The first week on April has seen me pretty busy with limited birding opportunities, but I have managed a few hours (or less) here and there, and it being April (the best month on my patch) I have been pretty well rewarded with migrants, but then yesterday there came what can only be described as a substantial kick in the balls when one of the other SRF regulars found a FAIRY PITTA in the Canal Zone (
photos here). This is a monster patch bird, with one previous confirmed record in May 2013 and my possible/probable in April 2010 (
details here) of a species that was only added to the Thailand list in April 2009, sadly it did not perform for me when I visited for half an hour between commitments yesterday and this morning it appears to have gone.
Gutted!!!!
Nonetheless, it is still pretty early in the months, so I have another 3-4 weeks of high potential patchwork ahead of me. The goodies I have had so far include
Eye-browed Thrush on my last three patch visits,
Sakhalin Leaf Warbler (one this morning, coming in very close when I played Sakhalin LW song), two female
Mugimaki Flycatchers, at least four
Yellow-rumped Flycatchers, plenty of
Ashy Minivets (flocks up to 30 strong), single
Black-winged Cuckooshrike and
Fork-tailed Drongo Cuckoo.
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| Mugimaki Flycatcher |
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| Mugimaki Flycatcher |
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| Ashy Minivet |
1 comment:
Hi Dave
Still keeping in touch with your blog. April is the month I get the most vicarious thrill out of what's going on in SRF since I can imagine myself being there from previous visits. Fascinating to see the changes year on year. I would love to have seen Mugimaki Fly or Sakhalin Leaf there.
Graham Gordon
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