Early Arrivals----Black-winged Stilts

   The pleasant autumn brings not only the cool and comfortable weather but also the annual bird visitors to Hong Kong.  

    Although at the moment most of the migratory birds from Northern China are still on their way to the South, some early starters have already arrived in Hong Kong. The Black-winged Stilt is among the early arrivals. A couple of days ago, I saw several Black-winged Stilts enjoying a quiet and peaceful lunch.

   The long orange-red legs and a straight and thin black bill make them very easy to identify.  

  The feather of the young Black-winged Stilts are mainly grey coloured. 

  The Black-Winged Stilts usually breed in West and Central China and spend winter in the South, including Hong Kong. They feed mainly on aquatic insects. Instead of swimming, the prefer to walk around in shallow water,

and catch prey on the surface.

Occasionally, they plunge their heads below the surface to catch prey in the water.