Busy Times

While this year's autumn migration seems to be very birdy, there is simply nothing I could do to prevent the piles of work that was coming my way. I simply didn't have much time for birds, which is annoying somewhat given that there seems to be good birds everywhere! With Greylag and Greater White-fronted Geese at Mai Po and a lot more other goodies dotted around...those were simply out of question for me for now, hopefully normal birding will resume later this month...

I did manage to snuck out a few times before the end of October, one of those rarities I simply could not resist was a Green-backed Flycatcher at Ho Man Tin, which stayed a few days, I just managed to see it before it disappeared the next day. It was one of the tamest individuals we've seen in Hong Kong. This was yet another 1st year male, with very yellow underparts, which makes identification a bit more straight forward. 

Green-backed Flycatcher - 1st year male

The other place I snuck out before work late last month was Mount Davis, I was mainly there for the Chestnut Buntings that were supposedly showing well, I counted no less than 16 individuals, plus at least two dozens of other unidentified buntings! I never seen so many buntings in one place outside of Long Valley. The Chestnut Buntings showed relatively well, although not as 'fearless' as other people have seen them, likely because they already been there a few days and already very well fed at that point and not as hungry as before. Other buntings present were Chestnut-eared Buntings, several Little Buntings and numerous Black-faced Buntings.

Chestnut Bunting - male & female

Little Bunting

The service reservoir playground also hosted a few other birds, including one of the first Daurian Redstarts for me this autumn, a few Asian Brown Flycatchers, a very distant Dark-sided Flycatcher which I didn't bother with a photo and a Taiga Flycatcher.

Daurian Redstart - female

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Taiga Flycatcher

On the same day I visited the nearby Kennedy Town Service Reservoir, which not a lot of birders visited before I wouldn't think. Other than the much expected Yellow-crested Cockatoo that is resident in the area, I was greeted by two buntings at the playground, a Little and a yet another Chestnut-eared Bunting, just shows the potential these areas can hold for migrants.

Yellow-crested Cockatoo

Little & Chestnut-eared Bunting

Night time ventures yielded no Oriental Scops Owls unfortunately, only two Collared Scops Owl which showed well but didn't stay long enough for a good photo, not that I am very bothered having photographed them many times, its still nice to see them at night. A fairly confiding Eurasian Woodcock was a welcoming sight, of which I managed a decent photo.

Eurasian Woodcock

Hopefully I can resume normal birding by the end of this month, and hoping some of the birds will stay on.