wgeoff

First Week in January

Just a one-day trip this week, on Thursday.

Still good numbers of species and birds to be seen, particularly thrushes. Although I only managed to identify three species of thrush, Pale (many), Japanese and Grey-backed, others may be lurking.

Birds of the week were the Black-throated Tits, at least two and possibly more in the fir trees at the Upper School. These birds were first found on Christmas Day, and on Thursday, like before, they were loosly with a large flock of Japanese White-eye although they are easy to separate from their tit-like calls.

Japanese White-eye are regular wintering species on Po Toi, arriving in late November and December and gradually leaving through to May.



The Black-throated Tits may have arrived with one of these wintering flocks of White-eyes, from somewhere in Guangdong?

Also present, the Hoopoe and the Grey-headed Flycatcher from last year. An added bonus was seeing this Siberian Rubythroat around the Upper School. I also had another nearly flew into me at the Toilet Block, most unusual for this skulker.



[ Last edited by wgeoff at 4/01/2013 07:17 ]

wgeoff

A repeat of last week, much the same species in the same numbers.
Which is what you expect at this time of the year, most movements have stopped and birds are settled in for the winter. It's definitely winter on Po Toi even if it's still autumn in Tai Po Kau and Lam Tsuen.

The three Black-throated Tits were still on view and attracting good numbers of photographers to the Upper School. And you can understand why when you look at these photographs by Daniel Yau alias Aquagras, thanks Daniel




The Hoopoe is still there but very mobile - this week near the Temple. Also many thrushes, I saw Brown-headed, Japanese, Grey-backed and Pale as well as a Blackbird and a Blue Rock Thrush in the ferry pier area. But still looking for that special thrush species - where is it I wonder?
Here a fleeting view of a male Japanese Thrush together with a much better view of a Grey-headed Flycatcher which kept the photographers happy while they waited for the Tits




I'm sure the Brown Shrike which was seen near the Ferry Pier this week has been around since November. Japanese White-eye are a food source for this bird as this one hung up on a thorny bush shows (don't look if you are squeamish)




This will probably be my last report for a few weeks as I will be away from next week until February

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 11/01/2013 08:09 ]

wgeoff

Back again after a five week absence, mostly spent in cold and snowy UK. Just a one day visit on Thursday.

At least two Hoopoes together plus possibly another one in another location.




The Grey-headed Flycatcher still there and two Great Tits, the first time this species has managed to stay the winter on Po Toi. They normally arrive in early autumn as dispersals, having bred somewhere else, and have left by December. Perhaps these two will stay to breed on Po Toi.

But not much else. Most of the thrushes and chats have now gone. No Black-throated Tits seen, they seem to have left along with most of the Japanese White-eyes.

At sea, Heuglin's Gulls could be seen in the East Lamma Channel as is usual in February, they too will soon begin their long migration northwards to their breeding grounds in northern Russia.  

I will start my last spring season to stay on Po Toi in March, through to end May, mostly looking for seabirds.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 22/02/2013 09:04 ]

brendank

24 February 2013

Gull migration is well underway. Seawatching this afternoon there were 34 Heuglin's Gulls, 42 Black-tailed Gull (including a few adults), and 2 Black-headed Gull almost all headed northeast. Unbelievably, this appears to be the first record of Black-headed Gull for Po Toi.

On land rather slow, just the Hoopoe and Grey-headed Flycatcher.

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24/02/2013 21:38

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24/02/2013 21:38

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24/02/2013 21:38

wgeoff

This is the first Black-headed Gull record for Po Toi - good record.

Po Toi list now at 320

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 25/02/2013 07:00 ]

brendank

Black-headed Gull is a strange one to be adding so late to the PT list. I've noticed that Black-headed Gull is fairly common in the Pearl River Estuary. Last week I noticed a flock of at least 50 birds just outside Macau ferry terminal with more visible in flight just west of Lantau. For whatever, the Dangan Channel is not part of their migration route or wintering grounds.

wgeoff

Two one-day visits this week, Tuesday and Thursday.

Surprise of the week was to find the Black-throated Tits have not gone, two seen on Tuesday by the Lower School



Other wintering species included at least one Hoopoe, the Grey-headed Flycatcher and a Brown Shrike wintering near the Ferry Pier.

The first spring migrants have started to arrive, a Common Kingfisher, several Barn Swallows, three White and a single Grey Wagtail. All regular arrivals for the last week of February except the Grey Wagtail which is just a week or so early. It always surprises me how consistent migrants are on arrival dates although not on numbers which can vary considerably from year to year.

Another surprise is the complete absence of wintering thrushes. All seem to have gone, the first time this has happened before the end of February in the past seven years. It must be related to the very warm February we have had, with average daily temperatures a few degrees above normal on every day since 11 February.
Has a thrush exodus happened elsewhere?

I always leave the best photos to last. Bird of the week was a young lady modelling swimwear next to the Ferry Pier as the ferry left on Thursday



She managed to choose the coldest day in February, I was freezing in regular gear, can't imagine how she felt.

Best news of the week is a notice at the Aberdeen Ferry Station stating that the concessionary fare of $2 for all eligible HK Residents (aged 65 and over) will apply to Ferry fares from 3 March. I estimate I have made around 500 ferry journeys over the past seven years at a total cost of $10,000.
When she heard the news, my wife said - 'You should go more often now - you can save more money'. There's no arguing with feminine logic.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 1/03/2013 07:01 ]

kmike

Maybe this won't be your last spring after all Geoff!

Cheers
Mike

cgeoff

Geoff,

In response to your query, at Pak Sha O there was a partial departure of chats and thrushes in the week before the Bird Race, and then most of the rest left between the 10th and 13th Feb. I was also surprised at how early this was, and surmised it being due to the relatively mild winter conditions. Still a few (much shyer) thrushes and a singing Rufous-tailed Robin, but no Bluetails at all.

GeoffC

[ Last edited by cgeoff at 1/03/2013 15:52 ]

Jonathmartinez

Hi Geoff,

There was still a few Thrushes at Xitou (150 km West of HK on the coast), mostly Grey-backed and 1 Pale Thrush from 23th to 26th, but not as many as in middle of january, there was obvious actve migration starting on 25th, with birds passing along the coast day and night, helped by the wing that just turn from NE to SOuth... It was very obvioous with the Barn Swallow with a single bird noted on 23rd and 5 on 24th, and then over 500 in a partial count on 25th and same on 26th...with birds following the beach from West to East the all day...

All the best,

Jonathan

wgeoff

Interesting observations on how migration is so effected by weather.

With regard to Geoff Carey's timetable of the departure of thrushes and chats from Pak Sha O, unfortunately I was away from Po Toi from 15 January to 21 February so I can't chart the Po Toi timing like Geoff can. But I know there were many there on 15 January and almost none on 21 February, which is unusually early.

Interesting to compare Geoff's timetable with the weather conditions. Here the Average Daily Temperature chart for January and February 2013 shows that the HK average daily temperature from mid-January has been consistently above expected (pink dots) except for a brief period around 8-10 February when a cold front passed through





The thrushes and chats left quickly after, when the warmer weather returned, according to Geoff's timetable.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 1/03/2013 13:20 ]

ajohn

There seems to be a conclusion forming that the departure of the thrushes and bluetails means they must have moved north due to warm weather. Is it not feasible that they have actually moved south following the passage of the cold front from 8th-10th? It seems illogical that they decide a drop in temperatures should be a trigger to move north. The cold front also resulted in the arrival of large numbers of Tristram's Buntings into Hong Kong over CNY. Again, it seems odd that these should have moved south out of China while the thrushes and bluetails moved back north into China.

brendank

Agree, with the above comments. I have been going to TPK a lot this winter. It seems there was a noticeably fewer thrushes and bluetails after 1st week of February.

wgeoff

Reference John's point above.

Cold fronts are not unusual in February as this chart of 2012 daily temperature shows but they don't usually cause thrushes and chats to leave unless they are prolonged and severe.



The two things which are unusual about this year are

1. the weather has been much warmer than usual
2. thrushes and chats have left earlier than usual

I just suggest these are connected. Geoff Carey's timetable suggests the thrushes and chats moved from 10 to 13 February - after the cold front had passed.

The cold front may well have brought in buntings (e.g. the Slaty as well as Tristram's) but they don't usually cause thrushes and chats to leave.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 1/03/2013 19:08 ]

kmike

The thrushes at the airport Magic Roundabout were still there at lunchtime today - two each of Grey-backed and Pale Thrush. The last day for the Dusky Thrush at the E end of the South runway was 15 Feb.

Cheers
Mike

subbuteo

I have only seen one blackbird in the past week.  There has been a definite thinning out since mid-February of thrushes, redstarts, stonechats and Rubythroats too.

Dylan

tbob

All the thrushes, Black bird and Daurian Redstart seem to have left Victoria Park over the last week

Bob

[ Last edited by tbob at 1/03/2013 22:37 ]