Mai Po - late afternoon in Hide 3, - 27th Sept 2021

A hazy day, with pollution brought to HK by a northerly airstream from the much-vaunted “Greater Bay Area”.  

Recent record high temperatures meant that I had worked up a good lather by the time I got to Hide 3 with the trusty 500mm f4 lens and clunky, old-fashioned Canon I D MK 2.  There were several other suitably-distanced photographers in the hide already.

I had encountered no flycatchers along Mai Po’s footpaths, but autumn bird migration was evident in the form of no fewer than four Purple Herons in the grasses in front of the hide. Here is just one of them.

Purple Heron - Ardea purpurea

Purple Heron - Ardea purpurea

Also present were two (Australian) Black Swans.  I normally would not post photos of “escaped” birds here, but they have probably come from the Huawei Campus in Shenzhen, just a few kilometres northwest of Mai Po. So they get included for reasons of topical interest.

Black Swan - Cygnus atratus

Black Swan - Cygnus atratus

Two Ospreys circled briefly, this was the closest.

Western Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

Eastern Marsh Harriers have returned to the Deep Bay area for the winter.

Eastern Marsh Harrier - Circus spilonotus

Eastern Marsh Harrier - Circus spilonotus

Right in front of the hide there was a sudden fight between two Intermediate Egrets

Intermediate Egrets - Ardea intermedea

Definitely “no holds barred” for this species !

Autumn may be coming - but it seems summer wants to linger on.

“Mmmm...healthy greens..."

We should learn to relax like Mai Po’s water buffalo, seen here enjoying a salad buffet on Pond 17a.