HK Wetland Park 19 Apr 2019 - second last wader day

My second last day in my HK Wetland Park working life, with good number of waders before the rain. Numerous Curlew Sandpiper, several Red-necked Stint, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, the long staying Long-billed Dowitcher etc..

2019 HK Big Year is 218.

Morning list before rain: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55112021

Long-billed Dowitcher in summer plumage

Po Toi 14 Apr 2019 - birding before rain

We went Po Toi to see any new migrants - at last the old one had gone while no new arrived.... No Oriental Plover, only some raptors remaining like Chinese and Japanese Sparrowhawk, Grey-faced Buzzard. We spent our time with at least two Swinhoe's and one Ashy Minivet before the rain came.

My 2019 HK Big Year is 214.

Whole list as here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54932289

female Chinese Sparrowhawk - note the black wing tip

female Japanese Sparrowhawk

immature White-bellied Sea Eagle

Swinhoe's Minivet - brownish breast

Swinhoe's Minivet - comparing to Ashy the rump and tertials are much browner

Swinhoe's Minivet - also called Brown-rumped Minivet, a close one but bad angle and light

Swinhoe's Minivet

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Tai Sang Wai 6 Apr 2019 - a hot causal birding day

Summer comes and temperature rises so much these two days. We made a half day causal birding before our flight tomorrow early morning, resulted in the long staying Glossy Ibis (as I predict haha) and the same interesting Yellow Wagtail. Nothing else, no Oriental Plover for me but 10 flying Blue-tailed Bee-eater should be a bonus.

The list of today: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54608076

Glossy Ibis 

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis - difficult to show the glossy

Glossy Ibis - keep feeding

Glossy Ibis - strange lighting

Glossy Ibis - in flight from above

Glossy Ibis in flight

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis - strong lighting resulted in glossy plumage

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Plain Prinia

the interesting Yellow Wagtail is still here.......

until we saw a group of 10 Blue-tailed Bee-eater flying

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Blue-tailed Bee-eater - why there are so few Blue-throated in HK?

interesting Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail with flower

Yellow Wagtail - honestly, the jizz and the colour tone is a bit different to Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail - the wingbars are real broad

interesting Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Po Toi 5 Apr 2019 - Wood Warbler

We were finally free to twitch the Wood Warbler which was firstly found on Tue. We were quite lucky, the warbler was showing pretty well when we got to the spot.

50% of the day was spent for the warbler, for other migrants, we saw Ferruginous, Asian Brown and Blue-and-white Flycatcher, female Black-naped Monarch, Ashy Minivet, Red-rumped Swallow and the only bunting seen today - a Japanese Yellow Bunting.

Not a bad day indeed.

Full checklist as seen here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54574227

My 2019 HK Big Year is 209.

Wood Warbler - my first shot, quite easy to ID!

Woody preening

Wood Warbler - sometimes singing

Wood Warbler - yellow and white

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler - very yellowish throat and upper breast

Wood Warbler 

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler - feeding

Wood Warbler - this is a friendly Phylloscopus but not easy to get a good shot

Wood Warbler - the silvery whitish vent and lower belly also distinctive

Wood Warbler - very long wing and primary projection

Wood Warbler - long wing!

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler - distinctive color

Wood Warbler - Halo

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

female Japanese Yellow Bunting - a record shot

Ferruginous Flycatcher

female Blue-and-white Flycatcher - foraging

Eastern Cattle Egret