End of 2025 Goodies - Grebes and Ducks

A lovely Black-necked Grebe turned up at Tai Sang Wai lately and have been showing exceedingly well for everyone, a great bird to see as always and the second consecutive year that we have had one turning up in Hong Kong. They are far rarer than people think, as there are fewer than 15 records in Hong Kong so far, and getting them on consecutive years only happened once between 2002 and 2003.

Black-necked Grebe

The Ferruginous Ducks at Tam Kon Chau have stayed there all month, and seems very comfortable with their wintering home. I finally had a day free to get some better photographs of them, you never know when you may get another chance to photograph them up close!

Ferruginous Duck - male & female

Mai Po's been fairly popular this winter, mainly due to the continuing Hen Harrier and Brahminy Kite, the latter I have not had the luck to bump into. A Ruddy Shelduck also appeared and seems to have stayed on around the scrape. While some reported seeing it quite close, it was never very close to the bird hide whenever I was there. Nonetheless, a great bird to see.

Ruddy Shelduck

The small flock of Oriental Storks have been going in and out of Mai Po, its always a treat when you see them either soaring above or perched on the scrape somewhere. They are becoming such a regular sighting that most birders nowadays take very little notice of them, but I still enjoy each and every encounter with this majestic species.

Oriental Storks

Even though I have had no luck with the Brahminy Kite, both Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles can be regularly seen in Mai Po. Both of these majestic raptors are often bullied by the local Black Kites.

Eastern Imperial Eagle & Black Kite

Greater Spotted Eagle

Other wintering birds such as Chinese Penduline Tits and Black-faced Buntings continue to show well at Mai Po, both species can be confiding if you are lucky.

Chinese Penduline Tit

Black-faced Bunting - female

A fairly confiding Siberian Pipit have been spotted near the entrance of Mai Po, I am always happy to find this rather uncommon species.

Siberian Pipit

I got very lucky with a male Siberian Rubythroat that showed very well at Mai Po, even though it is a species that will often show very well at feeding station, seeing a truly wild one so well feels extra special.

Siberian Rubythroat - male

Whereas the male Bluethroat is showing exceedingly well at Tai Sang Wai at the moment, a bird that I can never get bored of seeing, a real crowd pleaser for sure.

Bluethroat - male

Black-faced Spoonbills are now easily seen at almost all of our wetland sites, outside of Mai Po you can find them around San Tin, Tai Sang Wai, Long Valley and Nam Sang Wai. Great to see them all the same wherever it is.

Black-faced Spoonbills

Some of the drakes Eurasian Teals are finally moulting into their lovely plumage, I think most ducks are underated, they are all stunning to look at up close.

Eurasian Teal - male

Tai Po Kau's been more or less the same, I have been trying to reconnect with the White-spectacled Warbler with little luck, although the usual suspects are never boring. I was especially pleased with a male Orange-bellied Leafbird at close range one day, they are never easy when Rhodoleia are not in bloom. 

Orange-bellied Leafbird - male

Grey-chinned Minivet - male

Grey-chinned Minivet - female

Huet's Fulvetta

Great Barbet

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Ground dwelling skulkers such as Pygmy Cupwings and Asian Stubtails are always a treat to see well, while wintering Grey-backed Thrush that allows you to get a good look are never easy to come across these days. Rufous-tailed Robins are probably the easiest of the skulkers, but still great to see them whenever possible.

Pygmy Cupwing

Asian Stubtail

Grey-backed Thrush - female

Rufous-tailed Robin

The most interesting bird at Tai Po Kau was probably a very late Dark-sided Flycatcher, by December there are usually very few records of this species.

Dark-sided Flycatcher - juvenile

Finally, some regular birds of Shek Kong Catchwater, Speckled Piculets often show well here, Verditer Flycatchers and Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers are of course a regular wintering species, but no doubt some of the star bird of this birding site.

Speckled Piculet

Verditer Flycatcher - female

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

Hen Harrier at Long Last!

I have pretty much given up on the Hen Harrier around Deep Bay, its been so elusive and hard to track down, unless you are willing (or have time) to wait around for it to glide past occasionally, it wasn't a bird you could just track down. However, sometimes you just need luck on your side, as I was out guiding, we arrived at the Osprey Hide at Mai Po at just the right time, as my friends at the hide told us that they have just seen the Hen Harrier flew past a few times. We waited for a little bit, and sure enough the bird flew by again! We had great flying views of this distinctive looking female, however the local Black Kites were not all that welcoming.

Hen Harrier - female

Hern Harrier female with Black Kite

Funnily enough, on our way out of the reserve, the Hen Harrier swooped past and tried to take some Scaly-breasted Munias from the tall grass, although it failed to do so, but it did perch down on the ground briefly for us to get a good long look!

Hen Harrier - female

Another surprising find at Mai Po was a Short-eared Owl which was found flying high up with the Black Kites, a rare migrant, I have only ever seen one Short-eared Owl in Hong Kong previously, which makes this sighting quite the unusual one! Although it was very high up when I spotted it, there was no doubt what it was, a very long-winged owl with the most distinctive shape!

Short-eared Owl

Area around Mai Po's been otherwise decent with a few interesting birds around, although nothing hugely exciting. Here are a selection of birds seen around there lately, including the continuing Ferruginous Ducks at Tam Kon Chau, several Mallards, Eastern Imperial Eagles and Chinese Penduline Tits.

Ferruginous Duck - male

Mallard

Eastern Imperial Eagle

Chinese Penduline Tit

Black-faced Spoonbill

Purple Heron

Common Kingfisher - male

Long Valley's been rather quiet of late, although it is always worth visiting during the day for Greater Painted Snipes, some other friendly birds such as Daurian Redstart and Eastern Yellow Wagtails rarely disappoint.

Greater Painted Snipe - male

Daurian Redstart - male

Eastern Yellow Wagtail - race taivana

Black-collared Starling & Crested Myna

While Tai Po Kau's been generally good, finding those big feeding flock is still rather hit and miss, some days you find them at the bottom of the hill, some days you can't seem to find them anywhere. It is still great when you do find the flock and you are rewarded with great views of many species. The Emei Leaf Warbler is still present and showed rather well one day, while Sulphur-breasted Warblers gave multiple good views.

Emei Leaf Warbler

Sulphur-breasted Warbler

I found a rather confiding Two-barred Warbler at Tai Po Kau Park, which gave great views. This is a relatively uncommon wintering warbler for us, much less common than Yellow-browed. The completely pale lower mandible and lack of white edges to the tertiaries are key to differentiate with Yellow-browed Warblers, while the call is by far the most reliable diagnostic of this species.

Two-barred Warbler

Asian Stubtails are now in rather good numbers, and one showed very well, posing perfectly for a photo before it hopped off to continue on foraging along the forest track.

Asian Stubtail

A large flock of Indochinese Yuhinas have been seen on a few occasions, and I managed a good photo of one bird, which came down quite low for us to get a good look. While we do have some breeding in Hong Kong, they are still mostly a wintering species in Hong Kong.

Indochinese Yuhina

I've had good luck with several Fire-breasted Flowerpeckers lately, especially the males which have been showing quite well. Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers can be found rather easily at Tai Po Kau Park, although getting a good views of them down low still requires a little bit of luck.

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker - male

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker - female

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker - male

And here are some other common Tai Po Kau regulars I managed to photograph in the past week. Although common, I never take them for granted, as I know any of these species can be difficult on any given day, especially on days you need them to deliver!

Fork-tailed Sunbird - male

Great Barbet

Ashy Drongo - race leucogensis

Mountain Tailorbird

Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Yellow-cheeked Tit - male

Mountain Bulbul

Grey-chinned Minivet - male