ajohn

A fairly birdy yesterday (15th) at Ng Tung Chai.

Siberian Blue Robin x1 (first winter male)
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler x3
Arctic Warbler x2

Lesser Shortwing x2 (one seen)
Red-billed Leiothrix x8+

And regular flocks of the more common resident species - Silver-eared Mesia, Blue-winged Minla, Rufous-capped Babbler, etc.

Another highlight for me was watching Hong Kong Cascade Frogs hopping across the rocks at the waterfalls

ajohn

The lower part of Lam Tsuen valley seems to have been badly hit by the typhoon - much more tree damage than in the upper part of the valley (Ng Tung Chai) or the Kam Tin/Mai Po area.

ajohn

There seemed to be good numbers of Red-whiskered Bulbuls coming out of the roost in Ng Tung chai this morning - maybe some of Dylan's birds have moved up the valley. Dylan, maybe we should try a co-ordinated count at both roost sites.

ajohn

Sounds like a cuckooshrike (and looks a bit like one too, but hard to tell!). Tail shape is a bit odd but might be due to missing tail feathers or unusual position. Did you notice whether the tail had white tips like on a cuckooshrike?

ajohn

A good morning at Ng Tung Chai today:

Asian Paradise Flycatcher 1
Arctic Warbler 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 (possibly a second in village)
Grey Wagtail 6

Grey-chinned Minivet 65 (minimum count, including 62 in one flock - 40 seen at the village in the late morning may have been the same or different)
Scarlet Minivet 3
Lesser Shortwing 6 (one seen well)
Pygmy Wren Babbler 5
Mountain Tailorbird 10
Brown-flanked Bush Warbler 3
Red-billed Leiothrix 6
Hair-crested Drongo 4
Crested Goshawk 1
Crested Serpent Eagle 4

Also, for those interested in more than the birds:
Barking Deer 1 seen near the village in the afternoon, with another heard nearby

Hong Kong Cascade Frog 4 (middle fall and top fall)
Hong Kong Newt 1

Painted Lady 1
Indian Red Admiral 1
Metallic Cerulean 11+
Angled Red Forester 1
Plain-banded Awl 1

ajohn

Interesting - I walked down the valley from Ng Tung Chai to She Shan via Tai Om, covering pretty much the same time period (07:15 - 10:30) and was disappointed because it seemed not very birdy.

Migrants were:
Black-naped Oriole - a nice adult at She Shan
Black Drongo - 5
Stejneger's Stonechat - 6
Dusky Warbler - 5
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler - 2
Zitting Cisticola - 5
Bright-capped Cisticola - 1

Richard's Pipit - 0 It seems everyone sees these at She Shan except me. I'm not sure I've ever seen one there.

ajohn

Just realised that I forgot to mention an Asian Stubtail at Ng Tung Chai yesterday morning.

ajohn

The white in the wing is related to age and sex - males show more than females, and adults show more than young birds. Maybe yours was an adult male?

ajohn

For a change I didn't go into work early and had a relaxed breakfast on the rooftop at Ng Tung Chai. I couldn't see Dylan's raptors (he did let me know so that I could look) but it was still worthwhile:
Two-barred (Greenish) Warbler - 1
Blue and White Flycatcher - 1 female
Yellow-browed Warbler - 2
Lesser Shortwing - 1
Hair-crested Drongo - 4

Not a bad start to the day!

ajohn

A walk today along the Ngau Kwu Leng Hiking Trail, and then up and over Tai To Yan.

Ngau Kwu Leng was fairly birdy, especially in the forested area near the top. Highlights were:
White's Thrush - 1
Two-barred (Greenish) Warbler - 4
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 1
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 10
Mountain Tailorbird - 10
White-bellied Erpornis - 1
Yellow-cheeked Tit - 2
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch - 4
Lesser Shortwing - 1

Tai To Yan was quieter:
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 1
Eurasian Skylark - 1
Brown-flanked Bush Warbler - 4
Bright-capped Cisticola - 1

Also another Two-barred Warbler today at Ng Tung Chai

ajohn

A quick walk into the forest at Ng Tung Chai this morning:
Dark-sided Flycatcher - 1
Two-barred Warbler - 1
Lesser Shortwing - 3
Red-billed Leiothrix - 4 (these seem to be moving down the hill for the winter)

And at the village a Blue Rock Thrush

ajohn

At Ng Tung Chai today (27th Oct):

Ashy Drongo leucogenys 1
Black-winged Cuckooshrike 1
Black-naped Monarch 2
Chestnut-collared Yuhina 9+
Lesser Shortwing 8
Two-barred Warbler 1
Red-billed Leiotrhix 2
Asian Stubtail 2

ajohn

Around Ng Tung Chai village this morning

Daurian Redstart
Japanese Thrush + at least two more (heard only) thrushes
Eurasian Blackbird
Brown-flanked Bush Warbler
Barn Swallow (seemed very unseasonal on the wires in the village)
Plus the usual Lesser Shortwing, Mountain Tailorbird, Yellow-browed Warblers, etc.

I also saw the back end of a Wild Boar disappear into vegetation next to the village access road on the way home last night.

ajohn

At Ng Tung Chai today:
Ashy Drongo - 2
Japanese Thrush - 3+
Rufous-tailed Robin - 2
Pallas's Leaf Warbler - 4

Dylan, I think you're probably right about White-cheeked Starlings. They can look very dark at times, and are fairly similar to Common Starling structurally.

ajohn

I also had two Bluetails yesterday at Ng Tung Chai, plus a couple of Rufous-tailed Robins foraging in the open on the path.

Also, two flocks of Chestnut-collared Yuhinas yesterday, totally about 20 birds.