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!