Grey-faced buzzards at Lung Fu Shan

Grey-faced buzzards migrate through Hong Kong in late March and early April, as described in my entry for April 1, 2019. Around 10 a.m. this morning, at least two buzzards passed over Lung Fu Shan behind the University of Hong Kong, harrassed by the local kites. Meanwhile, individual grey-faced buzzards have been sighted over Po Toi and a group of 40 or so was recorded by Kelvin Ng circling over nearby Mount Davis on the morning of April 11. These buzzards are capable of substantial sea crossings, probably using sea thermals, as noted by Keith Bildstein in his book 'Migrating Raptors of the World: Their Ecology and Conservation' (2006). It would appear that the buzzards make landfall around Mount Davis before continuing across Hong Kong island using the thermals that develop during the morning.

Posted on April 20, 2021 10:18 AM by stephenmatthews