The last stop in the Kenting area is the Long Luan Lake Nature Center. We debate in fact for a while on whether we should stop but in the end we decide to check it out. Who knows maybe we can find some interesting birds on this large protected lake? But first we try an overlook which is really not that successful. The birds are far away and there aren’t many of them. Undeterred we continue to the main parking lot, which is for fee, from where we plan to explore the lake via the nearby Nature Center.
There aren’t many cars today and as usual we enjoy how well everything is signed and mapped. The maps are especially important to us as many of these stops are unknowns to us beside the name.
Very welcome is the usual restroom area and cold drinks dispenser, other countries could learn from how plentiful they are here in our opinion. And then it is time to walk to the Nature Center keeping an eye out for the poisonous stray dogs.
Soon we are at the impressive visitor center. We didn’t expect such a huge one, it is two stories high and we are curious at what awaits us inside. But first we explore outside trying to find a shaded place to eat some snacks and finding an area that seems to have been inspired by Mayan ruins, quite fun.
Inside the nature center it is quite interesting. There is an exhibit area with the common birds here but they are not painted. Even now we are not sure if it is intentional or is something that will change but it is quite fun to try to guess what they are. At the top level is the observation area with many high level optics and a few people that leave soon after we arrive. So we decide to sit down and take a look, this is probably the best set up nature center we have been it.
From the nature center there is a scenic view of the lake with Hengshun City on the other side and the mountains even further away. The lake however is quite moody today so we are happy there is a bank closer to us where we can see some birds. And then we notice that some of the birds are exactly what we came here to see, Tufted Ducks. While common in general they are not common now in Taiwan specifically so we are happy to see them.
There are also a few egrets but in general there are relatively few birds compared to what can be expected based on the ID card that is next to the scope.
We then buy some snacks and a cold drink from a vending machine and go outside to eat them. We do that in the middle of the Common Picture Wings that seem to have taken the area, it would be scary if they would raptor sized because there are sooo many.
While eating our snacks we also discover a nest in a hedge but unfortunately no bird is sitting on the eggs while we are watching.
And then it is time to return to the car and we keep our eyes peeled for any interesting birds. And we do quite well on this stretch, we find a much more confiding Taiwan Hwamei than we have seen previously and then when exiting the parking lot a Crested Goshawk holding a caught lizard.
From here it is time to drive for some time to Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan. But we take the scenic route first passing through Hengchun to see the preserved old city gates. We find only one but even so it is quite impressive.
Of course being a city the traffic is more intense so we almost miss the police car that seems to have climbed via stairs to the entrance of the Hengchun Police Station.
And then on we go passing rows of stands selling onions, a specialty of the area or simply the product that is in season now. What we enjoy more than onions, which we actually actively dislike, are the many fake birds erected on the lampposts, this is quite special in Taiwan where there seems to be a strong bird loving culture with many protected sites for such a small and densely populated country. And then we arrive at Kaohsiong where our plan is to see the Dragon and Tiger pagodas a major tourist attraction.
