Easter weekend dawned with warm and damp winds, despite the fact that it is only April 1st! We quickly set up camp (complete with rain shelter…just in case), and headed off to set up the nets.
It did not take long before we were sweltering in the heat, and it seemed the birds may have been feeling the same…
The morning ended with just seven birds this morning, including this gorgeous young male Japanese Tit! This individual showed all moulted Greater Coverts (postjuvenile), contrasting to the juvenile Primary Coverts, which show no sign of the telltale blue fringes that would be present on newer feathers.
Despite the lack of birds, we had a lovely evening watching the seas. It seems the Spring tides brought a lot of dinoflagellates with them; these are the type of plankton that emit light when disturbed. In the photo above, it is these dinoflagellates in the water that are responsible for the shining blue light visible. A wonderful day! Happy Easter all!
Daily Totals
| Species | Original | Recapture |
| Japanese Tit | 1 | 0 |
| Common Emerald Dove | 1 | 0 |
| Japanese Thrush | 2 | 0 |
| Red-whiskered Bulbul | 3 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 7 | 0 |
*Please note that all wild birds, their nests, and eggs are highly protected (under Wild Animals Protection Ordinate, Cap. 170) in Hong Kong. It is an offence to wilfully disturb, take, remove, or injure wild birds or their nests/eggs. The actions described here were undertaken by trained professionals holding the necessary licenses and permits issued by the AFCD.*
