kmike

While flycatchers seem to be raining down all over the rest of Hong Kong, Lam Tsuen's autumn passage started with a superb male Siberian Blue Robin  which appeared on the main path at Ng Tung Chai about 50 metres before the trail down to the Lower Falls.

Other birds here included an Eastern Crowned Warbler (near the temple) and a very vocal male Hainan Blue Flycatcher (just above the orchard), plus good numbers of Mountain Tailorbirds.

Other wildlife included a Hong Kong Cascade Frog found while I was swiming at the Lower Falls and a young Wild Boar which had second thoughts about crossing the trail when it saw me and scooted away back uphill

Cheers

Mike K

subbuteo

My birding contribution today is only to confirm that the Tai Om Shan trail is impassable in birding terms just now.  You can get through but it is hard work and a couple of trees are down across the path, lots of vines and tall grass.  The wild boar have kept the path open to some extent and turned over a lot of the ground.  I'll definitely give Ng Tung Chai a go next weekend- a cooling swim is good motivation.

lun9394

6/9 戴勝*1

subbuteo

Where?!  Not a bird I've seen in the valley- great find.
Thanks,
Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 7/09/2011 11:23 ]

kmike

This is the first record for Lam Tsuen (although I have seen one at Hong Lok Yuen) and a very good record - congratulations!

It would be very good to know where you saw this bird Lun9394.

Cheers
Mike

PS there were 3 Dollarbirds on the power lines above the Lin Au ridge and another (also on power lines) almost directly above the entrance of KFBG this morning at around 0715.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

7 September 2011

Single Dollarbird on wires at Lung A Pai this morning at 6am.

Dylan

kmike

I had 2 Dollarbirds high on the large powerlines at 7am!

Cheers
Mike

kmike

. . . and three more Dollarbirds this morning (nine so far, plus one from Dylan).

All these  birds are earlier than my previous earliest autumn record on 12 September (from 2005)
The record in one autumn in Lam Tsuen  is 55 birds (in 2007)

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

And another for me this morning below Pak Tin Kong at 6 am.  They are regular in the patch of valley every year.  Unfortunately their (or my) favourite perching tree fell over this summer so I'm having a harder time seeing them!
DYlan

subbuteo

10 September 2011 Ng Tung Chai 6.45-9.00 am

A quiet walk up to the lower falls with few bird initially.  On the way back down there was a good bird wave with the usual forest birds.  

Asian Paradise Flycatcher (m)
Hainan Blue Flycatcher (m and f)

There were quite a few Yellow-cheeked Tits which I haven't seen often at NTC.  At least five singing Mountain Tailorbirds. One Pygmy Wren Babbler and one unidentified Phyllosc warbler hovering at the end of leaves.  

Big surprise today were two Chinese Mountain Snakes, one near the lower falls and another along the path from the village to the temple.  They seemed to be juveniles; only 30-40cm long.

Dylan

kmike

. . . and this evening there was a Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler in the marsh close to Lung A Pai, my first for the valley.

Cheers
Mike

kmike

This morning the following birds were at Ng Tung Chai between 0715 and 0945:

Lesser Shortwing - 1 scruffy juv begging for food and an adult in attendance

Eastern Crowned Warbler - 1
Mountain Tailorbird - 8

Asian Paradise Flycatcher -1
Sooty Flycatcher -1
Hainan Blue Flycatcher - 1 male

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A few more birds this week  . . .

Tuesday 13th

1 x Dollarbird on overhead wires above Ping Long
2 x Dollarbird on overhead wires North of She Shan


Thursday 15th

2 X Dollarbird on wires over Ng Tung Chai, 1 above KFBG

Saturday 17th

Black-naped Oriole chased out of veggie patch in Ping Long by Long-tailed Shrike

Hopefully more to come this weekend   . . .

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

18 Sept 2011, 7- 9am

A quiet walk in Ng Tung Chai this morning, overcast and very humid.  No migrants but plenty of the usual forest birds, seven Mountain Tailorbirds (probably many more but hard to distinguish quite where they sing from) and two separate Lesser Shortwings singing.  Two unidentified calls, potentially a Siberian Blue Robin but refused to show itself and what I can only believe is a squirrel clucking noisily- they are not seen often in Lam Tsuen.

Dylan

PS No mosquitoes- a big upside of the dry weather but lots of very large wasps patrolling the path and having a good look at me.

kmike

I was also out today - but just had a single Pale-legged Leaf Warbler on the trail at the northern corner of the valley and a Dollarbird on the overhead wires first thing this morning.

Cheers
Mike K

ddavid

She Shan - September 19th 4-5.20 pm

Pintail/Swinhoe's Snipe - 1
Richard's Pipit - 1
Zitting Cisticola - 2
Stejneger's Stonechat - 1

David

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai 24.9.11 7.30-10.30

A rather quiet morning; the usual forest birds.

Mountain Tailorbird 5+
Lesser Shortwing 2+
Mountain Bulbul 1 (at top fall)
Grey Wagtail 2 (at top fall), 1 at orchard.


Also today, a small Mock Viper and a photo of one of the hornets I mentioned last week, (Vespa soror)

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 24/09/2011 12:30 ]

kmike

This evening Dylan and I saw the following birds  between PakTin Kong and She Shan:

Swintail Snipe
Bunting sp.
Dusky Warbler - 1
Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Bright-capped Cisticola - 1 (1 more heard)

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

This evening Dylan and I saw the following birds  between PakTin Kong and She Shan:

Swintail Snipe
Bunting sp.
Dusky Warbler - 1
Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Bright-capped Cisticola - 1 (1 more heard)

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

I took a walk from 5.45 to 7 pm this evening.  I went down to the ponds  below She Shan (same location as the Red-headed Bunting last year) to see if I could find Black-browed Reed Warbler.  I flushed a large dark rail which flew up and over the grasses, neck and legs out.  It dropped down into the grass of the river bed beside the new bridge under construction.  (This has turned into a nice wet grassy area).  I managed to flush it out a second time and confirmed in my mind that it wasn't White-breasted Waterhen or Moorhen (both of which I had seen on the way down).  I am fairly sure it was a Watercock  but views were brief. If anyone gets the chance- please take a look tomorrow.

Only other bird of note was a Dusky Warbler.

Dylan

subbuteo

Meant to add, there were some unusual deep calls/grunts at the ponds- would watercock be calling on passage?

kmike

First record for Lam Tsuen!

This bird was first seen very briefly on Saturday, but the views were so short that even though it could hardly have been anything else its great to have a confirmation today!

Cheers
Mike

kmike

This afternoon at Lam Tsuen Dylan and I saw the following birds were seen. Most were in the She Shan area:

Japanese Sparrowhawk - 1

Japanese Quail - 1

Swintail Snipe  - 4

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1

Grey Wagtail - 3
Richard's Pipit  - 4

Siberian Stonechat - 1

Dusky Warbler - 3
Oriental Reed Warbler - 1
Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler - 1

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

The rainy weather brought more birds to Lam Tsuen this morning. I was out with Don Sutherland - a visitor from the USA

Tai Om & Tai Om Shan:

Crested Goshawk
Crested Serpent Eagle
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Sooty Flycatcher - 2
Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 1

Ping Long:

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo - 1 (one in the veggie patch after I got home!)
Black-naped Oriole  - 1 (a fine male)

She Shan dump ground and ponds:

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 2
Black-naped Oriole - 4
Dollarbird - 1

Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Swintail Snipe - 2
Siberian Stonechat - 1
Richard's Pipit - 1

Cheers
Mike

kmike

Lam Tsuen again held a few migrants:

Cattle Egret  - 5

Swintail Snipe - 1

Richard' Pipit  - 8
Olive-backed Pipit - 2 (first of the autumn in Lam Tsuen)

Siberian Stonechat - 3
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1 (first of the autumn in Lam Tsuen)
Dusky Warbler - 2

Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2
Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 1
Sooty Flycatcher - 1
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1 (first of the autumn in Lam Tsuen)

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1
Black Drongo - 7 (first of the autumn in Lam Tsuen!)

All the flycatchers were in the tree nursery on the trashed land in from of She Shan

Cheers
Mike

thinfor

Thanks very much for the contribution of the bird records from 'LT team'!

I haven't been there for birding for a relatively long time.  May I ask whether there is any bad or big changes for the habitat?  I remembered that when I started at Tai Om and went to tbe direction to She Shan, there have been some new house construction near Pak Tin Kong.  How's there now?  I remembered that I could see yellow-billed grosbeak, hwamei and other nice birds there.

kmike

Small house development is happening all over Lam Tsuen, often preceded by unauthorised roadbuiling and illegal dumping, but the birding is still very good.

Migrants like the grosbeaks will travel all over the valley in winter, while there is still plenty of habitat for Hwamei and othe resident shrubland-dependent species.

Cheers
Mike

kmike

Some pix of three of the four species of flycatcher in the tree nursery on :

Sooty Flycatcher - blotchy breast, white half-collar, dark back and short tail
Asian Brown Flycatcher - paler, longer-tailed slight smudging on the breast, pale base to the bill, pale fringes to tertials
Grey-streaked Flycatcher - Longest-tailed and longest-winged, streaks on the breast instead of blotches.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

A brown wood owl was calling this morning for at least ten minutes (between 5.55 - 6.10 am) from the woods behind Ha Tin Liu Ha.  Calls were every 20-30 seconds or so; the usual four note call.  I have heard it on dull misty mornings before.

Dylan

ddavid

Saturday October 15th - afternoon - She Shan grassland area/tree nursery

Black Drongo - 2
Eurasian Skylark - 2-3
Richard's Pipit 3+
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike - 1
Stejneger's Stonechat - 3
Zitting Cisticola - 3
Golden-headed Cisticola - 2+
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1
Dark-sided Flycatcher - 1
Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting - 2

David

kmike

Many of the same birds at She Shan this morning between 0715 and 1045, with a few additions:

Crested Serpent Eagle - 2
Hobby - 2

Hoopoe - 1  (my first Lam Tsuen record)

Eurasian Skylark - 2

Richard's Pipit - 8
Olive-backed Pipit - 6
Grey Wagtail - 2

Dusky Warbler - 2

Zitting Cisticola - 2
Bright-capped Cisticola - 5

Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 2
Sooty Flycatcher - 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Little Bunting - 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting - 7 (at least)

Black Drongo - 3 migrating

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

A walk from Pak Tin Kong to She Shan this morning.

Eurasian Skylark - 1

Richard's Pipit - 7 in the biggest flock, impression of many more about though
Olive-backed Pipit - 8+
Grey Wagtail - 2

Dusky Warbler - 6
Stonechat- 6

Zitting Cisticola - 5+
Bright-capped Cisticola - 5+ (much grass cutting has forced them all into the shorter grass on the large plain.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 1 in the tree nursery
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Yellow-breasted Bunting - 1

Black Drongo - 3
Hair-crested Drongo - 14 in a flock

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 18/10/2011 12:00 ]

kmike

Another good morning at She Shan:

Green Sandpiper - 1

Japanese Quail - 1

Eurasian Skylark - 4

Richard's Pipit - 10
Olive-backed Pipit - 6

Siberian Stonechat - 4 (+ 2 in Ping Long this afternoon)

Dusky Warbler - 9

Chestnut-eared Bunting - 2

Red-billed Starling - 2 (Ping Long)

There was also a Javan Mongoose in the veggie patch this afternoon.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

A rather quiet walk up to Tai Om Shan this morning.

Hair-crested Drongo flock of 24 plus 3 later on.
Chinese Blackbird 2
Dusky Warbler 2

Tai Om had Lesser Shortwing, Mountain Tailorbird, Pygmy Wren Babbler and the other usual forest birds.

Dylan

kmike

Also a rather quiet walk up Ng Tung Chai:

Chinese Bulbul - migrating flock of 200

Grey-chinned & Scarlet Minivet - flock of 80

Yellow-browed Warbler - 1

Asian Stubtail
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Cheers
Mike

kmike

This morning there were 7 Amur Falcons perched on the highest power lines above Wo Hop Shek Cemetary at around 0645.

Last night another falcon, which I strongly suspect was Amur Falcon, was on the lines above Lin Au at 5:30. I went to Lin Au to try to see it. It was still there but unfortunately It flew off before I could get  a scope on it.

However since I could see these birds from my flat I reckon they belong on the Lam Tsuen list!

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

Congratulations, Mike.  I think you earned that Lam Tsuen tick!  I didn't but I'm having it too!

Dylan

kmike

A few more migrants and winter birds this morning between Lung A Pai and She Shan:

Siberian Stonechat - 5

Chinese Blackbird - 2

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 2

Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Bunting sp. - 4

Tere was also a Kingfisher in the stream close to Ping Long carpark yesterday and there has been an Asian Barred Owlet and a Cllared Scops calling regularly for the last few nights.

Cheers
Mike

[ Last edited by kmike at 29/10/2011 18:17 ]

kmike

Sunday morning was good around She Shan and Tin Liu Ha:

Cattle Egret - 1

Besra - 1

Oriental Turtle Dove - 1 first of the autumn

Wryneck - 1 first of the autumn

Eurasian Skylark  -  2 (possibly 3)

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1

Red-throated Pipit - 4  first record for Lam Tsuen
Richard's Pipit - 8 including one large, very pale-looking bird.
Olive-backed Pipit - 6

Siberian Stonechat - 12

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 4
Dusky Warbler - 16
Yellow-browed Warbler - 2
Japanese Bush Warbler - 2

Red-throated Flycatcher - 2

Chestnut Bunting - 1 first of the autumn

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

There was more passage in Lam Tsuen this morning:

Cattle Egret - 1

Eurasian Skylark - 1 + ? one of the birds on the grass  between the Lam Kam Rd and She Shan (close to the tree nursery) was noticeably darker and less contrasting above, and I wonder if it might be Japanese Skylark?

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 3

Richard's Pipit - 6 including one very pale and slender bird
White Wagtail - ocularis a female. my first in Lam Tsuen this autumn.

Chinese Blackbird - 2

Siberian Stonechat - 6

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 11
Yellow-browed Warbler -1

Red-throated Flycatcher - 2 +? (one was calling like Red-breasted Flycatcher around the ponds to the north of She Shan but I was not able to get a good view. I would be interested to hear from anyone looking tomorrow).

Cheers
Mike K

[ Last edited by kmike at 5/11/2011 21:22 ]

subbuteo

10 November 2011, 6 am

A dark dog walk was livened up by the first Russet Bush Warbler of the year calling. Also a pair of flyover Chinese Blackbirds.  It is starting to feel like winter!

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 10/11/2011 07:40 ]

lkatherine

12-Nov am

She Shan Village

Cattle Egret x 1
Eastern Buzzard x 1
Ashy Minivet x 1
Grey-headed Flycatcher x 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher x 1
Ashy Drongo x 1
Two-barred Greenish Warbler x 1

Tin Liu Ha

Eurasian Wryneck x 1
Plaintive Cuckoo x 1
Mountain Tailorbird x 2
Black-faced Bunting x 1

Katherine

kmike

Ashy Minivet is a very good bird for the valley Katherine!

This morning a few new migrants arrived:

Chinese Blackbird x 20

Siberian Stonechat x 6
Daurian Redstart x 2
Siberian Rubythroat x 1

Yellow-browed Warbler x 2
Dusky Warbler x 4

Red-throated Flycatcher x 3

Common Rosefinch x 1 (f)

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

Good birds about!  I heard the Brown Wood Owl calling this morning around 6.15am this morning- first time in a while (again).  Fickle bird!  I also had a Rubythroat calling this morning and the first Common Buzzard I have seen this winter on Sunday (13.11.11).

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 15/11/2011 22:48 ]

kmike

A decent morning at Tai Om Shan between 0730 and 1015:

Crested Serpent Eagle - 2

Rufous-tailed Robin - 3 (possibly 4)
Grey-backed Thrush - 2

Asian Stubtail - 3
Russet Bush Warbler - 2

Mystery Bush Warbler - 1 - a call that sounded so different I wasn't sure if it was a flowerpecker or a bush warbler!  Reference to Xeno Canto suggests Spotted Bush Warbler Bradypterus thoracicus - which breeds in Sichuan and would be somewhat unexpected.

Chestnut Bunting - 2

Cheers
Mike

kmike

A few new winter arrivals this week:

Monday 28th November - Ping Long

Chinese Blackbird  - 44

Tuesday 29 Nov - Tai Om Shan

Verditer - 1 (m)
Russet Bush Warbler - 3

Saturday 3 December - Ping Long - Gau Liu Ha

Ashy Drongo - 1
Black-faced Bunting - 4

Cheers
Mike

kmike

This morning a windy Lam Tsuen had the following birds:

Ping Long

Common Rosefinch (f) (same place as on 15 Nov)
Chestnut Bunting - 5
Black-faced Bunting - 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Tin Lu Ha

Ocularis White Wagtail - 1


She Shan tree nursery

Chinese Blackbird - 10
Chinese Starling - 1
Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1
Ashy Drongo - 1


Cheers
Mike

[ Last edited by kmike at 10/12/2011 18:29 ]

kmike

20 Chestnut Buntings and a dark-phase Oriental Honey Buzzard were seen near Ping Long before 0830 this morning.

Cheers
Mike

Ronaldo

This morning
Tai Om
Ashy Drongo
Mountain Tailorbird x2
Black-faced Bunting
Hair-Crested Drongo x2
Woodcock x2
(Russet) Bush Warbler

Tin Liu Ha
Crested Serpent Eagle
Black-faced Bunting x5

She Shan
Eastern Buzzard
Mountain Tailorbird
Chinese Blackbird x10

subbuteo

18 December Pak Tin Kong to Tai Om

Chinese Bulbul
Crested Bulbul
Black-neced Starling
Magpie Robin
Japanese White-eye
Tree Sparrow
White-rumped /Scaly-breasted Munia
Black-faced Bunting
Chestnut Bunting
Common Tailorbird
Siberian Stonechat
Yellow-browed Warbler (4+)
Pallas's Warbler (3+)
Siberian Rubythroat
Large-billed Crow
White Wagtail
Crested Mynah
Rufous crowned Babbler
Lesser Shortwing
Pygmy Wren Babbler
Russet Bush Warbler
Woodcock (on the path)
Hair-crested Drongo
Ashy Drongo
Rufous-backed Shrike
Striated Yuhina (14)
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Black-eared Kite
Common Buzzard

A fairly typical day at Tai Om, although Woodcock is unusual.  Striated Yuhina were a good addition to the walk.  I also had an unidentified bush warbler- I have recorded the call and will try to get it one here, it refused to show itself but I got good views of a Lesser Shortwing that came out to my "pishing" of the warbler.

Tai Om is a lot more open on the way up now due to a controlled burn of the grass which has exposed the terraces.  This revealed what seems to be a pangolin burrow beside the path on the way up.  There has been some tree felling as well on the path which has opened the forest edge- I don't like it!

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 19/12/2011 00:50 ]