kmike

Got back from overseas last night and as I got out of the taxi around 10:30pm I heard the regular "arp Parp" call of Slaty-legged Crake (first in HK this year?), and Large Hawk Cuckoo calling all through the night.

Spring is here in Ng Tung Chai!

kmike

The Ferruginous Flycatcher was the highlight on Tuesday, with other birds including at least 2 Grey-headed Flycatchers, a male Blue-and-white Flycatcher and lots of singing Lesser Shortwings and Mountain Tailorbirds.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

birds over the bird race weekend and the days before included:

Speckled Piculet (seen by Kwok Jai's team during the race)

Orange-bellied Leafbird - 2
Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1

Greater Necklaced Laughing Thrush - 12 (in the bare tree in front of the carpark!)

Rufous-tailed Robin - Up to 4 singing males
Lesser Shortwing - up to 4 singing males

Eastern Crowned Warbler singing on 2 days
Greenish Warbler - 1
Blyth's Leaf Warbler - 1
Pallas' Leaf and Yellow Browed Warblers - many singing
Mountain Tailorbird - many singing

Blue-and-white Flycatcher - up to 2 males between 20-25 March
Grey-headed Flycatcher - up to 4
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Ashy Drongo - 1

Grey Treepie - 1 heard

Little Bunting - 7

cheers

Mike K

kmike

New arrivals included a party of 5 Japanese and 3 Grey-backed Thrushes today, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Hainan Blue Flycatcher both this morning and yesterday.

4 Red-tailed Robins were still in full song and male Verditer may have been a migrant or the wintering bird.

Eastern Crowned and Greenish Warblers were heard and seen yesterday, but not today, and it looks like the Pallas' Leaf Warblers and Grey-headed Flycatchers have finally moved on.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Good birds today included:

Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo - called between 0900 and 1000, but nt seen
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo - calling now!

Black Bulbul - 2
Orange-bellied Leafbird - 2

Rufous-tailed Robin - 1 singing
Japanese Thrush - 3
Grey-backed Thrush - 2
Pale Thrush - 2

No flycatchers today!

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Seems like the clear weather this morning is what the flycatchers were waiting for. . .

Besra - 1

Mountain Bulbul - 2

Lesser Shortwing - at least 5 singing males

Greenish Warbler - 1 (the tatty bird which has been around for sevral months is now moulting - and looking even more tatty!)

Blue-and-white Flycatcher - 2 males and a female
Hainan Blue Flycatcher - 1m - singing on territory
Narcissus Flycatcher - 1

Striated Yuhina - 1- a surprise but the plumage looked in good condition
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush - 12 feeding on berries nr the village

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Hi Ken

The Stubtails have gone already, but the shortwings are in song approximately from the temple to the lower falls.

Listen out for their loud melodious song from thick undrgrowth at ground level.

One good spot is opposite the place where two valleys join together abotu 500-600 metres beyond the turn-off which climbs steeply to Tai M Shan.

They are VERY difficult to see, but I wish you the best!

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Went up Ng Tung Chai for a swin the the waterfall and had a party of 7  Mountain Bulbuls flying across the valley - I think this is a new high count for HK.

Also two Striated Yuhina were seen, and a female Hainan Blue Flycatcher

Best sightings of the day were a female Wild Boar crossing the path with three stripy piglets and a long view of a Barking Deer

All in all a wonderful morning - and the swim was great too!

Cheers
Mike