Taiwan 2019 Part 1 – Mountains of Dasyueshan

Swinhoe's Pheasant

We spent two weeks doing a self-drive trip around Taiwan with the aim of seeing all the country's endemics and specialties, with plenty of time for relaxing and sight-seeing. This was followed by a week-long trip to Palau and then back to Taipei, the Taiwanese capital, for a few days before heading home. The trip was highly successful with almost all targets accounted for, including all the endemics. Although we opted not to hire a guide, Taiwan birder Patrick Lee was most helpful; his services would clearly make it easier to track down birds and find your way around (contact falcon.rusticolus@gmail.com). Thanks also to Keith Barnes for his tips.

Dasyueshan - high in the mountains

We arrived in Taipei in the early morning of April 14 and headed to the town of Dongshi for an overnight stay. That afternoon I ventured up the famous Dasyueshan birding road a short distance, stopping at KM 4 in an area of second growth scrub and gardens. Here I quickly snared my first endemic – the sometimes difficult Taiwan Hwamei. More easily encountered endemics in bamboo thickets along a stream were Taiwan Barbet, Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler and Grey-cheeked Fulvetta.

Taiwan Barbet

Taiwan Hwamei

The next morning we headed up to Dasyueshan for a three-night stay at the Anmashan Mountain Hostel, kindly booked ahead by Patrick. In second-growth scrub along a rocky stream near KM 15 I had reasonable views of a flushed Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge - another potentially problematic target. Other nice birds included Plumbeous Redstart and Collared Finchbill.

Collared Finchbill

Plumbeous Redstart

Our next stop was KM 23, a known site for pheasants and partridges because they are often fed here. None appeared but the first of many Taiwan Yuhinas and White-eared Sibias in the mountains were out and about.

Taiwan Yuhina

White-eared Sibia

The entrance to the Dasyueshan National Forest Reserve is at KM 35, where a park-like area adjoins the entrance to Trail 210, a birding hotspot. A party of Rufous-crowned Laughingthrushes was found in the clearing at the entrance and a second group was seen about 1km along Trail 210 – a welcome surprise because this bird can be difficult. Also in the area were Vivid Niltava, Taiwan Macaque and Reeve's Muntjac.

Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush

Taiwan Macaque

Vivid Niltava

We continued to the park visitors' centre and accommodation lodge at KM 44, and settled into our comfortable lodge in the forest. Sadly the food in the restaurant (there's nowhere else to eat up in the mountains) lived up to its dreadful reputation. Fortunately the birds were active in the mist in trees outside the restaurant windows. Here were Taiwan Barwing, Taiwan Fulvetta and Steere's Liocichla, while Taiwan Whistling-Thrush and Pale Thrush were on the lawns outside. Pallas's Squirrel was common.

Pallas's Squirrel

Anmashan Mountain Lodge

Taiwan Barwing

Taiwan Whistling-thrush

Steere's Liocichla

The next day we drove to the end of the road at KM 50. Weather conditions were appalling all day but an odd-looking Taiwan Serow roadside at KM 48 was a surprise. A pair of Grey-headed (Taiwan) Bullfinches were seen in the mist in the same area.

Taiwan Serow

Grey-headed Bullfinch

A female Mikado Pheasant feeding on the lawn outside the interpretation centre at KM 50 could be approached closely. Also here were White-whiskered Laughingthrush, Taiwan Rosefinch and Collared Bush-Robin.

Collared Bush-Robin

Mikado Pheasant (female)

In the afternoon I headed back down the road in a vain search for better weather, but I did find a pair of Taiwan Partridges (another tough one) along Trail 210, along with a furtive pair of Mikado Pheasants. At the KM 23 site, a male Swinhoe's Pheasant was truly something to behold; it was soon joined by a second male pheasant. Large Hawk-Cuckoo had been calling loudly here and one eventually put in an appearance.

Large Hawk-Cuckoo

Swinhoe's Pheasant

With better weather the next day, we headed back up the mountain. White-browed Bush-Robin was seen at two spots around KM 47. A male Mikado Pheasant showed very nicely roadside at KM 46 after another female was seen at KM 47; I saw a total of five of this much-wanted species at four sites.

Mikado Pheasant (male)

White-browed Bush-Robin

Taiwan Bush-Warbler was seen at KM 48 with more heard, while Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler was common. White-whiskered Laughingthrush and Collared Bush-Robin were plentiful high up. I saw a Taiwan Shortwing and a Taiwan Cupwing briefly along Trail 230, although both appeared to be quite common by call, as did Taiwan Bush-Warbler. A single Ferruginous Flycatcher was seen on the trail.

Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler

Ferruginous Flycatcher

On the way back were several delightful Flamecrests at KM 47 feeding in the conifers. In the afternoon I again descended the road, where a singing Kamchatka Leaf-Warbler was at KM 39 and a group of noisy Rusty Laughingthrushes were a welcome site at KM 37.5.

Flamecrest

Rusty Laughingthrush

Outside the cabins that night, Mountain Scops-Owl was calling well but a sighting eluded me yet again, though close-up Red-and-white Giant Flying-Squirrel was a nice consolation prize.

Red-and-white Giant Flying-Squirrel

On the final day at Dasyueshan, April 18, a pair of Yellow Tits – another potentially tricky target - showed very nicely in the trees behind the restaurant .A party of Brown Bullfinches was feeding in a fruiting tree. Another male Swinhoe's Pheasant appeared brilliantly in a patch of sunlight outside our cabin.

Brown Bullfinch

Yellow Tit

On the way down on our final day in the mountains, I found a pair of Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babblers, another species sometimes missed by birders, at KM 35.5. A male Swinhoe's Pheasant crossed the road at KM 16.5; I saw a total of four of this species, all males, at three sites. We stopped again at KM 15, seeing Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge very well as a pair crossed the road. A Brown Dipper was along the river.

Brown Dipper

Taiwan Bamboo-Patridge

On the subject of dipping, the only potential targets that I failed to see in the mountains were Himalayan Owl, which I didn't search for, and the distinctive endemic race of Island Thrush.

Dasyueshan at KM 15