tsheunglai

5th September, 2015. A day with sunny weather and south-easterly wind

Twists and Turns
The answer to the question of an ordinary or good morning of birding one never knows

A quarter past seven found me at Pineapple Dam noting down first species being Common tailor heard.
Four more species of local birds were found before I went past the Road Barrier that compared poorly with twenty or more on a late autumn day in the past.

When I reached ten species it was already eight twenty-seven. I heard and saw a kingfisher flying across a small round inlet on the reservoir side. I stopped and soon it crossed back over the same patch of water, white-breasted with the familiar loud harsh crackle of a White-breasted kingfisher, probably a migrant. Should I suppose it be the bird of the morning, I wondered.

Three more local species heard before I caught the calls of a sizeable mixed flock of birds. Within moments I counted two Asian paradise and one male Blue-and-white flycatchers that were in company with residents that included a nice White-bellied yuhina. I changed my mind that the Blue-and-white would be my best bird of the day. For is it not I used to see only one in one autumn, or not at all for my weekly trips of the area?

I walked up to the top of the pass just to find myself with a flock of twenty-three cows grazing leisurely on the surrounding slope. Surely, I told myself that the best birds were the flycatchers.

One third way down the pass I heard babblers again. I was aware I hadn't seen any Rufous-capped and Streaked-breasted scimitar babblers. I stopped and observed, for sometimes babblers can move quickly among thick leaves and bushes. All of a sudden my attention was turned on a small bird that pecked upright on a trunk - chief features observed being rufous-buffed forehead, speckled on white underbody and black and white tail feathers. A long-waited-for good sight of a Speckled piculet for my Hong Kong list was here chanced upon me.

My bird-of-the-morning choice rested finally upon this local yet rare woodpecker that chooses to spend its days on Lead Mine Pass.

My day's count of species was twenty-seven, not bad at all for early September.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 6/09/2015 20:20 ]

kmike

Not bad indeed! Congratulations on adding the Piculet to your list.

Does anyone know if SHing Mun is a new location?

Cheers
Mike

wgeoff

Congratulations on a great day Mr Tai.

Yes Mike, I think this is the first record from Shing Mun although it is, of course, resident in TPK.
It has also been recorded from Ho Pui, Kap Lung, Shek Kong, Ng Tung Chai and Tai Om as well as the northeast (Bride's Pool, Lau Shui Heung) and east regions (Ma On Shan, Pak Sha O) of Hong Kong.

So it seems now well-established although infrequently seen, except at TPK.

Also this is the first Blue-and-white Flycatcher I have heard of this autumn.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 5/09/2015 07:43 ]

tsheunglai

Mike and Geoff

Thanks for your comments and information.

Local Speckled piculets often surprise observers where they are least expected, except perhaps those who frequent TPK like P K Kwan. As regards B-&-W fly. photo(S) have already appeared on the Forum, at least once.

Cheers

S L Tai

tsheunglai

To answer Mike's question about Shing Mun/lead mine pass as a new place:

Take minibus 82M in Shiu Wo Street (瑞和街) to Pineapple Dam (菠蘿壩). Walk up the stairs and turn left to walk along the water-collection duct. Watch any birds perching on the Taiwan Sheungsee tree (good for
Ashy drongo and Blackwinged cuckoo shrike from late autumn to spring. The tree is on the grass patch near the road barrier.

Walk across the road-barrier. Now one is on Reservoir Walk. A few minutes one reaches the first butterfly garden. Walk down to check if there are Mugimaki flycatchers on the fruiting tree near the centre of the grassy patch from late October and other flycatchers nearby.

Then finish the Reservoir walk you reach a big grassy patch called Picnic site No. six near a public toilet on the left.
walk pass the footbridge that runs above and across a stream.

Soon you may take right turn to reach Picnic site seven. The area along the water edge could be interesting.

If one doesn't turn right but walk straight on, the Lead Mine Pass starts. Along the pass one will go past Picnic Sites 8 and 9 (latter one is half-way from the top). fifteen utes of moderate-paced walking leads one to the top. The Maclehose lane one the left leads to Tai Mo Shan and the straight one part leads to Tai Po Kau (about at most thirty-minutes' walk) or turn sharp right to Grass Hill or Pin Hill (針山). The steepwalk down will lead one back to the reservoir proper.

If one walk down on the Pass again it will take one about one and a half hours at most to reach Pineapple Dam again. Walking like this with busy birding will take one about five hours to finish the trip.

Cheers

S L Tai

tsheunglai

14th September, 2015 (Mon)
Sunny morning hot towards noon but north-easterly wind made walking up Lead Mine Pass pleasurable

Migrants keep on passing
Sighting migrants keep up hope for better days to come

The water-collection duct keeps on being quiet and soon I found myself passing the road-barrier. I kept on a steady slow way of walking and passed the reservoir proper a lttle past nine.

Now on my right had a wide stream down on bottom of a wooded slope and here I first heard Chestnut bulbuls calling loudly and approaching towards the road. I stopped and found that there were more variety than merely bulbuls. I located an Asian brown flycatcher on the fringe of the birdwave, followed by an Eastern crowned leaf warbler and the best bird of the morning - a Japanese paradise flycatcher.

The walking up to the pass was pleasurable, but quiet birdwise. A brief search around the public toilet
convinced me not to linger on the spot.

The return trip yielded no migrants and the hot sun seemed forcing all birds stop moving actively.
Last four species were all heard including a Crested serpent eagle and a Forktailed sunbird.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 14/09/2015 19:47 ]

tsheunglai

17th September, 2015
Fair weather keeps on resulting in cool morning turning really hot after ten

Present migratory wave dwindling to insignificance
No significant sighting a sure result

The woods of the area being the most extensive around Tai Mo Shan, attracting migratory birds whenever  there are birds which need to stop for a rest. Today it vindicated the belief firmly in the affirmative.

The water collection part before the road barrier improved but not elsewhere. Grey wagtails were punctually to be seen arriving. Two of them were seen but water level on the shallow canal was a bit too high, keeping them struggle for feeding ground. It looked that they were not to stay or go to other local areas.

Only one flycatcher was seen, a mere Asian brown. No leaf warbler was seen, only a Yellow browed surely heard. The result was settled early on being a morning of insignificance, total species recorded stopped at eighteen.

S L Tai

tsheunglai

22nd September, 2015 (Tuesday)
Overcast dis-spelled soon by long sunny period with temperature rising from 25/26 to 30 Celsius

A Day of Mixed Fortune
Variety Compensates  For Lack of Migrants that One Wants

The morning started with four Cattle egrets on top of Pineapple Dam with two White wagtails nearby. The water collection duct rose higher after Monday's heavy rain, with one Grey wagtail clinging to steeply sloppy sides obviously to its great discomfort.

Birds were largely heard until the morning's first bird wave was met with calls largely that of Mountain and Chestnut bulbuls soon after the Lead Mine Pass began. It was here that a Japanese paradise flycatcher was seen.

Birds were found steadily all the way. On the way down from pass's top where it was birdwise quiet but about halfway down a second bird wave was met, again with the most interesting bird being a second Japanese paradise flycatcher, and the only leaf warbler an Eastern-crowned.

It was quite a delight to see seven Greater necklaced laughing thrushes to visit the area, unavoidably aroused in one the finding of their calls so weak and mild for their large size. It was intriguing to find two Spotted doves flying in and perching on a roadside tree, one with clear spots on the neck but none on the other, though otherwise they were identical in everything else.

A good count of species which reached thirty-five.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 29/09/2015 10:31 ]

tsheunglai

28th September, 2015 (Mon)
Clear sky and hot weather with temperature reaching thirty or more

Weak north-easterly wind bringing hope for migrant arrival
A visit that brings no good finds

A brief visit to the area found me walking among a lot of holiday strollers spending a morning walk there. Quite quiet and virtually no bird remained active after nine.

On the pass before Picnic Site No. 9 I met a bulbul group with a brief glimpse of an Asian paradise
flycatcher.

My morning's count dropped to a poor fifteen, largely heard.

S L Tai

tsheunglai

3rd October, 2015 (Saturday)
With typhoon signal no.1 hoisted and moderate wind blowing from north/north-easterly, temperature from 23 to 29 Celsicus

Observation of birds under interesting combination of weather conditions
A new experience

It was uncommon for a typhoon crossing within five hundred kilometre range in combination with a cool confront arriving at the colony at the same time. With the prospect of migratory scene changing for the better I went to the area after five days from last visit.

The Pineapple Dam area and water collection duct before the road barrier remained much the same, quiet and feeling not well at seeing the Taiwan Sheungtse trimmed of two heavy branches in front and bare parts behind disappearing, affording no more good perching position for future Ashy drongos. Just a Collared crow heard and seen and two migrating Cattle egrets.

It was on the approach to Picnic Site 6 that when a look was paid to some tall bare trees on the right of the road that I discerned the dark form of a Dollarbird. I stopped and moved until I could see that it was an adult with deep coral beak and red feet. It flew out of sight within minutes.

It was just about passing the public toilet on the left that a large flock of minivets were heard. I hurried towards the entrance to the young secondary forest and chased the birds while they flew mainly along and up the stream that ran down to the reservoir. Twenty minutes or so of observation brought me an Asian paradise flycatcher, an Eastern crowned leaf bird and a Black-winged cuckoo-shrike.

The way up to Picnic site no. 8 was quiet again. On my return to the reservoir I turned left to check the water front behind Picnic site 12. It was here that a juvenile Chinese pond heron was seen, very uncommon for the area, probably a migrant.

When I went past the spot where the Dollarbird was seen about two hours ago it was with a half-surprise that it was still there. It looked quite tired, almost still with no gaze changing, even when a Black-eared kite came flying over. Exactly the same scene that ran back several years ago. Or the same bird, certainly not a deja vu.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 3/10/2015 21:12 ]

tsheunglai

9th September, 2015 (Friday)
Very mild wind from the north together with perfect sunny day together made birding sweating comfortably

Is weather crucial for spotting migrants
Personal experience on the site finds mixed results

Mild drop of temperature while wind from the north attracted me to my favourite place, producing mixed results. First sighting of an Ashy drongo came when one was uttering mixed calls of truly itself's and some minicries. Some quick wide steps brought me a position of seeing it perching near the top of a bare tree on top of opposite slope of the water collection duct, a bird of the sub-species leucogenis with wide white facial patch. It was nice to see it make shallow air-skiings, snatching up flying insects and back to the same position uttering some cries before landing. I came to the Taiwan Sheungtse near the road barrier. Surely there was yet another one with lower body hidden by leaves. It was quiet, seemingly finding it awkward to find the tree without its bare branches. It soon flew off to another big tree some distance away and made some calls there. The latter one was not alone, its presence seems attractive to a male Scarlet minivet and some Blue-winged minlas, heralding birdwaves coming up on future winter days.

Migrants appeared to be few, just an Arctic leaf warbler seen and a Yellow-browed heard all the way from Picnic Site No. 9 and back to the slope above the stream that runs parallel to the road just after the branch-off to the left. Here among some Chestnut bulbuls a Japanese paradise flycatcher was seen flying stylishly with its deep-trough short flights.

The day's score reached twenty-five, just moderate.

S L Tai

tsheunglai

13th October, 2015 (Tuesday)
North/North-easterly bringing coolness to early part of morning walk but soon became hot towards ten.

Third day since cold-front's arrival
Migration carrying on but good weather lures birds stay short

A group of five small chats were found on the top of Pineapple Dam. At a distance it was the male among them that helped identifying them to be Stejneger's (formerly Siberian) stonechats. They were evidently fresh from landing, for all remained inactive, and one nearly remained roosting still, looking weak and vulnerable. They had my unreserved admiration for taking a body of less than a hundred grams to sustain long flight from breeding grounds. Simply superhuman, test of survival of the fittest at the utmost. I couldn't but think about life, its purpose and ultimately its meaning. Life is  born to be maintained. All others are just being secondary including arts, science and philosophy.

A check of the water collection duct until it reached the road barrier revealed that the two Ashy drongos seen last time were gone. A drongo's call brought hope which was shortlived when the bird took flight - a single Hair-crested drongo on migration.

No attractive birdwave was encountered. Only an Asian brown flycatcher was heard. Among some warblers seen an Eastern crowned and an early Goodson's leaf warlbers were identified.

S L Tai

Addendum: The five stonechats reported above landed on the dam's top simply because there are thick clusters of grass which bore seeds. One was seen jumping into the grass to feed on the seeds, just like a brambling I once saw on Lead Mine Pass which half-jumped and half-flew to reach for the seeds of some grass on the roadside, both apparently desperately hungry.  After several hours when I took leave of the place, all the chats were gone.

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 14/10/2015 19:58 ]

tsheunglai

17th & 23rd October, 2015 (Sat. & Fri.)
Both mornings with north to north-easterly winds, cool around 7 am but soon rose to more than 27 Celsius towards noon, making birders like me keeping to summer costumes.


Significant difference between the two mornings
Latter better than former

My count of the morning of the seventeenth was barely twenty, no winter arrivals usually seen in the area; just an Asian brown flycatcher a Yellow-browed leaf warbler heard. A brown-like leaf warbler feeding on the wet ground beyond Picnic Site No. 12 brought me hope of a Raddes' but turning out a Dusky.

The twenty-third morning began with a quiet Pineapple Dam but before I turned to the road before the reservoir walk's Road Barrier I found attractive birds perching on upper part of a pine-like high tree. Three Ashy drongos were found together with four Hair-crested drongos. Though migrating companions, they vied for better perching positions, with the latter chasing continuously the former away. A female Scarlet minivet and a Chinese bulbul joined them. All soon left to forage up the Reservoir Walk.

I came to the Road Barrier foreground and found two Black-winged cuckoo shrikes, a fourth Ashy drongo and a male Scarlet minivet, fulfilling my prediction that the cluster of sizeable trees still attract birds coming up in colder days.

The good birdwaves of cold weather were still absent. Just a fifth Ashy drongo and a third Black-winged cuckoo shrike among some fifteen or more of minivets; leaf warblers occcupying middle and babblers lower parts of trees were noticeably few or none at all. Mere two Yellow-browed leaf warbler were heard all the way. Verditer type of colour flashed across my occular sense once but the flycatcher itself was not seen. Far inferior Asian brown was seen once.

S L Tai

tsheunglai

2nd October, 2015 (Monday)
Coolest morning so far of the autumn, East to North-easterly brought down the temperature to 17 Celsius at Shing Mun but rose rapidly to twenty-five or above when sun broke out of the clouds around ten.

Birding scence changing for the better
Winter scenario reaching beginning stage

The Pineapple Dam and catchment area before the road barrier was unusually quiet, putting the outcome of the morning in great doubt. Just an Asian brown flycatcher heard before the Reservoir Walk began.

Half of the Shing Mun distance was covered in near-brisky pace when some babblers noisily crossing the walk stopped me. Quite a lot of Rufous-capped babblers, plus some Silver-eared mesias and Blue-winged minlas together with a Huet's fulvetta. A lot of vociferous Velvet-fronted nuthatches and a nice White-bellied erponis. The presence of two active Ashy drongos and a Black-winged cuckoo shrikesoon caught my attention. A large number of Grey-chinned minivets soon joined in to form an even bigger birdwave. A delightful male Verditer flycatcher was located- my first of the autumn. My also first of the season - a Dark-sided flycatcher - was most briefly seen. Among leaf warblers, just one Yellow-browed and a Goodson's were spotted. It was interesting to note one Haired-crested drongo which stayed to winter.

Near Picnic Site No. five a warbler or chat flew low across the walk, seducing me to walk up a slope for several paces. Nowhere was it found but when I looked up to my right a larger bird was seen foraging low above ground, surprisingly a late season Asian paradise flycatcher which spread its tail and showed its upper parts well.

The Lead Mine Pass part up to Picnic Site No. 8 was all quiet, allowing me just to pick up the calls of Fork-tailed sunbirds and some unidentified flowerpeckers.

On returning to Reservoir Walk I turned right to reach Picnic Site 12. The wetland beyond had water reaching higher level than last time with unknown reason.No Olive-backed pipits yet but the calls of a Red-throated flycatcher drew me to walk to the right towards the narrower part of the stream outlet. Definietly a Red-throated which allowed me to see well its tail and surrounding parts and bill. A wintering male Daurian redstart made a smart appearance when I retraced my steps, heralding winter season which would settle in in a few weeks.

It was satisfying to find the morning's tally topped thirty-four and five flycatcher species, even without finding any Spotted doves and the hobby or falcon bird which swooped down but failed to snatch up a White wagtail on top of the Pineapple Dam.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 2/11/2015 21:51 ]

tsheunglai

9th October, 2015 (Monday)
Warm and becoming hot although wind coming from N/E.

End of the latest cold-front and local weather brings down bird species
The winter scene slow in formation

It was sure the Verditer flycatcher seen in front of the first butterfly garden was the male found last time. It had stayed. It must be mentioned that three Sharp-tailed munias were seen. Nice to see them feeding on ripe grass seeds. Quite uncommon here.

Only two leaf warblers were seen which were Arctic; only one Yellow-browed heard. One crow provided just time enough to see its white-collared neck while flying away.

One more winter species was found when a Chiense blackbird was heard and seen. First thrush of Shing Mun indeed.

Among a moderate-sized birdwave I located a White-bellied erponis but no other birds of particular interest.

Fort-tailed sunbirds were only the increase in number as five were heard and two seen among them.

The wet part beyond Picnic site no. 12 had the male Daurian redstart showing its presence but the Taiga flycatcher was not heard nor seen at all after a long moment's search.

The Crested serpent eagle was heard towards eleven after missing its call for several weeks.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 9/11/2015 20:13 ]

tsheunglai

12th November,2015 (Thursday)
Third day after arrival of cold front. Wind blowing from east; temperature from 22-26 Celsius; cloudy with light rain

Evidence of arrival of wintering birds and passage migrants
Mild surprise awaits patch watchers

It was just some steps up the Pineapple Dam that a dark bird flew up to the slope on the left. Then all was quiet. I returned some moments later. Sure enough the dark bird was again feeding on the staircase. Closer look revealed it being an Orange-headed thrush, evidently not a local bird. Soon an elderly man walked down after his morning walk and the bird disappeared.

A bird kept emitting loud rounds of quick single-note stuttering was found to be an Asian stubtail, first found in the area, probably a new-arrival which would stayed for winter.

An Ashy drongo was among a birdwave with its main bulk being quick moving babblers of Silver-eared mesias and Rufous-capped babblers. A quick glimpse of a female Mugimaki and a Grey-headed flycatchers added flavour to other sightings.

More than five Hair-crested drongos were seen on high trees behind the public toilet at Picnic site no. 6, possibly the lot of birds seen previously which all stayed.

The wet patch beyond Picnic site no. 12 was left with just Grey and White wagtails, with calls of Yellow-browed leaf warblers as background sounds.

A moderate list of twenty-seven species was recorded.

S L Tai

[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 13/11/2015 19:51 ]

tsheunglai

17th November, 2015 (Tuesday)
Easterly wind together with sunny weather pushed temperature to hotness of thirty-one in Tsuen Wan at noon

All quiet at the Shing Mun Country Park
Culprit largely hotness resulting in non-formation of birdwaves

It was clear that resident birds reacted to the weather as a day in cool summer, confident that feeding was easy all day long, resulting in hesitant in the formation of sizeable birdwaves. Moreover, migrants found weather good for resuming flying south. Overall result was that all was quiet in the country park.

Of all twenty-six species recorded , sixteen or more than half were heard, notably Ashy drongo, and the Red-throated flycatcher on the opposite shore of the wet part beyond Picnic site no. 12. The male Daurian redstart was first seen on Picnic site no. seven and at the wet part when I took leave of the place.

S L Tai