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!

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.

Wat Khao Takhrao

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Wat Khao Takhrao, Phetchburi Province

12.02.12

I managed to bag two Thai lifers, Eurasian Wigeon and Northern Shoveller ( thanks to Tom Backlund for pointing out my error!), ⌗311 and ⌗312 respectively , this afternoon, at Wat Khao Takrhao in Phetchburi province. I saw both birds last year on my trip to Japan where they are easy to see. Today, however, it was very satisfying as I managed to pick them out in large flocks of Garganey and Northern Pintail. I've got some shots but they are not very good -  good enough to confirm ID and not much else. I'll look at them again later today to see if I can do anything with them. I am not really sure about their Thai status: I believe they are both uncommon.

I have some misgivings about publishing these shots but here they are simply for the record - quite simply the birds are just too far away. As you can see, however, there were two Wigeon, a drake, to the left and a female.

Eurasian Wigeon

Wat Khao Takhrao, Phetchburi Province

12.02.12

Northern Pintail & Garganey

Wat Khao Takhrao, Phetchburi Province

12.02.12

Northern SHoveller

Wat Khao Takhrao, Phetchburi Province

12.02.12

There were a lot of birds around today. A tantalisingly close Black-headed Ibis which moved off as soon as it sensed my presence; a very confiding female  Pheasant-tailed Jacana ; (shot of the day but no dramatic tail) lots of kettling Black Kites and thousands of ducks, but this time no Lesser-whistling Duck: mainly Garganey and Northern Pintail; there were also large flocks of Brown-headed Gulls , Caspian Tern, Whiskered Tern,and very distant Black-tailed Godwits.

I'll need to go back for more!

Breeding Record!

Indulge me please........our daughter Margaret Jona Charlotte came into this world yesterday morning at 06:54 weighing in at a comfortable 3.400 kg, almost 7½ lbs to you non-metric people. We're thrilled. Luna, my wife, is recovering well. So my sights are firmly focused on a small person this weekend. I'm looking after our 2½ year old son, Benedict, who is adapting remarkably well to the arrival of his sister. Must be a shock to the boy's system as he has had his mother's undivided attention for most of his short life. But he is adapting brilliantly. Maybe tomorrow, Sunday, I'll be able to slope off for a few hours - I'd like to check out the ducks at Wat Khao Takrhao.......

Harriers back!

I am pleased to say that harriers are back in the local rice paddy here in Ratchaburi: tonight I saw a female Pied Harrier and an Eastern Marsh. One of the local farmers told me they would be flooding the paddy next week so that should draw in many more birds. I really want to get a male Pied in my sights and try and get a decent shot of it. Tonight I'll just have to settle on this Plain Prinia.

A Day in Pak Thale & Laem Pak Bia

White-faced Plover

I consider myself a very fortunate fellow to be able to jump in my truck and be in Pak Thale, Phetchburi province in a little over an hour. Just after 0700h I was viewing two Black-faced Spoonbills there. I wanted this species for my year list! What incredible birds with their very striking cooking spatula-like bills. Fortunate indeed, to have easy access and by virtue of this, never really feeling under pressure.

Chinese Egret at ISO 800 

I then headed back to Phetchburi at my leisure to pick up Padraig Quinn, a Birdforum contact.  I had  agreed to show him round the area. We had some great birds today and great to go birding with a kindred spirit.

As a novice and having done next to no birding in the British Isles I really don't know what species Padraig would be interested in. So a delight to stop for Greater Coucal, Collared Kingfisher, Asian Openbill and Red-wattled Lapwing. Pak Thale was a bit disappointing: we had a good look but couldn't find Spoonbill Sandpiper. Plenty of Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Kentish Plovers, Little Cormorant, a solitary Indian Cormorant, huge numbers of Eurasian Curlews,  few Long-toed Stint, lots of Red-necked Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, more Broad-billed Sandpiper than I can ever recall seeing, but no Spoon-billed Sandpiper.

We headed south to Laem Pak Bia for lunch and over a well-needed cold drink we decided it would be a good idea to head out to the sandspit. Mr Daeng was booked but he got us an alternative; instead of waiting we had a quick scout around the main Laem Pak Bia site. Padraig added  Green Bee-eater and Great Knot to his list of lifers. Lots of Gull-billed Terns,too. I rather fancy I saw Red Knot but conditions were hazy and the birds were a distance away, so no claims.

Off we then went out to the sandspit in near perfect conditions where the birding was quite fantastic: Greater Crested Tern, Caspian Tern, Brown-headed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Little Tern ( I called it a Common, don't know why!) a Sanderling, a fair few Malaysian Plovers, lots of Greater and Lesser Sand-plover, Great Knot, Red-necked Stint. Nice and easy birds and they were putting on great aerial displays every so often. Then our boatman received a text to say Mr Daeng has located two Spoon-billed Sandpipers on the island nearest to land. So we legged it and Padraig located one Spoon-billed Sandpiper and I think we were both mightily relieved,  and grateful to Mr Daeng for letting us know. We only saw one but it showed well.

Next up Mr Daeng put us on a Whited-faced Plover, an exquisite little bird. Then the final coup-de grâce: 2 Chinese Egrets as we headed back in the gloom. I even managed some shots notwithstanding the poor light. What sublime beauty. Mr Daeng told us there had actually been three. Who cares?! One is erfectly adequate!

So a classic Spoon-billed Sandpiper - on the sandspit. A great day and great conversation, or should I say "craic" or perhpas the less affected "crack"!? .

Midweek News

Plain-backed Sparrow

These last two nights I have made brief visits to the local rice paddy in Ratchaburi. It was very quiet on both nights but the farmers are starting to introduce water to the fields so perhaps that will liven things up in the next few weeks. I am happy to say I got a brief view of an Eastern Marsh Harrier flying quite high but at least in the area. This male Plain-backed Sparrow does it for me -  a beautiful small bird and as I have said on a number of occasions it is anything but plain!

There's been a lot happening in the kingdom of birds in The Kingdom of Thailand over last few months. Read all about it on this link to the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand's latest sightings report.

A few years ago I would have considered a long weekend trip from London to Tokyo in order to see a Siberian Crane and Baer's Pochard as the ultimate act of insanity. I am following this actual twitch on Birdforum on this link. The poor guy's flight from Amsterdam to Tokyo has been delayed due to snow. I would be having kittens personally! If my circumstances were a little different I might be tempted myself! Apparently it is possible to get close to both birds as confirmed by some fantastic shots. Now, we have current reports in Thailand of one Baer's Pochard in Chiang Saen in the far north of Thailand, but apparently it is impossible to get anywhere near it. I might be tempted to make a dash for it in March if it is still up there. I really hope the guy scores! Good luck!