General
With the advent of cheap flights, Hong Kong may become an attractive destination for short winter birding trips. We flew with KLM and stayed in Kowloon, which proved to be an excellent base. The climate was perfect: warm (20 degrees), dry and still. Leaves on the forest floor were so dry that even small birds were easy to hear moving about. All the sites listed below were easily reached by public transport. My birding was fitted in around family commitments - a dedicated birding trip would produce a wider range of species. Species listed for each site are those considered to be most significant from a UK perspective or on the basis of status in HK.
Mai Po (20 December)
Reached by KCR to Sheung Shui followed by taxi. I arranged a permit in advance without difficulty.
Species: Lesser White-fronted Goose (2), Eurasian Spoonbill (1), Black-faced Spoonbill, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle (views of the eagles from the hides were stunning - even better than at Bharatpur), Saunders’s Gull, Oriental Turtle Dove (numerous), Black-capped Kingfisher, Dusky Warbler, Red-billed Starling, Collared Crow.
Tai Po Kau (26 December)
Reached by KCR to Tai Po Market followed by bus. I walked the Blue Trail, which was relatively undisturbed in the morning.
Bay Woodpecker (male - fourth for Hong Kong?), Grey-chinned Minivet, Bull-headed Shrike (1), Scaly Thrush, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Blue-winged Minla, White-bellied Yuhina (2), Striated Yuhina, Mountain Tailorbird (1), Eastern Crowned Warbler (an exceptional winter record), Blyth’s Leaf Warbler, Yellow-cheeked Tit.
Islands
We visited Lamma twice (regular ferries) and Lantau once (MTR to Tung Chung then cable car up to the impressive buddha at Ngong Ping).
Lamma (Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan): Pacific Reef Egret, White-bellied Sea Eagle (both visits), Richard’s Pipit, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Daurian Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush, Rufous-tailed Robin (1), Scaly Thrush, Grey-backed Thrush (also seen at other sites), Dusky Warbler, Hair-crested Drongo.
Lantau (Ngong Ping to Tung Chung): Red-flanked Bluetail, Chestnut Bulbul (also at Tai Po Kau), Black-faced Bunting. This walk descends through some promising habitat - more prolonged visits than mine would probably be productive.
Hong Kong & Kowloon Parks
Of the parks I visited, Kowloon Park and the Zoological & Botanical Gardens on Hong Kong were both productive. Hong Kong Park itself was less productive.
Kowloon Park: Alexandrine Parakeet, Common Koel (1), Masked Laughingthrush, White-rumped Munia, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Blue Magpie.
Zoological & Botanical Gardens: Yellow-crested Cockatoo, White-browed Laughingthrush (1), Asian Brown Flycatcher (1), Fork-tailed Sunbird.