A Gentle Afternoon at Huay Mai Teng Reservoir

Asian Brown Flycatcher

I managed a few hours this afternoon at Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi province, but it was very ordinary. I can't report good numbers of Small Pratincoles or quail: I heard one Small and not a suggestion of a quail. The undoubted highlight was a stunning male Pied Harrier quartering the main birding site and almost plucking what I think was a Savanna Nightjar out of the air. This harrier,with its very distinct black and white markings, is one of my favourite birds: it exudes bossiness in the field. I noted just shy of 200 Oriental Pratincoles. And I'd be happy if I've got the ID on the Asian Brown Flycatcher wrong and you tell me it is a Brown-streaked Fly.........but it is surely ABF? Right I am tired. Good to be out birding for the first time since last weekend. The highlight this week was a Common Tailorbird in our front garden and tonight in the same tree two Tree Shrews.

Black Kite Roost, Khao Yoi, Phetchburi Province

Black Kite roost

Khao Yoi, Phetchburi Province

11.12.11

I had a pleasant spin around Phetchburi province this afternoon with my family. I had no idea of how close our initial bird watching sorties were three years ago to the Tung Bang Jak and Norng Blah Lai area. These were sort of random explorations where we simply turned right off the highway after the Makro store. I have no recollection of seeing any raptors on these trips. Today we had the spectacle of a very high Imperial Eagle., high in the sky above the village of Bang Jak. A sumptuous feast for the eyes.


There wasn't much happening late afternoon in the Wat Norng Blah Lai area, a few Eastern Marsh and Pied Harriers. So we headed to the Khao Yoi Black Kite roost -  it seemed quieter than last time but still at least 250-300 kites present.

One Frame Wonder

Asian Brown Flycatcher 

As I write it is pouring down and this makes me excited about what birds the rain might force down locally. More shall be revealed tomorrow, I hope. I am on holiday for the next two weeks and so I was able to head out to Huay Mai Teng Reservoir this afternoon to see what the raptor count today would be. Well today's count was much more modest, 18 birds, five of which were too far away to be identified. Eleven of the remaining birds I identified as Oriental Honey Buzzards. The other two I couldn't identify but they were small.

The weather was different today with virtually no wind and it may have been that the bulk of the passage was over by the time I got to the reservoir just after 1500h; there were no birds after 1630h and there was no evidence of birds coming down to roost for the night. I am going to treat myself to the entire day at the reservoir tomorrow and we'll see what happens.

The highlight today was a best count of about 650 Oriental Pratincoles, most of which were sat on brown gravel. This background and the prevailing gloom made photography virtually impossible. It was an amazing sight reminiscent of looking at the vast numbers of Sand-plovers that settle down on dry salt pans at Laem Pak Bia. There were also good numbers of Green Sandpipers. I was also pleased to finally get a shot of a flycatcher for the first time this season. In fact I was lucky because it showed for 5 seconds and I managed to get on it. Let me express thanks to Dave Gandy and Tom Backlund for their help in identifying this bird. I wasn't confident  calling it Asian Brown and didn't want another mistaken identity.

Other species noted were a Pied Kingfisher and a Yellow Wagtail.  The Blossom-headed Parakeets came in as if by appointment at 1730h and this time I was able to make out a female, greyish head and no black collar, in the small flock.

I shot a mere 18 frames today, six of which were of a dragonfly and even before I started I knew the shots were unlikely to be any good due to poor light. I took one shot of the flycatcher and it was gone. I tried to shoot a Green Sandpiper but the light was against me. So one frame for the day is good enough for me.

A Couple of Days Off!

Rufous-winged Buzzard

Mae Wong Area

29.12.10

As I was travelling with my wife and son I thought I had better cater to their needs as non-birders and so we headed from Nakhon Sawan in the direction of Mae Wong National Park to the north. The objectives being beautiful scenery and a rest. We bade fond farewells to Brian and set off. I have to say notwithstanding signage I found it difficult to locate the park. En route we saw a Crested Serpent-Eagle plus an unidentified raptor ; big, very white underneath........ possibly a juvenile of same species.

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

Mae Wong Area

29.12.10

We finally found the park and drove in and actually took a leisurely drive to the road end at Chong Len. I was generally impresed by the wuality of the road and facilities in the park. A Grey Wagtail and some warblers, probably To-barred but they were moving fast and I was having a day off!

We found a nice resort close to the hotel and settled in for a restful night. In the morning we just sat around and I got drawntot the birds in the trees. First up I noticed a couple of Asian Brown Flycatchers, and in the trees there were warblers and bulbuls, notably Black-headed. A Chestnut-headed Bee-eater posed high up for me. 

 In the afternoon we headed to the local village for some lunch and supplies and we spotted this Rufous-winged Buzzard in the trees. For once I had no bins or camera in the car so had a look and headed for lunch. An hour later on our return it was still there so I legged it back and got my kit and managed these shots. In the absence of internet access let me thank Tom Backlund for assistance with the ID; Tom suggested Rufous-winged Buzzard and I would agree with this on the basis of the photos I looked at subsequently on the Oriental Bird Club Database.

I then sat out in the grounds for a few hours and as day drew to a close I was disturbed by the loud screech of some birds and had a look at a nearby statue and there on it the offering table was a red-billed Blue Magpie and a Green-billed Malkoha. I didn't get the Magpie immediately and I didn't manage a photograph but it returned about 30 minutes after initial sighting and gave me a little display which enable me to ID it. What a beautiful bird with its long tail and beautiful colours. The malkoha hung around in the upper story of the trees and gave me a few decent shots.

Finally I snapped this little fellow thinking it was an Olive-backed Sunbird. In any event I was happy to get the scope on it. When I reviewed the photograph  I was distracted by what appears to be a supercilium. So this got me checking the literature and from this it is quite clearly a Purple Sunbird, a female to be precise. The key diagnostic and distinguishing feature is the small amount of white on the tail whereas the Olive-backed has lots. So three lifers on my days off .......the Buzzard, the Magpie and the Sunbird!

I am already excited about the prospect of returning to do some serious birding here. I really like the feel of this place! It is a known site for the Rufous-necked Hornbill and the Crested Kingfisher and a lot of other cracking birds too.