thinfor

I went birding with my friends along several villages in Lam Tsuen last Sat (27Dec08).  We started at Chai Kek, then passed Tai Om, Ping Long, Pak Tin Kong and finally Tin Liu Ha.  Before we left, we visited the 'Golden Triangle' near Tong Min Tsuen.
上星期六, (08年12月27日) 我和朋友到大埔林村的幾個村落觀鳥.  我們在寨(乙田)村開始, 經大菴, 坪朗, 白田崗至田寮下, 最後到塘面村'金三角'.

Birding time 觀鳥時間: 0830-1400

Chai Kek 寨(乙田)
287 Oriental Magpie Robin 鵲鴝   x1
389 Great Tit 大山雀   x2

Ma Po Mei 麻布尾
078 Besra 松雀鷹   x1
229 Common Kingfisher 普通翠鳥   x1
257 Grey Wagtail 灰鶺鴒   x1
258 White Wagtail 白鶺鴒   x2
271 Chinese Bulbul 白頭鵯   ~5

Tai Om/Ping Long 大菴/坪朗
075 Crested Goshawk 鳳頭鷹   x1
208 Common Koel 噪鵑   x1 male x1 female
209 Greater Coucal 褐翅鴉鵑   x1
260 Olive-backed Pipit 樹鷚   ~5
315 Hwamei 畫眉   x2
345 Yellow-bellied Prinia 灰頭鷦鶯   x1
418 Yellow-billed Grosbeak 黑尾蠟嘴雀   x2
444 Common Magpie 喜鵲   x2
447 Large-billed Crow 大嘴烏鴉   x2

Pak Tin Kong 白田崗
067 Black Kite 黑鳶 (麻鷹)   x1
080 Common Buzzard 普通鵟   x1
230 White-throated Kingfisher 白胸翡翠   x1
303 Common Blackbird 烏鶇   x2
427 Red-billed Starling 絲光椋鳥   x1

Tin Liu Ha 田寮下
018 Little Egret 小白鷺   x1
022 Chinese Pond Heron 池鷺   x3
265 Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike 暗灰鵑鵙   x1
272 Sooty-headed Bulbul 白喉紅臀鵯   x1
292 Common Stonechat 黑喉石(即鳥)   x1 male x2 female
312 Masked Laughingthrush 黑臉噪鶥   x2
347 Common Tailorbird 長尾縫葉鶯   x1
349 Dusky Warbler 褐柳鶯   x1
395 Fork-tailed Sunbird 叉尾太陽鳥   (heard)
397 Japanese White-eye 暗綠繡眼鳥（相思）   x2
402 Little Bunting 小鵐   ~3
440 Hair-crested Drongo 髮冠卷尾   x3

Golden Triangle near Tong Min Tsuen 塘面村附近的'金三角'
354 Yellow Browed Warbler 黃眉柳鶯   x1
394 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker 朱背啄花鳥   (heard)

Throughout the whole journey 全程經常出現
194 Spotted Dove 珠頸斑鳩   abundant
270 Red-whiskered Bulbul 紅耳鵯   abundant
279 Long-tailed Shrike 棕背伯勞   x3
421 Scaly-breasted Munia 斑文鳥   abundant
433 Black-collared Starling 黑領椋鳥   abundant
436 Crested Myna 八哥   abundant

We also saw over 200 Common Tiger Butterflies at two tree branches in the 'Golden Triangle'.
我們在'金三角'裡還見到超過200隻虎斑蝶停留在兩條枯樹幹上.

kmike

A good range of species - I live in this area, so it is good to see other birders visiting and finding good birds. I future I will post my sightings in this thread instead of Ng Tung Chai.

If you have time there are also trails that go into woodland behind Tai Om and a trail that goes up to Lin au, where i had a Large Grass Warbler over the holiday weekend.

Cheers
Mike K

thinfor

Thanks very much, Mike.  Indeed, your birding posts around your area really encourage us to visit there.  Your guidance and tips are very appreciated.

BTW, we've tried to search more warblers along the trails.  But the area is quite new to us, so we need some more visits!

I've hiked quite a lot in Lam Tsuen area before, like Ng Tung Chai, Pak Ngau Shek, Kadoorie area, Tai To Yan and even the unknown streams in Tai To Yan range.  I think it's time to recap my memory and explore these areas for birds.

kmike

Hi Manson

There were a couple of White-browed Laughingthrushes and lots of Chinese Blackbirds around this morning and a Green Sandpiper flew up by the Ping Long bus stop.

I've never really birded the Tai To Yan side, so I look forward to hearing what birds you find.

Cheers
Mike K

thinfor

Thanks Mike.  Living in Lam Tsuen area is really amazing for birders.  I haven't seen white-browed laughingthrushes before.

Based on my previous hiking experiences, Tai To Yan may be too high and have too little vegetation for birds.  However, the valleys may be worth visiting.  I remembered that there were some tiny fields along a few little streams flowing from Tai To Yan but now of course already abandoned.  It may be too remoted and not be a good habitat for birds.  But the point is that the nearby areas are worth exploring.

Busy planning my birding schedule...

kmike

Tuesday in Ng Tung Chai was very dark and birdless untilleaving the villageand finding a Red-throated Flycatcher and  Greenish Warbler at the new carpark where the access road starts to go steeply downhill.

There were also a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes, a Hwamei and Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler here.

In the afternoon Tai Om Shan held 25 Striated Yuhinas.

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

A quieter morning at Tai Om Shan

Red-throated Flycatcher - 1

Ashy Drongo - 1

Asian Stubtail - 2

Cheers
Mike K

ckwokwing

14/2/09 afternoon at Tin Liu Ha

White browed laughingthrush
Little Bunting x 20
Siberian Rubythroat
Lesser Coucal
Richard Pipit

kmike

Last night I heard a Brown Wood Owl calling in the fung shui wood behind Tai Om Village from 1015  to about 1030.

It has a soft but distinct four note call (hoo-hoohoohoo) which is totally different from any other owl in HK. The call is described and transcribed very well in the Handbook to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. It is the call listed as number 2 (but do not have the book with me to confirm).

I did not try to locate the bird, as It would be very difficult to find it in a wood with no paths in the middle of the night, but am thining about how to see this bird and will keep you posted.

Cheers
Mike K

kpokuen

Mar 7, 1300-1500

-Little Bunting
-Black Faced Bunting
-White Browed Laughing Thrush
-Woodcock
-Kestrel


-Crested Goshawk

ckwokwing

8/3/09 noon

Black naped Oriole

Oriole.jpg (173.64 KB)

11/03/2009 11:37

Dusky Thrush

Dusky Thrush.jpg (118.44 KB)

10/03/2009 17:36

Plantive cuckoo
Black faced Bunting

[ Last edited by ckwokwing at 11/03/2009 11:37 ]

kmike

Aiya aiya - where is the Dusky Thrush - this would be a new bird for me in Lam Tsuen!!

Ps PM me

Good records!!

Mike

ckwokwing

15/3/09 noon

Heard 'bu..bu' call in Tin Liu Ha. Then saw a bird of deep brown back side, round shaped body and very short leg ran away quickly in scrubby field. Is it possible a kind of Button Quail there...

kmike

very nice pix of the Dusky Thrsh and BN Oriole!

Not too sure about your small bird  - sounds interesting. I've never heard a buttonquail call.

A quiet weekend for me - 2 Black-winged Cuckooshrikes and a Rufous-tailed Robin near the graves at the beginning of the path to Tai Om Shan, and this morning an Asian House Martin hunting round my house - just my second in Lam Tsuen.

Cheers
Mike