Frustrations!? Not Really!

Little Cormorant

Khao Yoi, Phetchburi Province

19.02.12

A frustrating sort of day I suppose. The early start did not materialise and so when Tom Backlund called from Wat Khao Tahkrao I was still in bed. He reported two Comb Ducks. Wow! This confirmed my intention to head there in the afternoon. However if a week is a long time in politics then an hour is a long time in birding. No guarantees the birds would still be there in one hour, never mind later in the day.

Osprey

Wat Khao Takhrao, Phetchburi Province

19.02.12

When I did make it to the site early in the afternoon  I couldn't find the Comb Ducks. I had a good look for them. I am completely sure the birds had gone because later in the afternoon two Eastern Marsh Harriers began buzzing the assembled waterfowl out of their post-prandial slumbers. This went on for about thirty minutes and would have raised the Comb Ducks had they been resting or reclining. They are so big they would really have stood out. Alas no, not today, but a fantastic record for Tom and his mate.

Whiskered Tern

Khao Yoi, Phetchburi Province

19.02.12

I did, however, get an unexpected solitary Nordmann's Greenshank. In it came to the tail of a large group of ducks, distinct yellow legs and a slightly upturned, stout black and yellow bill. What was significant initially was its solitary status in amongst thousands of ducks. I thought Greenshank and then as I looked more closely I realised it was no ordinary Greenshank, or should I say Common Greenshank. I was really rather pleased with this. It would have been nice to have been able to get in a bit closer to this distant bird to get a decent shot. So again a little frustrating.

Purple Heron

Khao Yoi, Phetchburi Province

19.02.12

I fluffed a chance to get some decent shots of an Osprey. Shrubbery got in the way, however, but this only became obvious when I looked at the shots on a computer screen. Unfortunately the shrubs I was using for cover have cast shadow over the images when I thought I had a clean view of the bird. When I put my rig into the open the bird promptly legged it! Earlier on my way to the site via Khao Yoi, I managed to get a Thick-billed Warbler in focus in the LCD and was about to click when it flew off. Sometimes it can be like this!

But notwithstanding the frustrations I saw some good birds effortlessly today and managed a couple of decent shots of more common birds when I stopped off in the Khao Yoi area. A huge Steppe Eagle flew over the Wat Khao Takrhao site and as I drove towards the highway I stopped to watch a Greater Spotted Eagle and a Booted Eagle on Drongo Lane; this is where I first went birding in Thailand a few years ago. I wonder what I would have made of a Greater Spotted Eagle in those early days when I can distinctly recall being unable to separate Little and Cattle Egret! As I drove home I noted two kettles of Black Kites, each numbering about 30, the first quite literally above the Khao Yoi crags and the second a little bit to the north, near the roost site. So not such a bad few hours really!

Pied Avocet at Laem Pak Bia

Pied Avocet

Recurvirostra avosetta

นกปากงอน

Laem Pak Bia

16.01.12

It is Teachers Day today and we got a day off  so I headed to Pak Thale and Laem Pak Bia in the afternoon, against the tide. There were huge numbers of Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits at Pak Thale, in fact there were large number of waders in the pools towards the sea, but I couldn't make out any Spoon-billed Sandpipers or Nordmann's Greenshanks. I made some effort to seek out Spoon-billed Sandpiper in fact but sorry to say I drew a complete blank. Lots of frantically feeding Red-necked Stints which raised hopes but no sign of that famous spoon bill.

Grey Heron

Ardea Cinerea

นกกระสานวล

The King's Project, Laem Pak Bia

16.01.12

In view of recent experiences with gulls I will never treat a flock of gulls again with indifference or disdain. They may well contain treasure!  Try as I did today, and I tried all the way down to Laem Pak Bia, but I couldn't find anything other than Brown-headed Gulls with a few Caspian Terns. I did however find a solitary Pied Avocet having a feed. I  was measuring up the front cover shot when a lorry load of workers followed by a cavalcade of motor cycles approached and I had to move as I was blocking the narrow track. The noise scared the bird away. Such is life. The Thai field guide describes Pied Avocet as " หายาก", "ha yak", meaning "difficult to see". I saw sixteen of them in the air on my previous visit. So always pleasing to see, and in this instance, photograph the rarer species. 

White-breasted Waterhen

Amaurornis phoenicurus

นกกวัก

The King's Project, Laem Pak Bia

16.01.12

I went into the Kings Project looking for photo opportunities. It is strange there at the moment as the main ponds are all empty. They have been drained due to maintenance. There are still plenty of birds but not as many photo opportunities. I managed shots of a Black-capped Kingfisher, a Grey Heron and a White-breasted Waterhen: fairly common species but all definitely camera shy; hard to get close to these birds without scaring them. It's these birds which really cry out for a handheld camera with a decent lens: they are difficult to digiscope simply because they  don't allow much time.

Black-capped Kingfisher

Halcyon pileata

นกกะเด็นหัวดำ

The King's Project, Laem Pak Bia

16.01.12

It simply takes one good bird to make a good day and today Pied Avocet did it for me.

Sibacan, Balanga City, Bataan Province

A juvenile Brahminy Kite with loving parent looking on

Sibacan

Balnaga City

04.10.10

Most of my information about birdwatching comes from two excellent volumes entitled Birdwatching in the Philippines, a joint publication of the Department of Tourism and Wild Bird Club of the Philippines. The Balanga City map shows Sibacan as a recommended site and the book describes it as "a combination of grasslands, fishponds and wetlands". So with only an hour to kill before heading by bus to Manila I decided to take a quick early morning spin down there. It was a great hour. I don't think I saw any new species but I really enjoyed this site and the locals, very friendly people, told me they are expecting thousands of birds over the next few weeks. It might be a little unnerving for some because you actually have to go through  peoples' houses to get to the ponds! In fact, forget any prospect of discreetly slipping in and out unnoticed. Life is lived to the full out on the narrow streets and lanes of Sibican, the water pump acting as a public shower.  You may feel like the Pied Piper as the kids follow and make such a lot of noise that most of the birds retreat!

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron

Sibacan, Balanga City

04.10.10

I watched some brahmny kites from a distance and managed to get a couple of pictures. I think I am going to need to do a little work with exposure because my images are too light. In the same area I saw 2 great cormorants, 2 grey herons and I reckon the picture above is a juvenile black-crowned night heron. I have asked for confirmation on PBPF. Hundreds of beautiful little egrets too with a few intermediates.

Grey Heron

Sibacan, Balanga City

04.10.10

Little Egret

Sibacan, Balanga City

04.10.10

This is a huge area and worthy of exploration. I did the equivalent of sticking my big toe into the water this morning but I am glad I did and I hope I can return. I have to say I am really impressed with the birding possibilities in this small area. I am starting to think that wild birds might be one of the Philippines' greatest attractions. If nothing else the birds bring me into contact with decent, kindly and simple people who are mildly interested in what  I am doing if not a little amused.