Pak Thale & Laem Pak Bia

I am wondering if some or all of the birds in this shot are Little Stints. They were at Pak Thale this morning and they stood out because they were in their own little flock in their own little salt pan. There were plenty of Red-necked Stints in the adjacent pans and what initially struck me was these ones appeared bigger. As I scoped them the split supercilium, visible on the two right side birds, was apparent. Broad-billed Sandpiper, I wondered, but of course their bill is all wrong. On looking at the photo I am encouraged by the fine bill point and the brownish cast these birds have. I've referred the matter to the experts and shall await their judgement!

On Monday the first Spoon-billed Sandpiper of the winter was reported at Khok Kham in the Inner Gulf. So I thought it might be worth checking out Pak Thale and Laem Pak Bia. No Spooner for me today but plenty of Red-necked Stints. A huge flock of Eurasian Curlews took off for the shore soon after my arrival. I also recorded 61 Brown-headed Gulls, the first gulls I have seen in this migratory cycle. A sizeable number, 150+, of Marsh Sandpipers

Laem Pak Bia was pretty quiet. I think most of the waders had headed for the coast and the fresh offerings of the new low tide. 3 Gull-billed Terns stood out amongst hundreds of Whiskered Terns. One Spot-billed Pelican, 2 Painted Stork and a handful of mixed waders, with a good number of Pacific Golden and Gray Plovers; 2 Temminck's Stints and 3 Black-tailed Godwits at the Abandonned Building. I bumped into Mr Daeng who advised that the Great Thick Knee has been about, but not today. In the King's Project I snatched glimpses of a Painted Snipe and a Pintail Snipe; otherwise fairly quiet.

But what fun to be birding on a Wednesday........ perfect!