HKBWS BBS 香港觀鳥會新聞組


    
      
        HKBWS BBS 香 港 觀 鳥 會 新 聞 組
        (http://www.hkbws.org.hk/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl)
      

        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Bird Identification 鳥類辨識 >>  Starling sp
        
(Message started by: geoff_welch on May 6^th, 2006, 8:36am)

Title: Starling sp
Post by geoff_welch on May 6^th, 2006, 8:36am

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/st1.jpghttp://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/st2.jpghttp://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/st3.jpg

Po Toi
4/5/2005

At first I thought this was a female White-shouldered Starling. But I photographed it because it seemed wrong and it was on its own whereas all previous White-shouldered Starlings were in flocks. The eye seems wrong for White-shouldered - fieldguides and photos show a white eye with a dark centre whereas this bird has an all dark eye.

Is it possible this is a female Purple-backed Starling?

Title: Re: Starling sp
Post by miket on May 6^th, 2006, 11:42am

Definitely Purple-backed or Chestnut-cheeked, Geoff. Separation of these two difficult on these pics alone, but what we can see of the amount of white in the wings favours Purple-backed, assuming it is a female.

Spring records of this species are very few indeed, two to the end of 98 per the Avifauna.

As you may have seen, on a similar note, there is only previous spring record of Yellow-rumped Fly. noted in the Avifauna.

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Starling sp
Post by geoff_welch on May 6^th, 2006, 1:18pm

Thanks Mike.

With regards to the rare spring migrants, I guess spring migrants move through Hong Kong very quickly and are therefore less likely to be seen than in autumn when they are not in so much of a hurry. I am fortunate to be able to watch Po Toi throughout the week so if they only stay a few days, I have more chance of seeing them.

I note Lanceolated Warbler is similarly a rare spring migrant, so congratulations, you've got one of your own.