2026 started off with a bang! With an Ancient Murrelet at Po Toi O, this little beauty only stayed a few days but it was so much fun to catchup with. I have not seen one since the last one turned up on Po Toi, and this one was even closer! Coming in within a few feet. Sadly, as quickly as it was found, it disappeared after 3 days.
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| Ancient Murrlet |
The second rarity came in form of a female Baer's Pochard, funnily enough it decided to flock in within the Ferruginous Ducks. It showed quite well the first few days, but then decided to fly off somewhere, taking the Ferruginous Ducks with it! They came back a few times, but eventually seems to have moved on. This critically endangered species is considered one of the rarest duck in the world, wintering birds in Hong Kong are very rare nowdays, so it was nice to get a relatively friendly one. While some debated over whether this was a hybrid, the greenish head and white markings on the flank seems quite the good fit for a pure Baer's.
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| Baer's Pochard - top bird anywhere! |
I got some more photos of those long staying Ferruginous Ducks, before they all followed the Baer's Pochard and moved on.
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| Ferruginous Duck - female |
My third rarity was the long staying Brahminy Kite at Mai Po which I finally caught up with. It didn't show well when I went to look for it, but at least I got this onto my Hong Kong list, which is long overdue!
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| Brahminy Kite - juvenile roosting with the larger Black Kites |
Mai Po's been great for raptors this season, other than the long staying Hen Harrier, you can often see plenty of raptors action around the Osprey Tower. I saw two different Peregrine Falcons at Mai Po, including an adult at close range and a juvenile which was constantly terrorising its resting neighbours. Ospreys are regularly seen around here, and I saw one swooping down to take a fish out of the water with ease. Imperial Eagles can often be seen, here both an adult and a juvenile, soaring with the Black Kites.
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| Peregrine Falcon - adult peregrinator |
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| Peregrine Falcon - juvenile |
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| Osprey |
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| Imperial Eagle - adult |
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| Imperial Eagle - juvenile with Black Kite |
Another good bird I saw at Mai Po was a Red-breasted Flycatcher, while we do get them annually, their numbers are far fewer than that of Taiga Flycatchers, other than the softer call, the paler lower mandible is also another diagnostic feature to tell them apart.
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| Red-breasted Flycatcher |
Both Rhodoleia trees and coral trees are now blooming, attracting both Orange-bellied Leafbirds and Fork-tailed Sunbirds to feast on the nectar, no doubt the best time of the year to see these beauties.
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| Orange-bellied Leafbird - male |
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| Fork-tailed Sunbird - male |
Otherwise, it's been business as usual around Tai Po Kau. I have seen both Emei Leaf Warbler and a White-spectacled Warbler lately, but both left me with no photos. Here are a few common species.
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| Silver-eared Mesia |
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| Scarlet Minivet - male |
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| Rufous-tailed Robin |
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| Olive-backed Pipit |
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| Yellow-cheeked Tit - female |
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| Chestnut Bulbul |
