Mai Po boardwalk hides - first week of May 2016

There always seem to be a lot of factors to consider when trying to judge the timing and height of the tides at the boardwalk at Mai Po.

Generally, I'll look at the predicted tides for Tsim Bei Tsui and plan accordingly: -

http://www.weather.gov.hk/tide/eTBTtide.htm

Also, while walking out to the Border Fence, there is the "Real Time Time" to spur me along, usually because I fear I'll be late...

http://www.weather.gov.hk/tide/marine/hko_tb.htm

And there's always a concern that, even if the tide is a good height, there may not be any birds on it. Capricious things, birds.

Lesser and Greater Sand Plover - Charadrius mongolus and C. leschenaultii

Little Tern - Sterna albifrons

Little Tern - Sterna albifrons

Terek Sandpiper (asleep), Greater Sand Plover, Gull-billed Tern

Greater Sand Plover, Red-necked Stints

(mostly) Curlew Sandpipers - Calidris ferruginea

Terek Sandpiper (wing-stretch) with Lesser Sand Plover

Five wader species in this shot....

Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea

As you can see, things fell into place nicely earlier this week.  There are not as many waders around as there were a couple of weeks ago, but a lot of them are in breeding plumage now.

They'll have to hurry.