kamfai 17/03/2012 20:13
Bunting ID please
17-3-2012 LV
1)
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/fai159357/DSC_7550.jpg[/IMG]
2)
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/fai159357/DSC_7387.jpg[/IMG]
3)
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/fai159357/DSC_7422.jpg[/IMG]
Thanks
ddavid 17/03/2012 20:52
I presume 1 & 2 are the same bird, which looks like a Rustic Bunting to me. Pretty rare bird in HK with I think only 1 previous record in March & several records in November.
Good find.
David
kmike 17/03/2012 21:05
A magnificent male Rustic Bunting! congratulations!
Stonechat 17/03/2012 21:28
3551d5f02ecd445 輝仔, great find..3551d5f02ecd445
kmatthew 17/03/2012 23:37
Great find of this great looking bird!!3551smile445
ajohn 18/03/2012 09:38
Rustic Bunting has been recorded on several occasions in March, but these spring records are generally treated as escapes in Hong Kong. Presuambly this species has the unique ability to escape only during the spring migration period...
By the way, the 3rd photo is a female Black-faced Bunting.
ddavid 18/03/2012 12:51
I was referring to accepted records. I believe there is one March record - at Mt Austin in 2010 - that has been accepted.
Up until at least the 2005 - 2006 Bird Report, Rustic Bunting was in Category B i.e a species which has probably occurred in HK in a wild state, but for which possibility of escape/release cannot be excluded.
It is now in Category 1 i.e. species considered to have occurred in a wild state. This change seems to be based largely on a pattern of November records (with also single records in December and January).
Perhaps now that Rustic Bunting is regarded as of definitely wild occurence, the previously unaccepted March records will be open to review ....
David
[[i] Last edited by ddavid at 18/03/2012 12:54 [/i]]