Long Staying Rarities and a few Passage Migrants

Weather lately have been quite the rollercoaster ride, a week of humid and warm weather followed by another week of dry and quite cool temperature. It does seem to have delayed some spring migrants and I certainly haven't heard that many of our usual spring songsters singing just yet, such as Plain Flowerpeckers and Chinese Barbets, both not really singing at all in Tai Po Kau. Some of our long staying rarities are still present, including the Glossy Ibis at Nam Sang Wai, its been rather neglected lately, I got wonderful views the other day of it feeding close the the road, seemingly pretty happy and doing well.

Glossy Ibis

The Rosy Starling at San Tin is still around, it is now moulting and have the faint patterns of an adult bird, but still a long way to go before it looks anything that resembles an adult.

Rosy Starling - still very scruffy looking...

On March 6th was when I last saw any Oriental Storks, I saw three birds which flew over and gave great views. I don't think they were reported since, likely moved on with the warmer weather.

Oriental Stork - probably last for this winter

Other long staying rare birds includes a male White-throated Rock Thrush and the female Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher at Tai Lam, both birds have been showing fairly well. These are not 'rare' birds per se, but certainly not a species you get to see that often in Hong Kong.

White-throated Rock Thrush - male

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher - female

Over at Mai Po, a Japanese Quail showed very well for nearly a week at the new Kingfisher hide, these passage migrants are not particularly rare but often very hard to get good views of, as you can imagine them being extremely skulking, most of my views are often of flushed birds in flight, so it was nice to see one feeding out in the open for once!

Japanese Quail

Passage waders are definitely making their way through, there's been an increase in species seen on both the mudflat and the main scrape at Mai Po. I saw my first Nordmann's Greenshank and Oriental Pratincole this spring, but both were too far for any meaningful photos. Greater Sand Plovers and Siberian Sand Plovers now often seen feeding on the mudflat before the water comes in.

Greater Sand Plover

Siberian Sand Plover

March is a good time to scan for gulls out on the mudflat, although I haven't been able to find anything out of the ordinary. Lesser Black-backed Gull (heuglini) is our most common large gulls, typically with darker backs and yellow legs. We also get Mongolian Gulls and occasionally a few Vega Gulls, here is a 1st winter bird that I think is likely a Vega, having quite heavy blotches and streakings on the head, neck, and breast. Although as with these large gulls, its always tough to say for certain. Many Saunder's Gulls are now in full breeding plumage, none came close but a few gave relatively good fly-by views. We often get Caspian and Gull-billed Terns during migration, although I have only seen Gull-billed Terns lately on my last visits.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (heuglini)

Possibly 1st year Vega Gull?

Saunder's Gull - breeding plumage

Gull-billed Tern

Black-capped Kingfisher is now quite a tough bird to see, while they are still often seen out on the mudflat hide, they don't always perch out, the increase numbers of the invasive Mangrove Apples and growing grasses along the edge of the mangrove seems to have not done any good for the kingfishers.

Black-capped Kingfisher

Black-faced Spoonbills can often be seen at very close range out on the mudflat hide, and when better to see these amazing birds in full breeding plumage! They are simply exquisite with their long head plumes.

Black-faced Spoonbill - breeding plumage

Many ducks have now left Hong Kong, and what remains are most of the common species such as Northern Shovelers, Eurasian Teals and Eurasian Wigeons. The wintering Imperial and Greater Spotted Eagles seems to have gotten the hint and seems to have gone as well, as I have not seen them for the past week or two. An Eastern Marsh Harrier still patrols the mudflat, but definitely not many of them around at the moment.

Eurasian Wigeon

Eastern Marsh Harrier - female

Over at Tai Sang Wai, things have been relatively quiet. The pair of long staying Bluethroats are still present and now showing quite well. This is a species I always enjoying getting good views of.

Bluethroat - male

White-throated Kingfishers are very common in Hong Kong, it doesn't make them boring birds to look at though. This fairly confiding individual at the fish ponds gave excellent views, although I suspect many may start to make their way to the hill sides for breeding soon.

White-throated Kingfisher

While not an unusual bird, I rarely see Medium Egrets in full breeding plumage, this one is perhaps the first I have ever seen in Hong Kong in full breeding plumage, meaning the plumes on its back as well as a completely black bill!

Medium Egret - breeding plumage

Over at Lok Ma Chau, its been fairly birdy in the morning, as the flowering Bombax trees really attracts quite a lot of birds there. A flock of Yellow-billed Grosbeaks were nice to see, a species which on some years seems quite easy, this year was not one of those years. Eye-level views of Red-billed Blue Magpies are always welcoming, and a fairly confiding Besra was also a nice addition. A male Black-naped Monarch was seen there, although it was quite shy and stayed well within cover most of the time.

Yellow-billed Grosbeak - male

Red-billed Blue Magpie

Besra

Black-naped Monarch - male

Over at Ma Tso Lung, a Pheasant-tailed Jacana have been seen along a well vegetated pond, this is a fairly regular passage migrant in Hong Kong, and we expect to see more in the coming month. The best bird I managed there was actually a Pale-footed Bush Warbler, it was however extremely shy and left me with no photos, I got a pretty good recording though, this is the second time I have seen one in the area, which probably means they are more regular there than we think!

Pheasant-tailed Jacana - non-breeding

Back to Wu Kau Tang, a few Common Rosefinches remains until at least 10th of March. A Russet Bush Warbler showed fairly well near the village.

Common Rosefinch - female

Russet Bush Warbler

Finally, over at Shek Kong Catchwater, I managed two really good birds one morning in form of a Sulphur-breasted Warbler, which I have been looking for all winter long with no luck! This one was in song and gave fairly good views. The second good bird were a few Chestnut-flanked White-eyes, which were again found feeding amongst all the regular Swinhoe's White-eyes.

Sulphur-breasted Warbler

Chestnut-flanked White-eye

So, all in all a fairly productive month so far, hopefully more passage migrants will come through soon.