Chumphon: Some Waders

Chumphon is not best known for waders but it is by the sea and that sea is the Gulf of Thailand and birders the world over know the Inner Gulf is a major wader hotspot. So we are a couple of hundred kilometres south of the main action areas. I myself did a bit of wading this afternoon at low tide from the bridge that marks the boundary between Ta Yang and Na Tang districts in Chumphon. Barefooted, like the locals! I started out with flip-flops but they became more of a hindrance as I approached sandflats via some mudflats.

It didn't look too promising. There were a few waders, a handful of Whimbrel, some small flocks of Greater Sandplovers, a few Red-necked Stints, some Pacific Golden Plover in breeding plumage, a couple of Little Herons, lots of Little Egrets and then a Grey-tailed Tattler, nope, it's a redshank, can't be a tattler, the bill is wrong. The photo shows it is a Grey-tailed Tattler and it is in breeding plumage too. This is a passage migrant which  I have seen at Pak Thale, Phetchburi, as early as  August on its way south and also in May as it moves north. I don't know anything about its status here in Chumphon.

Next up came a Bar-tailed Godwit. I was surprised this bird let me encroach but as I looked the reason why became obvious. It had a gammy leg. I guess birds really need everything to be in perfect working order. I could see it wasn't finding the search for food so easy, although it was bravely trying. It could fly too. I wonder what chances of survival this fellow has. I moved on quickly as I didn't want it to expend energy needlessly in trying to get away from me.

A very industrious and fast moving wader next caught my attention. Terek Sandpiper, I thought, and I got it in my bins and sure enough the orange legs and slightly up-turned bill confirmed this. This triggered a laugh -  a recent Birdforum poster described Nordmann's Greenshank as a "Terek Sandpiper on steroids"! I've seen this species here before.

Of course in terms of appearance the winner has to be the male Pacific Golden Plover - its breeding plumage is truly sublime. I had to work hard for this shot! Understandably he was rather wary of me and kept on the move, just moving when I had my focus correct. Some of the sandplovers were also sporting breeding plumage too.  

I doubt whether I saw more than 100 different waders in the course of a few hours this afternoon whereas at Pak Thale/Laem Pak Bia the numbers are usually tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands. So I am delighted with a Grey-tailed Tattler, a Terek Sandpiper and a Bar-winged Godwit and I would have been happy if this had been the takings from a visit to Pak Thale/Laem Pak Bia.

Out with the Old.....

So to the Abandonned Building, Laem Pak Bia,  this morning and apart from a huge number of Black-tailed Godwits, maybe in excess of 2,000 birds, I managed to find a Spoon-billed Sandpiper in among the Red-necked Stints. I feel very pleased about this as it is the first time I have found this fellow unaided. He was as effervescent as ever. Alas no photos as the birds were on the move and not making it easy.

I headed back to the Abandonned Building, where I had parked the truck,  and watched the Peregrine Falcon above fly in and land on its top and in fact he posed a little for me. A Thai lifer for me though I have seen it in the Philippines. I retreated to the rubbish dump in search of the Brahminy Starling. I thought I was looking at a set from Doctor Who as there were 4 greeen tents with lenses sticking out bang in the middle of a rubbish dump ....... they looked like tanks! It took me a few moments to realise the big lens photographers were on the scene and our dear Brahminy Starling was right under their noses jostling the mynas and other birds in pursuit of the food left out. I had good views for about 10 minutes but alas no photograph as it then flew off and did not return. What a beautiful bird and a lifer.

So I headed off to the Kings Project in pursuit of Long-billed Dowitcher with a spring in my step. There I met some very obliging Pintail Snipe, once more lifers and none too shy of the camera. I originally thought I had spotted a Temminck's Stint but my advisor(!), Tom Bucklund, tells me it is definitely a Long-toed Stint - pictured below

Long-toed Stint

Kings Project

Laem Pak Bia

31.12.10

Nearby a Black-capped Kingfisher offered a few shots. This is one of my favourite birds and species. I could look at this fellow and his ilk all day.

I passed by on the eagles and Cinerous Vulture and headed home. They can wait for another day or year! In the late afternoon I went out into the local rice paddy where I was greeted by a Common Kestrel perched on a pillar in the distance. Not the best picture I ever took but a good record shot and a  new tick for the patch.

Common Kestrel

Ratchaburi

31.12.10

I headed over to the other side of the paddy and had a look at the recently reported Western Marsh Harriers ..... again my advisor tells me these aren't Western but are Eastern Marsh Harriers, specifically a male juvenile. Now that I have looked at the books I have absolutely no problem with this - I got it completely wrong and if I had done my research I would have realised that a Western is something of a rarity, something to crow about....a pun!  News Year Resolution: take time in making IDs and consider the literature and ID guides.

Eastern Marsh Harrier

Ratchaburi

31.12.10

My Dear Readers & Viewers that is it for 2010. Let me wish you a Very Happy New Year and express the hope that you have a great year's birding in 2011. My  birding year in 2010 felt like a privilege, like I was spoiled, spoiled rotten. I have seen some truly memorable birds, been to some great places and met some excellent people. I hope to see you out there in 2011 and when I get a moment I will review the year and give you the numbers. Once more best wishes and a Happy New Year.