Suan Rot Fai

 Plain Prinia

A wander around Suan Rot Fai early morning produced the expected dearth of interesting birds, however I was more concerned about seeing the state of some of the habitat than anything else - particularly "The Ramble" which has been affected by recent development work on the end of the Park.  Happily it seems to remain intact and the threats that I feared might lead to it being grubbed-out seems to have receded, so I can look forward to another autumn of seeking out migrants in this, the best area of the Park. The most interesting bird of the morning was a singing Black-naped Oriole (this species is largely a winter visitor and passage migrant, but is thought to breed in small numbers)

A new birding centre at Pak Thale

The opening ceremony of the Pak Tale Birding Centre took place on 26th June - see a short article here.

How to donate to Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation

If you want to make a financial contribution to the effoet to save the Spooner please click here

Asian Golden Weavers

Whilst driving to Mae Sot a couple of weeks ago I made a quick stop at a picturesque spot that know to look for a few birds.  Whilst in this area I found a couple of Asian Golden Weaver nests.  One male seemed to be chasing females who  went near the nests - it seems that males build nests to impress females, and this bird was trying to take the courtship to the next level.

Asian Golden weaver is listed by BirdLife International as near-threatened due to persecution and loss of habitat.

A new breeding population of Swinhoe's Plover

Found in southern China, see the article here

21st May - 7th June

 

Great Bustards

Great trip to the UK and Extremedura, Spain during the last couple of weeks. Extemedura between 23rd-26th May with Sacha found us in amazing bird-filled steppe landscapes, staying at Martin and Claudia Kelsey's homestay, and scoring Little and Great Bustards, Calandra Lark and both Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse with in the first 45 minutes of our first morning's birding. We also had great views of Spanish Imperial Eagle, all three Vultures, plus White-rumped Swift and Lesser Kestrel.

 Crested Lark

 Thekla

 Calandra

 Spanish Spage

White-rumped Swift

 

Euro Griffons

A long-list of southern European birds provided a supporting cast including Crag Martin, Euro Bee-eater, Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers and lots of Hoopoes.  One particular highlight was a "black thermal" - which held five Black Storks, one Black Vulture and two Black Kites!

 Black Kite

 Black Storks

 

Black Vulture

 Azure-winged Magpies

 Lesser Kestrel

Lil' Owl

Euro Roller

Zitting Cisticola

 sub-adult male Monty's

 

dark phase female Monty's

 pale phase Booted Eagle

male Woodchat

Hawfinch

 Red-rumps

Blue Rock-thrush

My time in the UK has focused on East Anglia, with typical summertime birding around Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. The undoubted highlight was an early morning Otter at Cley (seen in the channel that runs from North Hide to East Bank). With birding highlights including Bittern, a pair of breeding plumaged Med Gulls, hearing several of Nightingales (and seeing one), Bearded Tits a couple of times (Cley and Lakenheath), Hobby at a variety of sites and nice views of a pair of Grasshopper Warblers.  Perhaps the most striking thing I noticed, as somebody who moved away from the UK eight years ago, is the notable spread of Cetti's Warblers (which I heard at most sites where I went birding on this trip - Cley, Titchwell, Lakenheath, Fen Drayton, Cliffe).

Med Gull, Cliffe

 Grass Snake, Cliffe

Fox cubs in early morning sunshine, Kelling

Sedge Warbler, Kelling

Barn Swallow, Cley

Oyck and sea poppies, Salthouse


the closest I'll get to a Norfolk W-c Spage

 Marsh Harrier at the RSPB's wonderful Lakenheath Fen

the long, humid, birdless days of the wet season

Early morning at SRF produced very little of note - the hightlight being a couple of groups of high-flying Pond Herons that looked like they were Chinese.  Also some nice views of Indian Roller and Little Heron.

Wet season has arrived and all the wintering and passage passerines have departed.  Time for a trip to Europe I think...