Nordmann’s Greenshank, a bird perhaps more easily seen in Hong Kong than anywhere else in the world. Photo: Mike Kilburn
To most birdwatchers Hong Kong means two things – the reserve at Mai Po, and waders - thousands of them. Since Hong Kong was handed back to the Chinese, nothing has really changed. Mai Po is still there and the waders still come through in their teeming thousands, presenting as they always did, perhaps the finest wader spectacle in the world. The reasons for this are firstly Hong Kong’s position on the East China Flyway and secondly because of Deep Bay. This vast expanse of tidal mudflats is incredibly rich in invertebrates, providing vital fuel for migrating waders heading north back into Asia each spring. Our tour is timed to coincide with the very best spring tides, which means we’ll have several chances to enjoy the masses of waders at close range during their high tide roosts, and virtually all of them will be in full breeding plumage. Away from Mai Po we’ll explore subtropical forest, local parks and upland grassland for migrant passerines and resident species, and of course for those who wish, the still exotic city.
A recent development in Hong Kong birding has been the discovery that Po Toi, an island off the southwest corner, is a superb migration watchpoint. Similar to Scilly or Attu, in that there are few resident birds, almost everything that occurs is a migrant. We hope to take a boat trip to visit this island, not only for migrants, but also for the seabirds we may find on the crossing.
Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Hong Kong. Night in Hong Kong.
Days 2-9: There will be no fixed itinerary to this tour. Instead where we go each day depends on the prevailing conditions and what migrants are passing through. However, with the best high tides of the spring on offer, we’ll inevitably be at Mai Po on several days.
Mai Po is a vast series of shrimp and fishponds lying on the edge of Deep Water Bay, and indeed many of these working ponds remain. However, located in the middle of these is the main reserve, where a number of the ponds are managed specifically for wildlife. Central to this complex is the main scrape, ringed with hides where large numbers of waders come to roost at high tide. The reserve is bordered by a dense margin of mangroves, and beyond them lies the vast tidal mudflats of Deep Bay. On the very edge of these, and reached via the famous boardwalk, are more hides that look out across Deep Bay. Sitting in these hides as the tide rises we’ll experience the true magic of Mai Po as vast numbers of waders are slowly pushed nearer and nearer by the rising tide. Eventually tens of thousands of birds will be standing just feet away. Red-necked Stints, Curlew Sandpipers, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, and Greenshank, will be present in abundance. With them will be small number of Terek, Sharp-tailed and frosty-looking Broad-billed Sandpipers, Great Knot, Lesser and Greater Sandplovers, hulking Australian Curlews and Pacific Golden Plovers. Heuglin’s Gulls and Caspian Terns tower over the masses of waders, while the distinctive Black-tailed and the dainty but declining Saunder’s Gulls, can be found amongst the Black-headed Gulls. Colourful Chinese Pond Herons creep over the mudflats, stabbing at any unwary Mudskippers, and among the commoner Little Egrets we may pick out a rare Swinhoe’s Egret. The other world class ‘large white bird’ here is Black-faced Spoonbill. Over 300 of this highly endangered species winter at Mai Po and there should still be a few present at the time of our visit.
The sheer array of all these waders in fresh spring plumage is overwhelming but of course there are some species which by their very rarity take on a special significance. Careful searching of godwit flocks may reveal several Asiatic Dowitchers, while the groups of Greenshanks offer the exciting challenge of searching out the shorter-legged, more compact Nordmann’s Greenshank. Other less common waders occur – Oriental Plover, Little Whimbrel, Oriental Pratincole, are all possible - but if there is one species that is associated with Mai Po it’s the enigmatic Spoon-billed Sandpiper. For many years Mai Po was virtually the only place to see this bird away from its breeding grounds. This charismatic wader is annual at Mai Po, and we have a good chance of seeing at least one during our stay. Back among the fishponds, any recently drained ones will be excellent places to locate Long-toed and Temminck’s Stints, while the freshwater wetland at Long Valley is a great place to find Pintail, Swinhoe’s and Fantail Snipe, and to search out the elusive Greater Painted-snipe.
Yellow-bellied Prinias, Long-tailed Shrikes and striking Chinese Bulbuls are everywhere and their calls, along with the distinctive cries of Asian Koels, provide a constant backdrop to a walk around Mai Po. The distinctive Collared Crow – a south China near-endemic – is also resident. The bushes and stands of trees that fringe the pools can harbour a range of migrants, in particular buntings. If conditions are right we may find Black-faced, Little, Chestnut, and Yellow-breasted Buntings, with a chance of the rare Japanese Yellow Bunting. Other migrants we could encounter here include Siberian Rubythroat, skulking Black-browed and Oriental Reed Warblers, small groups of Ashy Minivets, Dusky Warblers in the mangroves, and Asian House Martins and White-throated Needle-tails zooming overhead.
There is, however, much more to Hong Kong than Mai Po. At Tai Po Kau, we’ll find ourselves in a superb forest reserve where a well laid out trail system wanders along wooded valleys overgrown with creepers and ferns. Here we’ll look for migrants and summer visitors such as Chinese Goshawk, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Hainan Blue Flycatcher, and resident species such as the spectacular Crested Serpent Eagle, noisy Blue Magpies, Great Barbet, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Scarlet Minivet, and Fork-tailed Sunbird. Here, and at other smaller patches of woodland or even in the city parks, we may also come across migrant flycatchers. Again, if conditions are good, we may be treated to a parade of these sprites including perhaps Ferruginous, Asian and Japanese Paradise, Asian Brown, Mugimaki, Narcissus and Blue-and-White Flycatchers.
Honk Kong‘s highest point is Tai Mo Shan, an area of open grassland, which we’ll visit if weather permits. Here can be found Hwamei, Vinaceous Parrotbill, Large Grass Warbler and Upland Pipit among others, and of course the journey up there will give us some superb views over the world-famous waterfront of Kowloon.
If conditions permit, we hope to take a boat ride out to Po Toi island. Like many migration hotspots the best birding is dependent on the weather, but in April it regularly attracts good numbers of flycatchers, including gems such as Narcissus, Ferruginous, Blue-and-white, Mugimaki, Asian Brown, and both Asian and Japanese Paradise Flycatchers. The very rare Elisa’s and Owston’s Flycatchers, recent splits from Narcissus Flycatcher, have also been recorded. Add to these the chance to connect with raptors, particularly Chinese Goshawk and Grey-faced Buzzard, arriving over the South China Sea from the Philippines and a whole range of migrants including Dollarbird, Pacific Swift, White-vented Needletail, Ashy Minivet, Arctic and Greenish Warblers, White-shouldered Starling, Brown Shrike. Less regular arrivals include Brown Hawk Owl, Swinhoe’s Minivet, Siberian Blue Robin, and Japanese Yellow Bunting.
The visit to Po Toi involves crossing the waters south of Hong Kong, which regularly holds good numbers of Long-tailed, Arctic and Pomarine Jaegers, with frequent sightings of Streaked and Short-tailed Shearwaters, and hundreds of Red-necked Phalaropes. Another major feature of these trips is terns, with Common, Bridled, Black-naped and the prized Aleutian Tern the most regular. Depending on the weather, there may be flocks of White-winged and Whiskered Terns, while Little and Greater Crested Tern are scarcer. Many of these birds provide wonderful photo opportunities as they perch on flotsam or fly close to the boat. Other birds that may be seen include Ancient Murrelet, while Brown Hawk Owls migrating along the coast in daylight are picked up a few times each spring.
Day 10: The tour concludes this morning in Hong Kong.
Updated: 29 August 2007
Prices
Notes
This tour is limited to 14 participants with two leaders. Both leaders will accompany the tour regardless of group size.
This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird.