four birds ‘just over the border’ on 10th – display-flighting in early morning sunshine these magnificent birds came close to upstaging even the Siberian Cranes… ASIAN DOWITCHER Limnodromus semipalmatus One on 6th – busily feeding ‘sewing machine’ style at reasonable range. WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL Hirundapus caudacutus Four bird-days. JANKOWSKI’S BUNTING Emberiza jankowskii Two pairs on 7th. ***One of the problems in working to save it is that even on the very brink of extinction it remained low-profile (and up until May 2010 listed as only ‘Vulnerable’) compared to the wetland species, notably cranes, for which many of the reserves in this little-visited part of Asia were created. None of this is very surprising, if still terribly sad: broadly speaking Jankowski’s Bunting’s slip towards extinction started with the opening up of Ussuriland and Manchuria to ever-more intense grazing and agriculture in the 1800s. Encouraged by the success of the 2011 visit another is being planned for spring 2012. Oriental Bird Club’s Conservation Fund got involved in the search for additional sites for Jankowski’s Bunting, and the 2011 group found no signs of additional destruction at the ‘known’ site. As for the wetlands – although the draught has not really abated a water dispute with the neighbouring province has been resolved, restoring the flow of a river that helps feed the extensive Xianghai reserve. Thus visitors should see greater numbers of wetland species, including breeding cranes, during the approaching spring… Good birding! JESPER HORNSKOV Beijing, China [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Philippines trip summary From: christian artuso <chartuso AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:59:10 +0000 Hi everyone, From mid December to early January, I birded for 3 weeks in the Philippines. It was a truly bizarre trip with the worst weather i have ever encountered (bad timing) for the first two of three weeks, though one feels rather silly complaining about constant daily rain when thousands of people lost their lives in the typhoon flooding. By hook or by crook, i ended up doing well, seeing 300 species, but those numbers of course include many recent splits. Lots of travel delays including diverted flights and having to stand in the corridor of a bus for most of the night (a word to the wise - never ever fly Cebu Pacific). Along with the nasty weather, i was often plunged into a state of depression as the state of the forests of the Philippines is absolutely dire and the bird densities are astonishingly low and almost every site i went to i saw hunting, snaring and logging – i even saw birds as small as White-eared Brown Dove and Green-backed Whistler get shot at. A summary report follows: Itinerary: I started on Luzon, visiting three sites: Makiling (2 days of rain) then Mt Polis (one morning birdable the rest rain and fog) then Hamut Camp (where it rained hard all night and all day for the first 4 of 6 days). Then to Mindanao, visiting Kitanglad and PICOP where the weather got a little better. Then a half day and a night in Cebu on a stop-over (no rain) before jumping on the connecting flight to Palawan where birded the Sabang Rd, St Paul’s NP, Zig Zag Rd and Pandan Island (weather now much better with only a little birding time lost to rain). Night birds: Since i always focus on night birds, i got to see 9 species of owls of this trip on this trip (including recent splits – Luzon Lowland Scops, Luzon Scops, Philippine Boobook, Cebu Boobook, Chocolate Boobook, Mindanao Lowland Scops, Giant Scops, Mantanani Scops and Spotted Wood Owl) but, frustratingly, most views were poor and i got very few photographs (only species photographed were Giant Scops, Chocolate Boobook, Cebu Boobook, Mantanani Scops and Spotted Wood Owl). Owling was extremely tough at this time of year with almost no spontaneous calling heard and very limited response to speculative playback - presumably keeping dry was the order of the night (the fact that it rained every night on Luzon and often all night long and on several other nights elsewhere did not help). Many frustrating encounters, e.g. on Polis, after pulling a near all-nighter in constant drizzle varying to light rain, i managed to entice a Luzon Scops in to within two metres but it perched for less than 30 seconds before disappearing down slope and no photo was obtained. The majority of my owl sightings were similarly brief or fly-by encounters. In contrast, i got frame-filling photos of both frogmouths and had good looks at the various nightjars and Bukidnon Woodcock. Highlights: in addition to the owls, great looks at the amazing Great Philippine Eagle on two days (a pair perched on the far hillside then one flying close over the Kitanglad gulley); all four pittas seen very well and photographed (Whiskered Pitta in the rain but so close i had to lean back to get it in the frame, Azure-breasted Pitta for over half an hour, Red-bellied for 20 minutes and frame-filling shots of Hooded); Mindanao Wattled Broadbill; the magnificent Palawan Peacock Pheasant still cooperating and fantastic views of 7 Philippine Cockatoos along the Sabang Rd; both Luzon and Mindanao Bleeding-Hearts gave brief views; great looks at all the skulking babblers except Bagobo Babbler (heard only) including good photo ops of some such as the beautiful Falcated Ground-Babbler and Luzon Striped Babbler; 9 species of kingfisher especially gems like Silvery, Indigo-banded, Spotted, Rufous-lored and Blue-capped; all the hornbills in range; Celestial and Short-crested Monarch; all three rhabornis; all three shamas; all the cuckoo-shrikes in range; both leafbirds; the classy Luzon Redstart; all the tailorbirds in range including good photos of skulkers like Black-headed; Coleto and Apo Myna; White-fronted and Palawan Tits; Streak-breasted bulbul; Slaty-legged Crake, Plain Bush Hen and Barred Rail; Spotted and Barred Buttonquails; both endemic malkohas; other goodies like Apo Sunbird; Philippine Hawk-Eagle; Philippine Trogon; Sooty Woodpecker; Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo and both Drongo Cuckoos and all the coucals in range; and a very unexpected Japanese Night-heron on Makiling plus a Siberian Rubythroat on Polis of all places. Dips & disappointments: Most distressing dip was Australasian Grass Owl despite two long visits to the Bislig airfield. Palawan Scops was heard only. Not a sniff of Mindanao Scops. Some common species dipped, especially on Luzon, e.g. Mountain Shrike, and some key endemics missed like Flame-breasted Fruit-Dove and Cebu Flowerpecker. I did very poorly on the endemic flycatchers (Goodfellow’s, Rufous-tailed, Mountain Verditer, Blue-breasted and Palawan Blue and Citrine Canary were the only ones i saw – not so much as a call note of any of the others). Although i saw several racquet-tail species, i never saw one on a perch and most of my views were brief fly-bys. The various fruit-doves and pigeons also were incredibly tough to find and usually offered only fleeting views or were being shot at (Grey Imperial being a notable exception). Red-faced Parrotfinch was the only parrotfinch seen and only brief views of White-cheeked Bullfinch. On Palawan, i came close to a clean up with the only dips being Palawan Flycatcher and Palawan Scops (so near yet so far). Lots of stories behind those sightings of course! I can provide details, contacts including soem recent phone numbers, and GPS coordinates to anyone who is interested. Will add photos to blog and OBI in due course... A huge thank you to everyone who helped me prepare! Couldn't have done it without your gen and contacts! Happy New Year! Christian Artuso, Ph.D. Bird Studies Canada - Manitoba Program Manager Box 24-200 Saulteaux Cr, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W3 Tel: 204-945-6816 Fax: 204-945-3077 chartuso AT gmail.com http://artusophotos.com http://artusobirds.blogspot.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: RC23 From: "Igor Karyakin" <ikar_research AT mail.ru> Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:55:22 +0400 Dear Colleagues, The Raptors Conservation 23 is available from: http://docs.sibecocenter.ru/programs/raptors/RC23/RC23.pdf and http://issuu.com/raptors_conservation/docs/rc23 Raptors Conservation ¹ 23/2011 Contents http://www.sibecocenter.ru/rc23angl.htm and http://www.sibecocenter.ru/en/raptors.htm?articleID=206 Events ............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................................................... 3 Problem Spotlight ............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................................... 33 Altai Gas Pipeline – a Threat to the Welfare of the World’s Largest Population of Eastern Imperial Eagle. Karyakin I.V. .................................................. 33 Gyrfalcon Project: is it Profanation or Corruption? Moshkin A.V. ............................................................................ .................................................... 43 The Project “Increase of the Chukotka Gyrfalcon Numbers”: is it Actual, Well Prepared and Scientifically Justified?. ...................................................... 48 Reviews and Comments ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ................................. 52 Bengt Berg (1885–1967) – Protector of the Last Eagles in Sweden. Shergalin J.E. ............................................................................ .......................... 52 To the 100th Anniversary of Mstislav Nikolayevich Korelov. Zhatkanbayev A.Zh. ............................................................................ ............................... 56 On Changing the Scientific Name of the Chink Saker Falcon. Pfeffer R.G., Karyakin I.V. ............................................................................ .................. 61 Illegal Trade and Decrease in Numbers of the Saker Falcon in Kazakhstan. Levin A.S. ............................................................................ ..................... 64 Semispecies and Unidentified Hidden Hybrids (for Example of Birds of Prey). Pfander P.V. ............................................................................ .............. 74 How Many Eastern Imperial Eagles Inhabit the Baikal Region? Karyakin I.V., Nikolenko E.G., Barashkova A.N. .............................................................106 General Impressions on the Scientific Workshop “Problems of Bird Electrocution and Safety on Overhead Power Lines of Middle Voltage: Modern Scientific and Practice Experience”. Bekmansurov R.H. ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ......................................................................122 Raptor Conservation ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ....................................... 126 First Results of Attracting the Small Falcons into Artificial Nests in the Samara District, Russia. Levashkin A.P., Pazhenkov A.S., Karyakin I.V., Shashkin M.M., Golova S.V., Rymina N.V. ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ..................................................................... 126 The Results of Attracting the Imperial Eagle and the White-Tailed Eagle into Artificial Nests in the Samara District, Russia. Shashkin M.M., Karyakin I.V., Pazhenkov A.S., Levashkin A.P., Adamov S.G., Kolesova N.E., Golova S.V., Rymina N.V. ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ........ 138 Raptor Research ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................ 152 Results of Monitoring of the Saker Falcon Population in the Altai-Sayan Region in 2011, Russia. Karyakin I.V., Nikolenko E.G. ...................................... 152 The Saker Falcon in Dauria, Russia. Karyakin I.V., Nikolenko E.G., Barashkova A.N. ............................................................................ ...................... 168 Surveys of Breeding Biology of the European Black Vulture in the South-Eastern Kazakhstan. Zhatkanbayev A.Zh. ........................................................ 182 Short Reports ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ................................................. 194 The First Registration of the Great Grey Owl Breeding on a Nesting Platform in the N. Novgorod District, Russia. Levashkin A.P., Rymina N.V., Konovalov K.V. ........ 194 First Record of the Tawny Owl Breeding in a Nestbox in the Volga Region, Russia. Levashkin A.P., Karyakin I.V., Pazhenkov A.S., Golova S.V., Kolesova N.E., Shashkin M.M. .....197 About Diet of Tawny Owl in Fars, Southern Iran. Khaleghizadeh A. ............................................................................ .................................................. 200 First Record of the Saker Falcon in the East of the Novosibirsk District, Russia. Karyakin I.V., Makarov A.V. ... ..............................................................203 Population of the Eastern Imperial Eagle in the Tyva Republic Slowly Recovers, Russia. Barashkova A.N., Nikolenko E.G., Karyakin I.V. ................ 204 Obituary ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ......................................................... 205 Eduard Ivanjvich Gavrilov (1933–2011). A.F. Kovshar ............................................................................ ....................................................................... 205 New Publications and Videos ............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................... 209 Best wishes, Igor _________________________________________ Igor Karyakin Editor of the Raptors Conservation RAPTORS CONSERVATION The Newsletter of raptors of East Europe and North Asia ISSN 1814-0076 (Print), ISSN 1814-8654 (Online) http://www.sibecocenter.ru/RC.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Asian Dowitcher in Gujarat, signifcant sighting From: "Andy Garnett" <andy AT garnetts.co.uk> Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:06:26 -0000 Dear OBs On 7th January 2012 on a visit to Marine National Park, Jamnagar we noticed an unusual wader in a mixed flock just on the T junction down to the sanctuary HQ. On closer scrutiny of photographs taken by myself we identified the bird to be Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus). We sent our images to Jennifer and Leio De Souza at Indian Nature Tours for confirmation and also had confirmation from Jugal Tiwari at CEDO on arrival there. This is possibly the first documented record for the species in Gujarat. Andy and Beryl Garnett [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Birding in Pokhara, Nepal From: "Mark D. Read" <markdread AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:40:17 +0545 Many thanks to all of you who replied personally to my request for information on birding in the Pokhara Valley. I have, hopefully, replied to all of you individually. I have also now posted a trip report that can be accessed through Travellingbirder at http://www.travellingbirder.com/tripreports/reports/12010784020_birding_trip _report.pdf or on Surfbirds at http://www.surfbirds.com/mb/trips/pokhara-markread-0112.pdf Highlights included 6 species of vulture, Steppe, Golden and Booted Eagles, Long-billed and Scaly Thrush, White-tailed Robin, White-browed Shortwing, Maroon Oriole and Spiny Babbler. I trust it will be of interest. Regards, Mark. Mark Read c/o VSO Nepal, Sanepa, Lalitpur, P.O. Box 207, Kathmandu, Nepal Mob: +977 9813903563 Email: markdread AT gmail.com Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: FW: [Ramsar Forum] New dynamic and interactive tools to showcase Ramsar Sites! From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:37:17 +0100 Dear all, The email attached below may be of interest to many of you. With best wishes, Taej Taej Mundkur, Ph.D. Programme Manager-Flyways, Wetlands International Headquarters Horapark 9 (2nd floor), 6717 LZ Ede, THE NETHERLANDS Office Tel: +31 318 660910 (Direct 660940), Cell: +31 614987324 Fax: +31 318 660950 E-mail: taej.mundkur AT wetlands.org Website: www.wetlands.org Skype: taejmundkur Postal address: Postbox 471, 6700 AL, Wageningen, The Netherlands ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: BARSIN Oana To: Ramsar Forum Sent: Thursday, 12 January 2012, 16:17 Subject: [Ramsar Forum] New dynamic and interactive tools to showcase Ramsar Sites! A new attractive and interactive way of presenting the data of the List of Wetlands of International Importance has recently been added to the Ramsar Sites Information Service. Dynamic maps showing the number and surface area of Ramsar Sites by country, the countries that have ratified the Convention or the growth in number of Contracting Parties since 1971 are now available online. Would you like to display data for a specific region only? It's up to you! The information you need is just a few clicks away. Maps are not the only uses of this new tool. You can also access interactive charts showing, for example, the best represented types of wetlands in the Ramsar List and which ones are missing, or which is the most-used criterion used in Europe to designate wetlands as sites of international importance. Are you interested in comparing results in North America and South America? Find out the answers to these questions and many more by clicking here. Visit the Ramsar Sites Information Service and discover these new tools now! ________________________________ Best regards, (Ms) Oana PENEA-BARSIN Communications Officer Ramsar Secretariat 28 rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland (Switzerland) tel. +41 22 999 0331; fax +41 22 999 0169; www.ramsar.org Join us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/RamsarConventionOnWetlands [cid:1.2280037894 AT web29019.mail.ird.yahoo.com] Celebrating 40 years of caring for wetlands ________________________________ This communication, together with any attachment, may contain confidential information and/or copyright material and is intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, you received it by error and you are asked to please delete it and promptly notify us. Any review, copying, use, disclosure or distribution of any part of this communication, unless duly authorized by or on behalf of IUCN, is strictly forbidden. _______________________________________________ The Ramsar Forum is an unmoderated mailing list maintained as a service to the public by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland. Facts or opinions posted here do not represent the views of the Convention Secretariat or Contracting Parties. ************************************* This is the ramsar-forum mailing list To unsubscribe: Via the Web: Via Email: ?subject=unsubscribe> List-Archives: To send a message to the list: > List-Help: ?subject=help> Info about this list: You are subscribed to ramsar-forum as: crabplover AT yahoo.co.uk Your personal List webpage is: [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: A Siberian Crane observed near Tokyo From: $BJ?2,(B $B9M(B <hiraoka AT yamashina.or.jp> Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:00:40 +0900 Dear Oriental birders and ornithologists, Greetings from Japan. From around the middle of December last year, a Siberian Crane is staying in a cultivated area near Imba-numa Lake in northern Chiba Prefecture. The Siberian Crane is a rare vagrant to Japan and it seems that it is the first for Kanto area in central Japan. You can visit the site in a one day trip from central Tokyo by car, and the bird is attracting many birders and amateur photographers. The following link shows a picture taken by a photographer working in the Sankei-shimbun newspaper. http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20120113-00000088-san-soci.view-000 You can see four more pictures by the same photographer in the following link. http://photo.sankei.jp.msn.com/essay/data/2012/01/0113tsuru/ Best wishes, ************************************************ Hiraoka Takashi (family name)(given name) Yamashina Institute for Ornithology http://yamashina.or.jp/ ************************************************ ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: BirdingASIA 16 From: "OBC Admin" <obc.admin AT virgin.net> Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:14:53 -0000 Dear OBers who are members of OBC, BirdingASIA16 (December 2011) was printed in December, and most UK members received their copies by the year end. Overseas copies were dispatched in early January and should reach all members by the end of the month. OBC Admin (ie Brian & Margaret) are off to India today and will be back on 12 Feb. The last weeks have been very difficult for us following Margaret's accident in late November, and we felt that a period of recuperation in a warmer climate was called for! So apologies if you are awaiting a reply from us about anything - we hope that we will be up and running as usual from the date of our return home! OBC Admin ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Photography contest ! submit online ! From: Bharat Jethva <bharatjethva2000 AT yahoo.co.in> Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:23:56 +0530 (IST) Dear all, Here is an opportunity to participate in Photography contest ! submit your photo online ! https://www.gbwc.org/page.php?pgid=4f06b91df34b8  Best wishes Dr. Bharat Jethva [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Update Information needed for some rare species in India From: Eugeni Capella <fartet2 AT yahoo.es> Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:10:33 +0000 (GMT) Hello,   Next 21th janury I will start 6 weeks birdingtrip in India (Mumbai, Kutch, Mt. Abu, Desert NP, Phalodi, (maybe Thal Chapar), Harike, Corbet, Naini Tal, (maybe Rhantanbore), Melghat, Bangalore, Mudumalai, Ooty, Munar, Thatekat, and Cochin) in order to see many specialities.   There are some Western Paleartic species that are rare or very rare in India, but if somebody can give update information for this winter I will be very happy. Of course if somebody want join to mee especialy after Melghat would be one pleasure.   Glareola maldivarum Oriental pranticole  No information about places to find this specie (NI)   Hirundapus caudatus White-throated Needletail. In Grimet book it seems one sumer visitor, but in HBW seems that it is resident in north India. Maybe possible near Nainital?    Callandrelaa acutirostris Hume's short-toed lark  Maybe in Rantanbore orMelghat? No information about places to find this specie   Anthus godlewskii Blyh's pipit. Possible in many places (Rantambore, Bangalore) but rare at all.   Phylloscopus sindianus Mountain Chiffchaff  Rare in Harike where no all people find it.   Emberiza leucocephalos Pine bunting  No information about places to find this specie   Emberiza bruniceps Red-headed Bunting Some sights in Harike     If you can send some information would be perfect, anyway, good birding.   Eugeni,   Catalonia (Europe) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Hypocolius India From: "kandm.claydon" <kandm.claydon AT virgin.net> Date: Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:06:37 -0000 Thanks for the Hypocolius information, Jugal. Good to hear about the Fulay welfare programme. Kath & Mick Claydon ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: RE: Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp From: "Mundkur, Taej" <Taej.Mundkur AT wetlands.org> Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 08:41:14 +0100 Hi Praveen, Many thanks for that interesting and detailed review. It is certainly useful to understand the pros and cons from the viewpoint of an educated user and to help in deciding on whether to buy such a book, which I plan to do. Best wishes, Taej Mundkur Flyway Programme Manager Wetlands International +31614987324 Sent from handheld, please forgive brevity and errors ________________________________ From: PraveenJ Sent: Monday, January 09, 2012 5:09 To: orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [OB] Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp Hi all, After I wrote a small note on this book in KeralaBirder (link below) http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/keralabirder/message/6963 A few people indicated to me that it was useful. Hence, I thought this posting might be of interest here as the original discussion was started here by Vivek. best rgds Praveen --- In orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com, Vivek Tiwari wrote: > > The 2nd edition of this book is apparently now available in India. > But Amazon.com and NHBS.com still don't have it. > > Any pointers on how I can get a order a copy for shipment to the USA? > > Thanks in advance > Vivek Tiwari > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp From: "PraveenJ" <paintedstork AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:58:35 -0000 Hi all, After I wrote a small note on this book in KeralaBirder (link below) http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/keralabirder/message/6963 A few people indicated to me that it was useful. Hence, I thought this posting might be of interest here as the original discussion was started here by Vivek. best rgds Praveen --- In orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com, Vivek Tiwari wrote: > > The 2nd edition of this book is apparently now available in India. > But Amazon.com and NHBS.com still don't have it. > > Any pointers on how I can get a order a copy for shipment to the USA? > > Thanks in advance > Vivek Tiwari > ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Hypocolius India From: Jugal Tiwari <jugalanu.tiwari AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 22:09:58 +0530 If a birder had seen only one Grey Hypocolius in the agriculture fields near Fulay village this does not mean that one Hypocolius is wintering. This season from 15 th November onwards till 6 th Jan 2012, I made over 20 visits to the Grey Hypocolius wintering area in Fulay and maximum I had come across was 8 birds in one hour. The extent of habitat is in some 4-5 kms stretch if one spend the full day in the habitat, I am sure you can see more than 50 Grey Hypocolius. Since the agriculture field are owned by Fulay village locals, and the recent (3-4 years) sudden flooding of money by charcoal making people had started exploiting the ground water and changed the area in to Castor fields. Many big Salvadora persica trees have been cut for making more space for Castor agriculture. The Salvadora persica and Lycium barbarum bushes are growing together and provides the food for Grey Hypocolius. We (at the Centre for Desert and Ocean) CEDO regd trust have convinced the fulay villagers to not to cut any bushes. The local villager Mohammed is always there to show the Grey Hypocolius to all the guest birders who visit the place. We have installed 2 RO filter plants (for safe drinking water)as welfare programs for the School and Madrassa of Fulay. I can say, Fulay village near Banni is the most reliable spot so far to see the Grey Hypocolius. Jugal Tiwari www.cedobirding.com On Fri, Jan 6, 2012 at 2:29 AM, Malcolm Roxby wrote: > ** > > > Hi all > I wonder if anyone can help, a friend of mine has recently told me there > is > only one Hypocolius wintering in the traditional area near Bhuj this year. > Does anyone know if this is true? > > Many Thanks > > Malcolm Roxby (UK) > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: South West India & the Anadamans From: "trogon13" <trogon13 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:16:00 -0000 I just returned from 14 days in Southwestern India and 4 days in the Andamans. Highlights were Painted Bush Quail, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Yellow throated Bulbul, Broad tailed Grass Warbler, Black & Orange Flycatcher, White bellied Blue Robin, Nilgiri Blue Robin, Andaman Crakes, Andaman teal, Andaman Serpent Eagle holding a live snake,Andaman Wood pigeon,& Andaman Cuckoo Dove. Surprised to find 2 large flocks of Daurian Starlings of 50+ birds each near Chiriya Tapu on South Andaman feeding in fruiting trees. Also spent some time with a troupe of Lion tailed Macaques near Valparai which was well worth the long drive. Many thanks to Satyan Mepayur & Vikram Shil. Joseph Brooks ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: India From: "Malcolm Roxby" <member AT asia65.fsnet.co.uk> Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 18:02:56 -0000 Hi Everyone Firstly very many thanks to everyone who got back to me re Desert NP and Hypocolius. I'm working through my mail and will respond to everyone ASAP. Again many thanks. I have one more question, does anyone know of a reliable site for White Naped Tit near Udaipur as I will spend some time there, also Rock Eagle Owl sites away from Bhuj, just in case I miss them there. Has anyone seen Syke's Nightjar near Harike recently? Thanks as always Malcolm Roxby (UK) ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: photography contest From: Bharat Jethva <bharatjethva2000 AT yahoo.co.in> Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 17:51:33 +0530 (IST) Dear all, Some of you may be interested in participating in photography contest in Global Birdwatcher's Conference ! https://www.gbwc.org/page.php?pgid=4f06b91df34b8  Best wishes Dr. Bharat Jethva [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Full access to the "Chinese Journal of Zoology" From: "robbi_zl" <lrobizl AT yahoo.com.cn> Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:37:24 -0000 Dear All, The "Chinese Journal of Zoology" has put all its available issues online with free access recently. Anyone who interested in the old papers of birds in China which published on this journal can visit through the link I pasted here: http://dwxzz.ioz.ac.cn/ch/reader/issue_browser.aspx (btw: The site is only in Chinese, sorry for that ) Cheers, Robbi ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Hypocolius India From: "Malcolm Roxby" <member AT asia65.fsnet.co.uk> Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2012 20:59:32 -0000 Hi all I wonder if anyone can help, a friend of mine has recently told me there is only one Hypocolius wintering in the traditional area near Bhuj this year. Does anyone know if this is true? Many Thanks Malcolm Roxby (UK) ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Yellow-rumped Flycatcher in Sri Lanka From: Amila Salgado <balanophis AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 08:16:33 -0800 (PST) Hello!   I would like to report a sight record of a Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia in the southeastern Sri Lanka. It is listed as a vagrant bird species here. More details, including a photograph of it, are in my blog: http://gallicissa.blogspot.com   Happy birding!   Amila Salgado Sri Lanka   Mobile: 0094-777-591155 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits From: Ronald Orenstein <ron.orenstein AT rogers.com> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 21:56:22 -0800 (PST) David, I don't disagree with anything you say.  The question is whether ALL use of tapes, however judiciously done, is harmful (and of course if it is, one could posit that birding itself is harmful because our mere presence disturbs birds - not to mention things like flash photography, etc).  There is debate as to whether there is a threshhold for tape use below which it is not harmful, and that is why I am undecided.  We need research on the subject, and that is why I find these articles interesting.  I will readily confess to being guilty of overestimating the tolerance of at least some birds to at least some levels of playback (certainly after reading these articles), and I would agree that caution in the face of uncertainty is a good policy.  Is all tape use, under any circumstances, bad?  I don't know.  Is repeated prolonged use of tapes in the same areas bad?  It would appear that it is.   Ronald Orenstein 1825 Shady Creek Court Mississauga, ON L5L 3W2 Canada ronorenstein.blogspot.com ________________________________ From: David To: Ronald Orenstein ; Oriental_Birding Sent: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 1:46:57 PM Subject: Re: [OB] Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits   Ron, I can’t imagine why you’re undecided on the issue. Using technology to change the behaviour of a bird for the recreational purpose of getting a tick is downright shabby. It’s a small issue compared to habitat destruction and suchlike, but one for which a code of ethics for all conscientious naturalists should apply nonetheless. The effects are pretty obvious, we hardly need scientific studies. Some years ago an Olive-backed sunbird visited my high balcony in Singapore. As it was a rare event I greeted it by imitating its call. The bird went berserk and even came into the room, flying all over and settling in the yucca. Over the next few weeks it returned most days, frantically looking through the balcony windows, Clearly a simple whistle has a medium-term influence on a bird’s behaviour. I totally regretted it. It also raises the issue of courtesy to other people. Once, strolling along the track at Panti, I passed a vehicle from which a loudspeaker was blaring bird calls into the forest like an ice-cream van. They didn’t even pause as I went by. It debased the natural atmosphere and totally ruined the day. I’ve been campaigning against this practice for years. It’s the hard-to-see, and therefore ‘delicate’ birds that are mainly targetted. Can it be morally, if not legally outlawed? This may upset a lot of people who don’t think they’ve been doing anything wrong, but I ask them: isn’t a sighting achieved by chance and hard effort more satisfying than one achieved through technology? I wouldn’t want to see a bird that has been reeled in like a fish, even if it was the most sought-after one on my list. If I don’t see my target bird – tough! And what I don’t see only adds to the value of those I do. This seems to be an issue of values as much as anything. David Sharp Bangkok From: Ronald Orenstein Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 9:25 AM To: birdchat AT listserv.arizona.edu ; Oriental_Birding ; africanbirding AT yahoogroups.com ; SABIRDNET Subject: [OB] Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits A couple of very interesting and thought-provoking articles forwarded from the Malaysian Birders list (I remain undecided on this issue personally). Thanks, Ding Li! Ronald Orenstein 1825 Shady Creek Court Mississauga, ON L5L 3W2 Canada ronorenstein.blogspot.com ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Yong To: mailto:Malaysianbirders%40yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 12:33:17 AM Subject: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits Hi all, Came across these 2 interesting and informative articles addressing the rationale for bird playback, and the common issues associated with it by 2 well known birders, Sumit Sen and Paul Jepson...playback as a practice is clearly increasing all over the world due to the commercialisation of birding, especially in Asia and in Msia, certain species are now apparently more difficult to see after decades of relentless playback by visiting birders Worth a thorough read! http://www.kolkatabirds.com/callplayback.htm http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/index.php?view=article&catid=584%3Aopinions&id=4445\ %3Abird-playback-reflections-on-audio-technology-and-birding-practices&option=co\ m_content&Itemid=316 Cheers Ding Li [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits From: "David" <davidsharp1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 12:46:57 +0700 Ron, I can’t imagine why you’re undecided on the issue. Using technology to change the behaviour of a bird for the recreational purpose of getting a tick is downright shabby. It’s a small issue compared to habitat destruction and suchlike, but one for which a code of ethics for all conscientious naturalists should apply nonetheless. The effects are pretty obvious, we hardly need scientific studies. Some years ago an Olive-backed sunbird visited my high balcony in Singapore. As it was a rare event I greeted it by imitating its call. The bird went berserk and even came into the room, flying all over and settling in the yucca. Over the next few weeks it returned most days, frantically looking through the balcony windows, Clearly a simple whistle has a medium-term influence on a bird’s behaviour. I totally regretted it. It also raises the issue of courtesy to other people. Once, strolling along the track at Panti, I passed a vehicle from which a loudspeaker was blaring bird calls into the forest like an ice-cream van. They didn’t even pause as I went by. It debased the natural atmosphere and totally ruined the day. I’ve been campaigning against this practice for years. It’s the hard-to-see, and therefore ‘delicate’ birds that are mainly targetted. Can it be morally, if not legally outlawed? This may upset a lot of people who don’t think they’ve been doing anything wrong, but I ask them: isn’t a sighting achieved by chance and hard effort more satisfying than one achieved through technology? I wouldn’t want to see a bird that has been reeled in like a fish, even if it was the most sought-after one on my list. If I don’t see my target bird – tough! And what I don’t see only adds to the value of those I do. This seems to be an issue of values as much as anything. David Sharp Bangkok From: Ronald Orenstein Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 9:25 AM To: birdchat AT listserv.arizona.edu ; Oriental_Birding ; africanbirding AT yahoogroups.com ; SABIRDNET Subject: [OB] Fw: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits A couple of very interesting and thought-provoking articles forwarded from the Malaysian Birders list (I remain undecided on this issue personally). Thanks, Ding Li! Ronald Orenstein 1825 Shady Creek Court Mississauga, ON L5L 3W2 Canada ronorenstein.blogspot.com ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Yong To: mailto:Malaysianbirders%40yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 12:33:17 AM Subject: [Malaysianbirders] Bird playbacks: merits and demerits Hi all, Came across these 2 interesting and informative articles addressing the rationale for bird playback, and the common issues associated with it by 2 well known birders, Sumit Sen and Paul Jepson...playback as a practice is clearly increasing all over the world due to the commercialisation of birding, especially in Asia and in Msia, certain species are now apparently more difficult to see after decades of relentless playback by visiting birders Worth a thorough read! http://www.kolkatabirds.com/callplayback.htm http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/index.php?view=article&catid=584%3Aopinions&id=4445\ %3Abird-playback-reflections-on-audio-technology-and-birding-practices&option=co\ m_content&Itemid=316 Cheers Ding Li [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Fw: Gujarat Tourism - FICCI Invitation From: Avi Sabavala <jodhpur58 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 09:17:12 -0800 (PST) an interesting programme for birders. Pls do join in Happy birding Avi Sabavala ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: 2nd Global Bird Watchers' Conference - 2012 To: 2nd Global Bird Watchers' Conference - 2012 Sent: Tuesday, January 3, 2012 6:25 PM Subject: Gujarat Tourism - FICCI Invitation 2nd Global Bird Watchers’ Conference - 2012 19-22 January, 2012, Gandhinagar Dear  Sir/Madam, We are delighted to inform you that Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in partnership with Department of Tourism - Govt. of Gujarat, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd., is organizing the Second Global Bird Watchers' Conference 2012 from 19th to 22nd January 2012 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Encouraged by the overwhelming success of the First ever edition of the Global Bird Watchers' Conference in November 2010 held at the wetlands of Khijadia, near Jamnagar, Gujarat, it has been decided to organize the Second Conference at Gandhinagar. This will give the delegates an opportunity to explore Gujarat as a World Class Bird Watching Destination along with other attractions it has to offer.   The Conference is being held at a time when large numbers of migratory birds shall visit Gujarat. The Conference is expected to be attended by about 500 Bird Watchers, Ornithologists, Travel-writers, Photographers, Tour-Operators, Researchers and Academicians from across the Globe. There will be Interaction Sessions, Panel Discussions and field visits for the guests during these days.   The objective is to promote Gujarat as a special bird watching destination. The USP of the Conference would be the exclusive focus on capitalizing on the locational and natural advantage of Gujarat and promotion of Tourism by exposing it to renowned National and International participants. The presence of Travel Media and Travel Writers would offer the desired momentum and branding to this Conference.   A website www.gbwc.org has also been created to provide all the locational and conference related details. The registration and payment is on first cum first serve basis. Looking forward to your active participation at the Conference. Thank you, Param Shah Head FICCI Gujarat State Council [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Great Himalayan National Park and Kullu area From: "topflusher" <topflusher AT yahoo.co.uk> Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:52:40 -0000 Dear OBs - and Andy Boyce, Our report on a recent visit to the Great Himalayan National Park and the Kullu area has just been posted as follows: http://www.surfbirds.com/mb/trips/india-mears-1211.pdf It's a wonderful place and anyone who goes will have a great time. Good birding all, Andy Mears. Ps. I forgot Common Sandpiper (near Bhunter) from the species list! ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: 11 Migratory Crane die in Junagadh: From: Bharat Jethva <bharatjethva2000 AT yahoo.co.in> Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 22:01:55 +0530 (IST) 11 Migratory Crane Died in Junagadh: click on following link to read http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=5&edcode=1310005&eddate=2012-1-02  Reason unknown !!  Best wishes Bharat Jethva [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: INDIA HELP From: Mike Prince <mike_g_prince AT yahoo.co.uk> Date: Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:51:09 +0530 Hi Malcolm I've just been birding in the Desert NP for the past three days. Thankfully the tortuous permit process has now gone and you just need to pick up an entrance ticket, at the office at Sam. This is on the road to Sudaseri and has a board outside. You can get a permit any day, although it may take a few minutes to wake the forest guard up! Jaisalmer to Bhuj is apparently about 10 hours. We're doing this over two days to explore some areas and are paying about Rs.12000. Finally Yellow-eyed Pigeon probably no longer occurs at Harike. We had poor views at Tal Chhapar, missed it completely at Bikaner but then struck lucky seeing it twice come in to drink at Sudaseri. Other good birds here included up to 7 Indian Bustards daily, 12 Cream-coloured Coursers and a Plain Leaf Warbler south of Khuri. Have a great trip! Cheers -- Mike -- Record, share and compare with BUBO Listing at www.bubo.org Malcolm Roxby wrote: Hi all I'm off to India in January and wondered if anyone can help with information about the Bustard enclosure at Jaisalmer. I understand that permits are now easy to obtain, can anyone tell me where to obtain them once in Jaisalmer and whether it will be possible to obtain them on a Saturday? Also I'm planning to travel from Bhuj to Jaisalmer by hiring a taxi to save time on what is a tight schedule, does anyone know the likely cost of this and also how long such a journey will take? If anyone out there wants to share a car between Bhuj and Jaisalmer I should be doing the trip on 28 January. Many thanks in advance for any help. PS does anyone know a reliable site near Amritsar for Yellow Eyed Stock Dove, I'm probably not going to Birkaneer. Thanks again Malcolm Roxby (UK) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: RE: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp From: Ads Bowley <birdboybowley AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:30:55 +0000 As one of the artists, I can tell you the book is apparently not due out until the 19th January 2012 Ads To: spiderhunters AT gmail.com; orientalbirding AT yahoogroups.com From: Agwhitehead AT btinternet.com Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:31:34 +0000 Subject: Re: [OB] Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp Hi You could try a specialist birding book retailer like Wildsounds. Tony Whitehead ________________________________ From: Vivek Tiwari To: Oriental Birding Sent: Saturday, 31 December 2011, 7:41 Subject: [OB] Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp The 2nd edition of this book is apparently now available in India. But Amazon.com and NHBS.com still don't have it. Any pointers on how I can get a order a copy for shipment to the USA? Thanks in advance Vivek Tiwari [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: INDIA HELP From: "Malcolm Roxby" <member AT asia65.fsnet.co.uk> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:52:35 -0000 Hi all I'm off to India in January and wondered if anyone can help with information about the Bustard enclosure at Jaisalmer. I understand that permits are now easy to obtain, can anyone tell me where to obtain them once in Jaisalmer and whether it will be possible to obtain them on a Saturday? Also I'm planning to travel from Bhuj to Jaisalmer by hiring a taxi to save time on what is a tight schedule, does anyone know the likely cost of this and also how long such a journey will take? If anyone out there wants to share a car between Bhuj and Jaisalmer I should be doing the trip on 28 January. Many thanks in advance for any help. PS does anyone know a reliable site near Amritsar for Yellow Eyed Stock Dove, I'm probably not going to Birkaneer. Thanks again Malcolm Roxby (UK) ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Re: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp From: Antony Whitehead <Agwhitehead AT btinternet.com> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:31:34 +0000 (GMT) Hi You could try a specialist birding book retailer like Wildsounds.  Tony Whitehead ________________________________ From: Vivek Tiwari To: Oriental Birding Sent: Saturday, 31 December 2011, 7:41 Subject: [OB] Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp   The 2nd edition of this book is apparently now available in India. But Amazon.com and NHBS.com still don't have it. Any pointers on how I can get a order a copy for shipment to the USA? Thanks in advance Vivek Tiwari [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Availability of the 2nd Edition of "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent", Grimmett and Inskipp From: Vivek Tiwari <spiderhunters AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:41:46 -0800 The 2nd edition of this book is apparently now available in India. But Amazon.com and NHBS.com still don't have it. Any pointers on how I can get a order a copy for shipment to the USA? Thanks in advance Vivek Tiwari ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org Subject: Recent observations of Falcated Duck & Eurasian Curlew in Assam, India From: Pritam Baruah <doublebulb AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:19:45 -0800 (PST) Originally posted in Delhibirds, someone suggested that this could be useful to a wider audience as it has information about some lesser known but accessible sites.   Thanks, Pritam.   Recent observations of Falcated Duck & Eurasian Curlew in Assam.  Dec 5: Gaurisagar Tank in Sibasagar, Assam. This man-made lake was build during the Ahom times and is located very conviniently, only 100 meters off of NH-37 in Gaurisagar, Sibasagar district. From NH-37, take the road heading south towards the police station and the road ends at the archeological site. This is a very easy stopover for birders traveling by car between Kaziranga and Upper Assam. A walking track surrounds the lake and there is a wooded sericulture farm all along the southern boundary. Large concentrations of waterfowl gather all over the lake, especially along the southern boundary. The archeological site also has three historic temples (a significant tourist & religious attraction). The pochard concentration holds promise of baeri (especially in Jan/Feb). 3000+ waterfowl. Falcated Duck - 1. Fulvous Whistling Duck - 4 (others possibly overlooked). Great Crested Grebe - 42. Dec 6: Phokolai Beel near Panidihing 'bird sanctuary'. From NH-37 take the road heading north from Rajmai Tea Estate for 7 kms. The road ends at a T junction called Sorogua Tiniali. There is a dysfunctional anti-poaching camp where you may be able to pick up a guard or guide. Local village man Lekhon Gogoi (cell# 9854850982) is quite keen to take people around. There are some elephants and feral buffalo inside the park so one needs to be very careful. No vehicular access to the park. Common Shelduck can be seen in this area from mid-winter. Eurasian Curlew - 1 (very rare in Assam).  Bar-headed Geese - 500+ Dec 7th: Maguri-Motapung Beel near Dibru Saikhowa NP in Tinsukia district. Large concentrations of water fowl and a rarity hotspot. Further details can be found in my trip report from last year (available online). Waterfowl concentration will increase from mid December. One of the most reliable places for Falcated Duck in India (Sohola Beel in Kaziranga is also good for Falcated Duck). A few local boys have started an ecotourism effort called Maguri Bihangam (cell #9707160530). They offer fixed rate boating of Rs 1000 for upto a whole day so I recommend hiring them in the morning (food not included).  3000+ waterfowl. Falcated Duck - 5. Thanks, Pritam. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit www.orientalbirdclub.org