The irregularity in updating the blog is nothing to be proud of. And the fact that often its birding reports that revive the vacuum of posts is another indicator - of what I'm not entirely sure. But that's another story.
So, birding it is, but of course.
This time from a weekend trip to Si Racha, or specifically Bang Pra, around the reservoir. I added another 12 new sightings on my list (haven't updated from the trip in Chiang Dao in August though, with a few more as well).
Got one of those vans down there for USD4 and then paid more for the local tuk tuk from Si Racha to Bang Pra. Was considering car rental but went for public transport instead - too lazy to drive.
There is nothing much in Bang Pra except the nature and the nearby tiger zoo. The latter, not my cup of tea. Its also not the typical stop because less than an hour away is Pattaya, where everybody goes. A place I avoid. Like a plague. Si Racha itself is not bad. It is close to the water and is the take off point for those going to Ko Chang, by ferry.
No, my interest was merely to get myself to Bang Pra from Si Racha, which is about 8km away, and hang out by the reservoir. I found a room at a golf resort that sat right at the reservoir for a reasonable price. (It also meant I really stood out as the odd one in the company of Japanese and Thai golfers, with my binos and camera). For future reference, the room is clean and nice, at a reasonable price. Food is very Japanese but nothing to complain about. My booking was via Agoda - was at the hotel at 11am and they let me check in.
As always my reference for birding is the thaibirding.com by Nick Upton, who has yet to respond to my emails, but no grudges held. His website is very informative and useful and has helped me prepare before any of my trips. It narrows the possibilities based on the spots, so I can "guess" what I'm seeing based on the typical sightings at each spot recorded in his guide. I don't always get it right and I have walked away from sites still unsure of what I've seen. But that's more of me needing practice! (Nick's website on this location is here).
The reservoir is also a new place in the sense that there are water and grassland birds. I've been seeking out mainly mountainous/evergreen forest birds. And this time, I have some shots of my own - though I definitely need to get a zoom lens! For great shots, as always, enjoy checking out http://orientalbirdimages.org/
12 new ones on my list, starting with the green bee eater (N/Merops orientalis) - of which there were many just down by the water across from the hotel. Ok so its not professional photography, so bear with me:-) The bird is in the middle of the frame towards the left in the grass.
The others around the area were:
-White-rumped munia (N) / Lonchura punctulata
-Paddyfield Pipit (N) / Anthus rufulus
-Prinia (still not sure which one) (N)
-Little Commorant (N) / Phalacrocorax niger
-Great Egret / Casmerodius albus
-Red-wattled Lapwig / Vanellus indicus
-White-throated Kingfisher
-Whiskered Tern (N) / Chlidonias hybridus
-Pond Heron / Ardeola bacchus
-Oriental Reed Warbler (N)/ Acrocephalus orientalis
-Common Tailorbird / Orthotomus sutorius
(N) - new on my list
Since this was late afternoon, waited around for the sunset over the reservoir. Apparently the dam is a popular spot for joggers, walkers and cyclists - it was very busy, but that didn't seem to bother the birds. And yes, people fishing too - on boats and by the banks.
The next morning, I headed to the Bang Pra Non-Hunting Area (NHA), where there is also a waterbird breeding centre. All in all, a really nice environment. I started at the campsite/park office and it really amazes me how it usually doesn't take long from the start of a trail to spot something. My first was the lineated barbet (Megalaima lineata), and soon on the trail I come across the Ashy Minivets (N/Pericrocrotus divaricatus) and then a little oasis of bird heaven! Too many and too difficult to spot all of them. But the two main ones were the Laced Woodpecker (Picus vittatus) in action for a while and the Racket-tailed treepie (Crypsirina temia)! Both new on my list and definitely sight to behold:-)
Some other unidentified birds in the background - still have not been able to identify them. But a large community of drongos - Ashy Drongo, Racket-tailed Drongo, Bronze Drongo - all over the place and extremely noisy. But the star was the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)- also a first for me - and it flew around a while before being perched on a tree. While watching the Osprey, saw in the foreground a Yellow Bittern (N/ Ixobrychus sinensis)!
Sightings here included:
-Little Commorant
-Great Egret
-Asian Openbill (Anastomus ascitans)
-Brown Shrike (N/ lanius cristatus)
-Streak-eared bulbul (Pycnonotus blandfordi)
-Yellow-vented bulbul (pycnonotus goiavier)
-RW Lapwig
-Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa daurica)
-Black naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)
Also one unidentified bird - caught on camera but can't make it out.
As we were leaving the place, I noticed a sign board on the grounds for the White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus) and soon enough a party of 4-6 flew by.
Actually its possible to walk all the way from here to the next stop where the egret lake is but it was getting hot, so cheated and took the tuk tuk.
The Egret Lake is an amazing spot - many people fishing and so its actually quiet:-) Definitely spotted the Green-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis) that I may have also seen earlier by the NHA. So, lots of egrets, herons, pond herons here. Even though they are quite big, sometimes its still difficult to tell the difference between some.
Those I've heard over the 2 days were the Asian Koel, Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium brodiei), Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) and the Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis). I can identify the Barn Swallow but not sure about the identity of other swallows/swiftlets.
Other usuals were the Oriental Magpie, Black-collared starling, peaceful doves, spotted doves,
Quite happy with the sightings, and am sure I will have to make one more trip this season and spend at least two days - this time with the water birds as I've actually missed out the ducks and sandpipers and bushlarks.
Now its back to Bangkok with the promise of a huge anti-government rally tomorrow! I have a lot of opinions about that, but politics is very uninspiring at the moment, here and also in Malaysia :( Though I should really write something about that.
So, birding it is, but of course.
This time from a weekend trip to Si Racha, or specifically Bang Pra, around the reservoir. I added another 12 new sightings on my list (haven't updated from the trip in Chiang Dao in August though, with a few more as well).
Got one of those vans down there for USD4 and then paid more for the local tuk tuk from Si Racha to Bang Pra. Was considering car rental but went for public transport instead - too lazy to drive.
There is nothing much in Bang Pra except the nature and the nearby tiger zoo. The latter, not my cup of tea. Its also not the typical stop because less than an hour away is Pattaya, where everybody goes. A place I avoid. Like a plague. Si Racha itself is not bad. It is close to the water and is the take off point for those going to Ko Chang, by ferry.
No, my interest was merely to get myself to Bang Pra from Si Racha, which is about 8km away, and hang out by the reservoir. I found a room at a golf resort that sat right at the reservoir for a reasonable price. (It also meant I really stood out as the odd one in the company of Japanese and Thai golfers, with my binos and camera). For future reference, the room is clean and nice, at a reasonable price. Food is very Japanese but nothing to complain about. My booking was via Agoda - was at the hotel at 11am and they let me check in.
As always my reference for birding is the thaibirding.com by Nick Upton, who has yet to respond to my emails, but no grudges held. His website is very informative and useful and has helped me prepare before any of my trips. It narrows the possibilities based on the spots, so I can "guess" what I'm seeing based on the typical sightings at each spot recorded in his guide. I don't always get it right and I have walked away from sites still unsure of what I've seen. But that's more of me needing practice! (Nick's website on this location is here).
The reservoir is also a new place in the sense that there are water and grassland birds. I've been seeking out mainly mountainous/evergreen forest birds. And this time, I have some shots of my own - though I definitely need to get a zoom lens! For great shots, as always, enjoy checking out http://orientalbirdimages.org/
12 new ones on my list, starting with the green bee eater (N/Merops orientalis) - of which there were many just down by the water across from the hotel. Ok so its not professional photography, so bear with me:-) The bird is in the middle of the frame towards the left in the grass.
 |
| Green bee eater |
-White-rumped munia (N) / Lonchura punctulata
-Paddyfield Pipit (N) / Anthus rufulus
-Prinia (still not sure which one) (N)
-Little Commorant (N) / Phalacrocorax niger
-Great Egret / Casmerodius albus
-Red-wattled Lapwig / Vanellus indicus
-White-throated Kingfisher
-Whiskered Tern (N) / Chlidonias hybridus
-Pond Heron / Ardeola bacchus
-Oriental Reed Warbler (N)/ Acrocephalus orientalis
-Common Tailorbird / Orthotomus sutorius
(N) - new on my list
 |
| White-rumped Munia |
 |
| Paddyfield Pipit |
 |
| A pair of the Red Wattled Lapwig in flight |
 | |
| Late evening at the Bang Pra Dam |
 | |||
| watching the sunset |
The next morning, I headed to the Bang Pra Non-Hunting Area (NHA), where there is also a waterbird breeding centre. All in all, a really nice environment. I started at the campsite/park office and it really amazes me how it usually doesn't take long from the start of a trail to spot something. My first was the lineated barbet (Megalaima lineata), and soon on the trail I come across the Ashy Minivets (N/Pericrocrotus divaricatus) and then a little oasis of bird heaven! Too many and too difficult to spot all of them. But the two main ones were the Laced Woodpecker (Picus vittatus) in action for a while and the Racket-tailed treepie (Crypsirina temia)! Both new on my list and definitely sight to behold:-)
Some other unidentified birds in the background - still have not been able to identify them. But a large community of drongos - Ashy Drongo, Racket-tailed Drongo, Bronze Drongo - all over the place and extremely noisy. But the star was the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)- also a first for me - and it flew around a while before being perched on a tree. While watching the Osprey, saw in the foreground a Yellow Bittern (N/ Ixobrychus sinensis)!
Sightings here included:
-Little Commorant
-Great Egret
-Asian Openbill (Anastomus ascitans)
-Brown Shrike (N/ lanius cristatus)
-Streak-eared bulbul (Pycnonotus blandfordi)
-Yellow-vented bulbul (pycnonotus goiavier)
-RW Lapwig
-Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa daurica)
-Black naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)
Also one unidentified bird - caught on camera but can't make it out.
 |
| Little Commorant and Egret |
Actually its possible to walk all the way from here to the next stop where the egret lake is but it was getting hot, so cheated and took the tuk tuk.
 |
| Egret Lake |
 | |
| Part of the Egret Island |
The Egret Lake is an amazing spot - many people fishing and so its actually quiet:-) Definitely spotted the Green-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis) that I may have also seen earlier by the NHA. So, lots of egrets, herons, pond herons here. Even though they are quite big, sometimes its still difficult to tell the difference between some.
Those I've heard over the 2 days were the Asian Koel, Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium brodiei), Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) and the Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis). I can identify the Barn Swallow but not sure about the identity of other swallows/swiftlets.
Other usuals were the Oriental Magpie, Black-collared starling, peaceful doves, spotted doves,
Quite happy with the sightings, and am sure I will have to make one more trip this season and spend at least two days - this time with the water birds as I've actually missed out the ducks and sandpipers and bushlarks.
Now its back to Bangkok with the promise of a huge anti-government rally tomorrow! I have a lot of opinions about that, but politics is very uninspiring at the moment, here and also in Malaysia :( Though I should really write something about that.
superb gaya! please let's get the violet cuckoos going!! xx
ReplyDeleteGreat! Time in Thailand has given a lot of opportunities for birding!
ReplyDelete