Typhoon Usagi came and went last weekend, and its' tidal surge damaged some of Mai Po's floating boardwalk hides, which are now closed for repair.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzLe3rOwCG1HExKHrBL3RYy8Iggsrq73_ZK4yUv5A0MO1ihzeufNVUicVJADz6L0Rs26_daf3Gr5GqaT8vr6-qpS_Z3yHSqStOdftUuKlz8LfF_Pr7nnsCu39ZCU_5K8tvG1l5HWh8WXf/s1600/Blog130928_jjh12-01.jpg) |
Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius |
So I've dusted off a present Jonathan Martinez gave me a few months ago; the
Tragopan V3 hide.
A short drive from home is a broad storm drain that Hong Kong's commoner waterbirds find irresistible.
There is plenty of space to park a standalone hide at the edge of the water.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrUhAS9z1lKU6jXLLDdnEIlFF-Vap1vKsJhYt3SbcremE59mtRTA8wpLoIdNwYNnUc8XxfRbApDQvfh16QamPSo_w__zKbwk_K3HKP3m1Haf6EJcweR0nKUq3CuF-yGWbF5wjmB6_ZCTr/s1600/Hide_jjh04-01.jpg) |
Tragopan V3 hide in situ |
Here's the view from the hide...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyQh_QGejv6Lj9JN07cIBc_w7AngSdsQVu8BH3PB20dXtT-6XZBk5ytmpvKl13u1wNr7SdGz4ro0m13DTTai1zYZ4HakpVWQ2SHmEz2Yp_4-Vo3Tz8QIlsOOTwd8LbCYoPTYTQcTUbcAz/s1600/Blog130928_jjh19-01.jpg) |
Up the creek... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaL0mNzYGwz-_QxcCoWX_Qk0EmXHQV8bIFkkXTfHHG8yrEn68cWm40d0kPLcxPkNHU5WeH_8sAKk1ZV_OZveD6OXxaK-T6KMO2ZegVDPw0_deRwVQpqH8rBj-xaMhxHdlyzFoWPc7poSEe/s1600/Blog130928_jjh20-01.jpg) |
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXmELyTy8_NIBNaPDC6Xn4hWzS42HhQBH-cxFyQ4dabx2f3zKHScLbm3QYDWHZ5Y33amV3zeVcFYuY03iKmJ5pmyi2L-Ri0k2zs6EDdWSLDb3pP_Fmilw2Ihtrwo2VOA-RKCfZefOoxRK/s1600/Blog130928_jjh18-01.jpg) |
In the driving seat |
At this time of the year I was hoping for a the odd exotic migrant, but was happy to settle for close views of a variety of the more common passage migrant and winter visitors...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KbMXu6kLalKZdtFHjnDbcWNVBwWIBy7YdvRhcZ2XKitfAaaejw8WIqYSGvJR7fbpI5Epz1MnZYeyzqwhnU424FKMYRBseub96oQOeI2Mjpb-jDZm9TarNEDlGlM1gQh-7aIh8wchuuF6/s1600/Blog130928_jjh04-01.jpg) |
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRERxJFKjWLcnQKLjAKCJGrrBDFmjgLT7kEgPQSnkQtedvStsBOqRXOnu-IqY6HGaw3SRA0t0rBdnKFsZx3SeTWMrcM8eTRikcJhg-niTxpZclpCdOU07pmThgjr6HTAw3z-uE6IrkjvaG/s1600/Blog130928_jjh03-01.jpg) |
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3jWjrDCSk1rYDBL_UK22FB75CvBFkTTZA3FOcjTvVxy7D6r1-zlcZ09fAKyfFY4YD4mVhHxH7f-KUHfmlX9h-JHmPFTowSZeWurwoYkR7k8tiiNqfRBWj7mdjJm47rfyDOGbIW73ZMCr/s1600/Blog130928_jjh08-01.jpg) |
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn6QAq9xcdFstbyIEUWeutjyYS27L2jy48wXlnZDa3HOIY6Fl1PNiwedrBvZNV3pxhCz1h6Xj2BAdxQOKcUtdb6GcAVFUVLofDSExtaJBDZJDNbxsgy2ixQr6gFDzAbLfBJqi8hTyojAg/s1600/Blog130928_jjh05-01.jpg) |
Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IoggwXVS_2ares3aNT5xYXEjc3bc87cMP5paxzy-UN7igMfQvp_sjjqO4_RJX5FqRIlEjG1DGs-ILUn11b5qbISrHk2s_pyoK2u0LSDnRRa-co1FLQ0sxA9_qfWgxNR5wI9MQvQZRObJ/s1600/Blog130928_jjh07-01.jpg) |
Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0n2ZQ-k7hv0q8sui7De5rPLdW6uGVWXYF5qs706oyWaTvgbDJeHuVhw2HJ-Ihs0QeoOEyBxjxVFUlUTQy89sNuNVgjCbRyYWS6k5LSkSKN0AwkCHlOseY_Y7NJkYAh8ukhUii49JFjqV/s1600/Blog130928_jjh02-01.jpg) |
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0WZ7re2F9PgGOTCXSH38S2dsXqmPiRA6TFYeBM_9H6LaHwdoxV1KHZIrjlI3JoZpehGL4chOd6cNecU1Z9mY2N7l4Jtb72Z7a-tpw36hS2yAThJe8wIvdKh5xLM3CiARjni8Aw7J1K3p/s1600/Blog130928_jjh13-01.jpg) |
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxl9EiRJ7u7wsIJQiOEwOavqo3x0uRIcVlistAYQEZAJuU7rP8d6DutEhyphenhypheniDfeTtS5wN3xPL4N6JYhAqaBBSUcUz-NoflAiqI5HBiOGwA-Gc3cYUXku_ol7lROmXJxw1UIy1BAhJOYhDG0/s1600/Blog130928_jjh14-01.jpg) |
Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEp7orjhSfCnj6TWxAQtbg3M9kqmA_sHX2gT6pyC10MYPq6ICrtBTaxjL7ygWUgJ6z9mrDXNLK_YiYDc0zUwrV2JewJxhzNeVInj7FnSMdLtpDVQmNMSx2lkJe38R0Mhv44iUmFZZ0NR_U/s1600/Blog130928_jjh11-01.jpg) |
(Juvenile) Black-crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wBkYa3Xg1lKFMt-IrWWAjg0-sV-x7BHUO02CAdRd7_q-dqjboJQdew90hvlONqba36SnagkezuMp1IfXyDSgRqyqMt8jTBaaPXpcA5FaU5TU75NVo8h2xnkZIb-R9ia1OvQsIoYsghho/s1600/Blog130928_jjh22-01.jpg) |
Chinese Pond Heron - Ardeola bacchus |
Here's a video of Jonathan demonstrating folding up the hide. My hand-eye co-ordination is pretty poor, but even I can do it !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y4hXJWmn8I&feature=player_embedded
There are eight small windows (top of each hide "face") for good all-round vision, and -if required- more than one of the four large windows can be used simultaneously.
A couple more pics..
More bird photos to close with...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIh5UAQUROXprIgT87KARXqr2gzRM5g4SKcktIHzH9dObCN00ovUpWbAgALzhBvYQjooIcqpYh7YRorAXxKhLusbaghUQJFxlJs6DJGZTeJv_AonAKK7ASd6OO5Oo4t-Jmk8u32IQSmbOa/s1600/Blog130928_jjh01-01.jpg) |
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8sbzCeOeKRlsaZj0p96PCFHIWd_Piu9QUtQuhk7p_XqTTfebgkrkQMStJ7IpiLFLyC9ZQQKX8Us4MN-zOjMad2HzcIWQcPatTW6ch3n97Sci4EPKV-Ww5CRDpUMIbXkS0pVQTRt_jJfp/s1600/Blog130928_jjh10-01.jpg) |
"Amur" Wagtail - Motacilla alba leucopsis |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQeh8vtqV5eRjZN5jsMxFPWQxKnnieTkP-Vwwleor36zCwIGfhBw6nT6FWrARfYzkoOqKCiRDHHKPNatKCHoaktwNhEDlpkG5_VKRW3GcAb_LfEh2oKaqDWeb6Kik6Qv6lFcQfyKd9qA6/s1600/Blog130928_jjh16-01.jpg) |
Great Egret - Casmerodius albus |
So the hide was very useful. One "Bonus Bird" for the morning was this : -
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2i1KfPnoay5HCNGfpIEa6ChvQJBBHfVVM2RXYI1qKepUXxZDblDeM0jua0fQmJS8oVNa5u-6jjt4cbX6g4KXoLOkZ4FxJQ0dZQgZhylVVKtLI96Lz47Pe6fsfYRYqJu8qa4mCX8uJLpV/s1600/Blog130928_jjh06-01.jpg) |
Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis |
A reminder that we're in the tropics !
More about the hide in due course......