Paul H 5/12/2008 11:52
Possible Yellowish Bellied Bush Warbler at Mai Po
Yesterday, 4 December, I was walking round Mai Po and at 1.30 pm had come from along the fence to the first ( corner) pond after the Lut Chau turn off.
As I reached the end of that pond an exceptionally small bird flew below me a few inches above the reeds, quite unlike anything I have seen before. It was really startlingly small, notably short bodied, all dull brown above and flew with its rather thin tail cocked in the air while flying. I got the binoculars on it just before it dropped into the reeds and saw a clearly marked supercilium and some yellow on the underside. After it had dropped into the reeds I heard a distinctive call from the spot, slow then fast, which fitted the description in Birds of Hong Kong of a spring being wound up and released.
Paul