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First “Twitch” of 2019 - Fire-capped Tit at KFBG
The Hong Kong birdwatching Society has a forum on its’ website and requests for bird identifications are often made.One such request appeared on 26th January, about a bird seen the previous day at...
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In praise of: - Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) - again !
Pied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudisPied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudisPied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudisPied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudisPied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudisPied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudisAll taken at Nam Sang...
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At Mai Po boardwalk, 7th March 2019
Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulvaA bit of rain had been forecast, but actually the rain was heavy indeed.Such wet weather would be more welcome in a month’s time when April rain might ground a...
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Robinson Crusoe Islands - a south Chile Seabirding Voyage, February/March...
This was a trip on Expedition Sailing Yacht Sauvage, planned and arranged by Kirk Zufelt. The usual complement of passengers is six, but due to last-minute family issues there were two droppers-out.So...
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Robinson Crusoe Islands - a south Chile Seabirding Voyage, February/March...
Part 2 - Across the Humboldt CurrentWe followed an outgoing tide at the north of Chiloe Island westwards into the open Pacific ocean.White-chinned Petrel - Procellaria aequinoctialisThe waves got...
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Robinson Crusoe Islands - a south Chile Seabirding Voyage, February/March...
Masatierra (DeFilippi’s) Petrel - Pterodroma defilippianaWe approached Robinson Crusoe Island shortly after daybreak, and anchored near the only settlement (San Juan Bautista). Robinson Crusoe...
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Little Curlew (Numenius minutus)
Little Curlew (Numenius minutus)Sunday, 19th April 2020News came via a WhatsApp birding group that a Little Curlew was parading around a small flooded paddy field in Long Valley.These long-distance...
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White-throated Needletails (Hirundapus caudacutus)
A rainy day in April seemed like it could be good for avian migrants, and sight of a single Chinese Sparrowhawk told me that I’d basically got the right idea.But it wasn’t until I got to Tsim Bei Tsui...
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Hong Kong Spring Migration 2020 - End of April
I was under compulsory quarantine for 14 days on my March 19th return from Chile/Australia, and could only go out from April 4th. Still, that makes me more fortunate than everyone else stuck indoors.So...
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“Marsh” Terns on northbound migration
White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus“Chlidonias…” Marsh Terns migrate through Hong Kong in spring and autumn. In spring they are much easier to identify at a distance, because they are in...
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Going “Cuckoo” - over a HK second record
Every year here in HK we get Large Hawk Cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparveroides), Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus ) and Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (Clamator coromandus). Each of these species seems to...
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About the light...
Anyone who fancies themselves as a photographer, as an “artist” needs to think about light, and its’ effects.On the subject, on the background, in front or from behind, how much or how little of it,...
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Ryukyu Scops Owl - a welcome stranger
In the spring of 2020 Jemi and I took part in the HKBWS Territory-wide Night Bird Survey. Our initial agreed route concluded at Fan Kam Road near Lin Tong Mei.Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) - July...
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Day and Night
There have been a lot of migrating Egrets around in the past couple of weeks, but for some real “Viz Mig” Jemi and I went to Mai Po late yesterday afternoon.Almost seven hundred Egrets of various kinds...
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The hunt for mid-October
Yes, I know that’s nonsense, but here we are. And there’s plenty of nonsense already on the internet !Throughout this month there have been southbound Whiskered Terns over the fishponds near HK’s...
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The “Awesome Foursome” at Telford Gardens, Kowloon Bay
The flowerbeds and planters of Telford Gardens have been host to an exotic variety of migrant birds through October 2020. Consider: -Middendorff’s Grasshopper WarblerLanceolated WarblerPallas’s...
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Raptor Rapture in early Winter
Blogger has put these in reverse order and I’m demonstrating my maturity by not being fagged to try to reverse them back...Anyhow, a close-ish Black-winged Kite fly-by gave a short thrill.And a...
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New Territories, New Year
Clear and cool, and we enjoyed the view of Ma Tso Lung, here with Shenzhen in the background,House Swift, one of the first birds of the New Year....At Mai Po in the evening, Pied Avocets in a frisky...
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Mid-winter ground frost
We’re at sea level here, but several kilometres from the nearest warming ocean at Mai Po.Frosty plants are a novelty to photograph, but cold weather can be an extra hazard for wildlife.Wood...
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On the beach at Pak Nai, northwest New Territories
A couple of days ago we bashed out to Pak Nai in the Wild West of the New Territories, to try to see the Oystercatcher first reported there some weeks ago.Pak Nai overlooks Deep Bay, famous in Hong...
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