kmike

The Lam Tsuen bird survey will go ahead on Sunday morning

The aim is to cover as much of Lam Tsuen as possible, with sites (and good birds this winter)  including:

Kadoorie Farm  (Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Pale Thrush, Back-winged Kite),
Ng Tung Chai     (Tristram's Bunting, Goodson's Leaf Warbler, Lesser Shortwing)
Tai Om Shan       (Black Bulbul, Brown Bush Warbler, Japanese Thrush, Greater Spotted Eagle)
Golden Triangle (Verditer, Greenish Warbler, Grey-headed Flycatcher),
She Shan            (Bright-capped Cisticola, Dusky Thrush, Bull-headed Shrike),
Ping Long/Pak Tin Kong (Brown Shrike, Peregrine, Grey Bushchat, Common Rosefinch) and
North side of Lam Tsuen River (Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Bull-headed Shrike, Plumbeous Redstart)
Hong Lok Yuen Roundabout (Plumbeous Redstart, Collared Crow, Chinese Blackbird, Northern Pintail)
Tai To Yan Ridge (Large Grass Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush, Grey-headed Fycatcher)

The aim is to start as early as you like (The light is birdable from about 8:45 on a cloudy day or a little earlier when its clear) and then to meet at Kwan Yick Store at midday to find out what everyone saw. The Lam Tsuen List is currently around 205 species. It would be great to add a few more!

Method: Please record all individuals of every species seen or heard (like the winter count)

In order to be sure that as many areas are covered, please either respond to this thread or PM me and I will co-ordinate. (Hong Lok Yuen Roundabout and Golden Triangle is already taken).  If there are many birders wanting to join we can increase coverage of top sites.

Please post any questions/suggestions you have.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Hi Martin

I heard from Dylan that you had Plumbeous Redstart and Bull-headed Shrike around your village. It would be great if you could cover this area as it is not at all well known.  

Kwan Yick Store is the next to the only permanent traffic lights in the valley. It is on the left as you head down the valley towards Hong Lok Yuen right next to a turning to the left by some big trees.

Dylan

Yes it is light enough for birding about 0745, not 0845.

Cheers

Mike

kmike

At least 95 species of birds were recorded in Lam Tsuen today by birders covering 9 different parts of the valley.

The highlights were:

Great Egret - She Shan (rare in Lam Tsuen)
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush - KFBG
Bull-headed Shrike - Tai Yeung Che
Greenish Warbler  - Golden Triangle
Goodson's Leaf Warbler - Ng Tung Chai
Blyth's Leaf Warbler - KFBG
Black Bulbul - Tai Om Shan
Upland Pipit - Tai To Leng

There were no major new discoveries, but a few Lam Tsuen regulars were missed. These included Blue Whistling Thrush, Plumbeous Redstart,  White-browed Laughingthrush, Sooty-headed Bulbul and Blue Rock Thrush. Of course many other winter birds were also not seen, and it must be possible to see 100 species in a day in winter.

When I have all the records from the recorders I will do a simple analysis. Many thanks to all 11 birders who took part.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Many thanks Alan

Which Hawk Cuckoo did you see/hear? Its an interesting record.

It would be a pretty early date for Large Hawk Cuckoo and a couple of months before Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo normally appears.

Could you send me a list of all the birds you saw please.

Many thanks

Mike