Paul Holt reports from Taiwan

Once again we saw all of the island’s 31 endemics on this year’s Taiwan tour– with several Swinhoe’s and Mikado Pheasants, multiple Taiwan Thrushes, several Taiwan Blue Magpies, Rusty Laughingthrushes and four Chestnut-bellied Tits as well as umpteen Taiwan Yuhinas perhaps topping the bill. As is so often the case Taiwan Partridge proved the most awkward and required two visits to their preferred bird blind. Other goodies included the endemic race of Maroon Oriole, several close range Malayan Night Herons, two equally obliging Fairy Pittas and a whole host of migrant song (six Pechora Pipits) and shorebirds (think Red-necked, Long-toed and Little Stints, Great Knot, Grey-tailed Tattler, Terek and Broad-billed Sandpipers)… Despite a few small tremors than lingered after the early April earthquake and the effective closure of the spectacular road down through the Taroko Gorge we still saw some stupendous scenery…

Several Malayan Night Herons, here a second calendar year, were seen.

Several Black-faced Spoonbills lingered long enough for us to meet them…

Our ferry crossing to Lanyu Island was smooth and produced a few birds…

Once there the local goats vied for our attention...

...with flocks of Eastern Cattle and the occasional Chinese Egret.

Some of us enjoyed the local Flying Fish delicacy for dinner!