Size - 25cm / 10" long
Call - Far carrying mournful cu-oo
Status - Supposedly resident in Tai Po Kau although is seemingly only migrant on Lamma Island
Range - S.Asia & Australia. Resident S.China
A very shy dove very often keeping to heavy undergrowth in woodland areas that is usually only seen singly.
Bright green plumage with two white bars on the lower back.
Male has whitish carpal patch & brow which the female lacks.

28/12/2010
Male
Tai Shan West, Lamma Island
D3 w/Nikkor 70-200mm VR w/1.4 converter
Not really sure whether this photo shows a 1st winter male or a female as the white/ish markings may not be apparent enough to qualify as an adult male. Posted in HKBWS as a male and as yet received no contra comment.
Comment from HKBWS is that Emerald Doves are seemingly more evident on Lamma Island than anywhere else in Hong Kong.
This particular bird was first spotted in this area about 2 weeks ago.


30/12/2010
Male
Tai Shan West, Lamma Island
D3 w/Nikkor 500mm F/4D

Great shots of a very elusive bird. I hear them all the time from my rooftop, but the only time I see them they are flashing past at around 150 mph into dense cover.

I like the idea too of opening new threads for each species - the top ten birds thread is great and a goldmine of wonderful pictures but it's getting to be so big that it's almost impossible to find things from the past.

Thanks Zep.
The "BIRDS" threads.... yes, will give a reference to sightings, especially for the migrants..... rather than just photos of birds...... am hoping that others will chip in & share their sightings & photos of when & where, so we can in time build a database of Lamma birds rather than just a photo gallery (is getting very lonely in here with nobody else posting anything).

Is not about quality of photos, but the database may become important in time... more & more of our natural beauty on Lamma is disappearing & this reference information may one day become useful.
There are I am sure many other important visitors here than the adult Red-breasted Flycatchers........... for example it seems we have more Emerald Doves on Lamma than anywhere else in HK.... seemingly attracted by our Feng Shiu woods........... the woods disappear..., then the doves disappear etc etc

Because of (I believe) my postings in HKBWS...., there are more & more members (birders & photographers) from there visiting Lamma....., which until recently has been considered an uninteresting backwater.

Yesterday morning I had 74 thrush visits to the pond.... almost nobody else in HKBWS has posted a photo of any type of thrush.
Most birders would consider themselves very lucky to see 20% of that number in a year.

Food for thought........ and perhaps we can get something going in these threads.

All the best, Guy

10/01/2011
Male
Tai Shan West, Lamma Island
Visits the pond every 2-3days & appears to becoming more relaxed...
D3 w/Nikkor 500mm F/4D