24 Nov 2018

Mai Po Boardwalk Hide, 22nd Nov 2018

A 2.1 metre tide was predicted at Mai Po, possibly one of the last of the year that would get anywhere near the boardwalk hides.

It was still overcast early on, but there was a large group of roosting gulls on the tideline.  From this group Saunders’ Gulls were taking to the air, and foraging over the mudflat, searching for mudskippers.

Saunders' Gull - Chroicocecephalus saundersi

Saunders' Gull - Chroicocecephalus saundersi

Saunders' Gull - Chroicocecephalus saundersi

Saunders' Gull - Chroicocecephalus saundersi

Also present, Dunlin.  For me, the “What’s that calidrid?” calidrid.

Dunlin - Calidris alpina

Dunlin - Calidris alpina

Dunlin - Calidris alpina

A few other birds came obligingly close to the hide.

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola

The sun came out..... 

Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta

(Mostly) Black-headed Gulls on the mudflat
- and on the way back to the Reserve entrance, this female Daurian Redstart posed for me in the shade of a pathside mangrove.

Daurian Redstart - Phoenicurus auroreus

Looking back towards the Border Security Fence, I saw a distant Eastern Imperial Eagle, interacting with a relatively puny-looking Black Kite. 




The eagle must have gone in a loop around the top of Mai Po because a few minutes later, it passed right over me.

Eastern Imperial Eagle - Aquila heliaca

Plenty of winter birds for an eagle to prey on now.....

Pond 7, Mai Po Nature Reserve

4 comments:

  1. What a wonderful spot Mai Po is! I am always amazed at the amount of mud, muck and goop gulls ingest with some of their prey without ill effect. The microbia in their gut must be amazing!

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  2. Envious as usual. Guess the eagles will be gone by mid April?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Stu - but sightings can be patchy, even in mid-winter !

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