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

Autumn Rarities - Emei Leaf Warbler & Chinese Grey Shrike

Weather is finally cooling down somewhat, it was a very pleasant 25°C a few days ago. The cooler weather definitely brought in more birds, one of the most notable rarity being an Emei Leaf Warbler at Tai Lam. Kenneth and I went there the next morning, we saw the warbler soon after we got to the 'magic valley', its appearance was definitely 'Blyth's-type', with double wing bars, crown stripe and a completely orange lower mandible. Luckily for us the warbler was very vocal, making it easier for us to ID. Its song is a resonant trill that is very different from all the other similar looking warblers. The bird came down briefly to feed, allowing us to take some half decent photos, before going higher up again to feed with other warblers in the bird wave.

Emei Leaf Warbler - Only my second lifer for 2022

There were plenty of warblers around, other than the most common species such as Yellow-browed and Two-barred, plenty of Hartert's were around, including both race fukiensis and goodsoni. We counted at least four Sulphur-breasted Warblers throughout the trail, this species is definitely becoming much easier to find in Hong Kong. Eastern Crowned Warbler were in very good numbers, seems like we are getting an influx of them this year.

Hartert's Leaf Warbler - goodsoni

Sulphur-breasted Warbler

Eastern Crowned Warbler

Other than warblers, a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher was seen within the bird wave, feeding frantically within the flock of birds. Many Grey-chinned Minivets and other common forest species also made their rounds along magic valley.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

Grey-chinned Minivet - female

One of the most exciting find for me was a male White-throated Rock Thrush first spotted by Peter Wong within the bird wave! It's been many years since I last seen one of these handsome birds! It showed briefly and soon flew down the valley and out of sight. As if that wasn't brilliant enough, Kenneth and I later found TWO more females along the trail! Truly an incredible experience to see three of these rare migrants in one day!

White-throated Rock Thrush - male

White-throated Rock Thrush - female

The cherry on top was the Green-backed Flycatcher which decided to return to where I initially found it, its not been seen by any other birders since my last encounter until the day I returned to Tai Lam (relocated in the morning by John Clough)! While views were slightly more distant, I was happy to get a photo of its 'green-backed' this time round.

Green-backed Flycatcher

My local patch is also turning up some good birds, including this rather confiding Yellow-browed Warbler feeding on the lawn. This is a new species for me at Ting Kok, in the same area I also found a Yellow-breasted Bunting.

Yellow-browed Bunting

Other more common migrants in the area includes a Black-winged Cuckooshrike and a Asian Brown Flycatcher both feeding near the mangroves. Up to two Brown Shrikes were found near the BBQ sites. A Japanese Sparrowhawk also been seen terrorising the birds in the area, but it always swooped in quick and low, making it almost impossible to photograph.

Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Brown Shrike

The most incredible bird though was no doubt a Chinese Grey Shrike! Found by Eric and Marco, I immediately rushed over after I got the news, and sure enough found this incredible looking shrike feeding on the lawns at close range! There's only ever been two accepted Chinese Grey Shrike record in Hong Kong that I know of, so this is only the 3rd record for Hong Kong (I think).

Chinese Grey Shrike

It successfully caught a few grasshoppers, often using the little hut by the mangroves as a vantage point. it was an incredibly confiding bird, often flying straight towards me and land just a few feet from me to catch insects before flying back up to the trees or the little hut to feed. After 20 minutes of it showing really well, the bird suddenly decided to fly straight out to sea and towards Yeung Chau, landing on a small yacht just off the island. 

Chinese Grey Shrike

I presume the bird left...but I decided to check again the next morning anyway. Sadly, the shrike was found dead by the road. It did not have any visible injuries, therefore it seems highly unlikely it was attacked by a cat. There were also no windows near the area it was found at, making it an unlikely victim of window strike. Therefore, I presume it could have just died of exhaustion from flying all the way down to Hong Kong. An incredibly sad end for this rarity, but I guess this is just the harsh reality that these migratory birds have to face, I just feel incredibly lucky to be able to see this beautiful bird at its best.

Chinese Grey Shrike - deceased...

It is almost the end of snake season, despite that night walks can still be productive. A walk at Lung Fu Shan provided us stellar views of a group of Malayan Porcupines feeding by the road, also two different Masked Palm Civets from two different locations, one feeding on; you guess it, Ficus variegata! Hoiling spotted a male Bamboo Pit Viper, this one photographed in-situ. 

Malayan Porcupine

Masked Palm Civet

Bamboo Pit Viper