Pied Harrier : "Pure Gallus"

Pied Harrier

Circus melanoleucos

เหยี่ยวด่างดำขาว

Ratchaburi 27.10.12

A solitary male Pied Harrier floated over the Ratchaburi rice paddy at 1702h, the first I have seen this winter, almost a year to the day of last winter's first record. He really is a spectacular bird. I think the Glasgow phrase  "pure gallus" best sums up this guy - stylish and impressive, minus any delinquent or neddish connotation! He put down for a moment and I captured a very poor image, which  I publish here really as a record and nothing else. I hope these birds settle down and that I can get much closer to them over the next few months.

White-rumped Munia

Lonchura striata

นกกระติ๊ดตะโพกขาว

Ratchaburi 27.10.12

This arrival really lifted my spirits enormously - I even let out a cheer! Elsewhere I was happy to locate two Pied Kingfishers, equally gallus! These have moved further up the irrigation canal following a lot of radical alterations to their previous abode. Add in one Black-shouldered Kite, two Lesser Coucals, three Brown Shrike, c200 White-rumped Munias ( no prizes forworking out why it is called "white-rumped"!)  with a smaller number of Scaly-breasted Munias mixed up. Lots of common birds, nice, relaxing couple of hours and the locals enquiring after my son!

Scaly breasted Munia

Lonchura punctulata

นกกระติ๊ดขี้หมู 

Ratchaburi 27.10.12