LATEST SIGHTINGS - AUGUST 2018
August 1-12
August 1-12
Juvenile Greater Sand Plover, Mai Po mud flats, August (archive image)
The month began with anticyclonic conditions over southern China. The weather was fine and hot with temperatures up to 34⁰C. A Tropical Storm from 9th - 12th southwest of Hong Kong brought cooler temperatures along with squally showers and fresh southeasterly winds.
Shorebird migration was much in evidence. At Mai Po on 1st, 20 Red-necked Stints, 12 Curlew Sandpipers, three Broad-billed Sandpipers, a Far Eastern Curlew and a Dunlin were counted. On 9th, 22 species of wader were present including an atrifrons Lesser Sand Plover, 20 Greater Sand Plovers, 121 Whimbrels, a Far Eastern Curlew, 78 Eurasian Curlews, 168 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Curlew Sandpipers, a Long-toed Stint, four Red-necked Stints, two Asian Dowitchers, 16 Terek Sandpipers, a Grey-tailed Tattler, 433 Common Greenshanks, five Marsh Sandpipers and 996 Common Redshanks. Also noted were a Mongolian Gull Larus (cachinnans) mongolicus (presumably the same bird as was reported on 2nd July) and a Gull-billed Tern. The Mongolian Gull and three Gull-billed Terns were present on 12th, and a Black-winged Kite was also seen on that date.
On 4th, San Tin held a female Common Pochard, surely the same bird as was seen there on 2nd & 3rd June. Also present were six Red-necked and three Long-toed Stints, Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, a Kentish Plover, 40 Black-winged Stilts, 21 Common Redshanks, 21 Wood Sandpipers, eight Common Sandpipers and two Green Sandpipers. Additional birds included four Red-rumped Swallows and an Oriental Turtle Dove.
Other reports during the period were two Chinese Barbets calling at Kap Lung on 4th, 6th & 10th, with three Black Bulbuls at the same site on 4th, one on 6th and five on 10th. The Lesser Whistling Duck was at Lok Ma Chau on 6th. Fifty terns (Bridled, Black-naped and Roseate) were seen from the Tung Ping Chau ferry on 4th and on 9th, a Common Tern, 40 Black-naped Terns and ten Roseate Terns were reported from the Tolo Channel. On 11th a migrant Grey Wagtail and a Common Kingfisher were at Discovery Bay, and a Pintail/Swinhoe’s Snipe and two Grey Wagtails were at Long Valley. On 12th, two Eurasian Hobbies were at Lam Tsuen.
Shorebird migration was much in evidence. At Mai Po on 1st, 20 Red-necked Stints, 12 Curlew Sandpipers, three Broad-billed Sandpipers, a Far Eastern Curlew and a Dunlin were counted. On 9th, 22 species of wader were present including an atrifrons Lesser Sand Plover, 20 Greater Sand Plovers, 121 Whimbrels, a Far Eastern Curlew, 78 Eurasian Curlews, 168 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Curlew Sandpipers, a Long-toed Stint, four Red-necked Stints, two Asian Dowitchers, 16 Terek Sandpipers, a Grey-tailed Tattler, 433 Common Greenshanks, five Marsh Sandpipers and 996 Common Redshanks. Also noted were a Mongolian Gull Larus (cachinnans) mongolicus (presumably the same bird as was reported on 2nd July) and a Gull-billed Tern. The Mongolian Gull and three Gull-billed Terns were present on 12th, and a Black-winged Kite was also seen on that date.
On 4th, San Tin held a female Common Pochard, surely the same bird as was seen there on 2nd & 3rd June. Also present were six Red-necked and three Long-toed Stints, Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, a Kentish Plover, 40 Black-winged Stilts, 21 Common Redshanks, 21 Wood Sandpipers, eight Common Sandpipers and two Green Sandpipers. Additional birds included four Red-rumped Swallows and an Oriental Turtle Dove.
Other reports during the period were two Chinese Barbets calling at Kap Lung on 4th, 6th & 10th, with three Black Bulbuls at the same site on 4th, one on 6th and five on 10th. The Lesser Whistling Duck was at Lok Ma Chau on 6th. Fifty terns (Bridled, Black-naped and Roseate) were seen from the Tung Ping Chau ferry on 4th and on 9th, a Common Tern, 40 Black-naped Terns and ten Roseate Terns were reported from the Tolo Channel. On 11th a migrant Grey Wagtail and a Common Kingfisher were at Discovery Bay, and a Pintail/Swinhoe’s Snipe and two Grey Wagtails were at Long Valley. On 12th, two Eurasian Hobbies were at Lam Tsuen.
August 13 - 19
Tropical Cyclone Bebinca lingered to the southwest of Hong Kong on 13th & 14th bringing heavy showers to the territory. The rest of the week was generally cloudy with showers; temperatures were in the low thirties.
The summering Great Cormorant and at least one of the Cinnamon Bitterns were seen at the Wetland Park on 13th & 16th.
The first migrant Amur Paradise Flycatcher of the autumn was noted at Shek Kong catchwater on 14th. An adult and two juvenile Orange-headed Thrushes were also seen; one of the juveniles was there again on 17th.
The first Eastern Crowned Warblers of the autumn were reported from Shing Mun on 15th and Tai Tong on 16th.
The summering female Common Pochard was still at San Tin on 16th & 18th. Also there on 18th were six Long-toed Stints, 100 Wood Sandpipers, six Pintail/Swinhoe’s Snipes, 30 Little Ringed Plovers and a Stejneger’s Stonechat.
Birds at Mai Po included three Garganeys and the summering Mongolian Gull on 16th. The gull was still present on 18th along with four Asian Dowitchers, a very early Grey headed Lapwing and four Caspian Terns.
The tern survey in the Ma Liu Shui – Wong Shek area on 19th turned up 405 Bridled, 98 Black-naped and 44 Roseate Terns.
An Amur Paradise Flycatcher was at Tai Po Kau on 19th.
Tropical Cyclone Bebinca lingered to the southwest of Hong Kong on 13th & 14th bringing heavy showers to the territory. The rest of the week was generally cloudy with showers; temperatures were in the low thirties.
The summering Great Cormorant and at least one of the Cinnamon Bitterns were seen at the Wetland Park on 13th & 16th.
The first migrant Amur Paradise Flycatcher of the autumn was noted at Shek Kong catchwater on 14th. An adult and two juvenile Orange-headed Thrushes were also seen; one of the juveniles was there again on 17th.
The first Eastern Crowned Warblers of the autumn were reported from Shing Mun on 15th and Tai Tong on 16th.
The summering female Common Pochard was still at San Tin on 16th & 18th. Also there on 18th were six Long-toed Stints, 100 Wood Sandpipers, six Pintail/Swinhoe’s Snipes, 30 Little Ringed Plovers and a Stejneger’s Stonechat.
Birds at Mai Po included three Garganeys and the summering Mongolian Gull on 16th. The gull was still present on 18th along with four Asian Dowitchers, a very early Grey headed Lapwing and four Caspian Terns.
The tern survey in the Ma Liu Shui – Wong Shek area on 19th turned up 405 Bridled, 98 Black-naped and 44 Roseate Terns.
An Amur Paradise Flycatcher was at Tai Po Kau on 19th.
August 20 -31
Juvenile Black-winged Stilt at Mai Po, 26 August 2018
The final third of the month began with light southwesterly winds, sunny intervals and showers; temperatures were high, reaching 35⁰C in the New Territories on 25th. A trough of low pressure from 28th – 31st brought heavy rain to South China and flooding to the northern New Territories. There were a number of autumn migrants moving through. Species of interest included:
Garganey: one at Mai Po on 26th
Black-faced Spoonbill: the five over-summering birds were present until at least 26th
Black Bittern: one at Ho Man Tin on 25th
Intermediate Egret: 60 at Mai Po on 26th
Great Cormorant: the over-summering bird was present at the Wetland Park until at least 29th
Grey-headed Lapwing: two at Mai Po on 24th
Whimbrel: 336 at Mai Po on 26th, a new highest count
Asian Dowitcher: one at Mai Po on 23rd
Mongolian Gull: the over-summering bird remained until at least 27th
Bridled Tern: 40 from the Po Toi ferry on 28th
Aleutian Tern: eight from the Po Toi ferry on 28th
Amur Paradise Flycatcher: widespread reports as follows (all singles except where indicated): Tai Tong on 20th (two); Tai Po Kau, Shek Kong catchwater and the Wetland Park on 22nd; Ng Tung Chai on 23rd; Tai Po Kau, Shek Kong catchwater and Old Peak Road on 24th; Tai Lam CP on 25th (two); Tai Lam CP on 26th; Shek Kong catchwater on 28th; Po Toi on 28th (two).
Sand Martin: one at Mai Po on 27th
Daurian Starling: at least one at Po Toi on 28th, which equals the earliest autumn date
Eastern Crowned Warbler: reported as follows (all singles except where indicated): Tai Po Kau on 21st; Shek Kong catchwater on 22nd; Ng Tung Chai on 23rd; Tai Po Kau (two) and Ho Man Tin on 25th
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler: singles reported from Ho Man Tin on 24th & 25th, and the Wetland Park on 26th, all of which are new earliest dates. (The current earliest date on record is 27th August.) Two were at Ho Man Tin on 30th
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler: two at the Wetland Park on 27th with one there on 29th (identity confirmed by analysis of sound recording of their call)
Arctic Warbler: singles at Ho Man Tin on 24th & 25th, Tai Po Kau on 25th, Tai Tong on 26th, Shek Kong catchwater and Po Toi on 28th, and the Wetland Park on 31st
Oriental Reed Warbler: one singing at Mai Po on 26th; one at Lok Ma Chau on 30th
Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler: the first bird of the autumn was at Lok Ma Chau on 30th
Hainan Blue Flycatcher: reported from Tai Po Kau and Shek Kong catchwater during the period including juveniles; two were at Tai Tong on 20th; a male was at the Wetland Park on 22nd & 23rd, with a female there from 26th - 28th; one was at Kap Lung on 29th
Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher: one reported at the Wetland Park on 26th
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher: singles at Tai Po Kau and Ho Man Tin on 24th, the Wetland Park on 26th, Po Toi on 28th and Ho Man Tin on 30th
Stejneger’s Stonechat: one at Lok Ma Chau on 30th
Forest Wagtail: one at Po Toi on 23rd
Eastern Yellow Wagtail: six at Mai Po on 26th, including at least three taivana and one tschutschensis.
Garganey: one at Mai Po on 26th
Black-faced Spoonbill: the five over-summering birds were present until at least 26th
Black Bittern: one at Ho Man Tin on 25th
Intermediate Egret: 60 at Mai Po on 26th
Great Cormorant: the over-summering bird was present at the Wetland Park until at least 29th
Grey-headed Lapwing: two at Mai Po on 24th
Whimbrel: 336 at Mai Po on 26th, a new highest count
Asian Dowitcher: one at Mai Po on 23rd
Mongolian Gull: the over-summering bird remained until at least 27th
Bridled Tern: 40 from the Po Toi ferry on 28th
Aleutian Tern: eight from the Po Toi ferry on 28th
Amur Paradise Flycatcher: widespread reports as follows (all singles except where indicated): Tai Tong on 20th (two); Tai Po Kau, Shek Kong catchwater and the Wetland Park on 22nd; Ng Tung Chai on 23rd; Tai Po Kau, Shek Kong catchwater and Old Peak Road on 24th; Tai Lam CP on 25th (two); Tai Lam CP on 26th; Shek Kong catchwater on 28th; Po Toi on 28th (two).
Sand Martin: one at Mai Po on 27th
Daurian Starling: at least one at Po Toi on 28th, which equals the earliest autumn date
Eastern Crowned Warbler: reported as follows (all singles except where indicated): Tai Po Kau on 21st; Shek Kong catchwater on 22nd; Ng Tung Chai on 23rd; Tai Po Kau (two) and Ho Man Tin on 25th
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler: singles reported from Ho Man Tin on 24th & 25th, and the Wetland Park on 26th, all of which are new earliest dates. (The current earliest date on record is 27th August.) Two were at Ho Man Tin on 30th
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler: two at the Wetland Park on 27th with one there on 29th (identity confirmed by analysis of sound recording of their call)
Arctic Warbler: singles at Ho Man Tin on 24th & 25th, Tai Po Kau on 25th, Tai Tong on 26th, Shek Kong catchwater and Po Toi on 28th, and the Wetland Park on 31st
Oriental Reed Warbler: one singing at Mai Po on 26th; one at Lok Ma Chau on 30th
Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler: the first bird of the autumn was at Lok Ma Chau on 30th
Hainan Blue Flycatcher: reported from Tai Po Kau and Shek Kong catchwater during the period including juveniles; two were at Tai Tong on 20th; a male was at the Wetland Park on 22nd & 23rd, with a female there from 26th - 28th; one was at Kap Lung on 29th
Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher: one reported at the Wetland Park on 26th
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher: singles at Tai Po Kau and Ho Man Tin on 24th, the Wetland Park on 26th, Po Toi on 28th and Ho Man Tin on 30th
Stejneger’s Stonechat: one at Lok Ma Chau on 30th
Forest Wagtail: one at Po Toi on 23rd
Eastern Yellow Wagtail: six at Mai Po on 26th, including at least three taivana and one tschutschensis.
All images & text © David Diskin unless otherwise stated
[email protected]
[email protected]
