 |
| Yellow Bittern - Ixobrychus sinensis |
It seems to have been a good breeding season for
Yellow Bitterns, there are a lot around right now. Of course, like this juvenile, many of the birds on view could be passage migrants.
As are some of the waders we are seeing..
 |
| Greater Sand Plover - Charadrius leschenaultii (juv) |
Grey-tailed Tattlers are a good "East Asian" species and there are a few about, including this Australian-flagged one that was first sighted on Aug 21st - and snapped again by me on Aug 30th. "Stay an extra day" says the HK Tourist Board.
 |
| Grey-tailed Tattler - Heteroscelus brevipes |
 |
| Grey-tailed Tattler - Heteroscelus brevipes |
Nine juvenile
Great Knot, also on 30th August (seven in view here) - no older birds seen with these.
 |
| Great Knot - Calidris tenuirostris (juvs.) |
 |
| Great Knot - Calidris tenuirostris (juv.) |
 |
Ponds 16/17 "The Scrape" - Mai Po Nature Reserve
|
Once the birds have left the tideline, in the past few days they have settled on "The Scrape" in good numbers.
The first 2 birds are yet to make my life list, the last photo shows more waders than I've seen all year!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky to have Mai Po on the doorstep!
DeleteUnlike Stuart, I have seen Yellow Bittern and Greater Sand Plover. It is the latter two that I have not seen, Grey-tailed Tattler and Great Knot. All of our local shorebirds are quickly leaving as the weather cools down. I will miss them
ReplyDeleteWe'll have decent wader numbers through the winter, John - Alaska's weather is more fearsome than HK, obviously!
DeleteThat's a huge yellow tag on that tattler. I thought it stood for English Language Teacher. Some great pictures and good numbers.
ReplyDeleteRussell - I was going to say "ELT? - a career not a flag! " Glad ELT rang the same bells with you!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff! Haven't gotten around to visit MP this autumn, I think I better pay a visit soon!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Grey-tailed Tattler would have made my day because they are so uncommon here in Peninsular Malaysia. Yes, you are lucky to have a place like Mai Po close to home.
ReplyDeleteThat tag on the tattler seems disproportionate in size, but I am sure it facilitates ready identification from birders. I always wonder whether such large, decorative flags influence mate selection in any way, given the role that colour has in inter-sexual attraction.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that any flag-bearing bird really wants to haul such a big plastic paddle the length of the East Asian flyway....but overall banding and monitoring has to be done, I guess.
Delete