subbuteo

It seems an appropriate day to start the winter thread as there was widespread frost in the valley.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 10/02/2011 23:37 ]

subbuteo

The birds were keeping quiet this morning; again at first light I had a Buzzard and it was joined by a Besra and a Crested Goshawk.  I walked up to Tai Om Shan seeing very little initially, the higher ground had significantly less frost, the cold air pooling in the valley floor.  It was a very clear night last night and the stars were very clear (for HK).  I didn't see many birds in the first forty-five minutes but things improved when the sun came up.  I heard a Red-throated Flycatcher call on the way up.

At the top of the path I managed to get a Rufous-tailed Robin to come out and it was joined by a Lesser Shortwing.  A thrush also came in but flew off before I could see it.  More thrushes were about but impossible to see.  On the way back down a mixed flock contained Pallas' Warbler, Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike, Grey-throated Minivet, Silver-eared Mesia, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Blue-winged Minla.  

Near home were a female Daurian Redstart and Masked Buntings

45 species in a couple of hours was pretty good and seeing frost in Hong Kong spectacular!

Dylan

kmike

A rather quiet morning in Tai Om Shan, with nothing like the impressive 45 species that Dylan racked up yesterday.
Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Rubythroat (h)
Red-flanked Bluetail (h)

Grey-backed Thrush
Chinse Blackbird

Russet Bush Warbler - 2 (one photographed and filmed : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3taxGMtnxg)
Brown Bush Warbler - "probable"
Asian Stubtail (h)
Pallas' Leaf Warbler - 5

Mountain Tailorbird - 2

Verditer

Black-faced Bunting - 3

Cheers
Mike

[ Last edited by kmike at 19/12/2010 20:52 ]

subbuteo

A rather quiet walk this afternoon- the birds were going to roost as I left home at 4pm and were mostly bedded down by 5.30pm.  The wintery feel continues, pleasantly cool getting towards cold as soon as the sun went down (it leaves the valley bottom at around 5.30pm at the moment).

Highlights were:

Red-flanked Bluetail
Hair-crested Drongo
Ashy Drongo
Woodcock
White's (Scaly) Thrush
Russet Bush Warbler (heard)
White-cheeked Laughing Thrush
Siberian Rubythroat (heard)

Buntings are about but hard to pick up, I've only seen Masked Bunting recently.  Unfortunately, I found my first fire ant nest in the valley.    I've only been stung by them once (at Long Valley) and it wasn't pleasant.  Has anyone else seen them in Lam Tsuen?

I listened for the Brown Wood Owl at dusk through to darkness but still no sign of it.  

Dylan

kmike

Frost on the ground in the valley and a perfect clear blue sky offered plenty of promise, and Richard and I got it right fist time checking out the small pond and farmland just next to the She Shan feng shui woodland where the baicalensis White Wagtail was seen a couple of months ago.

The first bird to show was a fine female Grey Bushchat perched on an overhead wire.  A couple of minutes later a large yellow-bellied bunting landed on another wire - a stunning male Red-headed Bunting!  There are plenty of excellent photos on the Red-headed Bunting page:

Here's a short video of the bird http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J202WBEXHXc

Other birds around today  included four Little Buntings, four Daurian Redstarts, two Red-throated Flycatchers, a couple of Bright-capped Cisticolas and at the end of the day a Wryneck at Pak Tin Kong and a fine male Chestnut-eared Bunting on the dumped land across the river from the Red-headed Bunting.

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

28/12/10

A walk up to Tai Om Shan and loop over through to Tai Om Shan Tsuen via the pylons produced 54 species (plus the red-headed bunting later in the afternoon so 55 for the day)

Highlights:

Daurian Redstart (x3)
Siberian Stonechat (x2)
Rufous-tailed Robin
Red-flanked Bluetail (2f, 1m, 1 imm)
Rubythroat (x4)
Chinese Blackbird
Russet Bush Warbler  (x2)
Asian Stubtail (h)
Pallas' Leaf Warbler (x4)
Yellow-browed Warbler
Mountain Tailorbird  (x2 heard)
Tristram's Bunting (x5+)
Ashy Drongo
Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Goshawk (x3 including one perched above the path up to Tai Om)
Besra
Bright-capped Cisticola


No Lesser Shortwing today; and I couldn't get onto any of the thrushes that were about.  The Rufous-capped Babblers were within touching distance at my feet- quite amazing change in behaviour brought on by the cold.

No Brown Wood Owl this evening.

Dylan

PS Lam Tsuen is doing well for buntings just now- Mike's Red-headed, Chestnut-eared, Masked, Little, Tristram's, and presumably Chestnut (although I haven't seen one yet but they were quite common last winter)

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 28/12/2010 19:10 ]

rayso

2 nice wrynecks on 4/1/2011.

Ronaldo

saw this possible Yellow-throated bunting on 31st dec...
confirmation of idea would be great

kmike

This looks like a female Black-faced Bunting to me - although I would love to see a Yellow-throated Bunting in Lam Tsuen!

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

First thing this morning . . .

a Dusky Thrush called a couple of times and then showed for a few seconds at the top of a bare tree between Ping Long and Pak Tin Kong at about 0715 this morning.

Cheers

Mike K

[ Last edited by kmike at 10/01/2011 18:07 ]

subbuteo

A dusky thrush was on the marshy cultivated fields beside the bridge below Pak Tin Kong yesterday at dusk.

Dylan

lkatherine

16-Jan-11 Sunday

A 1st winter Orange-headed Thrush showing very well at Golden Triangle.
Plus a Greenish Warbler and 2 Red-flanked Bluetail (male and female).

A White's Thrush seen at She Shan Village by the Fung Shui Wood.

Also, quite a few Common Blackbird and Grey-backed Thrush around both area.

But what I found most strange is a Plaintive Cuckoo calling in this cold weather!

Katherine

kmike

The Dusky Thrush was again perching high on a bare tree early this morning.

Tai Om Shan also held several Grey-backed Thrushes and the long-staying Greenish Warbler.

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

I heard the brown wood owl call- only once- at dusk this evening (19.1.11) from a new location near Pak Tin Kong (again from the woods on the valley flank).  This is the first call I have heard in a long time- must be approaching eight weeks.   

Dylan

Yung

Golden triangle (afternoon)
- Japanese bush warbler
- female grey backed thrush
- female red flanked bluetail

kmike

This morning at Tai Om Shan . . .

Crested Serpent Eagle

Chestnut Bulbul - 5

Siberian Stonechat - 1
Red-flanked Bluetail - 4
Grey-backed Thrush - 4

Greenish Warbler - 1
Asian Stubtail - 1
Mountain Bush Warbler - 1

Pygmy Wren Babber - 1
Striated Yuhina - flock of c. 15
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush - 1

Hair-crested Drongo - 10

Tristram's Bunting - a fine male
Black-faced Bunting - female

Cheers
Mike K

lkatherine

30-Jan-11

Ng Tung Chai

Grey-backed Thrush x 7+
Pale Thrush x 1
Japanese Thrush x 2 (male & female)
Tristram's Bunting x 1 (female)
Pygmy Wren Babbler x 1 (seen very well in front of the Temple)
Red-flanked Bluetail x 1 (female)
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush x 6+

Katherine

subbuteo

Pak Tin Kong to Tai Om Shan

Japanese Grosbeak (2)
Chinese Grosbeak (4m 2f)

They are feeding on the bare trees by the graves on the path up to Tai Om Shan.  They are not moving about much so you need to look carefully- you can hear their beaks clicking as they eat.

Also seen:

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler and a Blyth's (Goodsons?) Leaf Warbler and two Pallas' Warbler in a mixed flock with Blue-winged Mesia, Great Tit and japanese White-eye.

Missed out on Mountain Tailorbird, Lesser Shortwing and Pygmy Wren Babbler this morning and the long staying Red-tailed Robin was not in its usual place.  

Had a Taiga Flycatcher on the way home on the other side of the valley.

Dylan

Yung

morning @ Tai Om

- Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush x 6
- Hair-crested Drongo x 5
- Scalet backed flowerpecker (M)
- Chinese blackbird
- Chestnut Bulbul x 5



afternoon @ She Shan

- Crested Serpent Eagle
- Dusky thrush

kmike

This morning started well with a fine male Black-naped Oriole in the big camphor tree by the Ping Long carpark. I then went to Ng Tung Chai where I had the following  - a decent mix of winter birds:

Mountain Bulbul -2
Black Bulbul - 20
Black-winged Cuckooshrike -1

Red-flanked Bluetail - 4
Rufous-tailed Robin - 1

Blue Rock Thrush - 1 male philippensis
Grey-backed Thrush - 1
Japanese Thrush - 1 female

Blyth's Leaf Warbler - 2
Asian Stubtail - 1
Mountain Bush Warbler - 1 h

White-browed Fantail - 1

Tristram's Bunting - 2

Cheers
Mike K

brendank

White-browed Fantail? That would be a Hong Kong first. Is this a typo or an ex-cage bird? If not can we have some more details on the location?

kmike

White-browed Fantail has long been tarred with the "escape" brush. One returned to Ng Tung Chai for three consecutive winters a few years ago, and this is the first since then.

It was in the stream bed which the path crosses just past the big ornamental gate next to the little orchard.

Escape or not its a terrific bird, and there's lots of other birds in NTC to make a visit worthwhile, especially as I forgot to include a very briefly seen Spectacled warbler sp. in my previous post

Cheers
Mike K

lrichard

I think Mike means White-throated Fantail

kmike

Richard's right  - I meant White-throated Fantail.

Cheers
Mike

bittern

Wherever is this wonderful place? I ought to visit.

kmike

Hi Bittern

Ng Tung Chai is a village at the SW corner of Lam Tsuen. To get there either catch a 64K KMB or 25K green minibus from Tai Wo.



This morning in Lam Tsuen between Ping Long and She Shan

Pale Thrush - 3
Wryneck - 1
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Ashy Drongo - 3

and later in the morning near Chai Kek . . .

Grosbeak sp. - 1
Crested Serpent Eagle - 4

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

There was a single Japanese Grosbeak in a flock of 20-odd Chinese Grosbeaks in the trees along the ridge above Tin Liu Ha today between 11:45 and 12:30.

Other birds seen include a Pale Thrush and a White's Thrush at She Shan.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

In the same area this afternoon, a Wryneck, a male Red-flanked Bluetail and a single Ashy Drongo.

Dylan

subbuteo

An unexpected species on the path this morning (6.15am- it was dark!) - Red Mountain Racer.  16 degrees and it was active.

Dylan

kmike

What a beauty ! great stuff Dylan

Cheers
Mike

kkoel

Beautiful snake indeed! May I ask where it was found?

hgeorge

Quote:

Original posted by subbuteo at 8/02/2011 07:08
An unexpected species on the path this morning (6.15am- it was dark!) - Red Mountain Racer.  16 degrees and it was active.

Dylan

Did you find it in lowland?
I saw one at Kam Tin several years ago...
george

subbuteo

It was across the footpath between Pak Tin Kong and Lung A Pai- lowland marsh.  It was stretched out across the path and then moved into the hole where the photo was taken.  Stunning snake, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen- but red-necked keelback are a close second.

Dylan

subbuteo

Spring has sprung (for now at least).  Koels have been calling the last few days and tonight (10/2/11) around 11pm, a Savanna Nightjar was calling between Ping Long and Pak Tin Kong.

Dylan

Yung

Afternoon @ Tin Liu Ha
- 2 x Black faced Bunting (F)
- Red flanked bluetail (M)
- 5 x White browed laughingthrushes
- Hairy crested drongo
- Dusky Shrike

[ Last edited by Yung at 12/02/2011 18:02 ]

Yung

14 Feb 2011 (Afternoon) @ Ping Long
- Plantive Cuckoo
- Ashy Drongo
- Hairy Crested Drongo
- Chinese Blackbird
- Daurian Redstart (F)

kmike

A male Japanese Thrush  a first winter male Grey-backed Thrush and a Common Blackbird, were joined on the veggie patch near my house in Ping Long by a male Red-flanked Bluetail, a female Daurian Redstart, a Siberian Stonechat and a Yellow-browed Warbler.

Last weekend 50 Chinese Grosbeaks and 2 Japanese Grosbeaks landed briefly in a tree near my house

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

More quality birding in Lam Tsuen today. The highlight was finally getting a photograph of the Japanese Grosbeak  - once again two were in a flock of 20-odd Chinese Grosbeaks at Tai Om.

There were also good numbers of thrushes:

Japanese Thrush - the same male as yesterday in the veggie patch
Pale Thrush - 3  one on a nearby veggie patch, plus two inthe forest at Tai Om
Grey-backed Thrush - 4  two from home, and two in the forest at Tai Om
Chinese Blackbird - 2

The other interesting birds between Ping Long and Tai Om were this Crested Serpent Eagle that posed well, a Tristram's Bunting, an Ashy Drongo, Mountain and Russet Bush Warblers, Red-flanked Bluetail and Daurian Redstart, and a Blue Magpie  (which is rather rare in Lam Tsuen).

Finally, a phyllosc sp. in the veggie patch showed a clear crown stripe, but only very faint pale fringes to the tertials. I guess this could be an old and rather worn Yellow-browed Warbler, but any other opinions would be most welcome.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

The Brown Wood Owl called at dawn today- I have been out consistently for the past few weeks listening and this was the first dawn call I have heard in a while.  Called at 6.28, and only once.

Also Russet Bush Warbler calling.  The earlier sunrise is improving my morning dog walk birding!

Dylan

kmike

This morning at 0820 this Hawfinch was in the top of a bare tree in Ping Long for about 5 minutes.

Unfortunately I did not see in which direction it flew off, so I can't offer anyuseful hints about where to look except that the local Chinese and Japanese Grosbeaks often feed in Chinese Hackberry trees.

Great to have a third big finch in the valley this winter!

Cheers
Mike

John Holmes

Well Done, That Man !

Couldn't find it, but I'll probably give it another try i.d.c.

lun9394

2/3
坑下蒲

brendank

5 March 2011

On the path to Tai Om Shan in the hackberry tree near the cemetery, I had a Hawfinch at about 9:20 (while looking for Grosbeaks). Got a few record photos. The bird was not seen again for the rest of the morning.

Other good birds seen mostly around these bare trees were:

1 Crested Goshawk
1 Besra
1 Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike
1 Ashy drongo
3 Hair-crested Bubuls
1 Pale Thrush
1 Red-throated Flycatcher
1 Black-faced Bunting
8 Chinese Grosbeaks

TaiOm_Haw1.JPG (120.74 KB)

5/03/2011 19:08

TaiOm_Haw2.JPG (71.08 KB)

5/03/2011 19:08

kpokuen

Mar 6, morning

Tristram's bunting
Yellow billed grosbeak
Japanese grosbeak
Hawfinch
(tks Mike)




[ Last edited by kpokuen at 6/03/2011 17:23 ]

brendank

After going to Tai Om many times, I finally got the two Japanese Grosbeaks, on the trail to Tai Om near the top of the abandoned orchard. There was also an Oriental Honey-buzzard hanging around. I am sure that is the individual seen a week or so ago at Fung Yuen based on the photos of that bird.

Post photos later.

subbuteo

Did you see the hawfinch?  I went up yesterday- only real bird of note was a Siberian Rubythroat which was out in full view.  I only found a single Chinese Grosbeak.
Dylan

brendank

No Hawfinch was seen.  I assume this is the flock Kwan saw on Sunday which had the Hawfinch and the Japanese Grosbeaks. However the Hawfinch was not present with this flock today.  I didn't look at the trees by the cemetery too much today as I was looking at the Japanese Grosbeaks and then the Oriental Honey-buzzard.

On Tuesday, I had a large flock of 30 Chinese Grosbeaks by the cemetery but that flock contained no Hawfinch nor Japanese Grosbeaks. It seems that there are several flocks of Chinese Grosbeaks around and the Hawfinch only casually associates with those flocks.

kpokuen

Mar 13, morning

Chinese grosbeaks

Bull headed shrike

kpokuen

April 3, morning

Lesser shortwing

Russet bush warbler

tmichael

Is it still winter in Lam Tsuen Valley - it's getting quite warm now everywhere else?



Mike T.