[MKinHK]

Originally Posted by Mark Bruce

Ruddy Kingfishers are few and far between in Huben. This year there was one spotted in the area. I didn't see it. You do get far more Flycatchers than Huben. Only Grey-streaked Flycatcher; Black-naped Blue Monarch; Ferruginous Flycatcher; and Vivid Niltava have been recorded.

There is a disputed record of male Vivid Niltava from Ng Tung Chai in 1995 - unfortunately the observers, which sadly did not include me, could not agree on key plumage features and the record was rejected.

[Mark Bruce]

Sounds like you had a very good day. Been raining cats and dogs hear so haven't been out. Wish we were getting all those Asian Paras. We only get them as a very rare vagrant (2 records both from Taipei area.1997-5-2; 2005-5-15). Japanese Paras(race periophthalmica) are resident on Lanyu (Botel Tobago/ Orchid Island) and Lu-dao (Green Island) just off the south eastern tip of Taiwan, where they are pretty easy to see. We do get Japanese Paras passing through Taiwan (nominate and T.a.atrocaudata) and some spending the summer, but all in all they are a pretty rare sight on Taiwan.

[MKinHK]

Originally Posted by Mark Bruce

Sounds like you had a very good day. Been raining cats and dogs hear so haven't been out. Wish we were getting all those Asian Paras. We only get them as a very rare vagrant (2 records both from Taipei area.1997-5-2; 2005-5-15). Japanese Paras(race periophthalmica) are resident on Lanyu (Botel Tobago/ Orchid Island) and Lu-dao (Green Island) just off the south eastern tip of Taiwan, where they are pretty easy to see. We do get Japanese Paras passing through Taiwan (nominate and T.a.atrocaudata) and some spending the summer, but all in all they are a pretty rare sight on Taiwan.

A much qiueter day today, wghich is odd since the first NE Monsoon cold front arrived with rain the day before. However, it did stop raining overnight, so perhaps all southbound migrants got up onto the NE winds and left.

However I did see another Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler and had a male Hainan Blue Flycatcher singing low down.

Hopefully more tomorrow, as the wind is still NE, which usually presages an arrival

AAAAGH! I've just been horribly gripped by the HKBWS website on another top early autumn target - Tiger Shrike! It appears some jammy (insert expletive) photographed one - and a Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher at Mai Po on the same day last week!

Finallyy, the pix below are of Hong Kong Cascade Frog, one of the small waterfalls, and the misty wood where phylloscs always stays as sp.s.

[Mark Bruce]

Hi MKinHK,

Looks like a juv Tiger Shrike. We only get them as a very rare vagrant too.

I went down to the Augu Wetlands at the mouth of the Beigang River on Sunday and spent some time in the coastal forests. Like you we've been having bad weather. Large numbers of Brown Shrike passing through and nothing else. I caught a glimpse of a large warbler at a distance which looked to be an Oriental Reed Warbler and that was all. Around the water there was Whimbrel, Redshank, Common Sand, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Common Tern (We don't get too many of those), Little Tern, and Whiskered Tern.

[MKinHK]

A quiet day at Ng Tung Chai yesterday - just a single Asian Para - a real disappoinment after several days of heavy rain. Hopefully the migrants to the north will be moving again now the worst of the weather has moved on.

Actually there were migrants - just not on my patch - went to chase a Tiger Shrike found yesterday on Po Toi Island and dipped horribly - the other 3 birders I went with got at least tickable views and I didn't have a sniff.

However, I did see Asian Brown, Grey-streaked, Dark-sided and Asian Paradise Flycatchers, Arctic & Pale-legged /Sakhalin Leaf Warblers, Brown Shrike, Black-naped Oriole, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Striated Heron, Blue Rock Thrush, White-shouldered Starling, and a couple of thousand Red-necked Phalaropes from the ferry - so a good day except for the dip!

[MKinHK]

Originally Posted by Mark Bruce

Hi MKinHK,

Looks like a juv Tiger Shrike. We only get them as a very rare vagrant too.

I went down to the Augu Wetlands at the mouth of the Beigang River on Sunday and spent some time in the coastal forests. Like you we've been having bad weather. Large numbers of Brown Shrike passing through and nothing else. I caught a glimpse of a large warbler at a distance which looked to be an Oriental Reed Warbler and that was all. Around the water there was Whimbrel, Redshank, Common Sand, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Common Tern (We don't get too many of those), Little Tern, and Whiskered Tern.

It is very interesting to hear how different Taiwan is. we assume in HK that many of the passerine migrants we get are broad front migrants. What your posting suggests to me is that the Taiwan Strait is a signifcant gap to these species.

Are there watchpoints perhaps on the north coast where migrants from Japan, Korea and Far Eastern Siberia filter along the Japanese Islands and through Taiwan are recorded?

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

It is very interesting to hear how different Taiwan is. we assume in HK that many of the passerine migrants we get are broad front migrants. What your posting suggests to me is that the Taiwan Strait is a significant gap to these species.

Originally Posted by MKinHK

Are there watch points perhaps on the north coast where migrants from Japan, Korea and Far Eastern Siberia filter along the Japanese Islands and through Taiwan are recorded?

There is without a doubt a lot of passerine movement through the Taiwan Strait. The geography and weather conditions of the area definitely impact on what is being seen and where.

If Taiwan is approached from the "south" over the Bashi Channel, South China Sea or the Pacific then birds can make first landfall in the Kenting National Park area. Depending on how the bird is flying it should usually make landfall on the southwest coast somewhere between Kenting and Chigu in Tainan, where the Black-faced Spoonbills winter, or on the southeast coast between Kenting and Taitung. Remember that the many islands of the Taiwan Strait and the Pacific East coast are there too. Where and if they actually stop probably has a lot to do with weather conditions at the time.

The weather probably also plays a big part in how they move through Taiwan. In perfect weather, a brief stop and then on again leaving Taiwan behind, or in poor conditions, be that over Taiwan or having passed through on route, the migrants will then move through Taiwan with a greater number of stops and will be seen in Central Taiwan which they probably over fly in better conditions.

From the north Yehliu seems the important stop and again what the birds do after that depends on the weather and their condition.

We have quite a few buntings moving through: Japanese Yellow Bunting; Yellow-breasted Bunting; Chestnut bunting; and Little Bunting to name a few. Then Eurasian Siskin and Brambling. Also flycatchers like the Grey-streaked Flycatcher; Asian Brown Flycatcher; Narcissus Flycatcher; Red-throated Flycatcher; and Blue-and-white Flycatcher. There are also the Thrushes and others.

I think if I was spending more time in the areas that are frequented by migrants I think there would be a lot more in common with what you are seeing but the central areas will be shortly filling up with wintering birds.

[MKinHK]

We've just had an amazing 3-day spell for early autumn rarities in Hong Kong, follwing 4 days of rainy weather and four of my fur target species have been tuning up everywhere EXCEPT Ng Tung Chai!

a. There have been Four Tiger shrikes now (more than all previous records)
b. Drongo Cuckoo appeared on Saturday with one Tiger Shrike on Saturday
c. Blue-throated Bee-eater made a there and gone appearance
d. Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher at Mai Po on Sunday

and an as yet unconfirmed Short-toed Lark (Possibly Hume's or Greater) adds the the mix of excellent birds.Possibly Hume's or Greater

There have also been several Siberian Blue Robins, Forest Wagtails a swiftlet, Black Bittern and a Grey Phalarope (which I need).

This morning however Ng Tung Chai was a real pleasure.

I had one each of Arctic, Eastern Crowned, Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf and Greenish Warblers, with the latter being my first record of the autumn.

I also had the male Hainan Blue Flycatcher that has been around for a while, and my first Japanese Paradise Flyactcher of the autumn. They are darker-backed and darker tailed than Asian Para, but are otherwise rather similar.

On my way down I surprised a Crested Serpent Eagle on the path , which flew off with a clawful of vegetation - which seemed somewhat odd.

Best of all was a Forest Wagtail wandering aound on the path close to the village - a much anticipated patch tick!

Back in the village quick scan of the slopes produced a Crested Goshawk being mobbed by a Besra. The Besra looked tiny by comparison, so I'm guessing it was a male and the Crested Gos a female. Anonther Crested Gos was also displaying nearby.

[Mark Bruce]

Sounds like a good weekend. Did you get to see any of the rarities?
Some nice warbler sightings in your patch.

[MKinHK]

Originally Posted by Mark Bruce

Sounds like a good weekend. Did you get to see any of the rarities?
Some nice warbler sightings in your patch.

Ouch - bad question!

The weekend was a combintaion of dipping and not being able to chase these birds due to other commitments!

I dipped on a Tiger Shrike that 3 others saw when I was with them, and went for another and the Drongo Cuckoo on the next day when they were not refound.

I greatly regret not getting up early enough on Saturday to do my patch before spending the day on a boat with my girlfriend and her mates - when good birds were everywhere.

3 Whiskered Terns and a passage Black-winged Stilt seen off the boat didn't fill the gap!

However things are looking up - I stayed home to work this morning and a Brown Shrike popped into a tree in front of my house - for a second patch tick today!

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

I dipped on a Tiger Shrike that 3 others saw when I was with them, and went for another and the Drongo Cuckoo on the next day when they were not refound.

Ouch!!! Very painful experience !!!

I expect we'll get some Brown Shrike in the garden within the next few weeks. It still a little early for our winter birds but the Brown Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush, and Daurian Redstart can't be that far away. I only bought the house last November, so exactly when the winter birds arrive in the garden is still new to me. I can just go on what was around when we moved in.

[MKinHK]

Passage continues this week, and looks set to do so for some time - a NE monsoon appears comfrtably set and is dropping birds all over HK - including the first report of Grey-headed Woodpecker for over 20 years (couldn't go for it due to work commitments).

I went out again today - still in pursuit of Tiger Shrike Drongo Cuckoo, Blue throated Bee-eater.

I again saw Arctic, Eastern-crowned and Pale-legged/ Sakhalin Leaf Warblers, but a whole new suite of flycatchers comprised an immature male Hainan Blue, my second Yellow-rumped of the month, and singleton Grey-streaked and Asian Brown.

I had a Dollarbird on a site visit for work this morning - they should be arriving to perch on the power lines across the valley any day now!

[Mark Bruce]

You're still seeing some good birds. How common are Dollarbirds this time of year in Hong Kong? Dollarbirds for us are a rare sight.

[MKinHK]

Hi Mark

The migrants will keep coming into early December and in waves as cold weather affects feeding opportunities further north in China. Spring starts again in late Feb, when the first Large Hawk Cuckoos arrive, and cotinues into early June.

Dollarbird are a regular spring and autumn migrant - my record is 16 on the wires above my house but 1-3 is more usual. They mostly pass through from mid September to mid October (avge 25 birds/year) and mid April to late May (avge 40 birds/year).

I know they breed widely in S China, and would have no reason to head east or northeast and I think numbers thin out the further north of thr Yangtze you go.

Cheers
Mike

[Mark Bruce]

Mike, you're seeing a lot more Dollarbirds than us.

The northern Dollarbirds (mostly race calonyx) seem to move down into southern China for winter with very few Dollarbirds moving out into the Taiwan Strait. I'm not sure if any of the birds from SE Xizang (race cyanicollis) are heading to the Philippines (where race cyanicollis is resident) and these possibly are the handful of birds we are seeing passing through Taiwan.

I'm spending the weekend on two Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute (TESRI) field stations in the central mountains and will ask if anyone knows anything about the Dollarbirds passing through Taiwan.

The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is another strange one. Spends the summer on the Taiwan controlled island of Kinmen in the Taiwan Strait. Reasonably common on the Fujian coast and resident in the Philippines but not a single record from Taiwan proper, in spite their presence in the Taiwan Strait during typhoon season.

[MKinHK]

Originally Posted by Mark Bruce

Mike, you're seeing a lot more Dollarbirds than us.

The northern Dollarbirds (mostly race calonyx) seem to move down into southern China for winter with very few Dollarbirds moving out into the Taiwan Strait. I'm not sure if any of the birds from SE Xizang (race cyanicollis) are heading to the Philippines (where race cyanicollis is resident) and these possibly are the handful of birds we are seeing passing through Taiwan.

I'm spending the weekend on two Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute (TESRI) field stations in the central mountains and will ask if anyone knows anything about the Dollarbirds passing through Taiwan.

The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is another strange one. Spends the summer on the Taiwan controlled island of Kinmen in the Taiwan Strait. Reasonably common on the Fujian coast and resident in the Philippines but not a single record from Taiwan proper, in spite their presence in the Taiwan Strait during typhoon season.

Hi Mark The only reference I can find to Cyanicollis Dollarbirds is in (the accursed!) Mackinnon. It seems like an extraordinary migration route - I would be very interested to find out more! None in my valley yet - I think the wind (NE monsoon) is so favourable that they are simply not stopping.

No Blue-Tailed Bee-eaters yet either - I suspect for the same reason , although they should be picked up early mornings as they are diurnal migrants.

The patch today offered more of the same:

Eastern-crowned Warbler - 1
Arctic Warbler - 2
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler - 3 heard

Asian Paradise Flycatcher - 1

This bird gave brilliant close views and allowed me to confirm that I had erroneously claimed it as Japanese Para a couple of days ago - it wasn't nearly dark enough.

The "new" residents also scored today - singing Pygmy Wren Babbler and Lesser Shortwings but best of all were the "Tailorbird Wars" towards the top of my route.

A manky-looking Mountain Tailorbird without a tail, seemed to be getting close attention, but not aggression, from a glorious-looking adult. I have never seen one so showy - coming really close, throwing back its head, puffing out its throat and singing for all it was worth. A Common Tailorbird called and then appeared and the MT semed to get even more excited - no fighting as such, but it seemed that some sort of turf war of the tinys was going on with all three birds bounding about in the open with no regard to me whatsoever!

I was going to go al the way to the top falls, but discovered at first hand how little fun it is to get poked in the eye with a sharp stick when trying to free a tree from creepers. Not fatal, but definitely not recommended!

The weaqther man says there is going to be some rain in the front over the next few days - so here's hoping for some more goodies - an unusual autumn Spoon-billed Sandpiper was at Mai Po yesterday.

[Mark Bruce]

Hi Mike,

Some more good birds. Would love the Asian Para. Glad you're seeing Arctic Warbler because I'm not and I normally get them in late August.

I got this from Scott Lin at TESRI on the Dollarbirds.

"According to the dollarbird's distribution range, I think the Dollarbirds that appear in Taiwan should belong to Eurystomus orientalis calonyx. There is no data that shows the exact breeding or wintering sites of the migrant Dollarbirds passing through Taiwan so far. As for the E. O. cyanicollis, in China it is a resident and lives in south-eastern Tibet. Wintering Dollarbirds(racecalonyx) are not rare in southeastern Asia, I think the wintering and resident populations may mix in the Philippines."

[MKinHK]

Originally Posted by Mark Bruce

Hi Mike,

Some more good birds. Would love the Asian Para. Glad you're seeing Arctic Warbler because I'm not and I normally get them in late August.

I got this from Scott Lin at TESRI on the Dollarbirds.

"According to the dollarbird's distribution range, I think the Dollarbirds that appear in Taiwan should belong to Eurystomus orientalis calonyx. There is no data that shows the exact breeding or wintering sites of the migrant Dollarbirds passing through Taiwan so far. As for the E. O. cyanicollis, in China it is a resident and lives in south-eastern Tibet. Wintering Dollarbirds(racecalonyx) are not rare in southeastern Asia, I think the wintering and resident populations may mix in the Philippines."

Not sure if any Dollarbirds have bene ringed inHK , but would not expect so - so I guess it would be difficult to say where our own birds come from. We do know that they breed pretty close - in the mountains of northern Guangdong, but it seems likely that your birds would come from further north.

Sounds like you have a great weekend in store - the Taiwanese mountaind have some major birds for my Greater China list including the pheasants.

I'm off to Zhejiang to help in a survey of Linan County next week (1-7 October), stopping in Shanghai to look for Reed Parrotbills on Chongming Island. Its voluntary, but costs are covered once you get there. It takes in Tian Mu Shan - a World Heritage site (for its Gingko trees) - and Mukang, which was a summer retreat for the foreigners in Shanghai, so there is some old data, including such megas as White-eared Night Heron!

[MKinHK]

Another new bird on the patch today - and with no effort whatsoever - an immature male Blue Rock Thrush appeared on top of a telegraph pole opposite my flat and sat there long enough for great views. It is certainly a migrant as our resident birds stay on rocky outcrops at altitude throughout the year.

My second patch tick of the week while on Birdforum!

[MKinHK]

Quiet in the valley this morning, and a distinctly blue theme - first birds were a group of feral Blue-winged Minlas. Then "Don't Dip Dell" produced a male Hainan Blue Flycatcher on the way up and very brief views of my second Siberian Blue Robin for the Autumn, this one a female/immature.

I also had a couple of Pale-legged /Sakhalin Leaf Warblers giving their distinctive pinking call, and an Arctic Warbler.

The real highlight however, was the discovery of a colony of the tiny Bamboo Bat. I had stopped to search for a Pygmy Wren Babbler calling close to the path, and saw four or five small "things" flying over the path. I t was immediately clear that they weren't birds, and after coming closer and eliminating insects, it became clear they were very small bats. I watched one settle on a bamboo and then disappear, presumably into a roosting hole (they are the only species to use Bamboo for roosting in Hong Kong).

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

produced a male Hainan Blue Flycatcher on the way up and very brief views of my second Siberian Blue Robin for the Autumn, this one a female/immature.

I also had a couple of Pale-legged /Sakhalin Leaf Warblers giving their distinctive pinking call, and an Arctic Warbler.

The real highlight however, was the discovery of a colony of the tiny Bamboo Bat. I had stopped to search for a Pygmy Wren Babbler calling close to the path, and saw four or five small "things" flying over the path.

Siberian Blue Robin, very nice !

I see Nigel Collar in OBC's Forktail 22 has proposed a split of the Taiwan subendemic Pygmy Wren Babbler (or Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler depending on the author) and others that will give Taiwan some more endemics.

Split from:Pygmy/Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Pnoepyga pusilla /albiventer
Proposed new species:Taiwan Wren Babbler, Pnoepyga formosana

Originally Posted by MKinHK

Sounds like you have a great weekend in store - the Taiwanese mountains have some major birds for my Greater China list including the pheasants.

I'm off to Zhejiang to help in a survey of Linan County next week (1-7 October), stopping in Shanghai to look for Reed Parrotbills on Chongming Island. Its voluntary, but costs are covered once you get there. It takes in Tian Mu Shan - a World Heritage site (for its Gingko trees) - and Mukang, which was a summer retreat for the foreigners in Shanghai, so there is some old data, including such megas as White-eared Night Heron!

Have a good trip !

I had a pretty good trip. Didn't see any of the pheasants but they weren't really target birds on the trip. We did stop at Meifong, which is very good for both the Swinhoe's and Mikado Pheasants, at about 7am yesterday for a few hours but it was a little too late to be seriously looking for them.

[MKinHK]

At long last! I had my first Dollarbird of the autumn on the power lines across my valley at lunchtime today.

Looking back into my records, passage through here is very variable - its before the earliest date from 2003, and after the latest record of 2005. It has however, been a poor autumn so far in HK for Dollarbirds, maybe beacuse it's all yet to come!

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

At long last! I had my first Dollarbird of the autumn on the power lines across my valley at lunchtime today.

Looking back into my records, passage through here is very variable - its before the earliest date from 2003, and after the latest record of 2005. It has however, been a poor autumn so far in HK for Dollarbirds, maybe beacuse it's all yet to come!

Always nice to see! I've dipped this season on it so far but most of ours go through in the north.

[MKinHK]

One for the record books today . . .

Coming down the hill after seeing the usual autumn fare of Paradise Flycatcher sp. , Arctic, Eastern Crowned and Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warblers I stopped to look through a loose feeding flock of Babblers - Asian Paradise Flycatchers, particularly, seem to attach themselves to these flocks - and found . . an Asian Paradise Flycatcher! Curious as ever it responded to my pishing and came in to inspect me, giving wonderful close views. I was checking out the Rufous-capped Babblers to see if there were any phylloscs or ther flycatchers with the flock when I got onto a slightly smaller bird with a slightly bronzy tinge to the green on the back (which Common Tailorbird occasionally shows. Thank goodness I stayed on it because it flicked its tail - showing white central tail feathers and black outers!?!

It then turned its head to show a dark mask and moustacial stripe on a white face beneath a chestnut cap ?!? and finally it flipped round to show a green- black-speckled belly! SPECKLED PICULET!!! - and just the third Hong Kong record! and my best ever find at Ng Tung Chai - edging out Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher (4th HK record + tw others) and last winter's male White-throated Rock Thrush (10th or so HK record).

I had very good views as it sat wiping its bill on a branch for a couple of minutes before flicking off. Back at home I confirmed that the chestnut cap identified it as the Chinese race Picminus innominatus chinensis, reducing the possibility of it being an escape.

To put the icing on the cake, my mate Graham, who had found and shown me the Brown Chested Jungle Flycatcher exactly 3 weeks earlier was able to come straight away and relocated it - in "Don't Dip Dell" - of course!

[Mark Bruce]

Wow! Great one! You must be a very happy boy today.