Two days before the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, it has been raining in Beijing, and it is not easy for the Rain to pass the sunny day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, so we made up our minds and got up early to look at the mountains and watch the fierceness.
After the autumn, the southward migration of birds of prey began. Baiwangshan is a major observation point in Beijing to observe the migration of birds of prey. I went twice during the migration season this spring, but the bird luck on those two occasions was not very good, and I didn't see too many birds of prey, which made me still feel very nervous on the way there, hoping that this bird luck would be better. Today's main targets are crested hummingbirds and black kites, both of which I haven't observed before.
Crested Honey-buzzard (scientific name: Pernis ptilorhynchus, LC), a larger bird of prey with a body length of 55–65 cm. The wings are larger in width and have a small head with short, hard, scaly feathers on the sides of the head. It breeds in northern East Asia and is a resident bird or winter in South and Southeast Asia. Domestic breeding in the northeast. It feeds mainly on bees, but also on other insects and small birds. - Excerpt from The Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Birds
Crested Hummingbird Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
Black Kite (LC), a larger bird of prey with a body length of 58–66 cm. The overall is dark brown , with broader wings ; more pronounced white wing windows under the wings ; and the central concave of the tail feathers is forked. It is found in Africa, Eurasia and Oceania. It is a summer migratory bird in the northeast of the country. It feeds mainly on small mammals, small birds, and animal carcasses. - Excerpt from The Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Birds
Black Kite, Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
We started climbing the mountain at eight o'clock, and when we reached the place where we were watching, there were already many people with telescopes and cameras observing birds of prey. Not long after arriving, seven or eight crested bee eagles flew over from afar, spiraling up with the help of the air current, forming a small eagle pillar at a very long distance, and I was suddenly happy: "Five minutes to unlock the crested bee eagle, today's luck seems to be good!" ”
The paddling of a Japanese pine sparrowhawk pushed today's bird of prey migration to a small climax. Birds of prey passed over our heads. First there are the white-bellied harrier and the magpie harrier.
Japanese Pine Sparrowhawk Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
White-bellied Harrier Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
Magpie Harrier Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
Then more than a dozen crested hummingbirds flew overhead, and two black kites followed them. The black kites circled above our heads for a few more times before they continued with the line.
Sparrowhawks, swallow falcons, and crested bee eagles flew over the sky one after another. With the appearance of birds of prey, the mood of bird friends has become more and more excited.
Sparrowhawk Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
Near noon, the real climax arrived. More than twenty crested bee eagles formed two eagle pillars at the same time! They flew closer and closer towards us, and two of them we could almost look up to!
Crested Eagle Eagle Pillar Beijing Baiwangshan 2021-09-21
Everyone "clicked" on the shutter of the camera while exclaiming, recording this exciting moment!
Video loading...
September 21, 2021 Mid-Autumn Festival Bird Watching Records of Baiwang Mountain
Crested Hummingbird 70+
Black Kites 2
White-bellied Harrier 1
Magpie Harrier 1
Nihon Matsujaku 2
Sparrowhawk 5
Falcon 2
House Swallow 10+
Golden-waisted swallow 10+
Far North Willow Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped willow warbler 1