Duck Bonanza at Wat Khao Takhroa

This afternoon I felt unusually listless as I headed out birding. The plan was to check out a new site in Samut Songkhram province and then head on to Norng Blah Lai. I never found the new site and as I was in the area I ended up driving to the Wat Khao Takhrao area in Phetchburi province. What a piece of good fortune because the large pond was once more full of waterfowl. An even better result was that I was able to drive along a recently reclaimed track, that previously could only be accessed by foot. The bad news - the ducks were too far away to photograph and my cause was not helped by  an Eastern Marsh Harrier who was buzzing them.

I managed a few shots and I was in pole position with the sun behind me; unfortunately the birds wouldn't come any nearer. Most of these shots are between 400 - 800 m away, in hot weather over water. I think they more than suffice as record shots but a real shame I couldn't get in close to get detail. Anyhow the ducks made a fantastic if somewhat noisy spectacle. They were widely scattered and well mixed up so it would be impossible to provide anything other than a very rough estimate - 700+ Northern Pintail, 400 + Garganey and between 2,000 and 3,000 Lesser Whistling Duck. I am quite surprised that there were more Northern Pintail than Garganey - I would expect it to be the other way around.

During a conversation with Tom Backlund during the day he said there is a view that the high number of eagles in the Norng Blah Lai area this year may be attributable to the serious flooding in the Chao Phaya/central plains area last year. I wonder if the presence of such big numbers of ducks here this year is also similarily attributable.

The male Northern Pintail is a truly elegant bird with his chocolate head and the white,vertical line which starts behind the ear and broadens into the neck. Three Cotton Pygmy-Geese in an adjacent pool looked decidedly ordinary. Of note, one Black-headed Ibis but among the ducks nothing particularly groovy or unusual that I could see. I believe this area warrants further investigation in the near future.

I hung out and simply watched the show for an hour or so. A Booted Eagle drifted over languorously; a few Caspian and Whiskered Terns too. I have to say I have a charmed existence.

Small Pratincoles back at the Reservoir

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir rarely disappoints and today was no exception as my son and I headed up for a brief scout around late in the afternoon. I had one objective: to see if the Small Pratincoles had returned. I am delighted to say in the fading light of the day I watched 5 fly above their normal wintering quarters here at the reservoir. They didn't land but I am happy to say they are back in the area and I expect that over the next two months or so their numbers will increase and they will take up their usual position.

I also managed to "see" at least 5, possibly more, Savanna Nightjars. I have used inverted commas because it was virtually dark but nevertheless was able to note three key distinguishing features: white outer tail feathers, white wing patches on the females and finally, and conclusively, the call: it has a really distinctive rasping call which I have checked against other contenders on xeno-canto. It can only be Savanna Nightjar. So Thai lifer ⌗310 goes onto my list. As I drove home I was wondering about the possibility of getting a shot of these birds using flash with a handheld camera: they were coming in so close it seems feasible.

Elsewhere in the site I saw three Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, two Bronze-winged Jacanas, a glimpse of one Blossom-headed Parakeet and one Yellow Wagtail. Plus I managed to flush a small group of about 7 Barred Buttonquail. These are amazing birds: they must have been 10 yards away from me in thickish grass. I didn't have a clue they were so close until they flew off. They really are masters of disguise.

I also rather fancy I saw a couple of Richard's Pipits: they appeared bigger, more upright,stouter billed, longer-tailed and lighter lored with more extensive breast markings. I've just had a listen to both Paddyfeld and Richard's calls , once more on xeno-canto, and I am now doubtful so no claims.

For once I didn't get the rig out. My little boy loves to play with the tripod so I am not sure I would have been able to take any shots. But a most happy scout around the reservoir.

A Blank

A brief 45 minute saunter through the local rice paddy in Ratchaburi drew a virtual blank: no evidence of harriers or eagles whatsoever. A glimpse of a  Thick-billed Warbler, a White-breasted Waterhen and small flocks of Plain-backed Sparrows and Scaly-breasted Munias. I  am a little perplexed about the absence of  harriers, I haven't seen any here since before Christmas: they have been a fixture here at this time on the two previous years. The rice paddy is dry and barren right now so maybe they have moved to better pastures and will return when planting begins which will result in the fields being flooded.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Pak Thale, Phetchburi

The plan this morning was to find Far Eastern Curlew at Pak Thale and in between my efforts scout around for Spoon-billed Sandpiper. I failed miserably on the former but I did see two Spoon-billed Sandpipers and I rather fancy I also saw 3 Little Stints. Thanks to Peter Ericsson's party for putting me on to the Spoonbill Sandpiper. It's nice to be able to add Spooner to this year's list but I wonder how many more years it will come back to winter in Pak Thale. It's also nice to be able to publish a decent shot of Spooner too. Not an easy bird to digiscope as it is on the move with little let up in its feeding action. This shot is heavily cropped to exclude a Red-necked Stint and Curlew Sandpiper.

The only thing better than one Spoonbilled Sandpiper is two!

That bill! I could have tried to get closer but I really didn't want to encroach any further. These birds command respect and some care and it seems plain wrong to disturb them at all.

The jury is still out on my putative Little Stints! Tom Backlund's initial reaction was Red-necked Stint. The shots are above and below. I thought possibly Sanderling but the bill is not right and they are much too dark.

Some of the other birders I spoke with today had seen 2 Black-faced Spoonbills earlier but my efforts to locate them drew a blank. They did produce a Black-headed Ibis in a large flock of egrets and Painted Stork. I think it is a juvenile. The ibis was constantly on the move, feeding, and it was fairly congested with birds so it was impossible to get a clear shot of the bird.

Finally a couple of common birds: a Barn Swallow and a Caspian Tern.

So Pak Thale is kicking!

Aquila Eagles at Norng Bla Lai, Phetchburi Province

Greater Spotted Eagle

I am surrounded by avian richness and a 35-40 minute drive today took me early afternoon to Norng Blah Lai in Phetchburi Province. This is home to wintering aquila eagles; these must be some of the most spectacular birds I have seen: big, majestic birds and a magnificent spectacle. The official count today  was 17 Greater Spotted Eagles, 5 Imperial Eagles, 4 Steppe Eagles, 3 Booted eagles, 4 Peregrine Falcons, a few Eastern Marsh & Pied Harriers, a couple of Brahminy Kites, a few Black-shouldered Kites and lots of Black Kites. These are the figures provided by Mr Paan, one of the leading lights in the raptor scene - I saw all the aquila species this afternoon, and only missed out on the Peregrines. You could say the place was buzzing - at times it was a bit like a fly past. Great to see Paan again too.

Eastern Imperial Eagle

I must add it didn't start out too promisingly. As is the tradition here the recently harvested fields were on fire this afternoon, and this meant a huge amount of smoke was being blown northwards across the main viewing area. However I noticed a number of black kites perched on a tree just above the wind and headed in to this area. 

There were plenty of Black Kites on the ground in this area and then the flyby began. In fact the Imperial Eagles came down from high and I was so excited that I messed up the shot! I've got shots of Steppe Eagles too, high in the sky, but they are good enough for identification purposes but not much else. So I won't post them here. The Imperial just qualifies for use here! Amazing to see the four aquila species on the same day in the space of a few hours.

A very pleasant afternoon today and truly sensational birding.

Common Kingfisher, Kanchanaburi Province

The school camp brought me to the Pavilion Mae Kwai Resort in Kanchanaburi Province. I really should make a trip into this area and do some birding here because I have no doubt it will be very rewarding. Maybe later this year.  Like rubbish dumps universally, large resort hotels in Thailand are worth exploring because they often have extensive grounds with usually a few interesting species knocking about. Today notwithstanding the presence of 250 unruly kids I saw some warblers, a Coppersmith Barbet and I managed to get a few shots of this Common Kingfisher which perched up for me nicely. The light was a little against me and it was late in the day so I have not managed to get as much detail as I was hoping for but I am happy nonetheless with the shot - my colleagues and kids were impressed too!

Steppe Eagle in the Rice Paddy

It was one of those fantastically sun-drenched late afternoons today so I nipped round to the local rice paddy to see what I could see. I was thinking that it's been some time since I have seen a Pied or Eastern Marsh Harrier. Soon after my arrival I caught the flight of a falcon species, Peregrine I presume, but I really can't say for sure so I won't name it. I followed its flight into the distance eventually alighting on an electricity pylon. I was just getting its bearings when a much larger darker bird caught my eye circling  around the pylon. It was checking out the falcon as if to say "Be careful, son." Black Kite I assumed until  my view opened up and I saw the bird's upperside wings:  white barring , largish head, light brown upper wings - unmistakable Steppe Eagle. I desperately sought to get set up and in doing so probably attracted the eagle's attention. It drifted off in the gentle breeze. But I was very happy nevertheless. What a fantastic bird, visible from my house in real terms.