Hainan - Jian Feng Ling

Spent my first few days of 2010 at Hainan Jian Feng Ling with 4 other birdwatchers, we left HK on the 31st of December via Shenzhen airport and flown to Sanya. Stayed on til the 5th of January which gave us around 5 days to bird in the area. A total of 95 species were seen in 5 days, including most of our target birds and endemics (Except for the Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Large Scimitar Babbler & Hainan Peacock Pheasant). It was an enjoyable birding trip in all, with great company, great food and great birds! What more can you ask for? The conditions in the rainforest does not favour photography though, my excuse for these rather poor photos!

We stayed at Tianchi Summer Lodge, a rather shabby holiday resort located within Jian Feng Ling. It was conveniently connected to the Ming Feng Gu Boardwalk, which proofed to be quite birdy. The area includes Tianchi, which is a central lake area, and the core reserve area which is the prime piece of woodland.

The wooden boardwalk at Ming Feng Gu was productive, although the constant low light conditions made it tough to bird. We saw a lot of Silver Pheasants in there, as well as two brief encounters with Hainan Hill Partridge.

Birding at the arboretum was difficult due to how overgrown it had gotten. It was also leech infested, so I wouldn't recommend people birding in there.

The walk towards the core area is connected with a forest track, it was easier to walk and was quite productive, we had a few large bird waves there, as well as a few encounters with Red-headed Trogons as well as Ratchet-tailed Treepies.

When there weren't much birds around, there were always the sceneries to take in as well as meeting the friendly locals there.

Puff-throated Bulbul - Very Common in JFL

Hainan Leaf Warbler (Endemic) - Common in JFL

Spot-necked Babbler - Common in JFL with few seen on most days

Bronzed Drongo - Active around bird waves

Crested Serpent Eagle - The most numerous raptor in JFL

Large Woodshrike - Stated as rare but seen on 2 out of 5 days, moves in large flocks

Red-headed Trogon hainanus - Not easy to spot sometimes despite it's bright red appearance, but not uncommon

male

female

Chinese Barbet faber - Common in JFL

Lesser Yellownape longipennis - Common in JFL, moves with the larger birds

Silver-breasted Broadbill polionotus  - Uncommon in JFL but not difficult to see, seen 2 our of 5 days

Grey-cheeked Fulvetta - Very common in JFL

Fork-tailed Sunbird christinae - Common, Hainan race shows darker or black back in some lighting

Siberian Stonechat - Common in the agricultural fields next to Tain Chi

Black-throated Laughingthrush monachus - Common, Hainan race shows rufous neck and black face

Ratchet-tailed Treepie - Seen everyday, moves with the large birds

Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker - Common in JFL, associated with smaller bird waves most of the time

White-crowned Forktail - Common in JFL, but heard more often

Greater Yellownape styani - uncommon to rare, seen only on the last day

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo johni - Common in JFL, seen & heard everyday

Indochinese Green Magpie katsumatae - Rare, 6 seen on the last day amongst Greater Racket-tailed & Greater Yellownape

Other target species seen but unable to photograph:
Hainan Partridge - Seen on 2 days, 3 associated each time
Silver Pheasant whiteheadi - Seen on 2 days, 2 - 4 birds each time
Rufous Woodpecker - 1 seen while another heard at the same time
Pale Blue Flycatcher - 1 male seen on the last day
Snowy-browed Flycatcher - 2 seen
Grey-headed Parrotbill - 2 flocks seen
White-winged Magpie - rare, seen on 2 days at around the same location
Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush - uncommon
Yellow-billed Nuthatch - uncommon
Sultan Tit - common

*Also to note, a possible White-winged Flycatcher-Shrike was spotted, first thought as a male Mugimaki Flycatcher, but unfortunately was not photographed.