Don Hoi Lod, Samut Songkhram Province

Caspian Tern

Sterna Caspia

นกนางนวลแกลบแคสเปียน

Don Hot Loi, Samut Songkhram Province

29.12.11

In the spirit of rest and relaxation that has so far characterised this much needed break my wife and I dropped our son at nursery, did a little shopping and then headed down to Samut Songkhram where the Maeklong river enters the Gulf of Thailand. The mighty Maeklong, which has its source in the mountains of the Myanmar border and then works its way down through Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi, exits into the sea at this point. This is a new area for me so I didn't know what to expect but on the basis of sticking my big toe in today I would say it warrants much closer attention. Of course it is in the heart of the Inner Gulf so it should be possible to see good birds here.

There were significant pockets of waders and gulls in some of the ponds, the most notable being a count of 116 Whimbrels. I rather fancy there was also a Black-headed Gull as it had a very dark eye. There were Common Redshank, scores of Marsh Sandpiper, a reasonable sprinkling of Pacific Golden Plover and a fair few Bar-tailed Godwits. This was in Don Hoi Lod ( ดอนหอยหลอด) an area to the south of Samut Songkhram town; it also has some very good restaurants perched above the sea, one of which we tried. We had some delicious Crab and King Prawn and one of the staff very kindly washed my very muddy shoes!

Caspian Tern

Sterna Caspia

นกนางนวลแกลบแคสเปียน

Don Hot Loi, Samut Songkhram Province

29.12.11

This Caspian Tern was as aggressive and energetic a gull or a tern as I have ever seen. He was scrapping with Brown-headed Gulls and Egrets. Anyways it was good enough to smile for the camera!

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

นกอีก๋อยเล็ก

Don Hot Loi, Samut Songkhram Province

29.12.11

After a leisurely lunch we drove home to collect our son and as we approached Wang Manao, an area I usually associate with Black Kite, I was scanning the sky as usual. What caught my attention was a Greater Spotted Eagle playing above the rice paddy on the north side of the road, about one hundred yards, no more, from the main road. Now these eagles can also be seen further down the road in the Wat Norng Blah Lai area so they are highway friendly!

Not bad for messing around and a very interesting new site, close to home!