Bunting Time!

Since Long Valley is still closed, its been more difficult to get good photos of passage buntings, luckily the Conservancy Association started planting rice in another area close to Long Valley a two years ago, and now finally some buntings are visiting that area! After they harvested the rice, lots of buntings stayed behind to feed on any leftovers on the ground, one of the main attraction was a few Rustic Buntings. This species used to be much harder to track down, thanks to the reintroduction of paddy fields, we now get to see this species almost annually with relative ease.

Rustic Bunting

Another less common species that visited the paddyfield is the Yellow-browed Bunting, this autumn been exceptional for this species, this is the 4th individual for me this season!

Yellow-browed Bunting

Other than the less common species, other commoner species were also present, mainly Little Buntings, there was also one Chestnut-eared Bunting around, but it was far more skittish than the other buntings present.

Little Bunting

Chestnut-eared Bunting

Of course, Yellow-breasted Bunting was the whole reason why we got these paddy fields in the first place, this now critically endangered species is attracted to to rice fields, planting more rice directly benefit these migrants, as it provides more food source for them to continue on their journey. There were quite a few of these wonderful buntings feeding on the ground, including a ringed male! Hopefully with more actions aimed to conserve this species, it won't go extinct just yet.

Yellow-breasted Bunting

I finally got some time to visit Mai Po lately, this was actually my first visit to the reserve this entire autumn! At the reedbed lots of Black-faced Buntings were seen, we see them along here every winter, along with lots of Chinese Penduline Tits. 

Black-faced Bunting

Chinese Penduline Tit

Along the footpath there were plenty of smaller birds flitting about, including lots of Dusky Warblers, there was one Dark-sided Flycatcher hawking for insects, but the most numerous species was Daurian Redstarts, there seems to be one every 20 meters or so, most of them very confiding. I scanned the few Olive-backed Pipits along the footpath, but saw no Tree Pipits this time.

Dark-sided Flycatcher

Daurian Redstart - male

Olive-backed Pipit

You are never short of good photography opportunities in Mai Po. A Black-crowned Night Heron posed nicely for a photo, while I caught this Osprey taking off under the morning sun.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Osprey

Ducks are now in good numbers, other than the more numerous species, small flocks of Falcated Ducks have also returned, although those remained quite far away. It is usual to get at least 8 to 9 species of ducks at Mai Po at any given time in the winter months. Many nice looking Northern Pintails came around closer to the bird hide, I can never get bored of this wonderful looking species.

Falcated Duck - plus other common duck species

Northern Pintail

The main attraction at Mai Po at the moment are three Greater White-fronted Geese. The trio been seen daily at the tower hide, the single juvenile accompanied by two adults. These three are the only remaining geese from larger flocks earlier last month, while the reported Greylags and Taiga Bean Goose have moved on. While geese are still consider a rarity in Hong Kong, a few seems to regularly winter in the Deep Bay area in recent years.

Greater White-fronted Goose