wgeoff

First Week in December

A very quiet week this week with very little to report. The first Pale and Grey-backed Thrushes of the autumn (very late by previous years standards) and a single Chestnut Bunting, otherwise only the regular wintering species.

Here photos of the Chestnut Bunting and a very photogenic male Daurian Redstart which has been near the toilet block for several weeks now.




Autumn migration has now come to an end and we are just left with late or winter vagrants. But I will go to Po Toi next week for my last week of the season, the cold front this weekend shows an interesting Backwards Trajectory for Sunday.

PS There are now at least two wild pigs on Po Toi - I saw two together near the sister's cafe on Tuesday evening. I guess that means there may soon be more? They run away as you approach but make a scary snorting noise as they do so.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 9/12/2011 11:52 ]

wgeoff

They're not dangerous, they will run away from you.
I don't think they have any effect on the birds.

How did they get there? - most likely swam from the mainland. They are good swimmers and have been seen swimming offshore from Po Toi by local fishermen. I've seen them swimming across Aberdeen harbour.

wgeoff

My last week staying on Po Toi this year. An interesting week with four late autumn/early winter species, Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Radde's Warbler, Asian Brown Flycatcher and Asian Paradise Flycatcher. But no photos of any note.

The week was spoilt by the arrival of a large team of workers who started cutting the undergrowth on the hillsides just past the sister's cafe. This is mostly private land and the group were sent by the owner who no doubt has some development in mind. Most of the area is very rough and not accessible but it remains to be seen what will happen. I will go for the day next week to see what they have done.

A good time to review the year 2011 on Po Toi. Not the best by a long way, but not the worst also, with potentially three HK second records, Black Redstart, Rosy Pipit and a possible Plain-tailed Warbler.
Here my ten top picks for the year in date order. Black Redstart (5th to 13th April, photo by C W So), Fairy Pitta (5th May, call recording only, no photo), Rosy Pipit (10th May), Lesser Cuckoo (3rd to 6th September), Baillon's Crake (21st September, no photo), Drongo Cuckoo (1st to 16th October, photo by Herman Ip), possible Plain-tailed Warbler (16th October, photo by Allen Chan), Japanese Yellow Bunting (2nd November), one of 12 Blue-and-white Flycatchers (9th November) and Green-backed type Flycatcher (13th November, photo by Jason).



and the Fairy Pitta calling

http://www.geoffwelch46.com/PITTACALL10.mp3

See you next year

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 16/12/2011 08:13 ]

wgeoff

Thanks CW, I'll send you an email