subbuteo

Probably slightly ahead of myself with this new thread but expectations are running high after the summer lull.  In the past week I heard a Brown Wood Owl calling with the uncommon three note call.  There was a flock of ten Hair-crested Drongos and a Common Mynah seen again.  All the birds were seen or heard around Pak Tin Kong.  

Dylan

subbuteo

A walk in Ng Tung Chai this morning.  The usual forest birds were about including Mountain Tailorbird and  Lesser Shortwing.  The highlight was a male and female Hainan Blue Flycatcher.

Dylan

subbuteo

There is a lot of development happening with sewage works in the valley.  A road has been built into the valley off the She Shan Road and deep channels are now being excavated in formerly "good" habitat.  I am hopeful that once complete the road will be removed as the walk down the centre of the valley is a lot less agrarian just now.  I haven't seen the fence yet- I imagine the dog-walkers will rapidly "find" a breech.

Dylan

subbuteo

10 September 2012

First dollarbird this morning, perched and then in flight.

Dylan

subbuteo

13.9.12 6.15am

Yesterday, a flock of 20 egrets flying up the valley- mostly great but a couple of smaller ones may well have been intermediate.  

No Lam Tsuen birding this morning apart from a barred owlet flying overhead in a starry sky.  Spectacular stars- and the international space station overhead at approximately 4.45am - along with a couple of other passing satellites.  I had an earlier than normal wake up- must have been excitement at the cold front - too fixated on finding a SIberian Blue Robin which I need

Dylan

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai

No migrants picked up this morning- many Mountain Tailorbirds, a Grey-cheeked Fulvetta and the usual array of forest birds. A Crested Goshawk caused a host of alarm calls which flushed a Red-billed Leothrix put of hiding.  The path up to falls has had some damage over the summer, the top falls are labelled as inaccessible due to a landslip- I haven't been up to investigate yet.  The lower and middle falls are still easy to get to.

Unusually, there were two groups of macaques, one at Ng Tung Chai village and another group deep into the Ng Tung Chai valley.

Dylan

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai,

Bird of the day and a first for Lam Tsuen was a calling Bay Woodpecker.  The call was the same as the first one here by Desmond Allen (call number: XC79339).  It was heard below the bottom falls, and called several times, a descending weh weh weh... repeated ten times or more.  The joys of technology meant Mike Kilburn was able to get onto Xeno-Canto at home and play the recording to me to confirm!  

More migrants today: Arctic Warbler; Eastern-crowned Warbler; Grey-streaked Flycatcher; Hainan Blue Flycatcher (stunning adult male singing beautifully).

Also of note, a pair of Yellow-cheeked Tits which followed me along the path for 100 metres, four Mountain Bulbuls below the bottom falls and two further down by the main temple.  A Lesser Shortwing gave its full repertoire of song, whistle and chak chak calls and also came out to my pishing letting me see it's drab plumage and cocked tail pose.

As I was leaving a juvenile red-necked keelback crossed and stopped on the path edge.

I had the trail to myself for two and half hours. Good morning out!

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 16/09/2012 10:37 ]

subbuteo

A very dark brown skulking warbler in the marsh this morning, I suspect a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, I only got a quick glimpse as it flew away in a panic and ducked into ginger leaves.  It gave a quiet "tick, tick" call as it flew.

Dylan

subbuteo

Another mystery warbler this morning (6.15 am), small and secretive, it called somewhat like a dusky warbler, a quiet tsak tsak.  It flew weakly over the tops of the ginger lily and dropped into cover.  Again all dark and small with little to distinguish it.  Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler?

Dylan

subbuteo

Thanks, Brendan, I agree and would love to claim it as I've never seen a live one!  Having just now listened to the calls here, it seems likely.  I know it wasn't a common bird- I walk the same path practically every day so am familiar with the usual species there.

This afternoon, there was an adult black-naped oriole I trees in my village.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 26/09/2012 18:36 ]

subbuteo

Another Locustella warbler this morning- I only glimpsed the head this time!  Best fit this morning was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler.  It came out to my "pishing", so easily missed, I had no idea it was there.

Dylan

subbuteo

A walk through Ng Tung Chai this morning.  Plenty of birds but the only migrants I picked up were a Radde's Warbler along the path (beside the first fallen tree crossing the path marked with red and white tape) and an Arctic Warbler.  I also had an unidentified flycather.  There were at least nine Black Drongoes in a flock between Pak Tin Kong and Ping Long.

Dylan

subbuteo

A walk through She Shan this evening produced:

Grey Bushchat female (my first autumn record)
Siberian Stonechat 2
Richard's Pipit 8+
Dusky Warbler 10+ many around the ponds/river scrub
Black Drongo 1
Hair-crested Drongo 6
Red-throated Flycather (heard at tree nursery)

Dylan

subbuteo

Not a Grey Bushchat female! A female Stejneger's Stonechat Long shot with my compact camera.  She Shan, Lam Tsuen 7.10.12

The rump was a much warmer rusty colour in the field- my camera hasn't picked it up well.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 20/10/2012 14:07 ]

subbuteo

A hoopoe in flight between Pak Tin Kong and Ping Long this afternoon.

Dylan

subbuteo

I think I may have photographed the wrong bird... sounds stupid I know.  I was puzzled when I looked at the photos too.  The bushchat was rusty rumped!  I think the stonechat may have seen it off its perch and I ended up photographing it instead.  I am a very amateur photographer...

Apologies.

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai, 21.10.12 am

Grey-headed Flycatcher - along main road to Ng Tung CHai
Yellow-browed Warbler
Daurian Redstart (male) in the orchard before the big gateway
Brownish Flanked Bush Warbler calling at the base of the final steps before the last stretch to the lower falls.
Lesser Shortwing
Great Barbet
Little Egret (unusual sight flying in the forest)

Dylan

PS great selection of warblers, Brendan!

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 21/10/2012 20:39 ]

subbuteo

I walked up to Tai Om Shan, very quiet overall, but heard at least five Lesser Shortwings calling.  I flushed two birds which flew over the path, thrush size and shape, brown back, darker tail and white flashes in the outer tail which, I think, only leaves Pale Thrush?  Seems to be an early record.  No call and I only saw them as they flew.  Any other options?

subbuteo

I heard the Brown Wood Owl for the first time since mid-August.  It was calling just after 6am.

Dylan

subbuteo

Certainly possible- do they have pale flashes in the tail too?  White's Thrush always seems to be a solitary bird- this was two together.  Another thought I had later was Lesser Necklaced Laughing Thrush- it was a quick glimpse of the birds as they flew so I only had an impression of size and colouration. They are not very common in the valley and I haven't seen them very often anywhere else but probably more likely than Pale Thrush this early.

subbuteo

I haven't been out much recently apart from my regular morning dog walk.  However, this morning I heard an unusual call,  thought initially it may have been a russet bush warbler but now I'm not sure.  The call was recorded on my iphone, I've used audacity to boost it but it still isn't very clear.  It is the thin call in the back ground. The bird was perhaps 50m away in the middle of the marsh.

Any thoughts?  It may well be something common with a call I don't recognise.

Dylan

subbuteo

Saturday 1 December Pak Tin Kong

Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike
Ashy Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
Red-rumped Swallow

Sunday 2 December Pak Tin Kong to Lin Au- a good day!

Raddes Warbler
Dusky Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Asian Stubtail
Japanese Bush Warbler 3
Russet Bush Warbler
Common Tailorbird
Mountain Tailorbird
Daurian Redstart 3
Siberian Rubythroat 2
Pale Thrush 2
Necklaced Laughing Thrush
White-cheeked Laughing Thrush
Lesser Coucal
Crested Bunting 2- at the back of Lin Au
Chestnut Bunting- well over 100! Big dispersed flocks in Lam Tsuen and Lin Au

subbuteo

There seem to be lots of birds around just now, so much more to see than last year.  Around home, I have had hair-crested and ashy drongo, daurian redstart, S stonechat, Pallas's and yellow-browed warbler, black-faced, little and chestnut bunting.

The mystery bird is still calling, a https://www.dropbox.com/s/4md0l9cv58tviyr/PTK%20warber%20full-1.mp3 of the call recorded from my phone is downloadable from here- the high pitched five/six note call.  It has called every day consistently like this for the past week.  I hear it between 6.50 and 7.20 am.  I would like to hear any ideas for i.d.  I have listened to many recordings on xeno-canto with no joy.  The bird is calling from about 40 metres away, it is a loud call.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4md0l9 ... warber%20full-1.mp3

Dylan

subbuteo

Thanks for that, Geoff!

What software are you using to produce the sonograms?  Can you compare the call to a Russet Bush Warbler sonogram (if you have one)?  It would be interesting to see if the call is in the same range, as that is still my best guess.

I don't have much to report from this weekend, Ashy Drongo, Russet and Japanese/Manchurian Bush Warbler, buntings (black-faced only ones seen clearly), Siberian Rubythroat... and the usual birds.

Attached is a photo of my morning walk, I only go a few hundred metres each morning but there's always something to see or more often hear.  It's is a fairly unusual habitat in the valley and unfortunately there will be some work going on.  A plot of land on the edge was fenced last week and several large trees felled.  I am keeping a close eye.

Dylan

subbuteo

Tai Om Shan.

A very cold morning!  Fifty-five species, and a quite a few common birds not seen.

Pallas's Leaf Warbler  5
Yellow-browed Warbler  7
? Greenish Warbler- best fit, a very plain leaf warbler, big supercilium, one wing bar, dull, almost brownish plumage, yellow/orange legs
Asian Stubtail

Taiga Flycatcher 4
Mugimaki Flycathcer 1
Red-flanked Bluetail 4
Daurian Redstart  2
Siberian Stonechat 2
Siberian Rubythroat
Grey-backed Thrush 2
Japanese Thrush 1
Blackbird 3
Blue Whistling Thrush
Plumbeous Redstart F

Tristram's Bunting 6
Black-faced Bunting 3

Dylan

PS I should add, 30+ siskins, White's Thrush and black-winged cuckoo-shrike over the weekend.

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 31/12/2012 20:44 ]

subbuteo

An eventful short walk this morning got extended due to too many good birds.  At Lung A Pai, there was Grey-backed Thrush, Daurian Redstart, S Stonechat.  A large mixed flock came through with Grey-chinned and Scarlet Minivets, two Black-winged Cuckoo Shrikes, and a Verditer.  I flushed a woodcock from a swale under a bamboo grove.

On the way back home on the edge of Pak Tin Kong, I heard a red-breasted/taiga flycatcher.  It only called a couple of times but it was very conspicuous.  I got a very good look at it, mostly from below.  The lower mandible was wide, orange from the base and the front third or so was dark.  I saw the tail white flashes but didn't get a good look at the tail.  I went back later and heard the call properly, a slower, quiet drawl compared to Taiga Flycatcher.

So I am confident, red-breasted flycatcher- a Lam Tsuen first!  The bird was still there this evening, there is a tree in flower which is bringing in insects and it is fly-catching around the tree.  Hopefully, it'll still be there in the morning.

Dylan

subbuteo

Thanks, Brendan- the red-breasted flycatcher is still in the same location.  Also seen this morning (5.1.13) in Mike's company:

ashy drongo
hair-crested drongo
black-winged cuckoo shrike
verditer
Hainan blue flycatcher M (unusual winter record)
russet bush warbler
Siberian rubythroat
Pallas's warbler
yellow-browed warbler
Besra x2
Scarlet and grey-chinned minivet

Mike got a couple of good photos, it's a very well behaved flycatcher.  

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 5/01/2013 13:31 ]

subbuteo

We don't call it winter until the first frost.  

A snap of the red-breasted flycatcher.  It was around the same tree all day.

Dylan

subbuteo

John, unfortunately, I have a feeling you may well be very right.  I was thinking about the behaviour- no wing flicking or tail cocking.  
I don't have pictures of the white tail flashes but I am wondering if the white I saw was just rump/vent feathers....

I was sitting looking at my books last night with the photos having a very hard time being definitive.  I'm off out to look again!

Dylan

subbuteo

I've just been down to the tree, and the Asian Brown is there- as is a red-throated flycatcher.  I haven't managed to see them both at the same time so,  I think I have managed to combine the features of the two into a bird I wanted to see.  On this basis, I think there may be many more good birds coming your way soon.



Dylan