Locustella Heaven - Telford Garden

For all warbler fanatics out there, Locustella warblers are always some of the trickiest to see. In Hong Kong you will often find these skulkers in fields, near fish ponds or mangroves, on passage they can literally turn up anywhere, and one of the most peculiar places to find these skulkers is the garden area just outside of Telford Garden mall, an area no bigger than two basketball court, I call it the magic flowerbeds. After the incredible Baikal Bush Warbler back in 2017, Telford have been consistently producing several Locustella each year, usually Pallas's or Lanceolated Warblers. This year, a Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler turned up, this is only the 9th record for Hong Kong and 3rd field observation record! It is also a lifer for me.

Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler

On the first day I only managed to see the bird and grabbed a few record shots, it was relatively shy and wasn't easy to see. The bird settled in after a few days and became more and more friendly. On my 3rd visit the bird finally showed well, walking along the edge of the flower beds foraging for food.

Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler - showing well

With most birders having no or very little field experience with Middendorff's Grasshopper Warblers, the bird caused a little bit of confusion at first. But most features points more Middendorff's than Pallas's, such as no dark streaking on the throat or breast, streaking on mantle also rather faint. This bird also lacks any prominent contrasty markings on the crown, which you will often find on Pallas's. The yellowish tone on the underside of this individual suggests this as a 1st winter bird.

Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler - a good look at all its key features

For our convenience, at least one or two Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler were always present nearby, occasionally chasing one another. In comparison to the Middendorff's, the Pallas's mantle and crown is heavily streaked, with a more rusty coloured rump, streakings on throat and breast also visible. In the field the Middendorff's looked very slightly chunkier than the Pallas's present, although this may not be particularly useful when seen elsewhere.

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler

The final Locustella warbler present was a Lanceolated, it showed briefly and skulked within the taller grass, I have always found them to be the most attractive of the bunch, you can see here the more dark olive tone and fine streaking on both flank and breast. Other warblers present was a single Black-browed Reed Warbler, although it didn't allow me to take a photo.

Lanceolated Warbler

The garden is of course filled with many Eurasian Tree Sparrows, of which the warblers often mixed with, being similar sized and colour many photographers get confused...although their behaviour is very much different, whereas the sparrow jumps, the Locustella warblers walks along the ground much like pipits. The most surprising bird there was perhaps a Ruddy-breasted Crake, skulking around in the flower bed, migrating individuals really can turn up anywhere...

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Ruddy-breasted Crake - no doubt the strangest bird to turn up there so far...