End of a sultry Autumn.....

Apologies for a paucity of posts in recent weeks, I had technical issues uploading images to "Blogger".

After manfully fiddling with the settings, things appear to be working again... here's a selection of what you've been missing....

 

Toodle Pip !

Some mid-winter birding in Hong Kong

Black Stork - Ciconia nigra

Mid-December - a Black Stork was the birding surprise of our winter so far, using a tree near a busy Sheung Shui junction as an overnight roost. But only for two nights that we know of.

A short walk from home, there was (were ?) a variety of winter visitors, active on the colder mornings.

 

Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus

Yellow-browed Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus

Pallas's Warbler - Phylloscopus proregulus

Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus

Further afield, the woodland of Pat Sin Leng Country Park had some very seasonal offerings, too

Rufous-tailed Robin - Larvivora sibilans

Rufous-faced Warbler - Abroscopus albogularis

Rufous-faced Warbler - Abroscopus albogularis

Grey-chinned Minivet - Pericrocotus solaris

Around the fishponds buffering Mai Po*, some of the "usual suspects"....

Wryneck - Jynx torquilla

Spellcheck wants to correct the latin above to "Jinx tortilla" - something I wouldn't choose from a Mexican Restaurant menu .

Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropsis daurica

Red-throated Pipit - Anthus cervinus

Red-billed Starlings - Spodiopsar sericeus

Final bird photo - and a future candidate for one of those "birds in their environment" categories in a photography contest, perhaps....

Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola

(A shot for anyone who ever wondered what happened to the crusts of white bread that the citizenry here won't eat - the crusts are fed to fish in commercial fish ponds, where this was taken.)

Over Tsim Bei Tsui, sunset on the "Year of the Rat"

*Strictly, a "Wetland Buffer Area" around the Mai Po/Deep Bay Ramsar Site - long may it continue. 

Early winter visitors - Nov 9th

A typhoon passing Hong Kong in early November is evidence of the reality of Climate Change.

But, after several wet and grey days, the sun shone on November 9th and the birds performed over the fishponds of the northwest New Territories. 

Yellow Wagtail - “macronyx"

White Wagtail - “leucopsis"

White Wagtail - “leucopsis"

Common Snipe

Red Turtle Doves

Eurasian Wryneck

Amur Stonechat

White Wagtail - “ocularis"

Eastern Buzzard

Imperial (l) and Greater Spotted Eagles

Imperial (upper) and Greater Spotted Eagles

Greater Spotted Eagle

What better place to be than the fishponds bordering Mai Po Nature Reserve ?

Mid-April - And it’s “Goodbye" from some wintering birds

....and “Hello” from some of those passing through..

Eastern Buzzard - Buteo japonicus

Black-faced Bunting - Emberiza spodocephala (male)

Stejneger's Stonechat - Saxicola stejnegeri

Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus

Siberian Rubythroat - Calliope calliope

Siberian Rubythroat - Calliope calliope

Black-faced Bunting - Emberiza spodocephala (female)

Oriental Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus orientalis

Oriental Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus orientalis

 and a BIF to close with !