Taiwan ~ 6th - 12th May - '26

~ Taiwan ~ 

6th-12th May '26

The trip to Taiwan was planned around the best time to see Fairy Pitta which is late April into May and as you can see the plan worked out perfectly..

Fairy Pitta

I birded all the usual sites but found the photography really hard work and some of the species even harder Swinhoe's Pheasant was difficult to see were as others had it easy ..

Long exposure waterfall 

Little Forktail

Although I heard both Bullfinch's, Chestnut-bellied Tit, Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler and Black-throated Laughingthrush I just could not see them ..

White-whiskered Laughingthrush

Swinhoe's Pheasant

Swinhoe's  Pheasant

Collared Bush-Robin

I came down the mountain from Dasyueshan a day early even through I hadn't seen a few high altitude species with the idea that later in the week I'd have another chance when going over the Wuling Pass but again I still didn't  see or hear them here ..  

White-rumped Munia

Black-winged Stilt

Using Ebird I dropped pins in Google maps and twitched a few species on the way towards Linnei area ..

Oriental Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole

Little Whimbrel

I stayed the night at The Pitta Cafe just took a chance and showed up with rooms available, info and a rough location was given so the next morning I parked where they suggested and walked out on the Longguomai Forest Trail within 100m I was shown where the bird would appear by a local and literally 5 minutes later .. Boom ..  

Fairy Pitta

Fairy Pitta

Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge

Wuling Pass around Hehuan Lodge had stunning scenery and had a few good birds before continuing on for the east coast ..

Taiwan Rosefinch

Alpine Accentor

Hualien River Estuary produced some great birds all thanks to Ebird, plenty of waders on the mud and even some Lenticular cloud formations over the mountains ..

Styan's Bubul

Little Tern

Siberian Sand Plover

Grey-tailed Tattler

Grey-tailed Tattler

Lenticular Clouds

Far Eastern Curlew

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Chestnut Munia

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

The Memorial Hall and surrounding temples on Liberty Square Plaza were amazing in Taipei, and the best that I had seen on my travels ..

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall ~ Taipei

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall ~ Taipei

Malaysian Night Heron

Rufous Turtle Dove

Black-crowned Night Heron

National Concert Hall ~ Taipei

Main Gate ~ Liberty Square Plaza ~ Taipei

National Concert Hall ~ Taipei

I had a great time, travelling around was easy between sites although the road layouts in Taipei were difficult on google maps and a few times I went the wrong way ..

The trip species total finished at 182 ..

With 59 new bird species ..

Not bad at all for 7 days ..

Click the link below for the Ebird trip report ..

Taiwan Ebird Trip Report

Jordon ~ February - 6th / 9th ~ '26

 Jordon

February 6th ~ 9th - '26

It was a late flight landing after midnight so I grabbed a couple of hours sleep at a hotel 10 minutes from the airport before attempting the long 3+ hour drive towards Petra, arriving just before 9am ..

Checked in to the Petra Guest House Hotel this is next to the main entrance, with the walk through the narrow canyon Al Siq which leads to The Treasury ..

** Buy The Jordon Pass **

It's your Visa and entry to sites all-in-one !!

I walked right out to The Monastery and back for no real reward in the way of birds before driving to Little Petra.

As you approach Little Petra, on your left is a porto-cabin and a barrier walk this track out to the cultivated area near the ruins and this is where I found the target birds ..   

Sinai Rosefinch

Sinai Rosefinch

Sinai Rosefinch

Sinai Rosefinch

Mourning Wheatear

Sinai Rosefinch

Blackstart

Blackstart

Blackstart

Blackstart

Blackstart

Sinai Rosefinch

Desert Lark

A few more target birds were seen at Feynan Fields another Ebird hotspot which produced some quality birds mainly on the stoney bunds which separated each cultivated area.

Striolated Bunting 

Syrian Serin

Whilst trying to locate Dead Sea Sparrow near Al Karak at the southern end of the Dead Sea, this Bluethroat was very cooperative.

Stayed the night at the northern end of the Dead Sea at The Marriot Hotel, over priced in room and food but it was convenient for the next morning..

Bluethroat

I tried three different reservoirs with Kafrayn being the most productive before it was time to head towards the airport.

Pied Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Graceful Prinia

Three days birding in Jordon with the final tally of 61 species and 9 new birds.

Click the link below for more info ... 

Jordon Ebird Trip List