We began our morning bright and early, as usual, expecting another slow day. Though this day may have lived up to those expectations, it was not without its highlights! First up, a “Little Brown Job”, that turned out to be a Brown-flanked Bush Warbler!
These are thought to carry out Summer Complete moults, making both juveniles and adults impossible to differentiate based on plumage. However, based on a closer inspection on the development of the skull, we could determine this individual as a 1st calendar year bird.
Next up, we had another real treat in the nets- our 3rd Japanese Paradise Flycatcher of the year! These are one of our most beautiful visitors, easily mistaken for the Amur Paradise Flycatcher (see how to differentiate these in Forest Ringing: Siberian Surprises). This individual shows a moult contrast between the moulted GCs and juvenile PCs, identifying it as a 1st calendar year bird!
Lastly, we returned to find a Swinhoe’s White eye! Though this is a pretty common Hong Kong species, we still have little information on their moulting strategies- though it is thought that both adults and juveniles carry out Summer Complete moults. However, once again we can look at the skull development to determine that this is a 1st calendar year bird!
Daily Totals
| Species | Original | Recapture |
| Brown-flanked Bush Warbler | 1 | 0 |
| Huet’s Fulvetta | 1 | 5 |
| Japanese Paradise Flycatcher | 1 | 0 |
| Pale-legged Leaf Warbler | 1 | 0 |
| Red-billed Leiothrix | 1 | 0 |
| Rufous-capped Babbler | 0 | 5 |
| Swinhoe’s White-eye | 1 | 0 |
*Please note that all wild birds, their nests, and eggs are highly protected (under Wild Animals Protection Ordinate, Cap. 170) in Hong Kong. It is an offence to willfully disturb, take, remove, or injure wild birds or their nests/eggs. The actions described here were undertaken by trained professionals holding the necessary licenses and permits issued by the AFCD.*
