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| White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus |
“Chlidonias…” Marsh Terns migrate through Hong Kong in spring and autumn. In spring they are much easier to identify at a distance, because they are in breeding plumage.
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| Hong Kong birding - NOT a “Wilderness Experience” ! |
At the end of April I saw a couple of dozen marsh terns circling over a particular partially-refilled fishpond in Tai Sang Wai. They seemed to be feeding on prawns.
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| Chlidonias Terns on passage, Hong Kong |
Exactly two weeks later, blustery conditions led me to go and check the same pond again in the late afternoon.
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| White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus |
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| White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus |
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| White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus |
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| White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus |
Kai Kung Shan ("Cock’s Comb Mountain") * is to the east of Tai Sang Wai. With the terns circling more or less at eye height the hill can make a good background for these black-and-white birds, especially as the sun gets lower.
* a hill called “Nameless” by the British Army, pre-handover !
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| White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus |
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| Whiskered Tern - Chlidonias hybrida |
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| Whiskered Tern - Chlidonias hybrida |
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| Whiskered Tern - Chlidonias hybrida |
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| Whiskered Tern - Chlidonias hybrida |
And there were Whiskered Terns in close-up, too.
Great shots of very handsome birds, John.
ReplyDeleteThanks, David ! (My ability to reply to comments on my own blog has mysteriously re-appeared.... I blame the CIA, or the CCP...whichever)
DeleteWow, quite superb WWBT photos. Only ever seen 1 and that was a juvenile in late summer.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stu - get them in both directions, spring and autumn, but they’re harder to identify in autumn
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