A quiet start to the week, but an influx of thrushes and buntings with the north wind on Wednesday night.
A Hoopoe on Tuesday was the first since 9th September, a poor autumn for this species as with so many others. A large
phylloscopus warbler on Wednesday appeared to have no wingbars, but I think it's just a very late Arctic. The latest autumn record in Avifauna is 30th November.
Also this week, the annual arrival of Japanese White-eye is in full swing, with small parties all over. This species is mostly a winter visitor to Po Toi, arriving in late November and staying until early April with a very few over summer and none at all in September and October.
![](http://www.geoffwelch46.com/HOOPOE86.jpg)
![](http://www.geoffwelch46.com/ARCTICW82.jpg)
The thrush influx on Thursday brought the first Pale Thrush of the season, together with at least some Eyebrowed and more Japanese. The Brown-headed remained for the whole week and I was at last able to get a reasonable photo of this, together with a male and female Japanese
![](http://www.geoffwelch46.com/BHEADTHRUSH82.jpg)
![](http://www.geoffwelch46.com/JTHRUSH84.jpg)
The bunting influx included more Little, together with at least three Yellow-browed and one Tristram's
![](http://www.geoffwelch46.com/LBUNT82.jpg)
![](http://www.geoffwelch46.com/YBROWBUNT81.jpg)
This is nearly the end of autumn 2008 for me, I'm not expecting to stay on Po Toi through December.
Not a vintage autumn, so many species missing which were seen in both the previous two years, both common and rare - Himalayan Swiftlet, Pechora Pipit, Oriental Cuckoo, Ashy Drongo, Greenish Warbler, Scaly Thrush (where are they?), White-throated Kingfisher, Collared Scops Owl, Red-throated Pipit, Raddes Warbler, Grey Bushchat, Bonelli's Eagle, Dusky Thrush etc etc....
But at least the Flycatchers were in good numbers and kept everyone entertained.
From what I see reported here and hear on BirdLine, it's been the same everywhere.
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Last edited by wgeoff at 17/08/2010 18:28 ]