Late Spring Vagrant : Mongolian Short-toed Lark, AGAIN!

While out guiding on 18th May, on our last stop at Long Valley, I was scanning through a flock of Eastern Yellow Wagtails when I saw a small lark amongst them, and what else can it be but another Mongolian Short-toed Lark! I couldn't quite believe it having only seen one back in March! Incredibly, this bird did not stay around and disappeared almost immediately, as far as I know no other birders saw it again despite arriving only minutes later.

Mongolian Short-toed Lark

Another good species I have seen lately were two Barred Cuckoo-doves literally right on my doorstep, this was when John visited and the day before our trip to Sabah, we just went out for a casual stroll around my place, and to my surprise I found an adult with a juvenile perched in the tree opposite my house! With increased records of this species throughout much of New Territories, I do believe they are now breeding in Hong Kong, although still a rare bird nonetheless.

Barred Cuckoo-dove - juvenile

Barred Cuckoo-dove - adult

Another good bird near home lately were several Chestnut-winged Cuckoos, I always enjoy seeing this large and colourful species, and May is often the best time to observe them, as they are most vocal during this time of the year.

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

Other good birds at Long Valley includes a Himalayan Swiftlet earlier in the month, as well as the long staying Watercock which have now slowly moulted into sub-adult male plumage. Indian Cuckoos have been very vocal there lately and it is not difficult to see them flying around or occasionally perched on a tree somewhere. Pied Kingfishers do come through occasionally, feeding on the shallow ponds.

Himalayan Swiftlet

Watercock - male

Indian Cuckoo

Pied Kingfisher

Typical migrants at this time of the year includes Grey-streaked Flycatchers, Whiskered and White-winged Terns. All of which comes through in decent numbers.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

White-winged Tern

Whiskered Tern

Around Mai Po, some good migrants can still be seen on the scrape, Chinese Egret are often seen at the mudflat hide, but occasionally will come into the scrape. Asian Dowitchers and Nordmann's Greenshanks can still be seen in May, although wader numbers should start to drop very soon by end of the month. Many Little Herons have now arrived for the breeding season, they can be seen flying around or perched on the mangroves in the reserve.

Chinese Egret

Asian Dowtichers

Little Heron

On a drained fishpond at Tai Sang Wai there were a good selection of waders, including Tibetan Sand Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers, good numbers of Red-necked Stints, Curlew Sandpipers, Broad-billed Sandpipers and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.

Tibetan Sand Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Assorted waders: Red-necked Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Finally, some local residents that we will be left with in the next few months...Special mention for Lesser Coucals and Sooty-headed Bulbuls, both scrubland specialists with decreasing population in Hong Kong due to habitat succession, you can still find them fairly easily in suitable habitats.

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Asian Emerald Dove

Greater Coucal

Lesser Coucal

Sooty-headed Bulbul

Slow Spring - Rosy Starling & Waders

Spring migration had been pretty slow for me, mainly because my local patch had been exceedingly disappointing in producing anything of interest, a stark difference to last year's run. Work had been keeping me away from much birding for a week or so, therefore, I haven't even been able to connect with some of our more regular migrants. One of the better bird of late is a Rosy Starling moulting into adult plumage, which I suspect was the one present since November, only now prettier than before. It had been showing regularly and terrorizing the White-shouldered Starlings present.

Rosy Starling

White-shouldered Starling

I also saw a few Great Mynas mixed in with Crested Mynas, now a regularly seen species around Deep Bay area, no doubt taken up residence in Hong Kong. The only purely migrating species of interest I saw at San Tin were a few Himalayan Swiftlets.

Crested & Great Myna

 

Himalayan Swiftlet

Despite all the bulldozing happening at Long Valley, it is still a worthy area to visit during migration, over a dozen Red-necked Phalaropes feeding on the shallow ponds made for great photographic opportunities, with a few now moulting into their breeding plumage.

Red-necked Phalarope

One of the less common visitor to Long Valley is the Grey-headed Lapwing, which I was delighted to see around the shallow ponds, these ponds also attracted a small numbers of waders including Long-toed and Red-necked Stints. 

Grey-headed Lapwing

Red-necked Stint

Over at Mai Po, shorebirds migration are now in full swing, with a good number of species present on the scrape during high tide. Here are a good selection of the commoner species which came close to the hide.

Terek Sandpiper

Black-tailed Godwit

Pied Avocet

It was hard to resist taking a few photos of this Little Grebe in full breeding plumage, especially when it swam so close in front of the hide. 

Little Grebe - breeding plumage

Some of the better migrants on the day were a few Great Knots, numerous Red Knots in breeding plumage and good numbers of Asian Dowitcher, a species I enjoy immensely seeing each spring. I also spotted a single Nordmann's Greenshank and a few Far Eastern Curlews on the scrape, but those were too far for any decent photos.

Great Knot

Red Knot - breeding plumage

Asian Dowitcher - breeding plumage

Greater Painted Snipes likely started their breeding season at Mai Po, I heard and saw at least one pair along the pond outside Education Centre.

Greater Painted Snipe - female & male

A short visit to Po Toi yielded a few Bunting species such as Black-faced, Little and a pair of Chestnut Buntings, none of which were photo friendly...The only bird photographable on the day I visited were a pair of Ashy Minivets. There is still a bit of time left for spring migration, hopefully my luck will come...

Ashy Minivet - male