Scarlet Minivets have recently - ie this year - become a permanent feature in my village, Hing Keng Shek, which is basically on the hillside above Marina Cove/Pak Wai in Sai Kung, about 1-2 kms east of Ho Chung.
My own feeling is that since I have seen them disappear almost from Tai Po Kau (correct me if I'm wrong) over the last 20 or so years - they used to be about as numerous as Grey-chinned there - this is NOT a forest species but a forest edge species and as the forest expands this species is expanding with it, but at the edge. So re-afforestation is the cause, but the most developed forms of forest we have in HK are not the requirement.
Re-reading Gary's message I guess we're saying pretty much the same thing.
Interested to hear what others think.
Mike Turnbull
