Proper Autumn Migration Commence!

While we get some early autumn migrants from late August onwards, the proper wave of migrants usually arrive between the first two weeks of September, with many birders reporting classic good autumn migrants such as Fairy Pittas at various locations around Hong Kong, Tiger Shrike at Ho Man Tin and more. I haven't really taken the time to chase after anything, I have mainly just been out a few times to do some birding on my own. I did visit Ho Man Tin once before all the crowd came in, and yielded a lovely Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, a truly classic autumn migrant in Hong Kong and one that I am always happy to catch-up with in. Asian Brown Flycatchers are also arriving in fairly good numbers, I was hoping for Dark-sided Flycatchers but I have yet to find any.

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - a lovely sight to behold in autumn

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Long Valley's also been receiving a fair share of migrants, most notable being a few Yellow-breasted Buntings, I counted three at one point, no doubt more will return later in the month. Though a fairly common sight in Hong Kong, the Yellow-breasted Bunting is still a critically endangered species. The rice paddies also attracting a lot of Munias, including quite a lot of White-rumped Munias.

Yellow-breasted Bunting

White-rumped Munia

The paddies also have attracted a lot of doves, while they were mostly Spotted Doves, there were a few Red Collared Doves. The first of our wintering Amur Stonechats have returned, as always they have already started to take up territories.

Red Collared Dove

Amur Stonechat

Eastern Yellow Wagtails are passing through in good numbers, I counted upwards of 50 individuals on one field. It seems they were mostly tschutschensis, although most of them were juveniles or already in non-breeding plumage.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Another typical autumn migrant is the Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers, there were many around but none providing good views, I flushed no less than 8 individuals on my two visits. I just managed to get a record shot of this one before it disappeared into the thickets.

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler

A good numbers of 'Swintail' Snipes have been seen around, but as we all know nailing the identification of Pin-tailed and Swinhoe's Snipe in the field is tough, you really need to get either a very good look at the tail spread out fully or get a good photo of it coming to land. Here are two which I think should be Pin-tailed, although the outer tail feathers weren't fully spread, you can just about make out those thin narrow feathers on the side of the tail. Common Snipes are also arriving now.

'Swintail' Snipe

Likely Pin-tailed Snipe

Common Snipe

Other waders arriving includes a few Pied Avocets, Long-toed Stints and a single Pacific Golden Plover, the plover still retains some of the black feathers on its belly from its glorious breeding plumage. While Greater Painted Snipes are not migrants, I am always happy to find them around.

Pied Avocet

Long-toed Stint

Pacific Golden Plover

Greater Painted Snipe

A Pheasant-tailed Jacana have also been seen actively feeding on the water chestnut pond, it is great to see the bird utilizing the plants planted specifically for them.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

A few early ducks are arriving, Green-winged Teals and Eastern Spot-billed Ducks seems to be the first to arrive at Long Valley, while we usually get a lot of Green-winged Teals at Long Valley in the winter months, Eastern Spot-billed Duck is not really that common a species here at Long Valley, so it was nice to see this one around.

Green-winged Teal

Eastern Spot-billed Duck

I was hoping for other bitterns around, but only got a few Yellow Bitterns, here is one trying to look as much like a blade of grass as possible. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for Black or Von Schrenck's Bitterns, which could turn up in Long Valley as well as other suitable habitats.

Yellow Bittern

Brown Shrikes are also a typical migrant in Hong Kong, they can turn up pretty much anywhere, here a juvenile showed nicely at Long Valley. The residence Long-tailed Shrikes are far more conspicuous, as they often call loudly from the top of their perch.

Brown Shrike

Long-tailed Shrike

I haven't been doing as much forest birding lately, but I did chance upon a friendly Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler and a very showy Mountain Tailorbird on my survey near the Peak. It is always interesting to see how these forest birds have colonized Hong Kong Island after many years, I am sure things like Speckled Piculet should begin to take up residence on Hong Kong Island soon, as there certainly are many suitable habitats for them.

Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler

Mountain Tailorbird