wgeoff

I've decided to abandon the 'South Islands' approach and report by location in future.

Back in action this week after packing my flat and leaving it in the not-so-tender hands of the wrecking crew. It takes 3 days to strip bare and 3 months to renovate, here’s what it looked like on Monday



Hopefully I can show you a better looking photo next February

Back to the birds. I managed two visits to Po Toi on Tuesday and Thursday. Both good days, the highlights were

Po Toi Tuesday 5th November – two Grey-headed Flycatchers and one Black-naped Monarch by the Upper School, plus Daurian Redstart, Common Blackbird, Japanese Bush Warbler, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, five Mountain Tailorbirds and the first Pallas’s Leaf Warbler.
Unfortunately no photos - I experimented using a small camera, failed, returned to the trusty Canon long lens on Thursday

Po Toi Thursday 7th November – a really good day. Two different Red-breasted Flycatchers and a Brambling were the photographic highlights



I also had a Brown Hawk Owl, two Japanese Thrush, the first Stub-tail Warbler with more Japanese and Brownish-flanked Bush Warblers, and three Little Buntings.

Even better, I was shown a photo of a cuckoo taken near the school which looked like a Northern Hawk Cuckoo – I’m hoping to show this later.

Plus, I was reliably told that a Pied Imperial Pigeon was on Po Toi last week. Strange things can happen on Po Toi, especially with the late typhoons we have had this year. Pied Imperial is an island specialist which can wander and it wouldn’t be the first rare pigeon to appear there. If anyone has seen photos of this bird, please contact me.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 8/11/2013 07:11 ]

wgeoff

Birds reported to me on Po Toi yesterday (Saturday 9th November)

Lesser Shortwing X2 
Narcissus Flycatcher X2 (one male and one female, both narcissina)
Red-breasted Flycatcher X1
Mugimaki Flycatcher X1 (female)
Black-naped Monarch X1
Grey-capped Greenfinch X1
Crested Goshawk X1 (juv)

wgeoff

Two day visits this week, Tuesday and Thursday.

Failed to find the Chestnut-crowned Warbler but the Osprey from the weekend was still there, hunting around the harbour on Thursday.



This is the first time an Osprey has stayed on Po Toi longer than a few minutes.

Also on Thursday, three different flycatcher species in the tall trees behind the Community Centre, Narcissus, now a regular autumn species on Po Toi, a nondescript flycatcher which I think is Mugimaki and a Red-breasted



Mountain Tailorbirds are fairly common this autumn, up to ten being recorded each day, but they are still difficult to photograph, moving quickly from branch to branch in the thick canopy. I was lucky to get two shots of this bird



Also Japanese, Brown-flanked and the first Russet Bush Warblers, no photos of those skulkers of course. Plus a Black-naped Monarch and a very late Arctic Warbler and Black Drongo.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 15/11/2013 14:19 ]