Rare Ducks - Mandarin Duck & Common Shelduck

Comes December, most of our wintering species has arrived, with a few winter rarities. Having been quite busy I haven't been able to chase some rarer birds, but still able to get some birding done. Kam Tin River been hosting a good range of wintering ducks, including a drake Mandarin Duck in full plumage! Mandarin Ducks are rare winter visitor to Hong Kong, most winter further north with only a handful coming this far south. A bird like this naturally gathered quite the crowd, with over 100 photographers and birders all wanting to get some good photos of this bird.

Mandarin Duck - incredible colours!

The Mandarin Duck being slightly larger than the Eurasian Teals present, was taking its advantage and bullying the other ducks in the proximity, although most of the time they were able to feed peacefully together, it was not afraid to bite the other birds.

Mandarin Duck & Eurasian Teal

The area along Kam Tin River is probably the best place in Hong Kong to find Grey-headed Lapwings, where they roost here almost daily. The area is quite good for other common waders such as Black-winged Stilts, Common Greenshanks and Wood Sandpipers, the water outlet seems to gather a lot of fishes and Grey Herons take full advantage of this, as shown in photo below.

Grey-headed Lapwing

Grey Heron

Another rare duck visiting Hong Kong recently is a Common Shelduck. This species was formerly extremely common around Deep Bay area, with over 4,000 wintering on the mudflat. I remember seeing hundreds of them out in Deep Bay when I was younger up until 2002. Within a few years their numbers dropped and soon they stopped wintering in Hong Kong, why that is remains a mystery to us, but this species in now a rarity. One turned up around Mai Po and I was lucky enough to have it landed on a drained pond at Tai Sang Wai one afternoon! 

Common Shelduck

A Northern Goshawk was spotted at Mai Po recently, I thought I would try my luck around the reserve, I scanned almost all the raptors without much luck. There were evidently lots of raptors around the reserve, including numerous Eastern Buzzards, quite a few Eastern Marsh Harriers, I had one Japanese Sparrowhawk and an Eastern Imperial Eagle gliding with the Black Kites.

Eastern Buzzard

Eastern Marsh Harrier

Japanese Sparrowhawk

Eastern Imperial Eagle & Black Kite

Deep Bay is home to thousands of wintering water birds, the most iconic being Black-faced Spoonbills, which I can never get bored of, quite often we find them feeding on drained ponds at close range. Great Cormorant is probably one of the most numerous wintering species in Hong Kong, hundreds can be seen on a single visit to Mai Po.

Black-faced Spoonbill

Great Cormorant

Mai Po is not just home to wetland birds, plenty of smaller passerines winter in the area, the reedbed is home to Chinese Penduline Tits, Black-browed Reed Warblers and Oriental Reed Warblers. Black-faced Buntings are very common and often seen feeding by the roadside. Yellow-billed Grosbeaks are often found on fruiting trees, while Asian Brown Flycatchers are regularly sighted around the reserve throughout the winter months. Just across the river of Mai Po at Tai Sang Wai, plenty of Common Starlings been coming into the bread to feed.

Oriental Reed Warbler

Black-faced Bunting

Yellow-billed Grosbeak

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Common Starling & Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Plumbeous Redstart is a scarce but regular winter visitor to Hong Kong, although they are known to inhibit fast flowing mountain streams elsewhere, wide man-made gullies and straightened rivers seems to be their habitat of choice in Hong Kong. Two males been seen regularly along a gully in Yuen Long recently, showing exceptionally well.

Plumbeous Redstart - male

At Tai Lam, a pair of Small Niltava made an appearance, both were very vocal, although the female kept its distance. This species is increasingly common in winter months, I expect they may start breeding in Hong Kong in the near future.

Small Niltava - male

Small Niltava - female

Dark-sided Flycatchers may still be found around late November to early December, this one was spotted at Tai Lam as it came down for water just along the footpath. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher is quite a common wintering species in Hong Kong, I always enjoy watching this delightful species as they hawk around the branches. We get more Fire-breasted Flowerpeckers in the winter, such as this lovely looking individual which I saw at Tai Lam. 

Dark-sided Flycatcher

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker - male

Finally, while out working in a primary school one day I found a small bird that just hit a large pane of glass. Turns out it was a Manchurian Bush Warbler, luckily it regained consciousness very soon and flew off into a nearby bush. I just so happen to have my camera with me, therefore I was able to grab a few shots before it flew off again.

Manchurian Bush Warbler