Not just birds

2021年2月13日星期六

Yuen Long Park & Mai Po 12 Feb 2021 - first day of the year of Ox

First day of the year of Ox, and the first day to eat banana. No Japanese Grosbeak nor Northern Goshawk at both places, which the two species are not rare in Japan.

Only Chinese Grosbeak instead, but not good for photos. So, I expect no lifer this year until travel is allowed (I am not positive for this), let's bird less, eat more and drink more in the year of Ox.

Yuen Long Park: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80851097

Mai Po: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80851413

Chinese Grosbeak

Red-billed Blue Magpie

Chinese Blackbird

Masked Laughingthrush

Great Cormorant

ice cream

urchin

salmon

wagu

new year, new drink

2021年2月9日星期二

Chai Wan 8 Feb 2021 - better stay home

Did not go far even I have holiday and did not miss anything special (This is HK). Watching some Swinhoe's White-eye in backyard is the only thing I could do.

Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80633157

Red-whiskered Bulbul

Swinhoe's Whtie-eye

Swinhoe's Whtie-eye - another individual showing very large bill and 'pale' iris, recalling Warbling White-eye. However, the base of lower mandible is not bluish enough and the plumage does not fit (Warbling should show duller plumage especially no bright yellowish forehead, subspecies possibly occurring in HK should also show brownish flank). Lore may be a good feature to separate these two species but I found that the Warbling usually show more 'greyish brown' iris.

Good picture as here:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/179664081#_ga=2.66114798.1373600496.1612775547-1407789033.1602090627

and an article about the ID:

http://www.birdskoreablog.org/?p=22350

Swinhoe's Whtie-eye - the third one. Don't expect anything really rare in HK.

and Hunter from Taiwan made this table for separating Swinhoe's, Warbling and Lowland White-eye in Taiwan

Yellow-browed / Hume's Warbler - cannot firm its ID as no call, and the bird is molting.

I am smart not to go far and bird in my holiday. Relax and drink is better.

2021年2月8日星期一

Mai Po 7 Feb 2021 - lifeless Ramsar site

Another lifeless day and another non-staying 'vagrant'. Typical HK birding here so we did not expect anything good we could see this day in Mai Po.

Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80565372

Western Osprey

Long-billed Dowitcher - the farthest I have ever seen

Oriental Stork - no use even you have A1 & 600mm

Oriental Stork - another one

Eurasian Bittern - scope view

birdless so better to sleep

and better to drink

and drink

2021年1月31日星期日

Mai Po 31 Jan 2021 - 95 common species

No Common Gull, we saw 95 species but none really worth reporting except a Lesser Frigatebird in 1 km distance, what a faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar bird! This is HK!

Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80172429

Nice weather but birdless

super far Falcated Duck, so just digiscoped by iPhone

similar case for Greater White-fronted Goose, shit light, no need to use the camera

Lesser Frigatebird and Black Kite - too far to ID if no comparison

a dark-billed and dark-legged Black-headed Gull - adult

Black-headed Gull - the underwing pattern is a critical clue for ID. Bonaparte's would show whiter underwing with black trailing edge, also smaller size. Both gulls should show reddish leg in adults. They can be similar in first year bird.

Greater Spotted Eagle

Oriental Stork - digiscoped

Oriental Stork

Oriental Stork - closer this time but shit light too

Great Cormorant - a1 & r1 are waiting me?

metallic cormorant resemble spectacled cormorant

2021年1月30日星期六

Shing Mun & Chai Wan 30 Jan 2021 - HK tick....

Finally got a non-lifer HK tick after several months, a Black-throated Bushtit, in Shing Mun. Nothing else very interesting there except a responsive Hume's Leaf Warbler.

Night Bird survey in backyard is much more exciting with 6 Collared Scops Owl and 9 other non-nightbird species.

Shing Mun: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80104413

Chai Wan: https://ebird.org/checklist/S80110293