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Link to Old BBS 舊新聞組連結

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Originally posted by David Stanton on 10/13/06 at 18:17:23

I had a stroll around Long Valley this morning 0615-0900.

Highlights included:

Plaintive Cuckoo x1
Eurasian Wryneck x1
Black-Winged Cuckoo Shrike x1
Black-Winged Stilt x12
Wood Sandpiper x12
Green Sandpiper x2
Red-Throated Pipit x10
Rose-Ringed Parakeet x1
Oriental Reed Warbler  x8
Stonechat - at least 7
Zitting Cisticola x1
Dusky Warblers - at least 20
Black Drongo x2
Snipe - x40 (I need to brush up on field id of these, particularly calls as they rise when flushed - does anyone know of where I could get recordings of these?)

Also:
Bunting sp - from other posts yellow-browed is mentioned, and though this was probably the same, I haven't got a decent picture of a Yellow-browed in winter plumage - does anyone know any good links? This bird seemed to have a lighter mantle/back and tail that the Y-B, more along the lines of a Reed Bunting.

Possible Juv. Cinnamon Bittern - I'm guessing this from recent posts, though it could be a juv bittern species.  Is this a species that occurs in HK as a Juv?

Sooty-headed Bulbul - 2, I know these aren't uncommon birds generally, but this was the first time I've seen them here.

All these questions - I just hope they are in the right thread, I dont want to get into trouble! Thanks in anticipation of any answers/help.

David

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Originally posted by Mike Kilburn on 10/13/06 at 19:10:35

Hi Dave

Your post is fine here.

Sooty-headed Bulbul is regular at Long Valley.

A pic of the bunting was posted a few daya ago on this site, but can't remember where.

Cinnamon Bittern is a regular passage migrant at this time.  

You should probaby get a HK bird book - The Birds of Hong Kong and South China by Viney Phillips and Lam is the best for HK.  And for info on the status of birds (arrival & departure dates, status) etc the Avifauna of Hong Kong is a essential purchase from the HKBWS office (they have copies of the field guide too). It also serves as the foundation for the HK list.

Cheers

Mike K

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Originally posted by miket on 10/13/06 at 19:19:13

Hi David,

Concerning field ID of snipes Common vs Pintail/Swinhoe's is straightforward on basis of white trailing edge/paler underwing of Common, but Pintail vs Swinhoe's in flight is not considered reliable, above all due to overlap in size. Separation on the ground seems next to impossible. I don't know where you can currently get tapes - usual sources I suppose.

It's not clear what exactly your bunting might have been - the putative Yellow-browed from late September (wasn't it? thus unlikely same bird) was a juvenile, I think.

Juv Cinnamon Bittern certainly occurs here - it breeds commonly in south China - separation from Schrenck's is the main issue.

Sooty-headed Bulbul is quite common in HK, but nowhere near as numerous as other common bulbuls and rather localised - very regular at Long Valley though.

Hope that helps.

See you in the field some time no doubt.

Mike Turnbull.

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Originally posted by David Stanton 10/13/06 at 19:29:13

Mike, thanks for that, appreciate the prompt response.

I do have both books, apologies for my lazinness, I don't crossreference back to the Avifauna as regularly as I should, I must get into the habit!

I'll have a look for the Bunting picture on the BBS, the bird I saw was much lighter generally than picture on the plates in Birds of HK and South China - I wasn't sure if there was much variation in the winter plumage.

Thanks again

David