We’re finally back in the forest, with the weather thankfully cooling down a little, and finally some birds!
The Minivets have finally returned (to the nets), and it seems they have been busy! This individual seems to be one of the first fledglings of the season, with juvenile feathers still present in the head and body. These can be identified by a more brown base colour with yellow tips and overall wear compared to the more olive and fresh feathers. In the wing, we can see that most is juvenile, except for some olive and fresh Lesser and Median Coverts. Therefore we can tell this is a 1st calendar year Grey-chinned Minivet!
Next up was another 1st calendar year bird- a Fork-tailed Sunbird! This bird was aged by the skull development, and the wing suggests that this bird has an all juvenile wing and tail. It should be noted that a lot of species in juvenile plumage have female-colouration until their first moult, so these individuals cannot be sexed.
Finally, a more intriguing individual, in the form of a Hainan Blue Flycatcher. Now this bird did show a moult limit in the wing, with the outermost Greater Covert being older than than others. However, young Flycatchers typically carry out summer partial and winter partial moults, while the adults carry out Summer Complete and also winter partial moults. What this means is that, by Spring, both adults and juveniles COULD show moult limits in the Greater Coverts by Spring. Therefore, to determine the age of this bird, we must be able to age the old feathers. Normally, moult limits found in adults are pretty difficult to detect, due to the old adult feathers being the same “type” as the moulted feathers, and thus showing less of a contrast. Conversely, juvenile feathers should be rather obvious by Spring, being more worn and bleached and less dense than the moulted feathers. This is what is seen in the individual above, making this a 2nd calendar year female Hainan Blue Flycatcher!
Daily Totals
| Species | Original | Recapture |
| Crested Goshawk | 0 | 1 |
| Fork-tailed Sunbird | 2 | 0 |
| Grey-chinned Minivet | 2 | 0 |
| Hainan Blue Flycatcher | 2 | 0 |
| Huet’s Fulvetta | 2 | 1 |
| Orange-headed Thrush | 2 | 0 |
| Red-billed Leiothrix | 1 | 0 |
| Red-whiskered Bulbul | 2 | 0 |
| Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler | 0 | 1 |
| Swinhoe’s White-eye | 2 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 15 | 3 |
*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 wilfully 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.*
