Off Beat

A Force of Nature

OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS the Big Bird Race has enabled World Wide Fund For Nature Hong Kong to acquire, protect and improve the land at Mai Po for both people and wildlife. As such, the race is an important source of funds to conserve Hong Kong's remaining wildlife habitats. This year it takes place on 17/18 April (Friday/ Saturday).

In the competition, each team (comprised of four members and a driver) races around Hong Kong recording as many different species of birds as possible. The team that identifies the most number of species wins. Each team has a corporate sponsor as well as individuals who have pledged monetary.

This year, there will be no Force Team participating. Instead, there will be a Junior Police Call Team comprised of four JPC leaders drawn from the birdwatching course currently being run by well-known Force birdwatcher, CSP Ian Tyzzer. Both he and former Police Team captain John Holmes will be acting as advisors/guides.

DHL Ltd have generously agreed to switch their corporate sponsorship from the Police to the new JPC team.

In the past, members of the Force have been exceedingly generous in sponsoring either the Police Team or Ian's (he has participated with several teams over the last ten years), and the JPC Team is hoping that Force members will once again rise to the occasion.

As usual, sponsors will have the opportunity to see Mai Po for themselves as part of a "Sponsors' Outing" which takes place on Saturday morning 4 April. Ian and John will be on hand to ensure that everyone is given a first class tour and see for themselves what a wonderful place Mai Po is.

Potential sponsors wishing further details please call Ian Tyzzer: 2882-7271, or Mrs Winnie Ho: 2859-4203.

JUNIOR POLICE CALL BIRDWATCHING COURSE

JUNIOR Police Call members are benefiting from a new birdwatching course introduced by CSP In-Service Training Ian Tyzzer. The course promotes birdwatching as a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle and leads naturally into the importance of conservation.

Response to the course has been good with 17 Junior Police Call leaders signing up. Highlights of the course include three field trips to Long Valley, Mai Po Marshes and Tai Po Kau forest where different species of birds can be observed.

CSP Tyzzer with JPC leaders birdwatching
in Long Valley

It is hoped that most of the course participants will go on to join the Hong Kong Birdwatching Society. The publication of a Chinese language version of "The Birds of Hong Kong" has also led to a more substantial local birdwatching following.

Four course birdwatchers will be taking part in the upcoming Big Bird Race on the Junior Police Call Team.

Marine West Division officers prepare the bird-watching hide for its two-hour journey from Tsim Bei Tsui to the Mai Po marshlands	The hide, measuring 20 metres in length and three metres in height, can accommodate more than 50 bird-watchers at one time
Two Marine Police craft provide balance while a third and larger boat tows the bird-watching hide to its final destination in the mangroves of Mai Po	MWDIV officers before starting out on the operation

Leopard cat. One of Mai Po's many unique residents (photo courtesy WWF HK)	With an estimated 300 to 350 Black-faced Spoonbills remaining globally, Mai Po is the winter home for 25 per cent of their world population (photo courtesy Martin Williams/ WWF HK)
Bird's-eye view. Every year over 40,000 students and members of the general public enter the Mai Po Reserve. Over 68,000 birds were recorded there during the winter of 1997 (photo courtesy William Heering/WWF HK)	Every winter over 50,000 water birds visit Mai Po, including seven endangered species such as Saunders' Gulls and Black-faced Spoonbills (photo courtesy Sue Earle/ WWF HK)