Waterfowl Count 11 March 2001
Summary Report

The March 2001 waterbird count took place on the 11th, and coverage of the Ramsar Site was complete. Elsewhere, Nim Wan/Lau Fau Shan and San Tin were not counted.

A total of 22,796 waterbirds were recorded in the Deep Bay area (including Fu Tian, which is now being regularly surveyed), of which 18,347 were present in the Ramsar Site. The total count is broadly comparable with those obtained in March in previous years.

By March a large number of waterbirds have departed their wintering grounds in Deep Bay and headed north. Interestingly, although the February count was relatively low, possibly due to mild winter weather, the figure for this month is much as in previous years.

The largest two groups comprised approximately 28% and 25% of the total number of waterbirds present, and these were ducks and grebes and waders respectively.