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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Birding Reports & Tips 觀鳥報告及心得 >>  Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
        
(Message started by: Andrew on Oct 29^th, 2005, 3:04pm)

Title: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Oct 29^th, 2005, 3:04pm

I walked along the stream at Ho Chung this morning and it was good for Dusky warbler.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/51431465.jpg

I managed one reasonable shot but they were very skulking. Other birds seen were Common sandpiper, White (luecopsis) and Grey wagtails, a small flock of White-rumped munia, Chinese pond heron and higher up the road, Chestnut bulbul.

The area is being slowly encroached by new buildings so I don't know how long this area will survive.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌
Post by Paul Leader on Nov 1^st, 2005, 2:28pm

I think this is a Yellow-streaked Warbler. It is not a Dusky Warbler due to the thick eye-stripe, pale supercilium which is well-marked behind the eye, olive tone to the upperparts, relatively thick and pale legs, distinctly buff underparts, slightly longer tail, and large feet!

This really leaves Radde's or Yellow-streaked; the features which favour Yellow-streaked are the darkish legs and the relatively thin bill.

Do you have pictures of the throat and breast. Also did it call? Yellow-streaked has a distinctive bunting-like 'tic' call.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌
Post by Andrew on Nov 1^st, 2005, 10:14pm

Paul, I had gone for Dusky mainly because of the call, which was a regular soft 'tchak' - also there were at least 3 different birds along the stretch with the same call. This is the nearest I got to a throat shot.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/51634449.jpg

http://upload.pbase.com/image/51635498.jpg

I looked afterwards at Plate 28 in Kevin Baker's book Warblers of Europe, Asia and N.Africa. I know this book was quite heavily criticised when it came out for the poor illustrations but the pictures in 84 don't look too far apart from my photo. In my second photo the legs look decidedly spindly and this is the same bird as its the only one I managed to photograph. The odd thing about Baker is the text doesn't really match his illustrations and he draws out some of the points you make including the supercilium which he describes as "thin and comparatively short... well defined in front of the eye" for Dusky. Again, this is not how it is shown in Viney, Phillipps and Lam! Baker describes the voice of Radde's as as a soft chek.....chek and that could be pretty close. He also describes Yellow-streaked's voice as "a metallic tack or tschak similar to Dusky warbler". I'm not convinced therefore that the call would be sufficiently distinct to me to rule any of these in or out. If its Yellow-streaked according to the Avifauna, at the time of publication there were only 9 records for HK so I'm not surprised it didn't occur to me - I've never seen it.

Thanks for the comments

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌
Post by Andrew on Nov 6^th, 2005, 3:08pm

06 November 2005

Little egret
Common sandpiper
Siberian stonechat
*Bonelli's eagle*
Grey wagtail
The same "Dusky"/Yellow-streaked warbler
Masked laughing-thrush
Scaly-breasted munia 10+
Long-tailed shrike
Hair-crested drongo
Black-collared starling

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌
Post by Andrew on Nov 6^th, 2005, 8:10pm

This is the area of Ho Chung I have visited recently, still very rural.

http://www.pbase.com/andrew57/image/51845470.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/andrew57/image/51839198.jpg

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌
Post by Tony on Nov 8^th, 2005, 2:28am

I go to Ho Chung on 6th November too.

There are
Eurasian Hoopoe
Common Koel
Greater Coucal
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Black Capped Night Heron
Common sandpiper
Common kingfisher
White brested waterhen
Common Buzzard
White rumped Munia
Chinese Pond Heron
Mapie
White Throated Kingfisher
Black faced Laughingthrush
Long tailed strike
Grey Wagtail
White Wagtail
Durian Redstart female
Hairy Crested Drongo
Red Flanked Robin
Crested Goshawk
House swift
Grey headed Flycatcher
Common Tailorbird
Black bird
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌
Post by Andrew on Nov 9^th, 2005, 3:37pm

Tony, a very good list. I stayed inthe valley because I am struggling with a bad back. Did you go up to the woods on top of the hill? What time of day did you go - I was there late morning as I wanted to photograph dragonflies as well.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Nov 13^th, 2005, 10:24am

13th November 07.30 - 09.45 Valley area only

Grey heron
Yellow-browed warbler
Dusky warbler
Eurasian Hoopoe
Common Koel
Lesser coucal
Great white egret
Little egret
White rumped munia
Scaly-breasted munia
Great tit
Chinese pond heron
Magpie robin
White throated kingfisher
Black faced laughingthrush
Long tailed shrike  x3
Grey wagtail
White wagtail (leucopsis)
Daurian redstart female  x 2
Hair-crested drongo
Yellow-breasted prinia
Black-collared starling
Chinese bulbul
Red-whiskered bulbul
Sooty-headed bulbul x 3
Olive-backed pipit
Black kite
Siberian stonechat

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Tony on Nov 16^th, 2005, 11:54am

Andrew,

I did went up to the hill and valley, probably from 8:00 - 11:30. I just saw those raptors on the hill.

Tony

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Nov 20^th, 2005, 5:52pm

Today, 20th Nov 2005 I went up as far as The Wilson Trail from 13.45 to 16.00. Best sighting today was a group of half a dozen Hair-crested drongoes "plunge-bathing" in the stream. They were too quick and distant for me to photograph in action but I got a few good shots once they were sunning themselves:

http://upload.pbase.com/andrew57/image/52494698.jpg

http://upload.pbase.com/andrew57/image/52494704.jpg

Other birds seen were:

Little egret
Grey wagtail
White wagtail
White-breasted waterhen
Black-winged cuckoo-shrike
Dusky warbler
Chinese bulbul
Red-whiskered bulbul
Sooty-headed bulbul
Tailorbird
Japanese white-eye
Bonelli's eagle
Crested serpent eagle
Black kite
Scaly-breasted munia
White-rumped munia
Siberian stonechat
Magpie robin
Yellow-browed warbler
House (Little?) swift

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by miket on Nov 20^th, 2005, 11:19pm

Hi Andrew,

I'm also a regular visitor to Ho Chung and have been over several years, currently living nearby in Hing Keng Shek.

Do you check the woods on your visits? This is the area where the Wilson Trail comes over from Tseng Lan Shue and/or down from Customs House Pass (Fei Ngo Shan), at the very end of the catchwater, just past Tai Lam Wu. There was a Black-naped Monarch there today, as well as many 'hikers', and this is the area with the greatest 'rarity potential' in my view. The catchwater's a very pleasant stroll and good for HK Newt (dead ones at least), and the lowland fields have been great in their time, but just aren't burnt off enough now, reducing their attractiveness to buntings, for example.

I'm intrigued by your mentions of Bonelli's Eagle - the area looks good for them and I've seen them passing over nearby, higher up at Ta Ku Ling San Tsuen where I used to live, but never at Ho Chung itself. I clearly need to keep an eye out for them in future.

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Nov 20^th, 2005, 11:33pm

Mike, I have just "discovered" Ho Chung. I live in Pik Sha Road off Clearwater Bay Road so its a 10min drive there. I walk from the road at the bottom up through the fields to the Wilson Trail but haven't been further up into the woods proper. If you'd like to meet up do give me a call sometime on 9889 6638. Sunday early a.m. is my preferred time for birding the fields. I was not there at the best time today but i slept very late after a long trip back from Harare on Friday/Saturday and a late night watching the rugby. The consolation is that the dogs are dozy in the afternoon. Lots of hikers as you say. Shame I didn't see the monarch. I haven't seen any other birders yet but the locals all seem very friendly even if they do regard me as eccentric.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Nov 26^th, 2005, 10:54am

Nov 26th 2005 8am-10am

An Asian stubtail warbler was my best bird this morning -I had 2 brief unobstructed views before it disappeared into the undergrowth. Chestnut bulbul, Black-throated laughing-thrush and Greater necklaced laughing-thrush were all seen this morning higher up near the catchwater. I didn't see any raptors today. The edges of the fields have been burnt off but only in patches.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by hey on Nov 26^th, 2005, 5:12pm

Nice to meet you, Andrew
Here is the bird list for the visit on 26th  Nov 8:00-11:00

Common Sandpiper
Chinese Pond Heron
Black Crowned Night Heron
Grey Wagtail
White Wagtail
Common Tailorbird
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Olive-Backed Pipit
Fork-tailed Sunbird
Masked Laughingthrush
Black-throated Laughingthrush
Hair-Crested Drongo
Daurian Redstart F
Common Kingfisher
Common Blackbird
Common Buzzard
Siberian Stonechat
Red-billed Starling
Sooty-headed Bulbul
Long Tail Shrike
Chestnut Bulbul
White-rumped Munia
Accipiter sp. (Probably Crested Goshawk)
Great Tit

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Nov 26^th, 2005, 5:28pm

You too Hey! I still have not seen night-herons or blackbird at Ho Chung. Well done. I think its a good area that will repay regular watching. Hope to meet up again.

best wshes

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by hey on Nov 26^th, 2005, 10:16pm

i saw the night heron in the river (kind of channelized) before i enter the cultivated area.
I saw one blackbird in the cultivated area.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Nov 30^th, 2005, 1:01pm

30th November 2005 8am to 11.30am; overcast, humid

Chinese pond heron 3
Little egret 2
Black kite
White-breastedwaterhen
Oriental turtle dove
Spotted dove
Common koel
Greater coucal
White-throated kingfisher
Tree sparrow
Olive-backed pipit
Grey wagtail
White wagtail
Black-winged cuckoo-shrike
Red-whiskered bulbul
Chinese bulbul
Sooty-headed bulbul
Chestnut bulbul
Magpie robin
Stonechat
Daurian redstart 1M 2F
Blackbird 7
Yellow-bellied prinia
Dusky warbler
Tailorbird
Asian brown flycatcher 2
Masked laughing-thrush
Black-throated laughing-thrush
Fork-tailed sunbird
Scarlet-bcked flowerpecker
Japanese white-eye
Long-tailed shrike
Hair-crested drongo
Red-billed starling
Black-collared starling
Crested myna
White-rumped munia

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 5^th, 2005, 1:36pm

2 trips to Ho Chung this weekend - Saturday am and Sunday pm after a very late Saturday night moth-trapping at Ron Clibborn-Dyer's temple. I had hoped for something different with the cold front arriving but the lists above remain constant.

I had excellent views of Lesser coucal, which for some reason I find hard to find on a regular basis. A Common kingfisher was hunting up and down the stream.

Glorious walking despite the relative quiet in birding terms. My Hair-crested drongo count was up to 9 in a flock on Saturday.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 10^th, 2005, 12:30pm

10th Dec 05, 9.15 - 11.45am

A good bunting day. In the lower valley, Little buntings on the cultivated flower beds. At the top of the valley where there is a bridge over the stream and the trees and bushes are a little denser, Chestnut bunting (female) and Tristram's bunting. As a bonus in the same location, from the bridge I saw 2 Scaly thrushes and a Blue whistling thrush.  Each of these was new for the site for me.

Crested serpent eagle passed over twice. A Stonechat was on the wires low down in the valley - this time a male.

The only other observation was that the Dusky warblers were singing in between their usual tschak-tschak call. They would pop up on to the plant sticks, sing briefly then drop down again.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by 鳥友Ａ(BWA) on Dec 16^th, 2005, 1:08pm

15/12/05 16:00-18:00

018　小白鷺　Little Egret
022　池鷺　Chinese Pond Heron
080　普通鵟　Common Buzzard　1
136　磯鷸　Common Sandpiper
194　珠頸斑鳩　Spotted Dove
226　小白腰雨燕　Little Swift　30+
229　普通翠鳥　Common Kingfisher
257　灰鶺鴒　Grey Wagtail
258　白鶺鴒　White Wagtail
260　樹鷚　Olive-backed Pipit
270　紅耳鵯　Red-whiskered Bulbul
271　白頭鵯　Chinese Bulbul
273　栗背短腳鵯　Chestnut Bulbul (H)
279　棕背伯勞　Long-tailed Shrike
287　鵲鴝　Oriental Magpie Robin
292　黑喉石(即鳥)　Common Stonechat
310　紅頭穗(眉鳥)　Rufous-capped Babbler (H)
314　黑喉噪(眉鳥)　Black-throated Laughingthrush　(5+) & (2+)
315　畫眉　Hwamei (H)
345　灰頭鷦鶯　Yellow-bellied Prinia
347　長尾縫葉鶯　Common Tailorbird
354　黃眉柳鶯　Yellow-browed Warbler (H)
421　斑文鳥　Scaly-breasted Munia　25+
427　絲光椋鳥　Red-billed Starling　7
433　黑領椋鳥　Black-collared Starling
436　八哥　Crested Myna
440　髮冠卷尾　Hair-crested Drongo　3+
442　紅嘴藍鵲　Blue Magpie　(H)
444　喜鵲　Common Magpie

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by miket on Dec 16^th, 2005, 8:47pm

鳥友Ａ(BWA)

Your record of 30+ Pacific Swifts is a bit of a "stand out" in your list of birds for Ho Chung yesterday.

I just wonder if it isn't more likely that they were Little Swifts as a feature of colder winter days in this area (I live about a kilometre from Ho Chung, at Hing Keng Shek) is flocks of that species feeding quite low over the wooded hillsides - in fact they were doing that here yesterday (15/12). Pacific Swift is very much a "Sai Kung bird" but seems to be a summer visitor, and is absent in winter.

Just a thought!

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by 鳥友Ａ(BWA) on Dec 16^th, 2005, 9:03pm

Oh yes, they were actually Little Swifts - I picked the wrong name on the excel list. Sorry! :-/

BWA

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 17^th, 2005, 11:49am

17th December 05

I didn't go into the lower valley today but went right up to the top and birded the trail up there. I missed a couple of thrushes that disappeared too quickly for me but saw Grey-headed Flycatcher, Scarlet minivet (1F), Hwamei x2 and maybe a dozen Chestnut bulbuls. Between 9.15 and 10.45 there was a lot of activity but really hard to get on to the birds. I find the further I go along this trail the less I see and the first half mile or so, up the climb ad left past the house is the best birding.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by miket on Dec 17^th, 2005, 9:20pm

I'd agree with you on that Andrew, although (a) I did encounter one of HK's first Pygmy Wren Babblers further in, (b) I believe that's where Daniel Philippe had Small Niltava in the late 90's (!) and (c) it seems to be the stronghold for the local population of Grey-cheeked Fulvettas.

Generally the stretch up to the house (ie the one that seems to be being reconverted in possibly Islamic style) and then left as far as the stream does indeed seem to be the best - having had two Rufous-faced Warblers (93 and 04), Chinese Blue Flycatcher (93) , Bianchi's Warbler and pretty much all the regular migrants and winter visitors you'd expect.

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Mike Kilburn on Dec 17^th, 2005, 10:59pm

The woods up above the house, both left and right from the junction, are good for thrushes, and if you take the path that leads up towards the graveyard on the slopes of Fei Ngo Shan, the big views are good for Bonelli's Eagle, while above on Fei Ngo Shan you can find Large Grass Warbler and Upland Pipit. I aslo had 4 Bright-capped Cisticola on Buffalo Hill a little further over towards Ma On Shan in Feb this year.

Cheers
Mike K

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 18^th, 2005, 10:20am

Good to know - thanks Mike(s). Pleased to see Ho Chung is getting some attention. When I first went there a couple of months ago with Martin Williams he wasn't sure anyone was covering the area but clearly thats not the case.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by miket on Dec 18^th, 2005, 10:32pm

Best bird in woods today was Blyth's Leaf Warbler (non-goodsoni type). I also actually saw Rufous-capped Babbler for the first time today further back along the Catchwater.

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 20^th, 2005, 6:48pm

A record shot from this morning's walk at Ho Chung.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/53772556.jpg

Little bunting numbers are picking up. I also went to the Clearwater Bay CP in the afternoon and at one stage had Black kite, Common buzzard and White-bellied sea-eagle in my sight at the same time!

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 22^nd, 2005, 9:27pm

A late morning walk produced more Little buntings today and also the Lemon-breasted canary reported by BH. Do cage birds get released for the winter solstice?
A common kingfisher was on the stream and a Common buzzard overhead. Male and female Daurian redstarts on the cultivated areas. A few Little swifts around (also overhead my house late afternoon). I haven't been up to the woods for a few days but may go Friday.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 8:16pm

23rd December 2005

Best birds all flycatchers today

Verditer flycatcher - this has been around for at least a week but I only got a really good look at it today

Asian brown flycatcher

possible Red-throated flycatcher (see photo for ID in BBS section) - this bird has also been around for a few weeks but I couldn't get decent views or photos until today.

Daurian redstart (male and female)

A Blackbird was caught under the netting over the flowers. I presume the birds get out eventually by trial and error. There was a Chinese pond heron flapping like mad last weekend and that did find a way out.

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Dec 24^th, 2005, 12:11pm

24th December 2005, 9.15-11.30am warm, sunny & calm  :)

If anyone goes to the woods at Ho Chung today or in the near future just below the house under renevation on the right hand sde going up there was a very interesting Flycatcher. I believe it is a Blue-throated but I've never seen the species before and it didn't hang around. I waited for 20 minutes and again 15 minutes on the way back but couldn't relocate it. The Avifauna cautions that the origin of all blue and orange flycatchers in HK is suspect but Ho Chung does have a previous record back in the early 90s.

Otherwise, Grey-backed thrush, Stubtail warbler and 9 Greater necklaced laughing-thrushes were the best birds. Lots of phylloscs in the canopies and I am reasonably confident I got a fleeting glimpse of a Pallas's but mostly they were just high and silhouetted.

Title: Ho Chung 27th Dec 4:00pm to 6:pm
Post by ck151062 on Dec 28^th, 2005, 8:47am

Black-winged Cuckoo-Shirke x 1
Little Egret x 1
Olive-Backed Pipit x 2
Little Bunting x 12 (in the burn field)
Grey Wagtail x 2
Crested Bulbul (many)
Chinese Bulbul (many)
Siberian Stonechat (female) x1
Black Bird x 3
Hair Crested Drongo x 4
Blue Magpie x 4
Great Tit x 2
Black-Faced Laughing-Thrush x 3
Spotted Munia x 17
Swift (too far away to identify) x 20
Grey Treepie x 3 (standing on the wire)
Crested Goshawk x 1 (catach a small bird and hide in the woodland)

;)

Title: 29th Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by ck151062 on Dec 29^th, 2005, 12:02pm

29th Ho Chung　蠔涌 8:00am to 10:00am

Rufous-Necked Scimitar Babbler x 2 (entrance of the Wilson Trail)
Crested Serpent Eagle x1
Black Kite x 1
Rufous-Becked Shrike x 1
Great Tit x 8
Hair-Crested Drongo x 2
Little Bunting x 6
Spotted Munia x 13
Chinese Bulbul
Crested Bulbul
Grey Wagtail x 2
Dpotted Dove x 6
Daurian Redstart x 1
Black-Throated Laughing Thursh (hear voice)
Fork-Tailed Sunbird x 2
Jungle Crow x 2
Magpie Robin x 7
Yellow-Bellied Prina x1

Cheers

Title: 31 Dec Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by ck151062 on Dec 31^st, 2005, 8:40pm

31 Dec 2005 Ho Chung 3:00pm to 6:00pm

Rufous-Backed Shrike x 2
Grey Wagtail x 2
White Wagtail x 2
Black Kite x 1
Crested Serpent Eagle x 1
Spotted Dove
Lesser Coucal x 1
Crested Bulbul
Chinese Bulbul
Chestnut Bulbul x 4
Siberian Stonechat 1M 1F
Red-Flanked Bluetail x 1F
Black Bird x 4
Yellow-Bellied Prina x 3
Yellow-Browed Warbler x 3
Great Tit x 2
Japanese White-Eye
Black-Necked Starling x4
Crested Myna x 16
Little Bunting x 4
Spotted Munia x 8
Hair-Crested Drongo x 32
White-Breasted Waterhen x 1

Cheers

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by hey on Dec 31^st, 2005, 8:42pm

Where did you seen the Rufous-back strike??

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by ck151062 on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 9:38am

棕背伯勞 Rufous Backed Shrike.

I found it on the the cultivated area.

Regards

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 11:32am

I spent 2 hours at Ho Chung this morning - not much to see to be honest. I was however disturbed to note that the netting used by the locals to prevent their flowers from birds had trapped and killed a Crested mynah and a bat. I know nothing about bats - this was about the size of a tennis ball and had a horn-like protruberance on the front of its face. It was so entangled it was hard to see much more.

The local work very hard to produce their flower 'crops' and I see the bulbuls attacking them all the time (the flowers not the people!). I guess it is not much different from using fruit cages to protect raspberries or the like so I don't condemn the farmers. Nevertheless, it is was not good to see either of this morning's victims.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by subbuteo71 on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 1:28pm

I can see the use of nets as acceptable- however it is the type of net used commonly here that is the problem. It is netting designed to catch and hold birds- this is unnecessary. I regularly see nets used in this way in the Lam Tsuen valley. I have cut several birds out in the past week, luckily all were capable of flying free when I was finished. What is even more annoying is seeing red-billed starlings, crested bulbuls, tree sparrows and occasionally other species tethered up above the crops as a supposed deterent.

There is no reason for these nets to be used other than to persecute the birds- almost revenge. Slightly thicker netting would prevent the birds from reaching the crops and they would not become entangled.

I know some of the farmers bear no ill will toward the birds as they come and ask me to remove them- it is simply a matter of educating them as to alternatives- though they may cost more.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Mike Kilburn on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 3:41pm

Nets which catch and kill birds are illegal under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap 170), as is using dead birds as a deterrant. However it must be said that bulbuls in particular will happily destroy a crop of carnations or chrysanthemums if they can.

The worst kind are mist nets made of dark thread with a "shelf" (a tight horizontal cord across the net). The birds hit the net and get stuck in a pocket which hangs over the shelf. Removing the shelf makes the nets far less lethal, but they can and do still kill birds and bats.

There are alternative types of net - even simple fishing nets are better as it is much harder for birds to get entangled and die.

I have persuaded one flower farmer in Lam Tsuen to give up using mist nets and switch to other nets which do not kill birds. This year he is using a combination of other nets and I have not found any trapped or dead birds so far this winter.

If you find nets such as these you should report them to Mr Wong Che Lok at AFCD (cl_wong@afcd.gov.hk). Ideally you should provide a map and photos so that the site can be accurately identified.

While it is illegal to use these mist nets, it is not illegal to sell them - the same nets are legally used by qualified ringers, but only under licence from AFCD.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Webcreeper on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 4:22pm

The following posts are relevant:

Report when Birds are Threatened　如何�|報傷害雀鳥的事件? (http://www.hkbws.org.hk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=faq;action=display;num=1135862175)

Helping Birds in Trouble　遇到鳥兒落難怎麼辦？ (http://www.hkbws.org.hk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=faq;action=display;num=1135862140)

捕鳥陷阱　Bird Traps (http://www.hkbws.org.hk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Conservation;action=display;num=1125572491)

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 5:19pm

This was the bat caught

http://upload.pbase.com/image/54278256.jpg

Very sad

Andrew

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by 深藍 Owen on Jan 2^nd, 2006, 5:23pm

oh...............................!!! :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by ck151062 on Jan 3^rd, 2006, 4:36pm

Mist Nets in Ho Chung 3rd January 2006

I have email the location map of Ho Chung to Mr. Wong AFCD. He just call me to confrim he have received my message and will follow the issue.

Regards,

CK

PS: Andrew, I hope you don't mind that I have also email your bat photo to AFCD for their reference.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 3^rd, 2006, 4:58pm

No problem - hope they manage to resolve this amicably.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by ck151062 on Jan 4^th, 2006, 9:21am

I received the message from Mr. Wong AFCD this morning.

Dear Mr. Chan,

Thank you for your information. We also received the same complaint from staff of KFBG today. Please be informed that our Nature Wardens have seized 7 pieces of mist net each of 20m to 30m in length. One bird was released. No one claimed to be responsible on site and our Nature Warden provided advice to people nearby on how to protect their agricultural products, which would not harm wild birds and bats. We also advised them to use nets with thicker strings and put them horizontally in order to protect crops.

Regards

C. L. Wong
AFCD

;)

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 8^th, 2006, 4:04pm

An afternoon in the upper woods at Ho Chung today produced only one bird of note, a female Black-naped monarch where the stream runs across the path off to the left of the main track. Lots of activity but poor light and difficult to get onto things again. >:(

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 14^th, 2006, 4:13pm

Another visit to Ho Chung wood this afternoon - usual story - lots of activity but hard to see much. You do have to work hard for a decent return here. Chestnut bulbuls are common and today's birds of note were Grey-cheeked fulvetta and Cattle egret (lower down the valley) in breeding plumage.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 15^th, 2006, 1:04pm

A mid morning visit to the woods produced an Orange-bellied leafbird (juvenile), Fork-tailed sunbird (male) and possibly a Sulphur-breasted warbler although it was hard to see well - but definitely very bright yellow underparts and a crown stripe and a prominent white eyering (but NOT a Japanese white-eye!!).

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by miket on Jan 15^th, 2006, 9:22pm

Hi Andrew,

Sulphur-breasted Warbler isn't on the HK List anymore and all such Phylloscs with yellow underparts are assumed to be Blyth's Leaf Warblers of the taxon goodsoni, which is a Northern Guangdong breeder (eg at Ba Bao Shan) and which may be a valid split at species level - you may have seen it referred to as "Goodson's Leaf Warbler e.g. in the Ng Tung Chai thread.

It does have yellow underparts, and a yellow (?) crown stripe with very well-marked black(ish?) lateral stripes, but the white eye-ring is difficult to make fit. Seicercus warblers need to be considered, but in S. China, I think it's right to say they all have yellow eye-rings, even the White-spectacled Warblers.

You had more than I had on a late afternoon visit yesterday, when I saw absolutely nothing of note.

Mike Turnbull.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 15^th, 2006, 9:40pm

Thank Mike. It was very difficult to get a good view of it - typical phyllosc. I was standing on a rock in the middle of the stream looking back to the trees and bushes on the bank behind me. It was constantly moving in and out of view. It disappeared quickly when a group of Happy Wanderers came along, knapsacks on their backs, radios and voices blaring out, presumably enjoying the peace and tranquility of a day walking in the countryside. >:(

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 27^th, 2006, 8:29pm

Not from Ho Chung but from my home in Clearwater Bay I heard my first Collared Scops Owl this evening. I understand they are common and widespread but it is still a welcome addition to my home list (such as it is).

I checked it against an old CD I have which has 78 tracks on it of HK birds - I don't know where I got it from but presumably it was on sale when I was last in HK :-)

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 29^th, 2006, 4:44pm

WARNING

I walked up through the woods today and the paths were like glass - very slippery and several times I almost fell despite wearing good 'grippy' walking shoes. The birds were very elusive and sadly there was nothing of note to report.

Title: Re: Ho Chung　蠔涌　2005 Winter 冬
Post by Andrew on Jan 30^th, 2006, 5:57pm

A record shot from this afternoon's walk in the valley.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/55484089.jpg

Gorgeous weather but not great for birding - female Blackbird and Daurian redstart , male Stonechat, Hair-crested drongo, a pair of Common buzzards, much as usual.