Here Comes The Heat!

May marks some of our last remaining spring migrants passing through, though I've been drowning in work, I spared few hours to visit a pair of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas at Mai Po, one in particular was already assuming breeding plumage, although not quite in full breeding plumage yet, we don't often see one with 'pheasant tail' in Hong Kong.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

The fishponds and marshes around Mai Po attracts hundreds of marsh terns during migration, a flock of terns feeding on a fishpond at San Tin provided plenty of opportunity for photographers to test their gear's full potential, evidently my EOS R6 did a good job in tracking these flying acrobats. Many were White-winged Black Terns, all in breeding plumage.

White-winged Black Tern

The majority of marsh terns there were Whiskered Terns, I did find the camera tracked these slightly better, perhaps the White-winged Terns were darker and the camera's computer doesn't pick them up as easily.

Whiskered Tern

During our night surveys we continued our luck with owls, including a rather friendly Collared Scops Owl, as well as the resident Brown Fish Owl, although it prefer to keep its distance.

Collared Scops Owl

Brown Fish Owl

The breeding Black Baza returned yet again, unfortunately this year the news was somehow leaked to photographers, since then hundreds of photographers flocked to the site. Though I am not fond of huge crowds, I usually see no problem as long as everyone keep a good distance to the bird and try to keep disturbance to a minimum, but nesting bird is a whole other matter, especially such a rare breeding species, where this pair is now the only known pair left breeding in Hong Kong, it probably would've been best for the birds if the location of the pair was not publicized. Either way, there is no turning back from that, all we can hope for is the this pair can breed successfully despite the disturbance. That being said, the location is currently under construction, and that very patch where this pair breeds is unlikely going to remain there for long, I just hope they will relocate somewhere safe nearby in the future, and not abandon Hong Kong altogether.

Black Baza

Summer is a time to focus less on birds and more on herps! I start my herping season with a lovely juvenile Many Banded Krait, this one perfectly demonstrate how docile this highly venomous species can be, though being notoriously one of the most venomous snake in Hong Kong, fatalities from this species is almost unheard of here, as they rarely strike without any provocation, even when disturbed they almost always want to flee, and quite often will hide its head under its body.

Many Banded Krait

Pheasant-tailed Jacana and Other Regular Migrants

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Not been particularly lucky with any interesting migrants, the long staying Pheasant-tailed Jacana was a nice bird to see as always, with some patience it often came out into the open to feed, mainly on small water snails. Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a regular migrant in Hong Kong, historically we were probably part of the breeding range, although they probably stopped breeding here since we don't have any suitable breeding habitats for them anymore.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Other remotely interesting birds present at Long Valley includes a Yellow Bittern, hunting for small fish and tadpoles in a well vegetated pond. Red-throated Pipits are now arriving, with a few seen trotting around the fields. Red-rumped Swallows been passing through and often seen at Long Valley. Common Snipe numbers have also increased in recent weeks.

Yellow Bittern

Red-throated Pipit

Red-rumped Swallow

Common Snipe

The usual cast of common species such as Black-winged Stilts, White-throated Kingfishers, Black Drongos and Long-tailed Shrike makes birding around Long Valley a joy, most of them allow close views and the afternoon or early morning sunlight makes for perfect photography opportunities.

Black-winged Stilt

White-throated Kingfisher

Black Drongo

Long-tailed Shrike

No visit to Long Valley at this time of the year will be completed without seeing the hundreds of Munias, White-rumped Munias are the predominant species of local Munias, they are often very photogenic. Recently, numerous White-headed and Chestnut Munias mixed into the flocks, these are probably individuals from mercy release which have found their way to Long Valley, whether they will start breeding remains to be seen...

White-rumped Munia

White-headed Munia

Chestnut Munia

I tried Tai Lam a few times but couldn't find anything really good, although a few Dark-sided Flycatchers were nice to see. There were also lots of Eastern Crowned Warblers, but none of them photographable.

Dark-sided Flycatcher

San Tin had been fairly good, although I couldn't find anything rare, a newly arrived Little Bunting was a good reminder that Bunting season is soon to be upon us! While numerous Whiskered Terns provided endless target practice for BIF shots, of which I must yet again praise the EOS R6 for its animal tracking ability, which works great for birds inflight! Whereas I might get just 30-40% hit rate in the past, the EOS R6 will be in focus 80% of the time! 

Little Bunting

Whiskered Tern

The lack of forest birds at my local patch was compensated with a range of waders, including Grey-tailed Tattler, Eurasian Curlew, Red-necked Stint and numerous Plovers. Kentish Plovers were the smallest of the bunch, feeding on the pebble beach.

Kentish Plover

There were also a few Greater Sand Plovers, even in non-breeding plumage you can easily tell them apart by their heavy bill and bulkier body. The late afternoon light was perfect for photography. These plovers are usually very tolerable to people moving around them, as dozens of families were playing along the pebble beach, mostly oblivious to these wonderful birds sitting right next to them.

Greater Sand Plover

A juvenile 'Tibetan' Lesser Sand Plover was amongst one of the friendliest in the bunch, as long as I stayed still enough at one spot, it readily walks towards me as it forages along the pebble beach. A delightful way to spend an afternoon!

Lesser Sand Plover