More Local Ratchaburi Birding

On Sunday morning, 24th June I took Richard round to the local rice paddy where he scored with Streaked Weaver. This is my type of birding, drive in, view the bird, add the tick! Job done in a handful of minutes! Weavers, specifically Asian Golden and Streaked, with their distinctive nests are very active in the locale at the moment. We then headed to the reservoir where we had one River Lapwing and in excess of  ten Rain Quail. It would be hard to put a precise number on the quail as they were more easily heard than seen and were on the move. Clearly they have dispersed but numbers were good. The highlight of the day was a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo which flashed across the road above us on our way to the reservoir; absolutely no doubt about the ID on size and colours - chestnut wings clearly visible and white breast/belly. This observation towards the end of June suggests the bird is resident in the area.

Back to the Reservoir

It was my pleasure to show Richard Carden, from Singapore,  around the Huay Mai Teng reservoir this afternoon and he had one principal target: rain quail. I am delighted to say Richard got it but he had to work for it. As day started to close in a male and female flashed past us and landed a little away. The female showed well enough for Richard to get a good view of it. Phew!  Last weekend Richard was in China twitching Chinese Crested Tern. Elsewhere we recorded 3 - 4 River Lapwing, 3 Small Pratincoles,, an Oriental Skylark, an Indochinese Bushlark, a Greater Painted Snipe, a Yellow Eyed Babbler - good numbers of Asian Golden Weaver and Green Bee-eaters and lots of Oriental Pratincoles.

Slowing Down....no chance

My dear readers if only I could say I was slowing down! I had an eventful trip to Kaeng Krachan this weekend with Soorng Yingtao but missed out on the biggies: the White-fronted Scops Owl and the Brown Wood Owl. Wet and miserable if truth be told, the highlight being a nesting Greater Flameback, a lifer no less. I also missed out on a great opportunity to photograph a Silver-breasted Broadbill. The highlight was watching three Malayan Porcupines and two Brush-tailed Porcupines having a feed on Saturday night.

Soorng took me to Ban Sorng Nok on Sunday afternoon. This is possibly  the best thing to have happened in Thailand in recent years for birders and bird photographers alike. It's a resort and it  has been laid out and is managed in such a way as to encourage birds to come in and hang around. There are excellent viewing areas including hides. I didn't get the name of the nice lady who runs the place but she herself  is a bird nut and she likes looking after peole. While there were no major birds on view yesterday there were plenty of decent photo opportunities and I managed to add a further two lifers: Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and Gold-fronted Leafbird.

I forgot to mention  brief views in Kaeng Krachan of a Black-backed Kingfisher and a stunningly large Mountain Imperial Pigeon which I thought must have been a raptor on account of its size.

Alas I have no internet connection at home at the moment and have no idea when it is going to be fixed. So watch this space......a week without internet is a long time, but I am glad to say normal service has been restored.

Khao Yoi & Wat Kha Takhrao

Sunday afternoon I took a trip to Wat Khao Takhrao in Phetchburi province to check if  Great Thick Knee had returned. I was well aware I was early so was not at all surprised to draw a blank; last year I saw it towards the end of June and the previous year I only saw it September though it had been first seen in June. So there is till plenty of time for it to return and hopefully make it three successive years.

I met up with Sorng Yingtao who had spent the night at Kaeng Krachan and for his efforts had scored with a White-fronted Scops Owl. It was a hot,sticky afternoon. There were plenty of other attractions. I love looking at Spot-billed Pelicans and Painted Stock and we counted four of the former and twenty-seven of the latter, eleven of which were juveniles. They even obliged for a spot of photography.

We took a drive through the rice paddy/swamp back to the Phetchkasem Highway in the late afternoon. I was struck by the absence of any terns; normally there are loads of Whiskered Terns in this area; well not today. We took some shots of the more common water birds.

Black-headed Woodpecker

Finally at the umpteenth attempt and with a steer from Nick Upton I bagged Black-headed Woodpecker in the dipterocarp forest at Wat Khao Look Chang in Phetchburi Province. What a beautiful bird, almost crested, with the male showing a beautiful red rump. In fact I saw five of them. In the end they were very confiding. In better light they would have provided great photographs. I had to contend with a downpour and then grey gloom as daylight faded. Fortunately I had my PVC camouflage poncho (80 baht in Klong Toey, Bangkok!) and my much more expensive dry bag so I was able to protect my optics from the elements.

I had some playback so I used it. This is the first time I have used it. It did not produce immediate results, in fact it drew in what looked like a Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush which would have made a great shot had I been set up. I am not sure whether the playback had any effect whatsoever. I had to work hard for this woodpecker and it took a couple of hours to get one in my binoculars.  Possibly the playback enabled me to recognise the bird's call; I went in the direction of the same sound; it definitely didn't come to me! So I am not sure about the playback. It was, however, a very satisfying moment when I finally saw the bird's beautiful and unmistakeable plumage, followed quickly by another and then another and then a couple more.Thai lifer #358. A Spotted Owlet came in to check out the commotion.

This is a species that is usually easiest to see in the North. Wat Khao Look Chang, however, is one area where it can be seen. I hope to revisit and try to get a shot of it. A real, sublime beauty.

Earlier this morning, at first light, I was at Huay Mai Teng reservoir hoping for Eurasian Thick Knee. I am still hoping but I am sure it is still about. The highlight of a lovely couple of hours was 2 River Lapwing; also a brief view of a Barred Buttonquail with two chicks; good numbers of Small Pratincoles. I am trying to get a shot of a cattle egret as its rufous breeding plumage really transforms this bird - they are virtually impossible to get near to!

Now I love penguins and reckon Luc Jacquet's Oscar-winning March of the Penguins is as good a wild life film as it gets. I discovered this article in today's Guardian. It has shattered my impression of these noble birds! Do read, it's a blast!

Eurasian Thick-knee at the Reservoir

Eurasian Thick-knee, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Indian Thick-knee

Photographs © Soorng Yingtao

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

03.06.12

On Sunday I had the pleasure of showing Soorng Yingtao, an ex-pat Chinese birder around my beloved Huay Mai Teng reservoir. I only had a couple of hours due to family commitments but we managed to see 6 River Lapwing, a fair few Oriental Skylarks, at least 100 Small Pratincoles. I drove Soorng around the reservoir and pointed out where he might be able to see species and then had to leave. I am delighted to say Soorng managed to see a pair of Rain Quail but the undoubted highlight must be his discovery of a Eurasian Thick-knee, a major find and a big tick for the patch; not only discovery but also some photographs. Of course I missed out! But I hope this bird is going to be around as it is unlikely to be a migrant in June. Once more the reservoir delivers a great bird and a great credit to Soorng for being prepared to go off the well worn track to try his luck.

It was a great weekend at the reservoir. Plenty of River Lapwing and more Small Pratincoles in evidence that at any time this year. Good numbers too of Oriental Skylark and everything else including large numbers of Oriental Pratincoles. The Rain Quail are about but not as abundantly as before - after an hour of graft I managed to sight one pair briefly and while searching for the thick-knee managed to flush another pair at another part of the site.

Soorng Yingtao

It was a strange sort of weekend. I went into Bangkok on Saturday to by some filtering film in order to be able to use my telescope on Wednesday morning when it will be possible to watch the Transit of Venus, a major astronomical rarity. I decided to head to Putthamonthon Park for a bit of birding only to discover the park was teeming with tens of thousands of white-clad pilgrims assembled to mark the Buddha's birth and enlightenment. It took 45 minutes to make a u-turn and exit the park when I realised birding would be a non-starter! So I headed home and stopped aty the local lotus farm and did a little digiscoping in the last light of the day. Some recently born Ashy Woodswallows, with mother nearby.

And lastly a completely new dragonfly, another beauty. Please feel free to identify it as I don't have a clue!

Ryothemis phyllis

Thanks to Sebastien from Vietnam Birding for this ID

Huay Mai Teng ...... for a Change!

Blue-throated Bee-eater

Merops viridis

นกจาบคาคอสีฟ้า

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

I managed to spend some time in each of Saturday and Sunday afternoon at Huay Mai Teng Reservoir this weekend. The undoubted highlight for me was seeing a pair of Yellow-eyed Babblers on Sunday. I was fearful that human disruption might have impacted on this bird's continued presence at the site. No or not yet.

Green Bee-eater

Merops orientalis

นกจาบคาเล็ก

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

On Saturday I noted one River Lapwing at the main staging area but none elsewhere or on Saturday. No Rain Quail either but I must confess that the ease with which I have been able to see this species over the last few months means I am disinclined to work for it! A cursory glance in the usual area drew a blank. However Nick Upton advised me he saw about eight on Friday afternoon so they are alive and well.

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficolis

นกเป็ดผีเล็ก 

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

The site is a hive of breeding activity at the moment so there are a lot of recently fledged birds; notably Black-winged Stilts which really look very adorable. I also saw a fair number of juvenile Black-winged Stilts and good numbers of juvenile Oriental and Small Pratincoles. I have to say there were good numbers of Small Pratincoles. I doubt whether their cycle has changed. I rather suspect that they have been more dispersed in view of having more suitable habitat than in each of the previous two years on account of the high water level. The level this year is very low.

Small Pratincole

Glareola lactea

นกแอ่นทุ่งเล็ก

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

It would appear that a further consequence of the low water level is a human fishing frenzy. Nets and rods  are abundant and people seem to be having great fun pulling out large numbers of fish with comparative ease. Of course this means disruption so it can present some difficulties in respect of birdwatching.

Small Pratincole - juvenile

Glareola lactea

นกแอ่นทุ่งเล็ก

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

Late Saturday afternoon I also had good views of a Pied Kingfisher, a favourite bird but a species I have not seen a lot of recently. I would really like to get in close with the camera. Also some good views of a Barred Buttonquail, although I am really on the look out for Small and Yellow-legged Buttonquail.

Black-winged Stilt - juvenile

Himantopus himantopus 

นกตีนเทียน 

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

On Sunday, frustrated by a lack of recent, decent shots, I decided to concentrate on photography so my movements were governed by the sun's position. It is actually a a difficult place for photography as it is open with little natural cover. I use the truck for cover but it is not exactly satisfactory. Anyhow I love this Blue-throated Flycatcher.

Blue-throated Bee-eater

Merops viridis

นกจาบคาคอสีฟ้า

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12

Almost as an afterthought there were two Chinese Francolin calling to each other and I suspect I might be able to draw one or both of these out; a pair of Oriental Skylarks dropped dramatically out of the sky and as always plenty of Indochinese Bushlarks and Paddyfield Pipits.

Pied Kingfisher

Ceryle rudis

นกกะเต็นปักหลัก 

Huay Mai Teng Reservoir, Ratchaburi Province

27.05.12