White-billed Diver in Hong Kong

[Brian S]

A White-billed Diver has been seen in Hong Kong. This is the first record for HK, indeed according to 'The Avifauna of HK' (2001) only the second species of diver ever recorded there.

Described as one of the best birds ever seen there, lots of photos can be seen at
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=9691&sid=aca31d5967a560b26c885b0d6e02a873#9691

Brian S

[Bobolink44]

fantastic bird! no idea they were so rare in asia as i thought they bred in siberia and would have wintered in northern asia at least (japan?)

[ed keeble]

fantastic bird! no idea they were so rare in asia as i thought they bred in siberia and would have wintered in northern asia at least (japan?)

Wondrous bird- its thought that most winter well offshore in the Yellow Sea off China and Korea- and that includes a chunk of the Alaskan population. The latter have been shown by satellite tracking to power their way west from Alaska to China/Korea/Japan rather than following the US west coast and they maybe even cross Japan and the Korean peninsula overland.

[AndyB]

Just been emailed that "this is actually HK's the third diver species, following Pacific in Feb 1997, and two Red-throateds in Feb 2002 and another in 2004-05. Not bad for the tropics."