brendank

Not really on Po Toi but there was a Swinhoe's Egret on the breakwall of Aberdeen Harbor on the ferry coming back from Po Toi.

brendank

12-13 May 2012
Saturday I mostly spent my time seawatching. It was reasonably good with 5 Short-tailed Shearwater, 3 Greater Crested, 8 Aleutian, 4 Roseate, 4 Bridled and 1 White-winged Tern. The Roseate Terns I suspect are returning local birds since I saw one early Sunday morning heading south.

Sunday Morning seawatching was more quiet--just 4 Short-tailed Shearwater, 10 Black-naped, 6 Bridled, 1 Roseate (heading south) and 3 White-winged (also heading south) Tern. However, over two hours of seawatching in the evening produced exactly zero birds. Some of the shearwaters were reasonably close though--at least close enough for photos.

On land 2 Schrenck's Bittern were in columbarian today and a late female Hainan Blue Flycatcher was by the upper school today.

Here are photos of a pair of Short-tailed Shearwater which passed shortly before 1500 on Saturday, another Shearwater from this morning and the Hainan Blue.

shear1.JPG (65.68 KB)

13/05/2012 21:38

shear2.JPG (74.76 KB)

13/05/2012 21:38

hainanblue.JPG (58.77 KB)

13/05/2012 21:38

I agree with Geoff on both accounts. Sleeping on Po Toi without airconditioning is terribly hot and this spring has been quite disappointing. I think the reason this season, despite there being two Hong Kong first in March, feels poor is that there been very few passerine migrants. It seems to me (without data) the numbers of thrushes, flycatchers and buntings have all been poor.

[ Last edited by brendank at 13/05/2012 22:16 ]

brendank

20 May 2012

Afternoon seawatching was cut short today for the rain. Only thing was 64 Bridled Terns and a Grey-tailed Tattler. Most of the Bridled Terns were flying south so I suppose they might be local birds from Mirs Bay or perhaps some migrants feeding in the area. The Grey-tailed Tattler came in from the sea and flew in close but decided the rocks weren't suitable and left heading to the west.

On land very quiet, just an Arctic Warbler and Brown Shrike.

tattler.JPG (33.08 KB)

20/05/2012 21:04

brendank

Yes that does seem to describe the behavior yesterday. There was even a group of 17 terns at one point.

brendank

26 & 27 May 2012

Stayed over on Po Toi this weekend.

Seawatching was quite good still. On Saturday 5 Short-tailed Shearwater, 2 Gull-billed, 22 White-winged, and 5 Common Terns. Sunday the flight of terns improved with 28 Aleutian Tern, 20 Common Tern, 5 Greater Crested, 1 Little, 3 White-winged Terns plus 6 Short-tailed Shearwater and a subadult Jaeger which judging by size (compared to Aleutian Terns), flight style and shape was a Pomarine. Both days there were good numbers of Bridled Terns, Black-naped and a few Roseate all which most be breeding close by. In fact, Black-naped Terns appear to be breeding on the rocky outcrop seen from the ferry on the way to Po Toi. Another surprise sight was several birders on a boat cruising past Po Toi.  

Here are a Shearwater, the Jaeger, an Aleutian Tern and Black-naped Tern.

shear_27may.JPG (29.73 KB)

27/05/2012 22:05

skua2.JPG (27.46 KB)

27/05/2012 22:13

aluetian_tern.JPG (28.52 KB)

27/05/2012 22:05

bntern.JPG (16.91 KB)

27/05/2012 22:05

On land it was rather slow. On Saturday, there was a Schrenck's, a Cinnamon and two Yellow Bittern in the Columbarium and another Yellow Bittern in the Lagoon. On Sunday, the Bitterns seemed gone and I just saw a single Grey-capped Greenfinch on the south peninsula, a Red-billed Starling in the Columbarium and a pair of Peregrine Falcons mobbing Black Kites--likely nesting somewhere on Po Toi.

bittern.JPG (47.58 KB)

27/05/2012 22:05

redbilled.JPG (42.69 KB)

27/05/2012 22:05

peregrine.JPG (15.57 KB)

27/05/2012 22:05

[ Last edited by brendank at 27/05/2012 22:13 ]