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

Autumn Migrants at my Local Patch

Having been living in Tai Po for nearly five years now, I consider most of Tai Po area close enough to be my local patch, and Tai Po Kau is certainly one of them, being just 15 minutes drive from home, it certainly is an area I visit often. A morning walk there yielded two Siberian Blue Robins, first was a 1st winter female, and the second one a 1st winter male, both showed quite well. Siberian Blue Robins are generally an uncommon passage migrant in Hong Kong, although on some days they can be quite numerous. Unfortunately, its been fairly quiet at Tai Po Kau otherwise, with very few other migrants or even residents seen.

Siberian Blue Robin - 1st winter female

Siberian Blue Robin - 1st winter male

Great Barbets are still quite active around Tai Po Kau Park, but as always they remain high up and difficult to get a good photo.

Great Barbet

Tai Mei Tuk Catchwater have been extremely disappointing, I did not encounter any notable migrants there! Although a friendly Speckled Piculet and a few Scarlet Minivets did allow me to get some good photos, both iconic forest species of Hong Kong.

Speckled Piculet

Scarlet Minivet - male

A bit lower down along the Ting Kok Coast East, many Hair-crested Drongos were around, I always enjoy seeing them at close range, their metallic blue plumage best observed under good lighting. A Besra came through a few times, obviously looking for unsuspected birds, but the local Black-collared Starlings were definitely not happy about its presense.

Hair-crested Drongo

Besra - juvenile

On the mudflat at Ting Kok during low-tide, a few Kentish Plovers and Greater Sand Plovers were present, these are regular passage migrants and winter visitors here. A friendly Grey-tailed Tattler was a welcoming sight, a species that I don't see here very often.

Kentish Plover

Greater Sand Plover

Grey-tailed Tattler

Away from Tai Po, at my survey site at the airport a few White-faced Plovers were present together with many Kentish Plovers. Juveniles and females are not too easily distinguished from Kentish, but I have found that the pale spot at the bill base of the lower mandible to be a good feature if you are close enough to the bird, together with pinkish legs and overall heavier bill and head, they can be separated with Kentish Plovers with a bit of care.

White-faced Plover - juvenile

White-faced Plover

The Oriental Plovers were still present, but they have spread out throughout, a juvenile was particularly confiding and allowed close views. Strangely enough, I haven't heard of any other Oriental Plovers reported elsewhere around Hong Kong at the moment.

Oriental Plover - juvenile

Oriental Plover - non-breeding female

Up to three House Sparrows have been spotted along the fence by the South Perimeter Road, they seem to be residents around the airport now, and follow the main flock of Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Give it a few more years I suspect their numbers may increase if they successfully breed here.

House Sparrow - males with Eurasian Tree Sparrows

Autumn Migration in Action - Plovers, Snipe and More

Autumn migration is now in full swing, having hurt my ankle I haven't been out as much as I should, but I am hoping a bit more rest will allow my ankle to heal a bit better. That being said, I have been out a few times, mainly work related. During my monthly survey up to eight Oriental Plovers turned up to my delight, this is by no means an easy bird to see in Hong Kong, so I am happy to connect with them during work. 

Oriental Plover - juvenile

Oriental Plover - non-breeding female (I think)

The breeding White-faced Plover seems to have done its job and moved on, I last saw them around late August, the chick was already capable of flying a short distance, I did not see them again on my last visit, so my guess is that they have now moved on.

White-faced Plover - female

White-faced Plover - juvenile

Other noticeable movement of birds are hundreds of Eastern Yellow Wagtails on the move, as well as increase of Wood Sandpipers. Black-winged Stilts also seems to be on the move, with some people reported them out at sea. 

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Wood Sandpiper

Black-winged Stilt

Many 'Swintail' Snipes are passing through Hong Kong at the moment, at Long Valley I saw at least two confirmed Pin-tailed Snipes, as you can see the tail spread in the photo, but also many 'Swintail' Snipe which I was unable to nail the ID. Greater Painted Snipes were also present as always, although after a long summer they seem a bit shy at the moment.

Pin-tailed Snipe

'Swintail' Snipe

Greater Painted Snipe - male

Also present at Long Valley was a young Besra which seems to be terrorising the munias there at the moment, I managed to find it perched on the wire between it hunting. Other notable migrant there were a few Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers, all of which gave flying views only, but I managed to capture this one in flight as I flushed it.

Besra

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler

A brief visit to San Tin didn't yield much for me, although there were many Great Mynas juvenile present, a species which is yet to be on the HK official list, but is now showing signs of breeding and self sustaining population, so perhaps it is time to review their status in Hong Kong. A few Oriental Turtle Doves were also seen, the first for me this autumn.

Great Myna - juvenile (Crested Myna to the back)

Oriental Turtle Dove

Despite my injuries, I made the effort to try for the Javan Pond Heron at the Deep Bay mudflat, my 6 hours of waiting disappointingly ended in failure. It is never fun when you put extra effort in only to not be rewarded. A Striated Heron was perhaps the only remotely interesting bird out there.

Striated Heron - juvenile

A visit to Po Toi Island which was not really for birding rewarded me with my first Asian Brown and Yellow-rumped Flycatchers of the season, they stayed very high up on a large banyan tree, making it impossible to get any good photos of them.

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - juvenile