[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

A very cold clear day afer the passage of a major front brought a few old friends out of the woodwork, but surprisingly nothing new.

Some good birds. With the cold and wet I haven't been out this end. It's clear and cold here now, too.

[MKinHK]

A good morning that could have been brilliant.

Close to the village I was able to confirm a male Japanese Thrush, which I thought I saw a couple of days ago, enjoyed three Red-flanked Bluetails, including a superb male, and winkled out a Rufous-tailed Robin from a spot where I'd had noting but a flash of movement earlier in the week.

Other quality came in the shape of the White-browed Fantail, Mountain Bulbul three Blyth's Leaf Warblers, and a Male Verditer in bright sunshine.

All very nice but my mate Graham saw a cracking male Japanese Robin, which could probably see me when he saw it, and a Sulphur-breasted Warbler - the first for Ng Tung Chai - about 150m further down the trail!

I'm not used to being gripped on my own patch and I have to confess I'm taking it pretty badly. Its my patch - it should be me that does the gripping!
And since its the season to be jolly - Bah! Humbug!

[MKinHK]

A very good day of winter birding with a regular flow of birds during a full 8.5 hours spent in the forest.

Best of the bunch was a briefly seen Japanese Robin, which I ran into a couple of hundred metres higher than where it had previously been seen. I also enjoyed a female Siberian Thrush which headed a cast of other thrushes which included four or five Grey-backed Thrush, a rather worn-looking Japanese Thrush and my first White's Thrush of the winter at a fruiting tree on a dark and chilly slope.

I also saw my first Goodson's Warbler (recently split from Blyth's Leaf Warbler) of the winter, but missed out of the Sulphur-breasted whch was seen lower down by birders searching for the piculet.

Potentially even more interesting, but hard to do too much with, was a briefly seen phyllosc sp. It looked like a rather long-tailed Blyth's, but most uncharacteristically it continually flicked open its tail - exposing what appeared to be pure white outer tail feathers - an action I have never seen Blyth's doing. I am wondering about the possibility of it being White-tailed Leaf Warbler, which would be a first for Hong Kong. Honesty compels me to admit that I would not expect it to be accepted on the basis of the views I had, but It may stimulate others to make the arduous climb up to the falls where I saw it (and the Japanese Robin!)

Even without this bird, the presence of the Goodsoni, a Sulphur-breasted Warbler, plus at least 3 Blyth's Leaf Warblers, and a big influx of Pallas' Leaf Warbler, make this the best winter for phylloscs of my four years here.

Other good birds during the day incuded a Mountain (Brownish-flanked) Bush Warbler, 4 Short-tailed Bush Warblers and a Pale Thrush. 4 Chinese Blackbirds in the tree in front of my house made it six species of thrush for the day, while a Rufous-tailed Robin and Red-flanked Bluetail brought the robin count up to three.

Birds seen by other birders included Sulphur-breasted Warbler, a second White's Thrush, and 3 Black-naped Monarchs.

Cheers

Mike

[MKinHK]

A quiet end to the year on the patch after terrific autumn and winter.

A few trips up the valley suggested that the big roving flocks had dispersed - a disappointment for the birders who cam for the piculet, Japanese Robin and the Blyth's, goodsoni and Sulphur-breasted Warblers (the latter included me!).

However, the White-browed Fantail and both male and female Black-naped Monarchs continued to show and the Asian Brown Flycatcher reappeared.

More positive was the arrival of good numbers of Chestnut Bulbuls - up to 25 being my best estimate, and Mountain Bush Warbler (fortipes) becoming easier to see.

Highlights of the Year

Things seem to have looked up dramatically since joining BF in September! Sharing my birds has been a real inspiration to a) get organised and work out a patch list and b) get out there! The kind words of encouragement and interesting discussions from BF members has added a new and thoroughly enjoyable dimension. Its been a real pleasure showcasing a little more of Hong Kong's wonderful birds than the spring wader passage at Mai Po.

Some of the moments I'll remember for a long time will include:

• Finding Hong Kong's third and my first Speckled Piculet on 27th September after visiting the forest 12 times in a month! Sadly it was only seen by one other person, but we did both see it again in December!
  
• Finding the following new patch birds without even leaving the flat: Brown Shrike, Wryneck, Bull-headed Shrike and best of all - Black-headed Bunting - a genuine rarity and not where it should be!
  
• Excellent autumn and winter phylloscopus warblers - with record numbers of Pallas', Eastern Crowned, Arctic, Greenish, Pale-legged/Sakhalin, Blyth's and Hartert's (P. goodsoni).
  
• Finally, persuading the farmer growing flowers outside my house to switch from bird-killling mist nets to scrim net covers for his flowers.

.


My life patch list reached 172 (including three escapes) and the list for the year fell just short of 150 at 147. An obvious target for 2007 beckons!

Off my patch I cleared 400 species in Hong Kong, and added a total of 19 new species including three firsts, ending the year with a White-bellied Green Pigeon on 31st December.

Beyond Hong Kong I had a number of short trips to China, with highlights including nailing a massive bogey bird - Collared Pygmy Owlet - at Wuyi Shan, Reed Parrotbill at Dong Tan (Shanghai) which was made possible by the kindness of BF contacts (thank you!), and late in the year wonderful trips to Wulai in Taiwan (giving me Taiwan Magpie) and Nonggang Shan in Guangxi, (which delivered White-winged and Green Magpie), and something very special which you'll hear about in due course.

All in all an amazing year!

Best wishes to all for 2007.

Cheers
Mike

[deborah4]

Thanks for all the great reports Mike. Ive really enjoyed looking through 'this window' into the birds of Asia over the past year. Think we've both had a good year and both feel similarly inspired since joining BF! When you're a lone birder by virtue of the absence of others around you, then the encouragement of others is so important sometimes for that 'extra lift' that's needed to get out of bed early or walk that extra mile!

A very happy New Year to you.

[Mark Bruce]

A great year, Mike ! Many birds to you in 07.
Cheers,

Mark

[Chris Monk]

All the best for 2007 to all on this thread!

I've been off air during the last two weeks due to PC problems.

Just been downloading emails at home since getting PC back online.

Now back at work and wading through yet more emails to pluck out nuggets of
White-tailed Eagle data from around the world. My spreadsheet is getting close to being full!

Cheers,
Chris

[MKinHK]

first outing of the year for a couple of hours before work - and although it was pretty quiet a Common Rosefinch at the tip of the village was my first patch tick of the year. A nice start to 2007!

Other birds included three Grey-headed Flycatchers, a fine male Red-flanked Bluetail, and a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes, but its generally quieter than December.

Looking forward to the cold front coming through over the weekend.

[MKinHK]

No time to go into the forest today, but oo nice a day not to do at least a little birding, so I walked out to work along the well-forested road, rather than down the track through more open country, which is my usual path.

It turned out to be a good decision as I had great views of an Ashy Drongo of the white-cheeked race leucogenys just my second sighting of the winter, plus a couple of Grey-headed Flycatchers, a male Grey-backed Thrush, and just before leaving the village, a Rufous-tailed Robin feeding in damp soil near a sewage outfall pipe.

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

It turned out to be a good decision as I had great views of an Ashy Drongo of the white-cheeked race leucogenys just my second sighting of the winter, plus a couple of Grey-headed Flycatchers, a male Grey-backed Thrush, and just before leaving the village, a Rufous-tailed Robin feeding in damp soil near a sewage outfall pipe.

A good decision indeed. Some really good birds, Mike !

[MKinHK]

Temper tantrums this morning. . . I went up the valley for a swift couple of hours with my bird race team mate Richard Lewthwaite . . .and had a very quiet spell, with an unusually loud Rufous-tailed Robin, brief, distant views of a Mountain Bulbul, and a Grey-cheeked Fulvetta th rather muted highlights. In addition a Besra over the car park and a displaying Crested Goshawk both showed pretty well.

Grey-headed Flycatcher and Grey-backed Thrush also appeared, but as the sun went in and the birds went quiet we left early.

Then half an hour later my mate Graham called to say he'd had a Chestnut-crowned Warbler - just the 11th HK record - and I couldn't go and look for it . . . just 20 minutes walk away owing to a family visit. AAAAAGH! There are now 3 birds which have been seen at Ng Tung Chai, but not by me - Sulphur-breasted Warbler (also found by Graham) just before Christmas, and Rufous-faced Warbler a couple of years ago.

It feels strange to be looking for someone else's birds on your own patch, but I'll be in there with the first glimmer of dawn tomorrow.

However there was some compensation - a couple of Grey Bushchat on a walk with my girlfriend this afternoon - and the huge pleasure of showing my niece Kia around the botanic garden where I work, and seeing her fall under the spell of flamingoes, macaws . . .and quality roof prisms!

[MKinHK]

Ok back to the birding . . .

Missed the Chestnut-crowned Warbler this morning, but saw the Speckled Piculet (fleetingly) for the first time this year and had similarly brief views of a Hartert's Leaf Warbler P. Goodsoni and a Greenish Warbler that has been around for a few months, but recently hiding.

Other good birds brought out by the cold front included a nice view of a Pygmy Wren Babbler in Don't Dip Dell, the femal Black-naped Monarch and two of the day's four Grey-headed Flycatchers lower down the slope, five Grey-backed Thrushes, five Red-flanked Bluetails and three Asian Stubtails.

Still hungry for the Chestnut-crowned and Sulphur-breasted Warblers, but today retored hope that not everything had cleared out.

[MKinHK]

A god couple of days on the patch after a week of excellent winter weather ( a cold front with N winds bringing the temperature below 10 celcius) during which time I couldn't get out biding at all.

The highlight was a Sulphur-breasted Warbler - a new bird for the patch, which I saw in the company of the rather similar Hartert's Leaf Warbler. It was found before Christmas and has had the good grace to linger.

It has been an excellent spell for warblers with another Hartert's seen today, Blyth's Leaf and Greenish Warblers both seen extremely well yesterday, and most surprising a Radde's Warbler feeding on a grassy bank near the top falls was a somewhat unususal winter record yesterday morning.

Other good birds included a well-seen female Tristram's Bunting, a very confiding Rufous-tailed Robin, and good numbers of Grey-backed Thrushes.

Still more to look for - the Chestnut-crowned Warbler was seen again yesterday and one of Ng Tung Chai's signature birds - Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher was found this morning. More to look forward to . . .

[MKinHK]

Another good morning in what is rapidly turning out to be my best ever winter here.

My target this morning was the Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher found the morning before. This bird and Japanese Robin have both been recorded more times from Ng Tung Chai than anywhere else in Hong Kong.

Having started slightly late I headed uphill at something of a rush and my first good bird of the day was an adult Striated Heron which flew up the small stream next to the temple - just my fourth record from NTC.

Birding against the clock to get home in time to start work I rushed up the the lower falls where the Flycatcher had been seen. I saw few birds, but about 100m from the lower falls I found first a couple of Mountain Bulbuls a flock of Pallas' Leaf Warbler which unhappily did not contain the hoped-for Chestnut-crowned Warbler, although I did see my first Mountain Tailorbird of the year. I know I missed one or two birds as the flock went though and also that this is where the Ch-cr Warbler was last seen. Ho hum.

However I did also see a Hartert's Warbler - probably the same as the first bird of yesterday.

Continuing on to the lower falls I descended the steps and alms immediately got onto a small dark shape that whizzed into the darknes of a rather dense treetop. I love curious birds - a few seconds later a male Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher popped out onto a bare branch for a good long stare at me!

It was sitting facing away, but with its head turned round to look at me, giving a view of the fine white supercilium and the small gorget of red below the black throat. It may just have been the dim light, but this was the darkest bird I have seen, with little of the bronzy brown colour in the wings I've noted on other individuals.

I watched it hunting for five minutes between 1 and 10 metres above the ground in tight tangles close to the river's edge. Although it was mostly out of sight I has occasional views of the white-sides to the base of the tail.

Heading back home I heard a short two-note "tuk . tuk" that was a little sharper and wider spaced than the usual contact call of Red-flanked Bluetail, and sawa small shape zip across the path about 20 metres below me. I sat down in the hope it would emerge as this was the spot where the Japanese Robin had been found earlier in the winter. I 'd also had a Rufous-tailed Robin a week earlier, and both Pygmy Wren Babbler and Lesser Shortwing like the general area. It turned out to be the latter, which emerged out of the tangle of dry twigs and stood for a few seconds, supercilium fully erect and practically glowing in the gloomy light. Nice to see one when they have not sung for at least two week now. I did hear this one giving a low warbling subsong for a few seconds rather than the usual loud, musical proclamation of its presence.

The last good birds were a single Blyth's Leaf Warbler of the "normal" washed out greyish type, and a brief view of a Mountain Bush Warbler (aka Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler).

In the afternoon a brief visit to the White-bellied Green Pigeon site produced a pair of Japanese Thrushes, a White's Thrush, several Grey-backed Thrushes, two Daurian Redstarts a pair of Painted Snipe and a wonderfully singing Siberian Rubythroat in just 30 minutes!

One of those days when you just feel hugely blessed to be a birder!!

Cheers
Mike

[Mark Bruce]

A good morning, Mike. There must have been something in the air today because I had a very good morning out at Huben.

[MKinHK]

A quieter day at Ng Tung Chai although I did add White-bellied Yuhina to the yearlist and had 16 Grey-chinned Minivets the highest count of the year here - up from 6 the day before.

Also a couple of Blyth's Leaf Warblers, but on a much quieter morning there was no sign of the Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher.

[MKinHK]

Needing to escape from the stress of too many worthy causes I took a swift 90 minute trip into the forest on a cold clear morning and Ng Tung Chai delivered again.

Best bird was, without question, the Chestnut-crowned Warbler, of which I had brief views initially and then a wonderful show on my way back out. One of only two species known from this site that I had not seen here, I finally saw this one over two weeks after its discovery.

And what a cracking bird! The great thing about patch birding for me is that I appreciate the birds far more for being hard won and within walking distance of home. This one was the usual flamboyant whirl of chestnut cap, bold yellow rump, belly and wingbars, olive green back and tail, and the extra sex appeal of a clear white eyering against the grey face, breast and belly.

It hovered and flicked about like a Pallas' Leaf Warbler dressed up for Mardi Gras, flashing its rump, and generally drawing attention to itself, then perching briefly to check I was watching before tantalisingly flicking off again. Wonderful stuff!

Other good birds included 2 Blyth's Leaf Warblers, one of which had the smallest crown stripe I've ever seen (more of a nuchal spot, really), the very drab Greenish Warbler, A Hartert's Leaf Warbler and the Sulphur-breasted Warbler.

Further support came in the form of one and possibly two Rufous-tailed Robins, a pair of Mountain Bulbuls,a Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, three Grey-headed Flycatchers, two Grey-backed and a Pale Thrush, and brief views of a Mountain Tailorbird. This latter was important as it shows similarities in plumage to Chestnut-crowned Warbler, and this view allowed me to note the differences: no yellow rump or wingbars for the Tailorbird, no eye ring, and no black lateral crown stripe in the chestnut cap. The structural differences are more obvious.

All told an excellent morning that sets me up wonderfully to go back to the grindstone of LNG terminals, wind farms and trying to secure a trade ban on wild-caught birds because of bird flu. Still there are many worse thing to be paid for doing!

[MKinHK]

A brief walk down the road leading to the village on Saturday gave me my first Tristram' Buntings and Verditer (a nice male) of the year. There were also a few Grey-backed Thrushes, a Pale Thrush and a couple of Grey-headed Flycatchers.

I missed out on a Brown-headed Thrush (it would be just my second here) and heard that other birders have seen the Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher, and a female Japanese Robin as well as the male ( which has been around for a month).

This morning a brief visit delivered a Pale Thrush in its favoured spot in the orchard, Hartert's Leaf Warbler, and my first White-throated Fantail and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch this year. Four Grey-headed Flycatchers was a high count for the year, and both Asian Brown Flycatcher and a superb male Verditer showed from my flat late this afternoon.

[MKinHK]

Just a quickie this morning produced a couple of Tristram's Buntings, several Grey-backed Thrushes , a female Japanese Thrush, a Pale Thrush, but not the Brown headed Thrush which was reported on Saturday.

However, Blue Magpie and Red-throated Flycatcher were new here for the year.

[MKinHK]

A rather quiet day birdwise, but unexpected and very good views of a Barking Deer (Muntjac) was only my second sighting here, although I hear their loud barking cough fairly regularly.

New for the year were 4 Hair-crested Drongos, witha supporting cast of Greenish and Hartert's Warblers, a wonderful male Verditer and four Grey-heaeded Flycatchers, 6 Grey-backed Thrushes, a Rufous-tailed Robin a White's Thrush and a couple of Red-flanked Bluetails.

I had high hopes of three ponds shown on the Google Earth map of Ng Tung Chai,and went to check them out this afternoon, but they appear to have gone!

[MKinHK]

Anther quiet morning following unseasonal rain in the night and high humidity all day:

Most interesting were couple of very different-looking Blyth's Leaf Warblers, so different in fact that I struggle to see them as the same species, which continued the phyllosc materclass this winter has become.

One was very dull, with a greyish head, indistinct super and a small spot on the nape the best it could do for a crown stripe. It just about showed two wing bars, but both were short, narrow and indistinct.

The other was as bright as a Blyth's can be without raising suspicions of Hartert's Leaf Warbler, which I saw a little later and provided confirmation I hadn't cocked up.

Its wingbars were long broad and clear yellow, and its well-marked head showed a strong central crown stripe all the way from the nape to the base of the upper mandible. It also has a strong yellow-tinted super, but showed no yellow on the throat or face which would have suggested Hartert's.

It sang what I suspect was a subsong (with apologies for the phonetic interpretation) "wip.wip wi-dip" followed by a short flat trill. I'm tempted to consider Emei Leaf Wabler for one of these two, but don't really know enough to make a decent case.

I also have a suspicion that the variability of our Harterts Warblers may actually be due to the plaer ones being ogilviegranti White-tailed Leaf Warblers. . .

Any thoughts from other phyllosc masochists would be welcomed.

Three or four Grey-headed Flycatchers, a singing Pygmy Wren Babbler and a briefly seen Mountain Tailorbird were also a pleasure.

Cheers
Mike

[MKinHK]

Decided to give the Valley a miss this morning and try the one immediately to the north - Tai Om Shan.

However, the beneifts of living at the heart of my patch bore fruit superbly when A Barred Owlet called this evening as I was going out for dinner. This has been my biggest bogy bird at Ng Tung Chai and an astonishing omission. Hope it will show itself around the village in the next few days.

I also got lucky earlier in the day. alking out along the access road I saw a dark bird fly into a tree which I suspected mght be Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike. It wasn't. It was an Ashy Drongo of the white cheeked race leucogenys, but the bird already in the tree turned out to be the cuckoo-shrike!

I also had a couple of Common Buzzards soaring together over the village.

Tai Om Shan turned out to be a great success. I have always been hesitant to leave my patch, but the combination of a quiet day yesterday and the onset of the much more crowded weekend finally persuaded me to give it a go.

The real highlight of the walk was a Chestnut-crowned Warbler, a genuine rarity, but one which had probably flipped over the ridge from Ng Tung Chai. A much commoner bird, but rarely recorded in winter was an Asian Paradise Flycatcher. Red-throated, Asian Brown, Grey headed and aBlack-naped Monarch added to the list of flycatchers seen today.

Other good birds included 14 Chinese Blackbirds at the bottom of the valley and a couple of Grey-backed Thrushes and a White's Thrush feeding on fruiting trees inside the mature woodland.

White-bellied Yuhina and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch are pretty rare birds at Ng Tung Chai, but I had both today at Tai Om Shan.

Al in all, well worth the effort of going a little further afield.

[Mark Bruce]

A Barred Owl ! Very nice, Mike ! Actually some very good birds you're seeing.

[MKinHK]

NTC has certainly claimed the laurels as the best forest site in HK this winter - its been a real pleasure to be on the receiving end!

More routinely, three Tristram's Buntings on the road out of the village this morning were a nice way to start the day.Yesterday a Verditer Flycatcher was in a similar spot.

It looks like many of the thrushes have cleared out following the spell of warm weather - a shame as its been a terrific winter for them. Hoping for another major cold front or two to have them scurrying back down here.

Other patch news is that the Speckled Piculet was seen on both Saturday and Sunday. The first time in its almost 6-month stay its been seen on consecutive days.

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

NTC has certainly claimed the laurels as the best forest site in HK this winter - its been a real pleasure to be on the receiving end!

More routinely, three Tristram's Buntings on the road out of the village this morning were a nice way to start the day.Yesterday a Verditer Flycatcher was in a similar spot.

It looks like many of the thrushes have cleared out following the spell of warm weather - a shame as its been a terrific winter for them. Hoping for another major cold front or two to have them scurrying back down here.

Other patch news is that the Speckled Piculet was seen on both Saturday and Sunday. The first time in its almost 6-month stay its been seen on consecutive days.

Yeah, NTC really has produced some amazing birds over the last few months.

Speckled Piculet and Verditer Flycatcher ! Very good reasons for a Taiwan birder to visit !