The various hides are best at different heights. I consider the outermost hide to be best on a tide of about 1.6-1.7m and the central hides to be best at a tide of about 2.1m. Above about 2.2m the tide will normally cover the bay, and the shorebirds will leave to roost on the reserve or elsewhere.
Time of day is not a crucial factor in terms of birds, but does affect the light. In the middle of the day, the strong light can sometimes be a problem. Afternoon light can sometimes be difficult from the outermost hide when birds because many birds are to the west of the hide.
And it is true that Mai Po ios much quieter in summer, especially June. This is because most of the migratory birds have gone north to breed. There are a few resident and summering birds present, but numbers are much lower than winter. Shorebird migration starts for some species as early as July, though, so numbers do start to pick up from mid-July and into August. Some shorebird species are very early migrants, for example the number of Common Redshank can peak in early August.
