Sunday, February 22, 2009

Another Thick-bill...

Early morning in Suan Rot Fai produced a few photo ops and a Thick-billed Warbler (too quick for the camera)...


White-throated Kingfisher


Pond Heron spp...I suppose I'll have to start identifying these to species as they begin to attain summer plumage shortly...yawn!


Very nice Taiga Fly with red throat

Terribly exciting upper tail covts



ABF

Rather smart Brown Shrike

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Kingfishers and Bee-eaters

Morning trip to Suan Rot Fai on Valentine's Day gave great views of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters hawking insects in the early morning sun. This shot taken with 300mm lens, without teleconverter. I may try to go back early on another morning to dedicate some time to trying to get better shots.

Also this Black-capped Kingfisher hung around long enough to get a few images - not great, but think I need to use a hide to have any real chance of getting good quality images.

Other birds seen included one female Black-naped Monarch, two Taiga Flycatchers and one Open-billed Stork (a patch tick) circling overhead.

Lumpini Park

Went out to Lumpini on 8th Feb to photograph the Water Monitors, loafing around between the joggers/children/aerobics classes....


Little Heron



I had never appreciated, until now, just what a fine set of claws Water Monitors have

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Subliminal birding references in modern music #1

Just found that if you listen to the track "Suntoucher" on Groove Armada's album "Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)", there is what sounds like a European Nightjar churring in the background for the first 1 min 10 seconds...

Goodbye Country (Hello Nightjar).

Sunday, February 1, 2009

AsBO

AsBO....Anti-social Behaviour Owlet?

First trip this year to Suan Rot Fai, greeted within seconds of arrival by a Black-capped Kingfisher (with a second bird seen later), then the discovery of a fruiting tree filled with Black-naped Orioles and Coppersmith Barbets.

The park is amazingly dry now; no rain of any significance has fallen in Bangkok since November, and wet season doesn't begin until April, so I expect it to be semi desert by late March (note to self: check fairways for Cream-coloured Courser on next visit).

Bird of the day was a THICK-BILLED WARBLER (seen rather badly), with other goodies including a stunning male BLACK-NAPED MONARCH, and nice views of ASIAN BARRED OWLET (see above). The only phylloscs were two Yellow-browed Warblers. Flycatchers included 4+ Taiga and one Asian Brown.