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[Loons] White-billed Diver 黃嘴潛鳥

White-billed Diver 黃嘴潛鳥

A White-billed Diver (=Yellow-billed Loon) has been reported by Yu Yat Tung this afternoon from an island close to Sai Kung. Apparently the bird has been photographed and these photos will hopefully be posted on the website this evening.

A boat trip is being organised to look for the bird tomorrow morning (Saturday 26th), leaving Sai Kung pier at 8.00. If you are interested in joining the boat trip please contact Shirley Lam on 6112 1151 today.

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Thanks John posting this information. Please enjoy the photos!

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Congratulations Ah Tung! GREAT STUFF.

Thanks for John & Shirley for arranging the boat-trip.

Cheers
PWMK

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Another trip will be undertaken tomorrow (Sunday 27th) to look for the Town Island White billed Diver.

It'll depart from Sai Kung public pier at 8 am - if you are interested please send me a message.

If you see this too late you could take a chance and just turn up - the boat holds up to about 35 we think.

Total hire cost is $2500 so cost is a fraction of that.

Mike Turnbull

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Sea near Town Island
26th Jan, 2008.






Thanks for viewing

PWMK

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photos

Big thanks to Tung, who found the bird, thanks to Shirley organised the boat trip, thanks for everybody for making it a memorable day.   

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photo

The star of the show this morning.

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船程小記
1月26日早上8時,一行27位鳥友由西貢碼頭出發,尋找黃咀潛鳥。早上天有密雲,無雨,天氣寒冷。西貢內海較風平浪靜,有數十隻鸕鷀及數隻白腹海鵰,包括一隻在海面練習捉魚的幼鳥。
經過一小時的船程,當船隻準備由晨曦島與企頭角頂之間的鎖匙門穿過之時,黃咀潛鳥就在船前一百米出現,一隻體形似鸕鷀的水鳥,背部深灰色,咀奇大,突出的額頭有起角的感覺。我們慢慢接近,牠似乎已察覺我們的船隻,並潛入水中。不久,牠又在四十米外冒出水面,而我們就跟隨。經過短暫的捉迷藏遊戲,牠潛到較遠的水域,而我們亦減慢速度,等待牠游近......
玩了一個多小時後,牠似乎不會再游近,我們開始離開。回程的船上,大家都抱著興奮的心情,熱熱鬧鬧地討論黃咀潛鳥的故事。


A short report of the boat trip
26th January, 08, a ground of 27 birdwatcher started off from Sai Kung Pier to search for Yellow-billed Loon. It was a chilly overcast day but fortunately no rain. The inner sea of Sai Kung was claim with a few dozens of Cormorant and a few White-bellied Sea Eagle – including a juvenile practicing fish-catching.
After a few of boat trip, when our boat begin to pass through the sea channel Sor See Mun between Town Island and Kei Tau Kok Teng, a Yellow-billed Loon appeared 100 m ahead of our boat. Its size is similar to Great Cormorant with dark grey back, super large bill and a flat head top. When we slowly approached, it dived into the sea, and suddenly reappeared – at 40m apart. After a short hide-and-seek game, it dived into a further distance and we slow down our ship, hoping that it would come to a closer distance......
After more than hour of enjoyable bird watching and photo taking, we began to go back Sai Kung. On the return trip, everyone was excited about the bird and hotly talked about the story of Yellow-billed Loon.

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Thanks Shirley.





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Thanks Shirley, Kwok Jar & Tung

Date : 2008:01:26
Camera model: Canon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens : EF500mm f4 + 2x
Focal length: 1000.0mm
Flash used: No
Exposure time & ISO:  1) 1/1000s ISO 640, 2-6) 1/800s ISO400
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure bias: -0.33
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)

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Excellent series of shots given the conditions, hpippen!  
Care to post some shooting data?
KK Hui FRPS
Personal Website

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[quote:bcfe8156a0="hkwongkit"]Excellent series of shots given the conditions, hpippen!  
Care to post some shooting data?[/quote]

Thanks! KK  
Data added

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Thanks for sharing the photos!
Unluckily, we can't find the loon today.
It is very cold, below 10 degree this morning....
Tony Hung

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Great photos of what must be one of the best birds ever seen in HK.  Well done Tung and thanks to Shirley for organising the boat.

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Great Pix of a wonderful bird.

We couldn't find it on Sunday, but from the pix it certainly looks like the White-billed Diver finally found Nemo!

Cheers
Mike K
Mike KilburnVice Chairman, HKBWSChairman, Conservation Committee

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Yes, sort of.  See reply #8 for ID of prey: http://www.hkwildlife.net/viewthread.php?tid=24064&page=1#pid130573

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6/2/08 明報 Mingpao
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20080206/gzk8.htm

Report on Ming Pao

迷途黃嘴潛鳥旅居香港

【明報專訊】上月底,一隻原生活在北極圈的黃嘴潛鳥(Yellow-billed Loon),不知是否因為南遷度冬時迷了路,竟來了香港水域。在這之前,香港從沒有發現黃嘴潛鳥的紀錄,發現牠的香港觀鳥學會水鳥普查項目普查員余日東說,「當天天氣差,海面很大浪,沒想過在這樣的情况下見到牠」。

絕迹亞熱帶 疑南遷度冬時迷路

余日東是在1月25日發現黃嘴潛鳥,他當時乘船在西貢對開海域進行水鳥普查。當天寒流剛襲港,海面風高浪急,余日東說︰「我們看到一隻黃嘴潛鳥在海面上浮沉,頓時感到很興奮,立刻拍照和通知其他鳥友。」一些鳥友還對他說可省回數千元機票,因為要親眼看到黃嘴潛鳥,最近也要到日本。他說香港從沒有黃嘴潛鳥出現的紀錄。

黃嘴潛鳥只在北極圈內繁殖,冬天時會南下到稍暖的地方過冬。余指,這種鳥很少會南遷至亞熱帶地區,多數只會移徙至日本、英倫三島和意大利等地,「這是個意外發現,因為香港太近南半球,黃嘴潛鳥很少會到太暖的地方」。他估計,那隻黃嘴潛鳥有可能是在南遷時迷了路,獨自來到水質較好的西貢海岸,「我們當天所見的是幼鳥,大概只有半歲,可能牠沒有太多遷徙經驗,故走錯了路線」。


出水能飛 入水能游 首現香港

依他觀察所見,那隻黃嘴潛鳥相當健康,「牠大概有33吋長,體型不小。有鳥友更看到牠能潛入水中,5分鐘後才返回水面」。不過,那隻黃嘴潛鳥很快便離開了西貢海域,被發現後的第3天,一些鳥友出海找尋牠時,已不見其蹤影。

目前全球只有5種潛鳥,牠們出水能飛,入水能游,但一生大部分時間都在海上度過,不太會走路。黃嘴潛鳥現在全球大概有2.3萬隻,不算瀕危鳥類。到目前為止,香港只有4次發現其他潛鳥紀錄,第一次是1997年,被發現的是太平洋潛鳥。而2003年,則在新界東北一帶發現紅喉潛鳥,逗留了一個月之久。

明報記者 周倩炘

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Would anybody be interested in a boat trip this Saturday 16th to look for this bird again.

Given the prolonged cold spell, there must be a chance it is still out there.

And there may even be something else!

Please indicate on this board or contact me via pm or email if you're interested.

Geoff

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I have arranged a boat to leave Sai Kung Public Pier at 8am this Saturday 16th for five hours. We will search the Rocky Harbour and Port Shelter area for the diver and other birds of note. It's a long shot, but you never know. There might be a chance of something else.

If you are interested, please come along. The more the better: more eyes, less money to pay.

If you have any questions, or wish to tell me you are coming, please or sms me at 94399250.

Geoff

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Geoff, unless the weather is dreadful I shall come.

regards

Andrew

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Please add 2 more to the list, Geoff.

Thank you
Ken

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That's 6 confirmed, which makes $400 each. Pls call me asap if this is a problem. 94399250.

Anybody else interested? Call or sms me at the same number.

Geoff

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