Sai Kung Aerobats

Black Kites are our most common raptor species in Hong Kong, you can literally see them everywhere. You often see them soaring over Victoria Harbour, flying between skyscrapers. A famous kite roost in Hong Kong is Yeung Chau, just off Sai Kung pier. You can see aerial displays of numerous Black Kites at close range just off the pier, where they fish or pick up anything edible. Black Kites in Hong Kong have grown to become opportunists, scavenging for dead fish or floating fish guts thrown off by fishing boats.

Black Kite - a common sight to see them soaring overhead

A resident pair of White-bellied Sea Eagle share the roost with the Black Kites, I was waiting for them today at the pier, hoping they may fly in for a closer look, but the pair never came close! I only got some extremely distant views. Maybe next time. In my opinion, the White-bellied Sea Eagle is the most majestic and handsome raptor in Hong Kong, their snow white underparts and head and large size is hard to beat on the looks!

White-bellied Sea Eagle at a distant

A few Great Egrets flew past as I waited.

Great Egret

The Black Kites provided endless entertainment as well as photographic opportunities pretty much the whole afternoon. This also provided a chance to sharpen up my photography skills, I am never good at taking photos of flying birds, the Kites are slightly more forgiving, where they will circle back round and round again until you manage to get a good shot. To lift my camera up constantly also provided good exercise for my arm muscles...

Black Kite