Highlights:

• Sacred Ibis 15
• Yellow Bittern 1
• Pheasant-tailed Jacana 4
• Garganey 2
• Brown-headed Thrush 4
• Dusky Warbler 1
• Korean Bush Warbler 1
• Grey-throated Martin 5
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail 1
• Daurian Redstart 2
• Black-naped Monarch 1

This small wetland park lies just to the north of Kaohsiung, in Nanzi district. It was my “local patch” last winter and spring when I first arrived in Kaohsiung, when I visited it at least weekly. This area of ponds, mangroves and scrub between Highway 17 and the sea is potentially an excellent migrant trap, but sadly the whole area is difficult to view; the wetland park itself is somewhat overgrown and access is restricted, and much of the most promising habitat lies on military land and is therefore out of bounds to the general public.

However, some of the pools can be viewed through gaps in the fence, and the mangrove part of the reserve is opened to the public on Sundays. Pied Harrier and Long-toed Stint are both on my Taiwan list thanks to this site, and it’s a good bet for the uncommon Crested Myna, as well as the starling triumvirate of White-shouldered (in winter), Black-collared, and Chestnut-tailed.

The rarer starlings and mynas failed to oblige today, however a number of other interesting species were seen during a 2-hour afternoon visit in cool, sunny weather.

The pool and surrounding marshes next to the factory is a relatively easy spot to view. Pheasant-tailed Jacanas are usually to be seen, and today 4 of them fed delicately in the bright green poolside vegetation. Nearby, two Garganey accompanied a small flock of Common Teal. Heading further west along the road, two male Daurian Redstarts disputed a winter territory in front of the factory gates. At the abrupt end of the road (a wide multi-lane highway comes to a sudden end at the mangroves), an earth mound allows the best opportunity to view the inaccessible military land. Today, a Yellow Bittern offered occasional views in thick vegetation at the edge of a pond, and a flock of 15 Sacred Ibis flew south.

At the eastern edge of the mangroves, just inside the reserve, a narrow ditch runs alongside the path. Surrounded by thick scrub, this damp area is a magnet for wintering passerines. A Korean Bush Warbler gave itself up easily, but an incessantly calling Dusky Warbler took much more patience to obtain good views of. Also in here was a minimum of 4 Brown-headed Thrushes quietly feeding in the leaf litter, and a splendid male Black-naped Monarch.

Finally, I skirted the perimeter fence of the military land, peering through the occasional gap to see plenty of common herons and wintering wildfowl. This area has a lot of potential for migrants and rarities, but it’s frustrating that so little of it is accessible or easily viewable. However, it’s well worth a couple of hours in winter, and I will try and visit regularly.