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Topic: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春 (Read 2376 times) |
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johnallcock
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Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« on: Mar 14th, 2006, 2:37pm » |
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I have just finished 10 days of work around Kam Tin. Some of the birding highlights were:
Oriental Plover (Male on 5th - see photos elsewhere on BBS)
Pacific Golden Plover (1 on 7th)
Grey-headed Lapwing (up to 17)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Female on 2 days)
Crested Serpent Eagle
Bonelli's Eagle
Chinese Francolin (First heard on 11th)
Asian Barred Owlet
Savanna Nightjar
Large Hawk Cuckoo (First heard on 11th)
Red-rumped Swallow (3 on 10th - probably returning breeding birds)
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Red-throated Flycatcher
Daurian Redstart (at least 3)
Brown Shrike (Same bird present for a few weeks)
Japanese Bush Warbler
Yellow-billed Grosbeak (peak count 15)
Common Rosefinch (5 females on 5th)
Little Bunting (2 on 11th)
Hair-crested Drongo
White-shouldered Starling
As well as the usual sandpipers, pipits, wagtails, starlings, etc.
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| « Last Edit: Mar 14th, 2006, 9:48pm by Forrest FONG » |
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johnallcock
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #1 on: Apr 6th, 2006, 12:44pm » |
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The following were seen on 5/4 morning, around the southern end of the Buffalo Fields
Cattle Egret - several developing breeding plumage
Japanese Sparrowhawk - 1 female
Chinese Francolin - heard distantly in hills
Greater Painted-snipe (at least 2)
Grey-headed Lapwing - 3
Oriental Turtle Dove - 10+
Large Hawk Cuckoo - 2 calling
Plaintive Cuckoo - 2 calling
Pied Kingfisher - 4
Common Blackbird
Grey-backed Thrush - 1 female
Siberian Rubythroat - 3+
Red-throated Flycatcher - 1 male developing some breeding plumage
Japanese Bush Warbler
White-whouldered Starling - several flying over, often as pairs
Also 2 escapees:
Azure-winged magpie (this bird has been around for a few months)
Orange-bellied Leafbird (a very approachable male with a badly damaged tail)
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johnallcock
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #2 on: Apr 18th, 2006, 5:28pm » |
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Some of the Kam Tin highlights 9/4 to 18/4:
Intermediate Egret -1 on 17th
Cinnamon Bittern - 1 on 11th, 1 on 14th (also 1 on 7th - not seen by me)
Accipiter sp. - 1 on 18th (quite large - possibly eurasian sparrowhawk or crested goshawk but not seen well!)
Common Kestrel - 1 on 18th
Greater Painted-snipe
Black-winged Stilt - 1 on 18th
Oriental Pratincole - 1 on 18th
Grey-headed Lapwing - 3 all week, 4 on 9th
Common, Pintail, Swinhoe's Snipe
Oriental Turtle Dove - peak 32 on 17th
Indian Cuckoo - first returned on 13th, regular since then
Plaintive Cuckoo - up to 3
Asian Barred Owlet - 1 seen, 1 heard on 11th
Savanna Nightjar
Pied Kingfisher - up to at least 4
Pale Martin - 1 on 17th
Red-rumped Swallow - up to 3
Brown Shrike - 2 different individuals (1 has been present since at least Feb)
Little Bunting - 1 on 9th
Yellow-billed Grosbeak - 4 on 14th
White-cheeked Starling - still 3 present
White-shouldered Starling - largest flock 24, but more present, many now looking for nest sites
Black Drongo - first returning birds on 13th, now common
Hair-crested Drongo - 12 on 10th
Also, nearby at Pat Heung:
Greater Painted-snipe - 7 heard displaying on 10th night, 4 seen on 16th
Wood Sandpiper - 23 on 16th
Green Sandpiper - 6 on 16th
Long-toed Stint - 2 on 16th
White-cheeked Starling - 4 on 13th, including a pair investigating possible nest sites!
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Bena
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #3 on: Apr 29th, 2006, 9:38pm » |
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29th April 2006
Crested Serpent Eagle x 3
Pacific Swift x 1
House Swift x 80
Sand Martin x 2
Blue-tailed Bee-eater x 4
Red-billed Starling x 5
White-cheeked Starling x 2
Brown Shrike x 1
Grey-headed Lapwing x 3
Greater Painted Snipe x 2
Black-browed Reed Warbler x 1
Siberian Stonechat x 1
Indian Cuckoo x 6
Common Myna x 5
Pintail/Swinhoes Snipe x 3
Plus the usuual; Richard's Pipits, Egrets, Common Snipe, etc.
Bena Smith & Dave Flumm (RSPB)
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johnallcock
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #4 on: May 26th, 2006, 2:47pm » |
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Good news from Kam Tin yesterday. During a quick visit in the evening, I observed a total of 6 red-rumped swallows, including at least 4 fledged juveniles, as they returned to their nest to roost.
This is the fourth consecutive year that this species has bred at KT, using the same nest each year. Another pair was also present last year and I'm keeping my eyes open to check whether these are also breeding.
Meanwhile, there are again good numbers of white-shouldered starlings breeding, some of which already have fledged young!
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johnallcock
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #5 on: Jun 5th, 2006, 1:56pm » |
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A good day at Kam Tin on Saturday, including
Baillon's Crake - 1 in Buffalo Fields
Chestnut Bittern - 1 in Buffalo Fields
Yellow Bittern - 8
Intermediate Egret - 5
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo - 1 heard and then seen
White-cheeked Starling - 1 carrying food (presumably nesting somewhere for the second year, but I can't find the nest!)
Red-rumped Swallow - pair collecting mud for nest-building/repair
Also, a pair of Yellow-billed Grosbeaks today, hopefully breeding again but they have been rather elusive this summer!
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Koren
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #6 on: Jun 6th, 2006, 10:13am » |
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Is the little map on the "Birding HK" section of this site still relatively accurate as far as going to Kam Tin? Where is the best place to park if I drive there? Am I likely to be at any risk from buffalo if I go on my own? Thanks for any information.
Cheers, Koren
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johnallcock
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #7 on: Jun 6th, 2006, 2:56pm » |
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The layout on this map is about right, but note that a bypass has been built around the northern side of Kam Tin, so vehicle access is now from traffic lights on this road (follow signs to Shui Tau/Shui Mei) not from the school (pedestrian access is still possible from KT town past the school). I usually park near the temple and fishponds (after driving through Shui Mei village) or next to the buffalo fields to the West of the village. Alternatively, approach from Sha Po, which can be accessed by via the Castle Peak Road (between Fairview Park and Yuen Long)
The best birding is around the buffalo fields - both in the fields and in the bushy areas near the track on the eastern side that leads towards Sha Po. There is also a very good patch of inactive agriculture near the small temple (across the stream from the unoccupied pink houses). Also the shrubland to the north and east of the village is improving as it matures.
Don't worry too much about the buffalo. I have been visiting the area regularly for over 3 1/2 years and have not yet been attacked. They often approach if they see you in the Buffalo fields but usually are just investigating who you are. My advice is to BE CAREFUL and keep an eye on what they are doing. If they seem to be getting too close, be prepared to stand your ground, and perhaps make yourself look bigger and more aggressive (try raising your arms, shouting or throwing something) DO NOT approach a female with a young calf - they can be more agressive at this time.
There are now relatively few buffalo in the area (the herd in the buffalo fields is now less than 20!), which I think is potentially of concern for the future ecology of the site.
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Bob Thompson
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #8 on: Jun 6th, 2006, 8:54pm » |
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on Jun 6th, 2006, 2:56pm, johnallcock wrote:
Don't worry too much about the buffalo. I have been visiting the area regularly for over 3 1/2 years and have not yet been attacked. They often approach if they see you in the Buffalo fields but usually are just investigating who you are. My advice is to BE CAREFUL and keep an eye on what they are doing. If they seem to be getting too close, be prepared to stand your ground, and perhaps make yourself look bigger and more aggressive (try raising your arms, shouting or throwing something) DO NOT approach a female with a young calf - they can be more agressive at this time. |
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I would check with Paul Leader about that statement
Bob
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johnallcock
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #9 on: Jun 7th, 2006, 1:25pm » |
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I know Paul did have a close encounter and came off worse for it! On that occasion, it was a female with calf that attacked him (he had not seen the calf) which was why I specifically mentioned to avoid them at this time and why I stressed to always be careful.
Personally I think people in HK worry too much about the buffalo. They could be dangerous if provoked but otherwise it is really no different from walking past a herd of cattle or horses (OK I know that you don't meet many of those in HK either)
Unprovoked attacks by the buffalo are extremely rare (as I mentioned before, I've never been attacked and regularly walk within 5-10m of the herd - usually they run away if you get close) but I'll stress again BE CAREFUL, KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING and DO NOT APPROACH YOUNG CALVES.
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Koren
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Re: Kam Tin 錦田 2006 Spring 春
« Reply #10 on: Jun 7th, 2006, 3:47pm » |
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Thanks all for your advice about the Kam Tin area and how to deal with buffalo. I'm from Australia originally, but I don't have much experience in walking around near large animals, so I will try to avoid them as much as possible!
Cheers, Koren
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