Apps in

A week until Costa Rica. Headed to Vermont for the New Years weekend. I hope Humboldt likes me.

December

I'm not taking many pictures at home, so here's one of me at home by my bro. We've settled Catan quite a bit, seen some movies, and been prepping for the big trip to Costa Rica!

It snowed a little

Christmas! Family! Chickadee!

Home Again Home Again...

...Jiggity Jig.

GREG

Currently in SF at the West St. house. Flying out in a few hours for Mass. Jet laggered.

Goodbye HK

We are heading back to the states tomorrow morning...sad to leave the birds and the food and Asia! But, it was an amazing trip only made possible by the Jeff, Julie and Amanda, thank you thank you thank you for the hospitality and FUN! Also, thanks to Audrey for the guidance and company with many of our food exploits. Next stop, San Fran for a day, then Mass for Christmas times.

Kowloon Park and the Peak

We went up to the peak last night for dinner, and though it wasn't too clear, it's a nice view of the bright city.


Today we went to check out Kowloon Park for birds. There were a lot of people, the usual bird suspects, and we saw our first Rose-ringed Parakeets!


There was also another aviary and a bunch of flamingos and non-native clipped-winged waterfowl, which were pretty, obviously.


Large clippings on the right






Black-collared Starling

Wasp Nest

Breakfast in Stanley today, currently attempting to work on a grad school app essay, and then up to the Peak for dinner, hoping for a clear night to see the city.

Huge wasp nest

Some HK Streets and Lamma

Around HK










Variety of fish balls






Today we took a ferry over to Lamma Island. We did not have a lot of time to explore the island, but it was nice to walk around smaller community and have an amazing seafood lunch with great view. Amanda should be putting up some pictures of food from our trip at some point at http://gallinamanda.tumblr.com/.

The bay we came into, lots of fishing boats with little egrets, great egrets, chinese pong herons and our first pacific reef egrets walking all over them.




Geoducks gross me out

Pied

I love the Avocets. Skimming for goods.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Last night we had a fantastic time at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, with a buffet, betting and WINNING! Well, we won some, but when we did, it sure was exciting. Highlights included a tremendous come back from Easy Gold to create wins for Jeff and me and to overtake Amanda's leading horses. Also Diamond Rainbow put on a good showing and raked in the HK$40 for Amanda!





Two nights ago I had my first hot pot experience with Amanda and a couple of friends. With a bowl of boiling broth at the center of the table we ordered an array of raw meats, seafood and vegetables to be briefly boiled and eaten. It's a great way to eat a meal, I think, though we did come out feeling like we had just experienced some sort of weird sauna/spa having had the steam flowing toward our faces for a couple of hours.






And the Minivet again, falling.

Tai Po Kau

Yesterday Amanda and I went up to Tai Po Kau Park in hot pursuit of any bird. We meant to go to the nature reserve in the area, but didn't even realize we were in the wrong spot until we were leaving cause it was so birdy. There were one million Red-whiskered Bulbuls and all these:

Great looks at Fork-tailed Sunbirds




They hover a bit like hummingbirds


Japanese White-eye


Hwamei


Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, insane look in its eye


Ashy Drongo (we also saw two other species of Drongo!)




Great Tit




Yellow-cheeked Tit


Magpie Robin


Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike


Spotted Turtle Dove


And the Bird Of The Day, the Grey-chinned Minivet, this one's a male, and the female was just as stunning but with yellow in place of orange