kmike

The Lam Tsuen bird survey will go ahead on Sunday morning

The aim is to cover as much of Lam Tsuen as possible, with sites (and good birds this winter)  including:

Kadoorie Farm  (Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Pale Thrush, Back-winged Kite),
Ng Tung Chai     (Tristram's Bunting, Goodson's Leaf Warbler, Lesser Shortwing)
Tai Om Shan       (Black Bulbul, Brown Bush Warbler, Japanese Thrush, Greater Spotted Eagle)
Golden Triangle (Verditer, Greenish Warbler, Grey-headed Flycatcher),
She Shan            (Bright-capped Cisticola, Dusky Thrush, Bull-headed Shrike),
Ping Long/Pak Tin Kong (Brown Shrike, Peregrine, Grey Bushchat, Common Rosefinch) and
North side of Lam Tsuen River (Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Bull-headed Shrike, Plumbeous Redstart)
Hong Lok Yuen Roundabout (Plumbeous Redstart, Collared Crow, Chinese Blackbird, Northern Pintail)
Tai To Yan Ridge (Large Grass Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush, Grey-headed Fycatcher)

The aim is to start as early as you like (The light is birdable from about 8:45 on a cloudy day or a little earlier when its clear) and then to meet at Kwan Yick Store at midday to find out what everyone saw. The Lam Tsuen List is currently around 205 species. It would be great to add a few more!

Method: Please record all individuals of every species seen or heard (like the winter count)

In order to be sure that as many areas are covered, please either respond to this thread or PM me and I will co-ordinate. (Hong Lok Yuen Roundabout and Golden Triangle is already taken).  If there are many birders wanting to join we can increase coverage of top sites.

Please post any questions/suggestions you have.

Cheers
Mike K

John Holmes

Hi Mike !

I'll "play" and take "Pot Luck" on where to go..

John

lkatherine

Hi Mike,

Count me in for She Shan!

Cheers,
Katherine

subbuteo

I'm happy to go anywhere.  I was in She Shan this morning and saw several good birds- grey-headed flycatcher, black-winged cuckoo shrike (2).  The teal is still on the ponds.  There was a green sandpiper in the small ponds behind She Shan village.

lalan

Plz check the P.M. thx

subbuteo

Mike,  did you mean to put 8.45 am as earliest light?

pmartin

Hi Mike,

I Just moved in and am still finding my way round; but I can explore my local patch in Tai Yeung Che, Pak Ngau Shek and Sha Pa. Where is Kwan Yick store?

Martin

kmike

Hi Martin

I heard from Dylan that you had Plumbeous Redstart and Bull-headed Shrike around your village. It would be great if you could cover this area as it is not at all well known.  

Kwan Yick Store is the next to the only permanent traffic lights in the valley. It is on the left as you head down the valley towards Hong Lok Yuen right next to a turning to the left by some big trees.

Dylan

Yes it is light enough for birding about 0745, not 0845.

Cheers

Mike

ajohn

Hi Mike,

I'm up for the challenge. I'll opt for Tai To Yan ridge if that's still available - always keen for a hill walk, and I've never been to this area before. Now I just need to work out how to get there.
I'm still not sure where the meeting place is, but I'm sure I'll find it.

subbuteo

The traffic lights are right at the entrance to the "golden triangle" area.  Kwan Yick Si Dor / Lam Chuen Sun Chuen will get you to the right place in taxis from Tai Wo- cost $30.  The number 25A minibus or the 64K also run up Lam Kam Road from under Tai Wo station, cost $5.10 and $7 respectively.   The 64K will take you up to Kadoorie Farm.  

Mike can furnish you with details of the ridge walk... it's a biggie!  I've been meaning to have a go at it myself.

kmike

At least 95 species of birds were recorded in Lam Tsuen today by birders covering 9 different parts of the valley.

The highlights were:

Great Egret - She Shan (rare in Lam Tsuen)
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush - KFBG
Bull-headed Shrike - Tai Yeung Che
Greenish Warbler  - Golden Triangle
Goodson's Leaf Warbler - Ng Tung Chai
Blyth's Leaf Warbler - KFBG
Black Bulbul - Tai Om Shan
Upland Pipit - Tai To Leng

There were no major new discoveries, but a few Lam Tsuen regulars were missed. These included Blue Whistling Thrush, Plumbeous Redstart,  White-browed Laughingthrush, Sooty-headed Bulbul and Blue Rock Thrush. Of course many other winter birds were also not seen, and it must be possible to see 100 species in a day in winter.

When I have all the records from the recorders I will do a simple analysis. Many thanks to all 11 birders who took part.

Cheers
Mike K

lalan

Pak Ngau Shek
1 black winged cuckoo-shrike
1 koei
1 Hawk cuckoo
May be a call of Plumbeous Redstart(?)

thinfor

A pity that I could not join you all!  Look forward to having your report soon.

kmike

Many thanks Alan

Which Hawk Cuckoo did you see/hear? Its an interesting record.

It would be a pretty early date for Large Hawk Cuckoo and a couple of months before Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo normally appears.

Could you send me a list of all the birds you saw please.

Many thanks

Mike

lalan

That is Large Hawk Cuckoo
Common Stonechat
Collared Crow
Scarlet Minivet
Black bird

IN Pak Ngau Shek
I had recorded this,

call of Plumbeous Redstart(?)

[ Last edited by lalan at 3/02/2010 17:47 ]