A Hong Kong First - Tree Pipit

In my 26 years of birding, I've always been inspired by more experienced birders and their stories in finding new birds for Hong Kong, it seems so exciting to find something unreported before. While I predicted a few species that were ultimately found by others, somehow, the prospect in finding a Hong Kong first eluded me for many years. On 3rd of March, I met up with Kenneth Lam for a half day of birding in Mai Po, it was the usual routine of walking past AFCD warden post and walking a long the access footpath. There, we flushed a small flock of Olive-backed Pipits, but just as they took to the air, one single bird caught my eye. It was similar sized to the other pipits, but seemed to be paler when it took off.

We were able to relocate the flock of pipits on a nearby tree, the bird that interested me looked fairly similar to Olive-backed Pipits at first glance, but when we got closer something felt off about this particular bird. First, the streaks on its flank were very fine, unlike Olive-backed Pipits which have very bold streaks. The upperparts was a sandy brown and not greyish olive as you would expect on an Olive-backed Pipit. Its mantle was heavily streaked. Luckily for us the bird flew back on the ground and continued to showed well. By then we figured it didn't fit any pipit species we have in Hong Kong. In the end, we came to the most logical conclusion that this had to be a Tree Pipit! We soon got the news out and many birders were able to connect with this rarity.

Tree Pipit

Tree Pipits have been reported in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, with most records in China concentrated near Xinjiang. This had been on our 'possible list' for quite some time, and what a thrill it was to finally find it in Hong Kong! Here a better comparison shots of the two species, Olive-backed Pipit above, with dark spots behind ear covert, heavily streaked breast and flank with greyish olive upperparts. Tree Pipit below, showing fine streaking on flank, warmer tones upperparts, heavily streaked mantle, and slightly more buffish supercelium. Behaviour wise it was almost identical to the Olive-backed Pipits, and sounded almost identical to the other Olive-backed Pipits. Though scanning through the common species can be tedious, it does payoff eventually!

Olive-backed Pipit

Tree Pipit - note the fine streaks on flank

Other than the pipit, Mai Po is currently hosting a good selection of ducks, while the long staying Common Shelduck is still present (Was too far away so I didn't bother to photograph it again), an American Wigeon have been reported and we were able to connect with it as well. The Baikal Teal was still present, although not giving close views as it had for other birders. Good numbers of Falcated Ducks were still present on the scrape.

American Wigeon - extremely far...

Baikal Teal - male

Falcated Duck

Black-headed Gull is by far the commonest gulls present, a few already moulted into their breeding plumage, such as this good looking individual.

Black-headed Gull

Good numbers of large gulls were still present, although nothing particularly interesting were found, the three common large gulls species in Hong Kong are the Heuglin's Gull (Lesser Black-backed Gull), Vega Gull and Mongolian Gull, although the Mongolian Gull is now considered a subspecies of the Vega Gull. 

Assorted gulls...

Vega Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull (heuglini) - 2CY

Lesser Black-backed Gull (heuglini) - sub adult

A few Black-tailed Gulls were also present, though all of them were juveniles. It is still a bit early for migrating terns, but we did find a single Gull-billed Tern amongst the Black-headed Gulls.

Black-tailed Gull - juvenile

Gull-billed Tern

Back over at Tai Po Kau, I finally connected with one of the long staying White-spectacled Warbler, this one showed fairly well, although the dark conditions made it challenging for photographs. Although Asian Stubtail numbers seems to be down this year, I still managed to find this one to photograph skulking on the dark forest floor.

White-spectacled Warbler

Asian Stubtail

Bay Woodpeckers continue to be very active lately, including a pair at Tai Po Kau which showed very well for me. The male was particularly interesting, as it was ringed. I asked the ringing group about this and they stated a total of four birds were ringed in Tai Po Kau in 2016 and 2019, so this one is likely to be one of these individual. The resident Crested Serpent Eagle now back near its usual spot as snake season begins. Other common birds in Tai Po Kau showed well in various bird waves, Grey-chinned Minivets are always a crowd favourite whenever they come to feed low down.

Bay Woodpecker - female

Bay Woodpecker - male

Crested Serpent Eagle

Grey-chinned Minivet - male

Grey-chinned Minivet - female

Wu Kau Tang continues to be very good, I found a tree where the Common Rosefinches came lower down to feed, although views were not as close as those at Shek Kong, the morning sunlight brought out the best of the male's colours.

Common Rosefinch - male

Common Rosefinch - female

At least three different Hainan Blue Flycatchers wintered in Wu Kau Tang this year, their call always gave me hope that perhaps a Hill Blue or Chinese Blue Flycatcher was around, but they are still good to see in the winter. Chinese Hwamei now becoming far more vocal than before as spring approaches.

Hainan Blue Flycatcher - female

Chinese Hwamei

Hartert's Leaf Warblers are now very vocal, you can often hear their song as you walk along the trial. We have two different subspecies in Hong Kong, nominate race often have very yellow underparts, that at first glance can sometimes be mistaken as Sulphur-breasted Warblers, race fokiensis have paler underparts. Both subspecies feed by climbing around tree trunks and branches like nuthatch.

Hartert's Leaf Warbler

Hartert's Leaf Warbler - fokiensis

The best warbler at Wu Kau Tang is by far the Chestnut-crowned Warbler, two of these pretty warblers have been seen often along the same valley as the Barred Cuckoo-doves. This is certainly a species we can hardly get bored of!

Chestnut-crowned Warbler

Over at Luk Keng, a male Red-breasted Flycatcher been showing well lately, I personally have never seen a male in Hong Kong. It was very vocal and rather confiding, making it an excellent subject for photographs!

Red-breasted Flycatcher - male

Finally, the Cinnamon Bittern at Tai Mei Tuk continues to show well, although the group of photographers surrounding the pond is no more, so I was able to enjoy this bird at close range in peace one afternoon. 

Cinnamon Bittern