Back again in the paddyfields for the last in a very short Spring season. It seems like not many birds are around anywhere this season, so we say one final goodbye to our paddy birds until Autumn!
Our 2nd calendar Scaly-breasted Munia have now almost fully changed into breeding plumage, making them very difficult to distinguish from adults. Here, we can see just one or two juvenile feathers left in the young bird (lower), and that the wing is in an active complete moult. In the upper bird, we can see this moult is completed, but is this a 2nd calendar year bird that has finished its moult, or an adult? These individuals are safest left as 2nd calendar year or older.
Another highlight of the day were two gorgeous Greater Painted-Snipes! This species is one which carries out polyandry, where females will fight over the males (the opposite than is typically expected), meaning the females are more bright and ‘pretty’ (subjectively, of course) than the males. However, the two individuals above are more ‘drab’, and thus are two males. Sorry boys!
Daily Totals
| Species | Original | Recapture |
| Greater Painted-snipe | 2 | 0 |
| Scaly-breasted Munia | 5 | 0 |
| Wood Sandpiper | 3 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 10 | 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 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.*
