brendank

2-3 March 2013

Yesterday, despite cold and misty weather there was a big movement of Black-tailed Gulls. There was a fairly steady stream of small flocks moving 1500-1730. I ended up counting 187 Black-tailed Gulls yesterday. Yesterday, there were also a few dozen Heuglin's Gulls and 2 Vega Gull. The gull migration really shut down today and I only saw 5 Black-tailed Gulls in the afternoon.

btgull_adult.JPG (20.5 KB)

3/03/2013 21:42

btgull_flock.JPG (26.24 KB)

3/03/2013 21:42

Today morning I got a surprise when a cormorant flew in off the sea from the south west. It apparently had roosted on Dangan Island or at sea. I was trying to make it a Japanese Cormorant but relatively long tail and the lack of white on the face visible in the scope makes me believe it probably was a Great Cormorant. None the less, this is the first Great Cormorant seen on Po Toi since 2007. They apparently don't like open ocean environments.

cormorant1.JPG (47.15 KB)

3/03/2013 21:42

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3/03/2013 21:42

On the island I saw the Hoopoe and 2 Pacific Swift had returned and were checking out the south peninsula yesterday.

[ Last edited by brendank at 3/03/2013 21:45 ]

brendank

9 & 10 March

A hot weekend. Yesterday afternoon 3 Ancient Murrelet passed the south point but not much else. This morning was slow but things got a bit better in the afternoon with another Ancient Murrelet and an adult Black-legged Kittiwake possibly one of the birds seen earlier in the week by Geoff. The Kittiwake was quite a ways out. First, heading northeast but then landed on water for 15 minutes, then headed back south and sat on the water again where I lost it. I tried digiscoping it while it was sitting on the water but the results weren't too impressive.

On land rather quiet. Seems most wintering birds have gone completely with nothing new coming in.

Here are two photos of the Kittiwake and one of the Murrelet. None of the birds were too close this weekend so I won't win any prizes for photo quality.

kittiwake1.jpg (14.43 KB)

10/03/2013 22:45

kittiwake2.jpg (15.11 KB)

10/03/2013 22:45

IMG_5534.JPG (31.37 KB)

10/03/2013 22:45

brendank

March 16 & 17, 2013

A quiet weekend. On land the male Tristram's Bunting and two Scaly-breasted Munia which I think are migrants.

At sea, also poor--just 4 Black-tailed Gull in many hours seawatching.

brendank

23 & 24 March

Thanks, Geoff and Mr. Tai for your kind remarks. This will be my last time on Po Toi until who knows when.

Not a tremendously exciting weekend. On land rather quiet. Some White-shouldered and Silky Starling arrived yesterday as did three thrushes which I didn't see well enough to ID. Today, an early morning rain shower didn't produce much but three Chestnut Bulbuls were in scrub on the the south peninsula making think they were fresh arrivals.

chestnut_bulbul.JPG (16.64 KB)

24/03/2013 23:20

At sea, also quiet. Best was yesterday when I arrived at the seawatch shortly before 300 pm an Ancient Murrelet was sitting on the water about a kilometers south of Po Toi. I rarely see bird sit on the water at Po Toi so it's a nice treat to watch for a longer time than if it was just flying by. A large cargo ship passed close by, it dove and I never managed to find it again. Otherwise just a few Heuglin's Gulls and this Whimbrel.

IMG_6617.JPG (30.35 KB)

24/03/2013 23:20

Today, I saw three Pyrops candelaria which I had only seen once before at Mount Davis. Apparently, they use the long proboscis to drill into bark to drink sap. It's a very special looking insect.

Pyrops_candelaria.JPG (25.78 KB)

24/03/2013 23:20