20th May 2009 - Mae Sot

A work meeting in Mae Sot, close to the Burmese border meant a few days away from Bangkok this week. I managed to get out for one morning, the highlights being a calling Blue-winged Pitta (heard only) and the opportunity to get some pleasing photos of a Paddyfield Pipit drying itself off after a rain storm. Other birds seen en route included Oriental Praticole and Cinamon Bittern, plus loads of open-billed storks in the central plains.

8th May 2009

Made a trip to Khok Kham early morning in the hope of catching some northward bound summer plumaged waders, however I seem to have left it too late, seeing just two distant sandplover spp. and one glorious, but very brief, summer plumaged Pacific Golden Plover in flight. There was lots of other stuff to enjoy, such as good numbers of black-crowned night herons returning to a few small, mixed heronries.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Javan Pond Heron (all the Chinese PH's seem to have left)

Collared Kingfisher

White-vented Myna

Little Cormorant

I find it hard to say "no" to stilts....

Javan Pond Heron in early morning light

Suan Rot Fai, 0540 - 0745 hrs. Zero migrants seen this morning, so it appears that the summer lull is upon us here in Bangkok, at least as far as the passerines are concerned (I'm planning to look for some waders tomorrow). A few more pictures of the common residents of the park, which may become something of a feature in this blog until August...

I took my camera out this morning with external flash (Nikon SB-600) with my new "better beamer" attached to it - this cheap piece of plastic magnifies the flash and so extends it's reach considerably...so I ended up with a few burnt-out images! Need to practice with this thing!

Asian Pied Starling, the least numerous of
the "common" Sturnidae in Bkk

Peaceful Dove

2nd May 2009

What have I missed? It seems like spring passage has finished - I only saw one migrant in the park today, an adult brown shrike.

The most notable bird was a Night Heron (a patch tick, even though they are pretty common around Bangkok). Time to start photographing the common residents perhaps...

Oriental Magpie Robin, female

Plain Prinia