Category birding

Birds of Pui O on Lantau, Hong Kong

Where have all the Hong Kong Barn Swallows gone?

I live on Cheung Chau, a small island in southwest Hong Kong – and became very used to it hosting many nesting pairs of Barn Swallows, which start arriving around mid-February, and stay till late summer. Been this way since…

Birdwatching in Hong Kong gives insights into wonders of nature

While human life has lately been muted in Hong Kong during springtime, local birdlife remains vibrant, offering a chance to enjoy some of the wonders and mysteries of the natural world, right outside your home. Notably, Hong Kong is a…

Birds of Deep Bay including Mai Po photos

Birding and Conservation at Fung Lok Wai Fishponds Near Mai Po

Though Mai Po Marshes is at the heart of Hong Kong’s internationally important Deep Bay wetland, there are other important sites in the area – including the fishponds at Fung Lok Wai. These have been in the news at times…

Hong Kong’s first Scaly-sided Merganser

From edge of Tai Lam Chung Reservoir in northwest New Territories, Hong Kong on 24 January 2023; trip to see what in birding world is a MEGA – a Scaly-sided Merganser, found by John Chow, who confirmed identity after quick…

Urban Birds in Hong Kong inc Ho Man Tin Hotspot

Including the advent of a new birdwatching hotspot in the city – thanks to habitat, location, and pioneering observations by John Chow.

Seabirds of Hong Kong: Sea Swallows, Pirates, and Ocean Wanderers

Three species of terns nest in Hong Kong; the other seabirds are all visitors to Hong Kong waters, including a smattering of vagrants

Birds of Shui Hau on Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Shui Hau on Lantau, Hong Kong, can be rewarding for birdlife - including a good variety of shorebirds in spring.

Birds of Lion Head Mountain and Ngong Ping on Lantau, Hong Kong

In spring 2022, thanks to birding naturalist Paul Aston, I helped discover that the hills near Ngong Ping on Lantau island are good places for observing migrating birds of prey – especially Grey-faced Buzzards and Chinese Sparrowhawks, along with seeing…

Spring Migration of Grey-faced Buzzards and Chinese Sparrowhawks in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is usually a poor place for seeing migrating birds of prey; on many days, you might be hard-pressed to see even one passing over. But on some days – and perhaps not every year, two species can be…

Birdwatching Close to Home – in Your Hong Kong Local Patch

Many birdwatchers have a place or two near home which they watch regularly – a place known in birdwatching terms as a "local patch".