The Magic Roundabout (1 Viewer)

[MKinHK]

I was thrilled with the Pechora Pipit Gretchen - and would have seen it even better if a pesky Oriental Magpie Robin had not chased it away!

Anyway . . . here's a pic of the Dark-sided Flycatcher - always seems a real mouthful of a name compared to Sooty Flycatcher.

I'm also adding a record shot of the dolphin and a poor shot of a Pale-legged / Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, which might be useful should one turn up on a wind-blown East Coast UK headland or Aleutian boneyard as it still show some of the key ID features - pale-tipped bill, pink legs and pumping tail.

Cheers
Mike

 

[mjgrunwell]

Pale-legged

Dear Mike,
Nice photo of the pale-legged, are we being too squeamish to not call this pale-legged? Brazil states that Sakhalin has quote tarsi dull pinkish brown unquote. The legs on this are clearly pale pink. Are we missing a trick on this species pair if leg colour is different? Your photo shows leg colour that I am happy to tick as pale-legged in Nanchang.
Best regards

 

[MKinHK]

Hi Michael

HK birders and ringers (some of them of truly world class) have looked hard at this species pair ever since they were split and can come up with no reliable criteria for separating birds in the field except for song.

The differences in Brazil are certainly more pronounced than on any birds we see here in HK - where all birds I've seen show pale pink legs - even though both species are trapped in autumn winter and spring . . .

Cheers
Mike

 

[mjgrunwell]

Pale-legged Sakhalin

Thanks for that info, so what is the split in HK between def PL and SL?

 

[thirudevaram]

Congrats on the Pechora Mike. Certainly a quality bird for this quarter and a superb end to 15 year wait.

 

[MKinHK]

Thanks for that info, so what is the split in HK between def PL and SL?

Hi Michael

The 2012 HK Bird Report says:

Since reliable criteria for separation in the field remain to be established records of these two species are combined, unless birds are trapped, allowing for known differences in the wing formula to be used for identification.

Uncommon Passage migrant, mostly in autumn, and scarce winter visitor to lightly wooded areas.; extreme dates 31 August - 5 May, highest count nine on 11 September 2005. Based on trapping records tenellipes is more common than borealoides in a ratio of 2:1, with this ratio being 3:1 in September and 1:1 in October. Only Tenellipes has winter records; the latest date for borealoides is 17 November.​

Unfortunately this text does not mention that they can also be separated on song in spring. You may recall that I finally added Pale-legged to my HK list this spring on the basis of a singing bird in April.

I was delighted to nail the Pechora Pipit Dev - it even had the good manners to show again today, albeit very briefly.

The rest of the day was also good . . .

Nothing whatsoever on the golf course, Northern Edge and Western Tangle had me wondering if the cooler weather of the last two days had cleared everything out. However the Pechora Pipit flew up from cover in the Eastern Tangle and seconds later a male Black-naped Oriole - just my second ever on the patch - appeared, clutching the top of an acacia in the Eastern Tangle just as an Arctic Warbler flipped up into another tree from low on the ground. The Oriole then popped up onto a branch, dead against the light, but long enough for a few shots. . . and the magic of digital processing did the rest to produce this gross misrepresentation of what was a cracking bird.

The Core Area rocked again - with Yellow-rumped, two Asian Brown and a Dark-sided Flycatchers all showing well as the Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler again zipped out of the uncut grass and a Black-winged Cuckooshrike gave a couple of brief views. A Brown Shrike and a calling Arctic Warbler added to the general birdiness.

Fancying my chances I nipped back for a few minutes after work and was rewarded - if rather strangely - by three Grey Wagtails landing in the top of the tallest tree and sitting there for several minutes. The Dark-sided Flycatcher was hunting from a branch on the ground and a Pale-legged / Sakhalin Leaf Warbler lurked deep in the undergrowth , but called a few times.

Cheers
Mike

 

[mjgrunwell]

Pale-legged/Sakhalin

Dear Mike
Thanks very much for the detail on HK occurrence
It does seem that early autumn is more probable for PL than SL, this is not scientific but I will tick PL on this basis and wait until I hear SL singing before I claim that. Given that I have now seen at least 4 PL/SL ticking PL now and deferring SL is probably a safe option.

All the best
Michael

 

[jonathmartinez]

This ratio sounds a bit odd to me, and my personnal dataes give a ratio more close to 1 borealoides for 7 tenellipes for the entire autumn period.
Concerning the date of occurence, the dataes are very thin to state than one or another migrate earlier and the HKBR states that borealoides was caught earlier in september than tennelipes.
Tick one or another regarding date is pure speculation and as Mike mention, the best by far is to get singing bird in spring.

 

[MKinHK]

You'll have to argue that one out with the HK ringers Jonathan - I just copied what was in the Bird Report.

Today was again productive, particularly for birds which I have seen in most quarters. These started with a Blue Rock Thrush on the power substation next to the Northern Links, where I also heard the first of three Asian Brown Flycatchers. The Tangles were quiet until a Spotted Dove flushed out a Wryneck from the far end of the Eastern Tangle and the Core Area held at least two Asian Brown Flycatchers - the same very handsome juvenile Dark-sided Flycatchers and a Brown Shrike.

A return visit at dusk added little except a couple of moderate-sized bats in the Core Area and both Black-crowned Night Heron and Cattle Egret flushed up from under the floodlit fairways on the golf course.

Cheers
Mike

 

[jonathmartinez]

I know Mike, I've read it after you've posted your message. Fortunatly will be abble to debate about this tomorrow morning...

 

[MKinHK]

Much quieter this week, with four Chinese Pond Herons in the tree and seven Cattle Egrets on the south roundabout from the bus the highlights, along with the first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn. I did also pick up a couple of Asian Brown Flycatchers and a Brown Shrike in the core area, but missed a probable Oriental Reed Warbler in the Eastern Tangle and something small and scuttling on the deck in Core Area.

Some cooler weather would not go amiss!

Cheers
Mike

 

[MKinHK]

An equally hot, but more productive day today, with three Richard's Pipits on the golf course and two Red Turtle Doves in the Core Area after work bringing the total for the quarter to a solid 51 species and a total for my second recording year of 112 - a substantial 22 more than last year.

11 Cattle Egrets and a couple of macronyx Yellow Wagtails seen from the bus started the day pretty well, but lunchtime was hot hard work, with a couple of Asian Brown Flycatchers, a locustella sp (either Pallas' or Lancy) in the bottom of a bush showing exactly not enough to clinch the ID. A Pale-legged / Sakhalin Leaf Warbler was on the Western Tangle.

The evening shift also drew out a confirmed Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler from the core area and a couple of interestingly unidentifiable flyovers.

Cheers
Mike

 

[MKinHK]

Its always nice to kick off the start of a new reporting period with a good session. Last Friday evening wasn't it, as I could find nothing except a Brown Shrike and a high-perched Large-billed Crow in the gathering gloom.

Today I had the rare privilege of visitors to the Roundabout - Geoff Welch, who is secretary to HKBWS Records Committee, and returning birder Harry Miller, who is also based at the airport and will hopefully pick up some good birds too.

There were five Richard's Pipits and a distant male Stejneger's Stonechat on the golf course fairways, plus a flyover Black Drongo that was my first since this quarter last year. Other local rarities included a typically clumsy young Greater Coucal, a Hair-crested Drongo that offered only very poor views and at least one and possibly two Oriental Reed Warblers.

The two calling Dusky Warblers were the first of the autumn and I enjoyed a gang of two Grey Herons, nine Great Egrets and seven Little Egrets plus a random Black Kite on the jetty supporting the landing.

Other migrants included certainly two and possibly three Asian Brown Flycatchers.

The biggies are still out there . . .

Cheers
Mike

 

[MKinHK]

Having been frustratingly denied time to properly cover the roundabout this week - except for one late evening poke-about on Tuesday - and again yesterday I finally got a lunchtime free today.

The highlights were a splendid Wryneck on the Eastern Tangle that posed beautifully , although partially obscured by vegetation, four Asian Brown Flycatchers, an Arctic Warbler, two Dusky Warblers, the lingering Greater Coucal, and on the golf course a splendid eight Richard's Pipits, two Red-throated Pipits, two Stejneger's Stonechats, a Brown Shrike and a Yellow Wagtail sp.

Two Cattle Egrets were by the puddle by the South Runway, while seven Great Egrets,five Grey Herons and a Black Kite were perched along the North Runway landing lights jetty.

The evening visits allowed me to add an adult Black-crowned Night Heron, a Blue Rock Thrush and most frustratingly a small passerine deep in the shadow-filled understory that dropped and spread its tail like a Plumbeous Redstart (but clearly wasn't).

Cheers
Mike

 

[MKinHK]

Year Two at the Magic Roundabout started with by far my best ever quarter. 83 species were recorded between 1 October and 31 December 2013, of which 26 were new for me here. This is an whopping 28 species higher (50 and bit %) than the next highest quarter – March to May 2014. Partly this was down to an improved recording effort – with 32 walks round the site eclipsing the previous best of 23, partly because I had the basic route figured out, and partly I suspect because of the late typhoon and the disruption to migrants, and partly down t the fact that there are a full three months of passage to cover.

Among the standout birds for the year were a putative Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler (I’m still consulting with various experts before making my formal submission to the HK Records Committee as this is a potential first for Hong Kong), Little Curlew sightings in December 2013 and April 2014, a highly unseasonal Grey-faced Buzzard in Late December 2013, and a terrific spell in October and November when I added 20 species to the list including Grey Bushchat, Bull-headed Shrike, and Mountain Tailorbird (which only showed itself to be a migrant in HK that autumn). I’ve only seen three or four Brown-headed Thrushes in Hong Kong, so the late spring bird was an exciting, if briefly seen, discovery.

The other major event of the year was the sea watching. Three different species of gulls and somewhat magically, Chinese White Dolphins on two different days were way beyond expectations.

Cheers
Mike

 

[MKinHK]

The Roundabout delivered in style today, starting with at least a dozen Richard's Pipits and seven Red-throated Pipits plus a beautifully white-winged lugens Black-backed Wagtail among the leucopsis White Wagtails on the golf course. Friday's Brown Shrike was also still present hunting from the trees between the fairways.

A Hair-crested Drongo and a Taiga Flycatcher were on the Northern Edge and last week's Wryneck showed again on the Eastern Tangle before flipping across to the Core Area to pose beautifully for a few pix. The Core Area also held a couple of Asian Brown Flycatchers, two Dusky Warblers and an Arctic Warbler.

I alos had a female Blue Rock Thrush on the south roundabout from the bus bus this morning.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Gretchen]

Very encouraging day, and a beaut of a picture of the Wryneck - nice to see it so well!

 

[thirudevaram]

Nice annual n inspirational report, Mike. Something i should work on for my patch list. Hope you wil get through your Gray's hurdle.
Also, i second Gretchen on the Wryneck.

 

[thrush]

The Roundabout delivered in style today, ...

Nice work; must have been an enjoyable day. You're doing good work 1300 km S of us here in Shanghai; always appreciate your more southerly perspective.

Look forward to hearing the verdict on the Gray's Grasshopper Warbler.

 

[MKinHK]

Many thanks for the kind words.

It seems like the floodgates have opened . . .

The golf course had all the same pipits and wagtails except for the Black-backed. Instead of the Brown Shrike a Yellow-browed Warbler flipped into a tree on the corner of the golf course and called once, and an Arctic Warbler with incredibly poor judgment of a secure bolt-hole called from a banyan in the central reservation between the highway lanes. It did however pose just long enough for the superzoom to reach out and nail it.

The Northern Edge held the first of six Dusky Warblers and the first two of four Asian Brown Flycatchers. Much stranger - to the point of being utterly bizarre - was a scrambling in an acacia which disgorged a panicked juvenile Moorhen that flew off round the edge of the electricity substation and disappeared.

Having seen some egrets and kites on the pier for the landing lights from the office I went exploring and found a place on the flyover I could see the whole of the landing lights and confirmed four Black Kites, three Great Egrets and a Little Egret. Eight Barn Swallows came in over the sea and headed on westward. I also got a second look at a dove perched on a street light and once again the superzoom/megacrop combo did the trick, allowing me to confirm it as a Red Turtle Dove.

The Western Tangle held a couple of Dusky Warblers, at least one more Asian Brown Flycatcher, and up in the tops of the acacias two different Greenish Warblers, which set me up nicely for the Hair-crested Drongo, another Arctic Warbler and a Chinese Pond Heron.

The Wryneck flipped up from the deck as I scrambled up the bank onto the core area and once again posed to give wonderful views and the piece de resistance was a stonking male Daurian Redstart - my first of the season - perched on the fence next to the coach and limo park. Nice!

Cheers
Mike