Local Patch Autumn Migrants

Finally got time to do some birding near home, and I was very happy to be able to find a few good birds to add to my local patch list. Namely both Amur and Japanese Paradise Flycatchers! Both species have eluded me thus far here at Tai Mei Tuk Catchment, and I saw two Japanese Paradise plus a single Amur Paradise in one morning, although the Amur Paradise was too quick for a photo. A Two-barred Warbler is a regular occurrence here in autumn.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher - female

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher - juvenile

Two-barred Warbler

Some nice local species that is quite easy to see here is the Grey Treepie, they often can be heard or seen here, although good photo opportunity is still something I don't take for granted. While Rufous-capped Babblers are very common, having one posed so nicely and so close to me was not an everyday thing.

Grey Treepie

Rufous-capped Babbler

At Ting Kok, I flushed a Japanese Quail which gave brief views inflight, this was a first for me here as well. Numerous Kentish Plovers were seen on the rocky beach, while a single Grey Plover also dropped in, allowing very close views. Other waders seen further away includes three Pied Avocets, a Dunlin plus a Red-necked Stint. An Intermediate Egret feeding on the mudflat here was also not something I see everyday. Finally, a Eurasian Hobby added to the range of migrants seen here.

Japanese Quail

Kentish Plover - male

Grey Plover

Intermediate Egret

Eurasian Hobby

Wu Kau Tang is still pretty quiet at the moment, with not that many wintering birds arriving yet. The stable occurrence of Barred Cuckoo-Doves is definitely something I've gotten used to, but still an exciting species to see every time! I've now seen them during both summer months, autumn and winter, and this immature bird is also a good indication they maybe breeding in the area. Not that surprising given how regular they have become! Indochinese Green Magpie is also a species I've gotten very used to having around, while still not an easy bird to see, I almost hear them near home on a daily basis.

Barred Cuckoo-Dove - immature bird

Indochinese Green Magpie

Outside of my local patch, things have been picking up pace slightly with the drop in temperature. Over at Tai Sang Wai, four Pheasant-tailed Jacanas have made themselves comfortable on a well vegetated pond, feeding constantly there. I don't think Jacanas are actually sociable birds, so I don't often see this many feeding close together.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana - sociable!

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

On the very same pond I saw a Ruff dropped in briefly, it did not stay and was gone within minutes. On a drained pond nearby, a few waders have been showing well, including a few Temminck's Stints and a single Dunlin. I also saw two Pacific Golden Plovers there on one occasion.

Ruff - juvenile

Temminck's Stint

Dunlin

Pacific Golden Plover

Whiskered Tern is by far our more common marsh tern in Hong Kong, there are currently many of them feeding on the fish ponds at Tai Sang Wai, quite a few were also seen at Mai Po, I only found two White-winged Terns amongst the many Whiskered, here are two photos of one of the juvenile bird seen amongst them. They are daintier than the Whiskered, with clear 'ear muffs' plus a paler rump.

Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern - juvenile

Tai Sang Wai have become somewhat of a popular area for photographers, and it seems some of the photographers have taken a liking to releasing caged birds for their own photographic purposes. Yellow-fronted Canary and Northern Red Bishop are both popular choices it seems. While I always suspect Yellow-fronted Canary actually breeds in Hong Kong now, it is highly unlikely for the Northern Red Bishop to breed here, simply because there are never any female released. Amur Stonechats are now arriving for the winter, and a few confiding individuals are more than happy to pose for photos.

Yellow-fronted Canary

Northern Red Bishop - released individual

Amur Stonechat - female

It's been slightly slow with Buntings this autumn, but we are finally starting to get a few more species coming through, including this Chestnut-eared Bunting. Another excellent species that turned up at Tai Sang Wai is the Manchurian Reed Warbler, this scarce passage migrant is the least common of our usual Acrocephalus, I was happy to see one as confiding as this.

Chestnut-eared Bunting

Manchurian Reed Warbler