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Subject: Decline in no. of birdwatchers in Mai Po [Print This Page]
Author: HFCheung    Time: 7/05/2013 23:02     Subject: Decline in no. of birdwatchers in Mai Po

Last Saturday, the tide was very good in Mai Po boardwalk.  There are very good number and variety of birds just in front of the middle hide.  I was surprised to find that there were only 2 other birdwatachers in the hide.  What happen to all the birdwatchers in HK?  I understand there is a Po Toi Outing on the day, but Mai Po is still an excellent place to watch birds, especially if you are keen to learn id of waders.  Many years ago, there were days that Mai Po was packed with oversea birdwatchers, and then there were many times that the hides were filled completely with birdwatchers with big lenses sitting there all day.  So it was nice to have a very quiet season in Mai Po.  Enjoy it while you can.

HF Cheung
Author: kkchang168    Time: 8/05/2013 21:55

Yes, there are not too much birdwatchers in these days in MP. I went to MP on 2013-05-06 when I got my first FCA Permit and went to the hides. There are no one there. In the new floating hide Red Hide. I happened to see (my first time) at least 2 Grey-tailed Tattler(I hope that I am right, correct me if I am wrong please). From the Hong Kong Bird Report 2009-2010, the peak count is 9 in 2010.



Other species seen in MP Boardwalk includes:

Purple Heron
Greater Sand Plover
Red-necked Stint
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Great Egret
Chinese Pond Heron
Far Eastern Curlew
Pied Avocet
Common Moorhen
Common Greenshank
Terek Sandpiper
Caspian Tern
Chinese Bulbul
Barn Swallow
and a Hawk which flew away before I could take a record shot

Image Attachment: 185-灰尾漂鷸-Grey-tailed-Tattler-01.jpg (8/05/2013 21:55, 9.76 KB) / Download count 553
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=14857

Author: cywong    Time: 8/05/2013 22:58

In the past few years, WWF automatically helped their members to apply for a new Lok Ma Chau Closed Area Permit before the old permit expired. This year WWF failed to help some of their members to apply for a new Closed Area Permit, so some birdwatchers cannot go to the boardwalk. I am one of these birdwatchers!
Author: HFCheung    Time: 8/05/2013 23:42

Oh I see!  Lots of sympathy.  I hope HKBWS and Mai Po management can talk about it in a coming meeting to find a way to solve this problem.
Author: LIJO    Time: 9/05/2013 08:34

I am new to bird watch and I just submitted my application for permit to broad walk behind restricted area, WWF staff told me it will take at least 6 to 8 weeks for the permit. It is not encouraging!
Author: handrew    Time: 9/05/2013 09:39

I turned up at the WWF centre to collect my pass. I was told it hadn't been renewed. Looking down at the page of Hs I was top of the list and my pass was attached. This happened last year too. Do check again. It may be there after all.
Author: WWF Mai Po    Time: 9/05/2013 17:35

I apologise about any delays that some of you may have experienced with the renewal of FCA permits. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the situation.

Application Procedure
In  order to automatically renew permits, it was necessary for WWF staff to work out which permits were due to expire and to confirm that the old permit had been collected (there are uncollected FCA permits every year). Unfortunately a few individuals do appear to have been overlooked in the past, and I am sorry if you were one of those individuals.

WWF has changed the procedure for permit renewal to help make administration of the process easier and to reduce the risk of an individual being overlooked by our staff. It is now the responsibility of the permit holder to submit the necessary documentation (current AFCD permit and WWF membership) to WWF at the end of the year, for us to send to the police for processing. Information about this change in system has been sent to FCA permit holders via email at the time of collection of their previous permits. Information about the current process is available on the WWF website (http://wwf.org.hk/en/getinvolved/gomaipo/spetour/).

Processing time
The new permit application usually takes about 6-8 weeks. Again, this is stated on the WWF website (http://wwf.org.hk/en/getinvolved/gomaipo/spetour/). For efficiency, applications are submitted to the police in bulk once per month rather than individually (it is the police that issue these permits, not WWF). Processing time with the police can vary in individual cases. Some applicants may receive their permit quickly (often less than 6-8 weeks) while others may have some delay depending upon circumstances at the time of submitting the application. The new permit renewal procedure should mean that anyone who sends their details by the end of the year should receive the new permit before the old one is due to expire. Again, I apologise to any individuals who have previously had to wait for the arrival of their permit.

Mathew Cheng
Centre Manager, Mai Po Nature Reserve
Author: handrew    Time: 9/05/2013 21:43

Mathew, as you have a list of WWF members I'm not really sure why you need us to submit the membership card. I had to produce mine yet again when I collected the permit. I did not get an e mail telling me to submit the documents so I guess I was lucky to be renewed. Are the renewed permits available for collection before the expiry date of the old permits? If they were it would smooth out the surge of everybody trying to collect their new permit at the same time. Could FCA permits be multi-year? Some people must have been members with ermits for decades. Is it not pragmatic to grant them say a 5 year permit? I understand they are issued by the police but perhaps WWF could initiate an enquiry. It would also reduce paperwork further.

Just a few thoughts. Thanks.
Author: msamuel    Time: 9/05/2013 23:31

Anyone knows how to apply or had ever successfully applied for the Permit directly with the Police Department?  This will ease WWF's administration work.
Author: Ronaldo    Time: 10/05/2013 06:43

Just to share my own experience: I applied for a permit in early March, and only after I asked WWF yesterday about the status, did I receive a letter that the permit was already there for collection...
If you haven't received your permit yet, it's worth checking with WWF rather than wait.
Author: fneil    Time: 11/05/2013 08:24

Quote:
Original posted by HFCheung at 7/05/2013 23:02
Last Saturday, the tide was very good in Mai Po boardwalk.  There are very good number and variety of birds just in front of the middle hide.  I was surprised to find that there were only 2 other bird ...
On Monday 6th May I got out there early to the old hide to watch the birds come in ( I have to get a taxi from Wanchai to get there by 6.30 am )and there was only one other photographer there and the tide got to 2.3 meters (forecast 2.1 meters).
I headed to the new hide on the falling tide around 9.30 am and stayed until 1.00 pm.  I was the only one there.
As I left the carpark I did notice that there were photographers on the outside ponds photographing the terns. Maybe that's more interesting.
There are overseas visitors on most days when I'm there but only 1 or 2, and often they arrive too late.
I think at this time of the year the high tides are too early in the morning for most people to get there in time.
Visitors also have to pick up their permits at the office after 8.30 am which means they are too late unless the high tide is after 11.00 am.
Author: handrew    Time: 12/05/2013 09:48

The visitors permit point is a good one. I occasionally have birder friends visiting HK on business and they ask for a day at MPNR. They are willing to start at dawn to maximise their limited time. But this isn't possible with the existing system. Perhaps some form of e permit could be issued? Again, less paperwork etc.
Author: Jonathmartinez    Time: 12/05/2013 10:22

Fully agree with Andrew and Fneil point about the permits for day visitor.I had recently a friend came from France and we finally give up to visit Mai Po because of this problem.
A E-permit would be a brilliant system.

All the best,

Jonathan
Author: sdavid    Time: 13/05/2013 08:38

I blame it on the lack of flapjacks, muffins and hot beverages in the Visitor Centre.



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