Sunday 27 October 2024

Late October - Good Stream of Migrants

Late October saw the temperature dropped slightly, it was still very warm during midday, but definitely not as hot as earlier in the month. The north easterly winds seems to have moved some winter migrants through, as we are finally seeing some more wintering birds, most notable was my first Daurian Redstart of the season, these wonderful looking birds are usually fairly common in most winters, except for last winter where their numbers seems generally lower, hopefully we will have a good year with lots of these wonderful birds wintering!

Daurian Redstart - male

Other wintering birds arriving in good numbers are Great Cormorants, they now fill the skies and you would see flocks flying around the Deep Bay area constantly. Wintering flocks or migrating Light-vented Bulbuls can now be seen often, and Red-throated Pipits are also starting to arrive, such as this one I saw at San Tin.

Great Cormorant

Light-vented Bulbul

Red-throated Pipit

At one of my survey site, Greater Painted Snipes have returned as the rice in the paddyfields starts to ripe, a pair of Northern Lapwings also made an appearance, the first of the season I believe. Eurasian Kestrels are now regularly seen in suitable habitats.

Greater Painted Snipe - male


Northern Lapwing

Eurasian Kestrel - female

It is also now the season for buntings! Yellow-breasted Buntings are arriving in good numbers, seen at various sites around Deep Bay area and near Long Valley. A few were seen feeding on the paddyfield planted at Mai Po as well, there were three other species including Black-headed, Chestnut-eared and Little present as well, but the distance of the paddyfield from the footpath makes it almost impossible to take photos. At my survey site I had another Black-headed Bunting, a much more confiding individual.


Yellow-breasted Bunting

Black-headed Bunting - juvenile

Common Snipes and Temminck's Stints are now both fairly regularly seen around the fish ponds, although I haven't had much luck with any other notable waders there. There was a bit of an influx of Medium Egrets, and I would see many of those together with Little and Great Egrets feeding on the ponds.

Common Snipe

Temminck's Stint

Little, Medium, Great Egret and Chinese Pond Heron

Some wintering raptors are returning to Mai Po, such as this young Peregrine which seemed to be having fun on the scrape. Eastern Marsh Harriers can be seen fairly regularly at Mai Po as well, although I have yet to see any wintering eagles returning.


Peregrine Falcon

Eastern Marsh Harrier - female

Tai Po Kau continues to be rather mediocre, I have not been able to turn up too much interesting birds. The Dark-sided Flycatcher was still present last time I visited, on the exact same tree and branch! Ashy Drongos have been rather active lately and can be seen near the entrance.

Dark-sided Flycatcher - juvenile
Ashy Drongo - race leucogensis

The bird waves have been generally quite high up, making observing birds that much more difficult. A good cast of local birds always adds a bit of colour, and make every visit a bit more interesting. A Lesser Shortwing have been showing relatively well, although always staying in the dark undergrowth, with a bit of patience you may get unobstructed views. I spotted a Dingy Duskhawker along the stream, another not so common forest dragonfly species we get in Hong Kong.

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Yellow-cheeked Tit - male

Huet's Fulvetta

Lesser Shortwing

Dingy Duskhawker

Over at the magical Telford Gardens, a few Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers remained, here are two different individuals seen on the same day at two different flowerbeds. The long staying Band-bellied Crake finally left, having stayed for a total of 21 days, the crake have entertained enough birders and decided it was finally time to move on, not before it finally came out for much better views in its last week at Telford.


Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler




Band-bellied Crake - Bon voyage!


Thursday 17 October 2024

Dipped Rarity, but Lifer Snake!

A Red-throated Thrush was seen on Po Toi just before the day I got full day tour, unable to get to Po Toi in time, I dipped the bird...I went the day after and had no luck but an island full of people. The only relatively good bird was a juvenile female Blue-and-White Flycatcher. A real shame that I missed that thrush as its been on my wanted list for so long, it is only the 3rd record in Hong Kong and who knows how many years until one turn up again!


Blue-and-White Flycatcher - juvenile female

The birds at Telford Gardens have been fairly stable for the last week or so, the star of the show is still the Bar-bellied Crake which have been showing relatively well, although getting a good photo is still close to impossible unless you are early enough to grab the 'front roll seat' at one of the corner. There was a steady stream of Lanceolated Warblers and a few long staying Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers skulking around the place. A long staying Wryneck is also present but I don't seem to have any luck with it, whenever I go it is always away from its usual tree.

Band-bellied Crake - long staying individual



Lanceolated Warbler

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler

Over at Mai Po, things are improving somewhat with an influx of Pheasant-tailed Jacana last week, I counted up to 7 one day, although they were all pretty far away. Along the drained channels hundreds of egrets gathered to feed, although not rare birds, seeing so many together is still quite a sight. 

Pheasant-tailed Jacana - 2 of many

Feeding Egrets

There were also a slight influx of Asian Brown Flycatcher, where I saw at least 3 along the same footpath, another species common in Hong Kong during passage with some over wintering. Eastern Marsh Harriers are now patrolling the sky at Mai Po regularly, there's been a Pied Harrier around as well but I haven't been lucky enough to see it.


Asian Brown Flycatcher

Eastern Marsh Harrier

Japanese Quails are always exciting to see, I saw two the other day, both only giving brief flight views as I flushed it from long grass. Eurasian Kestrels are now back and I got lucky with this very close encounter with a female. Various House Sparrows have been seen at one of my survey sites, an interesting addition to my month's list, and a species that seems to be on the rise in Hong Kong either as passage migrants or maybe even ship or plane assisted birds?

Japanese Quail

Eurasian Kestrel
House Sparrow

At Tai Po Kau, I had a brief view of a juvenile Ferruginous Flycatcher, of which I only managed a record photo. A friendly juvenile Dark-sided Flycatcher was however a lot more obliging and allowed close views! This species is a regularly autumn migrant that I can never get bored of. There are also still Amur Paradise and Black Paradise Flycatchers around, but none of them allowed a photo. A relatively friendly Lesser Shortwing was far more forgiving and gave good views despite being in almost pitch black forest floor.

Ferruginous Flycatcher - record shot


Dark-sided Flycatcher - juvenile

Lesser Shortwing

Although I dipped a lifer bird, I got myself a lifer snake instead, in form of a Banded Wolf Snake! A species I have been looking for but never been able to connect! This beautiful juvenile was an absolute cracker, they are such good Krait mimics at this age that I had to look twice at it before I dared to pick it up! On the same evening I had a very large Mock Viper, probably as large as they can ever get.



Banded Wolf Snake - Lifer for me!



Mock Viper

Hong Kong Newts are now heading back into the stream for their breeding season, they are fairly easy to see at this time of the year. Along the stream Hong Kong Cascade Frogs and Lesser Spiny Frogs can still be seen despite the dry weather.

Hong Kong Newt

Hong Kong Cascade Frog

Lesser Spiny Frog

Finally, thanks to a friend I got to finally see my first ever Beale's Four-eyed Turtle, which is likely the rarest native turtle species we have in Hong Kong. Like every other asian turtle this species is heavily poached for the pet market, and our local population is now dwindling. I wish this little guy all the best and hopefully they can hang on in Hong Kong.




Beale's Four-eyed Turtle