Out of Luck - a series of failed twitches

Since the finding of the Rosy Pipit, plenty of other rarities have been found by other birders, unfortunately, due to work, I missed most of them. My unlucky streak started when I tried my luck with Captain at Robin's Nest for Oriental Scops Owl, but yet again failed to produce any results, a Collared Scops Owl was my only consolation prize for the evening's hard work.

Collared Scops Owl

One of the better bird I connected with was the Bramling at Long Valley, not a common bird in Hong Kong but not exactly a rarity. The real rarity that turned up was a Japanese Reed Bunting, which unfortunately only stayed for a day and was not found again the next day when I tried...

Brambling

The day I visited was great for Buntings, the best being Crested Bunting and Yellow-browed Bunting, which I both missed...A pair of good old Rustic Buntings and a single Black-headed Bunting was not quite enough to make up for this upsetting dip.

Rustic Bunting

Black-headed Bunting

There were plenty of Yellow-breasted Buntings around, they were finally settling in and much for photogenic than before. Little Buntings were also in good numbers, while a few Black-faced Buntings played hide and seek with me for a while before finally revealing itself for a photo.

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Little Bunting

Black-faced Bunting - female

Chinese Penduline Tit is always a crowd favourite, a small flock have returned to the reeds at Long Valley and gathered a small following. While the numerous White-headed Munias continue to mix in with the local Scaly-breasted Munias. A single female Russet Sparrow was also seen.

Chinese Penduline Tit

White-headed Munia & Scaly-breasted Munia

Russet Sparrow - female

I am still missing photos of Slaty-breasted Rail, and one had been frequenting a pond at Long Valley...most of my friends have seen it, so it shouldn't be too hard, right? While I was there the numerous Greater Painted Snipe provided great views...while the Eastern Water Rail was more than happy to feed at close range...However, the Slaty-breasted Rail refuse to show itself to me as always.

Greater Painted Snipe - male

Greater Painted Snipe - female

Eastern Water Rail

A few Alexandrine Parakeet made an appearance at Long Valley, I usually see them fly through without stopping, this time they were perched on a wire. A single Kestrel drifted past had my hopes up for Amur, but was again disappointed.

Alexandrine Parakeet

Common Kestrel

I visited Mai Po hoping to glimpse a pair of Greater White-fronted Geese that turned up earlier this week, which apparently been showing well at pond 16/17, I arrived thinking they will be hard to miss, turns out they flew off to a different scrape before I arrived...The idea of chasing after the geese were not particularly pleasant, so I just sat at the hide enjoying some of the more 'common' species, such as numerous waders. Of course, the Black-faced Spoonbills which are now returning once again, one of which even had a satellite tracker on its back. A flock of Pacific Golden Plovers were a pleasant sight as well...

'Assorted Waders'

Black-faced Spoonbill

Black-faced Spoonbill with satellite racker & Common Redshanks

Pacific Golden Plover

All in all I would say birding is not too bad, just bad luck on twitching all the rarities, while missing out on a few lifers...But, as is life, you can't always get what you wish for.

Deja Vu - Rosy Pipit...Again!

Rosy Pipit - Again!

It was a typical afternoon at Long Valley, November is always a good time to visit as you usually can end up with quite a good range of species, including various Buntings etc. Upon arrival I immediately picked up several Yellow-breasted Buntings feeding in the paddies. I later saw a single female Rustic Bunting as well, although it did not stay still for a photo, while the long staying Black-headed Bunting is still around. One of the more interesting bird I saw was a male House Sparrow, they are still considered a rarity in Hong Kong, this species is likely expanding its range from the west, and they are now regularly recorded during the winter months.

Yellow-breasted Bunting

House Sparrow - male

I met Benjamin who saw a Buff-bellied Pipit in another field, so I decided to head over to take a look, along with fellow birders Mike Leven and Sam Baxter-Bray. As we were approaching the field, I explained to Sam that this was the exact same field I found a Rosy Pipit in 2017. We scanned for pipits in the field and soon picked up a pair, one was clearly a Buff-bellied Pipit, with typical dark coloured mantle that is faintly streaked.

Buff-bellied Pipit

The other bird however caught my attention, it was very well marked with streaked mantle, finer streakings on the breast compared with the Buff-bellied, plus a much more pronounce eyebrow. At that point various possibilities ran through my head, and this bird felt strangely familiar to me, on closer inspection I noticed the olive coloured edges to the primaries and tertiaries, and it clicked. A Rosy Pipit! This was surely a Deja Vu, what were the chances that I found yet another Rosy on the exact same field!? I asked Mike for a confirmation on this, and after a few minutes of observation, we both agreed this should be a Rosy Pipit in non-breeding plumage.

Rosy Pipit - pronounce eyebrow, streaked mantle and olive edges on primaries and tertiaries

We had great views of the bird for the next thirty minutes or so, before it flew off to another field. To my knowledge it was seen again the next morning, but a photo of a cat with a pipit had everyone believing the Rosy may have met its demise...Although some believe it was a Red-throated and not the Rosy, either way, feral cats is a huge problem for migratory birds.

Rosy Pipit

 At one of the overgrown ponds, an Eastern Water Rail had been fairly regularly making an appearance, I had a quick look before dark and saw it strutting along the edge. A Slaty-breasted Rail is also supposed to be present, although I didn't get to see it. A few Greater Painted Snipes were also at the same pond, coming out into the open at dusk.

Eastern Water Rail

Greater Painted Snipe - female

It had became a habit of mine to check in on Telford Gardens every so often in between jobs. While the long staying Middendorff's Gropper is still present, I was lucky enough to see this extremely confiding Lanceolated Warbler on my last visit, it was the most cooperative one I have ever seen, strolling along the flowerbed looking for food. I have always had a soft spot for this species, being quite a dainty bird compared with other grasshopper warblers, I find their streaking to be quite beautiful.

Lanceolated Warbler - so very friendly!