Spring Update - Birds Coming and Going

Spring is an exciting time for birding, but it can also be slightly sad to see many of our winter visitors departing, and we won't be seeing many of those until later this year. Other than guiding, I have not been able to go out birding on my own, which leads to lack of good photos to show for, but I have seen a few excellent migrants along the way, namely Narcissus Flycatcher and Blue-tailed Bee-eater, both classic spring migrants in Hong Kong.

Narcissus Flycatcher - male

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Other spring specialty such as Chinese Barbet, Plain Flowerpecker and Hainan Blue Flycatcher are now very vocal, with some luck you get to see them well.

Chinese Barbet

Plain Flowerpecker

Hainan Blue Flycatcher - female

Hainan Blue Flycatcher - male

There were still a few lingering winter visitors around, but not many. I had a Chestnut-flanked White-eye late last month at Shek Kong Catchwater. Brown-cheeked Rails can still be occasionally seen at Long Valley, while a few Chinese Penduline TIts are still around at Mai Po.

Chestnut-flanked White-eye

Brown-cheeked Rail

Chinese Penduline Tit - female

A female Watercock turned up at Long Valley late last month, which yielded quite a lot of attention, I never waited around long enough for it to come out fully but seeing its head poking out of the vegetation was quite fun. Greater Painted Snipes were quite active, probably now in breeding. Yellow Bitterns should also be breeding now, I see the occasional one around Long Valley as well as Mai Po.

Watercock- female

Greater Painted Snipe - male

Yellow Bittern

Over at Mai Po a good range of waders are now passing through, although I haven't had much luck with seeing any of them close, so I never bothered with photos. Here are a few that did venture close to the bird hide for a decent shot. Black-faced Spoonbills can still be seen around the reserve, with some breeding plumage birds still hanging around, but likely not for much longer.

Terek Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Black-faced Spoonbill

Up on Tai Mo Shan, I guided some birders up to look for the Chinese Grassbird this spring with various degree of success, some days we get better views, but so far we have not missed them once! Brown-flanked Bush Warbler is another good bird to look for up there. Chinese Francolins are very vocal at this time of the year, but its always a tough bird to get a good look at.

Chinese Grassbird

Brown-flanked Bush Warbler

Chinese Francolin - male

Around Tai Lam, the Pale Blue Flycatcher is back for yet another year, whether it truly left the area is unknown, but I am certain this is the same bird as last year. Bay Woodpecker was seen in the same area, and Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoos are now very vocal, although getting a good look is still massively challenging with this species.

Pale Blue Flycatcher - male

Bay Woodpecker - female

Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo

Finally, a photo dump of all my favourite resident forest birds in Hong Kong, I would say forest birding is still something I enjoy more despite it being more challenging, the rewards when you do get the bird feels just a little sweeter, even when it means just getting a great view of a common species.

Rufous-capped Babbler

White-bellied Erpornis

Scarlet Minivet - male

Grey-chinned Minivet - male

Blue-winged Minla

Yellow-cheeked Tit - male

Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler

Asian Emerald Dove

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Blue Whistling Thrush

Mountain Bulbul

Speckled Piculet

Other than birds, this time of the year is great for observing wildlife in general. A Golden Kukri Snake found by Daphne provided a great photo opportunity, this is a species I have wanted to see for a long while, and one that I am always surprise took me this long to connect with. 

Golden Kukri Snake

Finally, after some rain the Neonothopanus fungi are growing again, and can be found along forest trail at this time of the year.

Neonothopanus sp.