The reporter spotted the owl around 7 p.m. on both days, with the bird darting down from the northern woods to the shore and remaining in the area for about three hours each time.

While it spent most of its time searching the water for food, the bird would occasionally cast a piercing glance at the crowd and occasionally use its sharp talons to catch fish swimming on the water’s surface.

University student Frankie Kwok Yuen-fan said he rushed to the island after seeing posts about the owl on social media.

“It was my first time seeing an owl. It was a wonderful feeling to see such a hard-to-find bird,” said the amateur bird watcher.

“I only started bird watching about a year ago, but I am already amazed by the birds in Hong Kong.”

For many, like Han Wenjiang, a tourist from mainland China visiting the island for the first time, the owl comes as a surprise. He said he was attracted by the sight of all the photographers.

“I didn’t know there were owls in Hong Kong. Many of my friends recommended that I visit the island because of the food and aesthetics,” said the 22-year-old. “But I think the owl also gives Cheung Chau something unique.”

Brown Fishing Owls are large birds of prey, measuring 48 to 58 cm in length and with plumage in shades of beige, brown and yellow-brown.

They have large, round eyes, yellow irises, a dirty white throat, thin, fine lines running across their beige bodies, and featherless legs.

As their name suggests, the birds’ diet consists of fish, but also other small marine animals, amphibians, snakes and even rodents.

According to the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS), Brown Fishing Owls are widespread in the city, but are sparsely distributed in the New Territories, Lantau Island and Cheung Chau. They are occasionally seen on Hong Kong Island.

In November 2008, the Brown Fish-owl was mentioned in the Society’s annual bird report as a “new locality” in Cheung Chau.

“There are 11 species of owls recorded in Hong Kong so far. Five of them, including the Brown Fishing Owl, are endemic species, meaning they call Hong Kong their ‘home’ and live here all year round,” said Jay Kong Pak-yung, research officer at HKBWS.

Wildlife photography enthusiast Vincent Wong Lai-kit said he saw the owl for the third time on his recent trip, having first spotted it on the island in 2021.

“They are beautiful animals to watch,” said the 67-year-old retiree. “I never get tired of seeing them, knowing that they have a stable presence on Cheung Chau.”

Seafood restaurants near the photographers’ locations have taken note of the owl’s popularity in recent weeks, stressing that its presence has had a positive impact on business.

A man who works at So Bor Kee Seafood Restaurant and gave the surname Lee said that although the owl had been a “regular” at the harbor in recent years, he felt there had been a lot more people there recently.

The 34-year-old considers the owl a blessing that brings “luck” and says: “Sometimes, of the more than 50 photographers present, maybe 10 to 15 eat together with other guests in the restaurant.

“The owl’s popularity has helped us especially on quiet days when not many people come by, or during the bad weather we’ve had recently.”

A woman surnamed Tsang who works at the neighboring Hing Lok restaurant said she had also seen a slight increase in customers over the past two weeks, including some photographers hoping to see the owl.

“We are grateful that the large crowd is helping us a little, but it will not last forever,” said the woman, who is in her 50s.

“At some point, photographers lose interest when they have taken all the shots they want. But even though business is slower than (before the pandemic), we are happy that the owl can draw attention to Cheung Chau.”

In addition to Hong Kong, Brown Fishing Owls are found in the east and south of mainland China, as well as in the Middle East and much of South and Southeast Asia.

The birds inhabit bushland and forests near bodies of water, such as freshwater streams, coasts and reservoirs.

Due to its large distribution area, the brown fishing owl is not considered to be endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (UN) Red List, which classifies various species as threatened with extinction. However, the global population is believed to be declining.

Owls have an average life expectancy of nine to ten years, although larger owls may live longer due to fewer predators.