If you ask birders what is the most critically endangered bird species in Hong Kong, I am sure most of them will answer 'Spoon-billed Sandpiper'. This charismatic little wader is no doubt considered the holy grail of all migrants in Hong Kong, and a highly sought-after species for all birders globally. This species had always been rare, but in recent decades their population plummeted from over a few thousands to merely a few hundreds. Now listed as critically endangered and on the verge of extinction, ornithologists are racing to save this species from the abyss, and this begins with understanding their migration route.
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper breeds in the arctic tundra of Siberia, with major wintering population in Bangladesh and Thailand. Hong Kong being situated along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway is blessed to be one of the migratory stop for this species, mostly recorded in spring. With so few left in the wild, finding them in Hong Kong is becoming increasingly difficult, as only a handful passes through Deep Bay area annually, and each only staying a few days at most. A pair was reported on the 7th of April, I was at Mai Po on the 8th hoping to find them on the scrape but ultimately failed. It was again reported on the morning of the 9th, apparently seen well from hide 3 on the scrape of Mai Po, a quick dash there resulted in over an hour of superb views!
Spoon-billed Sandpiper - one of the rarest bird species in the world
It had been well over a decade since my last encounter with this incredible species, although I do remember back then finding them were a little bit easier...This bird was tagged '1T', an individual part of the artificial incubation programme ringed in 2016 at Meinypil’gyno, Chukotka in Far North East Russia. It was great to see this bird in great shape, actively feeding with other waders including Red-necked Stints, Little Stints, Curlew Sandpipers and Lesser Sand Plovers. Hopefully with better understanding of their migration route we will be able to secure more suitable habitat for their long term survival.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper - feeding amongst Broad-billed Sandpipers & Lesser Sand Plovers
April is no doubt the best time for waders in Hong Kong, other than Spoon-billed Sandpipers, birders scanning the Red-necked Stints may also be rewarded one or two Little Stints. While Curlew Sandpipers, Broad-billed Sandpipers, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Lesser and Greater Sand Plovers are often plentiful.
Little Stint - with numerous Red-necked Stints
Curlew Sandpiper & Greater Sand Plover
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper with Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper & Greater Sand Plover
A flock of over 20 Oriental Pratincoles flew overhead, a species fairly common during migration. Bar-tailed Godwits were in fairly good numbers, some already moulted into their beautiful breeding plumage, while the more common Black-tailed Godwits usually move in one big flock.
Oriental Pratincole
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
Spoon-billed Sandpiper is not the only threatened bird present on the scrape...many species had declined rapidly throughout the years and are now listed as endangered species. The Nordmann's Greenshank is also globally rare, with an estimated population of less than 1300. Great Knots and Far Eastern Curlews numbers are also decreasing, but both are still regularly seen around Deep Bay area.
Nordmann's Greenshank
Great Knot
Far Eastern Curlew
The congregating waders do occasionally attract the 'wrong crowd', raptors often take advantage of this food source and hunts regularly at the scrape. A Black Kite was seen eating a bird in front of the bird hide, although I do not know what bird it caught. A Peregrine Falcon also came through for a quick meal, as it snatched a Curlew Sandpiper out of the sky, the poor sandpiper nearly escaped in the water, but ultimately the Peregrine finished it off...
Black Kite
Peregrine Falcon - preying on Curlew Sandpiper
Two species are often associated with Mai Po, one is the Pied Kingfisher which was the bird of the logo of Mai Po Nature Reserve, they are indeed pretty common here and often put on quite a show in front of the bird hide. The other is of course Black-faced Spoonbill, somewhat of a conservation fairytale, with numbers dwindling to a few hundreds in 80s, their numbers are now increasing steadily annually. This individual was a rescued bird by the Kadoorie Farm, it was fitted with a satellite tracker on its back and later released when it recovered.
Pied Kingfisher
Black-faced Spoonbill - with satellite tracker
Other than waterbirds, I also came across a singing Eastern Crowned Warbler, they are fairly common during migration. While along the footpath I spotted three Chinese Cobras, a species with a bad reputation of being aggressive, although all three I encountered did not even bother to raise their hoods at me, given enough space they are pretty harmless.
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Chinese Cobra - Naja atra
Outside of Mai Po, I went past Sunny Bay and found an Eurasian Hoopoe, a species I haven't seen in a while. I first detected it when it took flight from the ground and perched up on a tree, it later flew back on the lawn to feed, picking up worms and grubs in the ground. Hoopoes are generally scarce in Hong Kong, but regularly recorded during migration and occasionally during winter.
Eurasian Hoopoe
Forecasts predicts a bit of rain over the weekend, which may again ground some migrants, we shall see!
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