![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrah2ojJcCldoo9JZM-TKtFSiu78etWDztlOB7G0GknXJTNeyhpZrM2-U_TIaV8NIq3whrA2TIMEulsk4gVgZhu2kFb4pcsRdFrPuhTDJP720R2sLFA7-FTKJugd5yed3cub6ss7rJkU/s640/_BBA6922-01.jpg) |
Black-faced Spoonbill - Platalea minor |
Hazy sunshine and a low tide predicted in late morning made NSW seem like an attractive place to visit for the first time in over a year.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KrZvo93n_yLkqPE5jhl15tpnbOz4jPbJQTeYcrloqycRUseLH_-ynsBXEddoqfzmWPQZd1hWHyfcgTSPb_WOCtBRwEZujiaY4m3dMBM35uUCZabkUXclzsX5BSjwJyLXzoIF8j1xWJI/s640/_BBA6956-01.jpg) |
Common Teal - Anas crecca |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Z3X_2Up9Qmqw712lqtAWoDxaEiCtM7vBbTryea58lVz5YLKYqExTi5h7v9s2nUQjO2vJPH8ey3x0fBvPon4AyIxjWE67tkRXWmd5377Zs4VBeZN_N-M16kCCY-yQQsiY8pi4HIs-uxU/s640/_BBA7037-01.jpg) |
White-breasted Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis |
I get the feeling that many of the more experienced HK photographers consider NSW a bit passé And someone recently pointed out to me that hardly any real rarities turn up there.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpKnGUWUisbvYY7VpSzd0fe432aREYQpUFCrAWtmTzB9tYipYbfOiAw5bXflZxDnuPCryvv2WOu2MWTz_ErUVaEGOLlWekq9Ie-F1G1IF9q8M8-LvDVgO3mo623YwWMlGnMUxjnk44PQ/s640/_BBA6752-01.jpg) |
Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholKa9W8lo2VCL4L7bovSHqzy6m8dM-xGUJ9GbJ2ZDVr-fy3kjTFZFSf4C_gUOtR56evv8wasucsrlZu7Qal0MJTXw1NGlIZiH2H5PjXHVgjjD2TcymTQWqCVCGmBSp_378TF9wZO0Wok/s640/_BBA6835-01.jpg) |
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic68IOLyQGAOXx2XW_WNYPPH98KT5ppDZGr6lh7Pcca-wMYIhp13jGIIXlrs09mFkKX4xPsfDqQGwKYg08q6s6g-nKwxm35vFzdzOcWM_CcihfWipzUauEo-1rIDzJTeg229LQC3h6si8/s640/_BBA6865-01.jpg) |
Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg0GX7sY2iOD-qy2Ygr2qsD2Z0HHliNyefh3isc-B7vgmJw3Swr3dvqDJ-zz-ytXunUUzNhcC_GVsbpjEDCMZ7lNKjM2MoMpnUiU0g97O9VPRokhvB-GAXrUTssTZpvUksR55i5E3H-A/s640/_BBA7003-01.jpg) |
Pied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudis |
But the slipway near the AFCD post is still great place to practice “birds in flight” photography.
Woodland birding sites can be pretty quiet after mid-morning, but a low winter sun meant that there would be plenty of dark gullies along the track at Shek Kong Catchment, so there I went.
As it turned out, the first noteworthy bird was another “BIF” - a displaying Crested Goshawk.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8SE69Ayz4VfID3r0vnIpQTq8LTH-ByCkW_GcjiePMEbooJIrK9CqE965MsOQ3HXEdV3vAjpD_qapIs-FEL8J9yyXCWGX1jT5cdJAk910h40CSwW2_vqolAND8Fvv4HNOLFqyNCwVjMs/s640/_BBA7091-01.jpg) |
Crested Goshawk - Accipiter trivirgatus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaBRlN_8I0F2Z3zavjq8tDk6yhZZ-skR29WOYVhG5X3d1PUzRGilCWS-413RC45Zq9xOf-SYc3YOIxK2A2kcs-y6BlLQPSm5ms_KcQP7Og1ajHWnu5U2JeZRjviKfiCTGZ8BpZqvRD18/s640/_BBA7123-01.jpg) |
Crested Goshawk - Accipiter trivirgatus |
I’ve seen them do this often before, but rarely so close and in such strong light.
Later on, a mixed feeding bird flock found me in a shady corner and I got shots of a couple of the more colourful species under the tree canopy.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtt_23IYAZUwNUar7RiIpZrB4FQGb9UYQO04zxMsj9_MLsZrFxzvPeg-45mi05WZISE_SdSQpauaHO4mD6l7rV6aF2QJ0YP2PKP_7kIKhAxHe3COxSqRBu1NUL_VyMmilXNOIUu1ZkJY/s640/_BBA7170-01.jpg) |
Yellow-cheeked Tit - Parus spilonotus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZur2jH9khngYgYWZRxkiTxZCJYC3rH2Vkz1MxvhOt6fEg7JabA5-uaP0Rt5W0sBGCrSpHbfc3y3PJTJUCTKK8qMFnls_WLZiVweFf-atlI3A65uAfoAg3RVcxn5zTD4f9GRlso9oO07g/s640/_BBA7248-01.jpg) |
Silver-eared Mesia - Leiothrix argentaurus |
Daurian Redstarts, having mostly arrived for the Hong Kong winter three to four weeks ago, have established their territories and become more cautious of humans.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37L4-oMaukprHA3Z54fdl8nTlW0rAq_lZB_1klXlRcMk_9oYKzdnSB85YB9Kj2NmJY0T4vd5Vo1p-TtY67fM7Y0YMrtAhnW190by4I-jee10dj5ujzSwx-q7t6USTyaD1DBdRnhXqfbg/s640/_BBA7266-01.jpg) |
Daurian Redstart - Phoenicurus auroreus |
But this male gave me a brief photo opportunity as I returned to the end of the catchment road.