wgeoff

Transition Week September to October

I was only able to visit on Tuesday this week, I hope others can fill in the details for Wednesday and Thursday.

Bird of the day on Tuesday was undoubtedly a Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher on Green Pigeon Lane near to the Upper Reservoir. Unfortunately, this bird appeared on my second visit to this area only 15 minutes before the Ferry left and I was not able to get a photograph before I had to rush down for the ferry. This is the same location as the previous one I had on Po Toi on October 8 2009. Maybe it will stay a few days.

Two other good birds, also on Green Pigeon Lane, were first winter male Siberian Blue Robin and Blue-and-white Flycatcher, I did manage photographs of these (although not the best you are likely to see of these species)



Also seen (not all by me)

Red Turtle Dove
Dollarbird 2
Eurasian Hoopoe
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike
Brown Shrike
Blue Rock Thrush
Dusky, Yellow-browed, Arctic (5) and Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Dark-sided and Asian Brown (8) Flycatcher
Purple-backed Starling (male)
Black-naped Oriole 3

Look forward to hearing any more records for Wednesday and Thursday, and the weekend.

wgeoff

Only managed a one day visit on Thursday this week.
A quiet day, species seen (not all by me) were

White-breasted Waterhen
Eurasian Woodcock
Common and White-throated Kingfisher
Dollarbird
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike
Ashy Minivet
Dusky, Yellow-browed, Arctic and Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Asia Brown and Blue-and-white Flycatcher
Black-naped Oriole 5
Black Drongo 10
Hair-crested Drongo 3

A typical species list for the first week in October.

White-breasted Waterhen is an occasional passage migrant to Po Toi in spring and autumn, with some birds over-wintering. The following chart shows my total weekly counts over the period 2006 to 2012.



Eurasian Woodcock is a regular autumn migrant to Po Toi, with one of the most focussed migration periods of any species, from October to the first week in November, with just a few records outside this period.



[ Last edited by wgeoff at 18/10/2014 06:16 ]

wgeoff

Two one-day visits this week, Tuesday and Thursday, on Thursday with Harry Miller and his wife.

Not too much around, mid-October is often quiet between the early migrants of September and the later migrants and winter visitors arriving in November.

Grey Heron
Cinnamon Bittern - one, possibly two near the lagoon on Thursday
Crested Serpent Eagle - a surprise on Tuesday, an adult in the valley past the Sister's Cafe, only the third record for me on Po Toi
Eurasian Woodcock - four on Tuesday, two on Thursday
Eurasian Hoopoe - been around the Ferry Pier for several weeks now
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike
White-cheeked Starling - two at the Ferry Pier on Thursday, good record for Po Toi
Brown Shrike
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Verditer Flycatcher - a female behind the restaurant
Blue-and-white Flycatcher - first-winter male behind the restaurant
Common Blackbird - first of the autumn
Black-naped Oriole - five on Tuesday, three on Thursday
Black Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo - 16 on Tuesday, eight on Thursday

No sign of the Brambling, a disappointment to many. But they will be back later.

I may not go next week, I will be in Taiwan for four days (not birding)

kmike

Hi Geoff

Do you have a chart for Hair-crested Drongo?

So far its exclusively an autumn migrant for me at the Magic Roundabout.

Cheers
Mike

wgeoff

I have one for Po Toi, I'll post it next week. In Taipei at the moment.
I think it's in my paper in the 2012 HKBR, alongside Black Drongo.

But I don't have all Hong Kong. Try Avifauna.

kmike

Thanks Geoff - its the Po Toi one I'm interested in  . . . and found it - Thank you.

I was interested to see if there was spring passage as well as autumn - which there is.

Cheers
Mike

wgeoff

At last, a chance to spend a full day on Po Toi, 9.15am to 6pm.

The difference between a full day and just the 3 hours available on Tuesday and Thursday is tremendous. You have time to look more carefully and cover more ground.
As I result. I managed 34 non-resident species, two more than my Expected Daily Number for 26th October, a guide to my daily expectations when I was staying on the island.

Best bird without doubt was a seicerus warbler seen briefly just beyond the Sister's Cafe at about 10am. Didn't manage a photograph but I saw it well, typical seicercus with a complete eye-ring, distinct grey and black crown stripes, pale yellow underneath and a faint wing-bar. But the most unusual feature - it was calling, first time I have had a calling seicercus. In fact, the call first alerted me to the bird. I wrote the call down in my book as a regular, quite loud single note 'chap chap', which is just like the Martens's Warbler call I have on disc. The faint wing-bar might be unusual for Martens's, but there was no doubt about the call so that's what I will submit it as.

Two very high overflying raptors, an Amur Falcon at about 9.30am and a Greater Spotted Eagle at 1.30pm.

     

Other good birds seen, two Woodcock, the Hoopoe which has been on Po Toi for several weeks, single Black-winged Cuckoo-shrikes, Ashy Minivet, four Blackbirds, an Arctic Warbler and a Mugimaki Flycatcher



Buntings around the restaurant area, Black-faced and Little but also at least two Tristram's, including a male, and a male Yellow-browed, found by Herman Ip



Also a Brambling there, and then another near the lagoon, a different bird with different head and wing markings



One Black-naped Oriole and many Hair-crested Drongos still there, with new winter visitors, Siberian Rubythroats, at least three calling, six Daurian Redstarts and three Mountain Tailorbirds.

On the South Peninsular, Richards Pipit, Zitting Cisticola, flocks of migrant Chinese Bulbuls and a surprise, a Yellow-fronted Canary.



Finally, late on, a Common Starling around the Ferry Pier.

Altogether a great day, in spite of more than 500 visitors including 17 boats in the harbour.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 27/10/2014 19:00 ]

wgeoff

Three hours on Po Toi yesterday, never long enough but some more good birds and two good companions for company, Alex Ware and John Dyck.

Almost first bird was a Lanceolated Warbler, crawling and hopping around our feet near the Ferry Pier. Alex thought it was a frog, but it had wings as his photo shows





Thanks Alex for the photo, my camera could not focus on such short range.

Other good birds seen, two Grey Nightjar together near the generator, the Brambling and the Hoopoe still in the same place around the Community Centre plus at least one Tristram's Bunting and a Blue-and-white Flycatcher up the slope there, a good view of a Woodcock near the lagoon and at least six Eurasian Siskins in the fir trees next to the Upper School.
New wintering species, a Red-tailed Robin and a Brown-flanked Bush Warbler.
So, a good three hours.

Lots of butterflies on Po Toi at the moment, I meant to post this photo from the South Peninsular on Sunday. A Blue Pansy I think, not too rare but very beautiful.



[ Last edited by wgeoff at 29/10/2014 10:36 ]

coconutcat

Hi wgeoff

May I know where did you see the Red-tailed Robin and the Brown-flanked Bush Warbler?

Thanks.

tsheunglai

Geoff

Really doing well you are.

S L Tai