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Tung Ping Chau - Winter 2010/11

Tung Ping Chau - Winter 2010/11

Today Tung Ping Chau was overrun with Brownish-flanked Bush Warblers.  I could here their geiger counter sound everywhere I went--and they responded quite vigorously to spishing. I don't really understand this species.  They seem common on Lamma, Po Toi and apparently abundant on Tung Ping Chau.  But (despite much searching by me) unrecorded from Lung Fu Shan and seem rather rare in what seems appropriate habitat. Lam Tsuen Valley for example would seem to be ideal habitat for them.

Less than half a dozen thrushes in total.

3 Mountain Tailorbirds
17 Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler
2 Russet Bush Warbler (heard and seen briefly)
1 Japanese Bush Warbler
1 Yellow-browed Warbler
1 Dusky Warbler
1 Japanese Thrush
1 Grey-backed Thrush

On the ferry

1 Common Black-headed Gull
1 distant large Gull

Here are some photos of different Brownish-flanked Bush Warblers. You can tell me they are Chinese, Pale Footed, Brown, Spotted Bush Warbler, or one of each.




[ Last edited by brendank at 19/12/2010 22:45 ]

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I have recorded Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Cettia fortipes at Lung Fu Shan in the past, or at least on the road up to the Peak, near the old battery as I recall. They seem to prefer shrubby hillside, or thinner woodland type habitats and while they are not common in Lam Tsuen Valley itself have been fairly regularly recorded in the lower parts of the Ng Tung Chai trail. They are quite widespread in Sai Kung too, eg at Ho Chung (upper valley bottom, lower area of woods, and I heard one today on shrubland above my home in Wong Chuk Shan San Tsuen above Sai Kung Town.

They quite like bamboo too - I once saw one in Tai Po Kau at the bamboo clump on the Red Walk, but are otherwise unknown there I believe.

Mike Turnbull

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FYI, I've had Brownish-flanked in TPK in various locations, e.g. near the end of red walk (the bamboo clumps), on the road near the "bee farm" etc., and there are 3 today in the outdoors centre. =)

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Just to say their presence around TPK in these rather more open habitats does not surprise me.

Mike Turnbull

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