Deep Bay Update

By Lew Young

Bulldozers at Mai Po

The earthmoving works in the six fish ponds that make up gei wai 20 has now been completed and the ponds handed back to the reserve for management. Rain has started filling a number of these ponds and they are now used by several hundred ducks as a night roost. Together with a number of consultants, we will monitor the use of these ponds by various groups of wildlife over the coming year.

Rotary Floating Hide and Boardwalk

Earlier this year, we were saddened by the death of a member of the Rotary Club Hong Kong Island West who had been a strong WWF supporter over the years. In memory of Mr. Fung Hon-chu, his family has made a generous donation of HK$ 500,000 to WWF Hong Kong to build a new floating hide and fixed boardwalk on the edge of Deep Bay. It will be open for students and the public to use. This new hide will sit next to the old hide, and will be the same size as the HKBWS floating hide. It is hoped this new hide can be completed and in place before Chinese New Year. A portion of the donation will also be used to replace the floating boardwalk after the 'dog-leg' with a fixed boardwalk. This will reduce the annual maintenance requirement. Work begins in January, and should be completed by mid-February. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience.

Management Plan for Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay

The consultancy study sponsored by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department to draw up a management plan for Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site has now been completed. Copies of the Executive Summary can be obtained by contacting WWF Hong Kong or by writing to:

The Director, Agriculture and Fisheries Department, Government Offices, 393 Canton Road, Kowloon.

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More Collective Names for Birds

Following the article on collective names for oriental birds, the editor has received further suggestions. Thank you, and please keep them coming!

The first come from "banker, birder, and box brownie user" Andrew Hardacre:

• a brothel of hawfinches
• a stutter of cicicicisticolas
• a sneeze of pechora pipits
• a sweep of sooty terns
• a bunker of koels
• a filament of storks
• a bucket of pale thrushes
• a yell of yuhinas

• An Aretha of Francolins (Yeeah!).

Product Review
by Martin Williams

I recently bought a torch that functions as a decent spotlight. Notably, it seems to me powerful for its size - lighting patches in trees (although as yet, no owls or animals!) at well over 150 feet, yet fitting easily in my hand.

It's called "Syclone". The switch can turn on either of two bulbs - one produces the spotlight beam (which can be focused), while the other gives out a wider spread of light.

You can also buy a version with a lower powered bulb in the same shop, with which batteries will last for around 100 hours.

It's powered by four AA batteries. The instruction sheet (!) claims the torch is waterproof to 100 feet below sea level, and says a headband is available to convert it to a headlight.

At HK$338 (including batteries) the Syclone is certainly pricey, but may be worth checking out. I bought it from Cobra International Ltd, 102 Vicwood Plaza, 199 Des Voeux Road.

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Overseas Reports

Daimingshan, Guangxi Province 16-19 August
By Peter Hopkin

The idea for this trip came from John Fellowes: his trip in April confirmed the potential of the site and it was easy to phone the Guangxi Forestry Department to arrange transport and lodging.

We took the Friday afternoon China Southern flight to Nanning and spent the night there. The drive to the reserve took about four hours, initially across flat rice paddies with Guilin-style limestone crags sticking up everywhere, and then up a steep, winding road to the reserve hotel. Daimingshan is a limestone plateau rising to about 1700m and deeply dissected with spectacular gorges. The reserve covers 649km2. The forest is mostly mature secondary monsoon evergreen, with primary forest on the steepest slopes. The lower slopes are largely deforested, but there is ample forest in walking distance of the hotel.

As we drove up the access road, we were worried by the thick mist, but two stops produced plenty of bird sounds. Reaching the hotel the mist cleared and we seized the opportunity for a bowl of noodles before pressing on to the summit, 5 km further up the road. We spent the afternoon walking back down the road, and although good forest was scarce, there were still birds to see. Our worries about August birding being difficult were ill-founded, and we saw Mountain Bulbul, Hill Prinia, Golden Spectacled Warbler, Mountain Bush Warbler, Dollarbird and Mountain Hawk Eagle. Pekin Robins were abundant, and we heard several Pygmy Wren Babblers, but couldn't see them. Best bird was a Lesser Shortwing that I pished out of thick cover, and we all managed to see a flock of stunning Red-tailed Laughingthrushes.

The following day was spent trying to find the primary forest that we thought was next to the access road. However the mist had confused us and in clear sunshine we could see that the best forest was on the least accessible slopes. Distant sounds of Black-browed Barbets drifted up from the bottoms of vertical- sided, 500m deep gorges. Not to be deterred, we did find some secondary forest along the road and enjoyed Asian House Martin, Chestnut Bulbul, Yellow- cheeked Tit and Striated Yuhina.

Just as the heat was starting to become oppressive, and our attentions were beginning to wander to orchids and other flowers, Tim and Phaik found a bird wave, and we enjoyed one of those short bursts of frenzied activity that makes birding so exciting. In one flock we found Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Eastern-Crowned and Sulphur-breasted Warblers, White- eye, Small Niltava, Rufous-capped and Rufous-necked Scimitar Babblers, Hwamei and Striated Yuhina.

After lunch we took a short drive up a side road to where the limestone plateau opened out, and we spent a few hours in rank grassland and scrubby secondary forest. The Chinese Bulbuls here were a different race from our Hong Kong birds, but there was little else apart from a Bay Woodpecker, Grey-cheeked Fulvettas and more Pekin Robins.

Walking back to the hotel I lost the others and was lucky to find a flock of Forest Wagtails on the road and a flock of Grey Treepies. A curious ticking noise moving through some open bushes seemed to come from an invisible bird, but some well-timed pishing brought out a Yellow-bellied Bush Warbler. It was astonishing how difficult this bird was to see, and I was busy scribbling down a description when three Red-tailed Laughingthrushes materialised out of nowhere, and moved silently past. Stunning birds when you're only two metres from them!

After supper we tried a spotlighting walk, and after hearing Mountain Scops Owl we found a Giant Flying Squirrel in a bush next to the road. Holding it in the torchlight, we crept to within a few metres of it - it was the size of a large cat, and bright orange. It looked at us for a while before disappearing as abruptly as a Cheshire Cat (leaving its smile behind? - ed.)

Our third day consisted of a more determined effort to visit the bottom of one of the gorges, and while Andrew and Phaik tried their luck higher up, Tim and I climbed down a very steep path to the bottom of the chasm behind the hotel. It was 330m deep, with primary forest clinging to the sides. The best birds were, of course, right at the top, and we saw dozens of Black-chinned Yuhinas, a single White-bellied Yuhina, White-tailed Leaf Warbler, Rufous- capped Babbler, Small Niltava, Yellow- cheeked Tit and more Grey-cheeked Fulvettas. Grey-headed Flycatcher was a pleasant surprise, and yet more Pygmy Wren Babblers refused to come into view. Overhead the sad, wailing calls of three Mountain Hawk Eagles provided an atmospheric backdrop. The best- looking forest had only Black-chinned Yuhina flocks, and the barbets were too distant to justify a perilous scramble around the gorge. The torrent at the bottom was rocky and impossible to walk along, so I had to settle for hearing a Slaty-backed Forktail, with no chance of chasing after it.

Lunch was exciting because one of the reserve staff decided to demonstrate his conservation credentials by trapping the Striped Squirrel that had its territory next to the hotel. I was not best pleased to be presented with the squirrel tied to a bit of wire, and in attempting to release it, I was badly bitten. The sight of an angry gwailo with blood pouring from his finger did have the desired effect, and the animal was released.

We spent the afternoon driving down to the plain to try to find a way into the bottom of the gorges. We failed but were shown Chestnut Bittern, Chinese Pond Heron, Common Snipe and the footprints of a Moorhen by a farmer. Access into the bottom of the gorges eluded us, and from further out on the plain we saw what we should have realised - that the accessible forest in the mouths of the gorges had long since been destroyed.

Driving back at dusk, we heard an as yet unidentified, but amazing, whooping from the bottom of the steepest chasm. As soon as Tim got his tape recorder ready - it stopped.

Our final day allowed about three hours birding before we had to leave. Tim and Andrew returned to the summit, while I tried my luck at the top of the gorge again. Phaik stayed at the hotel and gripped us off with a Speckled Piculet and a Brown-chested Flycatcher. The drive back to Nanning was easy enough although Tim stopped for a haircut and was distracted by a masseur, who relaxed him to such an extent that he nearly missed the flight.

The trip was better than we expected for August. We saw 57 species in the reserve, 21 of which were not recorded by the Kadoorie team during their April visit. Daimingshan would be a good place to visit in winter or early spring, although the weather might make this difficult.

Approximate costs:

Reserve Hotel:	¥60 per night
Nanning Hotel:	¥220 per night
Reserve vehicle:	¥2.2/km (500km)
Flight :	HK$2,800

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Mongolia 10-16 June, 1997
By Paul Harris

My visit to Mongolia this year was not planned as a birding holiday, but partly became one due to the variety of birdlife visible, even in the centre of Ulan Bator, the country's capital.

I travelled to Beijing and there joined a tour (booked in Hong Kong) which took me by train on the Trans-Mongolian arm of the Trans-Siberian railway to Ulan Bator, an overnight journey of about 24 hours.

The journey from Beijing provided a fine view of the Great Wall of China. We stopped at the border to change the wheels to Mongolian gauge, and then continued into one of the world's least populated countries. Next morning, endless plains held herds of yaks, sheep, bactrian camels, goats and horses, but few people. There was also a possible Great Bustard, although it was too far away to make a positive identification.

The centre of Ulan Bator is composed of Czarist Russian buildings, mixed with Chinese and Tibetan temples, and surrounded by grim Soviet era tenement blocks. We were far enough north for there to be light until after 10:00 p.m., and in the evenings, large numbers of Asian House Martins soared above the central square. Black Kites were also abundant, and I saw several Northern Wheatears. The finest sight however, was the mixed flock of over 50 Red- Billed and Alpine Choughs.

We spent three days in "gers" - traditional Mongolian nomads' tents about 30 miles outside Ulan Bator. The campsite was located in grassland broken up by copses of trees, and a larger area of deciduous woodland by a river. Mountains rose on the other side. The dominant grassland species was Isabelline Wheatear, which seemed to be everywhere. Several remarkably unshy Hooded Cranes were close to the tents when we arrived, and were seen again several times. An hour's walk revealed three Ruddy Shelduck and four or five Shore Larks.

Other sightings included a male Amur Falcon, Common Ringed Plover and a flock of over 100 Daurian Jackdaws of both colour phases. A possible Peregrine could not be confirmed as its brief appearance coincided with the need to control the horse I was riding. However the horseback vantage point allowed me to spot a half-grown raptor chick in a nest in the low branches of one of the copses. I returned to the area later on foot and waited discreetly at a distance for about an hour hoping the parents would appear, but without success. Mammals seen included Weasel and Marmot.

On the last morning I explored the woods along the river, which held numerous Daurian Redstarts and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. The cliffs on the far bank hosted an Eastern Pied Wheatear, and four Red-breasted Mergansers were on the river.

This was a very short visit, and I am sure more time would have revealed many more species. I would strongly recommend Mongolia for any stressed- out Hong Kong birder who would like some time in a quiet and peaceful place at the opposite end of the population density range from Hong Kong.

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A December Pheasant Shoot 2-22 December, 1997
by Mike Kilburn

This report covers a Kingfisher Tours visit by myself, Ed White and Tony Kaszowski to six sites in southern China to search primarily for three of China's endemic and spectacular long-tailed pheasants - Reeves' Pheasant at Tuoda Forest in north-west Guizhou, Elliot's Pheasant at Guan Shan in Jiangxi, and Lady Amherst's Pheasant on Emei Shan in Sichuan. We also visited Poyang Lake, Jiangxi Province, and Caohai in Guizhou, and stopped briefly at the Western Hills in Kunming, Yunnan.

We flew from Hong Kong to Nanchang where we were met by the Jiangxi Forestry Bureau and driven to the lowland forest at Guan Shan the same afternoon, arriving on a rapidly chilling night, and eager to begin searching for Elliot's Pheasant the next morning.

The first shock of the day was awaking to find that the trees and the ground were carpeted in a couple of inches of snow - the first of the winter and a beautiful sight. It seemed to make the birds excited as well - there were flocks of Striated Yuhinas, tits and phylloscs rushing around the trees and shouting at each other, and we saw Black Bulbuls, Jays and Grey Treepies all day.

As we began walking the sun came out and the snow began to melt. We climbed higher into the hills along a logging track where we came across a belt of very tall bamboos and a mixed feeding flock including Pekin Robin, Rusty-naped Scimitar Babbler, Yellow- bellied Tit, Yellow-browed Tit, Grey- cheeked Fulvetta, Red-flanked Bluetail and Moustached Laughingthrush. Pushing on a little higher Ed found some very fresh pheasant tracks in the snow, which Mr Wu assured us were Elliot's (Silver and Koklass Pheasants also occur here).

We headed up the mountain again and as we paused a pair of Elliot's Pheasants rocketed away from a patch of ground right by the trail, giving us brief views of a long tail on a big strong pheasant. Score one for the good guys. Eager for more views we headed higher but added only Dusky Thrushes, Eurasian Nuthatch, a Grey-headed Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. However, the descent turned up trumps, with four male Fukien Slaty Buntings just above the bamboo belt. That afternoon I got brief views of a pair of Silver Pheasants, and a couple of Great Barbets - not a bird you expect to see in a snow-covered forest!

The vehicle that was due to take us to Poyang the next day was delayed by an landslide and we left the reserve by a higher logging road. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we turned up a wealth of birds including Pied, Little, Crested and White-breasted Kingfishers, Brown Crake, Brown Dipper, Barred Owlet, Yellow-browed, Little and Masked Buntings, Brambling, Common Pheasant, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Common Buzzard, Dusky Thrush and Chinese Blackbirds.

The next morning started well at Poyang with a flock of more than 20 Chinese Grosbeaks on overhead wires above the reserve HQ. We spent the day at Dahu, starting in spectacular fashion with a Chinese Grey Shrike on overhead wires, a pair of Hooded Cranes flying directly overhead and then finding White-naped Cranes, several hundred Bewick's Swans, Bean, Swan White-fronted and Greylag Geese on the lake shore itself. The grassland around the lake held plenty of Buff-bellied Pipits and Oriental Skylarks, numerous Japanese Quail and a beautiful Short-eared Owl, which gave fabulous views as it flew slowly away.

We spent the afternoon on a promontory next to the lake's drainage channel, seeing four Dalmatian Pelicans, several hundred Teal, Falcated Teal, Shoveler and Pintail, and as we were leaving a single female Baikal Teal bobbing alone on the drainage channel. We enjoyed good numbers of Eurasian Spoonbills, had excellent views of a pair of Hen Harriers and twice flushed a Water Rail. The other highlight was the afternoon flyover of at least 200 Siberian Cranes and similar numbers of White-napes.

The next day we spent at Meixi Hu, getting superb views of Siberian Cranes on the ground at very close range and coasting close overhead as they came in to land. They were joined by White- naped Cranes and a couple of pairs of Hooded, and best of all, a single Sandhill Crane, only the second or third record for China, which dropped in with a pack of Siberians.

Not ten minutes later a first year Whooper Swan (another rare bird at Poyang) flew out with a group of Bewick's Swans, easily picked out by its much larger size. The supporting cast included several Oriental White Storks, Common and Ruddy Shelducks and a flock of Avocet.

We then spent a grim 90 minutes walking across Lin Gong Zhou Island in pouring rain, seeing Fantail Warbler, and a freshly dead Bean Goose, but no Great Bustards or Japanese Marsh Warblers. However, Ed had short but diagnostic views of the white secondaries of a briefly flushed Asian Yellow Rail.

Next morning broke bright and clear and at Zhonghu we enjoyed close views of good numbers of Cranes, Swans and Geese, including our first Lesser White- fronts. The lake also held over 100 Oriental White Storks. Good support birds included a Black-shouldered Kite hunting over cut paddies, a Daurian Redstart, a Peregrine, 2 Brown Crakes and a flock of Avocets.

Our final morning was chilled by an arriving cold front and on our way out of the reserve we stopped briefly at Shahu. It was a superb hour - a cock Merlin zipped past on our way to the lake, where a female Smew was bobbing on the waves in the teeth of the gale; it obliged with a fly-by before landing on a nearby pool in the reeds. A Black Stork soared over the end of the lake. A bash through cut and uncut reeds uncovered two Jap. Reed Buntings, at least three Jap. Reed Warblers, and remarkably our second Asian Yellow Rail!

The drive to Nanchang produced a second Black-shouldered Kite, and a flock of 40 Chinese Grosbeaks feeding on a haystack, while a Brown Crake strolled unconcernedly around its base.

We spent a few hours in the Western Hills in Kunming the next day between the flight from Nanchang and the train ride to Liupanshui in Guizhou. Our key target was Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, which showed superbly near the first temple inside the park. We also saw a pair of White-tailed Robins, Brown Prinia, Brown-breasted Bulbul, White's and Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrushes. Buff-bellied Flowerpeckers also showed.

The Guizhou leg of the trip became a major adventure due to a cold front which swept in, depositing ice on the road to Caohai and covering the mountains in freezing fog. This is not the best time to visit Caohai and Tuoda ... by a lot! We spent a day struggling through to Caohai lake. The next day's birding was severely hampered by the fog and the ice on the lake which abruptly ended our boat trip. However, we still saw several Common and Black- necked Cranes, Bar-headed Goose, Ferruginous Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, a superb male Citrine Wagtail and a flock of Black-headed Greenfinch. Sadly the weather was taking a harsh a toll on the birds, and we found a recently dead Kingfisher and a moribund Pochard.

The next morning we enjoyed close views of Common and Black-necked Cranes and Bar-headed Goose on the lake before heading for Tuoda for the next target species - Reeves's Pheasant. We stayed overnight in Shan Shui town before a walk and a tractor ride brought us into the snow-covered reserve on a beautiful morning of clear blue skies and much welcomed warming sunshine. Tuoda is still being actively "managed" for timber by the Guizhou Forestry Bureau. This means that the pheasants have to survive in distinctly sub-optimal and declining habitat. Despite this, the wardens said that numbers had risen in the last couple of years, and marshalled by our guide and Guizhou bird expert, Professor Yang Jiongli, they were able to locate several birds within thirty minutes of our arrival.

Following a brief scramble through the forest we emerged on the edge of a clearing as the first of four full-blown male Reeves's Pheasants strolled slowly across the other side, giving totally unobstructed views in bright sunshine. After three grim days of fighting through the cold and fog the appearance of this bright golden-yellow bird dragging five feet of golden tail evoked spontaneous invocations of the Almighty and exclamations of delight from all of us. Were the struggles worth it? Absolutely!

The final stop was Emei Shan. We spent the first day exploring a catchment at Wannian Monastery, seeing Lesser Shortwing, Spotted, Slaty-backed and White-crowned Forktails, Riverchat, Red-winged Laughingthrush, Golden- breasted Fulvettas and Speckled Piculet.

The next day we drove to Jieyin Hall and began the treacherous walk down the snow and ice-covered stairway to a small temple just below the snow line. We saw few birds and it was a relief to arrive the next day at Xianfeng Monastery (where I had seen Lady Amherst's Pheasant and Temminck's Tragopan in October). The site was again very good, giving Emei Liocichla, a dozen of the rare Streaked Barwing, crippling views of six Chinese Bamboo Partridges who were too concerned with finding food to worry about us, and a Mountain Hawk-Eagle.

Ed had fleeting views of a male Lady Amherst's Pheasant. At the place Ed had seen it fly from we found patches of fresh blood on the ground and some chestnut-tipped feathers, leading us to suspect that the bird may have escaped the clutches of a Mountain Hawk Eagle or other predator. Only Ed saw the male Temminck's Tragopan whilst Tony and I were having lunch. Sadly we heard from a monk that trapping of pheasants occurs at Xianfeng (in October I found several traps along the "Tragopan Trail" at Xixiang Chi Monastery.)

The same day we descended for the last time out of the snow zone to the Qingyin Temple, seeing all four species of forktail, Violet Whistling Thrush, Plumbeous Redstart and Brown Dippers in the last hour of the hike. The final day began superbly as we watched a Spotted Forktail hop up the flight of steps to the front door of the Qingyin Temple and found Pygmy Wren Babbler, Little and Tristram's Buntings, a Blue Rock Thrush, and Moustached and Elliot's Laughingthrushes before returning to Chengdu to catch the flight back to Hong Kong.

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Recent reports (September - December 1997)
by Richard Lewthwaite

September 1997

The month started well with a Red- footed Booby over Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and six Black Bazas at Fanling Golf Course on 5th. The following day single female Siberian Blue Robin was seen at Tai Mo Shan and there was an arrival of flycatchers and warblers, including a single Yellow-rumped at Shing Mun and Mt. Davis and Asian Paradise Flycatchers at Shing Mun and Ho Chung. Seabird records continued with a juvenile Sooty Tern and five Bridled, 20 Aleutian and 120 Common Terns from a boat trip south of Hong Kong on 8th.

There were few noteworthy reports during mid-month apart from a Forest Wagtail at Pak Tam Chung on 11th, 20 Oriental Reed Warblers at Lin Barn Tsuen on 12th, a buttonquail, possibly Barred, at Tin Shui Wai on 14th and five Yellow-rumped Flycatchers at Kadoorie Farm on 15th.

A purple patch ensued over the last 12 days of the month, when localised concentrations of birds produced a series of rarities and record counts, including the best ever passage of Black-naped Orioles.

At Po Toi on 19th, there were 11 Black-naped Orioles, a Yellow-legged Buttonquail and two Daurian Starlings. A female Grey Nightjar was found at Mount Austin on the same day. On 20th, a visit to Tin Shui Wai reclamation produced a Wryneck, at least one Barred Button- quail and 33 Red Turtle Doves, while at Tai Po Kau a male Siberian Blue Robin and a Forest Wagtail were present. On 21st, there were reports of two Grey- streaked Flycatchers and a Forest Wagtail at Kap Lung, a Crested Kingfisher at Nam Chung, seven Black- naped Orioles and four Ashy Drongos at Po Toi, a Barred Buttonquail and 50 Oriental Reed Warblers at Tin Shui Wai reclamation and a Hobby, 74 Red Turtle Doves (a new high), an Oriental Cuckoo and three Black-naped Orioles at Mong Tseng. On 22nd, a first-winter male Siberian Blue Robin was trapped at Kadoorie Farm. On 23rd, there were eight Black-naped Orioles at Mong Tseng and two at Kadoorie Farm. On 24th, a survey of Green Island, a small and rarely visited island just off the Western tip of Hong Kong Island, found 36 Black-naped Orioles (a new high), 40 Black Drongos, a Daurian Starling and a very early Chinese Grosbeak, while there was a Black Bittern at Mai Po and two Yellow-legged Buttonquails at Chek Lap Kok. On 25th, in addition to a remarkable report of 14 Crested Serpent Eagles (the previous highest count of six was considered exceptional!) and four Forest Wagtails (a new high) in Tai Po Kau, there were single Manchurian Reed Warblers at Lin Barn Tsuen and Chek Lap Kok, an Oriental Plover at the latter site, and 315 Oriental Reed Warblers (a new high) in the Mai Po fishponds/Lin Barn Tsuen area. Reports on 26th included nine Black Bazas at Ho Chung, a Siberian Blue Robin and a Blue- and-white Flycatcher trapped at Tai Mo Shan, a Hoopoe and a Brown Shrike in Penfold Park and two early Grey Starlings in Kowloon Park. On 27th a Barred Buttonquail was at Tin Shui Wai and a Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler was trapped at Mai Po. These sites were also good the next day with a Manchurian Reed Warbler and a Yellow-legged Button- quail at Tin Shui Wai and eight (early) Blue-tailed Bee-eaters at Mai Po. The final day of the month saw seven Grey-headed Lapwings at Mai Po.

October 1997

The purple patch continued into the first few days of the month. On 1st, a Schrenck's Bittern, a Chestnut Bittern, 20 Black-browed Reed Warblers and a Daurian Starling were present at Mui Wo, while Long Valley held a Chestnut Bittern, a Pheasant-tailed Jacana (with sightings of presumably the same bird on at least ten dates until 20th) and 14 Daurian Starlings. At Mai Po three Besras were seen on 1st and a Pheasant- tailed Jacana on 2nd (the same or another was reported on 8th). Regular coverage of the marshes at Mui Wo was rewarded on 4th with the discovery of a Baillon's Crake; an Azure-winged Magpie was also noted. On the same day there were two Black-naped Orioles at Kadoorie Farm, a buttonquail sp. and an early Bright-capped Cisticola at Sha Lo Tung and a Red-winged Cuckoo trapped at Mount Davis.

In an excellent autumn for buttonquails, a thrash across Tin Shui Wai on 5th put up six unidentified buttonquails, and two Barred Buttonquails were trapped. Three Wryneck were also present and a Crested Honey Buzzard flew over Kadoorie Farm.

The most surprising news, though, was a Barn Owl at a construction site on Hong Kong Island on 3rd. It was found dazed after an in-flight collision with a window and was taken into care at Kadoorie Farm. The general good condition of the bird and the lack of damage associated with captivity raised the possibility of ship-assisted arrival.

The month now entered a quiet spell with few reports of note apart from a Daurian Starling and 82 Black Drongos on Po Toi on 6th, two Watercock at Long Valley on 9th, a Pied Harrier there and two Golden Spectacled Warblers at Shing Mun on 10th. In a poor autumn for Watercock, the only other reports were of one on 7th taken into care by the SPCA after flying into a Kowloon classroom and one at Kam Tin on 30th.

The quiet spell ended on 11th with a grey-phase Oriental Scops Owl trapped at Mai Po, a Barred Buttonquail at Cloudy Hill, a Woodcock at Long Valley and the first Mugimaki Flycatcher of the autumn together with 12 Asian Brown Flycatchers at Kowloon Park. The next day a Grey Nightjar was seen at Starling Inlet, while island surveys found a Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo at Po Toi on 13th and a Lesser Cuckoo at Green Island on 14th, the latter a potential 2nd record.

Two days later, there were sightings of a Plain Flowerpecker at Lung Fu Shan and a Barred Buttonquail at Penfold Park. An influx noted at Cheung Chau on 18th included eight Dusky Warblers, five Asian Brown Flycatchers and a first-year male Hill Blue Flycatcher (at present a Category E species). The same day also produced a male Pied Harrier and an adult Black-headed Ibis at Tsim Bei Tsui, a Yellow-legged Buttonquail and three Savannah Nightjars at Robin's Nest, a Grey Nightjar at Cloudy Hill, 151 Temminck's Stint (a new high) at Lin Barn Tsuen and a Buff-bellied Pipit at Long Valley.

A possible Streaked Reed Warbler (potential 1st) was briefly seen at Mui Wo on 19th, but despite great efforts could not be relocated later in the day.

Elsewhere on 19th, there were two Black-faced Spoonbills at Mai Po, the first of the autumn, eight Blue-tailed Bee-eaters at Tsim Bei Tsui and a Grey Bushchat on Lamma Island. On 20th, five Blue-tailed Bee-eaters were at Long Valley and a first winter Siberian Thrush was found at Kadoorie Farm. A Common Starling at Mui Wo on 24th was possibly the first for Lantau Island. Birding was productive at Shing Mun on 25th with a Black Bulbul, five Black- winged Cuckoo-Shrikes, 10 Ashy Drongos and a Black-naped Monarch, while Tai Mo Shan held a Savannah Nightjar and a Grey Bushchat the same day. The following day a Yellow-legged Buttonquail, a Buff-bellied Pipit and six Daurian Starlings were at Long Valley and 4 Grey-headed Lapwings were at Kam Tin.

At Kadoorie Farm there were three raptor species, four White-throated Needletails, an Ashy Minivet, a Radde's Warbler and a Mugimaki Flycatcher on 27th and a Slaty-legged Crake there on 30th. Also on 30th, a Black Stork and an influx of 60 Black-faced Spoonbills were reported from Mai Po and a Radde's Warbler was at Sha Lo Tung. On 31st, a Black- headed/Red-headed Bunting was photographed near the AFD hut at Mai Po and a Plain Flowerpecker was discovered at Mount Davis.

Reports of raptors towards the end of the month included four Crested Honey Buzzards at Wong Chuk Yeung and six Chinese Goshawks and two Japanese Sparrowhawks at Kadoorie Farm on 20th, two Black Bazas at Fanling Golf Course, a juvenile Pied Harrier and a juvenile Amur Falcon at Mai Po and a Brown Hawk Owl at Robin's Nest on 22nd and single Eastern Marsh Harriers near Po Toi on 23rd and over Kadoorie Farm, where there were also six Chinese Goshawks, on 27th. Imperial and Spotted Eagles were noted at Mai Po from 26th.

During this period, the disconcerting discovery was made that large eagles, Crested Serpent Eagle/ Mountain Hawk Eagle, were not as easy to separate in the field as had been thought. Large eagles were at Long Valley on 26th and Kadoorie Farm on 27th, a Crested Honey Buzzard was reported at Mai Po on 30th and a definite Crested Serpent Eagle was seen and photographed there on 31st.

November 1997

This month, which is traditionally ranked second only to April, opened brightly but then, despite a fine passage of Eyebrowed Thrushes, Yellow-streaked and Radde's Warblers, failed to sustain its promise.

Reports on 1st included single Yellow- streaked Warblers at Mount Austin and ount Davis (potentially 7th & 8th records for Hong Kong), single Radde's Warblers at both these sites and at Kadoorie Farm and the Black-headed/ Red-headed Bunting still at Mai Po. There were two Citrine Wagtails and a Buff-bellied Pipit at Long Valley on 2nd, and the month's third Yellow-streaked Warbler was found on 4th, trapped at Kadoorie Farm. At Mount Davis, an even greater Hong Kong rarity, Hume's Leaf Warbler, was trapped on 7th and three Red-flanked Bluetails, the first of the autumn, four Penduline Tits and two Eyebrowed Thrushes were also noted, while at Mui Wo, up to three Ashy Minivets were seen and stayed until 9th.

A very late Tiger Shrike and a Dusky Thrush were at Clearwater Bay on 8th, when 35 Eyebrowed Thrushes passed through Kadoorie Farm, a Common Rosefinch turned up at Sha Lo Tung and a Brambling spent the first of two days at Mai Po. On 9th, two more Radde's Warblers were found below Sunset Peak in possibly the best ever autumn for this species, two further birds were trapped on 15th and 30th, both at Mount Davis. On 10th, 55 Eyebrowed Thrushes went through Kadoorie ARC and the next day two more Bramblings were found, this time on Po Toi.

There was now a rather quiet mid-month period, the most notable reports being a Verditer Flycatcher at Shing Mun, a Siskin on Poi Toi and 113 Black-faced Spoonbills at Mai Po on 14th and from the boardwalk a late Sanderling, a Common Ringed Plover, and a Brown- headed Gull during 15th-18th. The month briefly came to life during 19th-21st when up to 170 Eyebrowed Thrushes and 30 Red-flanked Bluetails were at Kadoorie Farm. Other reports included a Common Rosefinch at Mui Wo and 138 Black-faced Spoonbills (a new high) at Mai Po.

After this, the month rather petered out with no influxes of any size or true rarities being reported, apart from a Rustic Bunting at Sha Lo Tung on 22nd, a Crested Kingfisher at Lai Chi Wo from 26th and a Fukien Niltava at Ng Tung Chai on 29th.

December 1997

Another rather disappointing month with few rarities and wintering passerines generally found in much smaller numbers than usual.

On 2nd, A Black Bulbul and two Yellow-bellied Tits were at Kadoorie Farm. A flock of four Dalmatian Pelicans, the first of the winter were found on 6th. Numbers subsequently rose to seven on 17th, 11 on 21st and at least 17 by 31st. The year's second Hume's Leaf Warbler was near Mount Austin on 7th, a day on which yet another Radde's Warbler was trapped at Kadoorie Farm. The next day produced news of unidentified white storks seen over Fo Tan.

On 9th, a Brown Thrush was reported in Tai Po Kau (this or another was also present on 14th). An unidentified swiftlet was seen near San Tin on 12th. Reports on 13th included 420 Tufted Duck (a new high) at Tsim Bei Tsui, a Crested Kingfisher at Brides Pool, a Common Rosefinch and a Plain Flowerpecker trapped at Mount Davis, a female Siberian Thrush and a Bull- headed Shrike in Tai Po Kau (the latter was faithful to the newly-bulldozed orchard into 1998), a Chinese Grosbeak at Nam Sang Wai and a Brown Bush Warbler in the A Ma Wat area. On 17th, a Pied Harrier was reported at Tsim Bei Tsui.

Among birds recorded at Tai Po Kau during 20th-21st were up to 10 Black Bulbuls and the Orange-headed Ground Thrush returning yet again to the edge of the forest road just above the car park. The final week of the year produced a possible Brown Fish Owl heard on Lantau island on 24th, a Ruddy Crake at Lok Ma Chau on 26th, a White's Thrush and a Blyth's Leaf Warbler in Tai Po Kau and a Dusky Thrush, a Buff-bellied Pipit and a second Bull-headed Shrike at Long Valley on 27th, an Ancient Auk at Cape d'Aguilar on 29th and a fine spread of typical winter passerines in Kowloon Park on 31st - two Red-tailed Robins, a Grey Thrush, two Grey-backed Thrushes, a Blackbird, three Short-tailed Bush Warblers, eight Pallas's Leaf Warblers and two Asian Brown Flycatchers as well as a slightly unseasonal Brown Shrike.

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Raptor Rehabilitation Programme at Kadoorie Farm

The Raptor Rehabilitation Programme (RRP) is an integral part of the work carried out at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden's (KFBG) Animal Rescue Centre. The programme began in 1994, continuing the work started by Major Jim Ades. By the end of 1997, 112 birds of prey and owls of 21 species had been admitted. 54 have been treated successfully and released.

A significant source of admitted birds is the illegal food and pet trade. All other raptors received are wild Hong Kong birds which have become injured or have suffered other problems, such as falling to the ground as nestlings. Birds are received from the general public, the Society for Prevention of Cruelty Animals (SPCA) and the Agriculture and Fisheries Dept. (AFD).

On admittance, a raptor is x-rayed and given a thorough check by our vet, Dr Gail Cochrane, to determine the extent of any injuries and to evaluate the condition of the bird. Emergency treatment such as fluid replacement is then carried out and if necessary the bird is placed in an intensive care unit. Once the raptor ha stabilised it is moved to a small cage for a period of observation. It can then be moved to a larger cage and offered food, water and space to move around. All confiscated birds received from AFD and birds which cannot be released immediately are de-wormed and vaccinated before being placed in quarantine for 4 weeks.

Depending on the species, fitness levels are improved by allowing the bird to fly in a flight cage or by flying the bird on a line. In some cases falconry techniques are necessary, such as flying to a swing lure or the use of a hack box.

All birds which are released fulfil the following criteria:

• They are native birds and must be released in or near the correct habitat at the right time of year.
• They are fit and healthy, with 100% use of all limbs and fully functional eyes and ears.
• Flying ability is carefully evaluated in either a large flight cage or on a line and checked for a full range of movement and symmetry.
• They are not imprinted on humans as a result of long-term captivity.

Of the 21 species so far admitted to the rehabilitation programme all but two - Mountain Scops Owl and Barn Owl - are considered native to Hong Kong. Naturally, Hong Kong's commonest birds of prey - Black Kite and Collared Scops Owl dominate the admittances, jointly comprising about 40% of all birds received.

The 21 species with the number of individuals received (and released in brackets) are:

Asian Barred Owlet 6 (3), Barn Owl 1, Brown Fish Owl 2, Brown Hawk Owl 4, Short-eared Owl 3 (1), Eagle Owl 9 (3), Eastern Grass Owl 2 (2), Mountain Scops Owl 2, Oriental Scops Owl 1, Collared Scops Owl 22 (16), Besra 4 (4), Crested Goshawk 3 (1), Japanese Sparrowhawk 2 (2), Hobby 1, Peregrine 1, Saker 10 (2), Eurasian Kestrel 6 (5), Black Kite 24 (15), Black-shouldered Kite 3, Crested Serpent Eagle 2, White-bellied Sea Eagle 3, Grey-faced Buzzard 1.

The Raptor Breeding Programme aims to release strong, healthy birds produced by disabled, unreleasable parents. Birds currently in our breeding programme are Crested Goshawk, Eurasian Kestrel, Mountain Scops Owl and Eagle Owl. In 1996 we successfully bred and released two Eurasian Kestrels, and plans for new purpose-built breeding cages should greatly increase breeding success with other species.

Disabled or imprinted raptors which cannot be released perform a vital role in raising visitors' awareness of the threats faced by local raptors. At the Raptor Sanctuary, which is the educational focus for the RRP, birds are housed in spacious cages designed to allow the bird a degree of privacy while allowing the public the opportunity to view different species. Colourful signs and posters illustrate details about each individual, each species and birds of prey as a whole.

Imprinted birds are particularly useful as they can be taken out of their enclosure on the fist to allow close-up views, giving visitors a far more memorable experience. The Raptor Sanctuary is part of an education trail which displays aspects of Hong Kong's natural history and is followed by Education Officers during school visits.

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What to Do if you find an Injured Bird of Prey

If you come across an injured raptor (or any other native animal) the following steps should be taken:

• Remember raptors can cause injury when handled. If there are any doubts it is better for one person to watch the bird while another goes for help. If help is needed call the SPCA or KFBG directly (see tel. numbers below).

• If possible the birds should be caught and placed in a suitable container such as a cardboard box, or wrapped in a towel.
• Call SPCA or KFBG so the bird can reach a vet as quickly as possible.

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