Da Syue Shan Trail Taiwan

At least twice a year I spend two full days at Da Syue Shan searching for endemic species such as Taiwan Whistling Thrush, the Yellow Tit, Steere’s Liocichlas, White-eared Sibia, Taiwan Yuhina, the Rusty Laughingthrush, and all the other birds you can find here!

However, Da Syue Shan’s primary attraction is the pheasants, and both Swinhoe’s and Mikado are relatively easy to see. I haven’t seen the Mikado pheasant, yet! Both species are used to people and can be found walking along the edge of the road, so if you’re quiet and careful, you should be rewarded with outstanding views.

Birds are plentiful! Really,really plentiful and it's a joy to take pictures!

Da Syue Shan is relatively close to Taichung City, with a population of just over 1 million people, making it the third largest city on the island after Taipei and Kaohsiung. Da Syue Shan is a very popular destination for the city folks and it should be avoided on weekends, if possible! 

Enjoy

Boris

View Larger Map

Here are a few of my favorite pictures I took along the 

Da Syue Shan trail:

Collared Bush-Robin (female)

 White-browed Bush-Robin (male)

White-whiskered Laughingthrush

 The "tree of life" series!

I call this tree the "The tree of life!"

It's a tree at the Da Syue Shan trail (k 23.5 Parking lot) in Taiwan! The hole is filled with water, so many birds come to quench their thirst! It's well known and photographers tend to refill it from time to time.

The White's Thrush or Scaly Thrush 

Vivid Niltava female & male

This was a rare find. A female island trush! Unfortunately not the male!

Two male Vivid Niltava

This is one of the stars! The  Swinhoe's Pheasant! Da Syue Shan is famous for its pheasants!

The female:

Japanese White-eye and sakura blossom

A Pale Thrush

Steere's Liocichla

A Plumbeous Redstart

White-eared Sibia

Sakura Blossom

The Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus), also known as the mejiro (メジロ, 目白), is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. The specific epithet is occasionally written japonica, but this is incorrect due to the gender of the genus. Its native range includes much of east Asia, including Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines. It has been intentionally introduced to other parts of the world as a pet and as pest control, with mixed results. As one of the native species of the Japanese islands, it has been depicted in Japanese art on numerous occasions, and historically was kept as a cage bird.

Swinhoe's Pheasant

A large blackish-blue pheasant.  Short white crest; upper back and elongated central tail feathers silvery-white.  Scapulars purple-maroon.  Plumage generally velvety-black, glossed with iridescent blue-green scaling on upper-parts and streaks on underparts.  Facial area and wattles are red. Female:  Smaller; general plumage grayish-brown with fine barring on wings.  Wings and tail dark chestnut.  Lacks crest and has reduced red facial wattles.  Underparts cinnamon with black barring.  Iris, brown; bill, yellowish-horn; legs, red.

The tree of life!

The tree of life!
It's a tree at the Da Syue Shan trail (k 23.5 Parking lot) in Taiwan! The hole is filled with water, so many birds come to quench their thirst! It's well known and photographers tend to refill it from time to time.

 Vivid Niltava female x2

 This is a rare find. A female island trush!

  Vivid Niltava male x2

White's Thrush or Scaly Thrush