Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom

Fulvous-breasted woodpecker

Dendrocopos macei

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Kamphaeng Saen Scout Camp

Nakhon Pathom Province

7.11.10

I had some work stuff to do in the Nakhon Pathom area Sunday morning so afterwards I headed about 30 km north to Kamphaeng Saen where I visited the Scout Camp, the Arboreturm and the campus of Kasetsart University.

Now I may not have made it to the Scout Camp because the English language signs ran out! It looked like a camp of some sort and there was no one at the gate so I drove in and had a look around. Really ideal bird habitat, trees, rivers, ponds, marshes and shrubs. Lots of black drongos, lapwings, Indian rollers, streak-eared bulbuls, chestnut-headed bee-eaters, a few black-capped kingfishers moving too fastly to photograph and then something not quite so common, a fulvous-breasted woodpecker. Just at the moment where I had the bird in exactly the light needed he flew off!

Indian Roller

Coracias benghalensis

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 Kamphaeng Saen Scout Camp

Nakhon Pathom Province

7.11.10

I drove around a little just to make sure I hadn't missed the Scout Camp and ended up in the Arboretum and I have to say this looks very promising too as I flushed a huge great raptor. Not sure what as it was gone in a flash and all I got was a flash of a dark brown/grey upperside. So a gentle tip toe might yield some interesting results.

The Kasetsart campus is a well known site and has produced lots of rarities and good birds over the years. It is well watched too because it houses Science & Veterinary Medicine faculties. It is  a great place for a day out as it has restaurants and good facilities, including a small golf course. I didn't see anything today to get the heart beating but it was pleasant  driving around the huge campus. I spent a little bit of time near the perimeter looking at bronze-winged jacanas and openbills. The former seemed to be very big specimens.

Bronze-winged jacana

Metopidius indicus

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Kasetsart Unversity Kamphaeng Saen Campus

Nakhon Pathom Province

7.11.10

I have to say I am having a wretched time with the digiscope to such an extent that I think I might be better with a 400 mm lens on my SLR. I must say a lot of good opportunities did not materialise today and sub-standard photographs are the result. I  think I am overexposing my shots and not getting correct focus. Hence most of my photographs look washed out and flat. Very frustrating because there are plenty of birds giving me great opportunities. More importantly  I am getting the birds in frame now, well most of the time! The problem is I don't know what to do in terms of upgrading equipment. I have a notion that my little camera is not focusing correctly but truth is it works fine when I snap people and places. I am not even sure the issue is equipment. I am tempted to try to use my SLR with the scope but from reading the user groups that too has difficulties.

Asian Open-bill

Anastomus oscitans

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Kasetsart Unversity Kamphaeng Saen Campus

Nakhon Pathom Province

7.11.10