Hong Kong Stopover

We had a three night stop-over in Hong Kong on the way back to break the journey and to help reduce the jet-lag.  Like most big Asian cities, it's big, dirty, and noisy but has a vibrancy and charm that makes it unique.  It's not all concrete jungle though - there were black kites nesting just over the road from our hotel, and we did our best to find nature inside or outside the city.

The first stop for any tourist in Hong Kong is Victoria Peak which despite the monstrous viewing platform and ridiculous shops up there is a fairly green patch of mountain.  This is the obligatory view of the city from the Peak.

There is a pleasant walk that winds its way round the peak so that you get views of each side of the island.  This is a magpie-robin that we found there.

Having walked round the Peak, we wandered higher up towards the Victoria Peak Gardens.  This is a Red-whiskered bulbul that we found in a playground and garden on the way up.

I'm fairly sure that this is a scaly thrush. We found it hunting for worms in the Victoria Peak Gardens along with a number of olive-backed pipits and a lady playing a harp.

On our second day in Hong Kong we extended our knowledge of the public transport system and went out to the Hong Kong Wetlands Park.  Here we found this very pretty female Daurian Redstart.  

Also at the Wetlands Park, there were a number of butterflies still around (it's winter there or at least the cooler season - about 18-20 deg C)  This one is a fairly well camouflaged Lemon Emigrant (my dear Watson!).

But when it comes to camouflage, some species adopt a more subtle approach.  This Chocolate Royal butterfly has leg-like prongs on its wings and markings that look like another insect so that a predator will attack the wrong end and give the butterfly chance to fly off.

The National flower of Hong Kong is that of the Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia blakeana - a sterile hybrid).  Hong Kong is not a nation, of course, but now part of China.  It does have a flag though, and it features a stylized representation of this flower (considerably more beautiful than a magnolia too).

On the trip I've seen 3 species of spoonbill - the Royal, the Yellow-billed, and this, the smallest species, the Black-faced Spoonbill in the Wetlands Park.

No visit to Hong Kong would be complete without a trip on the Star Ferry from Kowloon to see the lights from the Island.