MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Before I start reporting a quick introduction to my local patch.
I am blessed with a wonderful local patch. It comprises an area of very high quality subtropical forest habitat - Ng Tung Chai Special Area - which starts at the back edge of my village, and the area around the village, which is surrounded by farmland principally given over to flower cultivation, interspersed with copses of mature feng shui trees, and a fast flowing boulder stream, which comes out of the forest. The village is on a NE facing slope at the top of a valley, with views of the first line of hills in China about 10 miles away (whern the haze allows).
The area is superb for Eastern Palearctic migrants, with a good supporting cast of SE China forest and farmland residents. I'm the only birder to do this site regularly as the path into the forest is pretty steep and pampered Honkies love their escalators! With a touch of true birder selfishness this means that I consider all the birds there as mine, and I find the vast majority of good birds that occur here. Other birder do visit, but often in groups that are too big for the narrow confines of forest birding
I also compete directly with Hong Kong's biggest and best-covered forest site - Tai Po Kau - which has the benefit of a much bigger area, a large network of paths and mostly a dedicated team who work it pretty much every day of the year (including one of the Park staff).
I am not so dedicated and pack in for the hot birdless summer; usually some time in early-mid may and start again in late August /early September, when the autumn migrants start arriving and post-breeding moult is finished. I do still record birds from home - a third floor flat in a village house with wonderful views down the valley and views from the roof of the surrounding grassy and wooded slopes.
I don't keep a strict patch list as the boundaries are not particularly well defined, but know in my head when I add a new one. I've lived here for four years and moved here becuase I used to visit to go birding, starting in 1994.
Its always been a magical place for me because on my first visit - a grim Boxing day afternoon - I trudged up to through an apparently birdless, dark and very steep valley to discover a temple with an ornate garden like something out of a James Bond movie, and three waterfalls I didn't know were there! The third waterfall is 20m high and you have no idea its there until you're right in front of it - quite breathtaking!
As I sat down to catch my breath (in both senses) in front of the waterfall I looked up and noticed a movement in the branches above me - Hong Kong's 15th Fujian Niltava and a cracking male! It helpfully stayed around and allowed great views. Then a few minutes ino my descent Hong's Kong's 7th Japanese Robin - another cracking male -hopped onto the path and stared at me for a good minute or so - just fantastic and never to be forgotten!
Actually today was pretty quiet on the way up - there has been some wind damage froma couple of typhoons over the summer, but that may help to open up some areas which were becoing too overgrown, and open some new views across the valley. I have great views of Mountain Tailorbird - one of our recent colonists (NTC is its stronghold in HK) - and heard the distinctive "High - low" whistle of Pygmy Wren Babbler - which has also become established in the last couple of years.
On the way down the resident pair of Besra were circling overhead, a Crested Serpent Eagle, also resident, but passage of birds from China should start soon, and a group of Greater Necklaced Laughing Thrushes were a nice surprise - I only see them 4-5 times a year.
No migrants, but a full 7-8 months of birding to look forward to!
I am blessed with a wonderful local patch. It comprises an area of very high quality subtropical forest habitat - Ng Tung Chai Special Area - which starts at the back edge of my village, and the area around the village, which is surrounded by farmland principally given over to flower cultivation, interspersed with copses of mature feng shui trees, and a fast flowing boulder stream, which comes out of the forest. The village is on a NE facing slope at the top of a valley, with views of the first line of hills in China about 10 miles away (whern the haze allows).
The area is superb for Eastern Palearctic migrants, with a good supporting cast of SE China forest and farmland residents. I'm the only birder to do this site regularly as the path into the forest is pretty steep and pampered Honkies love their escalators! With a touch of true birder selfishness this means that I consider all the birds there as mine, and I find the vast majority of good birds that occur here. Other birder do visit, but often in groups that are too big for the narrow confines of forest birding
I also compete directly with Hong Kong's biggest and best-covered forest site - Tai Po Kau - which has the benefit of a much bigger area, a large network of paths and mostly a dedicated team who work it pretty much every day of the year (including one of the Park staff).
I am not so dedicated and pack in for the hot birdless summer; usually some time in early-mid may and start again in late August /early September, when the autumn migrants start arriving and post-breeding moult is finished. I do still record birds from home - a third floor flat in a village house with wonderful views down the valley and views from the roof of the surrounding grassy and wooded slopes.
I don't keep a strict patch list as the boundaries are not particularly well defined, but know in my head when I add a new one. I've lived here for four years and moved here becuase I used to visit to go birding, starting in 1994.
Its always been a magical place for me because on my first visit - a grim Boxing day afternoon - I trudged up to through an apparently birdless, dark and very steep valley to discover a temple with an ornate garden like something out of a James Bond movie, and three waterfalls I didn't know were there! The third waterfall is 20m high and you have no idea its there until you're right in front of it - quite breathtaking!
As I sat down to catch my breath (in both senses) in front of the waterfall I looked up and noticed a movement in the branches above me - Hong Kong's 15th Fujian Niltava and a cracking male! It helpfully stayed around and allowed great views. Then a few minutes ino my descent Hong's Kong's 7th Japanese Robin - another cracking male -hopped onto the path and stared at me for a good minute or so - just fantastic and never to be forgotten!
Actually today was pretty quiet on the way up - there has been some wind damage froma couple of typhoons over the summer, but that may help to open up some areas which were becoing too overgrown, and open some new views across the valley. I have great views of Mountain Tailorbird - one of our recent colonists (NTC is its stronghold in HK) - and heard the distinctive "High - low" whistle of Pygmy Wren Babbler - which has also become established in the last couple of years.
On the way down the resident pair of Besra were circling overhead, a Crested Serpent Eagle, also resident, but passage of birds from China should start soon, and a group of Greater Necklaced Laughing Thrushes were a nice surprise - I only see them 4-5 times a year.
No migrants, but a full 7-8 months of birding to look forward to!
. Our Grey Treepie are very noisy. Summer, winter they shout. I've posted an update on the dam in the Hushan thread.
