Productive First Month

 January been a very productive month to begin my year with, with a good numbers of rarities dotted around the place. I have been focusing more on areas close to my home, namely Wu Kau Tang and Tai Mei Tuk Catchment, and the effort put there certainly paid off! These areas are slightly less popular amongst birders, therefore I suspect highly underbirded throughout most of the year. Wu Kau Tang especially been very good of late, the flock of 30 Common Rosefinches returned yet again this year, but views were often quite far.

Common Rosefinch

I often walked the trail from Wu Kau Tang towards Kau Tam Tso, lately I also been exploring several different areas, including the Sheung Ha Miu Tin area with some nice patches of forest. That area got a lot of potential for good birds, although I only found some regular winter migrants there mainly. Indochinese Green Magpies are regularly sighted around this part of Hong Kong, although getting any clear view of photograph is still a huge challenge, this one found following a flock of Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush was kind enough to let me grab a few records shots. Towards Sheung Miu Tin I had a White's Thrush on a fruiting tree, although it was quite skittish. A very friendly female Tristram's Bunting was a nice addition though. Back towards Kau Tam Tso I had a male Hainan Blue Flycatcher, a species that seems to be wintering in Hong Kong more often than before.

Indochinese Green Magpie

White's Thrush

Tristram's Bunting

Hainan Blue Flycatcher - male

Around the village I yielded several species of Flycatchers, including a Taiga Flycatcher, a pair of Verditer Flycatcher were spotted within a bird wave but only the female allowed a photo. The best one for me was probably a very good looking male Mugimaki Flycatcher. I also spotted several good warblers, including Hartert's Leaf Warblers, at least one Kloss's Warbler and Greenish Warbler, however both left me without any photo.

Taiga Flycatcher

Verditer Flycatcher - female

Mugimaki Flycatcher - male

Hartert's Leaf Warbler

Some of the best birds in the area were found closer to the village of Ho Pui, Abdel reported a Barred Cuckoo-dove a little earlier, and seeing that a few friends had success relocating it, I gave it a try. To my surprise, I saw at least two and highly possibly three birds along the valley, very likely there is a fruiting tree of their liking nearby, although it was not in view from the footpath, to find more than one of this often elusive species was quite the thrill! The same area also hosted a very nice looking male Small Niltava plus a Fujian Niltava, though both a little shy it was great to see them in the area. It just shows how much potential this area has and who knows what else we may find in the future!

Barred Cuckoo-dove - in flight

Small Niltava - male

Fujian Niltava - male

Along Tai Mei Tuk Catchment, only one female Grey Bushchat remained, and it is getting more and more difficult to locate, I suspect it is now ranging out slightly. The Grey-backed Shrike continued to show on and off, although it doesn't always show itself. A Brown Shrike also taken up residence in the area, which was not surprising given the area is very shrike friendly. One of the more interesting find was a Japanese Tit of race minor found by Roman Lo, I was able to relocate the bird and got a few photos. The overall situation of 'Great Tit' in Hong Kong is quite confusing, a few years back it was suggested those in Hong Kong were Cinereous Tit based on completely monotone greyish mantle, it was then changed again to Japanese Tit race commixtus, the thing is it really depends on which authority you follow. None the less, it is an interesting bird to look at and certainly a vagrant bird of a different race.

Grey Bushchat - female

Brown Shrike

Japanese Tit - race minor

Sha Lo Tung is another area not far from my home, but I rarely explored, lately at least four Grey Bushcats been observed. The path towards Hok Tau runs through some good habitats that is worth exploring, I was able to locate a pair of Bay Woodpeckers where the female allowed a quick photo before disappearing again. The interesting thing about Sha Lo Tung is that there are still plenty of grassy areas there, which hosted a good range of shrubland birds, including Sooty-headed Bulbuls, there were plenty of Russet Bush Warblers calling as well.

Grey Bushchat - male

Grey Bushchat - female

Bay Woodpecker - female

Sooty-headed Bulbul

Over at Tai Sang Wai, I had a very confiding Little Bunting along the road. Hundreds of Swallows have been seen around the fish ponds, perfect to test any photographers skills in taking BIF shots. A few fish ponds were being drained, and that attracted plenty of Black-faced Spoonbills to feast on the fish and shrimps. The best bird I found in the area was again a Carrion Crow amongst the Collared and Large-billed Crows.

Little Bunting

Barn Swallow

Black-faced Spoonbill

Carrion Crow

The Plumbeous Redstart at Chun Shin Road was still present, now 'abandoned' by photographers, I was able to observe this handsome male in peace. I totalled 197 species for January, not a bad count for just one month.

Plumbeous Redstart - male