October continues with the warm weather, and apparently the birds appreciated it just as much as us, with just four birds in the nets today. However, you know what they say, quality over quantity, and today brought a couple of wonderful surprises!
First up of the morning was a young, male Besra in the nets! This species is a resident of Hong Kong, and caught a few times in our nets each year. Like most raptors, they have complex moulting strategies, but do not usually begin to moult until they have reached their 2nd calendar year. The individual above showed no moult limits, and the clear juvenile-type buffy edges to the coverts. Furthermore, the small size allowed us to determine that this was a young male!
As the day wore on, hot, humid and sweaty, we waited for the birds. The day continued slow, but finally we ended with a gorgeous Japanese Paradise Flycatcher in the nets! Separating these from the similar Amur Paradises Flycatcher can be a little tricky, but generally the extent of grey-blue on the head and breast and colouration of the tail can be useful characteristics!
Daily Totals
| Species | Original | Recapture |
| Besra | 1 | 0 |
| Huet’s Fulvetta | 1 | 1 |
| Japanese Paradise Flycatcher | 1 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 3 | 1 |
*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.*
