2025 Wrap up and New Year Rarities

The elusive Hen Harrier has been reported by others for months in the Mai Po and San Tin area , however despite me trying for it multiple times, I still hadn't seen it! There was no way to chase the harrier as it flew in random places in search of food, the best chance of seeing it was waiting in either hides for a long time or just getting lucky! On my 7th try near the end of 2025, I finally got lucky as I was on my way out. I was searching for the previously reported Thick Billed Warbler, when I oticed a harrier with an extremely pale belly circling over me!, and I quickly got my bins on it. As I thought, it was the long-awaited Hen Harrier. I only had it in view for around 40 seconds, then it flew off at speed into the distance. 

几个月来，其他人都报告在米埔和新田一带发现白尾鹞，但我尽管多次尝试，却始终未能见到它的身影！由于它四处觅食，最好的办法要么是在隐蔽处长时间守候，要么就是碰碰运气！2025年底，我第七次尝试寻找它，终于在离开时幸运地看到了。当时我正在寻找之前有人报告的厚嘴苇莺，突然发现一只腹部颜色极浅的鹞在我头顶盘旋！我只观察了它大约40秒，它便迅速飞向远方。

Hen Harrier（白尾鹞）

Other than the Harrier, there was a great diversity of raptors in Mai Po. For example, from just the Osprey Hide I actually found an Osprey sitting on a tree right outside of it!

除了鹞之外，米埔还有种类繁多的猛禽。例如，我仅仅在鱼鹰观察站外就发现了一只栖息在树上的鱼鹰！

Osprey（鱼鹰）

There were other raptors, including Imperial Eagle and Eastern Marsh Harriers. There were others, but they were all too far or fast for photos.

还有其他猛禽，包括白肩鵰和白腹鷂。还有其他的，但是她们太远或速度太快，无法拍照。

Imperial Eagle（白肩鵰）

Eastern Marsh Harrier（白腹鷂）

The 4 Ferruginous Ducks were continuing at Tam Kon Chau Road, and in the new year a Baer's Pochard joined them! However, I didn't have the time to see the Baer's and I only have some older photos of the Ferruginous Ducks before they all flew off. 

有四只白眼潜鸭在担竿洲路，新年的时候有一只青頭潛鴨加入了他们。我没有时间去看青頭潛鴨，我只有一些白眼潜鸭在全部飞走之前的旧照片。

Ferruginous Ducks（白眼潜鸭）

There were other common wintering ducks too, including Northern Pintails, which showed nicely. 

还有其他常见的越冬鸭，包括针尾鸭，它们看起来很漂亮。

Northern Pintail（针尾鸭）

When news of an Ancient Murrelet circled around WhatsApp groups of someone posting it Xiaohungshu, I was immediately interested, as this was another bird which I hadn't see before. When it got reported the next day, I decided I would go the following day. When I went, the Murrelet swam in really close and provided great views! I was extremely lucky on that I went that day, as on the next the bird had disappeared and was never seen again!

有人在小红书放了一段视频问一只鸟是什么，原来是一只扁嘴海雀！我没见过，所以我想有时间去。我去的时候，海雀游得很近码头！我很幸运的，因为我看完之后第二天不见了！

Ancient Murrelet（扁嘴海雀）

I visited Pak Sha O for the first time, mainly for the long-staying Bull-headed Shrike and Hill Blue Flycatcher. This site is a bit hard to get to, as it is in a restricted area so in order to visit we can either take the minibus or taxi. After a while of waiting at the supposed spot of the Hill Blue Flycatcher, it flew out and gave amazing views for a few minutes. 

我第一次去白沙澳，主要是为了看山蓝仙鹟和牛頭伯勞。在山蓝仙鹟的出没地点等了一会儿后，它终于飞了出来，让我欣赏了几分钟。

Hill Blue Flycatcher（山蓝仙鹟）

After getting the flycatcher, I decided to walk around the main trail at Pak Sha O towards Lai Chi Chong. I didn't see many birds, mainly due to the fact that the trees were extremely dense and hard to find birds. There were some, including White Bellied Erpornises, Speckled Piculet, Pallas' Leaf Warbler and Mountain Bulbul.

拍到鹟后，我决定沿着白沙澳的主路往荔枝莊方向走。因为树木非常茂密，很难找到鸟，所以没看到多少鸟。不过还是看到了一些，比如白腹凤鹛，斑姬啄木鸟和绿翅短脚鹎。

White Bellied Erpornis（白腹凤鹛）

Speckled Piculet（斑姬啄木鸟）

Mountain Bulbul（绿翅短脚鹎）

I also heard a Fujian Niltava, saw a Orange Bellied Leafbird and encountered a huge feeding flock of 15 Japanese Thrushes feeding on berries by the bridge. A White Rumped Shama also hopped out from the undergrowth for a look before I headed out. 

我还听到了棕腹大仙鶲的叫声，看到了橙腹葉鵯，并在桥边遇到了一大群正在吃浆果的烏灰鶇。在我离开之前，一只白腰鹊鸲也从灌木丛中跳出来看了看。

Japanese Thrush（烏灰鶇）

White Rumped Shama（白腰鹊鸲）

I had looked for the Bull-Headed Shrike for some time now, and I decided to leave afterwards when the bird was clearly hiding and now out in the open. As I was walking out of the farmland area, I noticed a shrike sized bird fly out of the trees by the footpath, and it turned out to be the Bull Headed Shrike! I took a few photographs before it flew off to the opposite side of the field.

我找牛头伯劳已经有一段时间了，后来它出现在开阔地带，于是我决定离开。当我走出农田时，我注意到一只体型和伯劳差不多大小的鸟从路边的树丛中飞出来，结果发现它正是牛头伯劳！我赶紧拍了几张照片，然后它就飞到了田地的另一边。

Bull Headed Shrike（牛頭伯勞）

A few Eastern Cattle Egret also flew in to feed in the large field. 

有几只牛背鷺飞到田里面。

Eastern Cattle Egret（牛背鷺）

I have beed visiting Tai Po Kau multiple times for the White-spectacled Warbler recently, however I missed it multiple times, and once one by only 10 minutes! However, I did see other birds, including an extremely showy Pygmy Cupwing.

最近我多次前往大埔滘寻找白眶鶲鶯，但都没见。不过，我确实看到了其他鸟类，包括一只非常艳丽的小鳞胸鹪鹛。

Pygmy Cupwing（小鳞胸鹪鹛）

The flowering trees at Tai Po Kau Park has now started to bloom, attracting many birds and bird waves. One of the first birds I saw when I got there was an Ashy Drongo, perched with a Great Barbet. 

大埔滘公园的开花树木已经开始开花，吸引了许多鸟类前来觅食。我到达公园后最先看到的鸟儿之一是灰卷尾，它正和一只大拟啄木鸟一起。

Ashy Drongo and Great Barbet（灰卷尾和大拟啄木鸟）

I soon found a few Hair Crested Drongos feeding on the nectars of the flowers, and they provided great eye level views. 

我很快发现几只发冠卷尾正在吸食花蜜，它们提供了很好的视线高度。

Hair Crested Drongo

As I left, I also managed a Black Winged Cuckooshrike perching on the same tree as the drongos and barbets. 

离开时，我还看到一只暗灰鵑鵙在高树上。

Black Winged Cuckooshrike（暗灰鵑鵙）

A Forest Wagtail had been reported at Tai Tong at the start of Janurary, and as I haven't seen this bird before, I decided to go try go get this. Within ten minutes of my arrival, I almost stepped on the bird as it was crossing the path! We enjoyed amazing views of the bird for over half an hour, before it flew off when hikers passed.

有一只山鶺鴒在大堂一个月了，因为我没见过我就试一下去看一看。我到达不到十分钟，就差点踩到那只正在过马路的鸟！

Forest Wagtail（山鶺鴒）

There had been a female Fujian Niltava at Kings Park for over a month, however I didn't have the time to go until mid-Janurary, and even then I waited for a long time to see it. After a few hour's wait, the niltava finally flew out near dusk, and it showed nicely as it hopped out to the final branch which had light. 

一只棕腹大仙鶲已经在京士柏待了一个多月了，但我直到一月中旬才有时间去看它，而且我也等了很久才看到它。等了几个小时后，棕腹大仙鶲终于在黄昏时分飞了出来，它跳到最后一根有光的树枝上！

Fujian Niltava（棕腹大仙鶲）

Another birder had found the hopwoodi Ashy Drongo in my patch, in the nearby Butterfly Valley. I paid a visit to it, however it always stayed high up in the trees and flew off with the other Ashy Drongos after a while. 

其他人发现了一只‘Hopwoodi’的灰卷尾，这个就是黑一点的灰卷尾。我去了一次，但是它很远，很快就飞走了。

Hopwoodi Ashy Drongo 1（Hopwoodi 灰卷尾 #1）

I also found another hopwoodi Ashy Drongo in the Kam Shan area, which brung the total to two hopwoodi drongos wintering in Kam Shan. This was an exceptional count, as we usually get one or none each winter. This one showed better, as it was closer and eye level. 

 我还发现了第二只‘Hopwoodi’ 灰卷尾在不同的地方，我觉得有两只Hopwoodi 灰卷尾在金山郊野公园！这次的数量非常罕见，因为我们通常每年冬天只能看到一只或一只。

Hopwoodi Ashy Drongo 2（Hopwoodi 灰卷尾 #2）

December Birds

Tai Po Kau has been hosting a few rarities this season, including White Spectacled Warbler and Emei Leaf Warbler. I visited this site three times, and each time I got a good range of birds. Chestnut Bulbuls were a staple of every bird wave, and usually a few came down low to feed, while a Mountain Bulbul was preening. 

大埔滘有几只罕见的鸟，例如白眶鹟莺和峨眉柳莺。我去了三次，每一次都看了很多鸟，有栗背短腳鵯和綠翅短腳鵯。

Chestnut Bulbul（栗背短腳鵯）

Mountain Bulbul（綠翅短腳鵯）

Some of our most common forest species at Tai Po Kau is the Huet's Fulvetta, and each time I visited I managed to get some good eye level shots.

我们在大埔滘看的最多的鸟类是黑眉雀鶥 ，每次都看到。

Huet's Fulvetta（黑眉雀鶥 ）

I have longed to see Bay Woodpeckers for years, and on one of my visits I finally got the chance when a trio of them started calling loudly around me. With some playback, one of the females came down for a few seconds. Afterwards, when checking photos I found that it was ringed. 

我一直渴望见到黄嘴啄木鸟，终于在一次旅行中如看到，当时三只黄嘴啄木鸟在我周围大声鸣叫。我播放了一些录音，其中一只雌鸟飞下来停留了几秒钟。之后，查看照片时，我发现它身上戴着脚环。

Bay Woodpecker（黄嘴啄木鸟）

On my third and last visit to Tai Po Kau, I finally connected with the long-staying Emei Leaf Warbler. I first picked up it's loud and ringing song in a bird wave, then located it feeding low down. However, the warbler moved fast, and I only managed a blurry record shot of it before I lost it. 

我最后一次去大埔滘终于看到了峨眉柳莺。我听到了他很大声的歌，但是它很快，拍了一个记录相片。

Emei Leaf Warbler（峨眉柳莺）

Mai Po has been pretty birdy this season, with rare birds everywhere including a Brahminy Kite and Hen Harrier. However, despite trying multiple times for the Hen Harrier, I still failed in finding it, every time I went to Mai Po it was found somewhere else nearby. The only rare raptor I managed to see was a Brahminy Kite. 

米埔这个冬天都挺多鸟，有栗鳶和白尾鹞，但是我自己看到了栗鳶，

Brahminy Kite（栗鳶）

Other than the kite, I also had other commoner raptors, including Black Kites, Pied Harrier, Eastern Marsh Harriers and Greater Spotted Eagle. 

除了栗鳶，还有黑鳶，鹊鹞，白腹鹞和烏鵰。

Black Kite（黑鳶）

Pied Harrier（鹊鹞）

Eastern Marsh Harrier（白腹鹞）

Greater Spotted Eagle（烏鵰）

There were also lots of ducks in the area, including Northern Pintails, Eurasian Wigeons and Northern Shovelers. 

还有很多鸭子在附近，有针尾鸭，赤頸鴨和琵嘴鴨。

Northern Pintail（针尾鸭）

Eurasian Wigeon and Northern Shoveler（赤頸鴨和琵嘴鴨）

Other than our most common duck species, there were also a few rarer ones, including multiple Falcated Ducks and at least five Mallards. Mallards may seem common in many countries, however in Hong Kong they are considered an uncommon winter visitor.

稀有的鸭子又看到了是羅紋鴨和綠頭鴨。

Falcated Duck（羅紋鴨）

Mallard（綠頭鴨）

There were four Ferruginous Ducks found in a fishpond along Tam Kon Chau Road, which was another rarity. They were in a pond with Litte Grebes, and there were one male and three females, all of them were stable and in the same pond. 

有四只白眼潛鴨在米埔的擔杆洲路的鱼塘，和小鸊鷉一起。

Ferruginous Ducks（白眼潛鴨）

Chinese Grosbeaks have returned to Mai Po for the winter, I usually find them outside the public toilet at Pak Hok Chau, and on the day I visited it was not exception, with there being a flock of around 10-15 in the trees above. 

黑尾蠟嘴雀回来了米埔，我在米埔的白鶴洲看到。

Chinese Grosbeak（黑尾蠟嘴雀）

Another rarity which I found was a flyover of a Vega Gull, which was weird since I saw it in the Gei Wai and not in the mudflats. 

我看到了一只海鸥飞过，原来它是一只稀有的西伯利亚银鸥。

Vega Gull（西伯利亚银鸥）

There has been more Eurasian Spoonbills in recent years, you can find at least one or two in a large flock of Black Faced Spoonbills.

今年又多几只白琵鷺，一个黑面琵鷺群可以看到一到两只。

Eurasian Spoonbill（白琵鷺）

I spotted many White Cheeked Starlings around the reserve, however they all remained far and didn't come close. 

米埔里面还有很多只灰椋鳥。

White Cheeked Starling（灰椋鳥）

Purple Herons, despite their size, are often skittish and like skulking in tall grass and reedbeds, unlike the Gray Herons. I was lucky enough for a buzzard to scare this one out of the grass and perch out in the open for a while. 

虽然草鹭很大，他们经常雷在高高的草里面，一只鵟飞过久它飞出来了。

Purple Heron（草鹭）

I visited Ma Tso Lung, where a Water Pipit had been found. As I arrived at the sight, I saw a crowd of admirers already on the bird. The pipit stood out from the other pipits like a sore thumb, mainly because of it's lack of streaking on the belly and an overall pale body. 

我去了馬草壟，那里发现了一只水鹨。我到达时，看到一群人已经围着这只鸟了。

Water Pipit（水鷚）

Other than the Water Pipit, I also saw a Red Throated Pipit, which was feeding alongside the Water Pipit.

还有一只红喉鹨。 

Red Throated Pipit - Water Pipit behind（红喉鹨）

There were also other birds around, including Long Tailed Shrike.

有一只棕背伯勞在吃东西。

Long Tailed Shrike（棕背伯勞）

Tai Sang Wai has been getting a lot of attention recently by the photographers, so I paid a visit. The rarest bird present there was an Eared Grebe, which had stayed for a long time and would presumably stay the rest of the winter. On my visit, it stayed in the middle of the fishpond and remained far. 

最近大生围很受摄影爱好者的关注，所以我也去那里探访了看看。那里最稀有的鸟类是一只黑頸鸊鷉，它停留了几个星期。

Eared Grebe（黑頸鸊鷉）

Great Crested Grebes is mainly a costal species, wintering in the ocean in the New Territiories. However, one turned up in another fishpond next to the Eared Grebe, and this one came much closer than the other grebe.

凤头䴙䴘主要栖息于沿海地区，在新界的海域越冬。然而，一只凤头䴙䴘出现在耳䴙䴘旁边的另一个鱼塘里，而且这只凤头䴙䴘比黑頸鸊鷉离得更近。

Great Crested Grebe（凤头䴙䴘）

At the catchwater near where I live, all the wintering birds seemed to have settled down. Some new birds for the catchwater was Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher, Sulphur Breasted Warbler and Hartert's Leaf Warbler. 

在我家附近的集水区，所有越冬的鸟类都回来了。一些新来的鸟类也来到了这里，例如方尾鶲，黑眉柳莺和华南冠纹柳莺。

 

Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher（方尾鶲）

Sulphur Breasted Warbler（黑眉柳莺）

Hartert's Leaf Warbler（华南冠纹柳莺）

There were a few other commoner warblers, including Pallas' Leaf, Two Barred and Eastern Crowned Warblers.

我都看到普通的莺，比如黄腰柳莺，雙斑綠柳鶯

Pallas' Leaf Wabler（黄腰柳莺）

Two Barred Warbler（雙斑綠柳鶯）

Eastern Crowned Warbler（冕柳莺）

The rarest of all the warblers was found in a mixed flock, which was the Chestnut Crowned Warbler! At first I thought it was a Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher due to it's similar size and colors, but upon closer inspection it turned out to have a chestnut crown!

在所有莺类中，最稀有的竟然是栗头鶲莺！起初我以为它是方尾鶲，因为它体型和颜色都和方尾鶲很像，但仔细观察后发现它头顶的羽毛是栗色的！

Chestnut Crowned Warbler（栗头鶲莺）

The local birds have also been extremely active, I found Rufous Capped Babblers, Common Tailorbirds and Black Throated Laughingthrushes very active in the open, I usually overlook them but it was nice to take a while to photograph them.  

当地的鸟类也非常活跃，我发现红头穗鹛，长尾缝叶莺和黑喉噪鹛，很高兴能抽出时间来拍摄它们。

Rufous Capped Babbler（红头穗鹛）

Common Tailorbird（长尾缝叶莺）

Black Throated Laughingthrush（黑喉噪鹛）

I will write the rest of the birds seen in December in another post later in the month, and will add the bird totals for 2025.

Happy New Year!

我会在下一月晚些时候的另一篇文章中写出12月份观察到的其他鸟类，并补充2025年的鸟类。

新年快乐！