Familiar Territory

Asian Pratincole

Glareola maldivarum

 Bright-capped Cisticola

Cisticola exilis

 Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Plain Prinia

Prinia inornata

It was good to be back on familiar territory this weekend with a trip to Huay Mai Teng Reservoir Saturday afternoon and a brief look at the local rice paddy in Ratchaburi today. The reservoir was abuzz with bird life and I managed a couple of decent shots of a few familiar friends. The high was a Cinnamon Bittern flying past, sadly not photographed, but very elegant with stunning colour. The low was habitat loss: two weeks ago there were shrubs, thick grasses and bushes at the edge of a field where the beautiful Yellow-eyed Babblers and Pipits were nesting. Not any more, all gone and now an extension of the field which is being planted with taro. No sign of Yellow-eyed Babbler either.

Asian Golden Weaver

Ploceus hypoxanthus

This afternoon I took a brief spin round to the rice paddy with my son. The highlight was a beautiful male Watercock occasionally popping his head out of the rice plants. Fantastic colours: yellow and red bill with red/pinkish facial wattling. He flew off so I couldn't get a shot. The Asian Golden Weaver above will have to do - another beauty, nesting in the rice paddy in large numbers. Also a Black-shouldered Kite hovering above the rice-paddy, always an impressive sight and a significant number of Yellow Bitterns.