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| Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulva |
A bit of rain had been forecast, but actually the rain was heavy indeed.
Such wet weather would be more welcome in a month’s time when April rain might ground a few passage migrants. As it is, after the third warmest February on record, the weather is running about a month ahead of itself.
The Deep Bay mudflats were still covered with winter birds, and only a very few passage migrants could be seen. I scanned through the gloom in hope of finding something exotic or unusual.
Viewed from the northernmost hide, the green baize-like moss made a nice photographic background.
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| Black-faced Spoonbills - Platalea minor |
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| Northern Shoveler - Spatula clypeata |
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| "leucopsis" White Wagtail |
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| "macronyx" Eastern Yellow Wagtail |
There was a bit of activity as the tide came and went, but there was so much standing water I couldn’t see the tideline.
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| Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa |
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| Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa |
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| Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis |
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| Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans |
Remember that "Caspian" Gull is formerly "Mongolian" Gull and formerly formerly "Yellow-legged" Gull.
Always worth the effort to go, though - there are only a finite number of Mai Po high tides a birder will ever see, and every one is different.
In the great lottery of life, you never know your luck.
I am quite sure that gull classification is one third science, one third alchemy and one third guesswork!
ReplyDeleteHope next month is even better at Mai Po!
ReplyDelete