The plan was not perfect by any means. The rechanneling came at the cost of nearby natural wetland and 70 percent of Hong Kong's best farmland was lost.

The freshwater wetland is still on the migratory route of the Yellow-breasted bunting. At one time, the valley was probably the best habitat for the species in Hong Kong, but the population has declined dramatically. Late last year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature updated the bird's status from "endangered" to "critically endangered", and local activists are working to stop it from becoming extinct.

In autumn, the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society launched a program to monitor the bunting's migratory patterns, particularly the distances traveled during annual migration, population and favorite locations. In October and November, 21 Yellow-breasted buntings were fitted with colored metal rings so they could be monitored.