Commencing Autumn Migration

 It really know it is autumn when you start seeing Yellow-rumped Flycatchers, they are one of our most typical autumn migrants passing through Hong Kong. Being a small and rather inconspicuous flycatcher, they can be difficult to locate in the forest, luckily for us, the urban gem of Ho Man Tin provides this perfect migrant trap and we get to see them there almost every year with relative ease. A male was spotted by my friends, but unfortunately I was about an hour too late, by the time I got there only the female showed. Funnily enough, I already got this species on my year list this year, as I found one at Jordan Valley in spring, still they are great birds to start the season with.

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - female

I paid Tai Po Kau a visit, hoping to find an Amur Paradise Flycatcher or two, to my disappointment none showed for me. A good selection of resident birds were present, including a relatively friendly Bay Woodpecker which I suspect maybe the same ringed individual I got months ago. 

Bay Woodpecker - male

A very friendly Pygmy Cupwing made its rounds, this skulking species can sometimes be tough to see well, so to get one perched in the open for so long is always a treat. It took a while to locate any bird waves, I checked for Amur Paradise Flycatchers constantly but got nothing, only a few Yellow-cheeked Tits were friendly enough to allow for any decent photos.

Pygmy Cupwing

Yellow-cheeked Tit - female

Yellow-cheeked Tit - male

An immature Slaty-backed Forktail been seen along the stream at Tai Po Kau lately, its been well over 20 years since I last seen a Slaty-backed Forktail at this site, they used to be a regular visitor to the stream here, although they can still be regularly found and likely breeding at Shing Mun. My guess is that this young bird is an offspring of the Shing Mun birds and dispersing to suitable habitat, hopefully they will take root here again.

Slaty-backed Forktail - immature

An interesting non-bird observation of late was this Carrion Beetle, Diamesus osculans. It was found near a Burmese Python carcass, we took so e photos of it away from the carcass first, but what strikes me was its stench! The beetle itself smelled extremely unpleasant, with a strong odour of ammonia. It was later found feeding on the carcass on our way out. Carrion Beetles are not that common in Hong Kong, probably due to the fact that ants and flies are much more dominant in warmer climates, therefore relatively slow growing beetles probably have a harder time competing with them.

Diamesus osculans

Diamesus osculans feeding on Burmese Python carcass

Also took sometime to photograph an interesting species of plant, the Common Swamp Pitcher-plant, Nepenthes mirabilis. This is our only pitcher-plant species found in Hong Kong, and a relatively widespread species globally. They can be found along small stream or swampy areas with little shade. As a carnivorous plant, its modified leaf act as a trap with sweet scent lined along the opening to attract insects to it, once the insects fallen in there is no escape, and the digestive liquid within the pitcher will provide nutrients for the plant, allowing it to grow even in poor soil.

Common Swamp Pitcher-plant - Nepenthes mirabilis