subbuteo

Nice change in the weather today, so out on my roof this evening and saw a total of nine snipe (flock of eight and a single bird).  They flew from the Hong Lok Yuen direction up towards Kadoorie Farm.  I only had them in silhoutette but hey called in flight and I think they were Pin-tailed Snipe (from listening to recordings on xeno-canto).

I have never seen a flock of snipe here before apart from flushing two or three of them down towards She Shan.

Also Brown Wood Owl and Asian Barred Owlet calling this evening.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 6/09/2013 19:42 ]

subbuteo

I flushed an immature Striated Heron this morning and saw a Crested Serpent Eagle, the first in a while.

Dylan

subbuteo

Lam Tsuen, HK-
08-Sep-2013 07:00 - 09:45
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 kilometer(s)
Comments:     24C, bright and sunny, dry.  Mostly up at Ng Tung Chai a few birds picked up on the way.
26 species

Crested Goshawk  2
Besra   1
Great Barbet 1
Mountain Tailorbird  8
Oriental Magpie-Robin  2
Hainan Blue-Flycatcher  1 immature male moulting into adult plumage

Dylan

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai, 8 September 2013

Crested Goshawk and a Besra(?), although from size, pale colour and the "straight" trailing edge of the wing, could it be a Japanese Sparrowhawk?  I only got the one good shot, I was photographing a butterfly and these just came into view briefly!

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 8/09/2013 14:04 ]

subbuteo

Thanks, Mike.  I didn't get long to look at them so glad to have the photo, lucky I got one in focus.

According to the 2011 bird report, this would be the earliest record by eight days.

Dylan

subbuteo

6am, Pak Tin Kong, 9 September 2013

Eurasian Hobby
White-cheeked Laughing Thrush

Dylan

subbuteo

6.10 am, 11 September 2013

Dollarbird

Dylan

subbuteo

6.05 am.  16th September 2013

Nothing of real excitement today but out before the birds had left their roost behind Lung A Pai.  I counted 530 crested bulbuls in eight minutes as they passed through a tree they use as a gathering site before dispersing.  There were more to come but I had to go and get organised for work.

Dylan

subbuteo

Yes, Geoff, sorry,  Red-whiskered.  That's great to know, the count could go higher if I had spent longer, still a good few birds to move through.  I'll try and do an early morning count on a weekend.

A good day at Ng Tung chai, John!

Dylan

subbuteo

It's great to get something significant from a common bird!  Better get a grand total this weekend.

Dylan

subbuteo

Lam Tsuen, HK-
22-Sep-2013 06:30 - 09:00
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 kilometer(s)
Comments:     T3 up, 30C, overcast turning to drizzle. Light breeze developed.
37 species (+1 other taxa)

Dusky Warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus)  2     in dry grass and scrub beside the river channel; two together; calling and moving about.
White-browed Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla sannio)  3 at Tin Liu Ha and seen again near She Shan
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)  3     in the new drainage channel.
Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi)  0     kicked through the long grass at She Shan and didn't get any.
passerine sp. (Passeriformes sp.)  1     possible bunting flushed off burnt ground.

Also seen a warbler species at open end of drainage channel on below She Shan; calling chak-chak, dusky warbler like.  Pale colour, fine bill, long white eyebrow demarcated by dark above and below. Watched for about 30s; moving about in a small tussock surrounded by flowing water.  Initially thought it was Manchurian reed warbler from the illustration in Viney's book but after looking at images online, I'm now sceptical.  It wasn't a Dusky Warbler but I don't know what it was!

Dylan

subbuteo

23 September 2013, post-Usagi!

Quality birds for my short dog-walk this morning!

Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike
Verditer
Asian Brown Flycatcher

Dylan

subbuteo

6.15am, 25 September 2013

Dollarbird perched in a much-diminished bare tree- there is a serious lack of standing dead trees around my patch now.

Dylan

subbuteo

The tree the bulbuls move through is about one third the size, I counted 367 red-whiskered bulbuls in ten minutes this morning (6.18 -6.28 am).  It may just be they were not all up yet but they may flying out differently following the damage- less room in the tree?  Certainly doesn't sound like there are less when they start calling when they rouse.  

It was simple to count them against light sky as they flew into the tree but seeing the flocks against the forest vegetation is much harder in the low light.

Dylan

subbuteo

Indeed! They are there, honest! 530 and then some :-)

Dylan

subbuteo

And I had a summer/autumn high count of Chinese bulbuls yesterday- 2!  There are just none about my village at the moment.

subbuteo

6.30am; 28.9.13

Barn Swallow 2 (first in a while)
Grey-chinned Minivet 36 in one flock

I regularly (almost daily) see a few Scarlet minivets, Grey-throated less often; this was a large flock and not combined with other species.  They were in the little valley behind Lung A Pai.

Dylan

[edit]PS- happy to do a joint count John- let me know; want to do it this Tuesday?

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 28/09/2013 18:41 ]

subbuteo

6.10am, September 29 2013

Thanks, Geoff, that's interesting.  I encountered the flock of Grey-throated Minivets again, 51 birds this time. I also had a go at choosing a different location to count the Red-whiskered Bulbuls.  It didn't really help the count but did confirm they are gathering away from the bare tree.  Got my first Ashy drongo of the year too.

Grey-throated Minivet 51
Ashy Drongo 1
Red-whiskered Bulbul 327
White-cheeked Laughing thrush 6 (three separate pairs)
Dusky Warbler 1

Dylan

subbuteo

30 September 2013

Ashy Drongo 1

A mystery bird which was approximately Scarlet Minivet sized but heavier built, backlit but seemed grey wit light barring on chest and belly.  Bill long and fine, straight. Tail end a deep V; tips of V rounded.  I attached a dreadful photo- binoculars and iphone combo in bad light!

I though possibly plaintive cuckoo or a cuckoo-shrike?

Dylan

subbuteo

I thought cuckoo-shrike too but could not get enough to be definitive. Terrible photo but pretty much all I could make out is in the photo!

subbuteo

1 October 2013

Pak Tin Kong

Dollarbird  1
Stejneger's Stonechat 1

Dylan

Also Cattle Egret and Blue Magpie which are both unusual around my village.

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 1/10/2013 18:37 ]

subbuteo

2 october 2013

I am yet to see a barking deer! And I must look out for the cascade frogs too.

This morning:

Ashy Drongo 1

Dylan

subbuteo

3 October 2013

Ashy drongo 2
Dusky Warbler 1

One of the Ashy drongos was clearly a leucogenis as I could see its face.  The second had a different tail shape, the fork starting further down, and the tail tips curving out sharply at the end.  It was almost an inverted capital T.  It was in silhouette at a distance so it was hard to distinguish features (similar to the cuckoo-shrike earlier in the week).  Both drongos were calling loudly, the leucogenis doing a very good imitation of Crested Goshawk.

Dylan

subbuteo

6.10 am, 4 October 2013
Pak Tin Kong, HK-
22C, misty and hazy, heavy dew on vegetation.
17 species

Grey-chinned Minivet 28
Scarlet Minivet   5
Ashy Drongo  2
Red-whiskered Bulbul  547     counted from 6.19 to 6.35; probably a few more to come but I am late for work!
Stejneger's Stonechat 2

The bulbuls stream in and gather in the bare tree and seem to reach a critical number them move off in a flock.  I am still missing birds that fly behind me or low so the count could be a bit higher yet.

Dylan

PS picture of the tree for illustrative purposes...

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 4/10/2013 08:27 ]

subbuteo

5 October 2013

Pak Tin Kong

Dollarbird 1
Ashy drongo 2
Hair-crested drongo 14
Stejneger's Stonechat 2
Dusky warbler 1

She Shan needs a visit- good birds!

Dylan

subbuteo

06-Oct-2013 07:15 - 10:45
Traveling; 5.5 kilometer(s)
Comments:     21C, bright and sunny.  Walked a loop from Pak Tin Kong to bottom of Lam Tsuen via She Shan then returned along the Lam Tsuen river.

47 species

No luck with either the Blyth's Pipit, button quail or any buntings but a lot of birds and many migrants.

Great Egret 3
Little Egret  4
Green Sandpiper  2
Rock Dove  1
Long-tailed Shrike  6     one at She Shan imitating plaintive cuckoo, koel, blue magpie and hair-crested drongo.
Black Drongo 14     maximum 8 in one flock, migrating up the valley
Ashy Drongo   1
Dusky Warbler 26; all through the valley but mostly concentrated at the lower end of the valley in the scrub that borders the fenced area of the new drainage channel. I think I counted low!
Yellow-browed Warbler  2
Fan-tailed Warbler 8     conservative count as they kept popping up in the long grass in She Shan
Golden-headed Cisticola  1
Stejneger's Stonechat  7     3 together at She Shan, then singles along the walk.
Chinese Blackbird   1
Grey Wagtail  4
Richard's Pipit  8     8 in one flock then raised singles or pairs later.


Dylan

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15332324

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 6/10/2013 15:56 ]

subbuteo

The Richard's Pipits were in the short grass/scrub that has been recently cut by the rough road down to the drainage channel (opposite the tree nursery).  They tend to stick to the shorter grass, I kicked all through the longs stuff and didn't see any.  I'm surprised at only five Dusky as the scrub along the drainage channel was bouncing with them.  I was in the grassy area from about 7.45 to 8.45 and then walked on to the river.  There were no dog walkers in She Shan when I was there which may make a difference.

Dylan

subbuteo

9 October 2013

No much to report, things have quietened down.

Ashy Drongo 1 seemingly the same bird in the same tree.

There was a skulking warbler scolding in some Micania covered bushes but absolutely refusing to show, guessing a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler but no way to be sure!

Dylan

subbuteo

10 October 2013

Ashy Drongo 1

Looks like the drongo is set to stay through the winter.  I also saw a distant small falcon, from its silhouette I would guess a Kestrel (it seemed very long winged) but couldn't rule out Hobby or Amur.  It was flying up near the Lin Au pylons where Mike picked up Amur last year.

Dylan

subbuteo

11 October 2013

31 species this morning, almost double yesterday's species total.

Ashy Drongo 1
Dark-sided Flycatcher 1
Dusky Warbler 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 1

Dylan

subbuteo

12 October 2013

Through the day around Pak Tin Kong

Stonechat 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher 2
Dusky Warbler 6
Olive-backed Pipit 1 (first I have seen this year)

I had an odd looking stonechat early this morning- enormous white wing flashes, I thought it was a Daurian Redstart at first.  It popped up singing, sat momentarily then flew off showing pale rump and large wing flashes.  I only saw it for a couple of seconds. I have been back a couple of times for another look but no luck.  Is there much variability in the white visible in the wing?

Dylan

subbuteo

Yes, could've been but I had the impression of immature / female  Didn't get a good look at it. I was worried I'd missed an immature pied bush chat!

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 12/10/2013 20:08 ]

subbuteo

6.30-7.30, 13 October 2013

Ashy Drongo 1
Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike 2 (perched together)
Dusky Warbler 2

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 13/10/2013 13:26 ]

subbuteo

6.25-7.00am, 14 Oct 2013

Red-whiskered Bulbul 641
Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike 1
Ashy Drongo 1
Dusky Warbler 1
Yellow-browed warbler 1
Stejneger's Stonechat 1

It is just a waiting game for the bulbuls.  This is the longest I have counted for.  The last hundred took at least five minutes to emerge.  My ankles couldn't take any more mosquito bites but I don't think there were too many more to come out at that point.

Dylan

subbuteo

4.20-6.00pm She Shan, 14 Oct

Richard's Pipit 22 (maximum flock size 14, rest flushed from the long grass)
Zitting Cisticola 8
Dusky Warbler 9
White-browed Laughing Thrush 2

Koel have been more visible and noisy the last couple of days.

Dylan

subbuteo

Pak Tin Kong, HK-

Oct 15, 2013 6:30 AM - 7:15 AM


Comments:     25C humid and overcast.
28 species

Grey-faced Buzzard / Oriental Honey Buzzard 3     Not a firm ID, but can't think what else the three birds together would have been.  First I thought, swift, then falcon then something else.  Long, broad wings, flapping flight with occasional glide.  I thought they looked relatively short-tailed.  Birds flying together.

Black-winged Cuckooshrike  1     called twice- never heard BWCS call before.  Drongo-like three note call (as here.
Ashy Drongo  1
Hair-crested Drongo  5
Pygmy Wren-babbler 1     heard
Mountain Tailorbird  1
Dusky Warbler   1
Lesser Shortwing (  1
Siberian Stonechat   1

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 15/10/2013 07:51 ]

subbuteo

Certainly could have been- I have been diligently scanning the pylons!  These three are firmly in the unknown category unfortunately, I just happened to pick them up through the binos, they were high and moving so I didn't get much other than shape and flight.  I may spend a couple of hours on the roof today!

Dylan

subbuteo

5.15pm 19.10.13

Amur Falcon 1
Stonechat 1
Dusky Warbler 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 2

The falcon was another bird from out of the blue, passed overhead and flew on to the Lin Au ridge and power lines.

Dylan

subbuteo

Something amiss in that list John, there are no good birds on that side of the road- fact.

This morning (21.10.13)

Verditer 1
Ashy Drongo 1
Pygmy Wren Babbler 3 - either calling more, descending from higher ground or have moved in for the winter.  

Also a skulking warbler for past few mornings, not a Dusky Warbler, possibly Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler.

Dylan

subbuteo

22/23 October 2013

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher 1

Has been heard the last two mornings.  

Dylan

subbuteo

24 Oct 2013

Olive-backed Pipit 1
Ashy Drongo 1
Lanceolated Warbler 1 flushed from beside the path- same location a last year. Dark olive, streaked plumage, flew low just over vegetation a few metres and then dropped out of sight, no call.
Yellow-browed Warbler 1

Dylan

subbuteo

25 October 2013

Yellow-browed Warbler 2
Siberian Rubythroat 1
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher 1
Ashy Drongo 1
Olive-backed Pipit 1

I am fairly sure I have heard Russet Bush Warbler the past two mornings but only single calls.  Also a flyover bunting which I think was Little Bunting and other buntings calling from the grass; either Masked or CHestnut.  It's feeling wintery!

Dylan

subbuteo

26 October 2013

Ashy Drongo 1
Hair-crested Drongo 4
Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike 1
Pygmy Wren Babbler 4
Verditer 1
Daurian Redstart 1
Lesser Shortwing 3
Dusky Warbler 2
Yellow-browed Warbler 4
Olive-backed Pipit 2
Little Bunting 1

Spent an hour in my usual patch- 15C this morning which seemed to make a difference to behaviour.  The Red-whiskered Bulbuls emerged rapidly in flocks.  I didn't get a chance to count this morning

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 26/10/2013 08:40 ]

subbuteo

27 October 2013

I had another extended session in my village area 7-15 - 9.00am.

Ashy Drongo 1
Hair-crested Drongo 4
Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike 1
Pygmy Wren Babbler 4
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher 1
Pygmy Wren Babbler 3
Daurian Redstart 1
Lesser Shortwing 1
Mountain Tailorbird 1
Dusky Warbler 2
Yellow-browed Warbler 4
Zitting Cisticola 2
White-browed Laughing Thrush 5
Daurian Redstart 1
Stejneger's Stonechat 4
Siberian Rubythroat 2
Grey Wagtail 2
Olive-backed Pipit 9 two groups of three and singles.

The Ashy Drongo (leuco.) and the Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike were very much a partnership staying close to each other and hunting around the same treetop seemingly in coordination.

Dylan

subbuteo

28/29 October 6-15-7.00am

In the last two mornings.

Ashy Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike
Pygmy Wren Babbler
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
Pygmy Wren Babbler
Daurian Redstart
Lesser Shortwing
Mountain Tailorbird
Dusky Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
White-browed Laughing Thrush
Daurian Redstart
Stejneger's Stonechat
Siberian Rubythroat
Olive-backed Pipit

It is hard to leave and get to work just now.

Dylan

subbuteo

30th October 2013

6.30-6.55am

Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike
Pygmy Wren Babbler
Daurian Redstart
Lesser Shortwing
Dusky Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Daurian Redstart
Stejneger's Stonechat
Siberian Rubythroat
Olive-backed Pipit

I am fairly sure I also had a Swinhoe's Minivet- never seen one before!  A small pale minivet, buffy belly, white face, dark line through the eye.  The back also appeared brownish, paler towards the rump.  I took a few photos with the iphone/bino combination.  Can anyone confirm the ID?

There was seemingly a second bird but it was obscured by a thick branch and I could only see the tail and head.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 31/10/2013 07:05 ]

subbuteo

More images of the minivet here

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 30/10/2013 09:30 ]

subbuteo

31th October 2013

6.30-6.55am

Swinhoe's Minivet 2 in the same location; I may have better photos this time.
Russet Bush Warbler calling properly so I'll call this my first of the year!
Ashy Drongo
Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
Pygmy Wren Babbler
Daurian Redstart
Lesser Shortwing
Dusky Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Daurian Redstart
Siberian Rubythroat
Olive-backed Pipit

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 31/10/2013 08:17 ]

subbuteo

Taken this morning; Lung A Pai, Lam Tsuen

subbuteo

Amazed that they were still there this morning, I hope they hang around for a while.  More [photos, not great but better than yesterday's.

]











Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 31/10/2013 08:31 ]