Last winter the big news in Qingdao’s Birding Scene was the Light Vented Bulbul that was spotted in Chenyang (Near Airport and No. 1 Experimental Middle School Garden) on many occasions.  The bird was also spotted at May 4th Square and Zhongshan Park proving that it is possibly not an accidental (a bird that is just out of it’s range but not a resident) but has high possibility of being a resident of Qingdao.  The Light-vented Bulbul’s range in John Mackinnon and Karen Phillip’s Oxford Field Guide to the Birds of China is in Southern Provinces not known to be found here in Qingdao.  The Light Vented Bulbul was spotted throughout the winter and now spring.

The Little Egret has also been found to habituate the Liu Tin River in Chenyang, south of the Liu Tin Airport.  A dozen or so birds have been found hanging out in the river. Near there off of Route 308 a possible identification of the Eurasian Blackbird has been verified by a recent birding trip led at Zhongshan Park in March.

Qingdao spring finally came and there are some breathtaking flower scenes.  Many trees are flowering and the trees are finally budding.  Zhongshan Park is in its peak with its lovely Japanese Cherry and Plumb Trees.  Zhongshan Park also put together wonderful tulip beds in its Holland area.  You can also escape around the peach trees for some birding and rustic countryside feeling.  Shi Mei Nunnery is also worth checking out with its hundreds of peach and plumb trees flowering for those nature lovers and fellow birders.

Spring also brought a wide variety of birds. We got a lot of exciting feedback from some local birders.  First of all the gulls are starting to return to the Qingdao Coast (Doesn’t seem exciting but 1999 Qingdao birders were building nest and birdfeeders to attract them). They were spotted on Daxue Lu down in the old German Quarters where Jiangsu Lu meets the coastline. They were also spotted at Xiaogan (in Flocks) and near the Maidao area (The coastline in front of Qingdao University on Donghai Lu).

Brian Westland led his first organized birding trip in China last Sunday at Zhongshan Park. He as well as other birders spotted many Life Listers (Birds that they haven’t identified before.) First the Yellow-billed Grosbeak was spotted on the west side of the park. The bird is truly beautiful and on the south side of the Park we spotted a whole flock. Birds that are not on the present Bird’s of Qingdao Online other life listers spotted are the Eurasian Siskin, Crested Mynah and the Dusky Thrush, the Greater Necklaced Laughing Thrush and lets not forget the Orange Flanked Bush Robin. The star and probably most exotic bird of all Qingdao bird’s spotted was the Common Hoopoe. This bird did not show any fear of being spotted or observed. All and all the trips were a success. Right now Spring Migration is full on and you can observe many kinds of birds. You don’t have to go to a big park but a park with a lot of trees is helpful.  You can also find many coastline birds but you might need a very good set of binoculars or take a boat out.

The following tips were given by Brian Westland in the early spring:
1. Binoculars are a must
2. Identifying birds is an evolutionary learning method. The first time you see a bird you should note the field marks and try to narrow it down to a couple of birds in your field guide and the next time you see the bird it would be easier.
3. It would help if there were two of you so that one is using the binoculars and describing the field marks out loud, while the second birder should be noting down the field marks. If the birder using the binoculars stops speaking, ask him or her questions like:
    a) Hey Guy, what color is the belly of the bird?
    b) What shape beak does it have?
    c) Is it a small or large bird?
    d) What colors are the wings?
    e) Does the head of birds have any marks or rings around the eyes?
    f) Does it have a crest?
    g) And SO ON?
4. If you note down as much information about the bird it would be easier to identify it later. Remember not to get discouraged because it is not easy. The bird can be a male or female, juvenile or even elder. One species of bird have several different sets of colors and markings.
5. Seeing the bird over and over will eventually give way to its identification. Proper notation is a must. Work in pairs.
 
Below are the species Brian Westland identified in Qingdao:
1. Great Tit (Parus Major)
2. Black Billed Magpie (Pica Pica)
3. Light Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus Sinesis)
4. Daurian Red Start (Phoenicurus Auroreus)
5. Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer Montanus)
6. White Wagtail (Motacilla Alba)
7. Vinous Throated Parrot Bill (Paradoxornis webbianus)
8. Eurasian Hobby (Falco Subbuteo)
9. Spotted Dove (Streptopelia Chinensis)
10. Great Egret (Camerodius Egret)
11. Red-Bill Chough (Pyrrhocorax)
12. Siberian Blue Robin (Luscina Cyane)
13. Barn Swallow (Hirunda Rustica)
14. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
15. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
16. Yellow Billed grosbeak (Euphona migratoria)
17. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
18. Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula)
19. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
20. Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis hornemanni)
21 Greater Necklased Laughing Thrush (Garrulax pectoralis)
22. Crested Mynah (Acridotheres cristatellus)
23. Dusky Thrush (Turdus naumanni)
24. Rock dove (Columba livia)
25. Orange Flanked Bush Robin (Tarsiger cyanurus pallidior)
26. Tristram's Bunting (Emberiza tristrami)
27 Japanese White-eye, or Mejiro (Zosterops japonicus or japonica)
28. Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi) Probable
29. Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
30. Russet Sparrow (Passer rutilans)
31. Eurasian House Martin (Riperia riperia
32. Arctic Warbler (Probable) (Phylloscopus borealis )
33.  Vinous Throated Parrotbill (Paradoxornis webbianus)
34. Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina)
35. Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)
36. Yellow Browed Bunting (Emberiza chrysophrys)
37. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia)
38. Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus)
39. Buff-bellied Pippit (Anthus rubescens)
40. Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica)
41. Brambling ((Fringilla montifringilla)

Related Links:
Online Guide to the Birds of Qingdao  2.84 MB
Qingdao Online Bird Field Guide
Basics of Birding in Qingdao

If you happen to identify different species other than those below please email us.