wgeoff

An early start to autumn on Po Toi for me - I would normally start next week but I wanted to follow up Jocelyn's posting about the possible restarting of the so-called Columbarium.

Fortunately the old Columbarium workings are still in a complete mess, mostly hidden by summer vegetation but exposed in a few areas like in the valley below the Sister's Cafe where they are under water



I can't see how they can claim this as 'an existing operating Columbarium' and, fortunately, the locals are still very much against it, with several new posters like this



Good for them.
When I say locals, there are now so few residents (now five with only two fishing boats operating) I really mean 'weekend residents'. Unfortunately age is catching up with them, soon there will just be one couple near the ferry pier and the restaurant.

Birds - only one migrant seen but I was more active elsewhere. A White-throated Kingfisher has taken up residence and a Grey Wagtail was the early migrant.

But the Po Toi Rock has seen lots of breeding terns this year, all three species, my thanks to updates from Neil Fifer and his friends who have regularly visited and counted 137 Roseates from photos taken two weeks ago, including this one with leg bands corresponding to ringing at Swains Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia



Thanks to Neil for that photo.

If anyone is thinking of visiting Po Toi in the next two weeks, please note the Aberdeen ferry pier has temporarily moved closer to the Ap Lei Chau bridge while they repair the old one



This should return to the old location on 1 September.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 2/10/2014 16:44 ]

wgeoff

Only visited one day this week, today (Thursday).
The number of terns around Po Toi Rock was less than last week although all three species were there.
On land, some new autumn migrants - Common Sandpiper, Pintail Snipe, Brown Shrike (at least one) and Arctic Warbler.

Here photos of the warbler and the shrike.



The shrike looks like a cristatus to me.

Next week - maybe flycatchers and some more warblers.
The ferry should be leaving from the old jetty from Monday of next week.

wgeoff

This bird was still on the beach outside the restaurant on Tuesday. But not much else - Dollarbird, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Blue Rock Thrush.

And also very hot!! So the restaurant was the best place for birdwatching.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 3/09/2014 06:54 ]

wgeoff

A quiet and very hot week this week.

The Lesser Sand Plover first seen last Sunday remained on the beach outside the restaurant all week



Perhaps it has a problem, although it seemed to be at least attempting to feed.

A single Dollarbird on Tuesday increased to at least two by Thursday, both wheeling around quite high in the sky with a large group of Barn Swallows and at least two Pacific Swifts, hunting the insects obviously brought out by the hot weather, maybe flying ants.

Closer to land, a Blue Rock Thrush and Yellow-rumped Flycatcher on Tuesday were the first of the season, also Arctic Warbler (not the first) and, most interesting for me, a calling Yellow-fronted Canary on Thursday. This species is annual on Po Toi in September, also almost annual in May, I think they summer on Po Toi and breed occasionally. I think this species probably deserves Cat IIB status in Hong Kong, maybe we can assemble all the records some time and see if there are sufficient for a change in status.

Many fewer terns now at the Po Toi Rock, just a few Black-naped and Bridled left.

The Ferry has now moved back to its original pier closer to the Fish Market. If you are visiting Po Toi next week, please remember Tuesday is a public holiday and the Sunday ferry timetable applies, leaving Aberdeen at 8.15am and returning at 6pm.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 5/09/2014 12:38 ]

wgeoff

Good photo John.

I only visited on Thursday this week. A good turnout to see the Crow-billed Drongo, everyone went away happy.

Interesting species recorded (not all by me) were

    Dollarbird - 2
    Brown Shrike - 3
    Pale-legged Leaf Warbler - 2
    Blue Rock Thrush
    Siberian Blue Robin
    Asia Brown Flycatcher - 2
    Grey-streaked Flycatcher
    White-shouldered Starling - 12
    Crow-billed Drongo
    Hair-crested Drongo - making three species of Drongo (including Black)

From the Ferry, 7 Black-naped and 1 Bridled Tern around Castle Rock (which is the large rock near to Po Toi passed by the Ferry about 10 minutes out from the Ferry Pier) and 4 Eurasian Curlew migrating southwest across the sea.

Here photos of the Bridled Tern, Curlew and Grey-streaked Flycatcher



Interesting to see how long the Crow-billed Drongo stays (congratulations to Yam Wing Yiu on the find).


I have been asked by those not familiar with Po Toi to produce a map showing paths and main features, here is a small version




and a larger version is here
http://www.geoffwelch46.com/PathMap1.jpg
(This map is taken from a Planning Department publication and marks the current extent of the Village in pale brown, not my marking)

If anyone can see anything I have missed, please let me know.

For those going to Po Toi at the weekend to see the Drongo, it can usually be found between the path marked as Tiger Lane and the first Lower School path but in the understorey so not so easy to find. It is best viewed from under the large tree marked on Tiger Lane, look down into the trees below you and wait for it to turn up.

For those walking the paths marked here, please DO NOT stand on the water pipes. The main water pipes are those from the Sister's Cafe up Green Pigeon Lane, which follows the pipe to the Upper Reservoir, and the water pipes in the trees behind the Toilets and Community Centre. These water pipes are the only sources of running water for the locals. Unfortunately, one was broken this week in the Sister's Cafe area, I suspect by a birdwatcher looking for the Drongo - so please be careful, we need the support of the locals to maintain Po Toi in it's current state.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 12/09/2014 06:12 ]

wgeoff

Not exactly Po Toi, but a large group of terns in sheltered waters of the East Lamma Channel offshore from South Horizons early this morning

Aleutian Tern 60+
Common Tern 20+
Whiskered Tern 10+
Bridled Tern 5  
Little Tern 2

wgeoff

Only a one-day visit for me this week, Thursday, for obvious reasons, and another scorching hot day.

The Crow-billed Drongo still there, quite easy to find.
The Fairy Pitta not seen, it has probably left. I think this was a first-winter bird, judging from the gape colour.
The third and fourth weeks in September are the peak weeks for autumn Fairy Pitta in Hong Kong, it's just possible an adult will turn up in the next two weeks. I've been told of three other Fairy Pittas in Hong Kong over the past week, one calling at Tai Po Kau, one seen on Lamma and one flying into a school in Wanchai! - not the first time this sort of record has occurred for Fairy Pitta. These three records have yet to be confirmed but I believe photos exist for the last two.
So, keep your eyes open over the next two weeks, wherever you are - maybe one will fly into your office!

A list of interesting species seen today (not all by me)

Chinese Sparrowhawk
Dollarbird 2
Eurasian Hoopoe (been there about one week or more)
Brown Shrike
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Grey-streaked, Asia Brown and Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Black-naped Oriole
Crow-billed Drongo
Bridled Tern 4 at Castle Rock, probably the last week for these

Have I missed anything?

No obvious damage from the typhoon, my old cafe was flooded up to about 1 foot, the restaurant had lots of sand up from the beach and one small tree down in Green Pigeon Lane. Not too bad.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 18/09/2014 18:40 ]

wgeoff

A fairly quiet week this week, with the Crow-billed Drongo now gone. At last a bit cooler to show that autumn is really here.

Best bird for me was a Two-barred (Greenish) Warbler near the Upper Reservoir on Thursday, with a Siberian Blue Robin making a very quiet 'tack tack' sound in the same area.

Other records
Mixed flocks of egrets, Great, Little and Pond Heron seen flying southwest from the ferry, with one or two on Po Toi including a single Intermediate Egret in the lagoon on Thursday
Common and White-throated Kingfisher
Dollarbird 2
Brown Shrike
Arctic Warbler 3
Grey-streaked Flycatcher on Tuesday
Dark-sided Flycatcher 3 on Tuesday, a good count
Asian Brown Flycatcher 3
Black-naped Oriole 2

No Fairy Pitta. Unfortunately, the Pitta stream is now dry and I think Pittas like water in their stream so I doubt we will get another this year.

One thing I have noted. My daily species count when I have only been making daily visits, this year and last year, is about half what I was recording when staying on the island in the previous years. Not a great surprise I guess but frustrating - I really miss not being able to stay there.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 26/09/2014 06:27 ]