8 Apr 2012

Easter Sunday at Po Toi Island, south of Hong Kong

It's exactly 45 kilometers from our place to the Po Toi Ferry, which leaves from Aberdeen, on the south side of Hong Kong Island.  The trip out to the island itself takes another 45 - 50 minutes.

Hong Kong is quite a small place, and we've become conditioned to thinking 45 km is a long way, - so why go to Po Toi ?

Well, it's a great place to see migrant birds that would be difficult to see anywhere else, and there always seem to be one or two surprises there, either on the island itself, or on the seas around it.






On the way out, over two hundred Red-necked Phalaropes - Phalaropus lobatus




And a small flock of Little Terns - Sterna albifrons 






Seen from the pier on arrival, a single Chinese Sparrowhawk - Accipiter soloensis




One of Po Toi's resident Pacific Reef Egrets - Egretta sacra




And a migrant Cattle Egret - Egretta garzetta



Also present were:- 


Pacific Swifts  - Apus pacificus




Lesser Frigatebird - Fregata ariel (seen here with Black Kite Milvus migrans)




Japanese Paradise Flycatcher - Terpsiphone atrocaudata


But the birds of the day for us were two Grey-faced Buzzards that skulked around the wooded area of the island all day.










Grey-faced Buzzard - Bustatur indicus


Good birds will always turn up on Po Toi,  - especially in April !

9 comments:

  1. Cracking lad, just cracking! I always look forward to your posts in April!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looks like a great boat trip John.........

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! Great shots especially the Buzzards.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a grand day out. I'm sorry I missed it :-(

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a really productive trip, John.
    I still haven't seen a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher even after 4 years in Japan. I've always missed it. The photos of the buzzards also look stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Some great flight shots. I'm jealous of the Japanese Paradise Flycatcher and the Grey-faced Buzzard pictures too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks everyone.... actually the Japanese Paradise Flycatcher was taken by Jemi, - that's teamwork !

    ReplyDelete
  8. Incredible day's birding! The photos really bring something extra - cattle egret is probably my favorite.

    ReplyDelete