I've not posted this under Po Toi September, which is now getting too long a thread.
Of course, I'm as intrigued by this bird as everyone else - where has it come from? Is it just a local ex-captive or is there something more exciting to the story. As a romantic at heart, I would love it to be the latter, and the evidence is building that it is.
I've been in contact with the individual who saw the birds on Xiao Yangshan Island near Shanghai. Four birds were first seen on Saturday 15 September but perhaps arrived a day or two before. There were five there the next day and eight reported on Sunday 23rd September but it's quite possible all eight have been there all the time. So, we know that a small number of Varied Tits arrived on Xiao Yangshan Island on or around 15th September, quite unexpected and not seen before in that location (by knowledgable birdwatchers at least) and then one appeared on Po Toi Island on 16th September having probably arrived that day or the previous night, also equally unexpected.
Now for the real news. Xiao Yangshan Island is the location for a major deepwater port of Shanghai - see here
So these arrivals in Shanghai and Hong Kong are either an extraordinary co-incidence or connected, by a ship which stopped at Yang Shan on or around 15 September and then Hong Kong within a day or two. My bet is now on a ship-assisted passage for this bird.
For me the question is, were they originally escapes or wild birds? More photos of the Shanghai birds appear here
They don't appear dishevelled in these photos, but I'm expecting originals from the photographer soon.
Finally, I add that previous obvious ex-captives arriving on Po Toi have not usually stayed longer than one day. I had a Common Myna there for 20 days in 2007 and I think that arrived by ship from further south. The Varied Tit certainly acts natural.
Any thoughts from others are welcome.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 28/09/2012 13:15 ] Author: sdavid Time: 28/09/2012 14:44
I'm not suggesting it for this case, but generally, do fihermen ever release birds as religious offerings or to bring them luck?
I have seen bird cages on fishing vessels before and had wondered in the past whether some of the Po Toi escapes had arrived by this method, when boats are moored in the bay south of the village? Author: lrichard Time: 28/09/2012 15:20
Further to Geoff and David's comments, Varied Tit is listed by Brazil (1991) as one of the three most popular cagebirds in Japan. It apparently adapts well to captivity, can be taught to do tricks, and is/was used in the fortune-telling trade.
Brazil also paints a picture of Varied Tits of the various Japanese subspecies being highly sedentary on their islands, staying within well demarcated territories. It may be that juveniles disperse but the Po Toi bird and the bird in the photos I've seen from the container terminal island in Zhejiang are all adults. Author: Jonathmartinez Time: 28/09/2012 15:45
well the question is could have a super thyphoon hit one of this island and created some movment on this species population there. That's the reason why I've said it could be interesting to check if the subspecies could be determinate, as if it proove to be one of the northern population it will reduce the possibility of the typhoon have got any influence on this movment.
I've been to Donghai port before, it is a fantastic place for passerine migration and an easy access site. Well it is true that it is one of the major harbour near Shanghai but on the other hand nobody know what's up in the other coastal island where nobody never go.
All the best,
Jonathan Author: brendank Time: 28/09/2012 16:42
I still don't thinking the timing is right. This bird arrived at PT by 1600hr on the 16th September and it seems the Typhoon didn't get close to southern Japan until 16 September 0000hr. The fastest a ship could get to Hong Kong from somewhere close to Japan is 25 and more likely 30 hours (if maintaining a more realistic speed of 21 knots as opposed to 25 knots). So I don't think it is possible it could have gotten to Po Toi that early. Author: wgeoff Time: 28/09/2012 17:29
Yes, these are the northern subspecies varius from Japan and Korea. Super Typhoon Samba did not reach that area until late on 16th September which is too late.
All the birds are adults, as far as we know.
Given the sedentary nature of the species, as mentioned by Richard, I think the most likely explanation is a release of captive birds within the port of Yang Shan around 14th September (customs seizure?), most of which remained in the area but a few dispersed including a bird found at Dongtan Nature Reserve, Nanhui on 22nd September and the Po Toi bird which hitched a ride on a ship leaving Yang Shan port on 14-15th September and arrived in Hong Kong the next day. The fact that it is a sedentary species by nature would explain why our bird is still on Po Toi.
Anyway, it still makes a good story.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 28/09/2012 17:36 ] Author: lmichael Time: 28/09/2012 18:20
We'll probably never know for sure, but Geoff's explanation has a compelling logic and coherence - that still makes it Cat III though I'm afraid.
Best regards
Mike Author: tsheunglai Time: 28/09/2012 21:21
Dear all
I've read everyone here. I never doubt there's been coincidence which happens often in human life,
and why not in bird life?
As doubts leaves room for both pro and con sides, we will naturally see it as a doubtful case
and classify it thus accordingly.
S L Tai Author: Jonathmartinez Time: 29/09/2012 14:42
I haven't got the feeling that anybody was pro or con, but just people trying to find out the best theory about how this bird has reached Po Toi. I agree that Geoff pointed out some very interesting arguments.
All the best,
Jonathan Author: kmike Time: 29/09/2012 22:13
A general observation
I have no idea how these birds might have got to where they are, but if they were escapes why don't they show any sign of it?
A HKU PhD survey of birds in the HK bird market showed that over 90% of captive birds showed visible evidence of cage damage.
The logical implication is that birds which do not show cage damage are unlikely to have come from a cage.
Doesn't the fact that just one out of the six Varied Tits show possible (and by no means certain) signs of cage damage, makes it rather unlikely that these birds have indeed been in captivity?
Cheers
Mike K
PS if dishevillment is really to be taken as evidence of escape then half the birders I know belong in jail! Author: brendank Time: 30/09/2012 21:34
With regards, captive birds showing visible evidence of cage damage. I think birds could be released/escape from captive and survive in the wild for a long time. They would undergo molt after being released and show no feather damage at that point. I imagine a Varied Tit could survive several years if released from captivity. Author: cgeoff Time: 30/09/2012 21:53
Varied Tits have not previously been noted to migrate any distance whatsoever. That doesn't, of course, rule out the possibility that they are migrants (a comparable example would be owstoni flycatchers, for which the first evidence of significant migration concerned birds in HK). Although there may well be no evidence of previous captivity, equally there is no evidence of previous migratory behaviour. My current feeling is that the case for either scenario is not strong, and so a cautious approach may be the most appropriate. If this bird, and the Zhejiang birds, do indicate previously unrecorded coastal migration, then it will happen again, and we can base a judgement on stronger evidence.
GeoffC Author: ajohn Time: 1/10/2012 08:45
Surely the amount of cage damage would be related to the amount of time spent in captivity. Maybe these birds were captured in Japan/Korea, transported down the coast by ship and then released/escaped within a few days of capture.
I agree with Geoff C that the lack of evidence of migratory behaviour has to be a factor here - I think it is a stretch to conclude that Varied Tit is a migratory (or irruptive?) species based on a single occurrence of a bird in Hong Kong and a few in Shanghai. These are a very long way from the normal range, and if this species normally migrated one would expect to have seen previous evidence for this in north-east or eastern China.
To me, there is also the issue of the date - even assuming Varied Tit was a short-distance migrant with HK as the extreme southern limit of it's range, wouldn't it be a late migrant (as with e.g. Bull-headed Shrike) rather than a mid-September migrant (most/all of which are continuing further south)? Author: Jonathmartinez Time: 1/10/2012 20:07
Hi All,
Some interesting news from North China and South Korea that I received from Jesper Hornskov today, I copy his email below with his permission :
"Dear friends,
About 10 days ago Nial Moores ventured that being on the look-out for Varied Tit could make sense (as odd ones were turning up out of range in S Korea)...
Now I really found one: my wife & I are visiting Qingdao, and there was one in the newly fixed-up Badaxia park this morning.
When I get back to Beijing I'll look up how rare it is here.
Yesterday morning a bit of visible migr incl 49 Richard's Pipits; today a Woodcock, 10 Red-thr Pipits etc.
Best wishes,
J"
Start to smell good for Cat I :-)
All the best,
Jonathan Author: ddavid Time: 1/10/2012 21:06
Following on from the above post by Jonathan, the message below was posted on the OB website today:
Dear [OB]ers,
I found a Varied Tit in Badaxia park, Qingdao, Shandong, China, this morning. The species is at most an irregular visitor to Shandong...
Interestingly, N Moores suggested to me about 10 days ago that it might be worth looking out for the species as some had been turning up outside its normal range in S Korea.
Apparently, there have been records also near Shanghai & in Hong Kong (T Townshend pers com), suggesting a rare influx is in progress. I hope everyone who has the opportunity will feel encouraged to get into the field and LOOK - anywhere from N Shandong to Hong Kong!
Several years ago a single bird turned up at Happy Island, Hebei, around 17th/18th Oct as part of a large-scale irruption of Coal, Eastern Great & white-headed Long-tailed Tits, and Common Treecreeper... Unfortunately we were unable to extend our stay to record the progress of the irruption, but - as a minimum - it will be worth keeping in mind that other spp may also be one the move.
Length of time in captivity may not be the only factor in the extent of cage damage. While certain aspects (e.g. bumble foot and aberrant moult) are related to the time in captivity. Trapped birds, especially if roughly extracted, could show plumage damage from the moment of capture.
Other factors likely to affect the amount of cage damage could include the size and design of the cage relative to the size of the bird, how hard the bird tries to escape, the degree of stress, the amount of crowding in the cage, possibility of aggression by other birds and the presence or absence of feathers especially prone to damage (e.g. the tail of a White-rumped Shama).
Cheers
Mike Author: Jonathmartinez Time: 2/10/2012 11:33
I've just received some more information from Nial Moore about some interesting behaviour notice in South Korea these past weeks, again, I copy his email below with his permission :
"It appears that the movement of Varied Tit probably started in the ROK in the last week/ten days of August. Personally, on August 26th and again on 29th, saw several small groups of Varied Tit spiralling up and dropping back down again into cover on Heuksan Island, a Yellow Sea offshore island about 40km west of other large islands, and some 500km east of Shanghai. This is an island with a breeding population of the species - but this type of behaviour was notably unusual. Back on the mainland on August 31st in Mokpo City (where Varied Tit is also common), >50 were watched moving west in only 15 minutes, with some birds probably >200m up and climbing (as typical for tits during "proper movements"). A small westward movement of Varied Tit (several groups of 4-5 birds) was also seen 150km further north the same day and on Sep 1st. Of major interest, Chris Cook reported to the Kantori Listserver on Sep 1st that in the Japanese Alps (on Honshu) the previous day "in a matter of a few hours, there were probably 100 birds or more in small groups -- 5, 10 or even 20 -- passing west".
Through until at least September 25th, 10s of Varied Tit also seemed to be showing irruptive behaviour in the SE of the ROK (Busan and Gimhae) - joined by an increasing number of Coal Tit - with small groups of birds flying out south to sea most days, and then moving off southwest. Even as I write this now, I can hear Varied Tit calling from trees in front of our office here in Busan.
Although the species can be quite numerous some years and we do get Varied Tit turning up most years on Korean Yellow Sea offshore islands (including on islands where they do not usually breed, confirming some movement), the number of birds involved and these locations suggests that this year has already been quite exceptional for the species.
With westward movement in at least one place in Japan and at several locations in the ROK during the past month, it is fascinating (and perhaps predictable?) that the species is now being found to the west (and southwest) of its usual range...Congratulations to the finders!
well I can forward all the discussion on OB forum, but it seems that more birds are found slowly. A very interesting discussion on birdforum as well, where it seems that quantity of birds have increased slowly at Xiao Yang dao, to reach 8 birds on 22nd of september, there was only 4 on 16th and only 1 on 15th. It looks more an arriving of birds rather than release of captive birds.
All the best,
Jonathan Author: puppymic Time: 2/10/2012 21:51
Another varied tit found in an urban park, is it also an ex-captive bird?
No tail so not a good sign. Author: lyatming Time: 5/10/2012 00:03
I told the story to an experienced bird watcher in Japan and asked his opinion. Here is his comments.
Dear Lee-san,
Thank you for sending me an interesting information and pictures. Excude my delay in answering.
Yes, the Varied tit is distributed far from Hong Kong, isn't it?!...
I wonder where this bird come from to Hong Kong. Compare to our subspecies, varius this bird has more heavier, stouter bill and more deeper cream on the face. subspecies owstoni from Izu Island has rusty-orange forehead, chestnut of cheeks is continuous with all-chestnut underparts. subspecies amami from Okinawa has heavier bill and deeper cream face like as this bird but rufous on the under tail coverts as the flank.
subspeices castaneoventris from Taiwan has pure white face and upperparts dark blue-grey and underparts deep chestnut. In Japan among 8 subspecies, it's said that southern subspeices tend to have more heavier and stouter bill than northern one, so this bird might have come from the souhtern end of their distribution in main land China, don't you think?
When I wrote above that the Shanghai Varied Tits were probably ex-captives, it was based on the assumption that the species is sedentary.
Now we are learning that the species disperses westwards on an annual basis and particularly seems to be making a westwards irruption this year, it seems perfectly feasible that the Shanghai birds are of wild origin.
I still think the Po Toi bird most likely arrived by taking a ride on a ship - only one bird, in the right location to take a ship and a long way from the other records of the species. But it would still be a wild bird for me, even if it did take a ride. Author: lchunfai Time: 8/10/2012 15:49
Interesting, seems this bird was found in Qigu district which is on the west coast, southern end. Would be close to shipping lanes. So the ship assisted theory seems to be gaining evidence.
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