Storks Storks & More Storks!

Despite their global decline and listed as an Endangered species, Wintering Oriental Storks numbers seems to have increased in Hong Kong, my worry is that their wintering grounds further north have been impacted by something and it is driving them to migrate further south in search for suitable habitats. Currently there are estimated to be less than 3,000 of these majestic waterbirds left in the wild, and at Mai Po I counted 22 in one day, even though this is becoming a bit more of a familiar sight in Mai Po, I do not take it for granted!

Oriental Stork

Otherwise, Mai Po's been fairly quiet of late, with nothing much to note, there also seems to be a bit less wintering ducks around, I am not sure whether this was just my own observation or I simply going to the wrong bits of the reserve, but I have not even seen a single Northern Pintail in this first month of 2025! Sightings to note includes good numbers of Chinese Penduline Tits, as well as several Siberian Rubythroats, although most of the time they remain very well hidden, got lucky with this male which showed through a small opening in the undergrowth. A Burmese Python was also noted sunbathing on the side of the entrance footpath.

Chinese Penduline Tit

Siberian Rubythroat - male

Burmese Python

A single Rosy Starling at San Tin together with Red-billed and White-cheeked Starlings was about the most interesting sighting I have lately. The male Ferruginous x Baer's Pochard hybrid was still around the same pond. So, all in all fairly quiet except for some other common wintering species.

Rosy Starling - bottom right

Rosy Starling - juvenile

Ferruginous x Baer's Pochard hybrid - male

Around Shek Kong Catchwater, a few fruiting Bishop Wood have been attracting a lot of Black Bulbuls to visit, well over 40 birds have been observed, which I think is quite a big count. The area also attracted a few Great Barbets, although they don't seem to go on the tree all that often, I guess they don't quite like these fruits as much.

Black Bulbul

Great Barbet

Other notable birds at Shek Kong Catchwater includes a few Black-winged Cuckooshrikes, Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers and a few Asian Brown Flycatchers, Verditer Flycatcher occasionally shows as well, although I didn't take any photos as they were often far away. Both Crested Goshawk and Crested Serpent Eagles are often seen here gliding above, with Crested Goshawk often displaying lately.

Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Crested Goshawk

Crested Serpent Eagle

Tai Po Kau Park have been one of the better areas for bird photography lately, the flowering Rhodolea attracts a lot of attention from photographers and birds alike! Smaller forest birds such as Rufous-capped Babbler, Blue-winged Minla and Silver-eared Mesia all can be seen with relative ease. Swinhoe's White-eyes are everywhere at this time of the year.

Rufous-capped Babbler

Blue-winged Minla

Silver-eared Mesia

Swinhoe's White-eye

The main attraction is still the Orange-bellied Leafbirds that goes onto the Rhodolea tree, this won't last long of course and soon they will move onto flowering coral trees in a month's time.

Orange-bellied Leafbird - male

Scarlet and Grey-chinned Minivets can both be seen around the park sometimes, occasionally even at close range. An opportunity not to miss when they come down low to forage! Velvet-fronted Nuthatch is fairly common, at the park you can often see them foraging along the tree trunks.

Scarlet Minivet - male

Grey-chinned Minivet - male

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Up at the forest reserve, you may find Crested Serpent Eagle perched on its favourite branch. Blue Whistling Thrush can be seen along the side of the stream, sometimes at close range if you are lucky.

Crested Serpent Eagle

Blue Whistling Thrush

One species that never goes down to the park and have to be search for in the forest is the Huet's Fulvetta, once you have located a flock they can come quite close. Ground dwelling birds such as Rufous-tailed Robins and Pygmy Cupwings are of course better searched for along the forest trail as well.

Huet's Fulvetta

Rufous-tailed Robin

Pygmy Cupwing

Finally, a nice looking female Verditer Flycatcher I encountered while working at Chuen Lung, despite lacking the bright turquoise to the throat and breast, females are just as lovely to look at under good light.

Verditer Flycatcher - female

So, all in all nothing very exciting, but good variety of birds at this time of the year none the less, quite likely it will stay this way until March when some migrants return.