subbuteo

I have been walking my dog along the same path very early each morning for the past two weeks.  There has been little of real note so far in the area of Pak Tin Kong and Ha Tin Liu Ha.

Birds so far:

White-breasted Water Hen
Chinese Pond Heron
Spotted Dove
Barn Swallow
House Swift
Lesser Coucal
Crested Bulbul
Chinese Bulbul
Long-tailed Shrike
Magpie Robin
Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike (3/9/09)
Koel
Crested Serpent Eagle
Black-necked Starling
Crested Mynah
Jungle (Large-billed?) Crow
Magpie
Japanese White-eye
Common Tailorbird
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
Great Tit
Tree Sparrow

Nothing Earth-shaking so far but very pleasant.  I've probably missed a few other common birds- apologies.

subbuteo

And I missed out:

Black-eared Kite
Grey wagtail
White wagtail
Sooty-headed Bulbul
Yellow-bellied Prina
Violet Whistling Thrush
Masked (Black-faced) Laughing-thrush
White-cheeked Laughing-thrush
Hwamei
Spotted Munia

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 9/09/2009 10:44 ]

kmike

Its good to know there is another regular birder in Lam Tsuen - please keep posting!

The Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike is a good early record - thought I saw one about 10 days ago, but views not enough.

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

I'm out every morning around 6am for twenty minutes.  There isn't a big range of habitat on my current route, a couple of feng shui wood copses and very vegetative swamp.  I need to branch out more but I think I'll wait until it cools down before I do- and suss out the village dogs, we've had a couple of run ins, mainly due to my dog's lack of sense.

This morning at the Golden Triangle I can add:

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (x3)
Phyllosc sp- poor views so can't claim a species
Crested Goshawk

There is a fig tree in full fruit bringing in many birds, mostly bulbuls, spotted doves and white-eyes.  It should be worth keeping an eye on.

I am a little perturbed by all the tags on the trees at the Golden Triangle, many of the trees are labelled "retain" which is reassuring.  What is the fate of the others?  I'd hate to see the area "tidied".

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 4/09/2009 11:38 ]

thinfor

Thanks for the bird report.  Some birders and I are going to Lam Tsuen in the coming migration season again soon, may be Oct.

BTW, can I ask more exactly where I can see the white-cheeked laughingthrush?  Does it appear in the habitat just like other laughingthrushes do but usually solitary?

subbuteo

The white-cheeked laughing thrush seem to prefer scrubbier vegetation and low trees to the sides of the valley or in the valley itself.  They occur in small groups.  They are noisy and will draw your attention if you are near them.  I hear them more often than see them.  She Shan area seems to be reliable.

thinfor

Thanks a lot. Subbuteo.

ddavid

She Shan - late afternoon, 6-9-09

Richard's Pipit - 2
Zitting Cisticola - 4
Bright-capped Cisticola - 1

dave

subbuteo

Golden Triangle this morning

Asian Brown Flycatcher

subbuteo

Pak Tin Kong

Dark-sided Flycatcher, two juveniles together

subbuteo

15th September

After a stormy night, a quick walk with the dog between showers produced a pair of dollar birds at Ha Tin Liu Ha.  I'm hoping that the storm will have held a few migrants in the valley for this afternoon.

subbuteo

16th September Ha Tin Liu Ha, 6.15am

Dollar bird 4

subbuteo

before 6.30 am, 17th September below Ha Tin Liu Ha

Dollarbird x1
Grey-streaked flycatcher x1

subbuteo

19/9/09

There hasn't been much of note about the last couple of mornings.  This evening produced two dollarbirds.  There are warblers about but I never seem to have my binoculars available when I am near them.

subbuteo

I left the dog at home and took a walk up to the lower fall at Ng Tung Chai.  Plenty of birds around but the warblers are proving hard to pin down!

Ng Tung Chai 20th September 7 - 9.15 am

Black-eared Kite
Crested Serpent Eagle
Spotted Dove
Arctic Warbler
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
Fork-tailed Sunbird
Rufous-capped Babbler
Silver-eared Mesai
Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler
Common Tailorbird
Mountain Tailorbird
Crested Bulbul
Chestnut Bulbul
Black-necked Starling
Crested Mynah
White-backed Munia

Also a Chinese Mountain Snake on the path.

Best bird of the day was perched on a wire above the entrance to my home, a dark-sided flycatcher- which sat beautifully until I took my camera out.

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 20/09/2009 11:28 ]

hgeorge

Ng Tung Chai 21 Sep 2009

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher - 2
Hainan Blue Flycatcher
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2
Dollarbird
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Mountain Tailorbird - 9+

subbuteo

Good birds, hgeorge,  I'll have to go with you next time!  What time of day was this? And where did you see the birds- below the first fall, before the temple?

Thanks.

subbuteo

6.20am 25 Sept 2009, Pak Tin Kong

Hair-crested drongo  3

subbuteo

Ha Tin Liu Ha, 5.15- 6pm

Plaintive Cuckoo 1
Hair-crested drongo 2
Dollarbird 3

subbuteo

Pak Tin Kong 6.15am

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

subbuteo

Pak Tin Kong 6-6.30 am; 5-6.15 pm

Grey-streaked Flycatcher 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher 2
Dusky Warbler
Stonechat 2
Grey Wagtail 3
Dollarbird 1

kmike

Ping Long to Ha Tin Liu Ha - 0800 -1000

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1
Hair-crested Drongo - 2
Black Drongo - 1

Siberian Stonechat - 3
Dusky Warbler - 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Crested Goshawk - 1
Crested Serpent Eagle - 1

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Visible migration from my roof in Ping Long this morning at 0615 am

Four Black Drongoes moving SW down the valley towards KFBG.

Also a Dollarbird on the powerlines across the valley - my first one up there this year.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

10 Black Drongos today - reflecting passage at Mai Po (60 before 10 this morning)

Cheers
Mike K

ddavid

She Shan area - 4/10/2009 - late afternoon
A hint of autumn on the air!

Cattle Egret - 3
Crested Goshawk - 1
Common  Moorhen - 1
Partridge sp - 1 !!
Richard's Pipit - 3
Olive-backed Pipit - 1
White Wagtail (leucopsis) - 18
Grey Wagtail - 4
Common Stonechat - 6
Lanceolated Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 5
Zitting Cisticola -4
Hair-crested Drongo - 2

dave

subbuteo

Visited Ng Tung Chai twice in the last couple of days but have not had a chance to report on here.  Plenty of good birds about.  I've seen Black-naped Orioles two days in a row, both immature birds.

Birds listed in the order seen in the walk from home to Ng Tung Chai and back.

6/10/09
White Wagtail
Hair-crested Drongo
Dusky Warbler
Black-necked Starling
Plain Prinia
Spotted Dove
Chinese Pond Heron
Long-tailed Shrike
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
White-rumped Munia
Common Tailorbird
Tree Sparrow
Magpie Robin
Magpie
Great Tit
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Hwamei
Crested Bulbul
Chinese Bulbul
White-cheeked Laughing Thrush
Black-faced laughing Thrush
Mountain Tailorbird
Silver-eared Mesia
Rufous-capped Babbler
japanese White-eye
Chestnut Bulbul
Grey-chinned Minivet
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Buff-bellied Flowerpecker (why did they change this name?  I much preferred fire-breasted)
Crested Serpent Eagle
CRested Goshawk
Blue-winged Minla


Two mysterious birds:
A sparrowhawk flushed beside the path- very pale grey, moved up to and around in a tree but I could not get a good view.
I heard a large hawk cuckoo call- apparently in the distance.  Is it more likely this was a mimic at this time of year?

7/10/09

Black-naped Oriole imm

8/10/09

Ping Long

Dusky Warbler
Black-naped Oriole
Yellow-browed Warbler
Japanese White-eye
Crested Mynah
Crested Bulbul
Black-necked Starling
White-rumped Munia
Scaly-breasted Munia
Tree Sparrow
Stonechat
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Long-tailed Shrike
Sooty-headed Bulbul
Hair-crested Drongo
Black-faced Laughing Thrush

Tai Om Tsuen

White Wagtail
Magpie Robin
Common Tailorbird
Scarlet Minivet
Magpie
Great Tit
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
White-cheeked Laughing Thrush
Large-billed Crow
Chinese Bulbul

Ng Tung CHai

Red-billed Leothrix
Violet Whistling Thrush
Silver-eared Mesia
Rufous-capped Babbler

Ng Tung Chai was hard work today, the birds were not showing at all!

Incidentally, I had two Emerald Doves in August in the grounds of the old primary school at Tai Om Tsuen.  There are some very established trees in the grounds that seem to draw many birds in.

ddavid

She Shan area - 11/10/09 - late afternoon (unpleasant rain)

Black-crowned Night Heron - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 1
Richard's Pipit - 11
White Wagtail (leucopsis) - 19
Grey Wagtail - 4
Common Stonechat - 5
Dusky Warbler - 8
Zitting Cisticola -5
Ashy Drongo - 1

The Richard's Pipits (a good count!!) were on the "reclaimed" area - all the grass has been recently cut.

dave
dadiskin@netvigator.com

subbuteo

Lam Tsuen 14/9 Pak Tin Kong to Ng Tung Chai and return

Tree Sparrow
Spotted Dove
Magpie robin
Chinese Pond heron
Black-necked Starling
Crested Mynah
Scarlet Minivet
Common Tailorbird
Japanese White-eye
Scarlet-backed Flowerpeacker
Black-faced Laughing Thrush
Blue rock thrush (Phillipensis)imm seen just below Ng Tung Chai village

Ng Tung Chai trail

Red-billed Leothrix
Yellow-browed Warbler
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Rufous-capped Babbler
Mountain Tailorbird
Chestnut bulbul
Fork-tailed Sunbird
Silver-eared Mesia
Violet Whistling Thrush
White-rumped Munia- in a tree in the forest- it seemed as confused by its location as I was

From Lam Kam road

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Mountain Tailorbirds are fairly common and fairly easy to see along the trail, they seem to be well established.  Certainly more about than when I was last visiting Ng Tung Chai four years ago.

Dylan

subbuteo

A quick walk through She Shan grassland this morning

Richard's Pipit 8+
Zitting Cisticola 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting 2

kmike

Gripped off by Subbeteo's Yellow-breasted Bunting , which I think is a new Lam Tsuen bird (at least in the modern birding era) and went out to look for it this morning. I dipped, but it was worth it as this turned out to be a good session for migrants:

Swintail Snipe - 2

Black Drongo - 3
Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1
Common Blackbird - 1 m
Black-headed Bunting - 1

Little Bunting -1
Red-throated Flycatcher - 2
Brown Flycatcher - 1

Common Kingfisher - 1

Richard's Pipit - 7
Yellow- Wagtail - 2

Bright-capped Cisticola - 1

The Black-headed Bunting was obviously the pick of the bunch. I first saw it flying over the Tin Liu Ha area witha couple of smaller buntings and immediately noted the large size, pale head with a dark eye and pale bill, but had to wait to bump into it again on the edge of the dumped area at She Shan, when it showed pretty well. I found it after putting up the Richard's Pipits, and when it flushed - almost as big and long-tailed as a Richard's Pipit, I was surprised to see what I thought was another Richard's flop about 10 yards and crash into some grass stems in very un-pipit-ic manner.  After a second's confusion it dawned on me that this was the bunting and was able to see the original fetures I'd seen in flight, plus some fine streaks on the mantle and the head. The dark greater coverts were rather washed out and there was only a hint of a yellow wash in the undertail coverts, but with views as close as I had it was unmistakable.

Apart from the migrants other good birds included:

Crested Serpent Eagle - 2
Besra - 1

Scarlet Minivet - 2
Hair-crested Drongo - 4

White-cheeked Laughingthrush - 4

Cheers
Mike K

ddavid

Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Black-headed Bunting this afternoon.

Just for the record, I saw two Yellow-breasted Buntings at She Shan on November 5th, 2006!!

dave

kmike

Thanks Dave

I'd like to concoct a Lam Tsuen list, so its good to know about these.

Sorry to hear you didn't see the BH Bunting.

This morning there was a Brown Shrike and 3 Chinese Blackbirds (flying over) in Ping Long, plus I heard an Olive-backed Pipit.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

I didn't get the black-headed bunting either.  There were four olive-backed pipits down at She Shan yesterday morning.  I also saw four blue magpies fly across the valley which is the first time I have seen them in Lam Tsuen.

subbuteo

8 am 22 October 2009, Pak Tin Kong

A single Ashy Minivet was perched on a line.

kmike

This is a very good record - I have seen only one other  - at Ng Tung Chai on 11 Nov.  

Cheers
Mike

kmike

Lots of migrants in Lam Tsuen this morning between Ping Long and She Shan (0600- 0930):

Hobby (over my roof at 0630)

Swintail Snipe - 1

Common Kingisher - 1

Oriental Turtle Dove - 4

Richard's Pipit - 7 or 8
Olive-backed Pipit - 1
Yellow Wagtail - 1

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 2

Daurian Redstart - 1 M (first of the winter)

Chinese Blackbird - 2
Blue Rock Thrush - 1 imm male philippensis  (rare in Lam Tsuen)

Dusky Warbler - 10
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1 (first record for La Tsuen?)
Yellow-browed Warbler - 3 heard
Pallas' Leaf Warbler - 1 (first of the winter)

Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2

Black Drongo - 1 (in the same dead tree as a Hair-crested Drongo)

Masked Bunting - 1 (first of the winter)
Yellow-Breasted Bunting - 3 (Lam Tsuen tick for me)
Silky Starling - 1 (first of the winter)

Other birds of interest -

Great Egret  -1 feeding in grassland
Night Heron - young bird flushed from same area
Moorhen - 3 in same pool as BB Reed Warbler (rare in Lam Tsuen)

Cheers
Mike K

[ Last edited by kmike at 25/10/2009 22:03 ]

subbuteo

26 October 2009

I found a dead Mugumaki Flycatcher this morning in Pak Tin Kong. Another unfortunate victim of a badly designed glass roof cover.

A walk to She Shan was quiet this morning. There were large numbers of Siberian Stonechat in the valley, I counted at least fifteen.  Nine Hair-crested Drongos were perched on a dead tree on the valley edge.  At the grassland in She Shan there were a few Richard's pipits, two Little Buntings.  I picked up Mike's Dark-browed Reed Warbler at the ponds at the back of the valley- along with a moorhen and at least five Dusky Warblers. Olive-backed Pipits are returning, I saw them at two locations this morning.

kmike

. . . and more birds from Lam Tsuen  . . .   I had a Crested Serpent Eagle over Ng Tung Chai from the bus, and then as I got off, a Common Buzzard was soaring over Lam Tsuen.

Then in the afternoon a bird that was either Mountain Hawk Eagle or a juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle appeared above the hill opposite my home.  It had fine barring on the underwings and tail, and pale outer primaries that contrasted with the rest of the underparts which were distinctly dark (with a hint of paleness on the belly.  It showed mottled brown upperparts, with no obvious rump or broad tail bands.  Most intriguingly it soared on flat wings with just the tips of the primaries raised, quite different from CSE, which soars with is wings in a shallow V. The main non-MHE feature was the slightly short tail. Any thoughts from others would be welcomed.


I walked up to Tai Om Shan this evening now that the path has been cleared by the grave-sweepers and had almost nothing until coming down through the ruined village, where a Fork-tailed Sunbird whittered to itself, and two Pygmy Wren Babblers sang in the undergrowth.  Just as I was leaving I caught a flicker of movement and found an Ashy Drongo of one of the  dark-cheeked races.

However an undeniable highlight of the day was a Purple Heron that flew down the valley at dusk as I was helping my wife take in the laundry. It had the good manners to call a couple of times and then beat slowly past towards the sunset over the pass at Kadoorie Farm - a terrific addition to the Lam Tsuen list.

Cheers
Mike K

PS There was also a Mountain Water Snake in the forest at Tai Om Shan

subbuteo

I have been a bit slow to post recently due to time constraints.  

Another victim of the glass rooftop was Lanceolated Warbler on the 23rd October.  

Yesterday morning (27th Oct)  I flushed a Japanese Sparrowhawk off the path at Lam Tsuen San Tsuen.  It was perched in a climbing plant on the side of the path.  I saw another orange/rusty breasted sparrowhawk over the Golden Triangle later that day.  From the distance it too appeared to be a Japanese as there did not seem to be clear bands across the chest and the rusty colour was full across wings and chest.

This morning (28th Oct) I saw a pale rumped starling flying away from me at She Shan, heading down the valley towards Tai Po- it had clear wing markings so I strongly suspect it was a Purple-backed Starling.  I had a flock of seventeen Hair-crested Drongos heading the same direction.  Common Blackbirds have made a strong appearance and can be heard all around the valley.  This evening, flock of eight to ten buntings flew across the swamp area below Pak Tin Kong, unfortunately I was unable to follow them due to a post-fishing wet three year old who was not in good form.

subbuteo

I flushed two Japanese Quail from the grass at She Shan this morning.  Not much else to report today- very quiet.

kmike

No sign of Dylan's Japanese Quails, but a hot walk on Sunday morning was well-rewarded.

Top bird was a Common Teal on the She Shan ponds - a new Lam Tsuen bird for me, and possibly a new record for the valley

I was surprised to discover the same ponds also held two Black-browed Reed Warblers - one more than last weekend.

Other good birds included 3 Little Buntings, 4 Chestnut Buntings, a Daurian Redstart and my first Siberian Rubythroat of the winter around the marshy farmland at Pak Tin Kong.

I also heard at least 3 different Red-throated Flycatchers, had two flyover Green Sandpipers, an Ashy Drongo, a Cattle Egret, a couple of Zitting Cisticola and a single Bright-capped Cisticola.

There was also one that got away - a large dark warbler came out of thegrass and dropped into cover without ever appearing. It was big enoughto be Oriental Reed Warbler, which I still need for my Lam Tsuen list.

I also had a record four  Lesser Coucals - all juveniles.

Cheers

Mike K

[ Last edited by kmike at 2/11/2009 17:41 ]

kmike

The cold front last night brought some birds past Ping Long between 0645 and 0720 this morning:

Silky Starling - 17
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Chestnut Bunting - 1
Plaintive Cuckoo - 1
Chinese Blackbird - 12 (highest of the winter so far)

Cheers

Mike

subbuteo

A rather frustrating morning.  There was a big fall of buntings since yesterday morning and they are playing hard to get.  Only clearly identified Little Bunting with four together.  I saw two buntings with a yellow breast in flight but not well enough to identify.  I saw two separate flocks of buntings, one with 31 birds over She Shan grassland.  Another further up the valley had 20+ birds.  Also in the valley today were two substantial flocks of munias, one at She Shan had 50+.  The grass in the valley is coming into seed so this must be drawing them in, unfortunately the birds are drop down into the grass so hard to see.

Other birds today:
Red-throated Flycatcher
Daurian Redstart
White-cheeked Laughing Thrush
Chinese Blackbird
Siberian Stonechat
Richard's Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Teal (female in the pond)
Dusky Warbler

There is another skulking warbler down in the swampy grassland below Pak Tin Kong- but it won't come out to say hello.

subbuteo

From birdline this evening a large flock of buntings were pinned down by someone and are Little Buntings.  Hopefully I'll get back down tomorrow morning and see them up close...