Quote:
Original posted by lpaul at 22/10/2010 22:02 
Pattern of records is most difficult to interpret when you are dealing with extreme rarities, when by definition; there is no pattern of records. In such circumstances, regional distribution, moult pattern, and status in the cage bird trade are also important, as are age, and sometimes, sex
What is the thinking behond Greater Short-toed Lark? No pattern of occurrence (1 record), no evidence of the species occurring elsewhere in southern China, and larks are common in the cage bird trade (OK, most aren't Short-toed, but then how common is Purple Cochoa, and that has been seen in HK.) And yet the species was accepted to Category A (what's it called now? Category I?)
I ask in part because I saw a Mongolian Lark today - this has a similar range and has previously been recorded at a similar time of year, but previous birds have always been dismissed as escapes. Absolutely no evidence of cage damage on today's bird, incidentally, and recent conditions are surely good for migrants from the north-east...
http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/trajectory/trajectory_e.shtml
