Sunday, September 9, 2018

A (bird-filled) Hong Kong Park excursion so fun that it's worth repeating!

Is that a blue-winged leafbird perched on that tree branch?

A yellow-faced myna thousands of miles away from 
where members of this species usually are to be found

Any one able to identify this other unusual looking bird that 
caught my eye today at Hong Kong Park's Edward Youde Aviary?

Earlier today, I spent time having Chinese tea and conversation with a friend at the branch of Lock Cha Tea House located in the grounds of Hong Kong Park.  Afterwards, we decided to go for a stroll in the park -- and after I learnt that, despite her having lived for five years or so in Hong Kong, my friend didn't know that this Hong Kong park possesses a conservatory, I decided it was high time she visited it.

On the other hand, she needed no introduction to the second of the park's indoor facilities which we visited.  Indeed, the Edward Youde Aviary appeared to be a place she's not only familiar but also, like me, enjoys spending time doing a bit of bird watching (and photographing) in.

Built along a natural valley on the northern slope of Victoria Peak, the Edward Youde Aviary is home to a number of fascinating trees, palms and tree ferns.  Still, there's no doubting that the stars of the show are the 600 or so birds of some 70 different species housed in in this expansive space measuring approximately 3,000 square meters that's enclosed by steel mesh (whose exteriors squirrels often climb onto and look to enviously peer down at the scene below). 

While I recognized a few birds in there as ones I've seen in the wilds of Hong Kong (including at Hong Kong Wetland Park as well as in the country parks), there are other, more exotic birds that I doubt that I'll see elsewhere in Hong Kong on account of their home continent being South America rather than Asia or continents that are nearer to it.  In addition, quite a few of the birds that are easy enough to spot in the aviary have far more striking plumage than those I've caught sight of while, say, out hiking in Hong Kong.  When coupled with their appearing to have become far more used to people than those in the wild, it really is hard to resist snapping bird pics galore on a visit to the Edward Youde Aviary. 

Here's a funny thing: upon going through my photo archives, I got to realizing that on this day two years ago, I actually had spent time at Lock Cha Tea House and the Edward Youde Aviary with a(nother) friend!  Even more amazing is that none of the photos I took at the aviary back on September 9th, 2016, were of the same species of birds as those that I photographed today!! :)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi There,

That looked very much like a Blue-Winged Leafbird (https://singaporebirds.com/species/blue-winged-leafbird/). Better get a second opinion somewhere.

T

Anonymous said...

Hi There,

Ugh, tried the wrong photo. :-P By the shape of the head of the third photo, it could be a Munia. But I have not seen this colour variation for sure. Still looking. May take a while.

Thanks,
T

YTSL said...

Hi T --

Thanks for trying to help with the ID. I appreciate it!

Anonymous said...

Hi There,

I ended up looking up the Avary's bird list (https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/parks/hkp/birds_collection.php). :-P This may be it: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/parks/hkp/specialties/birds/popup.php?id=0

T

YTSL said...

Hi again T --

Wow, I think you've correctly IDed the white-eared catbird. Thanks so much for your research! :)