subbuteo

Probably slightly ahead of myself with this new thread but expectations are running high after the summer lull.  In the past week I heard a Brown Wood Owl calling with the uncommon three note call.  There was a flock of ten Hair-crested Drongos and a Common Mynah seen again.  All the birds were seen or heard around Pak Tin Kong.  

Dylan

subbuteo

A walk in Ng Tung Chai this morning.  The usual forest birds were about including Mountain Tailorbird and  Lesser Shortwing.  The highlight was a male and female Hainan Blue Flycatcher.

Dylan

ddavid

I made a quick afternoon visit to She Shan. The grassy plateau had single Richard's Pipit, Golden-headed Cisticola and Zitting Cisticola.

However, the area has now been fenced and gated off and there are signs on the fence. They're in Chinese, but I don't think they mean 'Welcome: Please find a way in and wander around freely.'

David

subbuteo

There is a lot of development happening with sewage works in the valley.  A road has been built into the valley off the She Shan Road and deep channels are now being excavated in formerly "good" habitat.  I am hopeful that once complete the road will be removed as the walk down the centre of the valley is a lot less agrarian just now.  I haven't seen the fence yet- I imagine the dog-walkers will rapidly "find" a breech.

Dylan

subbuteo

10 September 2012

First dollarbird this morning, perched and then in flight.

Dylan

thinfor

Great news!  Many thanks from 'LT birding team'!

subbuteo

13.9.12 6.15am

Yesterday, a flock of 20 egrets flying up the valley- mostly great but a couple of smaller ones may well have been intermediate.  

No Lam Tsuen birding this morning apart from a barred owlet flying overhead in a starry sky.  Spectacular stars- and the international space station overhead at approximately 4.45am - along with a couple of other passing satellites.  I had an earlier than normal wake up- must have been excitement at the cold front - too fixated on finding a SIberian Blue Robin which I need

Dylan

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai

No migrants picked up this morning- many Mountain Tailorbirds, a Grey-cheeked Fulvetta and the usual array of forest birds. A Crested Goshawk caused a host of alarm calls which flushed a Red-billed Leothrix put of hiding.  The path up to falls has had some damage over the summer, the top falls are labelled as inaccessible due to a landslip- I haven't been up to investigate yet.  The lower and middle falls are still easy to get to.

Unusually, there were two groups of macaques, one at Ng Tung Chai village and another group deep into the Ng Tung Chai valley.

Dylan

kmike

While Dylan was up in the forest I was birding around She Shan.

The best birds were a juvenile Dollarbird (dark bill), an Arctic Warbler, "Swintail" Snipe in the marsh just south of the She Shan Road, and a couple of Olive-backed Pipits. There were also a few Zitting Cisticolas.

Also of interest were some rather vocal Bright-capped Cisticolas a, Lesser Coucal, two White-browed Laughingthrushes, two Hair-crested Drongos and two Sooty-headed Bulbuls.

Cheers
Mike

kmike

On checking the Avifauna and the Annual Reports since then, it appears yesterday's Olive-backed Pipits by 13 days.

Before anyone asks, no they weren't Pechora Pipit, which is the usual pipit to pass through at this time.  I wish they were, as Pechora  would be  new for Lam Tsuen.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai,

Bird of the day and a first for Lam Tsuen was a calling Bay Woodpecker.  The call was the same as the first one here by Desmond Allen (call number: XC79339).  It was heard below the bottom falls, and called several times, a descending weh weh weh... repeated ten times or more.  The joys of technology meant Mike Kilburn was able to get onto Xeno-Canto at home and play the recording to me to confirm!  

More migrants today: Arctic Warbler; Eastern-crowned Warbler; Grey-streaked Flycatcher; Hainan Blue Flycatcher (stunning adult male singing beautifully).

Also of note, a pair of Yellow-cheeked Tits which followed me along the path for 100 metres, four Mountain Bulbuls below the bottom falls and two further down by the main temple.  A Lesser Shortwing gave its full repertoire of song, whistle and chak chak calls and also came out to my pishing letting me see it's drab plumage and cocked tail pose.

As I was leaving a juvenile red-necked keelback crossed and stopped on the path edge.

I had the trail to myself for two and half hours. Good morning out!

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 16/09/2012 10:37 ]

ajohn

A far more important question than pechora - were they tree pipits?

Congratulations on the bay woodpecker, Dylan

kmike

No John, sadly not.


Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

A very dark brown skulking warbler in the marsh this morning, I suspect a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, I only got a quick glimpse as it flew away in a panic and ducked into ginger leaves.  It gave a quiet "tick, tick" call as it flew.

Dylan

kmike

Quiet and very hot in Lam Tsuen around She Shan this morning

Migrants:

Richard's Pipit - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1
Black-winged Cuckooshrike -1

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

Another mystery warbler this morning (6.15 am), small and secretive, it called somewhat like a dusky warbler, a quiet tsak tsak.  It flew weakly over the tops of the ginger lily and dropped into cover.  Again all dark and small with little to distinguish it.  Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler?

Dylan

brendank

Small and dark sounds more like Lanceolated.

subbuteo

Thanks, Brendan, I agree and would love to claim it as I've never seen a live one!  Having just now listened to the calls here, it seems likely.  I know it wasn't a common bird- I walk the same path practically every day so am familiar with the usual species there.

This afternoon, there was an adult black-naped oriole I trees in my village.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 26/09/2012 18:36 ]

subbuteo

Another Locustella warbler this morning- I only glimpsed the head this time!  Best fit this morning was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler.  It came out to my "pishing", so easily missed, I had no idea it was there.

Dylan

kmike

A fine reward for sloth today. Having stayed at home and in bed for most of the day because of the heat and lack of wind I was unjustly rewarded with the following birds seen from my home between 4:45 and 5:45:

Falcon sp.  -  3 birds distantly on power lines above Lin Au (either Hobby or Amur Falcon)
Dollarbird - 2 above Ng Tung Chai
Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1
Siberian Stonechat - 1 in the veggie patch
Black Drongo - 5, including a juv in the veggie patch

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

A walk through Ng Tung Chai this morning.  Plenty of birds but the only migrants I picked up were a Radde's Warbler along the path (beside the first fallen tree crossing the path marked with red and white tape) and an Arctic Warbler.  I also had an unidentified flycather.  There were at least nine Black Drongoes in a flock between Pak Tin Kong and Ping Long.

Dylan

kmike

a few more birds from the She Shan end of Lam Tsuen

Hobby - 2

Green Sandpiper - 3
Swintail Snipe - 1

Richard's Pipit - 5

Siberian Stonechat - 5

Dusky Warbler - 6
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 1


Brown Flycatcher - 3
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Asian Paradise Flycatcher - 1

Black Drongo - 12 (including Dylan's 9)

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

More signs of passage in Lam Tsuen today included the following:

Hobby - flying with prey (presumably a bat) at 6:30pm - She Shan

Dollarbird - She Shan
Black Drongo - 6 Tin Liu Ha
Ashy Drongo (seen by Dylan)

Olive-back Pipit - 2 She Shan
Richard's Pipit - 4 She Shan
ocularis White Wagtail - 1 Tin Liu Ha

Siberian Stonechat - 5 Tin Liu Ha

Oriental Reed Warbler - 1 She Shan
Lanceolated Warbler - 1 (seen by Dylan) Lung A Pai
Dusky Warbler - 5 She Shan
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1 Tai Om Shan
Eastern Crowned Warbler - 1 Tai Om Shan
Pale-legged leaf Warbler - 1h Tai Om Shan

Asian Paradise Flycatcher -1 Tai Om Shan
Sooty Flycatcher - 1 Tai Om Shan
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1 She Shan
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1 She Shan

Chinese Grosbeak - 1 (f) She Shan

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

More migrants in the NE corner of Lam Tsuen across the road from Kau Liu Ha this morning:

Green Sandpiper - 2

Common Kingfisher - 2

White Wagtail - 6 (leucopsis)
Grey Wagtail - 3
Yellow Wagtail - 1
Richard's Pipit - 3
Olive-backed Pipit - 2

Ashy Drongo -2
Black Drongo - 1

Brown Shrike - 1

Siberian Stonechat - 4

Greenish Warbler - 1(tree nursery)
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 2
Oriental Reed Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 6

Red-throated Flycatcher - 1(tree nursery)  (+1 seen by peter and Michelle at She Shan fung shui wood)

Little Bunting - 1

Cheers
Mike K

kmike

The weedy patch at Kau Liu Ha was again good today:

Brown Shrike - 1 (same bird as yesterday)

Oriental Reed Warbler - 2 (Lam Tsuen high count)
Black-browed Reed Warbler - 3 (+ 1 near tree nursery)
Lanceolated Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 8

Asian Brown and Red-throated Flycatchers were both in the tree plantation again.

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

A walk through She Shan this evening produced:

Grey Bushchat female (my first autumn record)
Siberian Stonechat 2
Richard's Pipit 8+
Dusky Warbler 10+ many around the ponds/river scrub
Black Drongo 1
Hair-crested Drongo 6
Red-throated Flycather (heard at tree nursery)

Dylan

subbuteo

Not a Grey Bushchat female! A female Stejneger's Stonechat Long shot with my compact camera.  She Shan, Lam Tsuen 7.10.12

The rump was a much warmer rusty colour in the field- my camera hasn't picked it up well.

Dylan

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 20/10/2012 14:07 ]

thinfor

Great records this autumn indeed!

ddavid

October 12 - She Shan area - morning

Japanese Quail x1
Japanese Sparrowhawk x1
Eurasian Woodcock x1
Hair-crested Drongo x8
Richard's pipit x5
Olive-backed Pipit x3
Oriental Reed Warbler x1
Dusky Warbler x8
Yellow-browed warbler x3
Zitting Cisticola x3
Golden-headed Cisricola x2
Stejneger's Stonechat x7
Black-naped Oriole x1
Red-throated Flycatcher x1
Asian Brown Flycatcher x1
Yellow-breasted Bunting x5

David

kmike

A quieter morning today at Kau Liu Ha/ She Shan

2 x Black-browed Reed Warbler
10 x Dusky Warbler
4 x Little Bunting
2 x Bunting sp (suspected Yellow-breasted)

alo reported from Lam Tsuen (not by me) this week a White-Ahroated Rock Thrush,  and Alstrom's Warbler + Asian Para, Grey-streaked Flycatcher and Eastern Crowned Warbler.

Cheers
Mike K

subbuteo

A hoopoe in flight between Pak Tin Kong and Ping Long this afternoon.

Dylan

kmike

A few more birds today

From the house:

Grey Bushchat - female
Yellow-breasted Bunting - 1
Chinese Blackbird - 1 m
Common Rosefinch - 1m (completely missed until I saw the photo)

Kau Liu Ha/She Shan:

Red Turtle Dove - 3
Brown Shrike - 1
Oriental Reed Warbler - 1
Little Bunting - 2
Yellow-breasted Bunting - 1
Blue Whistling Thrush - 1
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Cheers
Mike

kkoel

In addition in the evening:

1 Lanceolated Warbler


1 Chestnut-eared Bunting

lpaul

Quote:

Original posted by subbuteo at 7/10/2012 19:03
Grey Bushchat female long shot with my compact camera.  She Shan, Lam Tsuen 7.10.12

The rump was a much warmer rusty colour in the field- my camera hasn't picked it up well.

Dylan

Surely this is a female Stejneger's Stonechat?

subbuteo

I think I may have photographed the wrong bird... sounds stupid I know.  I was puzzled when I looked at the photos too.  The bushchat was rusty rumped!  I think the stonechat may have seen it off its perch and I ended up photographing it instead.  I am a very amateur photographer...

Apologies.

kmike

Cooler weather and a fresher NE wind brought some good birds to Lam Tsuen this morning:

Green Sandpiper - 1

Crested Goshawk

White-throated Kingfisher - 1
Common Kingfisher - 1
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike - 1


Eurasian Skylark - 2
Richard's Pipit - 6
Olive-backed Pipit - 2

Stejneger's Stonechat - 2
Grey Bushchat - 1 (female on veggie patch)
Chinese Blackbird - 1

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 2
Thick-billed Warbler - 1  First record for Lam Tsuen. Seen next to the river at She Shan.
Dusky Warbler - 12

Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2
Red-throated Flycatcher - 2

White-cheeked Starling - 1 - rare in Lam Tsuen
Common Myna - 1

Blue Magpie - 1
Ashy Drongo - 1
Hair-crested Drongo - 1

Black-faced Bunting - 1

Cheers
Mike

[ Last edited by kmike at 20/10/2012 12:17 ]

brendank

21 October 2012 - am
She Shan

2 Besra

1-2 Lanceolated Warbler
1 Manchurian Reed Warbler
2 Black-browed Reed Warbler

1 Bright-capped Cisticola

subbuteo

Ng Tung Chai, 21.10.12 am

Grey-headed Flycatcher - along main road to Ng Tung CHai
Yellow-browed Warbler
Daurian Redstart (male) in the orchard before the big gateway
Brownish Flanked Bush Warbler calling at the base of the final steps before the last stretch to the lower falls.
Lesser Shortwing
Great Barbet
Little Egret (unusual sight flying in the forest)

Dylan

PS great selection of warblers, Brendan!

[ Last edited by subbuteo at 21/10/2012 20:39 ]

kmike

Adding to a good day in Lam Tsuen, the following were seen between Ping Long and Tai Om Shan:

Red-Turtle Dove - 1  

Grey Bushchat - 1 (f)
Stejneger's Stonechat - 2
Thrush sp. (most likely Eye-browed, but not seen sufficiently well for confirmation)

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Radde's Warbler - 1
Russet Bush Warbler - 1

Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2

Pygmy Wren Babbler - 1 seen + 2 heard
Lesser Shortwing - 3 heard

Cheers
Mike

[ Last edited by kmike at 21/10/2012 20:29 ]

brendank

21 October

We returned to She Shan after 5 pm. The Manchurian Reed Warbler was still there but not as showy and there was also a Black-naped Monarch and a Two-barred Greenish Warbler.

kmike

Another good morning in the Kau Liu Ha / She Shan area:

Crested Serpent Eagle - 1
Common Buzzard - 2 (first of the autumn)
Amur Falcon - 2 (second Lam Tsuen record)

Red-throated Pipit - 1 flyover
Ashy Drongo - 1

Daurian Redstart - 2 (plus one in the afternoon)

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 4
(Koel Ko also had the Thick-billed Warbler close to the Yellow container near Kau Liu Ha, and a Chestnut-eared Bunting).
Dusky Warbler - 1

Grey-headed Flycatcher - 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1

Chestnut Bunting - 4
Black-faced Bunting - 1
Little Bunting - 2

Monk Parakeet - 1 - first Hong Kong record! (an obvious escape)

Cheers
Mike

[ Last edited by kmike at 23/10/2012 21:38 ]

thinfor

Yes, Mike, and seemed to have some record shots as well.  I look forward to seeing it.  

kmike

Kau Liu Ha/She Shan (0715-1030)

Possible Amur Falcon - 1 distant
Common Buzzard - 1
Crested Goshawk - 1 (+ 1 in Sun Tong Fung Shui)

Collared Scops Owl - 1 (Weds- Friday nights)

Watercock (juv/female type) - 1

Red Turtle Dove - 1

Richard's Pipit - 3
Olive-backed Pipit - 5

Daurian Redstart - 1f
Siberian Stomechat - 3

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 4
Dusky Warbler - 8
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
Lanceolated Warbler - 3 flood channel next to

Red-throated Flycatcher - 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Black-faced Bunting - 4

Hair-crested Drongo - 6

Cheers
Mike

kmike

A quieter morning at She Shan / Kau Liu Ha.

Hobby- 1 migrating SW
Common Buzzard - 1 also migrating SW

Collared Scops Owl - 1 before dawn

Siberin Stonechat - 1
Grey Bushchat - 1
Daurian Redstart - 1

Black-browed Reed Warbler - 2
Lanceolated Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 7

Black-faced Bunting - 1

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

I walked up to Tai Om Shan, very quiet overall, but heard at least five Lesser Shortwings calling.  I flushed two birds which flew over the path, thrush size and shape, brown back, darker tail and white flashes in the outer tail which, I think, only leaves Pale Thrush?  Seems to be an early record.  No call and I only saw them as they flew.  Any other options?

subbuteo

I heard the Brown Wood Owl for the first time since mid-August.  It was calling just after 6am.

Dylan

ajohn

Quote:

Original posted by subbuteo at 28/10/2012 23:05
I flushed two birds which flew over the path, thrush size and shape, brown back, darker tail and white flashes in the outer tail which, I think, only leaves Pale Thrush?

It does seem early for Pale. What about White's Thrush?

subbuteo

Certainly possible- do they have pale flashes in the tail too?  White's Thrush always seems to be a solitary bird- this was two together.  Another thought I had later was Lesser Necklaced Laughing Thrush- it was a quick glimpse of the birds as they flew so I only had an impression of size and colouration. They are not very common in the valley and I haven't seen them very often anywhere else but probably more likely than Pale Thrush this early.

kmike

Saturday 3 Nov Ping Long to Kau Liu Ha via She Shan

Crested Goshawk - 1 display flight

Eurasian Skylark -1

Black-winged Cuckooshrike - 1

OBP 8
Richard's Pipit - 4

Rubythroat - 1 m
Grey Bushchat - 1 f
Daurin Redstart - 6 (5 f, 1 m)
Stejneger' Stonechat 6

Lanceolated Warbler - 1
Dusky Warbler - 4
Bright-capped Cisticola - 4
Fantail Warbler - 1

Red-throated Flycatcher - 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher - 1

Silky Starling - 1 m

Oriental Greenfinch - 1 flyover
Black-faced Bunting - 1
Bunting sp (flyover - 4)


Cheers
Mike K

kmike

Tai Om Shan 7:00 - 0940

Little Egret  2

Crested Goshawk - 1

Daurian Redstart - 4

Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler - 1
Asian Stubtail - 4
Radde's Warbler - 1
Greenish Warbler - 2
Yellow-browed Warbler - 2

Asian Paradise Flycatcher - 1

Ashy Drongo - 1 Tai Om.

Cheers
Mike K