A wander around the patch at this time of year is always accompanied by low expectations, with no migrant interest to be had, and many species finishing breeding.

Today's visit was my first since April: busy with other things + with low wet season expectations = neglected patch!

The highlight today was the presence of a scruffy breeding-plumaged Chinese Pond Heron. CPH is a winter visitor to Thailand, so this is pretty unusual. There was one present on the the patch last summer, but I've only come across one other mid-summer record in Thailand.

Khok Kham

A short visit to Khok Kham early this morning with Graham Gordon was not very successful as the road to the Mangrove Research Station had been closed (so we could not access the shoreline).

Small numbers of waders were seen on the salt pans with about 10 Curlew Sandpipers and 50 or so Red-necked Stints.  Only two birds were in summer plumage (one Curlew Sand with a damaged foot, and a Red-necked Stint), several other R-n Stints appeared to be 2CY.

Other notables included a pair of White-winged Black Terns amongst the Whiskereds, and a group of three Turnstone.