River Lapwing

River Lapwing

Vanellus Duvaucelii

นกกระแตหาด

There were three River Lapwing at the reservoir early this morning and as you can see from the photograph they are very elegant birds, beautifully coloured with a short crest. I don't know if their presence at the more public end of the reservoir is significant. Even at 06:00h there was very considerable disruption from dogs and humans. These birds appear to be looking for short grass close to the water. But here they are continuously disturbed. I should imagine it will be very difficult to nest in this area. I hope the reservoir level drops to enable these lapwing to get nesting on the far side, away from disturbance, at their normal base.

Elsewhere lots of Small Pratincoles and Oriental Pratincoles. A Rain Quail showed briefly on top of a rock mound and it flew off just as I was ready to shoot! Ditto with a Common Hoopoe showing a very prominent crest. A fair number of yellow-eyed babblers fluttering through the scrub.

The story today was getting my truck stuck in mud and having to call out a friend to give me a tow. It was touch and go but finally we managed it without the tow rope snapping. Wasted a lot of time which I would have preferred to use for birding! With work and some ill health this week this is the first and only time I have been able to get out into the field for a week. Notwithstanding personal disasters, the reservoir never disappoints.  Getting my car stuck made me start thinking I need to  get away from my truck and get positioned and set up somewhere...... I can't really expect to drive up to the birds, get out the truck, get set up and shoot!! The birds will be in Myanmar by the time I am ready!

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

It's been on my mind a lot recently that I need to try to get a flight shot of a Pheasant-tailed Jacana. With the breeding season in full swing this jacana becomes a feast of colour, note the yellow nape, and the male sports a fantastic tail. It's best seen in flight but I didn't get that shot today. I got these and I think I will come back for more in the near future. The pond is in the Khao Yoi area, Phetchburi province and I went specifically today to try see this bird and get the shot. When I first started birding this was one of my regular stops. Not so surprising with birds like this showing so easily.

Persecution

Normally my relationship with and reaction to the kingdom of birds is a happy one, in fact most of the time it is idyllic. Not this afternoon. I witnessed this in Khao Yoi, Phetchaburi at a place called ซอยแก่นสุข - I am horrified that this might mean something like Foundation of Happiness Lane. I'll let the pictures tell their grim story.

Basically it is an illegal mist net. When scientists use these nets to trap birds they operate to strict rules about the length of time a bird is allowed to be left to minimise stress, discomfort and prevent predation.In real terms the birds are in these nets for minutes. This is what happens when I go ringing at Laem Pak Bia. Even with such controls and supervision birds like Koels are known to attack the entrapped birds. The above birds have been left to the elements and as you can see some, if not all, are dead. They have died slow, painful deaths. The lucky ones might have been killed by a predator. Maybe tonight the owls will have a feast.

I contacted Phil Round and he put me in touch with Wildlife and I reported it officially. I don't know what interest they will take because they are trying to protect tigers, elephants and leopards, the jewels in Thailand's biodoversity. I hope however they take an interest in the little guys. If nothing else I hope someone goes along and confiscates the net and reads the riot act. If the net is on ground near a temple, given the monstrously inappropriate name of the soi, which might suggest it  leads to a temple, then I hope the monks will be advised and bring pressure to bear.

In short this is cruelty and it has to be stopped. 

I reckon the farmers believe this action will deter birds that are seem as predators to their rice crop. This is patently absurd: as they harvest the crop there are 300 - 400 egrets on the ground uninterested in the fate of their fellow birds trapped in the mist net. I am not aware that birds in general present a significant threat to  rice ; in fact I suspect in my uneducated way that birds and rice fields need each other more than this savagery would suggest. For instance the Openbill is tolerated here because it preys on an introduced mollusc that is a real threat to the rice crop yield. 

I feel really angry about this grim spectacle. I decided not to get involved with the farmers because I really don't know what my intervention might trigger in terms of my own personal safety. Plus I had Ben with me, aged 22 months.  I was actually a little scared about taking photographs because I thought my presence might attract interest. So I took the  photographs quickly and legged it and reported it to the proper authorities this evening. I am not sure what the outcome will be but they know what is happening and where. I would like to add for the record that I will be happy to support any enforcement action which the authorities take.

As an update I believe the matter has now been reported to the police at Khao Yai and I hope they have done something to stop this cruelty.

River Lapwing back at Huay Mai Teng Reservoir

Oriental Darter

Anhinga Melanogaster

นกอัายงั่ว

Just after noon today the steering wheel in my car was too hot to handle! But at 05:30h this morning it was  comfortable as I left the house en route for Huay Mai Teng reservoir in the dark. I had barely traveled 100 m when I saw the unmistakeable silhouette of a barn owl perched on a neighbouring roof against the slowly lightening sky. It was 90% black but there was a trace of its white, heart-shaped face. This was the footballing equivalent of a first minute goal.

Oriental Darter

Anhinga Melanogaster

นกอัายงั่ว

So I had a spring in my step so to speak, pleased that I had made the effort to get out of bed, and off I went wondering what other excitement might be waiting for me. As I drove I wondered when River Lapwing might return to the reservoir; probably some time in July. Would the Small Pratincoles still be present and what else might there be today? I was on a tightish schedule today because I teach from 10:30 to 12:30h and the deal with my wife is I have to bring breakfast back before I go to work. So it was in my mind to target Chinese Francolin.

Oriental Darter

Anhinga Melanogaster

นกอัายงั่ว

I don't know how these things happen but I drove into the main reservoir staging area. There's nothing much there, some dirt roads and lots of gravel in front of a vast stretch of water. There are often some good birds around this area early in the morning before human disturbance drives them off..... notably the Black Kites in the above banner were photographed here. It was 05:55h and right next to the water I see a solitary, unmistakeable River Lapwing! I didn't manage a photograph and even if I had been set up I doubt I would have been able to get close enough to get a decent shot; the light was poor as the sun was still covered by clouds. Vanellus duvaucelii , for me a sort of benchmark bird, probably the first species I think I ever reported seeing just over two years ago and a reminder of what extraordinary fun I get out of birding.

Little Ringed Plover

ACharadrius dubius

นกหัวโตเล็กขาเหลือง

I wasn't in any way bothered about not getting a shot. I have no doubt a small number of River Lapwing will gather again: last year I think there was one occasion when I counted eleven. What is interesting is even though the reservoir level has lowered it is still high by comparison with each of the last two years. The road which crosses the reservoir is still submerged by water at the moment and it is in this area that I have most consistently seen the lapwings over the last two years. So I wonder what the lapwings will do and if they will find alternative quarters nearby or seek out new pastures. In the same wondering mode I wonder where this fellow has come from.

Little grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollis

นกเป้ดพีเล็ก

I proceeded to the scrub area where pratincoles and rain quail can be seen. Some interesting pipits and larks, but no evidence of rain quail or nightjars. Abundant Small and Oriental Pratincoles and a very delicate looking Little Ringed Plover chick. I bumped into a couple of photographers, a very unusual experience here and they were very excited about having just seen the River Lapwing. They said that there had been a report posted on a Thai web site during the week to the effect that River Lapwing had been seen here. I felt most miffed that someone else had beaten me to it on my own patch! Just joking. I am delighted other people are covering this site because it is big and it is important.

Lesser Whistling-duck

Dendrocygna javanica

เป็ดแดง

I knew I was running low on fuel so I decided to head to the nearby garage which was en route to the small pond whose trees of late have been providing a perch for some good birds. They did not disappoint today. A Darter was waiting with wings outstretched, a truly splendid sight.....hung out to dry so to speak. I decided to attempt to get in close and drove my vehicle off the track, a risky business so close to water. I stopped at a point  where I couldn't see the Darter. What I could see was what I thought was a small raptor in the trees which was being harried by a very determined Pied Fantail. As I looked more closely I saw it was in actual fact a female Asian Koel,  a really elegant bird, revealed by its red eye and bill, but this one behaving in true psychotic fashion, intent on getting in amongst the Fantail nests in the lower part of the trees. The Darter then flew into range and I started cursing under my breath because I thought it was on its way. But to my pleasure it perched on a nearby tree and as you can see it was very obliging. What a beauty, what incredible lines and curves.

Pied Kingfisher

Ceryle rudis

นกกะเด็นป้กหลัก

Satisfied with my work I was able to turn the rig on a pair of Lesser-whistling Ducks that slid past and I managed a shot of one of a pair of Pied Kingfishers perched near the Darter. More than satisfied I headed off to my next location to try to coax out Chinese Francolin.

Paddyfield Pipit

Anthus rufulus

นกเดัาดินทุงเล็ก

Alas no sight of the Chinese Francolin despite playback but one was audible. Two Yellow-eyed Babblers briefly showed. I decided to head back to the staging area to see if the River Lapwing had returned. Alas no, but I took the opportunity of photographing a few of the more common birds which were present. The Little Grebe is a very hard bird to photograph. The above shot is by no means perfect. Work to be done. 

So that was the first four hours of my Saturday and by 0900h it was scorchio as we say. So I headed home with breakfast, chao mun gai, a very happy camper indeed! Not a bad start to a Saturday. As ever the reservoir never disappoints.

As a postscript we headed out to our favourite restaurant tonight for dinner at about 1900h and the Barn Owl was perched on an abutting pipe next to where it was this morning. 

All images digiscoped 21.05.11 at Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand.

A Quick Half Hour at the Rice Paddy

Streaked Weaver

Ploceus manyar

นกกระจาบอกลาย

Wednesday's beginning of the  new school year means busy, busy, busy. Birding is going to have to play second fiddle! But I got out and I managed to shoot a couple of Streaked Weavers and a Plain Prinia, reasonable shots. The above Weaver is probably a female, (though it could be a non-breeding male) and below, obscured by a branch, is the male in breeding plumage. Alas I don't have the technical knowledge to remove the offending branch and I don't have the time or patience right now to learn! I was just happy to be able to snatch 30 minutes or so and capture a couple of images.

 Streaked Weaver

Ploceus manyar

นกกระจาบอกลาย

The Weavers are usually in flocks and create very distinctive nests, like lanterns, in reeds. They are very active and quite noisy but as you can see they are really striking looking.

Streaked Weaver Nest

Plain Prinia

Prinia Inornata

นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียน

This Plain Prinia was looking on at the antics and squabbles of the Weavers and its distinctive chirp invited me to photograph it. Around me I saw a Watercock, Lesser-whistling Duck, Yellow Bitterns, a White-throated Kingfisher, Egrets, Openbills, not bad really for a gentle half hour after work.

Watermarks, Playback.......

Well I have designed a watermark for my photographs and this picture of a Grey-Breasted Prinia, shot this morning at Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, is the first of my photographs to carry it. I am amazed at how difficult this was to do! I think I am definitely getting old as Photoshop is well beyond me!

I also did something I have never done before today. I used an MP3 recording of a Chinese Francolin calling in the hope of drawing this species to my telescope. Well I succeeded in raising two birds but sadly they didn't break cover although one was very close. I am not sure about this.

Plenty of nesting Small Pratincoles remain in the area and I even saw one little chick getting what might best be described as some parenting. Large numbers of Oriental Pratincoles too as well as noisy Black-winged Stilts and Red-wattled Lapwing. I also saw a couple of Yellow-eyed Babblers as I endeavoured to draw out the Chinese Francolins.

It's extremely hot in Thailand at present and so early morning starts are obligatory. It's boiling hot by 08:00h. Moreover in the later part of the day there is often heavy rain.

The Reservoir Strikes Back.....

Osprey

Pandion Haliaetus

เหยี่ยวออสเปร

Quite simply a fantastic afternoon at the reservoir today with His Lordship, the Osprey, obliging for me. I can't get over the size of his talons. You would have laughed watching me crawl on hands and knees to get into position for this shot without scaring the bird off. As my friend Tom says of birding at Huay Mai Teng, it's a good place because you can get to see and photograph the birds.

Cattle egret

Bubulcus ibis

นกยางควาย

The real story today was not the Osprey but the presence of at least 3 Chinese Francolins who were calling to each other. I managed to see one, a  black and white dog-tooth breast against the gloom before  it popped back into the scrub. A lifer no less. The incredibly loud calls were really distinctive and from listening to recordings on Xeno Canto I am completely sure I have the right ID. Alas a really heavy rainfall closed in at this point and brought the day's proceedings to an abrupt end:  as I was parked on a dirt track and there would have been a possibility of getting stranded, ie stuck, such was the deluge, I legged it. I rather fancy I will be back at the same place tomorrow morning.......

Red-wattled Lapwing

Vanellus indicus

บกกระแตแต้แว้ด

Lots of good birds today: an Oriental Darter, Barred Buttonquail, Indochinese Bushlark, Small Pratincole, Oriental Pratincole plus all the regulars including Cattle Egret and Red-wattled Lapwing. I just love Huay Mai Teng reservoir, it never disappoints.

Osprey

Pandion Haliaetus

เหยี่ยวออสเปร

Dragonfly: trithemis aurora