BWA

Apparently they had a good time, but not the terns.
他們玩得很開心，但燕鷗會開心嗎？

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/uncle_1389/article?mid=7772

fatchun

Quote:

Original posted by BWA at 8/09/2010 22:55
Apparently they had a good time, but not the terns.
他們玩得很開心，但燕鷗會開心嗎？

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/uncle_1389/article?mid=7772

After searching from the web. We know that the island is a restricted area. So, could we report this to some organisation?(e.g. Police Force)

BWA

已發電郵向漁護署報告
The link has been emailed to AFCD.

[ Last edited by BWA at 9/09/2010 04:09 ]

BWA

重有幼鳥！
and chicks too!

多謝會友報料.
Thanks to a HKBWS member for reporting the sites.

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/skpoon-footprint

[ Last edited by BWA at 9/09/2010 04:09 ]

thinfor

I've been getting along with this HK registered local hiking team for many years.

I'm sure they did not attempt to influence terns' habitat but anyway what they acted did.

I will try to contact the organizers and suggest them not to land on the island.  If they insist, not on breeding season.

For the access prohibition, I've known that this island has been prohibited from public access.  Not sure whether it's just for the area of the lighthouse and don't know whether it's changed after the lighthouse has changed to auto operation some time ago.

I guess hikers/explorers and birders should not have any conflicts as long as they cherish the nature.

james10

I agree with thinfor's proposal.

Of course, it is in the best interest of the terns if no hiker land on the islands on any occasion. However, I believe that this can only be achieved by education. It is not an easy process, and it is by no means a short process. Landing on the islands may actually provide the hikers with the chance to "get closer to nature" and develop an attitude of admiration towards nature.

Thinfor's proposal also aptly balances the interests between hikers and us nature conservatists. The hikers may enjoy their hikes in autumn or winter when less terns breed.

BWA

Yes, prevention begins from education.

At the beginning of each breeding season, AFCD has been issuing advice to tour operators not to disturb tern colonies for many years.  This year is no exception.

In the early 2000s, some operators gave similar tours to the largest tern island in Hong Kong in Mirs Bay, leading to devastating disturbance to terns there. The practice stopped after the Society and AFCD carried out an education campaign in 2003, advising tour operators and hiking groups not to visit tern islands during the breeding season.

Perhaps this tour operator (the name can be found in the blog) didn't expect terns at Waglan at the end of August.  It was too late by the time they found out, with a full boat-load of their pay-masters ready to start their "expedition".

Hope they would be more considerate when planning next year's operations.

[ Last edited by BWA at 9/09/2010 22:48 ]