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!

Long Valley - Buntings and A bit More

I've always found November quite a good time to visit Long Valley, with late autumn migrants still passing through as well as arriving winter visitors, it is usually teaming with life. This year it's no exception, with a good variety of interesting birds on show. One of which was the Black-headed Bunting which had been around, I finally caught up with one last week. Funny thing was that a few days later when I visited again the same bird had already been ringed by the bird ringing group of HKBWS, number A13. This species used to be much rarer in Hong Kong, but seems to have became a regular winter visitor ever since they replanted rice.

Black-headed Bunting - before and after ringing

Other buntings were in good numbers, I missed the Yellow-browed Bunting that a few birders saw, but there were plenty of Black-faced Buntings and Chestnut-eared Buntings around the paddies.

Black-faced Bunting

Chestnut-eared Bunting

Of course, you can't leave out the Yellow-breasted Buntings which had been in fairly good numbers, although nothing like what we used to have...I counted a flock of 9 birds flying together, but considering there were probably more in the paddies, my estimated count will be around 15 - 20 birds. I saw plenty enjoying a good meal in the paddies, a clear demonstration why they are called the "rice birds" in China. The other birds also enjoying the extra food at the harvested paddies were a few Oriental Turtle Dove, all of which were pretty confiding as they munched on the left over rice.

Yellow-breasted Bunting - male and female

Oriental Turtle Dove

House Sparrows attracted a few birders to "twitch", a male soon appeared not long after the reported female, they foraged together with the Tree Sparrows. I personally don't find them very exciting, but a nice rarity to have around anyway (yes I guess I can be very ungrateful sometimes). The other rarity on site being the Black Redstart, but since I had already seen it a few times plus taken good photographs I didn't bother too much looking for it.

House Sparrow - male

The Ruddy-breasted Crake had been showing well. It even came out to the open to preen and stretch it's wings for me one afternoon! It was a weekday and no one was around, I guess it feels much safer with less disturbance. Oriental Reed Warblers are also in good numbers, they occasionally showed well like this one, which perched long enough for me to get a good photo. The other species that often attracts a lot of attention from birders are the Chinese Penduline Tits, I think it's because their "panda eyes" are just so cute, a few of them were visiting the same patch of paddies as the crake, one of which gave cracking views.

Ruddy-breasted Crake

Oriental Reed Warbler

Chinese Penduline Tit

Finally, a single Northern House Martin within a flock of Barn and Red-rumped Swallows. Another species that seems to have increased in numbers slightly, something to do with a shift in their migration route perhaps?

Northern House Martin

Awesome Autumn!

Pallas's Reed Bunting - Definitely my BIRD OF THE DAY

Just when I thought the week of late October and early November cannot get any better, the birds once again surprised me. The weekend that followed was nearly just as productive, the rarities that I've already seen during the week just made the two days even more impressive.

I drove to Tai Sang Wai early morning once again, mainly to try for the Pallas's Reed Bunting which John Clough reported the day before, a species which I still needed on my Hong Kong list. So, off I went to the supposed location, I walked around twice but with no luck...so naturally I went back to the Rook site, a few birding friends were already there trying to get some better photos of the Rook. The crow was not so cooperative though, it was flying back and forth Mai Po and Tai Sang Wai, views were quite distant, I didn't quite mind as I already got quite decent photos from the week before. Still a nice bird to see none the less.

Rook - old news, but still a rarity...

Seeing that the Rook did not feel like being friendly, other guys decided to head to Long Valley to try for the Black Redstart. The lack of friendly birds was made up for with a Eurasian Skylark which literally blocked our way by standing in the middle of the road, what choice did we have but to get out and take some photos! I've never had Eurasian Skylarks in the open like this, so it's nice to finally get some decent photos of this species.

Eurasian Skylark - friendliest Skylark ever?

We got to the location of the Pallas's Reed Bunting and decided to try once again. Scanned the whole area without much luck, I thought the bird was gone for sure. Just as I felt defeated and was about to give up, a bird suddenly perched on top of a blade of grass, and what else could it be but my target bird! A lifer and a Hong Kong tick! This species is a rare winter visitor in Hong Kong, with only a handful of records each year. Their bills comparatively smaller then other buntings, it is also quite dainty and slim. The bird fed on the seeds on the road constantly and allowed really good views when on the ground.

Pallas's Reed Bunting - a long awaited tick!

After the bunting we went over to Long Valley, having gotten some terrible photos of the Black Redstart the other day I wanted to get a better photo, and was in luck when the bird flew close and showed really well for a good few minutes for everyone to enjoy! Having successfully gotten the shots that I wanted, I walked around Long Valley shortly.

Black Redstart - much closer this time...

A bird perched on the wire caught my attention, I initially thought it was some sort of Bunting, but a closer look reveal it to be some kind of Sparrow. I walked closer, where Henry Lui was already on the bird and photographing it. I initially thought it was a female Russet Sparrow, but the more I looked the more it felt strange, and I suddenly realise this could well be a female House Sparrow! It's back and head patterns are not as contrasty, while it's bill shape and head looked overall larger in proportion to the body. It wasn't immediately a straight forward ID, but after some discussion it was confirm that this was a female House Sparrow. For many birders from abroad, this may not sound very exciting...but this is genuinely a rare bird in Hong Kong with only a handful of records in the past! So, despite this being just a House Sparrow, it was quite a nice find.

House Sparrow - yes, it's super rare

I visited Mai Po briefly afterwards, mainly to try for a reported Barred Cuckoo-dove, although it later turned out the report to be an escaped Barred-shouldered Dove...my time there was not wasted! I managed to FINALLY get a good shot of a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler present next to the public toilet, I've always wanted to get a decent photo, and this relatively friendly individual perched just long enough for me to get a few clear shots. Also present was a male Black-naped Monarch, which was far less friendly (surprise surprise...) then the warbler, but still a nice bird to see.

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler

Black-naped Monarch - male

It's amazing to think that with the House Sparrow and Pallas's Reed Bunting, I added a total of 6 new species to my Hong Kong list! That's usually half a year worth of new species for me! This will sure remain to become one of my most memorable birding week in Hong Kong (so far).