wgeoff

Second Week in November

Another good week with high species counts, although many birds appeared to leave on Wednesday evening with the first signs of the next cold front. This included a Wood Sandpiper which arrived on Wednesday morning and spent the day resting on a rock in the lagoon before I saw it fly off across the harbour at dusk that evening.

The week has belonged to the Yellow-throated Buntings, found last Saturday and still there today (Thursday). How many have been involved? - I'm not sure, somewhere between three and six birds, still at least two present today, a male and a female. Here are my photos



Having seen these birds, I am quite sure the bird reported last year at the same date as a 'probable' female Yellow-throated Bunting was indeed a Yellow-throated.

Other good records for the week include the Grey Heron, returning after an unexplained absence of six weeks (where did it go?), Japanese Sparrowhawk, a latest ever autumn record (for Po Toi) of Red Turtle Dove and Black-naped Oriole, five Olive-backed Pipits which arrived out of the blue on Wednesday and left the same evening, a single flock of at least 700 Chinese Bulbuls migrating off the South Peninsular early on Wednesday morning, at least six Red-flanked Bluetails today including 2 males, the first Japanese and Grey-backed Thrushes of the winter, a Russet Bush Warbler which has taken up residence on the football field, three Fork-tailed Sunbirds, regular autumn visitors on Po Toi, many Chestnut and at least one Yellow-browed Bunting and yesterday a Brambling, presumably the same bird as seen last Sunday.

Here photos of a Fork-tailed Sunbird on the South Peninsular, presumably just arrived, a male Chestnut Bunting, the Yellow-browed Bunting and the Brambling



Two cold fronts are due to pass through in the next few days, they should bring in some new species by the middle of next week.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 12/11/2009 17:57 ]

wgeoff

Thank you John, you’re my hero.

The autumn just gets better. The intense cold front brought in the birds and justified my decision to go over on Sunday evening and spend four days there.

As soon as the rain cleared early on Monday morning, it was apparent birds were arriving or had already arrived. My species counts kept increasing day-by-day, from 35 on Monday to 41 on Thursday, a highest ever count for this time of year. Highest ever daily counts of several species were also recorded – Asian Stub-tail Warbler (6), Manchurian Bush Warbler (10), Brownish-flanked and Russet Bush Warbler (3 each), Dusky (24) and Pallas’s Warbler (10). These are conservative numbers. On Wednesday, Dusky Warblers were everywhere, the total number on the Island must have been in the hundreds.

Surprising to me, the only family that did not record good numbers were thrushes – why? - I don’t know. But what they lacked in quantity, they made up for in quality – a Brown-headed Thrush first seen on Monday and then the superb Dark-throated Thrush found by Eling at the Temple on Thursday when looking for Yellow-throated Buntings. I reproduce two of her photos here



The bird had left the Temple area by the time I arrived 30 minutes later. There followed a mad dash around likely areas to see whether it had just relocated, and I think I saw it in flight on the rocks behind the toilet block at about 1pm. If I did, that means there’s a chance it could be there at the weekend.

Other good birds in the week – a Japanese Quail on Tuesday, a Lesser Shortwing all week, two Mountain Tailorbirds and probably two Bianchi’s Warblers following around up to three Grey-headed Flycatchers from Tuesday onwards, a superb male Mugimaki Flycatcher also from Tuesday onwards, a mystery flycatcher on Tuesday morning (see Id section), a Lanceolated Warbler on Wednesday, two Black-browed Reed Warblers also on Wednesday (rare on Po Toi – only two previous records), a Brambling freshly in on Wednesday and a Japanese Robin on Thursday,.
Here photos of the Japanese Robin, Black-browed Reed Warbler, Bianchi’s Warbler, Grey-headed and Mugimaki Flycatchers, the mystery flycatcher and the Brambling.



Finally, buntings. On Monday, just after the rain, I found a small flock of four Yellow-throated near the Ferry Terminal (three males, one female), as well as different pairs on two well-separated gravesites and another pair at the Temple – at least eight birds all together. On Tuesday there were three and by Wednesday they had all gone.
Here two last photos from this unprecedented invasion.



I think this will be the peak week of autumn. The weather prospects for next week are not good, and the season should be drawing to a close shortly after. But who knows, on Po Toi anything is possible.

wgeoff

Thanks Eling and Mike. Perhaps a slight exaggeration Mike, but I don't mind.

It was pretty cold on Po Toi too - no heating over there, and you can't blame the Great Helmsman for that. What was worse, some insect got into my bed and turned my arm into a pin-cushion - it's still itching like mad.

Eling, you did know it was a good bird and you did the right thing - take as many photos as possible when you can. The bird had just arrived and like most new arrivals on Po Toi, this is the time when they are easiest to see. They usually become much more difficult after a day or so. But I'm hoping the bird will still be around this weekend.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 21/11/2009 07:05 ]

wgeoff

Yes, I'm interested to see all the Po Toi records.

For instance, Bluethroat is a new species for the Po Toi list.
Where was it?

Geoff

wgeoff

Thanks Manson

I've now seen a photo of the Bluethroat and added it to the Po Toi list, now at 289 species.

wgeoff

Another good week but no Ruddy-breasted Crake or Bluethroat. They have both moved on.

On Wednesday I recorded 50 non-resident species, my highest ever autumn count. I think we are still seeing the effects of last week’s cold front and Tuesday/Wednesday weather was perfect for autumn migration – light NE winds, birds were moving in as well as out. Not many birds move when the wind is too strong, whatever direction.

On Wednesday at 6am I’m eating breakfast, it’s still dark but I can hear the ‘seep, seep’ of thrushes flying overhead. As the light improves, I can see thrushes passing overhead in small groups – Japanese Thrush, from the size and white underbelly of the males. By 7am when the movement stops, I’ve had 41 Japanese Thrush, 23 Red-billed Starling, 2 Olive-backed Pipits and 7 buntings of some sort – the best visible migration movement I’ve ever had on Po Toi. With another 15 Japanese Thrush seen on the Island during the day, my day total of Japanese Thrush is 56 but I must have missed dozens while it was dark.

That was the start of a really good day. There seemed to be birds everywhere. Two Barn Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail and an Arctic Warbler were very late autumn records for Po Toi. 28 Blackbirds, 9 Daurian Redstarts, 7 Asian Stub-tail Warblers and 5 Russet Bush Warblers were all good counts. Japanese White-eyes were freshly arrived in hundreds, 4 Goodson’s Leaf Warblers in the big tree by the ferry terminal were exceptional, a Radde’s and a Black-browed Reed Warbler were good and two Bramblings were very showy. But buntings again stole the show – 4 Yellow-throated, a male and three females, spent most of the afternoon in the central area together with at least one Tristram’s. The best thing about Yellow-throated – they’re not shy, like Black-faced and Little. When you hear them, you can usually see them.

Here some photos -  a Japanese Thrush, Radde’s, Black-browed Reed Warblers, a stunning male Red-flanked Blue-tail, the two Bramblings, Yellow-throated, Tristram’s and Chestnut Bunting.



I guess this autumn will have to end some time soon.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 27/11/2009 10:12 ]

wgeoff

Thanks Manson. A good list.

The Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher is a second record for Po Toi. The first was on Chirstmas Day 2006 by Siu Ping. I haven't seen one myself on Po Toi (hopefully next week). Great photos by various people.

Photos of the Grey Bushchat are on HKWildlife - a first record for this year.

The Hobby would be very late - could it have been a Kestrel?

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 29/11/2009 14:24 ]

wgeoff

They could have been two Peregrines, a male and a female.

The male Peregrine is much smaller than the female - the difference in size can be quite surprising especially if the male is a local bird and the female is a northern migrant.
Also males and females can often be seen fighting on Po Toi, calling at each other. The male is usually the most aggressive and makes most of the noise.

The latest autumn Hobby on record in Hong Kong is 2nd November 1982, so this would be an exceptional record.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 29/11/2009 13:07 ]

wgeoff

You would not be the first one to mistake a small male Peregrine for something else, including me.

In my case, I have mistaken them for both Hobby and Amur Falcon.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 29/11/2009 14:20 ]