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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Birding Reports & Tips 觀鳥報告及心得 >>  Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
        
(Message started by: geoff_welch on Sep 7^th, 2006, 6:15pm)

Title: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 7^th, 2006, 6:15pm

A quiet start to Autumn on Po Toi this week, with SW winds all week.

For land migrants, Grey Wagtail, two Pale-legged Leaf Warblers, a juv Dark-sided Flycatcher (I think - see photo) and the adult Chestnut-winged Cuckoo first seen last week.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/DSF.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/CWC.jpg

This morning a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler flew up from beside the path on the SE peninsular - which makes you wonder how many may be skulking on the peninsular or on the island.

On the sea, the first notable tern movement yesterday with 23 Aleutian, 15 Tern sp, 8 Black-naped, 8 Little, 1 Bridled and 1 Common. Also Aleutian and Common Terns today from the Ferry.

Visible migration over the sea mostly in the early morning included egrets (Great, Little and Pond Heron), 3 Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtails (52 in 2 hours this morning), Richard's Pipit and a flock of 13 Tree Sparrows.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/PH.jpg

Over the weekend and next week the winds are forecast NE, which may bring in some new migrants on land and sea.

Title: Re: Po Toi 2006 Autumn
Post by miket on Sep 7^th, 2006, 8:25pm

Certainly looks like a juv. Dark-sided Fly, Geoff. In comparison with the one on the cover of the Avifauna it still has a full set of juvenile median coverts (presumably they moult these and change in appearance is not just due to wear) - this fits as that bird was photographed two weeks later than this bird (on 21/09/2000 in fact). I do wonder what juv Grey-streaked looks like, but maybe we would just never get one here anyway.

Certainly agree the peninsula must hold a lot of grassland type skulkers - Bright-capped Cisticola has now been seen there on a few occasions, and that is where Graham and I had the Lanceolated Warbler in the spring.

Please find a Tiger Shrike for the weekend and keep it there until at least Saturday morning!

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Po Toi 2006 Autumn
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 7^th, 2006, 8:38pm

Thanks Mike, I hadn't realised juv Dark-sided Fly was on the front of Avifauna. You look at it every week but never really see it!

Sorry, I won't be there again until Sunday but if you find the Tiger Shrike please keep it for me.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 14^th, 2006, 4:55pm

This one is for Mike Turnbull.

A juvenile Tiger Shrike seen today in the heavy canopy trees to the right of the path from the jetty to the concrete steps going up to the small cafe, before you reach the steps and the red walled building.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/TS1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/TS4.jpg

It was there this afternoon but cannot guarantee it on Saturday. It's quite difficult to see, it keeps still just under the canopy branches. Good luck Mike.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Sep 14^th, 2006, 7:32pm

Thanks Geoff.

Birds found to order - amazing!

I'll be there Saturday morning

Thanks for the very precise instructions, too.

Mike.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by HK_Twitcher on Sep 14^th, 2006, 9:40pm

I will be there Friday

Geoff as you seem to produce birds to order can we have a Chinese crested Tern perched on the jetty on Sunday?

Graham

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 15^th, 2006, 5:08am

Graham, I think the only thing I can promise you is a rough ride. The sea looks great but only when viewed from a secure position on the land.

A later PS. As I have now suddenly become a BBS God, perhaps it is more possible.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 15^th, 2006, 6:02am

I had a visitor this week, Tobias Epple from Germany. He shared some of the spectacular birds on Tuesday and Thursday.

The week was dominated by the passage of the tropical storm on Wednesday which dumped huge quantities of rain water on to Po Toi. Amazing to think that in spring we have no water at all. It was also responsible for an increase in both the numbers and the variety of migrants.

Land Birds

There are always surprises on Po Toi. This week it was Black-winged Stilt. There has obviously been a migration of these waders through Hong Kong this week and the storm interfered with it. Having seen 2 Black-winged Stilts migrating over the sea late on Tuesday, on Wednesday there were at least 6 on the island waiting for the weather to improve.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/BWS.jpg

I think Black-winged Stilts were reported from other unusual locations around Hong Kong this week.

Some other land migrants photographed during the week were Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Black-naped Oriole, Forest Wagtail and Tiger Shrike.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/APF.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/GS1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/BNO.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/FW2.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/TS3.jpg

My image of the week – a Grey-streaked Flycatcher waiting for the rain to stop.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/GS2.jpg

Visible Migration

A feature of the autumn so far has been the visible migration of birds seen from the southerly tip of the SE peninsular. Egrets (Great, Little and Cattle and Pond Heron), waders (mostly Whimbrel) and wagtails (Yellow, White and Grey).
Interestingly, all the birds are traveling in one of two directions – SW, as you might expect, or NW, which you might not expect.

The NW birds are coming from the direction of Dangan Island and heading over Po Toi towards the Hong Kong mainland. I think these birds must have strayed too far east and having finished up on Dangan, decided to re-orient themselves. They can see Po Toi from Dangan and they make for it, just as they do in spring.

There were some spectacular visible migrants on Tuesday this week, before the arrival of the tropical storm – 2 Kestrels, 2 Black-winged Stilts, Himalayan Swiftlet, Pechora Pipit and White-shouldered Starling. The Stilts, Pipit and Starling were on the NW route and flew from Dangan over Po Toi. The Kestrels and Swiftlet were migrating SW very low over the sea although they all eventually ended up flying on to Po Toi. I tried very hard to get a decent photo of the Swiftlet but my camera autofocus could not make it and I am not good enough to manually focus such a fast flying bird, so I ended up with a blur.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/HS.jpg

Sea Birds

The storm had the same effect on seabirds as Typhoon Chanchu did in May – it brought the seabirds in close to Po Toi for protection and to feed on the tidelines created by the strong winds. This time only terns seemed to be involved. The tideline along the south side of Po Toi had Whiskered, Common and Aleutian (some even coming into the harbour) and the east side had Bridled, Common, Aleutian and Little with the one juvenile Sooty Tern. Here are some photos of the Sooty Tern with various other terns, Bridled, Aleutian and Common. The size, shape and colour of the Sooty Tern reminds me of the Brown Noddies.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/SOT1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/SOT2.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/STB.jpg  http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/STAC.jpg

That’s the end of a very long report on this week’s events on Po Toi. But finally, a strong rumour amongst the islanders that Fortune Ferry will be ceasing its North Point/Kwun Tong to Po Toi ferry service later this year, probably in November. That will leave only the Aberdeen service to Po Toi.  

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Forrest FONG on Sep 15^th, 2006, 8:54am

The Society will have an outing to Po Toi and the eastern waters of HK this Sunday. I hope all the participants can have good chances to encounter the Autumn migrants.

Cheers,

Forrest 8)

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by HK_Twitcher on Sep 15^th, 2006, 4:10pm

Po Toi 15 September 10.30 -14.00

A Twitch today produced the following

Grey Streaked Flycatcher 2
Brown Flycatcher 2 (#314)
Dark Sided Flycatcher 2
Asian Paradise Flycatcher 1
Artic Warbler 1
Red Turtle Dove 1
Pacific Swift 1
Brown Shrike 2
Tiger Shrike 1 (#315)

The TIger Shrike was in the small patch of vegitation at teh end of thejetty on the right hand side. It was not easy to see and kept very low. There was also a Juv Brown Shrike in the same area

Graham

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Mike Kilburn on Sep 15^th, 2006, 4:48pm

There was also

Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike
Black-naped Oriole
Striated Heron
Pacific Swift
a second Asian Paradise Flycatcher
Pale legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler
about 2,000 RN Phalarope on the sea around Po Toi
WWBlack Tern - 1

BUT
I didn't get the Tiger Shrike so - DISAPPOINTED!!!

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Sep 15^th, 2006, 5:06pm

Not surprisingly, for those of you excitedly following HK Twitcher's attempt at the highest ever year-list for HK, Brown Fly was not #314 for HK Twitcher today - it was of course Dark-sided Fly.

Maybe we'd better check them all, if he's that error-prone!

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 15^th, 2006, 5:42pm

He can get ten extra species on spelling alone.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Sep 16^th, 2006, 6:56pm

Tiger Shrike still present today (Sat. 16th Sept.), basically in same area though showed best near beginning of and along the "Orange-breasted Pigeon" trail. Also a Swiftlet very well picked out amongst the Swifts by Paul Leader.

Other migrants were Arctic and Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warblers, Asian Brown, Dark-sided, Grey-streaked, Yellow-rumped and Paradise sp. Flycatchers, Black-naped Oriole, Oriental-type Cuckoo (believed Horsfield's), White-shouldered and Purple-backed Starlings (only one of latter), Brown Shrike and Dollarbird.

A good day, especially for those of us who'd been looking for Tiger Shrike in HK for up to 20 years (in Geoff Carey's case 21 I think!).

Sad news that the North Point/Kwun Tong ferry will stop at end of October :'(

Mike Turnbull.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by tobi on Sep 16^th, 2006, 7:01pm

There was also a Grey Phalarope among the many Red-necked on Thursday. Good luck tomorrow!

Thanks again for the friendly welcome in Hong Kong, from Germany, Tobi

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 16^th, 2006, 7:30pm

Mike

I'm pleased you saw the Tiger Shrike, hope Peter & Michelle got some good photos today.

I've got two questions about today's sightings

1. I think I have seen the same cuckoo this week, in fact I have a poor long-distance photo of it.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/CS.jpg

The back and wings are a browny grey with a scaly appearance so I eventually marked it down as an Indian Cuckoo, although I did originally say Oriental. What does Horsfield's look like?

2. Where was the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher? I have yet to see one this autumn on Po Toi.

Geoff

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Sep 17^th, 2006, 12:36am

Hi Geoff,

Thanks to you Geoff for finding the Tiger Shrike, and making sure it hung around.

Your photo doesn't look like Indian Cuckoo to me, but I don't know if I can say why - too neatly marked below and grey around head to me. Our bird today may well have been the same - it appeared very long-winged to me, and Paul Leader said something about the underwing bar, which I, from a different vantage point, just didn't see - he said probably Horsfield's.

Yellow-rumpeds in big group of trees behind main restaurant, where most flycatchers were, +near School House.

Neither they not Arctic Warblers seem v. numerous this year.

Mike Turnbull

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 17^th, 2006, 6:26am

Thanks Mike. I take the point about the finer neater breast banding on the Cuckoo, I'll amend my records to Oriental/Horsfields.

Hope to see Yellow-rumped Flycatcher on Po Toi next week. Also it seems the Swiftlet I saw coming on to the island last Tuesday has stayed on the island.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Sep 17^th, 2006, 3:17pm

An omission from my list of birds for Saturday was a Greenish Warbler seen by Geoff Carey only at the top of the steps leading to the cafe.

I hear there was Blue-throated Bee-eater at 7am this morning (Sunday 17th).

Mike Turnbull.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by PWMK on Sep 17^th, 2006, 11:19pm

Dear Geoff and Mike,
1. Thanks for everyone's effort in finding this very secretive Shrike. Sorry Geoff , this is the best i can do. For record only.
2. We did spotted a Juv. Blue-throated Bee-eater this morning, but it was driven away by 2 Black Drongos.
3. Also found a cuckoo and may be this is the same one as Geoff's, found last week.

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Tiger%20Shrike2.jpg
Po Toi 16 Sept 2006

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Blue-T-BeeEater(j)1-16Sept06.jpg
Po Toi 17 Sept 2006

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Horsfield's%20Cuckoo1.jpg.upload
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Horsfield's%20Cuckoo2.jpg
Po Toi 17 Sept 2006

PWMK

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Paul Leader on Sep 18^th, 2006, 11:37am

I wonder if this is actually an Asian Lesser Cuckoo! The barring although well defined on the flanks appears to break down into scallops on the central breast. It is also very cold and dark around the head and on the upperparts. It also looks small and delicate with a fine bill. Do you have more pictures showing the underpart pattern?

It is not the bird present on Saturday which was an adult.

In addition I think Geoff's adult from the previous week looks more like a Common Cuckoo due the rather fine barring - are there more pictures of this bird?

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Paul Leader on Sep 18^th, 2006, 12:45pm

Another point in favour of Lesser is the heavily marked under tail coverts.

What a weekend!

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Michael_Leven on Sep 18^th, 2006, 2:52pm

I'm with Paul on the second cuckoo being a juvenile Asian Lesser Cuckoo, for the reasons he states especially the rather delicate legs, small bill and broken barring across the breast. It is also very short winged.

I'm not sure about the first one though. It shows a hint of a slightly brownish breast band which seems to be a feature of first summer saturatus - any more pictures?

Mike Leven

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 18^th, 2006, 3:43pm

Sorry, no more photos of mine. I discarded them.

I shall take more care with my cuckoos in future.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by PWMK on Sep 18^th, 2006, 9:09pm

The Cuckoo was unusually co-operative, lucky for me.
Hopefully these are alot more helpful!

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Lesser%20Cuckoo3-17Sept06.jpg

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Lesser%20Cuckoo4-17Sept06.jpg

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Lesser%20Cuckoo5-17Sept06.jpg

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/temp/guest/Lesser%20Cuckoo6-17Sept06.jpg

PWMK

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Paul Leader on Sep 19^th, 2006, 9:45am

Excellent photos, the underparts are classic Asian Lesser Cuckoo

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by PWMK on Sep 19^th, 2006, 8:55pm

on 09/19/06 at 09:45:13, Paul Leader wrote:

Excellent photos, the underparts are classic Asian Lesser Cuckoo

Paul & Mike,

Thanks very much for the ID lah.
Just this weekend alone we had 3-4 ticks, so happy. Also we must thank Geoff for every thing.

PWMK

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Sep 22^nd, 2006, 7:07am

A quieter week than last week but migration continues at a good pace. The best migrants were a probable Button-quail sp on Wednesday on the SE peninsular and a Watercock on Thursday in the marshy area just past the small cafe at the top of the steps leading out east. This area was the original rice and vegetable growing area for the islanders and retains some water most of the year. I have thought, if we could cut back some of the elephant grass and clear the view, it would be an excellent area to find migrant crakes, rails and perhaps other water birds.

No photos of the Button-quail or Watercock but other photos for the week are Verditer Flycatcher, an early record for Hong Kong, 9 Black-naped Orioles in the same tree, the first Yellow-browed Warbler, a bird found freshly killed probably by a shrike and the first Dusky Warbler.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/VF.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/BNO9.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/YBW.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/DW.jpg

Some common but interesting migrants on Po Toi

Tree Sparrow – definite migrants on Po Toi. There were no over-wintering birds, the first arrived on 2 April with a spring maximum on the island of 43 on 15 May and the last on 25 May. No birds over summered, but the first autumn migrant Tree Sparrows were 13 flying SW on 6 Sept and the first land arrivals were 3 on Tuesday this week. There are now 5.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/TS.jpg

They seem much scruffier than their urban cousins, real country birds.

Black Kite – evidence of Black Kite migration out of Po Toi came when the summer resident family of 4 disappeared on 11 Sept, just before the storm and have not been seen since. There are now only 3 local birds.

This is my last week on Po Toi for September, I am in UK next week. So my next report will be for the first week in October. Good birding to everyone, this website is great to keep in touch with HK birds when you are away.  

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by David Stanton on Sep 22^nd, 2006, 11:32am

Po Toi 21/09/06
11:00- 14:00

A walk around the island today produced much the same as everyone else has been seeing recently, though I did see an Blue and White Flycatcher in a dense bit of scrub of the footpath adjacent to the the wet flus, south of the restaurant lose to the pier. I assume this is an early record for HK?

Other species included:

Dollarbird (x2)
Black-naped Oriole (max 6 seen at one time)
Grey-streaked Flycatcher
Forest Wagtail
Brown Shrike (3 Juv)
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike (max 3 seen)
Arctic Warbler
Striated Heron
Common Kingfisher (x2)
Black-capped Kingfisher

On the boat back, Geoff spotted a common tern off of the Ocean Park Peninsular.

Small pod of finless porpoise (max count=4) off of Stanley on ferry trip to Po Toi, with a singleton seen on the return trip. Which was nice.

A nice trip for me, though noticeably less flycatchers around since the Sunday HKBWS trip, and I'm gradually picking up more HK species.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by HK_Twitcher on Sep 24^th, 2006, 7:46pm

Po Toi
24-9-2006
0915-16.30

A few of us braved the elements and gave Po Toi the once over. The is the total of our sightings

Striated Heron x1
White-bellied Sea Eagle x1
Eurasian Hobby x1
Oriental/Horsfields Cuckoo at least one probably two
Asian Lesser Cuckoo (a small Cucko seen well in fight was thoughtto be this species)
Dollarbird x1
White Wagtail x3
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike x3
Ashy Minivet x1
Brown Shrike x8
Common Stonechat x 1
Blue Rock Thrush x2
Blue Whistling Thrush x1
Dusky Warbler x2
Arctic Warbler x1
Greenish Warbler x1
Grey-streaked Flycatcher x2
Dark-sided Flycatcher x1
Asian Brown Flycatcher x6
Asian Paradise Flycatcher x1
Purple-backed Starling x3
Black-naped Oriolex15
Black Drongo x10
Ashy Drongo x 1

Graham

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by HK_Twitcher on Oct 1^st, 2006, 5:58pm

Po Toi

09.15- 15.00

Common Kestrel 1
Common Koel 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike 2
Brown Shrike 1
Blue Rock Thrush 3
Arctic Warbler 4
Asian Brown Flycatcher 6
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher 1
Asian Paradise Flycatcher 1
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher 1
White-shouldered Starling 6
Crested Myna 50
Black-naped Oriole 10
Hair-crested Drongo 4

Graham

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by Owlet-nightjar on Oct 2^nd, 2006, 8:26pm

Po Toi Island
October 2, 2006
11:00 - 15:30

Orange-breasted Green Pigeon x1 male
023 Striated Heron x1
067 Black Kite x7
069 White-bellied Sea Eagle x3
229 Common Kingfisher x1
235 Dollarbird x1
265 Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike x3
271 Chinese Bulbul x2
278 Brown Shrike x2 (1 juv)
279 Long-tailed Shrike x1
312 Masked Laughingthrush x2
356 Arctic Warbler x1
357 Greenish Warbler x1
367 Grey-streaked Flycatcher x 1
369 Asian Brown Flycatcher x1
372 Yellow-rumped Flycatcher x1 female
428 Chestnut-cheeked Starling x1
429 Purple-backed Starling x2
434 White-shouldered Starling x5+
436 Crested Myna x40+
437 Black-naped Oriole x6+
438 Black Drongo x3+
440 Hair-crested Drongo x2

Thank you to Geoff Carey & Paul Leader for spotting the beautiful Orange-breasted Green Pigeon.

http://johnjemi.hkbirds.net/txp/images/83.jpg
Orange-breasted Green Pigeon
Po Toi
02/10/2006

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Oct 2^nd, 2006, 8:43pm

Surely this is the bird that was on Po Toi in the spring?

But where has it been for the summer? Not on Po Toi, I think. Taiwan?

And will it come back next spring?

The mysteries of migration.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Oct 2^nd, 2006, 9:09pm

I think it must be the same bird.

I think it's safe to assume it moved off to an area where there are other Ob Pigeons (Hainan perhaps, rather than Taiwan, but that's just based on published range data).

Species like this seem to simply wander in search of food, rather than having a more fixed "area A to area B and back again to area A" migration route for the whole population. I suspect that individual birds "learn" their own individual patterns of movement, and if they survive, will repeat their movements from one year to the next.

I understood it has found a relatively accessible, visible fruiting tree this time, so hopefully it will be a bit easier to see this time.

I wouldn't be surprised if it wintered on Po Toi now, unless or until the food supply dries up.

Mike Turnbull.

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by HK_Twitcher on Oct 3^rd, 2006, 7:49pm

Po Toi

3-10-2006

11.00-14.00

Chinese Goshawk 1
Eurasian Hobby 1
Pintail Snipe 1
Dollarbird 1
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike 2
Common Tailorbird 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 1
Asian Brown Flycatcher 3
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher 1
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher 1
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 1
Purple-backed Starling 1
White-shouldered Starling 6
Black-naped Oriole 10
Hair-crested Drongo 4

Graham

Title: Black-crowned Night HerRe: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn
Post by HK_Twitcher on Oct 5^th, 2006, 4:19pm

Po Toi

5-10-2006

11.00-14.00

There had been a bit of a clear out overnight and migrants were thin on the ground. No sign of the Pigeon but I managed to pull in the Starling #323

Black-crowned Night Heron 1
Common Kestrel 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
White-throated Kingfisher 1
Dollarbird 2
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike 2
Yellow-browed Warbler 3
Arctic Warbler 2
Asian Brown Flycatcher 3
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 1
White-shouldered Starling 3
Black-naped Oriole 8

Graham

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Oct 5^th, 2006, 6:15pm

Report for first week of October

Land Birds

I expect surprises on Po Toi but I did not expect to wake up this morning (Thursday) and find almost all the migrants had left overnight. I put it down to very light winds, a clear sky from about 8pm and the fact that most of the birds had been on the island since the weekend and must have been well fed.

Fortunately for Graham Talbot’s blood pressure, one of the few birds to remain was the Chestnut-cheeked Starling, so he was able add this to his impressive list today.

Even with a poor day today, it has still been the best week of the autumn so far, with nearly 50% more species of migrants than two weeks ago from my records alone, not counting those extra species seen by others. Some highlights were Ashy Minivet, Japanese Paradise and Blue & White Flycatcher, Lanceolated Warbler, Purple-backed (10) and Chestnut-cheeked Starlings, a very early record of Little Bunting (5) and Ashy Drongo. Unfortunately although the birds were good, the photos were not so good – here are a juv Ashy Minivet, juv male Blue & White Flycatcher, Little Bunting and Ashy Drongo.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/AM1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/BAW1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/LB1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/AD2.jpg

The Orange-breasted Green pigeon was not seen again after Monday (to my knowledge). A funeral procession complete with fireworks and gongs which passed directly underneath its tree early on Tuesday morning could not have helped its stability, although it may still be somewhere on the island.

Also seen were 8 migrant species of raptor, Osprey, Black Kite (some migrants), Grey-faced Buzzard (2), Crested Goshawk, Chinese Goshawk (2), Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby (2). Photos are in that order except Black Kite, Crested Goshawk and Kestrel are missing. (The Common Buzzard photo seems to look more like a Harrier but it was definitely a Buzzard).

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/O1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/GFB1.jpghttp://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/CG1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/CB1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/H2.jpg

It appears that raptor migration is now in progress.

Also today, a flock of 7 Large-billed Crows spent some of the morning on the island before migrating SW, which combined with similar records in spring shows that these birds are at least partial migrants.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/LBC1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/LBC2.jpg

Sea Birds

No sea birds have been seen since the last tern on 19 September which is a great disappointment. Fortunately, visible migration from the S point has more than made up for this. As well as most of the raptors above, other birds photographed from there passing across the sea into or out of Po Toi were Black-capped Kingfisher and Red Turtle Dove as well as a Stonechat which first appeared at the S point early this morning and probably the same bird later at the top of the tallest tree on the island near the school!

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/BCK1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/RTD1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/STC1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/STC2.jpg

Waste of Taxpayers Money?

It appears that a new jetty is being built on the SE peninsular, presumably for the tourist trade. But I wonder who is paying for it?

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/SEPJ1.jpg

Title: Japanese Sparrowhawk 1 Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn
Post by HK_Twitcher on Oct 10^th, 2006, 5:12pm

Poi Toi

10-10-2006

11.00-14.00

Japanese Sparrowhawk 1
Oriental Turtle Dove 1
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike 1
Brown Shrike 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 6
Asian Brown Flycatcher 2
Mugimaki Flycatcher 3 (#331)
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 2
White-shouldered Starling 1
Black-naped Oriole 6
Ashy Drongo 2

Graham

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by miket on Oct 10^th, 2006, 9:34pm

Could HK_Twitcher possibly pass the magical 350 mark the punters are wondering?

Mike Turnbull (a very poor 282 for the year so far - I concede defeat!)

Title: Re: Po Toi 蒲台 2006 Autumn 秋
Post by geoff_welch on Oct 14^th, 2006, 7:25am

Second week of October. The same number of migrant species as last week, but not as many birds.

Autumn migration seems to have affected the number of some resident species – I have seen far fewer Bulbuls and Magpie Robins than usual this month, and no White-eyes at all since September. Are they being forced out of their usual territories by the migrants?

Visible Migration

Early Friday morning I saw 5 flocks of Great Egrets, totally around 150 birds, about 3 miles east of Po Toi heading in a S/SE direction over the sea and directly away from the land. Are they making a direct crossing of the South China Sea, to somewhere in the Philippines? The flight distance of 600 miles would surely be no problem for a fit and well-fed bird, and the wind was light and just behind them. The Grey-faced Buzzards seen migrating last week were on exactly the same course.

Excluding Egrets, I have seen 13 species of migrants either coming into or leaving Po Toi this week, including Black Kite, Kestrel, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Pacific Swift, 3 species each of Pipits and Wagtails, Tree Sparrow and a Yellow-breasted Bunting. Here are some photos of Japanese Sparrowhawk and Pacific Swift leaving Po Toi, and Kestrel and Rock Dove (a regular migrant on Po Toi) arriving on Po Toi.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/JSM.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/PSM.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/KM.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/RDM.jpg

Migration may be a successful strategy for a species but it’s fraught with danger for an individual bird. Here, a Hair-crested Drongo attempting an early morning flight from Dangan Island to Po Toi, intercepted in the last 100 yards by a pair of Peregrines.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/HCDM1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/HCDM2.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/HCDM3.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/HCDM4.jpg

Land Birds

11 new autumn migrants this week, including Japanese Sparrowhawk, Woodcock, Siberian Rubythroat, Scaly Thrush, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Bunting and the highlight, Amur Falcon on Friday. Some photos from the week, Amur Falcon, Besra, Hoopoe and imm male Mugimaki Flycatcher.

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/AF3.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/B1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/HO1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/MU1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/MU2.jpg http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/CH.jpg

The observant will have noticed the last photo, a freely ranging and handsome chicken which has taken up residence on the gravesites to the south of the football field. This is the only live chicken I have ever seen on Po Toi and, as I guess it arrived by human hand, I will include it in my Po Toi list as Cat E. It is one of the few birds on Po Toi I can safely say is not a migrant.

I got it wrong

The new construction on the SE Peninsular I thought was a new jetty has now turned out to be three metal tanks, each of different size. Does anyone know what this could be?

http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/SEPJ2.jpg