An absolutely brilliant, two-country Oriental venture, first to the beautiful and endemic-rich island of Taiwan, then to the urban jungle of Hong Kong, which, despite appearances, is an absolutely incredible spot for shorebirds and other migratory specialities! Taiwan produced a wealth of amazing species, from the endemic pheasant pair, to endemic liocichlas, laughingthrushes, yuhinas, sibias, magpies, Flamecrest, the surely soon-to-be split "Owston's" Southern Nutcracker and Black-faced Spoonbill, to mammals such as Formosan Macaque and Flying Squirrel. Add in total, other-worldly culture shock and pre-Google Translate non-Mandarin speaking, and it was a highly memorable experience. Apart from the food... Hong Kong presented an overwhelming experience with waders. The undoubted and absolute highlight was certainly the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, but that was ably suported by more than 25 other wader species (including Nordmann's Greenshank, Far Eastern Curlew, Grey-tailed Tattler and Asiatic Dowitcher), Saunders's Gull, Black-faced Spoonbill and a nice little range of resident and migrant passerines.

For a full, blow-by-blow Taiwan roundup, click here

For a full, blow-by-blow Hong Kong roundup, click here