Hong Kong Birding Highlights 2021

With another year gone past with COVID restrictions, everyone been able to focus more on local birds and rarities. I myself included been spending more time exploring more birding spots, although I was slightly lazy in chasing some of the rarities, I managed a few good birds along the way. I managed 330 species in 2021, and here are some of the highlights of the year for me.

White-spectacled Warbler

While this is a species I see almost every year, it is not always an easy bird to photograph, therefore, I was very happy to find a friendly and very good looking individual at Tai Po Kau, which allowed close and prolonged views. No doubt my best encounter to date of this species.

Crested Bunting

A species that seems to be having a comeback in recent years, as more and more rice paddies are being planted. I finally connected with a male this year at Long Valley, while not so much a rarity now, they are smart looking birds to see on any given day.

Japanese Grosbeak

A rarity that I missed in the past, so when I heard one been seen regularly at Yuen Long Park, I was desperate to get this on my Hong Kong list. It took me a few tries to finally nail it, but it was worth the wait in the end.

Ryukyu Minivet

2021 was an eruptive year for this species in the region, with numerous records of this Japanese endemic reported in Taiwan and China. Everyone was thrilled to get this 1st Hong Kong bird on their list, me included. However, connecting with this bird proved harder than it seemed, while some birders got it on their first try, it took me three times to just get a glimpse and six times to finally get some record photos.

Arctic Skua

I haven’t been on many pelagic trips in recent years, therefore I decided to change that and went on several trips, luckily for me most were quite productive. One of the highlight must have been the Arctic Skua, although this species is already in my Hong Kong list, I was particularly thrilled to see a dark morph adult, which was the first one of this morph I’ve ever seen in Hong Kong.

Short-tailed Shearwater

A species I have missed several times in past years, glad to finally get one close enough for me to see all the diagnostic feature!

Black-chinned Yuhina

The appearance of this species took most of us completely by surprise! As we don’t really see them as birds that migrate, the theory is that this one may have followed flocks of Indochinese Yuhinas down south and ended up in Hong Kong. Either way, this was an exciting addition to the Hong Kong list, and one I am glad to now have mine.

Upland Pipit

A species that seems to be in decline in recent years, as it was much easier to see in the past. Nowadays you have to work hard to find them, either a long hike up to Lantau and Sunset Peak, or as I did and hiked up Wong Leng of Pat Sin Leng to finally get a better photo record of this species.

Grey-headed Swamphen

Seems to be an increasingly regular visitor to Hong Kong, although still consider a rarity. This one at Fung Lok Wai provided plenty of excitement in the early summer months.

Black Baza

A species I did not include in my blog post for good reason, a pair was found nest building at an undisclosed site, I was lucky enough to have been able to visit them twice. This species used to be far more common during migration and a regular breeding species, unfortunately they've become rarer in recent years. Hopefully they will be able to bounce back in near future.

Rosy Starling

I’ve never seen an adult Rosy Starling in the past, when I heard one been seen at San Tin I was thrilled, and this one did not disappoint.

Brown Noddy

Another bird new to my Hong Kong list, this one was found feeding with the breeding terns near Wong May Chau. The fact that it was quite a friendly bird made it even better! Certainly the highlight this summer.

Daurian Starling

It was a good year for this species, with numerous seen throughout autumn migration. Great to see some good looking adults for a change!

Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher

While not a huge rarity, I have never been able to locate one on my own, so I was very happy when I finally find one at Ho Man Tin, what’s better than being able to enjoy this bird all by myself!

Oriental Scops Owl

While an annual visitor to Hong Kong, I've only ever seen it once before, it took me many more tries to finally get a record photo of this species.

Pechora Pipit

A usually rather shy species, and often stay well covered well seen. A few friendly ones dropped into Tai Sang Wai, allowing close and prolonged views, no doubt the best view I’ve had of this species!

Lapland Longspur

Probably the most exciting rarity this year, as the only record of this species in the past was a video recorded during news broadcast. This friendly individual at Long Valley was no doubt the top bird for me this year, and one of the only two lifers I had.

Amur Falcon

This year was probably one of the best year for Amur Falcons as far as I can remember, with hundreds passing through Hong Kong during autumn migration. It is not a common sight for us to get perched Amur Falcons, as many simply fly right through, this year we had plenty of perched sightings of both males and females.

Booted Warbler

A species I last seen in 2017, this one at Fung Lok Wai was by far the friendliest individual we have had to date! All iduna warblers are a rarity to Hong Kong, although we have been waiting for a Sykes's to turn up, a Booted for now will do just fine!

Carrion Crow

Not a species most will consider a rarity, but IT IS a rarity in Hong Kong. Its been years since I last seen one in Hong Kong, therefore this one found at Tai Sang Wai was a nice addition to the year's list. Hopefully we will get a Daurian Jackdaw next year.

Mandarin Duck

How exciting it was to get news of a full adult male! As the last one I saw was a female. This one was slightly elusive at first, appearing along Kam Tin River occasionally and disappear somewhere at random times. On my 3rd visit I finally got it, and it certainly did not disappoint!

Common Shelduck

A species we used to see hundreds of in winter, now a rarity. While the reason behind this decline at Deep Bay is not well understood, we are all very glad to have this one back for this winter.

Steppe Eagle

Another rarity that made everyone very very happy. This very confiding juvenile stayed in Lut Chau for some time before flying off with some Black Kites and not to be seen again, it was hard to believe how friendly this guy was.

Olive-backed Sunbird

A species I have been looking for and wanted on my Hong Kong list, although very common elsewhere this species is locally rare, with only a handful of records. This long staying bird in an urban park was definitely the best end of the year present for me.

End of Year Tick - Olive-backed Sunbird

All previous Olive-backed Sunbirds in Hong Kong were one-day birds, therefore its a species thats long eluded me on my Hong Kong list. Therefore I was delighted to learn that an eclipse male been spotted at Hutchison Park at Whompoa, and supposedly quite stable. I gave it a try on the last week of 2021, and luckily was successful in connecting with this local rarity. OBS are not rare elsewhere, race rhizophorae is resident on Hainan, Yunnan, Guangxi and some western parts of Guangdong.

Olive-backed Sunbird - eclipse male

Also present at the park was a very confiding Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher. which almost got as much attention by the photographers present than the sunbird.

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

Someone relocated the Steppe Eagle at Lut Chau where it was seemingly unfazed by the crowd it created, with a few dozens birders and photographers down to less than 10 metres away from it! It mainly fed on the dead fishes around the fish ponds. While the Collared Crows were not so pleased with this oversized visitor, the eagle took very little notice of them even when they pecked at its wings or tail. It stayed till the morning of 29th, where birders witnessed it soared higher and higher until out of sight, its not been seen since.

Steppe Eagle - juvenile

Warblers in Tai Po Kau been tough to nail, I saw both Rufous-faced Warbler and White-spectacled Warbler but didn't manage to get even a record shot...Hartert's Leaf Warblers and at least one Kloss's Leaf Warbler were slightly easier, but still not as friendly as they were last year. The only friendly warbler I got were Pallas's Leaf Warblers, which were in no short supply.

Hartert's Leaf Warbler

Kloss's Leaf Warbler

Pallas's Leaf Warbler

Even the common resident species at Tai Po Kau were not that easy lately, as bird waves were quite scattered. I did manage some good photos of our lovely residents, including a male Yellow-cheeked Tit, male Scarlet Minivet and Silver-eared Mesia.

Yellow-cheeked Tit - male

Scarlet Minivet - male

Silver-eared Mesia

Red-flanked Bluetail are often heard at this time of the year, but not always easy to photograph, I managed a record shot of this female. The Rhodoleia are now starting to flower, and that attracts Orange-bellied Leafbirds to visit the sweet nectar, here is a female.

Red-flanked Bluetail - female

Orange-bellied Leafbird - female

Over at Tai Lam, I didn't manage to photograph the Japanese Robin, but I did find plenty of Chestnut-flanked White-eyes along the 'magic valley'. Feeding amongst the Swinhoe's White-eyes. 

Chestnut-flanked White-eye

While Long Valley is out of bounds to birders, the surrounding area still have some birds. Most birders and photographers were there to look for the Grey-headed Greenfinches thats been frequenting the area, although I did not connect with them I found at least two Common Kestrels in the area, plus a few Red-rumped Swallows amongst some Barn Swallows.

Common Kestrel

Barn Swallow & Red-rumped Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

I've almost lost count to how many times I visited Mai Po lately in hope to bump into the long staying Northern Goshawk, which I miserably failed. There are still plenty to find around the reserve, and not always water birds. Yellow-fronted Canaries are fairly common along the access road nowadays, while Chinese Penduline Tits frequents the reedbeds. The Red-breasted Flycatcher was still present last time I checked. Finally, its almost impossible to not find at least one or two Daurian Redstarts at this time of the year.

Yellow-fronted Canary

Chinese Penduline Tit

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Daurian Redstart - male