kmatthew

3/1/2007

A nice short walk around the forest next to the estate today with plenty of birds around, alot of thrushes feeding on few of the big fruiting trees. The fruiting trees also attracted a large number of Chestnut Bulbul. The Mugimaki Flycatcher and the Eyebrowed Thrush are both new ticks for Wonderland Villas as well!

Olive-Backed Pipit x7
Chestnut Bulbul x40
Red-Flanked Bluetail x3
Pale Thrush x2
Eyebrowed Thrush x4
Grey-Backed Thrush x10
Scaly Thrush x1
Yellow-Browed Warbler
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Asian Brown Flycatcher x1
Mugimaki Flycatcher x1
Red-Billed Leiothrix
Silver-Eared Mesia
Trstram's Bunting x6

kmatthew

4/1/2006

Another very good afternoon for thrushes, feeding on the same tree. The Japenese Thrush seems to have joined the big party in the tree and was feeding with the other thrushes. The Mugimaki Flycatcher was seen again at the same place. The birds seems to only arrive after 12pm when most of the people are gone, as i went up there before noon and there was no sign of any thrushes or other birds.

Chestnut Bulbul
Red-Flanked Bluetail x2
Durian Redstart x1
Minivets (heard)
Eyebrowed Thrush
Pale Thrush
Blue Whistling Thrush (heard)
Grey-Backed Thrush
Japenese Thrush x1 (male)
Yellow-Browed Warbler
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Mugimaki Flycatcher x1
Streak-Breasted Scimitar Babbler (heard)
Silver-Eard Mesia (a very large group of around 20-30)
Hwamei x4
Fork-Tailed Sunbird x4
Japnese White-Eye
Tristram's Bunting x6 more expose today.

kmatthew

5/1/2006

A more quiet afternoon, still with plenty of birds. including atleast 2 Mugimaki Flycatcher, one stunning male and atleast 1 female. The Scaly Thrushes are back at the same place. More Japense Thrushes were seen today, with more pale thrushes as well. But there was only 1 eyebrowed thrush today, near to the fruiting tree.

Black Kite x2 flying around the estate
Spotted Dove
Emerald Dove x2 near to the gulley next to the road where the Scaly Thrushes are.
Greater Coucal x1
Olive-Backed Pipit x1
Grey Wagtail x1
Chesnut Bulbul
Red-Flanked Bluetail x3
Durian Redstart x2 both female
Eyebrowed Thrush x1
Pale Thrush
Blue Whistling Thrush
Grey-Backed Thrush
Japenese Thrush x3
Scaly Thrush x2
Yellow Browed Warbler
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Mugimaki Flycatcher x2 male and female
Silver-Eard Mesia
Black-Throated Laughingthrush
Hwamei
Masked Laughingthrush
Rufous-capped Babbler (heard)
Tristram's Bunting
White-Rumped Munia


Mugimaki Flycatcher male

Mugimaki Flycatcher female

Tristram's Bunting

Emerald Dove

Japnese Thrush

kmatthew

Thanks for all of your comments! I never thought Wonderland Villas will draw so much attention for birders. And I do wish there is a dodo in the area, I will look for it tomorow and let you know Geoff.

But it have been a while since we discovered the great natural treasures in Wonderland Villas, by now there are about 97 species recorded, and some are very rare species. The new species never seems to stop coming.

The directions of coming here is going to the Lai King MTR staion, and take the mini bus 47M and stop at the shopping mall of Wonderland Villas. Then cross the road and walk up the hill, where you will soon come to an entrence to a foot path. Most birds can be seen near the footpath at around 12:00-5:00pm.

Another place for birds in the area is a road leading to "Chaung Hung Village"(not sure about the spelling), there are plenty of birds there as well and a Leopard Cat have been seen there before.

Remind you all who want to go there though, that it is supposingly a footpath for residents, but as long as you don't bother the residents, it should be ok.:p

Good Luck to people who wants to visit, I will probably keep looking for some new birds in the area and let you all know.

kmatthew

Thats right Mike, that is Wonderland Villas. Even though it was a little bit windy today, the birds still seems  to be willing to come out. Even though I was looking very hard, i still fail to find a Dodo, sorry Geoff!

6/1/2007

Olive-Backed Pipit
Chestnut Bulbul
Red-Flanked Bluetail
Eyebrowed Thrush x1
Pale Thrush
Blue Whistling Thrush
Grey-Backed Thrush
Japenese Thrush
Scaly Thrush
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Mugimaki Flycatcher x1 The stunning male was out again, this time more clearly.
Silver-Eared Mesia
Masked Laughingthrush
Hwamei
Rufous-Capped Babbler (heard)
Tristram's Bunting

kmatthew

Great photos Owen!!My photos are not as good as yours, as I am not as skilled ...I did took a photo of the Mugimaki Flycatcher fighting with the Red-Flanked Bluetail today though, which I think is the only interesting photo I took of the bird.

kmatthew

7/1/2007

The birds seems to have quiet down on the little hill footpath, probably because the thrushes finished all the fruits on the fruiting tree. Since there were not many birds in the hill today, we walked down into the valley and found more birds present there today, including a group of Striated Yuhina which is our first record for Wonderland Villas.

Black Kite x2 saw sitting on the big electricity pole.
Striated Heron (not seen by me, also the first record in Wonderland Villas!)
Emerald Dove x1 one saw in the valley.
Spotted Dove
Olive-Backed Pipit
Chestnut Bulbul
Rufous-Tailed Robin x2 1 male and 1 female saw in the valley.
Red-Flanked Bluetail x2
Eyebrowed Thrush x1 seems to have moved down into the valley to other fruiting trees.
Pale Thrush
Blue Whistling Thrush
Grey-Backed Thrush
Japanese Thrush (not seen by me)
Scaly Thrush x1
Dusky Warbler
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Yellow-Browed Warbler
Mugimaki Flycatcher x1 female(not seen by me)
Silver-Eared Mesia in big flock, also moved into the valley.
Masked Laughingthrush
Hwamei
Black-Throated Laughingthrush
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush x5 both picticollis and pectoralis race were seen.
Rufous-Capped Babbler (heard)
Striated Yuhina x10 first record in Wonderland Villas.
Fork-Tailed Sunbird
Large-Billed Crow
Tristram's Bunting


Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush race pectoralis


Eyebrowed Thrush


Rufous-Tailed Robin

kmatthew

After you arrive at Wonderland Villas, by coming in from the 47M minibus, where you can get on it in Lai King MTR staion. You stop at the Parking lot stop near to the Wonderland Villas Mall, where you cross the road. Go up the slope and you shall come to the entrence of the footpath.

But to go into the Valley, you go pass the two entrence of the footpath, and get to a round about, where you should see a head of you a blocked road. Keep walking into a road with stairs leading down to the village. You will find birds through out the path as you follow the stream through the valley. The path should go in a loop, so you will end up where the Shopping Mall is in the end. Do mind some of the dogs, but they should be locked up. Though we have walked through once with a dog not locked in. :?

kmatthew

8/1/2007

Didn't went up to the little hill today, just went down into the village. But the flock of Striated Yuhina and Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush were not seen again.

Spotted Dove
Olive-Backed Pipit
Chestnut Bulbul
Sooty-Headed Bulbul
Rufous-Tailed Robin x2 male and female.
Red-Flanked Bluetail x3
Pale Thrush
Blue Whistling Thrush
Grey-Backed Thrush
Dusky Warbler
Yellow Browed Warbler
Silver-Eared Mesia
Streak-Breasted Scimitar Babbler
Masked Laughingthrush
Black-Throated Laughingthrush
Rufous-Capped Babbler
Forked-Tailed Sunbird
Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker
Tristram's Bunting

kmatthew

You are welcome sammy, It was great pleasure meeting you!   I left HK last week, so i won't be able to keep an eye on the birds any more. I will have to wait til Easter when I go back to keep on the report . Hopefully there will be some migrants when i get back.

kmatthew

I havn't heard this call before in Wonderland Villas, but i agree that this could be a Emerald Dove. I have heard wierd bird calls similar to this before, but two note each time, and i presume that it was an Emerald Dove as well.  

kmatthew

26/8/2008

Not birds I am reporting but this Greater Green Snake at forest foot path at 11:00 this morning!!

Birds lately include some Silver-eared Mesias, Rufous-caped Babblers & other local residents. A of pair Blue Whistling Thrush have bred this year and seemed successful.

















[ Last edited by kmatthew at 26/08/2008 11:49 ]

kmatthew

Yes, 翠青蛇!!

kmatthew

Thanks Mike . Saw a flock of about 9 Greater necklaced Luaghingthrush yesterday, shame I didn't have my camera at the time as they came pretty close!!

kmatthew

dear vkym,

Yes, Wonderland Villas is a very good place indeed!!  My bird list here is on 110 already I think.... A lot of rarities have been recorded in the pass, I am expecting more in the future!!

kmatthew

Hi Josh,

It is good in the morning most of the time, the best walk will be down to the village in the valley. I find winter afternoon more interesting for some reason...but mornings will be good all year round. There is the forest trail which is part of the estate which can be birdy sometimes, but most of the time it remains pretty quiet.

The village walk can be reach by the mini bus and walk there down some stairs near the shopping mall. Mind the dogs as some of them do come out and bark at you while you walk pass.

I am not in HK at the moment, or I would be able to show you around...I won't be back until xmas...

Cheers, Matt

kmatthew

Well, I normally try to avoid the dogs. But there are times when there is only one path and the dog is right in the way of you. I normally ask the owner to move the dog away...

kmatthew

1/4/2009

yellow-browed Warbler
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Black Kite
Peregrine Falcon x1
Large Hawk Cuckoo x1 seen
Asian Brown Flycatcher x1
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler x1
Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush x6
Black-throated Laughingthrush
Hwamei
Common Magpie x1(a rather uncommon sighting for Wonderland Villas)

Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush

kmatthew

6/4/2009

Collard Scops Owl (heard)
Indian Muntjac x1 seen at the foot of the hill

kmatthew

15/4/2009

A new tick for Wonderland Villas, a Crested Serpent Eagle flew right pass my window!!  Flying next to it was a Chinese Goshawk.