26 Mar 2011

On the Move

Along the casuarinas at Mai Po last Wednesday (23rd March) there were a few Black-faced (formerly "Masked") Buntings Emberiza spodocephala.

Most Masked Buntings winter in Hong Kong, but these came and went so quickly, they must be early passage migrants.




Blacked-faced Bunting (Emberiza spodocephala)


Elsewhere, there seemed to be a few more White-shouldered (formerly "Chinese") Starlings around than there have been in previous weeks.  They must be coming up from SE Asia. A few will breed here, but most will breed further north in China.

White-shouldered Starling (Sturnus sinensis)


And a few Oriental Pratincoles, behaving like newly-arrived and very tired on some fishpond banks near Mai Po Nature Reserve.

"Strange human !  Why are you lying in the road ?"

"Just trying to get a better angle...."


Some of my clothes were due for a wash, anyway.





5 comments:

  1. LOL, you have to say the Pratincole is right and on the whole us birders are a pretty strange lot........

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  2. Just saw a few Black-faced Buntings around here as well. The pratincole looks very cute...and I have to agree with Stu that birders are pretty strange lol

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  3. "Birders are strange..." Yes, I have to own up to this one !

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  4. nice! I got the oriental pratincole too. They seem to be quite settled along the pond area...i am pretty scared for them. since its so near the road...

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