Places and Trails across Hong Kong
Tung Ping Chau the Flat Isle of Sedimentary Rocks
The most northeasterly land in Hong Kong, set in Mirs Bay and far closer to mainland Shenzhen than to the Hong Kong mainland, Tung Ping Chau is the only sizeable island in Hong Kong to be built only of sedimentary rock. Its name means Flat Island, and as you approach…
Sharp Island in Hong Kong’s smallest country park
Sharp Island (Kiu Tsui Chau) is the dominant member of Hong Kong’s smallest island country park, which also includes seven islets off its northeast and northwest coasts. As the name suggests, the island is indeed angular. The interior is a slender, north-south ridge that rises to 136 metres, with especially…
Activities in Hong Kong outdoors
Camping and campsites in Hong Kong
While day and evening trips to the Hong Kong countryside are rewarding, a whole new experience awaits if you’re willing to camp.
Hong Kong Night Hiking is Far More Than a Walk in the Dark
As increasing numbers of people are discovering, night hiking may seem a little spooky, but there are rewards a-plenty, including tranquillity, scintillating scenes, respite from daytime heat, fitting in with busy work schedules, and – for some – encounters with snakes.
Hong Kong’s Wonderful Wildlife
I’ve seen various social media posts and even a couple of media articles about large numbers of Red-base Jezebels Delias pasithoe in Hong Kong recently. It seems people especially notice them during cold spells, when many of these butterflies are grounded by the chill, maybe dying – though…
While we’ve known for some years that Grey-faced Buzzard and Chinese Sparrowhawk can pass Hong Kong in good numbers on some spring days – evidently after being deflected by easterly winds while migrating from Luzon towards southeast China (Spring Migration of Grey-faced Buzzards and Chinese Sparrowhawks in Hong…
Weather including tropical cyclones
“Typhoon to Hong Kong Soon” Makes Great Clickbait
While Hong Kong is sometimes hit by typhoons, predicting them in advance is tricky. Yet this doesn’t stop social media and even mainstream media posts that latch on to occasional results of computer forecast models that suggest potential typhoons, even while other results at the same time show…
Lightning-packed Supercell over Cheung Chau, Hong Kong
Yesterday evening (30 April 2024), weather monitoring imagery showed an intense rainstorm/thunderstorm area – a “supercell” approaching Hong Kong from the west. I went from my home to the public pier at the nearby Cheung Chau typhoon shelter, with ideas of taking photos of lightning as the storm…
Hong Kong conservation
If you’re among the privileged few with access to the inner sanctum of Deep Bay in northwest Hong Kong – a viewing hide at the seaward edge of the mangroves, you can experience one of the finest bird spectacles in east Asia. As the tide rises on a…
If you’re unfamiliar with the Deep Bay wetland shared by Hong Kong and Shenzhen, you might wonder about the significance of the expanse of fish ponds in the area of north Hong Kong that will be the site of a major new development, the Northern Metropolis – as…
I’ve lately noticed mention of nature-based solutions, abbreviated to NbS, regarding conservation ideas for Hong Kong. It seems all very well as an idea, but can it widely catch on – or is it fancypants jargon, which won’t appeal to many beyond those fond of conservation by Powerpoint…
HK Outdoors photo galleries
←Black-faced Spoonbills
Pied Avocets, at Mai Po scrape during high tide in winter
Oriental Stork
Eurasian Wigeon
Amur Stonechat
Great Cormorants
Black-winged Stilt flight
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Relict Gull, Mai Po
House Swift
Grey Heron
Black-winged Kite at Mai Po
Oriental Storks at Mai Po, Dec 1990
Chinese Egret, Mai Po
Oriental Pratincole
Collared Dove
Great Cormorant
Great Cormorants heading to mouth of Deep Bay; Shenzhen beyond
Black-faced Spoonbill and reflection
Great Cormorants
Little Grebe
Pied Avocets and Eurasian Curlew
Great Cormorants
Black-faced and European Spoonbills w Great Egret
Three Whimbrel, Mai Po
Black-faced Spoonbills
Common Redshank
Oriental Stork
Eurasian Curlew
Oriental Stork, w Shenzhen beyond
Osprey
Pied Avocets
Pied Kingfisher
Greater Spotted Eagle
Chinese Egret and Black-faced Spoonbill, Mai Po
Olive-backed Pipit
Great Cormorant at San Tin, Shenzhen building beyond
Great Black-headed and Common Black-headed Gulls
Black Kite and Pied Avocets
Glaucous Gull, Deep Bay
Chinese Penduline Tit
Drake Northern Shoveler and reflection
Caspian Tern and Eurasian Curlew
Pied Avocet
Northern Shoveler
Saunders' Gull and friends
Black-faced Spoonbill in Deep Bay
Black-winged Stilt and reflection
Pied Avocets and Asian Dowitcher, Mai Po
Chinese Egret and Black-faced Spoonbills, Deep Bay, Mai Po
Black-faced Spoonbills with Shenzhen beyond
Immature Black-faced Spoonbill, flight, Mai Po
Chinese Pond Heron
Collared Crows, Mai Po
Common Greenshank approaching, Mai Po
Two Common Redshank landing
Whimbrel, Mai P
Pied Kingfisher
Plain Prinia, Mai Po
Eastern Curlew, Mai Po
Cattle Egret and water buffalo, Mai Po
Terek Sandpipers clustered at high tide, Mai Po
Black-faced Spoonbills and Chinese Egret
Eurasian Wigeon at Mai Po
Purple Heron at Mai Po
Eastern Curlew with 3 Eurasian Curlew at Mai Po
Oriental Reed-Warbler at Mai Po
Crested Serpent-Eagle by Lion Head Mountain, Lantau
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Large-billed Crow
Common Kestrel
White's Thrush
Eastern Buzzard
Red-flanked Bluetail
Large-billed Crows mobbing Crested Goshawk
Black-faced Bunting
Black-naped Oriole
Chestnut Bulbul
Blue-tailed Bee-eater, migrating over Lion Head Mountain
Crested Serpent-Eagle over wooded slopes of Lantau Peak
Chinese Sparrowhawk
Besra
Common Kestrel
Grey-faced Buzzards over Lion Head Mountain, Lantau
Booted Eagle - 2nd for Hong Kong, 2 October 2022
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swift
Osprey
Chinese Sparrowhawk
Crested Serpent-Eagles
Crested Serpent-Eagle
White-throated Needletail
juvenile Crested Goshawk
Chinese Sparrowhawk over Lion Head Mountain, Lantau, Hong Kong
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Crested Serpent-Eagle on Lion Head Mountain, Lantau
Eye-browed Thrushes
Common Kestrel
House Swift
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Yellow-browed Bunting
Crested Serpent-Eagles battling over Lantau
Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzards
Pacific Swift
Chestnut Bulbul
Crested Goshawk displaying
Ruddy-breasted Crake, Pui O
Northern Lapwing
Grey-faced Buzzard
Hoopoe
Black-winged Stilt
Chinese Grosbeak
Barn Swallow with rusty underparts like tytleri
Brown Shrike
Cattle Egrets with Intermediate Egret
Greater Paintedsnipe
Black-capped Kingfisher at Pui O, Lantau
Chinese Pond Heron
Drake Common Teal
Grey-headed Lapwing, Pui O
Cattle, Little and Intermediate egrets, Pui O
Eastern Buzzard
Great Egret
Greater Sandplover
Grey-streaked Flycatcher
Little, Intermediate and Cattle egrets
Japanese Yellow Bunting
Little Egret
Male Kentish Plover
Northern Skylark
Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Pui O
Olive-backed Pipit
Oriental Pratincole
Yellow Wagtail taivana
Grey-headed Lapwing at Pui O, Lantau
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Oriental Honey Buzzard, over slopes of Sunset Peak above Pui O
Barn Swallow
Kentish Plover
Pheasant-tailed Jacana and Little Egrets, Pui O
Red-throated Pipit
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail taivana
Yellow-browed Warbler
Swinhoe's or Pintail snipe
Little, Great and Intermediate egrets, Pui O
Swinhoe's or Pintail snipe
Oriental Plover
Eastern Reef Egret
Oriental Honey Buzzard over slopes above Pui O
Brown Shrike, Pui O
Grey-headed Lapwing, Pui O
Ruff with Crested Mynah and Water Buffalo, Pui O
Yellow Wagtail (taivana) at Pui O, Lantau
Red-necked Stint at Shui Hau, Lantau
Yellow Wagtail
Reef Egret
Two Common Redshanks, Shui Hau, and reflections
Siberian Lesser Sandplover and Red-necked Stints
Fairy Pitta
Little Egrets and Intermediate Egret
Ruddy Turnstone
Long-toed Stint, autumn
Whimbrel and shellfish collector
Dark-sided Flycatcher
Arctic Warbler
Pacific Golden Plover
Common Kingfisher
Pacific Reef Egret
Pacific Golden Plover, autumn
Pacific Reef Egret
White Wagtail
Greater and Siberian sandplovers
Grey-tailed Tattler
Red-necked Stint
Grey-tailed Tattler
Siberian Lesser Sandplover and Greater Sandplover
Common Sandpiper
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Grey-tailed Tattler
Whimbrel
Shorebirds and lap sap
Greater Sandplover
Crested Goshawk
Curlew Sandpiper
Greater Sandplover
Two Common Redshank w reflections, Shui Hau
Grey Wagtail
pale Kentish Plover
Red-necked Stints and Sandplovers at Shui Hau
Red-necked Stints
Fairy Pitta
Sanderling
Terek Sandpiper
White's Thrush
Tibetan Lesser Sandplover
Arctic Warbler, Shui Hau
White-throated Kingfisher
Broad-billed Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper
Grey-tailed Tattler, Shui Hau
Common Redshank, Shui Hau
Chinese Pond Heron
Long-toed Stint
Kentish Plover and clam diggers
Chinese Pond Heron
Marsh Sandpiper
Lesser Sandplovers
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Grey Bushchat
Male Kentish Plover, w dark legs, Shui Hau
Male Kentish Plover, w pink legs, Shui Hau
Summer plumage Cattle Egrets
Band of Grey-tailed Tattlers, Shui Hau
Dunlin, winter plumage
Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Shui Hau
Little Egret hunting in mangroves at Shui Hau
Red-necked Stint
Band of Grey-tailed Tattlers, Shui Hau
Cattle Egret and water buffalo
Long-toed Stint
Striated Heron
Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stints on Lantau
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Magpie Robin
Cattle Egret on Water Buffalo, Shui Hau, Lantau
Ruddy Turnstone
Common Reshank n mangroves reflection Shui Hau
Grey-tailed Tattler
Male Kentish Plover w pink legs, Shui Hau
Male Kentish Plover w dark legs, Shui Hau
Black-winged Stilts
Grey-tailed Tattler
Whimbrel and water buffalo, Shui Hau
Grey-tailed Tattler and Black-winged Stilt
Whimbrel
Sanderling
Common Redshank and Whimbrel
Two-barred Greenish Warbler, at Shui Hau, Lantau
Cattle Egret, Shui Hau
Wood Sandpiper, Shui Hau
Male Scarlet Minivet
Eastern Buzzard
Spring blossoms: cherry
Bull-headed Shrike
Grey-chinned Minvet
Black Kites and rising moon
Grey-backed Thrush
Pair of Red-whiskered Bulbuls
Brown-headed Thrush
Common Sandpiper
Brown Shrike
Amur Paradise Flycatcher, re-catching Wandering Glider
Black Kites above Sai Wan roost
Besra
Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler
Eastern Buzzard
Bull-headed Shrike
White-tailed Robin
Sanderling, Cheung Chau
White Wagtail
Brown-headed Thrush
Flying Egret, Setting Sun
Black-naped Tern
Brown Noddy and Roseate Tern from ferry
Emerald Dove, Cheung Chau
White-winged and Whiskered Terns, Cheung Chau
Lesser Frigatebird mobbed by Large-billed Crows
Lesser Frigatebird and Black Kite w rising moon
Crested Goshawk displaying
Daurian Redstart
Eastern Buzzard
Fork-tailed Sunbird
Common Black-headed Gull
Black Kite
Brown Noddy from ferry
Blyth's Reed Warbler
Amur Paradise Flycatcher with Wandering Glider
Besra, Cheung Chau
Kloss' Leaf-Warbler
Red-footed Booby: a badly injured bird, later euthanisedfound on a Cheung Chau beach on 18 March 2024; taken to Kadoorie Farm, but vets found its shoulder injuries were too severe to nurse it back to health
Eastern Buzzard, Cheung Chau, HK
Oriental Pratincole
Bluethroat
Great Cormorants
Amur Stonechat
Eastern Buzzard
Collared Dove
Black-faced Spoonbills
Great Cormorants
Barn Swallow
Great Cormorants
House Swift
Intermediate Egret
Great Cormorants
Great Cormorants over Fung Lok Wai
Great Cormorants, and skyscraper in Shenzhen
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Northern Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Oriental Pratincole
Great Cormorants
Olive-backed Pipit
Great Cormorant
Great Cormorants heading to mouth of Deep Bay; Shenzhen beyond
Great Cormorants
Greater Crested Terns
Brown Booby
Brown Noddy
Brown Noddy and Roseate Tern from ferry
Black-naped Tern
Black-naped Tern
Bridled Tern dappled sea
Lesser Frigatebird mobbed by Large-billed Crows
Black-naped Tern, from ferry
White-winged Terns
Brown Noddy from ferry
Roseate Terns
Red-footed Booby: a badly injured bird, later euthanisedfound on a Cheung Chau beach on 18 March 2024; taken to Kadoorie Farm, but vets found its shoulder injuries were too severe to nurse it back to health
Aleutian Tern
White-winged and Whiskered Terns
Bridled Terns over Castle Rock
Short-tailed Shearwater taking off
Red-necked Phalarope
Japanese Cormorant
Roseate Tern
Brown Noddy with Bridled, Black-naped and Roseate Terns
Caspian Tern and Eurasian Curlew
Pomarine Skua
White-winged and Whiskered Terns
Arctic Skua
Lesser Frigatebird and Black Kite w rising moon
Greater Crested Tern
Short-tailed Shearwater
Short-tailed Shearwater
Brown Booby
Common Black-headed Gull
Red-necked Phalarope flight
Black Kite
Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher
Red-necked Stint
Male Scarlet Minivet
Crested Serpent-Eagle by Lion Head Mountain, Lantau
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush
Blue Magpie
Grey-tailed Tattler
Large-billed Crow
White-spectacled Warbler
Pallas' Leaf-Warbler
Male Kentish Plover, w dark legs, Shui Hau
Black-faced Spoonbills with Shenzhen beyond
White's Thrush
Greater Crested Terns
Yellow-browed Bunting
Pacific Swift
Black-naped Tern
Magpie Robin
Brown Fish Owl
Crested Goshawk
Blyth's Reed Warbler
Red-footed Booby: a badly injured bird, later euthanisedfound on a Cheung Chau beach on 18 March 2024; taken to Kadoorie Farm, but vets found its shoulder injuries were too severe to nurse it back to health
Barn Swallow
Grey Bushchat
Drake Northern Shoveler and reflection
Black-faced Spoonbill in Deep Bay
Greater Crested Tern
Brown Booby
Northern Shoveler
Oriental Stork
Amur Stonechat
Eurasian Wigeon
Black-faced Spoonbills
Chestnut Bulbul
Grey-chinned Minvet
Common Kestrel
Pacific Reef Egret
Short-tailed Shearwater
Ruddy Turnstone
Fork-tailed Sunbird
Daurian Redstart
Two Common Redshanks, Shui Hau, and reflections
Japanese Cormorant
Bull-headed Shrike
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Pied Avocets and Asian Dowitcher, Mai Po
Chinese Egret, Mai Po
Three Whimbrel, Mai Po
Immature Black-faced Spoonbill, flight, Mai Po
Collared Crows, Mai Po
Eastern Buzzard
Chinese Sparrowhawk over Lion Head Mountain, Lantau, Hong Kong
Ruddy-breasted Crake, Pui O
Japanese Yellow Bunting
Crested Goshawk
Two Common Redshank landing
Hoopoe
Terek Sandpipers clustered at high tide, Mai Po
Female Japanese Sparrowhawk
Siberian Lesser Sandplover and Red-necked Stints
Black-faced Spoonbill and reflection
Brown Fish Owl, Cheung Chau
Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Pui O
Arctic Warbler, Shui Hau
Cattle, Little and Intermediate egrets, Pui O
Sanderling, Cheung Chau
Radde's Warbler on Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Besra, Cheung Chau
Black-winged Stilt and reflection
White-throated Needletail
Whimbrel and water buffalo, Shui Hau
Brown-cheeked Rail: eastern water rail
Kloss' Leaf-Warbler
Crested Serpent-Eagles
Bull-headed Shrike
Relict Gull at Mai Po
Eurasian Black Vulture, Pak Nai
Oriental Honey Buzzard, dark form
Chinese Egret and Black-faced Spoonbill, Mai Po
Eastern Curlew with 3 Eurasian Curlew at Mai Po
Purple Heron at Mai Po
Eastern Buzzard, Cheung Chau, HK
Black-winged Kite at Mai Po
Amur Paradise Flycatcher, re-catching Wandering Glider
Common Kingfisher, Lantau
Leschenault's Rousette fruit bat
Common Tigers at roost
Changeable Lizard displaying; bougainvillea beyond
Great Mormon gynandromorph
Chinese White Dolphin
Wild Boar
Common Bluebottle
Bamboo Snake
Pied Skimmer
Plain Tiger
White Dragontail
Tailed Jay
Wild Boar food waste recycling
Duelling Changeable Lizards
Chequered Keelback swimming across a Hong Kong fish pond
Rhesus Macaque
Lantern Bug
Leopard Cat, Mai Po
Chinese White Dolphin from Dolphinwatch boat
Great Mormon
Pallas' Squirrel
Chinese White Dolphin
Short-legged Toad
Small Asian Mongoose
Red-base Jezebel
Lantern Bugs
Wild Boar and fan
Changeable Lizard
Common and Dark-veined tigers
Changeable Lizard
Blue-tailed Skink
Hummingbird Hawk Moth
Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Rhesus Macaque mum n child
Potter Wasp
Changeable Lizard
Bamboo Bee at Ginger Flower
Paris Peacock
Globe Skimmers aka Wandering Gliders in mating clasp
Tailed Jay
Megacolia azurea a species of scoliid wasp
Lai Chi Wo
San Wai entrance
Lai Chi Wo
Shek Kwu Chau Roman Baths
Shek O Beach
Pak Sha O
Sheung Cheung Wai
Pak Sha O
Seven Sisters Temple, Peng Chau
Pak Sha O by drone
Pak Tei Temple, Cheung Chau
Kwun Yam Temple, Lantau
Ancestor Hall moon gate
Kun Ting Study Hall
Ping Shan Pagoda
ping shan tang and yu kiu ancestral halls
Sheung Cheung Wai
Lo Wai entrance
Peng Chau Tin Hau Temple
Yim Tin Tsai
Yim Tin Tsai salt sweeping
Gnomes at Yim Tin Tsai
Sapling against mist over Lantau Peak
Double Haven
Lion Rock by drone
Daybreak at Sai Wan, Tai Long Wan, Sai Kung
Eastern Fan Lau including fort by drone
Shek Pik Reservoir reflection, Lantau
Ngong Ping with mist over Lantau Peak
Lightning from Cheung Chau
Sunset over Shek Kwu Chau and Lantau amidst sea fog
Ma On Shan summit
Fan Lau and Lantau hills from southwest by drone
Eastern approach to Ma On Shan
Double Haven
Hikers on Lantau Peak, by drone
Drone view of Ma On Shan towards north
Lai Chi Wo by drone
Reclining Rocks, Cheung Chau
Main Fall at Ng Tung Chai
Lion Rock by drone
Trail to summit of Lantau Peak
Dog Tooth Ridge, Lantau, by drone
Tai Tam Mound Waterfall
Fan Lau Fort by drone
Southern Po Toi by drone
Silvermine Fall, Lantau
Lion Head Mountain and mist over Lantau Peak
Fa Peng Shek, Cheung Chau
Anticrepuscular rays over Lantau at dawn
Fan Lau view by drone inc Stalactite