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Subject: Po Toi Spring 2013 - April [Print This Page]
Author: wleepoin    Time: 2/04/2013 07:58     Subject: Po Toi Spring 2013 - April

1st April 2013 at Po Toi

Yellow-throated Bunting x3
Narcissus Flycatcher x 1
Blue & White Flycatcher x 1
Mugimaki Flycatcher x 1
Brambling x 4
Ashy Minivet x 4
Grey-faced Buzzard x 1
Chinese Goshawk x 1
Pale Legged Leaf Warbler x 2
Yellow-browed Leaf Warbler x 2
Wood Sandpiper x 1
Common Sandpiper x 2
Blackbird x 4
Pacific Swift
Barn Swallow

Cheers
PWMK
Author: wilsondring    Time: 2/04/2013 08:24

On top of the above list, there were also;
Little Bunting x 3
Ferruginous Flycatch x 1

on the note of the Ferruginos Flycatch, he was staying very still and I only had a fontal-view of him in a dark area near the Bramblings and therefore I cannot be 100% sure.

seightings of this bird over the Easter Break:
-Friday: hanging around the hold house at the bottom of the steps to the school all day ..
-Saturday:
-Sunday: not seen at all .. I assumed he had gone left with the improved weather
-Monday: seen at around 11am down from his last seighting on Friday but was not seen for the rest of the day ..

White Bellied Sea Eagle x 1 - seen about 30 minutes after leaving abderdeen ..

[ Last edited by wilsondring at 2/04/2013 10:34 ]
Author: Ken    Time: 2/04/2013 16:41

Some photos taken on Yesterday (1 April)
Yellow-throated Bunting




Brambling




Ashy Minivet


Daurian Redstart
Author: Stonechat    Time: 2/04/2013 19:47

Author: wgeoff    Time: 5/04/2013 06:44     Subject: First Week in April

Another good week on Po Toi following an excellent Easter. Also very wet again, which no doubt contributed to the bird list but made it more difficult to see what was there. My thanks to Peter and Michelle Wong for keeping me in touch with all the birds seen, many of which I missed myself.

I only managed one seawatching session due to the rain. This was Wednesday morning, with strong easterly winds and mist, just the right conditions for Streaked Shearwater off Po Toi - and I was not disappointed. Also the start of Greater Crested Tern migration and a single Ancient Murrelet



Migrating over the sea, this pair of Grey Herons and a single Striated Heron, with a few Little and Cattle Egrets and the first Chinese Pond Herons



But most of the excitement was on land. Grey-faced Buzzards were passing through regularly, with the highest count on Thursday of 18. Also single Japanese Sparrowhawk and Besra.
My best find in the week was an Oriental Cuckoo which was much more obliging for photographs than any I have seen before.



Some of the Grey-faced Buzzards were very pale on the underside - this species appears as variable in colour as other raptors.

The Hoopoe was still around, this week mainly at the Temple, and Ashy Minivets were present all week with at least one Swinhoe's mixed in the flock. But the week really belonged to flycatcher and buntings plus Brambling.

Eight species of flycatchers seen during the week, not all by me - Asian Brown, Ferruginous, Narcissus, Mugimaki, Red-breasted, Blue-and-white, Hainan Blue and Japanese Paradise - here two seen by me



A very wet looking Ferruginous.

Buntings everywhere, mostly Black-faced but also Tristrams, at least four, Little, Yellow-browed, Yellow-throated, two until Wednesday when they seemed to leave, and Chestnut. This is the third spring out of eight I have seen Yellow-throated Bunting on Po Toi, so I guess they are not as rare as past records suggest.



And Bramblings, record counts for Hong Kong, seven in one tree easily seen from the Ferry Pier as we arrived on Tuesday morning, but probably at least ten in total through the week.



I saw five Bramblings fly off north from the South Peninsular on Wednesday, I wonder if these were the five reported at Mai Po that day.

So, a great week except for the rain. But probably, a great week because of the rain

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 5/04/2013 08:38 ]
Author: ivantse    Time: 6/04/2013 00:22

5/4/2013 Friday Afternoon
Weather: Rainy

Thanks Beetle for organizing the trip at the day without ferry. The number of birds not as many as Geoff have got yesterday. Here is the list:

Little Bunting
Tristram's Bunting
Black-faced Bunting
Possibly Yellow-throated Bunting (Not seen by me)
Brambling x 2
Grey-faced Buzzard x 2
Chinese Goshawk at least 2
Besra
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Blue and White Flycatcher (Not seen by me)
Mugimaki Flycatcher(Not seen by me)
Ashy Minivet (Not seen by me)
Black-naped Oriole x 1 Adult male
White-shouldered Starling x 10
Pacific Swift x 4

The sea is so quite, no tern, skua and shearwater.

[ Last edited by ivantse at 6/04/2013 00:24 ]
Author: wgeoff    Time: 6/04/2013 07:23

Hi Ivan

Don't forget - my report covers the whole week, or at least three days, and includes species seen by others, and there were many on Po Toi on Tuesday and Thursday.
Your list is quite a good one for one afternoon - it also includes the first Black-naped Oriole reported on Po Toi this year (to my knowledge)

There are very few seabirds around at the moment, you would be very lucky to see any on the way to Po Toi or even on a trip around the island. The best seabird times are from the third week in April to the second week in May.
Author: Beetle    Time: 6/04/2013 11:05

In addition to Ivan's List there should be

Pale-legged leaf warbler x 1
White-shouldered Starling x 20 or more
White-cheeked Starling x 2


and a possible Two-barred Warbler as below photo


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Author: Beetle    Time: 6/04/2013 11:08

Another possible Two-barred/Greenish Warbler which may not be the same individual

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Author: wleepoin    Time: 6/04/2013 20:58

Po Toi
4th April, 2013
Some photos to share.


Narcissus Flycatcher




Ferruginous Flycatcher


Ashy Minivet

Male


Female

Black-faced Bunting

Male


Female

Little Bunting


Yellow-browed Bunting


Grey-faced Buzzard








Cheers
PWMK
Author: ajohn    Time: 6/04/2013 22:20

Both of Beetle's warblers look like Yellow-browed to me, rather than Two-barred. Note the pale fringes to the tertials on the first bird.
Author: wleepoin    Time: 8/04/2013 08:30

7th April 2013 Po Toi

Grey-faced Buzzard x 1
Chinese Goshawk x 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher x 5
Blue and White Flycatcher x 2
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher x 2
Mugimaki Flycatcher x 1
Narcissus Flycatcher x 3
Hainan Blue  Flycatcher x 2
Ferruginous Flycatcher x 2
Red-breasted Flycatcher x 1
Black-faced Bunting
Little Bunting  
Tristram’s Bunting
Oriental Dollarbird x 1
Eurasian Hoopoe x 1
Oriental Cuckoo x 2
Daurian Redstart
Cinereous Tit
Yelllow-browed Warbler
Pale-legged / Sakhalin Leaf Warbler x 3
Japanese White-eye x 100+
Pacific Swift
Barn Swallow

Cheers
PWMK
Author: lmhokevin    Time: 11/04/2013 08:28

May I know what is it? On 09.04.2013 at Po Toi

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Author: gary    Time: 11/04/2013 12:06

A Rustic Bunting I think.
Author: wgeoff    Time: 12/04/2013 06:44     Subject: Second Week in April

Another fascinating week watching migration in action.

The best place to see migration in action is from my seawatching station on the south tip of the South Peninsular. Here you can see not just migrating seabirds but also waders, egrets and land birds.
For seabirds this week, more terns - another three Great Crested following the first two last week, also two Gull-billed and two Little, plus the first signs of migration from Red-necked Phalarope which have been later than usual this year



Also waders, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone as well as the Red-necked Phalarope (which I count as a seabird) - Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper here



All the main egrets can now be seen migrating, Great, Little, Cattle Egret and Pond Heron, often in mixed flocks, plus this week a single Swinhoe's Egret and a Black-crowned Night Heron



Raptors, this week another Osprey and on Thursday several flocks of Grey-faced Buzzard including this one of 12 (only nine in the photo)



Small landbirds are difficult to see over the water, mostly seen when they land on the rocks beside me - here a tschutschensis Yellow Wagtail, a forerunner of many more over the next few weeks



One of the many hazards faced by land birds on migration is predation by larger birds. Peregrines are always present at migration time, living off Red-necked Phalarope and small land birds, also Black Kites. Land birds flying over water are particularly vulnerable because they have nowhere to land, I have seen Black Kites take a tired Brown Shrike several times - but a Barn Swallow? - impossible ... or so I thought until I witnessed it myself



It seems a Barn Swallow does not have enough wing-power to move quickly when trapped over the sea.

So, a good selection of what makes seawatching so interesting in spring.

On land, another wet week but with good birds. Tuesday was easily the best day, many birds seemed to leave on Tuesday night. Bird of the week was the Rustic Bunting found near the Ferry Pier just as the Tuesday return ferry was leaving and photographed here and elsewhere



This bird had just arrived and was desperately searching for food.
Mostly flycatchers, Ferruginous, Narcissus, Mugimaki and Blue-and-white, and buntings, many Little and Black-faced, also Tristram's and Yellow-browed, but also two White-breasted Waterhen, a Brown Hawk Owl, the hepatic Oriental Cuckoo all week together with seven Ashy Minivets with one Swinhoe's and three Brambling but on Tuesday only. Here some flycatchers and buntings and the Oriental Cuckoo, photo thanks to Mei Ling Tang



As we move into the second half of April, 'colourful' flycatchers will be replaced by Asia Brown and Grey-streaked, Chinese Goshawks will replace Grey-faced Buzzards, Brown Shrikes will start arriving, and maybe some exotics - Malayan Night Heron or Fairy Pitta would be good

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 13/04/2013 08:08 ]
Author: kfmak    Time: 13/04/2013 20:05

It was taken today in Po Toi.  Is it Eurasian Siskin (黃雀)?

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Author: Ronaldo    Time: 13/04/2013 21:00

a nice yellow-fronted canary, straight from Africa...
Author: kfmak    Time: 13/04/2013 21:08

Thank you Ronaldo!
Author: wilsondring    Time: 14/04/2013 21:24

15/04/2013

Little Bunting X
Black Faced Bunting 1
Chestnut Bunting 1
Rustic Bunting 2
Blue & White Flycatcher 1
Ferruginous Flycatcher 1
Grey-Faced Buzzard

photos to follow ..

[ Last edited by wilsondring at 14/04/2013 21:51 ]

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Author: iherman    Time: 15/04/2013 09:41

In addition to above list:

1. Swinhoe's Minivet
2. Mugimaki Flycatcher
3. Asian Brown Flycatcher
4. Black-Naped Monarch
5. Narcissus Flycatcher
Author: wgeoff    Time: 15/04/2013 09:58

Herman - no list numbers please, just

Swinhoe's Minivet
Mugimaki Flycatcher
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Black-Naped Monarch
Narcissus Flycatcher

I can then copy them directly into the Records Sheet.
If you want to record the number of each species, just add the number after the name e.g.

Swinhoe's Minivet 2

Thanks
Author: HFCheung    Time: 15/04/2013 19:32

List on 14 April 2013,
Not all recorded by me, including those I heard from others on the island.

Pacific Reef Heron        岩鷺
Black Kite        黑鳶
Greater Sand Plover        鐵嘴沙鴴
Common Sandpiper        磯鷸
Red-necked Phalarope        紅頸瓣蹼鷸
Domestic Pigeon        原鴿
Spotted Dove        珠頸斑鳩
Greater Coucal        褐翅鴉鵑
Indian Cuckoo        四聲杜鵑
Pacific Swift        白腰雨燕
Common Kingfisher        普通翠鳥
Ashy Minivet        灰山椒鳥
Brown Shrike        紅尾伯勞
Red-whiskered Bulbul        紅耳鵯
Chinese Bulbul        白頭鵯
Barn Swallow        家燕
Dusky Warbler        褐柳鶯
Yellow-browed Warbler        黃眉柳鶯
Two-barred Warbler        雙斑柳鶯
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler        淡腳柳鶯
Eastern Crowned Warbler        冕柳鶯
Yellow-bellied Prinia        黃腹鷦鶯
Masked Laughingthrush        黑臉噪鶥
Japanese White-eye        暗綠繡眼鳥
Crested Myna        八哥
Blue Whistling Thrush        紫嘯鶇
Eyebrowed Thrush        白眉鶇
Pale Thrush        白腹鶇
Oriental Magpie Robin        鵲鴝
Blue Rock Thrush        藍磯鶇
Asian Brown Flycatcher        北灰鶲
Ferruginous Flycatcher        棕尾褐鶲
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher        白眉姬鶲
Narcissus Flycatcher        黃眉姬鶲
Mugimaki Flycatcher        鴝姬鶲
Blue-and-white Flycatcher        白腹姬鶲
Grey Wagtail        灰鶺鴒
White Wagtail        白鶺鴒
Common Rosefinch        普通朱雀
Little Bunting        小鵐
Rustic Bunting        田鵐
Chestnut Bunting        栗鵐
Black-faced Bunting        灰頭鵐

I count only 6 species of Flycatcher.

[ Last edited by HFCheung at 16/04/2013 15:23 ]
Author: iherman    Time: 16/04/2013 08:55

Geoff thank you your comments  
Author: wgeoff    Time: 19/04/2013 07:06     Subject: Third Week in April

Thanks Herman, please obey instructions from now on  

Another wet week with showers and longer periods of rain, this week accompanied by fog.
Except for Monday night, which was dry and clear with light southerly winds, a perfect combination for migration. Many of the weekend birds left that night, a few remained and were joined by new arrivals during the week, no doubt brought in by the rain. So it was a good week, although not perhaps up to the standard of the previous three.

I had a new arrival too - a shadow by the name of Benjiman Li, website alias fai584, who spent the week following me taking photographs, of me and birds. So some of the following belong to him - I think you can tell the difference.

Rain and fog, a combination which isn't great for seawatching. But this spring has been very poor for seabirds whatever the weather and all I had was 4 Greater Crested Terns in six hours plus a few migrating waders. Benjiman was not impressed by seawatching.

But without the seawatching, we wouldn't have seen the best bird of the week, a (female-type) Green-backed Flycatcher which was in the gully at the South Peninsular on Tuesday afternoon, clearly having just arrived



(last photo by Benjiman). This bird had a much more distinct green colour than these photos show.

Other new arrivals (for me) during the week included Indian Cuckoo and Tree Sparrow on Tuesday, Stonechat and Grey-streaked Flycatcher on Wednesday and Cinnamon Bittern (Benjiman's photo), Common Redshank, Black-capped Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Arctic Warbler and Black Drongo on Thursday - here three of these



Old favourites still present - more than one male Chestnut Bunting still very popular (one photo each from me and Benjiman), the Rustic Bunting still to be seen occasionally, and a flock of three Swinhoe's Minivets which I think are different to those seen about two weeks ago, no Ashy Minivets with this group



Finally, a migrant which has been around now for two weeks but not had much publicity, this Taiwan Racing Pigeon all the way from Taiwan and now in a foreign country dreaming about it's homeland



I think it's lost the race by now

More of the same weather next week it seems. Maybe some Chinese Goshawks, Brown Shrikes and more Arctic Warblers

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 19/04/2013 12:24 ]
Author: Ronaldo    Time: 20/04/2013 23:30

20th April
Northern Boobok (may be three birds flushed in different areas of Po Toi)
Ashy Minivet 2+
Japanese Paradies Flycatcher (short tail)
Asian Brown Flycatcher 5x
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 2x
Rustic Bunting
Japanese Sparrowhawk
Chinese Goshawk 2x
Black Drongo 2x

Other relevant birds seen by others:
Cinnamon Bittern
Chestnut Bunting
Mugimaki Flycatcher
Brown Shrike

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Author: K_Chan    Time: 21/04/2013 07:38     Subject: Blue-throated bee-eater 藍喉蜂虎 (?)

Po Toi 15:45hrs 20April2013
Right after the show-up of Chinese Goshawks above the Ming Restaurant, there were 2-3 birds flew out in high speed, with conspicuous needle-like central feather attached to their tails. Under wing in dark brown or reddish. Also angled outer wing when flying. Hovering for over 3 mins there.
Could these be Blue-throated (or Blue-tailed) bee-eaters? Wonder if any birders shot them.
Author: wgeoff    Time: 26/04/2013 06:08     Subject: Fourth Week in April

A week with the usual ups and downs of spring birding on Po Toi.

The cold front which passed through HK last Sunday brought a brief influx of Chinese Goshawks into Po Toi on Tuesday morning - birds which I guess had arrived on the Dangan Islands on Sunday and Monday and were starting their northward migration again. We probably missed most of the movement either on Monday or early on Tuesday morning.

The ferry arrived at the same time as a few flocks of Chinese Goshawks and one flock of Grey-faced Buzzards passed through - I counted 40 Chinese Goshawks and 4 Grey-faced Buzzards. Also brought in were Brown Shrikes and Arctic Warblers - together with Chinese Goshawk making the big three of late April migrants



plus a few surprises, three different and quite late Ferruginous Flycatchers, all together above the Upper School



Also two Brown Hawk Owls, a Blue-and-white Flycatcher and a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler.

All these gradually declined in numbers as the week went on, with good migration weather overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. So it was a surprise to find the bird of the week on Thursday, another 'female-type' Green-backed Flycatcher near the helipad.
I lost all my Thursday photos when my memory card became corrupted so I'm grateful to my shadow Benjiman Li for this photo of the Green-backed



I think this is a different bird to the one the previous week.

Also around during the week, two Minivets which I didn't get to see closely but which sounded like Swinhoe's, and a Japanese Bush Warbler singing near the Sister's Cafe. Plus two new breeding records for Po Toi, White Wagtail and Great Tit.

At sea, the first Short-tailed Shearwaters



also seven species of tern, Whiskered, Gull-billed, Greater Crested and the first Common, Aleutian, Black-naped and Bridled Terns of the year plus a Greater Sand Plover lost in the fog on Thursday, photo thanks to Benjiman



Other visitors of the non-flying variety during the week, Vaughan Reed, a regular migrant from UK who pretends to be working here but really seems to have a lot of spare time, Neil Pfifer, a vagrant from Mai Po, Beetle Cheng, a vagrant from Wetland Park, and Gary Taylor, a real rarity from Yorkshire in UK who spends most of September and October on a very remote Scottish island called Foula looking for American birds! - who said the British aren't mad!

If it rains a lot today (Friday), then the weekend may be good on Po Toi.

Please note that next week is Festival Week all week, Monday to Friday, with a special daily ferry service. Not my favourite week and I probably won't stay until Thursday so don't expect a report until the weekend. Unfortunately I can't tell you what the ferry service is because Tsui Wah haven't yet published the schedule but it's usually every two hours from Aberdeen to Po Toi. Wednesday is Dragon Boat Day - thousands of visitors, no space in the restaurant but it doesn't usually affect the birds

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 26/04/2013 06:10 ]
Author: wilsondring    Time: 1/05/2013 23:22

Chinese Goshawk 2
Hai-Crested Drongo x
Dollarbird 1
Common Magpie 1

[ Last edited by wilsondring at 2/05/2013 00:31 ]



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