The Vibrant World of New Bird Species: My Labor Day Adventure

May 2nd and 3rd, 2024--The Eurasian Hoopoe Breeding and Colorful New Species

During the Labor Day holiday, I dedicated two mornings to waking up at 6:30 AM and venturing out to Century Park in search of the Black-Capped Kingfisher, which frequently appears on Bird Island during its spring migration and the White-Breasted Waterhen.

On the first morning, my plans shifted when I decided to capture images of Eurasian Hoopoe breeding. Nestled within two holes in a large willow tree beside the lake were two Eurasian Hoopoe baby birds crying for food. Their velvety heads displayed hints of the unique reddish-brown color of Eurasian Hoopoes.

Videos captured:

The following morning, I headed straight for the spot where others had spotted the kingfisher by the riverbank.

Although I arrived early and waited patiently from 8 AM until noon, both birds failed to make an appearance. However, I was fortunate enough to observe two new species—the Dollarbird and the Black-Naped Oriole—along with a few uncommon ones such as the Brown-Rumped Minivet and the Eurasian Kestrel.

Around 9 AM, a Dollarbird perched on a distant tree branch for approximately 40 minutes. This heavily built bird boasts a short bright red bill and transitions in color from light blue on its breast to dark blue on its tail. In flight, its wings resemble those of Mynas due to their white spots underneath.

At around 11 AM, a Black-Naped Oriole emerged from inner bushes and landed on outer trees at quite a distance from my vantage point. Only a hint of light yellow was visible amid the leaves.

As I prepared to depart, a Eurasian Kestrel soared gracefully across the sky.