cgeoff

There is a Martens's Warbler Seicercus omeiensis at Pak Sha O, which is an enclave within Sai Kung West Country Park. Access to the village is via a footpath from Hoi Ha Road, about 1.5km before Hoi Ha Village. The bird is on winter territory in the area along the footpath between lamp post numbers VA5393 and VA5394, on the left as you go down to the village. If accepted, this would be the first for HK.

The call is diagnostic among Seicercus, and a recording is below.

S. omeiensis PSO.mp3 (158.39 KB)

S. omeiensis PSO.mp3 (158.39 KB)
Downloaded count: 772

14/01/2013 12:43

The photo below is useful in that it confirms the orbital ring is complete around the eye.

Seicercus omeiensis PSO 2.jpg (47.74 KB)

14/01/2013 12:51

There is no private car access to Hoi Ha Road without a permit. Minibus no. 7 runs from Sai Kung Pier to Hoi Ha, at around half-hourly intervals from approx. 8am to 6pm. It is rather more frequent at the weekend, but the schedule is rather erratic.

GeoffC

{Apologies for the duplicate image, but I tried to replace the over-sized original with a lower resolution version, and ended up with 2 large images!]

[ Last edited by cgeoff at 14/01/2013 12:54 ]

Jonathmartinez

Ah Ah, that's a good one... well done Geoff.

brendank

Geoff, is Seicercus omeiensis more likely to  winter in HK than Seicercus valentini? The Golden-spectacled Warbler I observed Friday could very well have been Seicercus omeiensis in that the eyering was complete, there was no visible wingbar, and the white on the outer rectrices appears to extend all the way to the base. I didn't consider that possibility at the time. I will try to relocate it and try to hear the call.

[ Last edited by brendank at 14/01/2013 14:19 ]

cgeoff

Too few records to say, Brendan. Valentini breeds quite close to HK in northern Guangdong, while omeiensis has been recorded on Hainan.

In terms of plumage, the two are very similar. Valentini tends to have a slightly more distinct wing bar, I think. Call remains the easiest way to separate this group outside the breeding season.

Geoff

cgeoff

I should perhaps say that this bird has been very elusive, and may require some time to see. It has showed throughout the day though.

GeoffC

Jonathmartinez

I found this year a population of Martens's warbler in NW Hunan that is as far as I know the closiest one to HK.

lchunfai

Geoff,
Would you mind attaching a map here?
I'm not sure about your exact location mentioned above.

Thanks,
fai

cgeoff

On the image below, I've marked the entrance to the path down to Pak Sha O. This is just past PSO Youth Hostel. The path runs alongside the youth hostel, and a short distance beyond, between the lamp posts mentioned above, is area in which I've seen the bird.

GeoffC

S omeiensis at PSO.jpg (106.7 KB)

14/01/2013 16:03

lchunfai

Thanks, it is very useful.

kmike

Congratulations on a great find Geoff!

Mike

tgraham

The bird was still present today though it took 4 hours to find and was very mobile

Geoff thanks for the info and detailed directions.

Graham

lchunfai

Thanks Geoff again.
The warbler showed up and started calling at 10:50 and it is really hard to take a good shot.

thinfor

Also a nice birding day in Pak Sha O today.  It was more birdy that I expected and lucky to tick the potential HK first.

Pak Sha O contains quite a few different terrains.  There are some pieces of relatively small scale of open flatland, a cultivated area (that I just recognized today), shrubs and also woodland areas.  

Birding time 觀鳥時間: 1000-1330
Weather 天氣: Cool with breeze
Humidity 濕度: Fine, not dry nor humid

Great Tit
Chestnut Bulbul x2+
Black-throated Laughingthrush x1
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush x2+
Blue-winged Minla x3+
Yellow-bellied Yuhina x2
Grey-backed Thrush x2+
Japanese Thrush x2 (F & M)
Scaly Thrush x2
Blue Whistling Thrush x1
Asian Stubtail Warbler x2+
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler
Fork-tailed sunbird x1 (M)
Red-flanked Bluetail x2 (F & M)
Rufous-tailed Robin x1
Black-naped Monarch x1 (M, not seen by me)
Martens's Warbler (Seicercus omeiensis) x1

[ Last edited by thinfor at 16/01/2013 00:45 ]

tsheunglai

Dear all

The warbler's was still there around ten forty-five this morning with a loose flock of mixed birds.

Cheers

S L Tai

HKBWS Ivan

Here is a very useful reference written by Per Alström for ID Golden-spectacled Warblers.

http://www.slu.se/Global/externwebben/centrumbildningar-projekt/artdatabanken/Dokument/Personal/Per%20Alstr%C3%B6m/Golden-spectacled%20Warblers.pdf

cgeoff

I saw the bird again today (Friday 25th) at around 5pm, lower down, near the toilet. Gave good, but brief view.

GeoffC

Ronaldo

no Martens' but five thrush species today
Japanese Thrush 1x (F)
Grey-backed Thrush 3+ (2F+1M)
Scaly Thrush 1x
Chinese Blackbird 2+
Blue Whistling Thrush 1
Greater necklaced Laughingthrush a party
Red-flanked Bluetail 1 (F)
Rufous-tailed Robin 1
Asian Stubtail Warbler 1
Daurian Redstart 2 (1F+1M)
Blue-winged Minla and other common forest birds

Sad to see the damage done to the swamps near the village of Pak Tam O, all due to developers, who want to change the old style houses in "new modern crap". When is Hong Kong going to realise the wealth of its national heritage and biodiversity.

[ Last edited by Ronaldo at 3/02/2013 22:41 ]

cgeoff

If you are concerned about Pak Sha O and want to urge the government to protect the biodiversity and cultural heritage of the area, you can provide your views to government, as this is the consultation period for the draft Development Permission Area plan that was issued in response to indications that applications for development in this enclave within the Country Park might be made in the near future. Send an email to The Secretary, Town Planning Board at tpbpd@pland.gov.hk with the title: Draft Pak Sha O Development Permission Area Plan DPA/NE-PSO/1. Remember to provide your HKID or passport number. The closing date for submissions is 7th February (this coming Thursday). The more submissions, the more likely the TPB will heed calls for restricting development possibilities.

GeoffC

cgeoff

For those interested, I saw this bird again today, after a gap of 3 weeks. Same place. Calling vigorously around mid morning.

GeoffC