It's been a while since my last blog post. I think it's about time to keep this site relevant! In August, I had a long and surprisingly fruitful trip to the south. We travelled by car so we could make several stops along the way but our destination was Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary in Narathiwat, the... Continue Reading →
There were so many incredible bird sightings in Thailand over the past winter. It's impossible to choose which one was the best, but the sighting of a Wood Snipe (Gallinago nemoricola) at Doi Inthanon has got to be a personal favourite. There are few reasons why I was particularly excited about this sighting. First, I... Continue Reading →
"What's your favourite bird?" has to be one of the most frequently asked questions that birders receive. Personally, it's impossible for me to choose just one bird. I can tell which groups of birds are my favourites though, and Locustella warblers are one of them. I instantly fell in love with these mouse-like birds when... Continue Reading →
The discovery of Umber Flycatcher in Thailand was a big surprise. This cryptic and little known bird was previously thought to occur only in the lowland forest of Borneo. However, photos of a bird from Perdik posted in an excellent blog by Dave Bakewell in 2013 spiked our interest in this species. Finally, photos of... Continue Reading →
Following up on my recent post about roosting behaviour of the harriers in Chiang Saen, in this post, I'd like to focus more on the identification of the 4 species that can be regularly seen in Thailand. These 4 species include Eastern Marsh Harrier (Circus spilonotus), Western Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus), Pied Harrier (C. melanoleucos),... Continue Reading →
The harrier roost at Wiang Nong Lom, located between Mae Chan and Chiang Saen district in Chiang Rai, is the most well known roost of wintering harriers in Thailand. Since I visit Chiang Saen almost monthly, I always visit the roost during winter months. I have observed 4 species of harriers roosting at the site... Continue Reading →
Since my first sighting of a Swinhoe's Snipe (Gallinago megala) at Mae Faek in 2004, it has become my annual challenge to find more, particularly during the autumn migration. So far, I have recorded 3 Swinhoe's Snipes, all within Mae Faek area. This year, I was very happy to find one bird on 25 September... Continue Reading →
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) is one of the most common and widespread waders in Thailand, so as in many places throughout Asia. Two subspecies are recognised in Thailand; the resident C. d. jerdoni and the migratory C. d. curonicus. I'm lucky to be in northern Thailand where both subspecies can often be seen side... Continue Reading →
Autumn is approaching and some early migrants have already arrived in my local patch. Snipes are among the first waders that usually turn up. I think it's a good time to review the identification of the 3 extremely similar species that can be found in Thailand. From left: Pin-tailed / Swinhoe's / Common Snipe The... Continue Reading →
The genus Alophoixus is one of many genera within the family Pycnonotidae. It is consisted of a number of large bulbuls, mostly with crest. In Thailand, 5 species can be found; 1) White-throated Bulbul (A. flaveolus), 2) Puff-throated Bulbul (A. pallidus), 3) Ochraceous Bulbul (A. ochraceus), 4) Grey-cheeked Bulbul (A. tephrogenys), and 5) Yellow-bellied Bulbul... Continue Reading →
