kmike

A very good start to the new season for me today and yesterday.

The big highlights were from today - White-spectacled Warbler, which I somehow missed last winter, and was a patch tick for me, and a briefly seen male Fukien Niltava.  Both birds were seen in Don't Dip Dell, the place about 500m past the temple, where the path turns in sharply to the right, then back to the left and then climbs a steep set of stone stairs.

Today the White-throated Fantail and a Grey-Backed Thrush were also here, and the day before I had good views of a Lesser Shortwing at the same spot.

Other good birds in the last two days have included:

Black-winged Cuckooshrike NTC Access Rd

Striated Yuhina - 25  NTC Access Rd

Rufous-tailed Robin - 2
Red-flanked Bluetail - 2
White's Thrush - 1

Blyth's Leaf Warbler - 1

Grey-headed Flycatcher - 5
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1

Buff-ellied Flowerpecker - 1m (few records in NTC)

Ashy Drongo - 1 NTC Access Rd

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Today at NTC:


Striated Yuhina - 25

Rufous-tailed Robin - 1
Red-flanked Bluetail - 1

White-spectacled Warbler - 1
Blyth's Leaf Warbler - 1

Verditer - 1
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1

Buff-bellied Flowerpecker - 1



Cheers
Mike K

kmike

The morning started well when a Rufous-tailed Robin showed itself very well close to the village, and a Hartert's Leaf Warbler was the first to appear out of a flock of phylloscs.

Above the temple I stopped to look for another Rufous-tailed Robin calling just below the path and my pishing brought in a curious Pygmy Wren Babbler, which showed well, perched halway up a bracken stem.  I also heard and then saw a Mountain Bush Warbler and heard a very close Lesser Shortwing nearby.

Other highlights included White's and Grey-backed Thrushes in a fruiting tree in Don't Dip Dell, very brief views of the back end of the White-spec and the ever delightful song of the long-staying, but possibly escaped White-throated Fantail.  

Rarest patch bird of the day was the White-bellied Yuhina (or Herpornis) associating with a foraging flock of Grey-chinned Minivets,which was just my second of the year.  I also had a female Verditer on the way down.


Cheers
Mike

kmike

With the exception of the female Bull-headed Shrike, which reappeared in the field in front of the carpark this morning, a rather quiet morning in the forest.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

The Bull-headed Shrike was seen this afternoon in the dead tree at the edge of the flower field (next to the house under construction).

As I was leaving the village this evening a Besra flew over.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

The Bull-headed Shrike was present again yesterday morning, but the forest was rather quiet.

Other birds included:

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1
Striated Yuhina - 25
Grey-headed Flycatcher - 2

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A rather quiet week, but the Bull-headed Shrike was around the flower fields briefly again this morning, as was a male Grey-backed Thrush and a Black-winged Cuckooshrike on Wednesday morning were the best birds of the week.

Others included a Besra lurking to hunt the 70+ Chinese Blackbirdsin the fruiting camphors.

I hope to get int the forest tomorrow morning.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Kept out of the forest b low cloud this morning but while house hunting in the lower part of the valley (around Ping Long and Tin Liu Ha) I had the following birds:

Rubythroat - 3
Daurian Redstart - 1
Stonechat - 1m

Chinese Blackbird - 60

Bright-capped Cisticola - 3

Pallas' Leaf Warber - 1
Yellow-browed Warbler - 4

Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Grey Headed Flycatcher - 1


Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A possible male Pale Blue Flyactcher was in the forest this morning - about 50- 100m past the turning that goes steeply uphill to Tai Mo Shan.

Also here

Verditer - m
Grey-headed Flycatcher - 2
Mugimaki Flycatcher - 1
White-throated Fantail - 1

Blyth's Leaf Warbler - 1
Hartert's Leaf Warbler - 1

Red-tailed Robin - 1
Red-flanked Bluetail - 1

Common Buzzard - 1

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Hi John

As I understand it, Hartert's is the correct name for goodsoni. It's not a new species, just a confusing name. (anyway, next week a DNA study will probably show us its actually a bulbul after all!)

Cheers
Mike

kmike

Your bush warbler sounds like Mountain (also known as Brownish-flanked) Bush Warbler.  Did you notice if the bird cocked its tail?

Your "cuckoo" is very unlikely to be a cuckoo, but Black-throated Laughingthrush makes a wide variety of musical calls, as does Hwamei, and even Silver-eared Mesia.

sorry I can't be of more help

Cheers
Mike K

PS The Bull-headed Shrike was seen at the edge of the flower field if front of te two new houses next to the carpark  at abut 0815 this morning. I also had a Goodsoni Blyth's Leaf Warbler.

The possible Pale-blue Flycatcher was see again in the same place, but agin the views were too brief to be sure NB there waqs a lso a female veridter inthe same area, but this bird has a much greyer head.

Geoff Carey also had  Chestnut Bunting ths morning, & Peter & Michelle added a Black-naped Monarch.

kmike

Ng Tung Chai was pure magic today!!

Its late and I have to get up early to go to Po Toi  so just a list of highlights:

Siberian Thrush -  4 including a male on the main path just before the lower falls + 3 or 4 others in the gorge by the upper falls.

Fujian Niltava - 2 females - one 100m before the path to the lower falls, and the other in the gorge next to the upper falls

Blyth's Leaf Warbler - 1
Hartert's Leaf Warbler - 4
Pallas' Leaf Warbler - 25
possible Chinese Leaf Warbler - by the temple

Grey-headed Flycatcher - 3
Verditer - 2 (no sign of the possible Pale Blue Flycatcher)

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A quiet start to the year on Sunday, with only brief views of one of the male Siberian Thrush near the steps down to the lower falls and  a couple of Goodson's Leaf Warbler.

I have heard from Geoff C that Hartert's is not recognized by the records committee, and Blyth's Leaf Warbler is not proven to occur, and that first winter fokiensis (pale-type) Goodson's Leaf Warbler (which is what I have wronglybeen calling Blyth's) show yellow on the throat and rear unerparts.

I also saw the possible Pale Blue Flycatcher again, althoguh again not good enoughviews to be sure - very frustrating!

Less exciting but nice to have is an Asian Brown Flycatcher hanging around the fence of my village house.

Cheers

Mike K

kmike

I think the nightjar is the first record for Ng Tung Chai - great stuff!

Today was a mixed day:

Best bird was unquestionable the Orange-headed Ground Thrush (which I didn't see!) in the large tree below the village, but th area was full of thrushes, including at leats 10 Chinese Blackbirds a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes and a Pale Thrush which were identified to species, while many more thrushes wer calling in the lower reaches below the temple.

The same area also held a couple each of Rufous-tailed Robins and Red-billed Leiothrix, and the overwintering Bull-headed Shrike was again in the carpark.

Perthaps most interesting was a Blue Flycatcher, thought to be Chinese  picked up dead in Ng Tung Chai Village.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Highlight of the day was a terrific male Japanese Robin, supported by 5 Red-flanked Bluetails.

The robin was below the path on the bend about 700m above the temple (just after the only point on the trail where the path drops down into a shady corner, before giving an open view of a side valley joining the main valley).

A Pale Thrush showed briefly, as did a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes and several Chinese Blackbirds were, unusually seen inside the forest, and  a White's Thrush was near the large tree about 100m below the village.

The forest was very quiet apart from these - the second day in a row here with not Grey-headed Flycatcher heard and no flycatchers at all seen.

Please could anyone who photographed the dead Blue Flycatcher post it on the BBS - its an iteresting record - Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Mike K

kmike

Highlight of the day was a terrific male Japanese Robin, supported by 5 Red-flanked Bluetails.

The robin was below the path on the bend about 700m above the temple (just after the only point on the trail where the path drops down into a shady corner, before giving an open view of a side valley joining the main valley).

A Pale Thrush showed briefly, as did a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes and several Chinese Blackbirds were, unusually seen inside the forest, and a White's Thrush was near the large tree about 100m below the village.

The forest was very quiet apart from these - the second day in a row here with not Grey-headed Flycatcher heard and no flycatchers at all seen.

A big surprise for the patch was the group of 2 Great and three Little Egrets perched on a tree near the road - first landfall by Great on the patch.

Please could anyone who photographed the dead Blue Flycatcher post it on the BBS - its an iteresting record - Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Mike K

kmike

Thanks for posting Bill.


I had never seen the Scarlet Minivet perching on the aerial of a village house before.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A good morning for quiet skulking birds with four visitors from the UK:

Rufous-tailed Robin - 2
Red-flanked Bluetail - 2
Rubythroat - 2

Pale Thrush - 2
Japanese Thrush - 2
Grey-backed Thrush - 2
White's Thrush - 1

Pygmy Wren Babbler - 1 (seen very well at water tank near the temple)

Manchurian Bush Warbler - 1
Mountain Bush Warbler - 1
Asian Stubtail - 1
Goodson's Leaf Warbler - 1

Fukien Niltava - 1f lower falls
Verditer - 1m

Tristram's Bunting - 1

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

The Orange-headed Ground Thrush photographed by billman was again seen this morning (1 March)  at the large trees with a shrine about 200m below the village.

The following birds were also present:

Red-flanked Bluetail - 1

Mountain Tailorbird - many singing
Mountain Bsh Warbler - 1 singing
Pallas' Leaf Warbler - 2 singing
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
Goodson's Leaf Warbler - 2
Spectacled Warbler sp. - 1

Tristram's Bunting - 1m

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

I had a morning yesterday (3 Mar) in the forest proper at Ng Tung Chai village.

It was rather quiet, with best birds being a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes, very brief views of the Tristram's Bunting again, and a Mountain Bush Warbler. Besra and Crested Goshawk appeared to hunt at more or less the same time, but most birds skulked resolutely.


The fields below my house at Ping Long this evening (4 Mar) were rather better with the top bird being the Water Rail and the Swintail Snipe again at the same spot as a couple of week ago.

Other good birds included at least 10 Chinese Blackbirds, a Grey-backed Thrush and a Scaly Thrush, while a Rubythroat calling in the evening reassured me that the hot weather of the last two days has not forced everthing to start heading north for the summer.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A female White-throated Rock Thrush was seen very briefly in the cherry orchard next to the Ping Long Bus stop in Lam Tsuen aruond 11am (7 March).

An odd record and just the second for Lam Tsuen.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A Large Hawk Cuckoo was calling near Ping Long last night. Is this the first of the year?

Cheers
Mike