14 Sept 2009

Po Toi - migration "hotspot" Part 2

Asian Brown Flycatcher - you can see why the locals call it "Dai Ngan Jai" - "Big-eyed Boy"


Brown Shrike - I think this is race "cristatus" Many of our migrant Brown Shrikes are "lucionensis" named after Luzon in the Phillipines


Black-naped Oriole - there were a few around


Ashy Minvet - away from Po Toi this is a hard species to find in Hong Kong


Dollarbird, or Broad-billed Roller. Thanks to Kinni and the others who put me on to this obliging individual !

Po Toi - migration "hotspot" Part 3

Some birds common in Hong Kong, such as Tree Sparrows, are actually migrants on Po Toi. I'm not sure about the status of these.

Asian koel (female)


White-bellied Sea Eagle - a young bird

Bird of the day - glimpsed by a few but not by me - was Fairy Pitta. So no photo, and no prize... despite the elusiveness of the Pitta, spirits were buoyed by the thirty-seven species seen on the day


Tired-but-happy birders and photographers return to the last Sunday Ferry at 18:00hrs.

10 Sept 2009

Blowing our own trumpet ? Part One



"Shorebirds of the Northern Hemisphere" published by A&C Black, written and mostly photographed by Richard Chandler.

Also has five pics by John and Jemi. Jolly fine book. Don't delay. Get yours now !

Christmas is coming, get one for a friend !

Black-winged Kite at Mai Po





A bit distant, but only one or Black-winged Kites show up in Hong Kong annually. This one has been hanging around Mai Po Nature Reserve since July.

7 Sept 2009

Mai Po autumn - this morning


Great Egret at the boardwalk



Grey Plovers on Pond 11


Asian Dowitcher on Pond 11 (the only one seen today)



Three Red Knot (left) and Great knot (right and behind) - Pond 11



A HK leg-flagged Redshank, flanked by two Great Knot (Pond 11)

Long Valley, Hong Kong on 3rd Sept.

Sunny, hot late afternoon, but a few birds around



Lotus Pond from the managed area



Many Black-necked starlings, an adult and four young here



Chinese Pond Heron losing it's breeding plumage



Great Egret, arrived for the winter, or on passage - they are never seen in LV in summer




.... and a "Swintail" Snipe. We used to be confident we could tell Swinhoe's and Pintail apart in the field, but now we're told we shouldn't be so sure, as the sizes overlap.