Signs of Spring

There is no better time to see Black-faced Spoonbills than now, when many of them are moulting into their fabulous breeding plumage, their head plumes grow longer, and neck is now yellowish. At Mai Po, they often come very close to you, especially out on the mudflat during a high tide, they can be just 2m away from the front of the bird hide!

Black-faced Spoonbill

Many wader species have yet to arrive, I believe they will be arriving soon. Numerous Dunlins were still present out there, a classic wintering species in Hong Kong. Many large gulls remains, mostly Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Heuglin's) and just two Pallas's Gull. An immature male Eastern Marsh Harrier came through to flush all the birds up into the sky.

Dunlin

Various gulls

Eastern Marsh Harrier - juvenile male

The long staying Greater White-fronted Goose can still be found often on the scrape, most of the time you see it relaxing or sleeping. A few Daurian Redstarts can still be found around Mai Po, despite being quite an uncommon species this winter. Same goes with Chinese Penduline Tits, while not as easy to find compared to previous years, with some luck you can still find them around the reedbeds. A few Yellow Bitterns have been frequenting a bund of reeds, occasionally perching out in the open. Many Little Grebes have now moulted into their breeding plumage, obviously ready for another breeding season.

Greater White-fronted Goose

Daurian Redstart - male

Chinese Penduline Tit - male

Yellow Bittern

Little Grebe

Things have been relatively quiet over at San Tin, with not many new birds. A beautiful male Amur Stonechat in breeding plumage was quite a stunner, while ocularis White Wagtails can still be found around the fish ponds. I connected with the now rather elusive female Pied Harrier once more, with brief views of it gliding over the fish ponds.

Amur Stonechat - male

White Wagtail - race ocularis

Pied Harrier - adult female

A single Carrion Crow have been spotted lately around Lut Chau, it is often associated with the Collared Crows. Here, you can clearly see the difference on the bill size and shape between a Carrion and a Large-billed Crow. 

Carrion Crow with Collared Crow

Carrion Crow

Large-billed Crow

The fish ponds at Tai Sang Wai hosted a few early migrants, including a few Whiskered Terns. Many Red-necked Stints dropped in for a few days on a drained pond, was certainly good sign. The long staying Great Crested Grebe is now moulting into breeding plumage, which is interesting to see.

Whiskered Tern

Red-necked Stint

Great Crested Grebe - assuming breeding plumage

Over at Ma Tso Lung, signs of spring was even more apparent, with my first Black-naped Oriole of the season! There were also clear signs of movements of birds, including a large flock of Red-rumped Swallow which dropped in during a rainy day, they were definitely not enjoying the weather. Pacific Swifts were also spotted, another early spring migrant. Both Peregrine Falcon and Eurasian Kestrel were observed there. While not a migrant, everyone enjoy close views of Kingfishers, including the common White-throated Kingfisher!

Black-naped Oriole - female

Red-rumped Swallow

Pacific Swift

Peregrine Falcon

Eurasian Kestrel - female

White-throated Kingfisher

The edge of Long Valley provides good area for Greater Painted Snipe, a few are often seen here and have been quite stable. The Oriental Greenfinches however were not, I only connected with them again twice more, most of the time they were not present.

Greater Painted Snipe - male

Oriental Greenfinch

Tai Po Kau's been more or less the same story, not a lot of new addition there, mostly just the usual suspects. The Crested Serpent Eagle's been back at its perch occasionally. Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush are often seen near the end of red walk, where a flock have been active. White-bellied Erpornis very active and vocal lately. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch now seems to be pairing up, I saw two gathering nesting materials. Yellow-cheeked Tits are also very vocal nowadays. White-rumped Shamas are coming into song, it is not uncommon to hear their melodic song now in our forest.

 

Crested Serpent Eagle

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

White-bellied Erpornis

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Yellow-cheeked Tit - male

White-rumped Shama - male

Shek Kong Airfield been overall pretty disappointing as a whole this winter, I've not really had any good birds there. The Asian Barred Owlets do show occasionally, but thats about as good as it gets.

Asian Barred Owlet

At Shek Kong Catchwater, a Jerdon's Baza been seen of late, I haven't had the luck with those, although I did found a few Eurasian Siskins which led to a lot of other photographers staking them out, I only got a record shot of them, did not bother with trying for some better shots. Verditer Flycatchers seems quite good at this site, I often saw one or two around.

Eurasian Siskin

Verditer Flycatcher - male

Spring migrants are now arriving, so hopefully things will improve somewhat!