Koh Libong, Trang Province

Asian dowitcher, limnodromus semipalmatus, Koh Libong, 02.04.10

I managed a few hours on the tidal flats of Koh Libong on Friday 1st April and most importantly of all I had the joy of observing two Asian dowitchers. I had a great view of them feeding through the scope. Alas my lenses limit the quality of the pictures but I believe they nevertheless show the key diagnostic feature.... the long straight black bill. I believe they are a bit of a rarity plus they represent a new species for my list.

Elsewhere I observed 41 lesser crested tern, 1 greater crested tern, about 20 gull-billed tern, 3 terek sandpipers, 2 ruddy turnstones, a pacific golden plover in full breeding plumage, a number of black-tailed godwits also in full breeding plumage as well as various little herons, common redshank, common sandpipers, whimbrels, curlews and plovers. A good number of these birds had Department of National Park bands on them. What looked like 8 knot, I am not sure whether great or red, appeared momentarily in my sights and possibly a dunlin. An unexpected golden gerygone appeared in the trees on the small island where I positioned myself along with a brahminy kite and a number of collared kingfishers.

I'll write more about this trip later but I think this island may be seeing a lot more of me. I will treat this trip as fact-finding, a reconnoitre. There are great forests as well as mangroves which I believe will surely have many good birds. Glad I made it this time and I recommend it to you.