ajohn 23/04/2011 17:34
Ashy Woodswallow reported at Lower Shing Mun
I have heard reports today of a reported Ashy Woodswallow in a village near Lower Shing Mun reservoir, phoned in to BirdLine by James Lambert. This would be a first record for Hong Kong if confirmed. At the moment I am not sure of the exact location of the bird. Richard is apparently in the field at the moment trying to track the bird down.
If possible, it would be great if James could add further details of the sighting for anyone who is interested in looking for the bird. Either post details here, send me a PM or contact BirdLine again to provide more information.
Alternatively, if anyone reading this lives nearby and has the opportunity to check out the area to look for the bird, that would be great.
lrichard 23/04/2011 22:10
James Lambert found the bird today at about 4:30 pm, perched on wires over an area with low vegetation in a well-wooded valley. I went to look for it with him at about 6 pm, but no joy.
The site is the valley beside the Lower Shing Mun channel at Pak Tin Lower Area No. 5, Tai Wai. Best views of the valley and overhead wires are from the right hand side of the river channel. Hopefully, James will post links to a map.
lpaul 23/04/2011 23:02
Richard, given that James has not managed to post anything yet, can you give us some more meaningful directions, I can't make much from what is here.
Thanks.
lrichard 24/04/2011 10:34
An Ashy Woodswallow was again seen, though briefly, at about 8 am this morning (Sunday 24th) in the same valley as yesterday, but higher up, just below the reservoir dam. It was flying over a large, steep grassy slope on the Tai Wai side of the dam. There were lots of people there with model airplanes.
Based on today's experience, the easiest way to look out over the two areas where the bird has been seen is to go along Lower Shing Mun Road. This road passes the entrance to a Crematorium. A short distance after this, there is an open view over the lower part of the valley, where the bird was seen yesterday. Continue along the road for about 1 km to reach the reservoir dam where it was seen this morning. From the dam it's possible to continue down the other side of the valley via a narrow concrete path which emerges at a squatter's village on the edge of Tai Wai at Pak Tin Lower Area No. 5.
F
lrichard 25/04/2011 13:03
Probably a bit late now, but here's a Google map which James Lambert sent me which shows the Lower Shing Mun channel at Heung Fan Liu. (Although we originally thought Pak Tin was the Chinese name of the place, it seems that Heung Fan Liu is the correct name for the area of orchards at the bottom of the channel. The road is signposted for Heung Fan Liu and it's a name taxi-drivers will know). Richard
[url]http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=22.376334[/url],114.168211&spn=0.002282,0.004769&t=h&z=18&msid=211222892408629404946.0004a1972c6c2ad419e4b
sdavid 28/04/2011 20:27
I presume this is long gone?