Owen Krout
Well-known member
Pics are looking really great, Mike! Maybe I missed it, but what camera & lens did you select?
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Exploring Lantau (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter MKinHK
- Start date
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Many thanks Owen
I bought the Sony RX10iii back in July last year and have been delighted with it. This is a very large bridge camera (it weighs a kilo!)with an integrated Zeiss lens from 24mm to 600mm, a one inch sensor, a much better viewfinder than my previous Canon SX50.
Cheers
Mike
I bought the Sony RX10iii back in July last year and have been delighted with it. This is a very large bridge camera (it weighs a kilo!)with an integrated Zeiss lens from 24mm to 600mm, a one inch sensor, a much better viewfinder than my previous Canon SX50.
Cheers
Mike
Owen Krout
Well-known member
One kilo, yea, that would be nice. My Canon 7D mkii at the lens set-up for 560mm weighs in at 2.6 kilo. There are times when toting that around starts to get to me. Not complaining though, I've gotten some really good shots in less than promising circumstances.
thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
Brilliant day at the Peak, Mike. Lovely shots of the Pipit at the peak.
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
A drizzly morning at Pui O was shattered by the blasting music of an informal (to be polite) dance music venue (only in Hong Kong!) warming up for a gig this evening. Despite that there were a few signs of migration, with an early Yellow Bittern raising my hopes in a good time of the year for bittern passage.
Unfortunately that was it for bitterns, but I did enjoy the arrival of a flight of thirty-odd Cattle Egrets, three of which were in glorious breeding plumage - complete with a purple tinge in the base of the bill. they added to another 20 on the deck, along with 2 Little Egret and a Great Egret.
Other bits and pieces included singing Plaintive and Large Hawk Cuckoos (plus Indian Cuckoo singing at Discovery Bay), an industrious Greater Coucal presumably feeding young, a White-throated Kingfisher, a dozen Barn Swallows and a pair of Magpies.
The Monarchs were only perched for a couple of seconds, but allowed a fine demonstration of the macro on full zoom.
Cheers
Mike
Unfortunately that was it for bitterns, but I did enjoy the arrival of a flight of thirty-odd Cattle Egrets, three of which were in glorious breeding plumage - complete with a purple tinge in the base of the bill. they added to another 20 on the deck, along with 2 Little Egret and a Great Egret.
Other bits and pieces included singing Plaintive and Large Hawk Cuckoos (plus Indian Cuckoo singing at Discovery Bay), an industrious Greater Coucal presumably feeding young, a White-throated Kingfisher, a dozen Barn Swallows and a pair of Magpies.
The Monarchs were only perched for a couple of seconds, but allowed a fine demonstration of the macro on full zoom.
Cheers
Mike
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MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
The next day offered much the same mix of birds and buffaloes, plus a nice view of a perched Greater Coucal and a Magpie Robin next to the stream also posing nicely for a shot.
Cheers
Mike
Cheers
Mike
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MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
I seem to be in something of a Pui O groove at the moment and made another trip on Saturday in the hope that the two days of steady rain-bearing easterlies might have grounded some migrants. Having not seen a single one this spring Brown Shrike was my rather unambitious target, but I was also hoping for a good bittern - preferably Black or Schrenck's - or a nice flock of bee-eaters.
Well none of that happened, but I did pick up three Lantau ticks in the same flock of terns perched on the shark nets out in the bay. 43 terns comprising 35 Whiskered, 7 White-winged and a single Little Tern was a delightfully unexpected surprise! They mostly stayed a few hundred metres out in the bay, but several of the Whiskered foraged closer allowing some unspectacular record shots. It seems rude to complain when most of them were in superb breeding plumage. The very "impressionistic" (a.k.a blurry) photo captures more of the essence than the accuracy of what they look like, but it's strangely appropriate!
Other migrants included a second Yellow Bittern in eight days and two taivana Yellow Wagtails were unexpectedly late. I should also mention the pair of Dollarbirds high up on wires at the back of the valley last Sunday.
Pui O remains good for ardeids, with Cattle Egrets in their wonderful orange-buff finery ruling the roost, even if they were a bit less engorged with reproductive splendour than the ultra bright birds I found last week. Intermediate Egrets always look lovely with their trail of aigrettes, while Great and Little Egrets, a glowing Chinese Pond Heron and a single Black-crowned Night Heron .
Magpie Robin again featured as a bird of interest, this time a male had caught a froglet in the fields right by the entrance to the buffalo fields. The morning's closing highlight was an absolutely stunning Magpie, which posed unafraid and beautiful in the only two minutes of sunshine of the day just as I was heading back to the bus stop.
Cheers
Mike
Well none of that happened, but I did pick up three Lantau ticks in the same flock of terns perched on the shark nets out in the bay. 43 terns comprising 35 Whiskered, 7 White-winged and a single Little Tern was a delightfully unexpected surprise! They mostly stayed a few hundred metres out in the bay, but several of the Whiskered foraged closer allowing some unspectacular record shots. It seems rude to complain when most of them were in superb breeding plumage. The very "impressionistic" (a.k.a blurry) photo captures more of the essence than the accuracy of what they look like, but it's strangely appropriate!
Other migrants included a second Yellow Bittern in eight days and two taivana Yellow Wagtails were unexpectedly late. I should also mention the pair of Dollarbirds high up on wires at the back of the valley last Sunday.
Pui O remains good for ardeids, with Cattle Egrets in their wonderful orange-buff finery ruling the roost, even if they were a bit less engorged with reproductive splendour than the ultra bright birds I found last week. Intermediate Egrets always look lovely with their trail of aigrettes, while Great and Little Egrets, a glowing Chinese Pond Heron and a single Black-crowned Night Heron .
Magpie Robin again featured as a bird of interest, this time a male had caught a froglet in the fields right by the entrance to the buffalo fields. The morning's closing highlight was an absolutely stunning Magpie, which posed unafraid and beautiful in the only two minutes of sunshine of the day just as I was heading back to the bus stop.
Cheers
Mike
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Owen Krout
Well-known member
I have collected many more 'impressionistic' photos myself than sharp and clear. I like that euphemism and I think that I'll 'borrow' it (meaning shamelessly steal it). The truth is that often that 'impressionistic' photo is basically what we actually see as that new tic flies off or sits just a little too far away and with the sun directly behind it. The value of the ID photos is being able to sort through them to find the 10%, or less, that are actually usable and crop and process so we can actually see the fine details. That and being able to prove you really did see that rare bird.
Perhaps we should collaborate and put out our own guidebook for beginning birders. We could call it 'What You Really See'. Instead of perfectly posed subjects, we could use our 'impressionistic' photos for the plates.
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Not sure how well the book would sell Owen, but it's a fun idea!
I was back again on Saturday following more easterlies and was delighted to again find nine Whiskered Terns on the shark nets.
But the bird of the day was this Yellow Bittern which was as confiding as any I've seen. It was one of at least three and perhaps four birds on the marsh which was a patch record, and hopefully augurs well for more migrant bitterns with the rainy front that has been threatening for a couple of days.
I was also distracted by other wildlife - a cracking Lantern Bug, a Large Woodland Spider eating a flying ant and of course the buffaloes.
Tuesday was a holiday so I took the dogs up on the hills behind Discovery Bay and was delighted to see and hear three Indian Cuckoos engaged in what I believe was some sort of turf war. I also heard a Lesser Coucal and a couple of Chinese Francolins, one of which I unexpectedly flushed off the path.
Other birds of interest included a displaying Richard's Pipit of the small resident race sinensis and the House Swifts and Barn Swallows that were hunting low over the ridge, providing a zing of excitement as they zipped by within a couple of feet.
And finally . . . my friend Jeremy found a Eurasian Eagle Owl feather whilst walking the same hills with his own dogs just two days later.
Just one more thing . . . a record 17 Black-crowned Night Herons were hunched around the pond in Central Park this morning when I walked the dogs.
Cheers
Mik
I was back again on Saturday following more easterlies and was delighted to again find nine Whiskered Terns on the shark nets.
But the bird of the day was this Yellow Bittern which was as confiding as any I've seen. It was one of at least three and perhaps four birds on the marsh which was a patch record, and hopefully augurs well for more migrant bitterns with the rainy front that has been threatening for a couple of days.
I was also distracted by other wildlife - a cracking Lantern Bug, a Large Woodland Spider eating a flying ant and of course the buffaloes.
Tuesday was a holiday so I took the dogs up on the hills behind Discovery Bay and was delighted to see and hear three Indian Cuckoos engaged in what I believe was some sort of turf war. I also heard a Lesser Coucal and a couple of Chinese Francolins, one of which I unexpectedly flushed off the path.
Other birds of interest included a displaying Richard's Pipit of the small resident race sinensis and the House Swifts and Barn Swallows that were hunting low over the ridge, providing a zing of excitement as they zipped by within a couple of feet.
And finally . . . my friend Jeremy found a Eurasian Eagle Owl feather whilst walking the same hills with his own dogs just two days later.
Just one more thing . . . a record 17 Black-crowned Night Herons were hunched around the pond in Central Park this morning when I walked the dogs.
Cheers
Mik
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thirudevaram
Trapped in mist ***s
Very nice shot of the Pyrops candelaria. The proboscis is much cooler than its colorful wings.
McMadd
You should see the other bloke...
You take care up on them thar hills...
http://shanghaiist.com/2017/06/05/air-china-misses-hong-kong-mountain.php
http://shanghaiist.com/2017/06/05/air-china-misses-hong-kong-mountain.php
Owen Krout
Well-known member
And you thought that Sea Eagles were big! That might have sent the dogs scurrying for home.
Doesn't really surprise me. I taught English pronunciation to pilot candidate students a couple of classes a week, for several years at the Shenyang Aerospace University and the students themselves told me to fly with a foreign carrier whenever I went home and never to fly Xiamen Airlines as they hired the students that barely passed. They told me that the airlines recruited them mostly from the villages and didn't care about their academic record, only about their physical condition. The airline then contracted with the university for the classroom training. The university then provided a few hours a week with native English language speakers they hired and subcontracted other classroom training out to a Chinese company out of Shanghai. It showed. International English? An up hill battle as they were given vocabulary by their Chinese professors and would argue with me that I was pronouncing the term incorrectly. (I did, by the way, listen to live ATC and recordings to make sure I was correct and used to discuss it with a retired British Air Flight Engineer that was also teaching there). The only reason I could give anybody less than 70% (failing) was for chronically not attending class. Even then the dropout rate was quite high which is very unusual in China. The only university students that I ever had that were worse students were the flight attendants (at that time 100% female) that I had for a couple of years back in 2001-2003 who were only interested in looking pretty and actually put even less effort into the class than the pilot candidates, which was really hard to do. I found it really entertaining during the required military training as the drill Sergeants would get worked up into a lather yelling at them as they ignored him, fixed each others make-up, chatted, etc. Even funnier seeing them try to get them to run. Eventually, after much threatening, they would give up and send them back to class.
Doesn't really surprise me. I taught English pronunciation to pilot candidate students a couple of classes a week, for several years at the Shenyang Aerospace University and the students themselves told me to fly with a foreign carrier whenever I went home and never to fly Xiamen Airlines as they hired the students that barely passed. They told me that the airlines recruited them mostly from the villages and didn't care about their academic record, only about their physical condition. The airline then contracted with the university for the classroom training. The university then provided a few hours a week with native English language speakers they hired and subcontracted other classroom training out to a Chinese company out of Shanghai. It showed. International English? An up hill battle as they were given vocabulary by their Chinese professors and would argue with me that I was pronouncing the term incorrectly. (I did, by the way, listen to live ATC and recordings to make sure I was correct and used to discuss it with a retired British Air Flight Engineer that was also teaching there). The only reason I could give anybody less than 70% (failing) was for chronically not attending class. Even then the dropout rate was quite high which is very unusual in China. The only university students that I ever had that were worse students were the flight attendants (at that time 100% female) that I had for a couple of years back in 2001-2003 who were only interested in looking pretty and actually put even less effort into the class than the pilot candidates, which was really hard to do. I found it really entertaining during the required military training as the drill Sergeants would get worked up into a lather yelling at them as they ignored him, fixed each others make-up, chatted, etc. Even funnier seeing them try to get them to run. Eventually, after much threatening, they would give up and send them back to class.
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Too much information Owen! Really didn't want to know that! Must have been interesting at the time though. the sergeant vs the flight attendants sounds hilarious.
A few years ago I heard a related story from a friend in the Hong Kong Police. During riot drills some of the female trainees used their gas mask holders to store their make-up.
We men have no chance!
Cheers
Mike
A few years ago I heard a related story from a friend in the Hong Kong Police. During riot drills some of the female trainees used their gas mask holders to store their make-up.
We men have no chance!
Cheers
Mike
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
And finally a bit of respite in he long summer doldrums . . .
Last week I was delighted to see a juvenile Koel begging noisily from and being fed by a Black-necked Starling.
The week before a few terns (too far to see but most likely Roseate or Black-naped) flew past the Discovery Bay ferry as it was heading off to HK Island
yesterday's highlight . . . wasn't a bird, but I did fulfill a long-held ambition to find a photograph Short-nosed Fruit Bats, which often roost on the underside of Chinese Fan Palm leaves. They bite the ribs so that the dges of the leaves hang down, provinding some camopuflage and shelter, but can sometimes be seen by looking vertically upwards.
While walking the dogs yesterday morning I looked straight up for no good reason . . . and found four of the little monsters staring back down at me! was pleased to discover that they were still here this morning.
I'll post a pic this evening when I get home.
Cheers
Mike
Last week I was delighted to see a juvenile Koel begging noisily from and being fed by a Black-necked Starling.
The week before a few terns (too far to see but most likely Roseate or Black-naped) flew past the Discovery Bay ferry as it was heading off to HK Island
yesterday's highlight . . . wasn't a bird, but I did fulfill a long-held ambition to find a photograph Short-nosed Fruit Bats, which often roost on the underside of Chinese Fan Palm leaves. They bite the ribs so that the dges of the leaves hang down, provinding some camopuflage and shelter, but can sometimes be seen by looking vertically upwards.
While walking the dogs yesterday morning I looked straight up for no good reason . . . and found four of the little monsters staring back down at me! was pleased to discover that they were still here this morning.
I'll post a pic this evening when I get home.
Cheers
Mike
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
And finally a bit of respite in he long summer doldrums . . .
Last week I was delighted to see a juvenile Koel begging noisily from and being fed by a Black-necked Starling. I also enjoyed a fine adult Common Ratsnake on another morning dog walk.
The week before a few terns (too far to see but most likely Roseate or Black-naped) flew past the Discovery Bay ferry as it was heading off to HK Island
Yesterday's highlight, just a few minutes after enjoying a noisy pair of White-throated Kingfishers in the pond near my block . . . wasn't a bird at all, but I did fulfill a long-held ambition to find a photograph Short-nosed Fruit Bats, which often roost on the underside of Chinese Fan Palm leaves. They bite the ribs so that the edges of the leaves hang down, provinding some camouflage and shelter, but can sometimes be seen by looking vertically upwards.
While walking the dogs yesterday morning I looked straight up for no good reason . . . and found four of the little monsters staring back down at me! was pleased to discover that they were still here this morning.
I'll post a pic this evening when I get home.
Cheers
Mike
Last week I was delighted to see a juvenile Koel begging noisily from and being fed by a Black-necked Starling. I also enjoyed a fine adult Common Ratsnake on another morning dog walk.
The week before a few terns (too far to see but most likely Roseate or Black-naped) flew past the Discovery Bay ferry as it was heading off to HK Island
Yesterday's highlight, just a few minutes after enjoying a noisy pair of White-throated Kingfishers in the pond near my block . . . wasn't a bird at all, but I did fulfill a long-held ambition to find a photograph Short-nosed Fruit Bats, which often roost on the underside of Chinese Fan Palm leaves. They bite the ribs so that the edges of the leaves hang down, provinding some camouflage and shelter, but can sometimes be seen by looking vertically upwards.
While walking the dogs yesterday morning I looked straight up for no good reason . . . and found four of the little monsters staring back down at me! was pleased to discover that they were still here this morning.
I'll post a pic this evening when I get home.
Cheers
Mike
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Owen Krout
Well-known member
A really delightful pic of the SNFBats, Mike! Birding is the excuse for getting out into some nature, but this kind of thing always makes the day for me.
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Oh that is CUTE! Love it!
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Many thanks gents.
The typhoons of today and Wednesday have delivered a few birds here in Discovery Bay. The highlights were the 38 Black-winged Stilts on the marsh next to the school along with two probable Eurasian Curlews. They have been pushed off by the rising tide so sadly I am unlikely to be able to confirm the curlews as a Lantau tick.
A couple of Common Kingfishers have taken up residence on the ponds in Central Park since Wednesday's much more serious typhoon. Indeed Typhoon Hato ripped my glasses off my head while I walked the dogs and the tree I went to search under suffered significant damage from the wind being funnelled between the towers. Less dramatically, a pair of White-rumped Munias were feeding on the algae on one of the little waterfalls in the same pond.
The other highlight was adding Reeves's Terrapin to my list of turtles in Central Park. According to turtle expert Paul Crow this is most likely a released pet, But Reeves's is native to Hong Kong and this is my first sighting, so I'm really pleased with the photo - even though the fact that I could get it adds to the likelihood of it being an escape.
Cheers
Mike
The typhoons of today and Wednesday have delivered a few birds here in Discovery Bay. The highlights were the 38 Black-winged Stilts on the marsh next to the school along with two probable Eurasian Curlews. They have been pushed off by the rising tide so sadly I am unlikely to be able to confirm the curlews as a Lantau tick.
A couple of Common Kingfishers have taken up residence on the ponds in Central Park since Wednesday's much more serious typhoon. Indeed Typhoon Hato ripped my glasses off my head while I walked the dogs and the tree I went to search under suffered significant damage from the wind being funnelled between the towers. Less dramatically, a pair of White-rumped Munias were feeding on the algae on one of the little waterfalls in the same pond.
The other highlight was adding Reeves's Terrapin to my list of turtles in Central Park. According to turtle expert Paul Crow this is most likely a released pet, But Reeves's is native to Hong Kong and this is my first sighting, so I'm really pleased with the photo - even though the fact that I could get it adds to the likelihood of it being an escape.
Cheers
Mike
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Owen Krout
Well-known member
Nice Munias. Glad you and yours are safe and best of luck in picking up the rarities left over from the storm before they disappear again.
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