LATEST SIGHTINGS - MAY 2019
May 1-5
May 1-5
Grey-streaked Flycatcher on spring migration (Birding Hong Kong archive)
May began with unsettled weather. Temperatures did not rise above 28⁰C, and for the most part it was refreshingly cool and cloudy. Rain showers were sometimes heavy and winds were fresh easterlies. Such weather conditions in spring can be good for migrants and early May did not disappoint.
At Tai Lam Country Park on 1st, a Chinese Sparrowhawk, six Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoos, a late Black-winged Cuckooshrike, six Black Bulbuls, 13 Lesser Shortwings, 43 Eyebrowed Thrushes and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher were counted. In the same general area, a Rufous-tailed Robin was singing at Ho Pui reservoir, two Chinese Sparrowhawks, an Oriental Dollarbird and two Grey-streaked Flycatchers were at Shek Kong catchwater and another Chinese Sparrowhawk was at Shek Kong Airfield Road.
Tai Lam Country Park turned up 170 Eyebrowed Thrushes – a record count - on 3rd, along with an Orange-headed Thrush and the Black-winged Cuckooshrike. A further 165 Eyebrowed Thrushes were seen there on 4th. Nine Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo were counted there on the same day – another new high count, the highest previous count being five, also at Tai Lam Country Park, on 1 May 2017.
Birds at Shek Kong catchwater on 4th included a Grey-faced Buzzard, six Silver-backed Needletails (plus 40 distant needletails sp.), five Chinese Sparrowhawks, an Oriental Dollarbird, an Ashy Minivet, a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, six Grey-streaked Flycatchers and a Rufous-tailed Robin. On 5th, nine Grey-streaked Flycatchers and eight Oriental Dollarbirds were counted there.
The Collared Owlet, a Chinese Barbet and four Plain Flowerpeckers were at Tai Po Kau on 1st.
At Ho Man Tin the male Siberian Thrush remained until at least 4th. Other birds there included a female Narcissus Flycatcher on 1st, single Asian Brown and Grey-streaked Flycatchers, a Radde’s Warbler, an Arctic Warbler, two Pale-legged Leaf Warblers and three Brown Shrikes on 3rd, and a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler and two Arctic Warblers on 4th.
Two Oriental Dollarbirds and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher were at Sha Lo Tung on 2nd, and a Pechora Pipit was at Tai Sang Wai on the same day.
On 2nd, Po Toi turned up 50 Bridled Terns, ten Black-naped Terns, two Chinese Sparrowhawks, a Brown Shrike, three Grey-streaked Flycatchers and two Asian Brown Flycatchers. The island proved productive on 4th, when migrants included a Malayan Night Heron, five Chinese Sparrowhawks, two Oriental Dollarbirds, an Oriental Cuckoo, a Swinhoe’s Minivet, 60 Brown Shrikes, five Arctic Warblers, an Eyebrowed Thrush, eight Grey-streaked Flycatchers, a Ferruginous Flycatcher and eight Black-faced Buntings. The Ferruginous Flycatcher was a new latest record by two days.
On 3rd, 30 Asian Dowitchers, two Nordmann’s Greenshanks, a Himalayan Swiftlet, four Blue-tailed Bee-eaters, 60 Sand Martins, a Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler and two Yellow-breasted Buntings were at Mai Po. Birds seen on the reserve on 4th included a Cinnamon Bittern, 85 Asian Dowitchers, a Nordmann’s Greenshank, six Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and 70 Sand Martins. A Pheasant-tailed Jacana and a Himalayan Swiftlet were present on 5th.
Elsewhere on 3rd, an Ashy Drongo and a Brown Shrike were in Kowloon Park, and a Cinnamon Bittern and a Pheasant-tailed Jacana were at Long Valley. Reports at Long Valley on 5th included a Pheasant-tailed Jacana, a Pechora Pipit and nine Yellow-breasted Buntings.
On 4th, in addition to the records already cited, a Forest Wagtail was on Lamma, two Yellow-breasted Buntings were at Cheung Po, and three Chinese Sparrowhawks, two Oriental Dollarbirds and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher were at Lam Tsuen.
Three Arctic Warblers and four Grey-streaked Flycatchers were at Tai Tong on 5th.
At Tai Lam Country Park on 1st, a Chinese Sparrowhawk, six Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoos, a late Black-winged Cuckooshrike, six Black Bulbuls, 13 Lesser Shortwings, 43 Eyebrowed Thrushes and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher were counted. In the same general area, a Rufous-tailed Robin was singing at Ho Pui reservoir, two Chinese Sparrowhawks, an Oriental Dollarbird and two Grey-streaked Flycatchers were at Shek Kong catchwater and another Chinese Sparrowhawk was at Shek Kong Airfield Road.
Tai Lam Country Park turned up 170 Eyebrowed Thrushes – a record count - on 3rd, along with an Orange-headed Thrush and the Black-winged Cuckooshrike. A further 165 Eyebrowed Thrushes were seen there on 4th. Nine Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo were counted there on the same day – another new high count, the highest previous count being five, also at Tai Lam Country Park, on 1 May 2017.
Birds at Shek Kong catchwater on 4th included a Grey-faced Buzzard, six Silver-backed Needletails (plus 40 distant needletails sp.), five Chinese Sparrowhawks, an Oriental Dollarbird, an Ashy Minivet, a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, six Grey-streaked Flycatchers and a Rufous-tailed Robin. On 5th, nine Grey-streaked Flycatchers and eight Oriental Dollarbirds were counted there.
The Collared Owlet, a Chinese Barbet and four Plain Flowerpeckers were at Tai Po Kau on 1st.
At Ho Man Tin the male Siberian Thrush remained until at least 4th. Other birds there included a female Narcissus Flycatcher on 1st, single Asian Brown and Grey-streaked Flycatchers, a Radde’s Warbler, an Arctic Warbler, two Pale-legged Leaf Warblers and three Brown Shrikes on 3rd, and a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler and two Arctic Warblers on 4th.
Two Oriental Dollarbirds and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher were at Sha Lo Tung on 2nd, and a Pechora Pipit was at Tai Sang Wai on the same day.
On 2nd, Po Toi turned up 50 Bridled Terns, ten Black-naped Terns, two Chinese Sparrowhawks, a Brown Shrike, three Grey-streaked Flycatchers and two Asian Brown Flycatchers. The island proved productive on 4th, when migrants included a Malayan Night Heron, five Chinese Sparrowhawks, two Oriental Dollarbirds, an Oriental Cuckoo, a Swinhoe’s Minivet, 60 Brown Shrikes, five Arctic Warblers, an Eyebrowed Thrush, eight Grey-streaked Flycatchers, a Ferruginous Flycatcher and eight Black-faced Buntings. The Ferruginous Flycatcher was a new latest record by two days.
On 3rd, 30 Asian Dowitchers, two Nordmann’s Greenshanks, a Himalayan Swiftlet, four Blue-tailed Bee-eaters, 60 Sand Martins, a Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler and two Yellow-breasted Buntings were at Mai Po. Birds seen on the reserve on 4th included a Cinnamon Bittern, 85 Asian Dowitchers, a Nordmann’s Greenshank, six Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and 70 Sand Martins. A Pheasant-tailed Jacana and a Himalayan Swiftlet were present on 5th.
Elsewhere on 3rd, an Ashy Drongo and a Brown Shrike were in Kowloon Park, and a Cinnamon Bittern and a Pheasant-tailed Jacana were at Long Valley. Reports at Long Valley on 5th included a Pheasant-tailed Jacana, a Pechora Pipit and nine Yellow-breasted Buntings.
On 4th, in addition to the records already cited, a Forest Wagtail was on Lamma, two Yellow-breasted Buntings were at Cheung Po, and three Chinese Sparrowhawks, two Oriental Dollarbirds and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher were at Lam Tsuen.
Three Arctic Warblers and four Grey-streaked Flycatchers were at Tai Tong on 5th.
May 6-12
Grey-faced Buzzard on Po Toi, 11 May 2019
Unfortunately this bird was in a poor condition - presumably from exhaustion - and apparently died later in the day.
Unfortunately this bird was in a poor condition - presumably from exhaustion - and apparently died later in the day.
The unsettled weather continued until the afternoon of 9th, after which conditions improved quickly, the clouds thinned and the temperature rose. Migrant bitterns were in evidence and good numbers of typical late spring migrants – Brown Shrikes, Arctic Warblers and Grey-streaked Flycatchers – were widespread. In addition, there were number of sightings of migrants reported on dates later than the previous “latest date” records; these are detailed below. (It should be noted that such records – as with any rare or unusual sightings - may be subject to assessment by the HKBWS Records Committee.)
The hazards of migration were sadly exemplified at Po Toi on 11 May when a sick and exhausted Grey-faced Buzzard, as well as a Yellow Bittern, apparently died within a short period of being discovered.
Records of note by species as follows:
Short-tailed Shearwater: a distant shearwater in southern waters on 6th was probably this species
Black-faced Spoonbill: 15 remained at Mai Po on 10th, down to four on 12th
Yellow Bittern: several reports of migrants, most being five at Po Toi on 9th with six there on 11th. One of the birds on 11th died of exhaustion
Von Schrenck's Bittern: two at Po Toi on 9th, with one (a male) there on 11th; a female at Long Valley on 10th & 11th, with a male there on 12th
Cinnamon Bittern: one at Mai Po on 10th
Black Bittern: one at Po Toi on 6th, with two there on 7th
Malayan Night Heron: one at Po Toi on 7th
Swinhoe's Egret: one at Mai Po and two at Po Toi rock on 11th
Chinese Sparrowhawk: several reports of migrants, with high counts of 13 at Po Toi and 90 at Fanling golf course on 7th, and 20 at Tai Po Kau on 10th
Grey-faced Buzzard: singles at Po Toi on 9th & 11th. The bird on 11th was moribund and died soon after its discovery. * [New latest date; previous = 7 May]
Baillon's Crake: one in Hong Kong Park on 7th, and two at Mai Po on 11th
Pheasant-tailed Jacana: one at Mei Foo car park on 5th, eight at Lok Ma Chau on 6th, two at Mai Po on 10th & 11th with one remaining on 12th, three at San Tin on 11th and one at Long Valley on 12th
Long-toed Stint: 75 were at San Tin on 6th
Red-necked Stint: 350 were at San Tin on 6th
Little Stint: two were at San Tin on 7th; one was at Mai Po on 11th
Asian Dowitcher: 30 were at Mai Po on 10th, down to two on 12th
Nordmann's Greenshank: one was at Mai Po on 10th & 12th
Oriental Pratincole: 14 were at Mai Po on 10th, down to four on 12th
Little Tern: two at Mai Po on 10th with one at San Tin on 11th
Aleutian Tern: 19 were counted in southern waters on 11th
Bridled Tern: at least 45 at the tern colony on Po Toi rock on 11th
Roseate Tern: at least eight at the tern colony on Po Toi rock on 11th
The hazards of migration were sadly exemplified at Po Toi on 11 May when a sick and exhausted Grey-faced Buzzard, as well as a Yellow Bittern, apparently died within a short period of being discovered.
Records of note by species as follows:
Short-tailed Shearwater: a distant shearwater in southern waters on 6th was probably this species
Black-faced Spoonbill: 15 remained at Mai Po on 10th, down to four on 12th
Yellow Bittern: several reports of migrants, most being five at Po Toi on 9th with six there on 11th. One of the birds on 11th died of exhaustion
Von Schrenck's Bittern: two at Po Toi on 9th, with one (a male) there on 11th; a female at Long Valley on 10th & 11th, with a male there on 12th
Cinnamon Bittern: one at Mai Po on 10th
Black Bittern: one at Po Toi on 6th, with two there on 7th
Malayan Night Heron: one at Po Toi on 7th
Swinhoe's Egret: one at Mai Po and two at Po Toi rock on 11th
Chinese Sparrowhawk: several reports of migrants, with high counts of 13 at Po Toi and 90 at Fanling golf course on 7th, and 20 at Tai Po Kau on 10th
Grey-faced Buzzard: singles at Po Toi on 9th & 11th. The bird on 11th was moribund and died soon after its discovery. * [New latest date; previous = 7 May]
Baillon's Crake: one in Hong Kong Park on 7th, and two at Mai Po on 11th
Pheasant-tailed Jacana: one at Mei Foo car park on 5th, eight at Lok Ma Chau on 6th, two at Mai Po on 10th & 11th with one remaining on 12th, three at San Tin on 11th and one at Long Valley on 12th
Long-toed Stint: 75 were at San Tin on 6th
Red-necked Stint: 350 were at San Tin on 6th
Little Stint: two were at San Tin on 7th; one was at Mai Po on 11th
Asian Dowitcher: 30 were at Mai Po on 10th, down to two on 12th
Nordmann's Greenshank: one was at Mai Po on 10th & 12th
Oriental Pratincole: 14 were at Mai Po on 10th, down to four on 12th
Little Tern: two at Mai Po on 10th with one at San Tin on 11th
Aleutian Tern: 19 were counted in southern waters on 11th
Bridled Tern: at least 45 at the tern colony on Po Toi rock on 11th
Roseate Tern: at least eight at the tern colony on Po Toi rock on 11th
Bridled Tern at Po Toi rock, 11 May 2019
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Roseate Tern at Po Toi rock, 11 May 2019
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Black-naped Tern: at least 60 at the tern colony on Po Toi rock on 11th
Whiskered Tern: 120 at San Tin on 6th with 60 there on 11th were the highest counts
White-winged Tern: 100 at Cheung Chau on 7th, 28 at Mai Po on 10th and 50 at San Tin on 11th were the highest counts
Parasitic Jaeger: one in southern waters on 6th
Blue-tailed Bee-eater: ten at Mai Po and 12 at Long Valley on 11th
Himalayan Swiftlet: two at Lok Ma Chau on 6th
Silver-backed Needletail: two at Shek Kong catchwater on 6th and three at Sha Lo Tung on 8th
Oriental Dollarbird: reported from several sites, highest counts being four at Ho Man Tin on 6th and five at Fanling Golf Course on 7th
Chinese Barbet: singles singing in Tai Lam Country Park and Tai Po Kau on 8th
Swinhoe's Minivet: one at Po Toi on 6th. * [New latest date; previous = 5 May]
Brown Shrike: reported from widespread locations, the most being at least 100 at Po Toi on 9th. These quickly moved on once the weather cleared – only nine were present in the same area of the island on 11th. The vast majority of these sightings in Hong Kong involved the race lucionensis; two birds of the nominate race cristatus were at Fanling golf course on 7th, an unusual occurrence in spring
Black-naped Oriole: singles at Lok Ma Chau on 6th, and Po Toi on 9th & 11th
Amur Paradise Flycatcher: singles at Ho Man Tin and Lau Shui Heung on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 6 May]
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher: singles at Po Toi and Lau Shui Heung on 7th, and again at Po Toi on 9th
Daurian Jackdaw: a 1st-year bird at Long Valley from 4th to at least 8th was considered to be probably an ex-captive bird
Japanese Tit: a juvenile photographed at Sha Tau Kok on 10th
Sand Martin: 60 at Tai Mei Tuk on 8th; smaller numbers elsewhere
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler: one on Lamma on 12th – not quite the latest record, which is 14 May, but only the third occurrence after 19 April
Dusky Warbler: singles at Ho Man Tin on 9th and Mai Po on 10th
Eastern Crowned Warbler: one at Fanling Golf Course on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 18 April]
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler: one at Ho Man Tin on 6th & 7th, and one at Po Toi on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 6 May]
Arctic Warbler: 17 at Po Toi and 20 at Fanling Golf Course on 7th were the highest counts
Daurian Starling: four at Mai Po on 11th
Siberian Thrush: the male at Ho Man Tin remained until at least 9th. * [New latest date; previous = 8 May]
Eyebrowed Thrush: five at Tai Lam Country Park on 8th, two at Ho Man Tin on 10th
Grey-streaked Flycatcher: widespread; high counts of 14 at Shek Kong catchwater on 6th, 15 at Po Toi and 18 at Fanling Golf Course on 7th, and 15 again at Po Toi on 9th
Dark-sided Flycatcher: one at Peng Chau on 6th is only the 7th spring record – see
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/viewthread.php?tid=28230
Asian Brown Flycatcher: a few records until at least 11th, highest count being five at Po Toi on 7th
Brown-breasted Flycatcher: one at Tai Po Kau on 10th
Siberian Rubythroat: one at Ho Man Tin on 9th and one at Po Toi on 11th. * [New latest date; previous = 10 May]
Narcissus Flycatcher: a female at Ho Man Tin from 6th – 8th
White-throated Rock Thrush: a male at Po Toi on 6th & 9th; a female at Ho Man Tin on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 9 April]
Stejneger's Stonechat: single birds at Lok Ma Chau village and Tai Sang Wai on 8th. * [New latest date; previous = 6 May]
Eastern Yellow Wagtail: at least 80 tschutschensis, two macronyx and two taivana at Long Valley on 9th
Pechora Pipit: one at Long Valley on 6th and two at Mai Po on 11th
Common Rosefinch: two at Po Toi on 9th, three there on 11th. * [New latest date; previous = 10 May]
Chestnut-eared Bunting: one at Mai Po on 11th
Yellow-breasted Bunting: four at Long Valley on 6th & 9th, one at Po Toi on 7th, two at San Tin on 11th
Chestnut Bunting: one at Po Toi on 9th, with three there on 11th.
Whiskered Tern: 120 at San Tin on 6th with 60 there on 11th were the highest counts
White-winged Tern: 100 at Cheung Chau on 7th, 28 at Mai Po on 10th and 50 at San Tin on 11th were the highest counts
Parasitic Jaeger: one in southern waters on 6th
Blue-tailed Bee-eater: ten at Mai Po and 12 at Long Valley on 11th
Himalayan Swiftlet: two at Lok Ma Chau on 6th
Silver-backed Needletail: two at Shek Kong catchwater on 6th and three at Sha Lo Tung on 8th
Oriental Dollarbird: reported from several sites, highest counts being four at Ho Man Tin on 6th and five at Fanling Golf Course on 7th
Chinese Barbet: singles singing in Tai Lam Country Park and Tai Po Kau on 8th
Swinhoe's Minivet: one at Po Toi on 6th. * [New latest date; previous = 5 May]
Brown Shrike: reported from widespread locations, the most being at least 100 at Po Toi on 9th. These quickly moved on once the weather cleared – only nine were present in the same area of the island on 11th. The vast majority of these sightings in Hong Kong involved the race lucionensis; two birds of the nominate race cristatus were at Fanling golf course on 7th, an unusual occurrence in spring
Black-naped Oriole: singles at Lok Ma Chau on 6th, and Po Toi on 9th & 11th
Amur Paradise Flycatcher: singles at Ho Man Tin and Lau Shui Heung on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 6 May]
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher: singles at Po Toi and Lau Shui Heung on 7th, and again at Po Toi on 9th
Daurian Jackdaw: a 1st-year bird at Long Valley from 4th to at least 8th was considered to be probably an ex-captive bird
Japanese Tit: a juvenile photographed at Sha Tau Kok on 10th
Sand Martin: 60 at Tai Mei Tuk on 8th; smaller numbers elsewhere
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler: one on Lamma on 12th – not quite the latest record, which is 14 May, but only the third occurrence after 19 April
Dusky Warbler: singles at Ho Man Tin on 9th and Mai Po on 10th
Eastern Crowned Warbler: one at Fanling Golf Course on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 18 April]
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler: one at Ho Man Tin on 6th & 7th, and one at Po Toi on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 6 May]
Arctic Warbler: 17 at Po Toi and 20 at Fanling Golf Course on 7th were the highest counts
Daurian Starling: four at Mai Po on 11th
Siberian Thrush: the male at Ho Man Tin remained until at least 9th. * [New latest date; previous = 8 May]
Eyebrowed Thrush: five at Tai Lam Country Park on 8th, two at Ho Man Tin on 10th
Grey-streaked Flycatcher: widespread; high counts of 14 at Shek Kong catchwater on 6th, 15 at Po Toi and 18 at Fanling Golf Course on 7th, and 15 again at Po Toi on 9th
Dark-sided Flycatcher: one at Peng Chau on 6th is only the 7th spring record – see
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/viewthread.php?tid=28230
Asian Brown Flycatcher: a few records until at least 11th, highest count being five at Po Toi on 7th
Brown-breasted Flycatcher: one at Tai Po Kau on 10th
Siberian Rubythroat: one at Ho Man Tin on 9th and one at Po Toi on 11th. * [New latest date; previous = 10 May]
Narcissus Flycatcher: a female at Ho Man Tin from 6th – 8th
White-throated Rock Thrush: a male at Po Toi on 6th & 9th; a female at Ho Man Tin on 7th. * [New latest date; previous = 9 April]
Stejneger's Stonechat: single birds at Lok Ma Chau village and Tai Sang Wai on 8th. * [New latest date; previous = 6 May]
Eastern Yellow Wagtail: at least 80 tschutschensis, two macronyx and two taivana at Long Valley on 9th
Pechora Pipit: one at Long Valley on 6th and two at Mai Po on 11th
Common Rosefinch: two at Po Toi on 9th, three there on 11th. * [New latest date; previous = 10 May]
Chestnut-eared Bunting: one at Mai Po on 11th
Yellow-breasted Bunting: four at Long Valley on 6th & 9th, one at Po Toi on 7th, two at San Tin on 11th
Chestnut Bunting: one at Po Toi on 9th, with three there on 11th.
May 13-19
Hot and sunny with the odd shower and winds mainly from the southwest. In the New Territories, the temperature reached 33⁰C on 18th & 19th.
In terms of bird watching, the fine weather seemed to mark the beginning of the summer doldrums in terms of bird watching in Hong Kong, although there was still a trickle of migrants going through.
On 13th, Tai Lam Country Park turned up a Lesser Cuckoo, a Brown-breasted Flycatcher, five Grey-streaked Flycatchers and five Black Bulbuls. Also on 13th, a Chinese Sparrowhawk and an Oriental Dollarbird were at Ho Chung, and an Arctic Warbler was on Cheung Chau.
At Mai Po, a Von Schrenck’s Bittern was seen on 13th and a Black Bittern flew across the access road on 17th.
At Long Valley, a Baillon’s Crake and a Pheasant-tailed Jacana were present on 13th; the Pheasant-tailed Jacana was seen again on 14th and the Baillon’s Crake was again noted on 17th.
Po Toi held four Yellow Bitterns, a Chinese Sparrowhawk, an Arctic Warbler and two Grey-streaked Flycatchers on 14th. Also on 14th, a Lesser Cuckoo was heard in Tai Po Kau.
A latish Dusky Warbler was at Ho Man Tin on 16th.
A late Tufted Duck, a Pheasant-tailed Jacana and two Little Terns were at San Tin fish ponds on 19th.
Hot and sunny with the odd shower and winds mainly from the southwest. In the New Territories, the temperature reached 33⁰C on 18th & 19th.
In terms of bird watching, the fine weather seemed to mark the beginning of the summer doldrums in terms of bird watching in Hong Kong, although there was still a trickle of migrants going through.
On 13th, Tai Lam Country Park turned up a Lesser Cuckoo, a Brown-breasted Flycatcher, five Grey-streaked Flycatchers and five Black Bulbuls. Also on 13th, a Chinese Sparrowhawk and an Oriental Dollarbird were at Ho Chung, and an Arctic Warbler was on Cheung Chau.
At Mai Po, a Von Schrenck’s Bittern was seen on 13th and a Black Bittern flew across the access road on 17th.
At Long Valley, a Baillon’s Crake and a Pheasant-tailed Jacana were present on 13th; the Pheasant-tailed Jacana was seen again on 14th and the Baillon’s Crake was again noted on 17th.
Po Toi held four Yellow Bitterns, a Chinese Sparrowhawk, an Arctic Warbler and two Grey-streaked Flycatchers on 14th. Also on 14th, a Lesser Cuckoo was heard in Tai Po Kau.
A latish Dusky Warbler was at Ho Man Tin on 16th.
A late Tufted Duck, a Pheasant-tailed Jacana and two Little Terns were at San Tin fish ponds on 19th.
May 20-31
Unsettled weather – mainly cloudy with showers, sometimes heavy. Temperatures remained in the mid-to-high twenties.
On 20th, a Japanese Leaf Warbler was reported from Pak Sha O; the identification was based on call. The status of this species in Hong Kong since it was split from Arctic Warbler remains unclear, although it appears to be rare. This will probably be the 3rd or 4th record if accepted.
A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Mai Po on 22nd. Bird present on the reserve on 23rd included a late Tufted Duck, 17 Black-faced Spoonbills, 44 Eastern Cattle Egrets, three atrifrons Lesser Sand Plovers, an Asian Dowitcher and five Red Turtle Doves. The Tufted Duck and the spoonbills were present on 24th, as was the Asian Dowitcher among a total of 23 species of waders. Other birds on that date included an Oriental Pratincole and a Little Tern. On the evening of 26th, a Slaty-legged Crake was heard calling on the reserve – an unusual location for this species. On 30th, a Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler was trapped and ringed in one of the reed beds; this is the eighth record of this species in Hong Kong and the first to be found in spring. A Blue-tailed Bee-eater seen on the same day is a new late spring record by three days.
Two Brown Shrikes were at Ho Man Tin on 24th.
A Von Schrenck’s Bittern was at Nam Chung on 26th, and a Blue-throated Bee-eater was seen briefly in the same area on 29th. This is only the seventh Hong Kong record of this species and is the first since one at Long Valley on 29 & 30 May 2010.
Unsettled weather – mainly cloudy with showers, sometimes heavy. Temperatures remained in the mid-to-high twenties.
On 20th, a Japanese Leaf Warbler was reported from Pak Sha O; the identification was based on call. The status of this species in Hong Kong since it was split from Arctic Warbler remains unclear, although it appears to be rare. This will probably be the 3rd or 4th record if accepted.
A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Mai Po on 22nd. Bird present on the reserve on 23rd included a late Tufted Duck, 17 Black-faced Spoonbills, 44 Eastern Cattle Egrets, three atrifrons Lesser Sand Plovers, an Asian Dowitcher and five Red Turtle Doves. The Tufted Duck and the spoonbills were present on 24th, as was the Asian Dowitcher among a total of 23 species of waders. Other birds on that date included an Oriental Pratincole and a Little Tern. On the evening of 26th, a Slaty-legged Crake was heard calling on the reserve – an unusual location for this species. On 30th, a Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler was trapped and ringed in one of the reed beds; this is the eighth record of this species in Hong Kong and the first to be found in spring. A Blue-tailed Bee-eater seen on the same day is a new late spring record by three days.
Two Brown Shrikes were at Ho Man Tin on 24th.
A Von Schrenck’s Bittern was at Nam Chung on 26th, and a Blue-throated Bee-eater was seen briefly in the same area on 29th. This is only the seventh Hong Kong record of this species and is the first since one at Long Valley on 29 & 30 May 2010.
All images & text © David Diskin unless otherwise stated
dadiskin@netvigator.com
dadiskin@netvigator.com