Flocks of waders feeding together is a common sight at Deep Bay
April is always a good time to visit Deep Bay, the mudflat situated within Mai Po Nature Reserve can be especially rewarding, where you get a wide array of waders on passage. The floating bird hide becomes one of the best places in Hong Kong to get up close to these amazing birds. Species such as Pied Avocets are never in short supply, where they often come really close to the hide.
Pied Avocet
Large waders such as Black-tailed Godwits are often some of the most numerous, within hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits you may find a few Bar-tailed Godwits with their up-turned bill. There is a good chance for Asiatic Dowitchers during April and May where these thick-billed waders are found amongst the Black-tailed.
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Asiatic Dowitcher
Common Redshanks are still very numerous at Deep Bay, while Spotted Redshanks numbers had decreased massively in recent years. It is quite alarming, although we still see quite a few the numbers are not what it used to be.
Common Redshank
Spotted Redshank
Far Eastern Curlews are also fairly easy to find at this time of the year, I counted up to seven in amongst the Eurasian Curlews. They are now listed as Endangered and warrant more attention in international conservation. Curlew Sandpipers on the other hand is now listed as Near Threatened, they are still very numerous in Hong Kong.
Far Eastern Curlew
Curlew Sandpiper
Terek Sandpipers often perch on dead trees during high tide and doesn't like to get their feet wet. Most are passage migrants through Hong Kong although we do get the odd one wintering on rare occasions.
Terek Sandpiper
One of the most 'fun' part of looking at waders during spring is scanning through hundreds of Red-necked Stints. You often get a few surprises while doing that, such as this lone Sanderling which was feeding amongst the flock, it's slightly larger size and overall pale plumage was a dead giveaway.
Red-necked Stint
Sanderling
I tried very hard for Spoon-billed Sandpiper but ultimately failed. A few Little Stints amongst the Red-necked Stints were however nice to see. A few Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were also present.
Little Stint
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Lesser Sand Plovers as well as Grey Plovers were in good numbers, a few Pacific Golden Plovers and Greater Sand Plovers were around but didn't come close to the hide.
Lesser Sand Plover
Grey Plover
A few large Gulls remains at Deep Bay, mainly young birds that are in no rush heading back to their breeding grounds. All of them are presumably Mongolian Gulls. Other than the regular Whiskered, Caspian and Gull-billed Terns, a single Little Tern was noted, a regular migrant at Deep Bay.
Mongolian Gull
Little Tern
Black-faced Spoonbills were still in good numbers, I counted no less than 70 birds. The international census this year had revealed their most recent population had increased to over 4,000 individuals world wide, a successful conservation story that is rare these days.
Black-faced Spoonbill
Other than waders, Deep Bay supports a good range of raptors, including Peregrine Falcons, Western Ospreys and Eastern Marsh Harriers. All three can be seen out on the mudflat on a regular basis.
Peregrine Falcon
Western Osprey
Eastern Marsh Harrier
The 'brain-fever' song of the Large Hawk Cuckoo is almost unmissable during April, although seeing them well is another matter all together...I got lucky while out on a birding tour of one singing right at Mai Po car park, I even managed a few photos before it flew off! Black-naped Oriole is also a regular migrant in Mai Po, I came upon this beautiful male while out with Kenneth Lam, they are always delightful to see and encounter.
Large Hawk Cuckoo
Black-naped Oriole - male
The Mai Po egretry is one of the largest in Hong Kong, and the Little Egrets have wasted no time in raising this year's brood, with many chicks already near fledging!
Little Egrets at nest
Mai Po is not just good for birds, but a great place for wildlife in general. Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus, a newly found species of Mudskippers in Hong Kong back in 2015 are not difficult to find during high tide. While the Four-Spot Midget, a species of damselfly specialising in mangroves and brackish waters can also be found out at Deep Bay. The beautiful Hasora badra is also quite common in mangroves, their purplish sheen is especially impressive when you are able to get a closer look.
Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus
Four-spotted Midget
Hasora badra
No comments:
Post a Comment