It Wasn't Only the Wise Men that Came From the East

A MASSIVE 2,333 Hits from yesterday came as a huge surprise and knocked the previous record into the proverbial Cocked Hat, can only think someone has been sharing Our Little Secret, so many, many THANKS. Time for you others to do likewise me thinks - Thanks Again!

During this now extended period of inclement weather there has been time to drift back to even more nostalgia which was an extended tour of South East Asia in 2012.

With time on my side it was decided, as this was a ‘lone’ adventure, to spend 3 weeks in each of 6 countries starting with a 3^rd visit to the irresistible state of South Korea, followed in order by Taiwan, Philippines, a second shot at Malaysia, a 4^th in Thailand and a final initiation that was Laos. This series of Post covers the former, where like all the others there was a warm welcome, beautiful, kind and helpful people, exotic Wildlife and varying cultures right across the board. We could not put hand on heart and choose a favourite but in the first instance we need to introduce

VICKY CHENG

a memenber of the World Wide Birding Pal Community who take fellow Wildlifer's across as much of their own surrounding as they can during any given period. There is no set charge for these services, only the understanding that the visitor's pay for any transportation, food for both parties and of course one's own accommodation which is usually booked in advance.

Arriaval in the capital
TAIPEI

was, like any other new landing, a little daunting but even more so tofine myself in the heart of a

PUBLIC PROTEST
but with the first 'tick' of the trip a

CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE
taking some of the sting out of the situation.

The further we walked

the more light-hearted things seemed to get

with bystanders offering food and drink which was a great opportunity to not only
enjoy the hospitality but get the first tastes of the country itself!
Additionally, there were Birds in the Parks, Gardens and Hedgerows such as

BLACK-NAPPED MONARCH

the first 'endemic'
TAIWAN HWARMEI
and

WHITE-BELLIED YUHINA
with the next problem being "which way to turn next"?
You could hardly walk past the

CHIANG KAI-SHEK MEMORIAL
rather like sprinting past Trafalgar Square in London

and more Protesters on Scooters amouting to 'hundreds' with other

TRADITIONAL CITY BUILDINGS
I was to meet Vicky at a pre-determned gate at the Underground Station where she was already waiting to take me by Tube a little closer to her home out in the country and get me settled ina

very well appointed hotel.
No time for dawddling she made it very clear as telling me she was not so much a Birder or Twicher but a fully qualified Ornithologist and a Pro-Am Camera Lady who regularly sold her documentariess to State TV. In addition, a General Guide but more particularly a Mountaineer, Orientation Leader having qualified at the

CHINESE INSTITUTE of TECHNOLOGY
(where she took me on a later date to meet fellow Students and her Professor - left.
Just time to pinch myself before a good night's sleep and an early start to the now redundant but still well stocked

FISH FARM

where the trio of prizes were

BLACK-BILLED SPOONBILL

CRESTED GOSHAWK

the diminutive

SAUNDER'S GULL
and for good measure

SACRED IBIS
Part II to follow next Sunday we hope!

Moth'ers Little Helper - The Rolling Stones

If the predictions of the Weather Forecasters are anywhere near accurate, as they usually are these days, it looks very much like we will have to delve into the archive again sometime soon. 40+ knots of wind with more heavy rain so we were at the Moth Traps even earlier to log what maybe the last catch for a few days, which only amounted to

RED-GREEN CARPET

LESSER SWALLOW PROMINENT

NARROW-WINGED PUG

SCARCE PROMINENT

TREBLE-BAR
and

SILVER Y
Additionally, we very nearly brought luck on our side as square in the middle of the track and in full daylight stood a motionless

WOODCOCK
but only until we flashed up the camera - so still no decent image of this elusive bird.

Having fallen by the wayside by a day or 2 the weather may not be in sync with the Post but at least we have something to report rather than All Our Yesterday's once again.

Sunny and certainly warm enough it was considered likely that they Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths should have emerged, already 11 days later than there appearance last year so first stop the

now derelict 

WWII RAF BASE

and the lone
RHODODENDRON BUSH

only to find

BUDS

with only a single

about to break through while on the
Matchams Heath
most are in full bloom.
Not a journey without reward however as it was found that someone has laid a number of

REPTILE COVERS
across the area and also bringing to the log

the first couple of

HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLIES
Back on the Heath and with the fine weather still holding it was no surprise to find a couple of male

EMPEROR MOTHs

on the wing

and the female from the archive to keep your eye in!
Additionally, there was a small scattering of

COMMON HEATH MOTHS

along with this

BLUE TIT
feathering its own nest.
Back to Base where the

CRABAPPLE TREEs
are looking resplendent, maybe indicative of yet another decent crop of fruits,
but far less usual c3

MALLARD
on the tennis court while the

MAGPIE
on the surrounding fence

looks to have a broken lower mandabil.

ROOKs

are also in daily attendance

again not surprising as maybe having in excess of 30 broods to support not 1000 yards away while

smart looking

BLACK-HEADED GULLs
are always tempted by the scattered bread.
Far less usual in the garden is the

JAY
while at the pond parent birds continue to nurture the young

MOORHEN
but stand advised the

Clouds are Gathering.