Not just birds: 4月 2019

2019年4月30日星期二

Ho Man Tin 30 Apr 2019 - Sakhalin Thrush? again

Ho Man Tin again before work, no Black Baza which could be my HK Tick, only the staying Siberian Thrush davisoni (?).. Comparing this: http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2446&Bird_Image_ID=107429 , may the molting time of both subspecies differ?

Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55574696

again the Siberian Thrush - a davioni??? blue when there was light and black when no....

Siberian Thrush - note the blackish blue underparts

2019年4月29日星期一

Ho Man Tin 29 Apr 2019 - Sakhalin Thrush?

I was told there was a male Siberian Thrush in Ho Man Tin yesterday night so we tried our luck this morning right before work. Luckily, we saw the bird when arrived.

This bird was clearly a male but immature Siberian Thrush (a 3rd C.Y. individual?) and the subspecies-identity is still questioning me.... May that be a davisoni which is possibly split as Sakhalin Thrush??

Anyway, 2019 HK Big Year is 236.

List: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55534708

baby Red-billed Blue Magpie

Red-billed Blue Magpie parent and chick, there was a baby Koel fed by the blue magpie as well

Siberian Thrush - the vent is rather dark, a pro-davisoni feature

Siberian Thrush - clearly a male with blackish blue plumage and a smart white supercilium, but the problem is dark belly, which is a feature of davisoni

Siberian Thrush - the head pattern is distinctive but still showing brownish flight feather and white spotting in underparts, probably in second summer plumage (?)

Siberian Thrush - for davisoni, the plumage is more blackish so I am not so sure about this bird, still quite blue to me

Siberian Thrush - I checked many photos of sibirica, include the Shing Mun bird few years ago, the white V in belly was so clear even in first winter male, but lacking in this individual

Siberian Thrush - no matter, still a good bird to see

Siberian Thrush - and we are waiting to see a davisoni in Japan!!

Siberian Thrush - waited awhile I could get a photo from below, showing the dark belly

2019年4月28日星期日

Tai Po Kau 28 Apr 2019 - Collared Owlet

There was a Collared Owlet reported in Tai Po Kau few days ago, which could be a first official HK record, so we made a visit today, even we have seen this species in Taiwan and Malaysia before. Anyway, we still want a HK/China tick.

On the way up, we saw a really cute fledged Light-vented Bulbul, responsive Hainan Blue Flycatcher, perching Chinese Sparrowhawk and a well showing Great Barbet while the Chinese Barbet was heard-only even close.

Thanks to Matthew, we finally managed to get to the spot though we had heard the Collared Owlet before getting there, just not sure if it was a distant playback or not. We waited and played then, tried twice and I could finally spotted this smallest owl species in HK and thanks to Lisa, we could have brilliant view of it!

Not a bad day indeed as the target was seen successfully after walking 11.555km, but of course I will be happier if I can have a better look of the ebird
Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo.... Next time then...

The checklist is here and the HK Big Year is now 233:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55496101

fledged Light-vented Bulbul

Light-vented Bulbul calling for parents

male Hainan Blue Flycatcher

Hainan Blue Flycatcher singing

perching Chinese Sparrowhawk

Great Barbet

sand-bathing cow......

first view when I spotted the owlet..

Collared Owlet - much smaller than the Asian Barred Owlet and with spotted head

Collared Owlet - this individual got strange iris, some kind of deform

Collared Owlet with Japanese Tit - note the fake eyes

Collared Owlet

after waiting two hours... the Collared Owlet showed us the front view

so much walk....

2019年4月22日星期一

HK Wetland Park 22 Apr 2019 - the end game

My first working day started on 22 May 2017 and today, 22 Apr 2019 was the last.

Made more than 11km birding but essentially seeing no interesting migrants. A single Black-tailed Godwit seen poorly, also a Terek Sandpiper. The male Cinnamon Bittern put a full stop in my working life here while the last dip of the patch was Slaty-breasted Rail seen in the hide by my colleagues.

Checklist 1: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55238901
Checklist 2: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55244934
Checklist 3: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55247095
Checklist 4: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55247405

AM walk

PM walk

Anyway, I will write an conclusion post of my days in HKWP, this is the end game and a new start tomorrow.

my favorite path, love more before the construction and typhoon

and the mudflat hide was flooded because of the storm few days ago

so I changed spot to observe waders, from the fishpond hide. You need to watch through glasses so only blur images can be obtained. Another failed management.

the clearest digiscope pic through the glass, can you spot the Black-tailed Godwit? (I IDed as Long-billed Dowitcher initially until I saw the bill.....)

two Chinese Pond Heron

immature Japanese Tit

flying Indian Cuckoo

when will be my next time here?

2019年4月20日星期六

HK Southern Water - first boat trip in 2019

Thanks to Carrie, we could go for a boat trip today. Terns should be the highlight of today, we saw Aleutian, Common, Little, Greater Crested, Bridled and Gull-billed Tern while Arctic Skua was the one skua species.

The most unexpected one was a migrating Grey Nightjar...... Heuglin's Gull and Oriental Pratincole also gave us surprises before the storm came.

And... distant birds, moving waves, bad lighting plus the wrong setting of D500 made today's photos become records of records......

my 2019 Big Year is 227.

Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55158852