LATEST SIGHTINGS - JULY 2022
July 1-17
Male Chinese Grosbeak at Mai Po, 8 July 2022
The month began with the raising of the T8 signal on the evening of 1st as Tropical Cyclone Chaba moved north towards the coast of western Guangdong. The T8 signal remained hoisted until the late afternoon of 2nd. The tropical cyclone brought some squally showers and thunderstorms on the 2nd but for the most part the weather was relatively fine during the three days of the storm’s passage. From 10th onward, anticyclonic conditions brought fine and very hot weather to Hong Kong with the temperature at Sheung Shui on 11th reaching over 37°.
The tropical cyclone brought some interesting seabirds to Po Toi where Bart de Schutter’s seawatching efforts again paid off, especially on 3rd when a Bulwer’s Petrel, five Red-footed Boobies and three juvenile Sooty Terns were of particular note. Apart from this, birding was typical for this time of the year being rather quiet, although the three young Black Bazas at Sheung Shui fledged successfully, and a sighting of a Barred Buttonquail at Kai Lung Keng indicated that this species may well be breeding in the territory. Details below:
Lesser Cuckoo: one was at Tai Mo Shan on 9th
Slaty-legged Crake: one was heard at Long Valley in the evening on 9th
Barred Buttonquail: one was flushed at Kai Kung Leng on 8th. The fact that one was heard singing in the same area in July 2021 suggests that this species is breeding in Hong Kong.
Red-necked Phalarope: five were off Po Toi on 4th
Oriental Pratincole: a juvenile was at Mai Po on 12th
Black-tailed Gull: an adult was off Po Toi on 1st; this is the fifth summer record for Hong Kong
Greater Crested Tern: reported from Po Toi as follows: four on 1st; nine on 3rd; 12 on 4th; three on 5th. One was at Sham Chung in Tolo Harbour on 11th
Sooty Tern: reported from Po Toi as follows: one on 1st; three in total (all singles) on 3rd; one on 4th
Roseate Tern: eight were in the Mui Wo – Peng Chau area on 12th; two were between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th; four were seen from the Central – Cheung Chau ferry on 15th
Black-naped Tern: 59 were in the Mui Wo – Peng Chau area on 12th; nine were between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th; 15 were seen from the Central – Cheung Chau ferry on 15th
Common Tern: one was off Po Toi on 5th
Whiskered Tern: seven were at Cheung Chau on 1st with ten there on 2nd; two were between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th
White-winged Tern: two were at Cheung Chau on 1st; one was between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th
Pomarine Jaeger: one was seen from the Mui Wo – Central ferry on 3rd
Parasitic Jaeger: two were off Po Toi on 3rd with another two there on 4th
Streaked Shearwater: two were off Po Toi on 2nd
Short-tailed Shearwater: one was off Po Toi on 3rd
Bulwer’s Petrel: singles were off Po Toi on 2nd and 3rd
Lesser Frigatebird: one was at Cheung Chau on 13th and one was at Siu Sai Wan on 15th
Red-footed Booby: three were seen from the Mui Wo – Central ferry on 3rd; five in total (all singles) were off Po Toi on 3rd (plus two more distant adults together off Po Toi but in Chinese waters); two were off Po Toi on 4th
Brown Booby: singles were off Po Toi on 2nd & 5th
Great Cormorant: up to four summering birds were present at Lok Ma Chau EEA throughout the period
Cinnamon Bittern: one was at Lok Ma Chau EEA on 3rd
Black Baza: Three well-grown chicks near Sheung Shui on 3rd had fledged by 9th
Eurasian Hoopoe: one was at Shap Long on 5th
Chinese Barbet: one was at Ng Tung Chai on 11th
Eurasian Hobby: one was at a nest near Sheung Shui on 4th & 9th; one was reported from Mai Po on 17th
White-cheeked Starling: 20 were at Lok Ma Chau EEA on 3rd including many juvs
Orange-headed Thrush: one was singing at TPK Headland on 10th; two juveniles were at Tai Po Kau on 15th
Upland Pipit: one was at Kai Kung Leng on 10th
Chinese Grosbeak: one was at Mai Po on 8th.
The tropical cyclone brought some interesting seabirds to Po Toi where Bart de Schutter’s seawatching efforts again paid off, especially on 3rd when a Bulwer’s Petrel, five Red-footed Boobies and three juvenile Sooty Terns were of particular note. Apart from this, birding was typical for this time of the year being rather quiet, although the three young Black Bazas at Sheung Shui fledged successfully, and a sighting of a Barred Buttonquail at Kai Lung Keng indicated that this species may well be breeding in the territory. Details below:
Lesser Cuckoo: one was at Tai Mo Shan on 9th
Slaty-legged Crake: one was heard at Long Valley in the evening on 9th
Barred Buttonquail: one was flushed at Kai Kung Leng on 8th. The fact that one was heard singing in the same area in July 2021 suggests that this species is breeding in Hong Kong.
Red-necked Phalarope: five were off Po Toi on 4th
Oriental Pratincole: a juvenile was at Mai Po on 12th
Black-tailed Gull: an adult was off Po Toi on 1st; this is the fifth summer record for Hong Kong
Greater Crested Tern: reported from Po Toi as follows: four on 1st; nine on 3rd; 12 on 4th; three on 5th. One was at Sham Chung in Tolo Harbour on 11th
Sooty Tern: reported from Po Toi as follows: one on 1st; three in total (all singles) on 3rd; one on 4th
Roseate Tern: eight were in the Mui Wo – Peng Chau area on 12th; two were between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th; four were seen from the Central – Cheung Chau ferry on 15th
Black-naped Tern: 59 were in the Mui Wo – Peng Chau area on 12th; nine were between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th; 15 were seen from the Central – Cheung Chau ferry on 15th
Common Tern: one was off Po Toi on 5th
Whiskered Tern: seven were at Cheung Chau on 1st with ten there on 2nd; two were between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th
White-winged Tern: two were at Cheung Chau on 1st; one was between Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau on 13th
Pomarine Jaeger: one was seen from the Mui Wo – Central ferry on 3rd
Parasitic Jaeger: two were off Po Toi on 3rd with another two there on 4th
Streaked Shearwater: two were off Po Toi on 2nd
Short-tailed Shearwater: one was off Po Toi on 3rd
Bulwer’s Petrel: singles were off Po Toi on 2nd and 3rd
Lesser Frigatebird: one was at Cheung Chau on 13th and one was at Siu Sai Wan on 15th
Red-footed Booby: three were seen from the Mui Wo – Central ferry on 3rd; five in total (all singles) were off Po Toi on 3rd (plus two more distant adults together off Po Toi but in Chinese waters); two were off Po Toi on 4th
Brown Booby: singles were off Po Toi on 2nd & 5th
Great Cormorant: up to four summering birds were present at Lok Ma Chau EEA throughout the period
Cinnamon Bittern: one was at Lok Ma Chau EEA on 3rd
Black Baza: Three well-grown chicks near Sheung Shui on 3rd had fledged by 9th
Eurasian Hoopoe: one was at Shap Long on 5th
Chinese Barbet: one was at Ng Tung Chai on 11th
Eurasian Hobby: one was at a nest near Sheung Shui on 4th & 9th; one was reported from Mai Po on 17th
White-cheeked Starling: 20 were at Lok Ma Chau EEA on 3rd including many juvs
Orange-headed Thrush: one was singing at TPK Headland on 10th; two juveniles were at Tai Po Kau on 15th
Upland Pipit: one was at Kai Kung Leng on 10th
Chinese Grosbeak: one was at Mai Po on 8th.
July 18-31
It was very hot up until 29th with temperatures regularly over 35°C, making this the hottest ever July on record. The long sunny spell was broken on 30th when some welcome rain fell on the territory. There was more rain on 31st, although it was rather local and temperatures in places were still up to 35°C. Winds were mainly from the southwest.
Bird records as follows:
Terek Sandpiper: ten were at Mai Po on 23rd
Greater Crested Tern: one was in Mirs Bay on 29th
Bridled Tern: 15 were at Sham Chung on 22nd; 19 were in theTapMun/Wong Shek area on 29th; 350 were in Mirs Bay on 29th
Roseate Tern: two were seen from the Central-Mui Wo ferry on 26th; two were in Mirs Bay on 29th; three were in western Lantau waters on 31st
Black-naped Tern: 40 were at Ma Liu Shui on 19th; 42 were at Sham Chung on 22nd; 72 were seen from the Central-Mui Wo ferry on 26th; 36 were in theTapMun/Wong Shek area on 29th; 17 were in Mirs Bay on 29th; 15 were in western Lantau waters on 31st
Common Tern: three were in Mirs Bay on 29th; three were in western Lantau waters on 31st
Great Cormorant: one was at Tai Po on 23rd; three were at Lok Ma Chau EEA on 31st
Cinnamon Bittern: two were at Lok Ma Chau on 22nd & 31st; one was at Mai Po on 30th
Black-winged Kite: one was at Mai Po on 27th
Slaty-backed Forktail: one was in Tai Po Kau on 28th
Grey Wagtail: singles were at Tai Po Kau on 23rd and Shek Kong catchwater on 25th. Up to two were reported from three further sites on 30th & 31st.
Bird records as follows:
Terek Sandpiper: ten were at Mai Po on 23rd
Greater Crested Tern: one was in Mirs Bay on 29th
Bridled Tern: 15 were at Sham Chung on 22nd; 19 were in theTapMun/Wong Shek area on 29th; 350 were in Mirs Bay on 29th
Roseate Tern: two were seen from the Central-Mui Wo ferry on 26th; two were in Mirs Bay on 29th; three were in western Lantau waters on 31st
Black-naped Tern: 40 were at Ma Liu Shui on 19th; 42 were at Sham Chung on 22nd; 72 were seen from the Central-Mui Wo ferry on 26th; 36 were in theTapMun/Wong Shek area on 29th; 17 were in Mirs Bay on 29th; 15 were in western Lantau waters on 31st
Common Tern: three were in Mirs Bay on 29th; three were in western Lantau waters on 31st
Great Cormorant: one was at Tai Po on 23rd; three were at Lok Ma Chau EEA on 31st
Cinnamon Bittern: two were at Lok Ma Chau on 22nd & 31st; one was at Mai Po on 30th
Black-winged Kite: one was at Mai Po on 27th
Slaty-backed Forktail: one was in Tai Po Kau on 28th
Grey Wagtail: singles were at Tai Po Kau on 23rd and Shek Kong catchwater on 25th. Up to two were reported from three further sites on 30th & 31st.
THE END
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Please note that these are unchecked reports. Records of rarities and of unseasonal occurrences may be subject to assessment by the HKBWS Records Committee. A checklist showing species for which a description is required can be found at the HKBWS website - http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/viewthread.php?tid=28249&extra=page%3D1