Autumn Migration in the Heat

Even though October is with us, the heat have been relentless, showing no sign of cooling down anytime soon. While I have not been enjoying the weather, migrants are coming through nonetheless. Some noticeable migrants includes Black-naped Orioles, which can be seen fairly often at this time of the year, a pair showed quite well for me near Mai Po. While this is a common resident species throughout much of South East Asia, race diffusus is a migratory race in East Asia down to Indochina.

Black-naped Oriole - female

Tai Po Kau's been extremely poor and disappointing, probably one of the worst autumn in recent memory! A Pale-legged Leaf Warbler is perhaps the only notable migrant I managed. Black-winged Cuckooshrikes have also arrived. Both Crested Goshawks and Crested Serpent Eagles are now making their display flights over the forest, and can often be heard and seen circling above.

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler

Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Crested Goshawk

Crested Serpent Eagle

I have more luck with other wildlife at Tai Po Kau, including a very grumpy Mock Viper. A few Damselflies were still active around the forest, including Blue Forest Damsel and Black-kneed Featherlegs. The best find was probably a rare Blue-spotted Emperor laying eggs at the pond, a first for me!

Mock Viper

Blue Forest Damsel - female

Black-kneed Featherleg - male

Blue-spotted Emperor - female

Tai Lam have fared better, with a good cast of migrants, although I only visited once. I managed a male Black Paradise Flycatcher (formerly Japanese), but it was way too high for a photo. A fruiting fig tree attracted many Orange-headed Thrush, while not a rarity, this usually shy species are not always easy to come by, so to see so many in one morning was quite a treat.

Orange-headed Thrush - best looking male

Orange-headed Thrush - slightly paler male

Orange-headed Thrush - juvenile

Other migrants to note were a few Eastern Crowned Warblers, some other birders had Hartert's and Sulphur-breasted Warblers, but I had no luck with those. Other resident species such as Yellow-cheeked Tits and Pygmy Cupwings always make a visit to Tai Lam worthwhile.

Eastern Crowned Warbler

Yellow-cheeked Tit - female

Pygmy Cupwing

On Po Toi, there were the regular cast of migrants, including Arctic Warblers, Grey-streaked Flycatcher and Asian Brown Flycatcher, few of our typical autumn migrants.

Arctic Warbler

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Asian Brown Flycatcher

A single Oriental Dollarbird was surprisingly the only one we saw on the island, given how late September to early October should be the peak time for this species, I expected a few more around. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful migrant to see as always. There were also numerous Blue Rock Thrushes dotted around the island, sitting on exposed rocks as you would expect from this species.

Oriental Dollarbird - with White-throated Kingfisher hiding on the right

Oriental Dollarbird

Blue Rock Thrush

The most surprising bird I got on the island is perhaps a male Golden-fronted Leafbird. No doubt an ex-captive individual, as this species is out of its natural range and is non-migratory. Po Toi is quite a strange place to find such a bird, but exotics turning up on the island is not unheard of. Although this bird didn't have any obvious cage damage, it may have been out of the cage long enough that it is already looking quite immaculate. 

Golden-fronted Leafbird - male

Some migrants around my survey site, couple of Whimbrels and a surprising Bluethroat sitting out in the open! Not what you would expect from a usually skulking species, certainly not how I imagined I would see my first one of the season.

Whimbrel

Bluethroat - 1st year male

Post Typhoon Ragasa Migrants at Long Valley

Typhoon Ragasa was one of the strongest typhoon of the year, it ripped through Luzon and Taiwan before heading straight towards Hong Kong and southern coast of Guangdong, it was fortunate that it didn't cause as much damage as predicted in Hong Kong, but we experienced intense winds on the 24th, with gusts upwards of 200km/h in some locations! The typhoon did brought in many migrants, including flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes, many ended up at Long Valley. These small pelagic waders are known to be quite fearless around people, and they were all feeding around the ponds just a few feet away from me. While they are not in their colourful breeding plumage, it was still lovely to see them up close.

Red-necked Phalarope

Nearby, some hirundines flew around feeding on the flying insects, other than the common Barn Swallows, there were a few Eastern Red-rumped Swallows and a single Sand Martin.

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Sand Martin

A Von Schrenck's Bittern have been seen around Long Valley, although it's been very secretive, only flying out occasionally around the paddies. Yellow Bitterns are far more friendly and can be seen around various ponds.

Von Schrenck's Bittern - juvenile

Yellow Bittern - juvenile

Two juvenile Ruffs turned up before the typhoon, but they were only there for one day. Got lucky that morning when I bumped into Akki who informed me of their presence. Ruff is now a rather scarce migrant in Hong Kong, so getting two at Long Valley was rather surprising, it was also the first time I have seen this species at this site.

Ruff - a rarity at Long Valley!

Many Snipes are present at Long Valley, most goes unidentified as 'Swintail' Snipes, but of the few I managed to photograph there were definitely some Swinhoe's and Pin-tailed Snipes around, more Common Snipes are now arriving as well.

Swinhoe's Snipe

Pin-tailed Snipe

Common Snipe

I had a relatively early Yellow-breasted Bunting, most don't arrive until October. This one was found feeding in the paddies with hundreds of Munias, it later flew up to a tree where I managed a record shot. A feral population of Alexandrine Parakeets can be found around New Territories, and many find their way to Long Valley, feeding on various crops, including one of their favourite; sugarcane!

Yellow-breasted Bunting - relatively early individual

Alexandrine Parakeet

Over at San Tin, a Eurasian Hoopoe was the only relatively good bird I got there, it was however quite skittish and didn't allow me to get close, but they are always fun to see.

Eurasian Hoopoe - a very skittish individual

Whiskered Terns filled the fish ponds, I scanned for White-winged or Little Terns but with little luck. At one of the drained pond, numerous waders were present, including many Red-necked, Long-toed and Temminck's Stints.

Whiskered Tern

Temminck's, Red-necked and Long-toed Stints

Red-billed Starlings are now returning, a few were seen feeding around the bread. Black Kites are a regular feature in the fish ponds, but I rarely see one so close like this one. Richard's Pipit are also returning, first of the many we will see throughout the winter months.

Red-billed Starling

Black Kite

Richard's Pipit

The House Sparrows are still showing well at the airport, I counted no less than seven, but there were likely more out of sight somewhere.

House Sparrow - female

Finally, return of some of our wintering raptors, a male Eastern Marsh Harrier came as a bit of a surprise for me, as I rarely see adult males in Hong Kong, this is only my second ever adult male in Hong Kong. Eurasian Kestrels are now returning, these will likely stay in Hong Kong throughout the winter months.

Eastern Marsh Harrier - male

Eurasian Kestrel