handrew

At 5.45pm today 2 flocks of egrets flew SSE over Sai Kung - the flocks were approx 200 birds followed a minute later by another ~150. Thy were distant but looked large and were flying vigorously and I would venture they were Great egrets but I am open to contradiction. As they flew past the town and out of sight of our home in Chuk Yeung Road they showed no sign of slowing or reducing height.

Andrew

fatchun

Would they be Great Cormorant??

handrew

Er........ no!

subbuteo

I had a large mixed egret flock (around 40 egret) earlier in the week flying up and down Lam Tsuen at dusk.  They flew in from Tolo Harbour and seemed unsure what to do next.  They flew back out towards the sea again, not something I've seen in the valley before.

Dylan

handrew

We get a few Egrets around here. Great, Little and Cattle all occur and in Spring we had a large presumed dispersal flock of Littles with a few Cattle egret thrown in - they stayed for about a month and then moved on. There were half a dozen at Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai this morning along with a nice phyllosc in the mangroves associating with Tailorbirds - probably an Arctic I would hazard. But I haven't seen a flock this size before, here.

[ Last edited by handrew at 2/10/2010 07:07 ]

wgeoff

I think these would be Great Egrets.

Every year in October large flocks of Great Egrets head out from the Deep Bay area in the early morning (and probably late evening also from your observation) flying south south east. They have been noted before by others (I remember Matthew at Wonderland Villas last year I think) but I see them every year at Po Toi in the early morning in late September and October. From the direction and purposeful flight (exactly as you mention), I believe they are heading for the southern Philippines which would be about 2 days flight away.

The interesting thing is, I've never seen or heard reported a return passage in spring. They must use a different route.

handrew

Thanks Geoff. Very interesting.