The predicted tides can be found at:
http://www.hko.gov.hk/tide/eTBTtide.htm
(and at the gate to the boardwalk) and the real tide at:
http://www.hko.gov.hk/tide/marine/hko_tb.htm
It will take you 30-60 minutes to walk from the Field Center to the hides depending on how fast you walk, but also whether you go to the outer hide, which is almost 10 min further out (to the right). You need to be in the hides well in advance, but how much depends on how high the tide rises. A high of 2.2 will cover the whole mudflats. At about 1.5 you can start to see (identify) birds with a scope at the outer hide. 1.5 is usually 2-4 hours before high. At about 1.8 you can also see birds from the other hides. The higher the high will be, the faster the water will come in. When the tide covers the mudflats the birds move off to the ponds. During high tide you can find some of them at the Mai Po ponds, especially 16/17 (the scrapes) and 20/22 as well as 11. Others move elsewhere. The faster the tide comes in, the earlier the birds will fly off from the mudflats. After the high, you can watch the falling tide. Which is better, rising or falling, is difficult to know in advance, every tide is different. Actually it is rather complicated, but this will get you started.
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Last edited by AjaA at 5/04/2012 15:30 ]
