Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Flora, fauna and a good view at Kadoorie Farm (Photo-essay)

One beautiful December day, two friends and I went hiking in Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden. Sounds like a breeze, doesn't it?  Except it wasn't since our hike included ascents up to the summit of 546 meter high Kwun Yam Sham and to the Kadoorie Brothers' Memorial Pavilion located at the same height above sea level as 603 meter high Kowloon Peak.  

For those who don't care for a hard slog up to its Upper Area, here's pointing out that there's plenty to see in the Lower Area of Kadoorie Farm -- especially in terms of fauna and flora.  However, one definitely would be missing out on cool views if one weren't to venture up into the upper reaches of this 148 hectare facility that is a real gem of a place as far as lovers of nature as well as conservationists are concerned...

A wild boar in Hong Kong!

...and colorful flamingos too!

This sign caused my hiking buddies to burst out laughing

An (injured -- but recuperating? --) eagle 
that now makes its home at Kadoorie Farm

Among the eagle's neighbors is this beautiful owl
that I got to realizing has only one wing... :S

Is that a flower or are those colorful bits just leaves? :O

These I know are flowers -- but, alas, 
I don't know their name :S

High enough to get good views -- but still a ways
from the summit of Kwun Yam Shan! ;b

To be continued... but of course! :)

6 comments:

alejna said...

These are lovely photos, too. That one with the owl is so striking! I don't recall seeing photos of owls clinging to the side of something like that. Interesting.

(Also, that sign made me snicker, too.)

YTSL said...

Hi Alejna --

Oooooo... a comment on my first Kadoorie Farm photo-essay! Thanks for the encouragement that your positive comments give me. (And teehee re that sign making you snicker!)

sarah bailey knight said...

hi ytsl,

I love, love, love the flamingo photo. Do you have more photos of them? The Kadoorie Farm looks like a fun place to take photos.

YTSL said...

Hi sbk --

I'm afraid not re having more photos of the flamingo. Was in too much of a hurry to get to the higher sections of Kadoorie Farm that day. But yeah, it is a fun place and I do plan to get back there before too long. :)

ewaffle said...

ytsl--

Catching up on some blog reading; Nice contrast between the wild boar who is resting and looking like a lump. He blends in so well with the dirt that he might be part of it and the sleeping flamingos who are at the other end of the elegance/inelegance scale. The resting on one foot with the extremely long neck curled has always seemed to be an engineering impossibility but one that has evolved to work as well as just flopping on the ground does for the more basic seeming boar.

Even with only one wing, the owl, (like every owl I have ever seen other than the aptly named "small owl") looks REALLY fierce. Reminds me of Anthony Wong whose intensity can come through in just about any role. I recall a picture of him at a screening--he was wearing a T-shirt with a political slogan in English and a hospital type mask that covered most of his face and still looked potentially dangerous.

Lovely images, as always.

YTSL said...

Hi ewaffle --

Good to hear from you again! And teeheehee re your comments re the owl reminding you of Anthony Wong. BTW, weird but true: I've seen him 'live' three times in the past month -- and I know what you mean about his intensity though he also can seem pretty amiable. :)