Status during the baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.88 Not recorded.
San Tin
1.4.89 Not recorded.
Long Valley
1.4.90 During the standard baseline surveys one to three were recorded on eleven dates (Figure 32). Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 71.
Greater Painted-snipe - Number of individuals per
visit at
Long Valley 2000-01
1.4.91 However, this under represents the abundance of this species within the study area, and counts of up to 24 were made during the flushing of birds for trapping as part of the radio-telemetry programme.
Results of the radio-telemetry surveys
1.4.92 The findings of the radio-telemetry are summarised in Figures 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78. As can be seen from Figure 71 (showing all used fields), radio-tracked Greater Painted-snipe were widely recorded within the Long Valley Baseline Survey Study area.
Habitat selection
1.4.93 Differences were detected in day and night habitat preferences. Figures 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 show the number of detections for day and night for each of the main habitat types for summer, autumn, and winter. During summer and autumn, bare agricultural fields (recently harvested or ploughed) were used only at night. This habitat was not available during the winter period, as no fields were in such a condition. For each season, active wet agriculture (vegetables) was the habitat from which there were the highest number of detections (Figures 33, 34, 35). This habitat was extensively utilised during the day, and at night. The other type of active wet agriculture, a field of lotus, was utilised during summer and autumn, but not during winter when It becomes completely dry. Inactive agriculture/marsh was primarily a diurnal habitat.
Greater
Painted-snipe – number of detections by habitat type of radio-tracked birds at
Long Valley Summer 2000
Greater
Painted-snipe – number of detections by habitat type of
radio-tracked
birds at Long Valley Autumn 2000
Greater
Painted-snipe – number of detections by habitat type of
radio-tracked
birds at Long Valley Winter 2000-01
1.4.94 While active wet agriculture (vegetables) was consistently the habitat with the highest number of detections, it was also the most widespread habitat type within the study area (Table 5). When the data area is converted to a density to allow for the differences in habitat availability, certain habitats were shown to support higher densities than active wet agriculture (vegetables).
1.4.95 Lotus and inactive wet agriculture/marsh both had very high densities in summer and autumn. Densities within the three areas from which there were detections are given in Table 6. Of note is the relative lack of variation for the core Long Valley area, and the marked seasonality for the two smaller areas.
Table
5
Density
of Greater Painted-snipe detections (bird ha-1) in Long Valley,
Summer 2000 to Winter 2000-01
|
Total Area (ha) |
Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
|||
Day |
Night |
Day |
Night |
Day |
Night |
||
Active wet agriculture |
36.76 |
0.60 |
1.11 |
1.06 |
1.63 |
0.79 |
1.20 |
Inactive wet agriculture |
1.59 |
9.43 |
3.77 |
17.00 |
5.66 |
9.43 |
0 |
Lotus field |
0.47 |
21.28 |
6.38 |
31.90 |
25.53 |
0 |
0 |
Pond |
1.27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Active dry agriculture |
0.84 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Active dry agriculture |
1.51 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Table 6
Density of Greater Painted-snipe detections in Long Valley
and
peripheral areas, Summer 2000 to
Winter 2000-01
|
Total Area (ha) |
% of inactive
agriculture/ marsh & lotus |
Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
|||
Day |
Night |
Day |
Night |
Day |
Night |
|||
Northern Area |
7.13 |
4.0 |
0.28 |
0 |
2.24 |
4.35 |
0 |
0 |
Adjacent to TMA |
2.70 |
11.7 |
0 |
0 |
4.07 |
0.74 |
0 |
0 |
‘Main’ Long Valley |
32.60 |
4.4 |
1.38 |
1.53 |
1.96 |
1.66 |
1.35 |
1.35 |
Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo
Status
1.4.96 A scarce but widespread resident In Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the
baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.97 Not recorded.
San Tin
1.4.98 Not recorded.
Long Valley
1.4.99 Not recorded.
Watercock Gallicrex cinerea
Status
1.4.100 In Hong Kong a scarce passage migrant, mainly in autumn; much decreased (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the
baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.101 Not recorded.
San Tin
1.4.102 Not recorded.
Long Valley
1.4.103 Not recorded
Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Status
1.4.104 In Hong Kong a scarce passage migrant, mainly in autumn; much decreased, previously a breeding species (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the
baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.105 Not recorded.
San Tin
1.4.106 Not recorded.
Long Valley
1.4.107 Not recorded
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Status
1.4.108 In Hong Kong a scarce autumn passage migrant that breeds irregularly (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the
baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.109 One recorded on 14 Oct 2000. Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 79.
San Tin
1.4.110 Not recorded.
Long Valley
1.4.111 Not recorded
Locally Important Species
Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Status
1.4.112 In Hong Kong a scarce passage migrant, with higher numbers in spring, and rare in summer and winter; has declined markedly during the last hundred years (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the
baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.113 Not recorded.
San Tin
1.4.114 Not recorded.
Long Valley
1.4.115 Not recorded
Japanese Quail Coturnix
japonica
Status
1.4.116 In Hong Kong a scarce passage migrant and winter visitor (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.117 Not recorded
San Tin
1.4.118 Not recorded
Long Valley
1.4.119 One recorded on five dates in winter (Figure 36). Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 80.
Japanese Quail - Number of individuals per visit at
Long Valley 2000-01
Pintail Snipe Gallinago
stenura
Status
1.4.120 In Hong Kong a common passage migrant, highest numbers during autumn, and uncommon winter visitor (Carey et al. 2001).
Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago
megala
Status
1.4.121 In Hong Kong an uncommon passage migrant, commoner in autumn, and rare winter visitor (Carey et al. 2001).
Due to difficulties in separating Pintail and
Swinhoe's Snipe G. megala, in the field (Leader and Carey in prep.), the two
are dealt with together below.
Pintail/Swinhoe's Snipe G.
stenura/megala
Status during the baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.122 Not recorded
San Tin
1.4.123 One or two present on two dates in winter. Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 37.
Pintail/Swinhoe’s Snipe - Number of individuals per
visit at
Lok Ma Chau and San Tin winter 2000-01
Long Valley
1.4.124 Regularly recorded during spring and autumn (Figure 38). Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 82.
Pintail/Swinhoe’s Snipe - Number of individuals per
visit at
Long Valley 2000-01
Common Snipe Gallinago
gallinago
Status
1.4.125 In Hong Kong a common passage migrant and winter visitor, highest numbers in winter, lowest on autumn passage (Carey et al. 2001).
Status during the baseline surveys
Lok Ma Chau
1.4.126 Up to five recorded, with one to four present on most dates from autumn thorough to spring (Figure 39). Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 83.
San Tin
1.4.127 One or two noted on five dates (Figure 39). Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 83.
Common Snipe - Number of individuals per visit at
Lok Ma Chau and San Tin winter 2000-01
Long Valley
1.4.128 Present on most dates autumn through to spring, with a maximum of 10 on 1 and 18 January 2000 (Figure 40). Distribution and average number per visit are shown in Figure 84.
Common Snipe - Number of individuals per visit at Long
Valley 2000-01
Richard’s Pipit Anthus
richardi
Status
1.4.129 In Hong Kong a common passage migrant and winter visitor, with the taxon sinensis present all year and breeding (Carey et al. 2001).