Laem Pak Bia : Deserted Building

Once more plans for an early start did not materialise! Well, first weekend off of our holidays so no real surprises. We drove down to Hua Hin for lunch and on our way back stopped at The Deserted Building, one of the key birding sites in the Laem Pak Bia area. I took some decent shots but I was strangely restless and uninterested! I must confess to being physically exhausted. Add in the company of my wife and 8 month old son, to distract me. There were hundreds of birds, in particular the resident black-tailed godwits, many greenshanks, and I rather fancy I saw at least one great knot; but alas, no evidence and it didn't hang around for long. Perhaps this too added to my sense of frustration!  There were a few little herons about including this one and a good few common and spotted redshanks.

Little heron, butorides striata, Laem Pak Bia (DB), 07.03.10

Spotted redshank, tringa erythropus, Laem Pak Bia (DB), 07.03.10

I am looking forward to returning refreshed and restored, maybe early Tuesday morning.

Days Like These

One of the things that has changed since I started taking photographs is I have stopped listing the birds I  observe and have stopped recording details of unidentified birds. In a way I have started to rely on photographs for identifying birds I cannot identify. This is not wise as I don't always manage to capture a photograph of the bird.  No doubt the fact that I have largely been looking at raptors of late is also a reason. However I must resolve from here onwards to start recording more in my notebook.

Saturday afternoon after teaching I headed out once more  to Wat Norng Blah Lai in Petchaburi. However I had barely left home than I spotted a couple of black kites swooping down on wet rice paddy where hundreds of openbills and cattle egrets were attempting to feed and take it easy. This prompted further investigation as I had never seen black kites so close to home before. In the final analysis I counted 12 black kites, 8 of which were perched on nearby trees. Who needs to travel to see birds in Thailand?! This really is one of the truly great things about birding in Thailand...... you never seem to be very far away form good birds.

Further down the Petchkasem Highway I had to pull to the side as once more I saw a large bird in the sky hovering above Manao Corner, where the Petchkasem merges with the main morth-south highway in and out of Bangkok. Another black kite, to qualify this with "sadly", seems inappropriate. So onwards I went through  Khao Yoi to Wat Norng Blah Lai where it was very quiet on the eagle front. I spotted one greater spotted eagle with my scope but as I attempted to get near it took off. Then this eastern marsh-harrier, a male I believe, performed a little for me as it hunted over the rice paddy.

eastern marsh-harrier, male, circus spilonotus, Wat Norng Blah Lai, Petchaburi Province, 27.02.10

There were plenty of black kites, a black shouldered kite and a female pied harrier was doing her rounds in a distant part of the paddy. Many commoners: large-billed crows, openbills, cattle egret, little egrets, pied starlings, great egrets, red wattled lapwing, plain prinias etc. There was eagle activity but it was distant. Last weekend's window had been taken over by thousands of ducks, under human control, who were getting fattened up for slaughter on the remnants of the rice harvest. No doubt the eagles would relish a bit of duck hence the human presence to scare them away.

At the end of the day I saw an amazing sight. I was looking at a very fine black kite through the scope, it was sitting on the rice paddy and from nowhere a slithering long snake, possibly a king cobra, pounced but the kite got away just in the nick of time. I really can't be sure what species of snakeit was but it was long and slimmish. It slithered off quickly into the undergrowth when it had failed to land its prey. No love lost in nature.

Sunday afternoon I returned with Luna, my wife and Benedict, my son. She said she wanted some air and there was plenty of wind. It was also scorching hot. We fell on to this black kite almost immediately.

black kite , milvus migrans, Wat Norng Blah Lai, Petchaburi Province, 28.02.10

Next we met Mr Parn, a Thai raptorologist and very serious photographer. He told me the days count had been 6 greater spotted eagles and a couple of imperial and steppe eagles. He told me I needed to be out early and very kindly took me to a place and pointed out a dead tree and he told me an imperial eagle perches on it every day from about 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Parn reckons the eagles will be gone soon. I strongly urge you to head for Parn's web site www.discoverythai.com. Don't let the Thai language deter you. Use some common sense and click some links and you will see some truly excellent bird photography. We saw a pied harrier, male, and a black shouldered kite as well as many commoners. I really want to get the male pied harrier in my sights. I think it is an eerie looking creature!

Monday was a public holiday so no school but, alas, I felt so tired that I lay in bed and played with my wife and son. The unexpected arrival of two of Luna's friends late morning prompted me to head out and not feel guilty of being neglectful! I decided to head for the sandspit at Laem Pak Bia, a very important shorebird site which I hadn't yet visited. En route I drive through Khao Yoi and went via the ponds in the Wat Takrao area. I got very excited because I thought I sighted a darter in a pond. In fact the photograph confirmed it was clearly a purple heron so I was a little deflated. A darter would not have been unheard of in these parts but it would have been unusual.

My favourite ponds alas were no more; I am not sure if this was intentional drainage or  a result of natural evaporation due to heat. In the past I have seen a lot of good birds here including pheasant-tailed and bronze-winged jacanas, cotton pygmy geese, purple swamphen, and little grebe. Until water returns there won't be much for them here.

A barn swallow obliged in front of the camera.

barn swallow, hirundo rustica, Khao Yoi, Petchaburi Province, 01.03.10

Elsewhere in the ponds I counted 78 lesser whistling ducks. Closeby there were 3 juvenile pheasant-tailed jacanas. It was also noticeable that the pond herons were starting to develop their breeding plumage finally making it possible to distinguish Chinese and Indian. I also observed two Indian cormorants with their distinctively tipped bills. 

So onwards to the Laem Pak Bia sandspit. Unfortunately it was very windy so I was only able to stay on the lee side of the sandspit. The Gulf of Thailand was very choppy, rough in fact. There were not that many birds either but there was one Chinese egret. I have some photos but I don't think they do the bird any justice or would help anyone with identification as I was a fair way away. I got a good shot of this Malaysian plover, hardly a rarity but a good bird nonetheless. Notice the rings which I enquired about to Phil Round who advised the ringing had been done by the Department of National Park and by a scientist as part of a research project. Phil commented that the ringing is fairly pointless as these birds don't really go anywhere!

Malaysian plover, charadrius peronii, Laem Pak Bia sandspit, Petchaburi Province, 01.03.10


My list shows a common sandpiper, three Malaysian plovers, various terns including this shot of a lesser crested tern. I thought initially this was a greater crested tern due to its dark gray body but the bill, its orange/yellow hue is what makes me call this a lesser. I have looked at the Oriental Bird Image database and reckon this is correct. The greaters  have unmistakably yellow bills....... of course I could be wrong!

lesser crested tern, thalasseus bengalensis, Laem Pak Bia sandspit, Petchaburi Province, 01.03.10

Later I headed to the Deserted Building nearby and I make this a Nordmann's greenshank; there is a disctinct two tone to the bill and the lighter head markings together with the yellowish leg colour marry with Robson's description. Of course it could be something else so I'll put a question mark to indicate "putative" or in plain English, "not sure". Please feel free to advise!

Nordmann's greenshank (?), tringa guttifer, Laem Pak Bia, Petchaburi Province, 01.03.10
(see comment below, this is not a Nordmann's Greenshank but rather a Marsh Sandpiper)

black-tailed godwit, limosa limosa, Laem Pak Bia , Petchaburi Province, 01.03.10

Finally a black-tailed godwit. There are often 400 + plus black-tailed godwits loitering around the deserted building. 

More to come!

It's about fun....Eastern Imperial Eagle

I had no idea when I started writing this blog that raptors, eagles in particular, were going to descend from the skies, so to speak, and feature so prominently here. I was expecting to be spending a lot of time on shorebirds in the Laem Pak Bia area. Well about 30 minutes south of my home herre, just off the main highway, is eagle heaven and there hasn't been an occasion in the last few weeks when I have been there that I haven't seen at least two species of aquila eagles: greater spotted, steppe and eastern imperial eagles make the Wat Norng Blah Lai area their winter quarters. Unfortunately I am a bit out of my depth and I am learning that correct identification of these species is by no means straightforward.

Thanks to Phil Round I can confirm the photograph below is of a juvenile eastern imperial eagle. I made it a steppe eagle, juvenile, and possibly a greater spotted eagle, pale morph. I sent the picture to Phil and he kindly put me right: "classic juvenile imperial". I took it on 6th February 2010 in the Wat Norng Lai Blah area.

Eastern imperial eagle, juvenile, aquila heliaca, Wat Norng Blah Lai 06.02.2010

This spurred me on to do a little research and  it is officially listed as Vulnerable by BirdLife International. The population is estimated to be between 5,200 and 16,800 birds and the trend suggests these numbers are declining.  The link takes you to a very thorough profile of the species and it makes reference in a number of places to the ease with which it can be confused with other species. Phil Round also acknowledged this too. Phew!

Now I feel humbled as opposed to that initial feeling of frustration at not being able to make a correct identification. I really want to learn more about these birds. I want them to survive and flourish. What a privilege to be able to view such a majestic bird and indeed to be able to capture it on camera. Phil Round advised though that changes in rice cultivation cycles could have a profound effect on these eagles; specifically, in Thailand,  the move from single to double cropping driven by economic necessity.  It is amazing what you learn as you go along.

I am hooked.

Amateur Photographer! Greater Spotted Eagle!

I had a fantastic afternoon Sunday with a greater spotted eagle, a juvenile I believe. I wasn't expecting so much fun. In fact when I set off from home after 2:00 pm I thought I would end up at Laem Pak Bia viewing shorebirds. Instead this greater spotted eagle obliged for me ...... but I managed to completely mess up the exposure of most of the photos. Anyhow it was a thrill to get so close. In fact I could be seen crawling on all fours to get close but,alas, not close enough. The green hue of the third photo is due to me switching from automatic exposure to "P" and the camera in this mode being  set to an unintended high exposure compensation level. ( I was originally shooting in very bright light but forgot to adjust down!) Instead I adjusted the ISO speed to 800 ASA to allow for the poor light but I forgot to alter the exposure compensation! Well I guess you could say I am learning about my camera!

Greater spotted eagle, aquila clanga, Wat Norng Blah Lai, 21.02.10

What is amazing is the bird was less than 300 meters from the main Bangkok - southern Thailand Highway, one of the busiest roads in Thailand. Perhaps even more amazing I had the bird to myself. I should also add that it was late in the day..... the last picture was taken just after 18:00h. I know where I am going next weekend and I know what time too! 

The Local Scene in Ratchaburi

Due to time constraints this weekend, (work, a birthday party and a wedding) my birding has been restricted to a couple of hours in the local rice paddy at the rear of The Rose Garden Estate. This is a huge area and covers much of the area to the east of the town of Ratchaburi.

On Friday 19th February in the late afternoon the highlight was a male pied harrier, immediately recognisable by its monotone black head and silvery body with black upperwing coverts. In fact this bird's presence is usually announced by the panic that sets in as other birds start to scurry away and screech. Alas this harrier did not perform for the camera but now that I know he is in the area I will be back and ready to fire! The  paddy has recently been harvested so it is currently lying fallow except for thousands of ducks which are being fattened for slaughter on the remnants of the harvest. As usual there was an abundance of egrets, little and some greats, pond herons, barn swallows, plain prinias, white-throated kingfishers and I counted 4 wood sandpipers in a wet marsh.

I went back Saturday 20th February for the pied harrier but alas he was not to be sighted. There was a black shouldered kite...... but this kite does not really pack the same sort of punch as the harrier. A common kingfisher was on the premises for a while but wouldn't oblige for the camera.  I managed to get some pictures of plain backed sparrows. The yellowish markings on the higher picture indicate a female and the the male in the lower picture has rufous brown markings.

Plainbacked sparrow, passer flaveolus, Ratchaburi, 20.02.10

I counted another six green sandpipers and a 4 little ringed plovers, a couple of little cormorants and the usal egrets and openbills. Like the day before the ducks were out in their thousands. Finally I managed to stay still enough to photograph this plain prinia. 

Plain prinia, prinia inornata, Ratchaburi, 20.02.10

Laem Pak Bia & Wat Norng Blah Lai

Tuesday 2nd February 2010


An early finish saw me jumping in the car at 15:20h and heading to Laem Pak Bia, shorebird heartland, right on the gulf of Thailand, due east of Phetchaburi town. The area is world famous  as a favoured wintering site for the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper. Alas this bird did not get into my sights today! 


I generally head straight for the sea front, to the mudflats at the end of the village of Pak Thale unless, of course, there are thousands of birds in the salt pans and aquaculture ponds on either side of the road leading to the sea. I do this because it is always worth checking the state of the tide. More seasoned campaigners have advised me that the spoon-billed sandpiper will only be in the ponds and pans if the tide is in. So today the tide was out. However I counted approximately 380 curlews on the mudflats. There is normally a significant flock of these guys here. I counted an additional two whimbrel nearby. There were no terns or plovers or any other shorebirds except for egrets and pond herons. Sometimes a chinese egret can be seen here but alas, like spoonbill sandpiper, not today. The curlew took off so I managed to get a few good shots.

Eurasian curlew, numenius arquata, Laem Pak Bia, 02.02.10

Inland this little cormorant obliged with a pleasant silhouette against the distant setting sun. This is a very common bird in the area and there are usually indian cormorants in the area too. I am indebted to Phil Round for explaining to me how to separate the two species: basically the size of the bill. The little cormorant has a smaller bill which lacks the slight downward tip of the Indian. Talking of which, Phil Round called me last night to invite me to go bird ringing at The King's Project. Alas I am busy. 

little cormorant, numenius arquata, Laem Pak Bia, 02.02.10

If there are thanks for the next bird's identification then they are due to Smith Sutibut of the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand. He did a great job on distinguishing the brown and  black-headed gull at the recent Asian Waterbird Census training. The black-tipped outer wing primaries are the key diagnostic here containing what Craig Robson, The Birds of Thailand, refers to as "up to three white mirrors". Of course these birds are fairly common during the winter. 

Brown-headed gull, larus brunnicephalus, Laem Pak Bia, 02.02.10

Unfortunately I disturbed them as I encroached on their space in a fruitless effort to get a shot of what looked like more exotic fry. There were about 70 gulls in the flock and they soon settled back down.

Nearby there were plenty of spotted redshank, greenshank, curlew sandpiper, kentish plover, lesser sand plover etc. Alas none of the rareties were visible. I ventured on my curlews once more, relocated from the shore in a pond, just before the light went completely.

Wednesday 3rd February 2010

Unexpectedly I had a few free hours this morning and hit the Petchkasem Highway and 40 minutes later I was in the Wat Norng Blah Lai area looking at eagles and other raptors. I am one of the luckiest people on the planet to have such an abundance of bird life on my doorstep.

Greater spotted eagle, aquila clanga, Wat Norng Blah Lai, 03.02.10

I am completely open to being told this is a steppe eagle but I think the smallish tail, smaller wings and the absence of what Craig Robson calls "full trousers", mean it is a greater spotted eagle. If you look closely at the wings you can see the trouser effect and the split at the knee, especially the upper wing; remember each wing is a separate trouser so to speak! I would say the "trouser" effect in this picture is more akin to what is commonly referred to as "cargo trousers", those ghastly three-quarter length strides! 

Black-shouldered kite,  elanus caeruleus, Wat Norng Blah Lai, 03.02.10

This black-shouldered kite was hanging around and there were many black kites and a few harriers in attendance. The black-shouldered kite is really quite scary looking especially if you see its ruby irises! However they are fairly common in this area. 

Finally an eastern stonechat. There are plenty of these little birds in the area at present. I checked this with Phil Round because I wasn't sure and was curious as it appears to be in breeding plumage and it is only early February. 

Eastern stonechat, saxicola maurus, Wat Norng Blah Lai 03.02.10

Commoners

I took a spin up to Huai Mai Teng reservoir this morning as I did not have to teach. In my heart I was hoping to see rain quail. Alas no! But there were a couple of very dainty little ringed plovers which obliged in front of the lens.

Little ringed plover, charadrius dubius, Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province, 30.01.10

The scope gave me a delightful view of seven lesser whistling ducks taking their Saturday morning constitutional on the reservoir, a very lively common kingfisher and this paddyfield pipit. There was a distant black kite hanging out on a branch and many regulars: little cormorants, little egrets, black winged stilts, barn swallows, black drongos and one solitary grey heron.  All common birds, but I like them!

Paddyfield pipit, anthus rufulus, Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province, 30.01.10

In the afternoon we headed down to Petchaburi Province in search of raptors. There was an abundance of black kites and smaller numbers of harriers but alas the sought after eagles were high in the sky. I feel comfortable saying we saw one steppe eagle but thereafter the handful of eagles we saw will have to be recorded as unidentified. Here are some of the common birds we saw:

Oriental magpie robin, copsychus saularis, Wat Norng Blah Lai, Petchaburi Province, 30.01.10

Green bee-eater, merops orientalis, Wat Norng Blah Lai, Petchaburi Province, 30.01.10

asian openbill, anastomus oscitans, Wat Norng Blah Lai, Petchaburi Province, 30.01.10

From what  I understand the openbill is a major success story in terms of numbers. According to those in the know this bird was few and far between as recently as ten years ago. However numbers have soared in recent years and in and around the central plain it can be seen everywhere. We have a major roost nearby and there can be 5,000 birds in it at times.

Finally a silhouette of a black kite.

black kite, mulvus migrans Wat Norng Blah Lai, Petchaburi Province, 30.01.10

One of the things I  started to do with the camera today is to set the autofocus to the centre focus point only. I think this is helping me get more of my shots in focus. Now I need to master the art of taking shots of moving birds. The fun factor is high and the learning curve is relentlessly upward!

Commoners! Indeed! Nothing common about any of these birds!