Sunday Peregrinations around Ratchaburi....

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

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Another gentle weekend's birding but the above Peregrine Falcon dropped by the local rice paddy late Sunday afternoon and very helpfully perched on an electricity pylon for long enough to allow me to get a couple of shots. I have to say the fact that this shot is usable, to my mind it is almost decent, is because I  checked my first shot's histogram and adjusted accordingly; in this case I've upped the exposure compensation to + 0.7 ev. This is why, despite low light and distance, I have managed to get a reasonably good capture.

Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubius

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But I then struggled with a correct identification. I had doubts immediately because I was expecting a much greyer bird. I checked the literature at home and learned there were three subspecies but I didn't feel confident about making an ID.  A subsequent post on Birdforum and a discussion with Phil Round has been very enlightening. It is a Peregrine but is probably a "local breeder" according to Phil and in his opinion probably warrants describing as its own distinct subspecies. He reckons it is not as orange as the peregrinator subspecies and less vinous below than ernesti. As a relative novice I had no idea about the divisions of this species so it's been very educational.

Asian Golden Weaver

Ploceus hypoxanthus

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Earlier on Sunday I made it up to Huay Mai Teng Reservoir just after 06:00h where two River Lapwing were feeding near the main launch area. There were also a number of anglers fishing from the reservoir’s banks and they were on the move so the lapwing were also on the move.

Asian Golden Weaver

Ploceus hypoxanthus

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I set up my hide near a place where the lapwing usually stop for a while. I was sharpening my pencil in anticipation of their arrival, by photographing a Little Ringed Plover, when a motorbike arrived nearby and an angler stepped off it. He then  walked into my spot and scared off the plover and ensured the River Lapwing wouldn’t be stopping!

Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubius

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I decided to have a drive around the site. I discovered that a road has been repaired which gives vehicular access to a new part of the site and I hope to explore this area in the forthcoming weeks. I got sight of a couple of nightjars in the understory of some trees but they were too fast for me to identify. I thought they were too big to be Indian but I can’t be sure. I also saw a Common Tailor Bird in the same area which is the first of this species in a while. And the distinctive call of the Chinese Francolin was very audible.

Asian Golden Weaver

Ploceus hypoxanthus

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I took advantage of the opportunity for photography offered by the bright light. Our weather here recently has been grey, wet and cool due to the typhoon in The Philippines and as such has not been very good for photography. I was pleased to get a couple of decent shots of this very mischievous Asian Golden Weaver – a real character.

Saturday morning I had a long lie and watched an amazing documentary: Le Marche de l'Empereur or The March of  The Penguins, a French-produced documentary, directed by Luc Jacquet, which not surprisingly won the 2005 Oscar for Best Documentary. I can't recommend it highly enough and it has amazing photography, a real work of art and a great homage to these magnificent birds.