Trying my luck in a new birding spot.

On the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society forum, there is a thread developed by an enthusiastic birder who actively birds the slopes in Ho Man Tin. Wonderful birds often turn up there. I firmly believe that the birding potential of slopes around district service reservoir. Transport to Ho Man Tin convenient. It only takes 15 minutes to get there. This is my first reconnaissance.

The first bird I met is an Oriental Magpie Robin. The shade trees create a peculiar photographic atmosphere. Then, I saw flycatchers. Below are the Red-throated Flycather and the Dark-sided Flycatcher.

Flocks of warblers have been seen. The flycatchers hang around with the warblers.

No thrushes were seen. There must be more attractive birds earlier in the morning. I am planning to go there the coming weekend.

Lung Fu Shan is quiet.

Although the season for birding has started for two months, not many migrants have been seen by me in Lung Fu Shan. Perhaps this is the result of that I often go up Lung Fu Shan in the afternoon. For two consecutive days I have been looking for migrants, but to no avail. But my passion is sustained by the sighting of a beautiful resident here, the Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler.

The tree sap conjured up a group of butterflies. Are these Yellow Rajah?

Normally, I look for birds on the top of short trees. Do you know what bird it is among the branchlets?

Glamor of the Lamma

A lot of photos have been taken throughout this week. But they contain no birds. My job duties involve nature photography. There are also some difficulties in my work.

Last Sunday, I went hiking in Sok Kwu Wan on the Lamma Island. The hiking trail surrounds the western side of the Lamma Island. Except Black Kites, there were nothing much to see. I heard an Emerald Dove calling but failed to spot it. Finally, a glamorous Fork-tailed Sunbird was seen hanging around a banana tree, licking the nectar secreted from its downward-pointing flowers.

Seeing this sweet-lover is a real treat after an exhausting hike. The sunbird generously allowed me to take good photos of it. I hope that such surprise will occur in my job requiring photography. So I will eventually acquire photography skills. And I am not just talking about nature conservation through photography, but be a part in it.

A short break from my duties

Starting from 20150901, I have been appointed a research assistant in the Department of Geography. During my undergraduate career, I worked in a similar post for two years. So I am fairly familiar with the duties involved. But it is the beginning of the school term, who knows what will happen in the coming days? Anyway, a pledge has been made. The enthusiasm for birding will not dwindle! Let's rise earlier! The birds are there!

An Asian Brown Flycatcher was catching air-borne insects. It perches on a remote branch. When it chases its prey, its wings inevitably touch the leaves along the flying path. The weak sound can give birders a huge notice of its presence.

Then a flock of Greater Necklaced Laughingthrsuh was seen feeding on the forest floor. Apparently the mature birds are showcasing the way how to locate insect by flipping over leaves below its head. So younger birds can find food on themselves by imitating the same action.

Squirrels are seen again. They are not feasting on the tangerine-like fruits now. They have switched to the legume-bearing plants. Trees of Blakeana spp. are their restaurant today. The squirrels first pick a pod. Then, on a flat horizontal branch, they sit and slowly work out the pearls inside.

All creatures got something to do. People may say they are forced to do these things out of survival. But I see a meaning in it. Every action refines the vital survival skills they need. Later in their life, they will pass their prowess on to the new-born generation. It somehow encourages me. No matter how harsh the situation is, I can acquire knowledge in it and benefit the people around me.

A relaxing walk on Lung Fu Shan

I submitted my thesis last Friday. There is much satisfaction in doing it. All I need to do is wait. Yesterday a letter was received, acknowledging the submission of the thesis and reminding me of the oral examination in November.

The weather was not good. Occasional showers and dark clouds were around the clock. There was not much to see. Two Mountain Tailorbirds were heard. Due to the dim light, no acceptable photographs were taken. An interesting scene to see was a Black-throated Laughingthrush shaking off the water after taking a bath. Puddles were forming everywhere after the persistent rain. They became bathtubs for birds.

Trees from the genus Schefflera were attracting butterflies. Blue-spotted Crow is a common species. There were dozens of them flying around the flowers of a tree in full bloom.

Then a Common Birdwing came. Other butterflies flew away when it arrived. It is a majestic individual. A long time ago, I saw one inside the HKU campus. It seems that they can tolerate a bit of habitat modification.

Since late August, animals on Lung Fu Shan have been in a feeding frenzy for a tangerine-like fruit. This Pallas's Squirrel is no exception. It completely ignored my presence as it was enjoying its trophy.

On the way downhill, more common birds were seen. There are several Norfolk Island Pine. Birds love perching on their top. By tweaking the brightness and contrast, this photo is transformed into a piece of artwork.

Last two weeks of August

Everyone is occupied with something in the last two weeks of August. Freshmen are busy chanting cheers. I am busy finalizing my thesis for examination. The birds are busy storing fat and preparing for their migration. Despite the need to meet the deadline, I want to take a stroll in Lung Fu Shan on 20 August.

Birds migrate from north to south in autumn. Let's look at the weather chart below. Several wind barbs indicate winds blowing towards Hong Kong. The weather is favourable for birding because they are blown to Hong Kong's territory. At the same time, tropical cyclones are developing over the Pacific Ocean. This brings precipitation to Hong Kong. All we have to do is to wait until the morning rain is over. By that time the hungry birds are likely to be actively looking for food.

Source: HKO, 2015

The target species is the Asian Paradise Flycatcher. As it name suggests, it "fly-catches". Air-born insects are its prey. I saw two individuals on Lung Fu Shan. One of it was nice enough to perch on a nearby bamboo plant.

On the way downhill, I spotted a warbler high on a tree. But the haze in the back lit image makes it difficult to identify the species. The wing-bar and the crown stripe are not seen. The bright supercilium, long black eye-strip, the yellowish slender bill and pale legs make it a candidate for the Eastern Crowned Warbler. However, migration has started earlier this year. The evidence above can be inconclusive, leaving open the possibility it belongs to another species.

I shall return for the bittern

A summer visitor has returned. A week ago, I rambled through Hong Kong Park pondering whether summer visitors would be attracted to this little paradise. Seeing nothing, I intended to leave. Suddenly, something amid the reeds caught my attention. As quickly as the bird gave away its hiding place, it was identified without delay. A yellow bittern! Unfortunately, there was no camera in my bag. It means that I should and I must return for the bittern.

I was there the next day, 7:00 a.m. Very quickly the bird was located. Stripes along its throat reinforce the camouflage brought by its pale colour. It blends into its favourite habitat, reed bed, very well. This time, the plants in the centre of the pond provided it a sense of security.

Commonly perceived as a secretive bird, this individual is certainly an exception. It frequently perched on prominent branches just above the water surface, waiting for the opportunity to seize any unattending preys.

It is indeed a small bird, especially when compared to tortoises nearby.

Great patience is exercised during foraging. The slow-moving bittern continuously administers inch-by-inch searches for any edible creatures. Its flexible yet powerful neck unfolds as a deadly weapon that precisely grasps the prey in a sudden. Dragonflies and fish are delicacies for the yellow bittern.

The park's ponds plays an important role for the birds' journey. They are oases in the highly developed parts of the city. Years ago, a yellow bittern and a black bittern made their appearance in Hong Kong Park. The ecological functions of the green patches scattered around the urban should never be underestimated.

Pay attention to the rapidly declining bird number!

20150610 (Wed)

An article is published on Conservation Biology. The headline is clear - Global population collapse in a superabundant migratory bird and illegal trapping in China (Kamp, et al., 2015). My grandparents are from Guangdong, a province in Southern China. It is not rare to hear "Rice Bird" (禾花雀) when talking about the dishes in China. I am lucky enough not to be one of the culprits eating them to the verge of extinction.

What is Rice Bird? Actually, the bird species concerned here is the Yellow-breasted Bunting (Emberiza aureola, 黃胸鵐). Apparently, it is similar to the much more common sparrow we see every day. But there is a stark contrast between their conservation status. The Yellow-breasted Bunting is now endangered on the IUCN Red List, which is an all-around inventory of species bearing high conservation importance.

The lower the number of birds, the higher their conservation status. Decades ago, they were abundant. The Eurasian population is migratory. Hong Kong lies on their migration route. According to previous Hong Kong Bird Reports, birdwatchers and oral history, birds in migration could be seen in thousands in Hong Kong. In present years, seeing them in only in dozens surprises birdwatchers. The decline in their number is alarming.

Massive hunting is a major threat causing rapid population decline. They roost in large numbers. If I were a merciless hunter, I would set traps on these easy preys. But the biological behaviour should not be blamed. Human appetite is the real disaster for them. It is rumoured that the Yellow-breasted Bunting is valued for boosting sexual vitality. Can you imagine how much the impotent Chinese males are willing to pay for their incurable conditions? The rising wealth is a catalyst. The hunt may rage at an unimaginable scale in near future. The threats should never be under-estimated.

It is everyone's responsibility to encourage conservation and discourage consumption of these magnificent creatures. Once they were as common as sparrows, now they are not. Starting with people around us, we can spread the message around.

Cockatoos in Hong Kong Park

20150609 (Tue)

In the past, I used to take a stroll in the Hong Kong Park before waiting for the bus to the university. I did not do it every day, but at least twice a week. For more than four years, the practice continued until December 2014. Since then, as the MTR takes me directly to the campus, the park has been less visited. Those memorable old days always linger on my mind. So I decided to go back last week. I made it, twice! 

The Yellow-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea) are still thriving there. These intelligent birds are absolutely wonderful. Being emotional, the cockatoos display their magnificent yellow crest when feeling happy or angry. You may say that they are honest as they do not fake it. The crest  tells it all!

Test!

Hoo. This is a test.