21/12/2024 - 6.30 am - still at Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary - Loei Province.

Birding the general area for 5 hours Paul and Shaun logged 29 species (excluding the sizeable mix of phylloscopus warblers seen already); - 

1 Asian Emerald Dove

1 Himalayan Swiftlet 

1 Great Barbet

1 Lineated Barbet

1 Blue-throated Barbet (photo courtesy of Shaun)

1 Speckled Piculet

2 White-throated Fantails

2 Ashy Drongos

15 Hair-crested Drongos

1 Black-naped Monarch

2 Grey-backed Shrikes

4 Grey-headed Canary-Flycatchers

4 Yellow-cheeked Tits

6 Asian House Martins

10 Nepal House Martins

15 Eastern Red-rumped Swallows

20 Mountain Bulbuls

6 Flavescent Bulbuls

6 Pin-striped Tit-Babblers

2 Golden Babblers

7 Yunnan Fulvettas

7 Blue-winged Minlas

1 Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

3 Large Niltavas (photo courtesy of Shaun Green)

3 Taiga Flycatchers 

1 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker

1 Black-throated Sunbird (a male)

1 Mrs. Goulds Sunbird (male - always a stunner and one I still need for Thailand)

2 Leafbird sp.

5 Olive-backed Pipits

3 Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrikes (seen by Shaun alone)

Cheers,

Mike P

14/12/2024 - 6.10 am - Bueng Lahan Non hunting area - Chaiyaphum Province.

News broke late on 13th of a Black-faced Spoonbill in this westernmost province of Isaan which immediately put Paul into twitching mode. He headed off west arranged some convenient village accommodation and was on site early only to initially find nothing around though a trickle of birders started to arrive (15 no less- a big turnout in Thailand!).

It was pointed out that there was a nearby egret roost and sure enough birds started to glide into the site - to everyones relief the Black-faced Spoonbill was with them. This smaller congener of our more familiar Eurasian Spoonbill is a rare winter visitor to Thailand and sits high on my own wanted list. 
Pauls early start paid off as the bird didnt stick around for long so he spent the rest of the morning boosting his own province list with a mooch round the general area where another few hours yielded 52 species - the pick of the bunch being:-

1 Lesser Coucal

150 Black-winged Stilts

2 Red-wattled Lapwings

30 Bronze-winged Jacanas

1 Marsh Sandpiper

1 Wood Sandpiper

3 Spotted Redshanks

1 Greenshank

400 Asian Openbills

400 Glossy Ibises (an amazing number - photo)

5 Purple Herons

2 Black Kites (these seem to be rather more numerous generally this year).

1 Freckle-breasted Woodpecker

7 Long-tailed Shrikes (a good count of this spectacular and variable species these of the handsome black- hooded

longicaudatus form - photos)

8 Sand Martins

1 White-shouldered Starling (photo)

At 11.17 am a twenty minute stop at Ta Dam Lake produced 17 species including 2 Ashy Minivets, 2 Racket-tailed Treepies and a Thick-billed Warbler to round off his Chaiyaphum outing adding a nice 23 species to his province list.

En route driving back home a Black Kite was a fortuitous chance addition to his list for Roi Et.

Cheers,

Mike P.

14/12/2024 - All about Thrushes.

Today I want to backtrack to that magic week (the first week of January 2023) - almost two years ago when prolonged north easterly winds brought some notable thrush species to Phu Mu Forest Park on the Yasothon/ Mukdahan boundary.

The four of us - Pen and Paul Barb and I were seeing if anything had arrived at this hilltop location on these winds when Pen noted an Orange-headed Thrush which turned out to be of the form maculata - later confirmed as a new sub species for Thailand no less.
As we were watching this thrush Pen was trying to draw our attention to another bird rather closer to hand and largely obscured in the grass. When we eventually looked at her bird it became the main focus of our attention - another new species for the province which we tentatively identified as a female/immature Black-breasted thrush.

Barb then pointed out a Whites Thrush foraging further away in the leaf litter and much closer to hand we noted a confiding male White-throated Rock Thrush. After enjoying the spectacle for an hour or so we headed off and after informing Paul Farrell that evening we all joined up for a return visit on 10/01 2023 when the attached photos by both PF and PP were taken.

Later in the year Paul was asked by Phillip Round if we had eliminated the possibility of our Black-breasted Thrush being a female Grey-backed Thrush - a potential new species for Thailand! 
Of course we had not; Grey-backed Thrush wasnt even on our radar and is not even shown in the latest Thai fieldguide. My only experience of the species is of a single male in China 2002 which was in loose association foraging with a Whites Thrush which appeared to dwarf it.

Last week Thailands first Grey-backed Thrush (a female) was found in Nakhon Ratchasima at a restricted site and has been well photographed so far by a handful of observers fortunate enough to see it. Accordingly I have been scrutinising all of these photos and comparing these with those of our 2023 bird.

Paul has been requested by Phillip Round to forward as many photos as possible of our female Black-breasted Thrush for critical assessment by leading authorities to eliminate it as far as possible from being the first record of Grey-backed Thrush.
Although the similarity between females of these two species is striking I am hoping that our original identification might stand based on what appear as consistent differences in mantle tones and bill colour; - however because of our inexperience and not having any clear idea of the variation parameters within each species as regards ageing sexing or moult strategy for us it remains a case of wait and see. We hope for the finders of last weeks definate Grey-backed Thrush that their bird will stand as the first record.

Regards,

Mike P

06/12/2024 - A late morning call from Andy Pierce saw Paul headed south on a twitch into Si Sa Ket; - Andy had found two Grey-headed Lapwings, - a new species for the province.

Paul arrived on site at Klong Siao Horshoe Bends - a location which rings no bells with me (but which sounds like a riverine area of perhaps oxbow lakes?).

A ninety minute session yielded 38 species including the target birds- best of which were:-

2 Grey-headed Lapwings (record photo)

4 Asian Openbills

1 Yellow Bittern

3 Purple Herons

1 Black-winged Kite (photo)

2 Racket-tailed Treepies (photo of one)

1 Oriental Reed Warbler

3 Dusky Warblers

1 Two-barred Warbler

1 Yellow-browed Warbler

1 Brown Shrike

Later en route home (still in Si Sa Ket) a half hour stop at Tanon Tee Maimi Shue produced 11 species including a vocal but unseen Lanceolated Warbler and four Hoopoes - one of which flaunted itself for a decent photo opportunity.

Cheers,

Mike P.

27/11/2024 -7.27 am - Phu Si Than ranger station 9 - Mukdahan Province.

Paul met up with Paul Farrell and Shaun Green on site up in the north of Mukdahan where the two Pauls have previously done pretty well (with woodpeckers especially).This was a first visit for Shaun who was accordingly looking forward to the trip. However to the surprise of all they were denied access by the rangers in spite of Paul Farrells fluency in Thai explaining that they had visited previously without any problems at all. Perhaps there was some project underway and in place a temporary bar on entry for safety reasons - who know?

I hope the situation here is only temporary as Barb and I have yet to visit this site which among other attractions holds Great Slaty Woodpecker - a species I still need for Thailand.

However the team managed to salvage some birding in a three hour session which yielded 32 species - generally the usual predictable mix with the only woodpecker being a single Common Flameback with 2 raptors - an Oriental Honey Buzzard (photos) and a Crested Serpent Eagle.

Cheers,

Mike P.

14/11/2024 - 17.00 pm - Phue Hi Yasothon.

Paul drove the few kilometres to check the local harrier roost site where the ideal viewing spot was again blocked by the tethered buffalo which impeded us when we last visited. He logged 26 species in a 20 minute session the most noteworthy being:-

50 Lesser Whistling Ducks

1 Plaintive Cuckoo

5 Little Egrets

10 Chinese Pond-Herons

20 Eastern Cattle Egrets

5 Grey Herons

3 Purple Herons

3 Eastern Marsh Harriers

4 Pied Harriers

6 Harrier sp.

2 Brahminy Kites

25 Asian Green Bee-eaters

Plus a support cast of common passerines.

Photos attached: - record shot of a male Pied Harrier and of the Brahminy Kites - taken against the sun - thanks to the buffalo!

Regards,

Mike P.

13/11/2024 -11.30 am. Tham Pha Nam Thip non hunting area n/e Thai Literary Botanical Gardens -Roi Et Province.

4 hours spent trudging through leaf litter seeking winter thrushes here produced 29 species but only a single thrush sp. flushed for Pauls efforts. As some consolation he did enjoy some Olive-backed Pipits - best were:-

1 Shikra

2 White-bellied Erpornis

1 Asian Brown Flycatcher

6 Taiga Flycatchers

3 Hainan Blue Flycatchers 

4 Yellow-browed Warblers

1 Raddes Warbler

8 Olive-backed Pipits

Cheers,

Mike P.

06/11/2024 8.45 am A return visit to the same site as yesterday yielded no raptors - just 12 common species among which-

8 Asian Green Bee-eaters

4 Little Grebes on adjacent lake (photo)

Regards,

Mike P.

02/11/2024 6.15 am - Dong Hua Kong & Dong Bang Ee Community Forest  - Phu Sing Amnat Charoen Province.

This early morning start saw Paul scanning over the forest canopy from the cliff tops. We have visited this spectacular overlook before and Paul has never found any access from the cliff top to the extensive forest below so we always can imagine that exciting discoveries here await us - if only

A three hour session yielded up 29 species; best being:-

2 Red Junglefowl (here certainly wild birds)

2 Green-billed Malkohas 

1 White- nest Swiftlet 

4 House Swifts

1 Jerdons Baza (record shot. Another good record and obviously end of October/early November seems to be a good time this year at least for migrants of this scarce raptor).

1 Blue-winged Pitta (calling from the forest below the cliffs - begging the question is this a late migrant here or possibly even a wintering bird ?).

8 Ashy Minivets (All heading south - one photo)

Cheers,

Mike P.

25/10/2024 - 11.58 am. Arun Prasert road Tambon Pa Lan - Maha Sarakham Province.

While driving east with Pen within a couple of hours of home Paul noted a passerine harrying a buzzard sized raptor but with his birding brain starting to kick in he was already slowing down to stop as it dawned that the passerine was a big one - a Large-billed Crow and that the buzzard was an eagle species.

He quickly rattled off shots to confirm his identification - a Greater Spotted Eagle and a new addition to the province list; - photos below.

In later contact with the raptor watchers down in Chumphon it transpired that after their departure Common Buzzard Short-toed Eagles and Booted Eagles had been recorded so a repeat visit next year may well be set for a week later in the calendar?

Paul and Pen had chalked up 2000 kms on this latest outing - Thailand has good roads but is not a small country.

Regards,

Mike P.

24/10/2024 - Pak Thale nature reserve - Phetchaburi Province.

Its difficult to pass north through this province without calling in to this location for the almost overwhelming winter waderfest to be enjoyed so Shaun and Paul succumbed to temptation with a four hour session here which yielded up 55 species - highlights being:-

1 Slaty-breasted Rail

100 Black-winged Stilts

15 Black-bellied Plovers

1 Pacific Golden Plover

8 Little Ringed Plovers

200 Tibetan Sand-Plovers (photo courtesy of Shaun Green)

20 Greater Sand-Plovers

2000 Bar-tailed Godwits

35 Black-tailed Godwits

100 Marsh Sandpipers (photo courtesy of Shaun Green)

15 Common Redshanks

1 Nordmanns/Common Greenshank

6 Great Knots (photo courtesy of Shaun Green)

20 Red Knots

2 Ruffs

12 Broad-billed Sandpipers

5 Curlew Sandpipers

200 Red-necked Stints

3 Sanderlings

15 Brown-headed Gulls

30 Little Terns

10 Gull-billed Terns (photo courtesy of Shaun Green)

1 Caspian Tern

1 Whiskered Tern

2 Black-naped Terns

40 Painted Storks

50 Little Cormorants

2 Pacific Reef Herons

5 other common heron/ egret sp.

50 Spot-billed Pelicans

Cheers,

Mike P.

22/10/2024 16.50 - Saphli Chumphon Province.

Later on the same afternoon Paul and Pen met up with friends Shaun Green and his wife enjoying a short session to round off their day and perhaps boost their province listing a little :-

1 Tibetan Sand-Plover

1 Common Sandpiper

50 Little Egrets (these comprised small parties all heading south some 50 metres out over the bay)

6 Purple Herons

2 Asian Barred Owlets

3 Indochinese Rollers

1 Lineated Barbet

5 Barn Swallows

1 Streak-eared Bulbul

5 Common Mynas

3 Vinous-breasted Mynas (photo)

3 Great Mynas

2 Ornate Sunbirds

Regards,

Mike P.

21/10/2024 15.25 - Thong Chai Mangroves - Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

Paul and Pen shared the long drive south into this province spending a brief 45 minutes birding this site (which I have never visited) lying towards the top of the peninsula just south of Phetchaburi Province.

Prachuap Khiri Khan is a very narrow long expanse of land on a north/south axis and for this reason is one of the prime sites for monitoring raptor migration through Thailand.

During their stop here Paul and Pen logged 19 species including a new addition to their Thai lists: -

25 Pale-capped Pigeons (described as an uncommon to rare passage migrant and winter visitor favouring mangrove habitats) this particular site is a known haunt for the species - photographed)

6 Red-wattled Lapwings

5 Whimbrels (overhead flying south).

1 Common Sandpiper

4 Wood Sandpipers

1 Oriental Darter

1 Little Cormorant

1 Striated Heron

2 Little Egrets

1 Japanese Sparrowhawk/Besra

50 Blue-tailed Bee-eaters (in small groups all southbound)

1 White-throated Kingfisher

2 Indochinese Rollers

1 Lineated Barbet

5 Ashy Drongo

3 Greater Racket-tailed Drongos

Cheers,

Mike P.

19/10/2024 - 9.30 am - Loeng Nok Tha disused airport, -Yasothon Province.

Paul checks out this fairly local site from time to time as it is excellent for both lark and pipit species and when visiting Barb and I have enjoyed arguably our best ever views of several species using the vehicle as a hide with birds being quite unphased.

On Pauls latest visit he logged 21 species in a 70 minute session the most notable being:-

1 Barred Buttonquail (flushed from underfoot from a rice field next to the old runway)

1 Pied Harrier (a male which headed directly away before the camera could be brought to bear).

5 Hoopoes

20 Asian Green Bee-eaters

3 Black Drongos

3 Brown Shrikes

2 Indochinese Bushlarks

12 Oriental Skylarks

6 Amur Stonechats

5 Pied Bushchats

3 Plain-backed Sparrows (the males are anything but plain)

4 Paddyfield Pipits

12 Red-throated Pipits (arguably the special species for this site - photo of one bird - seemingly one with attitude).

Regards,

Mike P.

12/10/2024 - 6.30 am. Dong Hua Kong & Dong Bang Ee Community Forest - Phu Sing. Amnat Charoen province.

This morning saw Paul making a very early start for a session of just over two hours in Amnat (the adjacent province just east of Yasothon). He logged 30 species as follows:-

6 Spotted Doves

2 Zebra Doves

1 Green-billed Malkoha

1 Greater Coucal

5 House Swifts

1 Harrier sp.

1 Shikra

1 Brahminy Kite

12 Asian Green Bee-eaters

4 Coppersmith Barbets

3 Lineated Barbets

2 Ashy Woodswallows

4 Ashy Drongos

2 Hair-crested Drongos

4 Greater Racket-tailed Drongos

1 Brown Shrike

2 Large-billed Crows

2 Common Tailorbirds

5 Black-crested Bulbuls

3 Streak-eared Bulbuls

1 Pale-legged Leaf Warbler/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler.

(Both forms migrate through Isaan. The general view is that Sakhalin winters down the peninsula, whereas Pale-legged stays to winter in Isaan; - obviously with birds appearing/passing now ahead of winter both are possible so a definitive i/d needs birds to call or at best recordings obtained for spectrographic analysis.

2 Pin-striped Tit-Babblers

3 White-rumped Shamas

1 Hainan Blue Flycatcher

1 Indochinese Blue Flycatcher

1 Taiga Flycatcher 

2 Blue Rock-Thrushes

2 Plain Flowerpeckers

1 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

4 Ornate Sunbirds

1 Paddyfield Pipit

At this juncture Im not sure without checking if any of the above increase Pauls province list.

Regards,

Mike P.

17/09/2024 - 7.24 am - Khueang Kham - Nong Hoi paddies, Yasothon.

Shaun Green (the leading resident birder based in Roi Et province) drove into Yasothon to meet up with Paul for a mornings birding around some of the better wetland sites, starting at Nong Hoi rice paddies where a two hour session yielded 44 species- the best of which as follows: - 

5 Black-winged Stilts

1 Grey-headed Lapwing

3 Bronze-winged Jacanas (1 adult two chicks)

1 Pin-tailed Snipe

1 Common Snipe

8 Pin-tailed/Common Snipes

2 Common Sandpipers

12 Wood Sandpipers

2 Long-toed Stints

200 Openbill Storks

1 Black Bittern

2 Cinnamon Bitterns

10 Little Egrets

10 Eastern Cattle Egrets

1 Medium Egret

8 Brahminy Kites

1 Eurasian Hoopoe

20 Asian Green Bee-eaters

4 Indochinese Rollers

4 Brown Shrikes

4 Eastern Yellow Wagtails

- Plus a hatful of the usual common passerines.

By 10.05 they arrived at my old stamping ground which back in 2017 I named as Yasothon Pools but now referred to as - Phaya Naga Museums vicinity, where the best of 21 species were:-

1 Yellow Bittern

1 Pied Kingfisher (an excellent record for this site and a species I still need for the province).

At 11.00 am they made a final 20 minute stop at a small forest fragment at Phu Hi which gave 7 species including a Black-naped Monarch, an Arctic Warbler and a Hainan Blue Flycatcher.
Shaun added over 20 more species to his Yasothon province list.

Cheers,

Mike P.

16/08/2024 - 07.10 am Nong Hoi Paddies - Yasothon.

A short 30 minute visit saw Paul again at this likely site checking for any passage waders. Though he reported only a few birds he did record the first passage individuals through Isaan of the autumn as regards Marsh Sandpiper and Long-toed Stint. 
Fuller details as follows:-

8 Black-winged Stilts

1 Little Ringed Plover

1 Marsh Sandpiper (a presumed adult moulting into winter plumage; - during our 6 week Spring visit - from memory I recall not a single Marsh Sandpiper on our travels).

1 Long-toed Stint

Cheers,

Mike P.

08/08/2024 06.55 am. Nong Hoi Paddies - Yasothon.

With the focus very much now on searching for passage waders Paul spent a couple of hours checking this extensive area of rice fields for optimum conditions. In one particular field of newly planted rice he was rewarded with a new wader species for the province and in fact the first passage autumn record so far this year in the Isaan region - none other than a Common Redshank! - Yes of course this is nothing special here in the UK but is a good record in eastern Thailand.

He logged an impressive 45 species in total - most notable being:-

15 Black-winged Stilts

1 Pacific Golden Plover

1 Common Sandpiper

1 Green Sandpiper

9 Wood Sandpipers

1 Common Redshank

30 Asian Openbills

1 Black Bittern

2 Cinnamon Bitterns

5 Yellow Bitterns

6 Little Egrets

1 Black-winged Kites

8 Brahminy Kites

1 Hoopoe

2 White-throated Kingfishers

20 Asian Green Bee-eaters

3 Indochinese Rollers

15 Red Avadavats

In addition about 19 assorted common passerines species.

No doubt Paul will be out regularly over the coming weeks with one of the target species uppermost in his mind being Sharp-tailed Sandpiper which has been reported in the past passing through Isaan (Khon Kaen - some 3 hours further west).

More significantly he later called in to check on one of his banker breeding sites in Yasothon for Blue-winged Pittas and was pleased to be able to confirm successful breeding here for the third successive year.

Regards,

Mike P.

10/07/2024 Kit Chum - Yasothon Province.

Its the rainy season in Thailand presently, hence not much to report in terms of birding activity. The rice crop has been planted and (touch wood) is doing fine for now.

Monday provided a little excitement when Pen noticed the rear end of a Banded Krait disappearing into the bungalow where Barb and I stay during our visits. The sliding glass door had been left slightly ajar and at this time of year there are generally more snakes around and this individual had accordingly taken advantage. This species is readily identified with a black body and bold yellow hoops and though generally not aggressive is highly venomous.

The village has a resident snake catcher but there was no response when Pen rang him; - in the meantime the Krait had hidden under the sofa in our bedroom and Paul armed with a sweeping brush carefully pulled out the sofa but was at a loss at to how to proceed further. He called out to Rambo (one of the Thai Ridgeback guard dogs) who bounded in and immediately went to work.

The dogs mode of attack with any snake is to avoid going near the head and to swiftly take the creature well behind the head and to vigorously shake it to break the spine. This effective method seems to be entirely instinctive.

While our own instincts would always be to avoid any contact with a snake and certainly not to harm it as far as possible from time to time drastic measures are called for as a last resort. It should be noted also in passing that the head of a recently dead snake (even a severed head) can still for a short time inflict a bite as a reflex action.

Regards,

Mike P.

18/05/2024 - 7.30 am Khlong Pla Khun lake - Roi Et Province.

With an early start Paul again headed west into Roi Et - this province which has been so productive of late; - his prime target of course still being White-winged Tern. A two hour session yielded up 53 species conspicuous among which were: -

400 Lesser Whistling Ducks

40 Cotton Pygmy-Geese

1 White-breasted Waterhen

6 Black-winged Stilts

4 Bronze-winged Jacanas

12 Whiskered Terns

2 White-winged Terns (in with the Whiskered Terns in a flooded rice field as opposed to the main lake. - a big catch up species for Paul in Roi Et - giving him records for the species in just about all the central provinces of Isaan).

50 Asian Openbills

6 Little Cormorants

1 Cinnamon Bittern (Oddly between us we have not yet recorded a single Black Bittern so far this spring).

2 Yellow Bitterns

6 Malaysian Pied Fantails

1 Rufescent Prinia

2 Grey-breasted Prinia

2 Yellow-bellied Prinia

5 Plain Prinia

6 Zitting Cisticolas

4 Golden-headed Cisticola

1 Oriental Reed Warbler

2 Chestnut-capped Babblers

30 Baya Weavers 

8 Chestnut Munias

Obviously a productive session which puts Paul onto 198 species for Roi Et in a tie with resident top birder Shaun Green with 200 species now in both their sights.

Regards,

Mike P.

13/05/2024 - 7.25 am. - Thap Lan Nat.Pk. - Dry forest west of Sab Sadao Nt. Pk. Nakhon Ratchasima.

Having headed further west we drove into this habitat with several special target species in mind - but uppermost here was White-browed Fantail which the ever industrious Paul Farrell discovered here some time ago.

We failed to locate this species but did enjoy adequate compensation with 29 species among which were a few gems: - 

3 Black Bazas

1 Rufous-winged Buzzard

1 Shikra

1 Spotted Owlet (a showy fellow - photographed)

2 Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers (photo)

3 Large Cuckoo-Shrikes (photo)

2 Common Woodshrikes

3 Brown Prinia (photo - hardly a stunner but a world lifer for all of us).

5 Rufescent Prinias (photo)

6 Velvet-fronted Nuthatches

1 Vinous-breasted Starling (another world lifer for us - photo).

Cheers,

Mike P.

10/05/2024 11 am Kaeng Song Yai - Amnat Charoen Province.

This morning three of us had a run out east to the Mekong riverside hoping to find passage waders only to find water levels had risen (probably due to the onset of rains far to the north-west). The only waders we found however were 3 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Small Pratincoles - scant reward for our effort. In a 90 minute session we logged 34 species the best of which were: -

10 Asian Green Bee-eaters

4 Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters

10 Wire-tailed Swallows

2 Mekong Wagtails (The big speciality here of course. We find that when the midday sun is beating down these birds are often to be found close to the water on rock shelves with overhanging rocks or boulders giving direct shade above. Today scanning we found two birds this way barely 150 metres apart).

Later en route home we stopped for 15 minutes at Huai Kaeo Maeng Reservoir where on an extensive mat of floating vegetation we found two White-breasted Waterhens and a fine summer adult Watercock - both additions to my list for Amnat Charoen.

Cheers,

Mike P.

07/05/2024 - Bueng Doan Lake area - Roi Et.

This morning three of us met up with Shaun Green for a round of this and other Roí Et lakes hoping to find the first passage White-winged Terns. Shaun has regularly recorded them in Roi Et on/around this date but we found no sign of any just yet. 
Nevertheless in general birding terms in 45 minutes we had a good session logging 34 species the best of which were:  

11 Knob-billed Ducks (quite a good find - these passage birds were among several hundred Lesser Whistling Ducks with a scatter of Cotton Pygmy Geese, and more than made up for not finding any White-winged Terns).

1 Black-winged Kite

1 Freckle-breasted Woodpecker

4 Streaked Weavers (photo)

35 Asian Golden Weavers

7 Chestnut Munias

Next at 10.00 we made a short stop in a strip of riverine forest bordering the Chi river to check on one of Pauls sites for Blue-winged Pitta. An obliging bird called in response to our recording and briefly perched up high giving Shaun and me our first sightings of this superb species in Roi Et. A Rufous-winged Buzzard drifted over as a bonus here.

Moving on to our final stop - 20 minutes at Khlong Pla Khun (another extensive wetland area) we found another trio of Knob-billed Ducks among 14 species - the best of the rest being: -

6 Indian Spot-billed Ducks

2 Cinnamon Bitterns

1 Yellow Bittern

2 Purple Herons

7 Baya Weavers

Cheers,

Mike P.

06/05/2024 - Ban Fai festival Kutchum village - Yasothon.

One of the major celebrations centred upon Yasothon is the annual rocket competition, - again part of the tradition to bring on the rains. The largest rockets are fired from Yasothon City itself but Kutchum today hosted competitors from local villages and even other Isaan provinces such as Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani. This is both a serious and dangerous affair and misfires in the past have caused fatalities.

We mingled in the afternoon crowds enjoying a few beers and peering at an endless gallery of fast food stalls (one of which was selling roasted small passerines on tiny sticks), also noting the bets being laid as to which rockets would fly the highest - the scenario was a kind of cross between Cape Canaveral and the Aintree Grand National.

While passing the judges tent we were invited in and briefly interviewed then given good seats and a grandstand view.

Finally the first rocket was launched from its tall gantry with a flaming roar and the immediate launch area was hidden in smoke - quite a sight - it was so good we watched three more launches.

Today (purely coincidentally of course) it actually rained!

Cheers,

Mike P.

05/05/2024 - 07.45 am. Khueang Kham - Nong Hoi paddies Yasothon Province.

Our original idea here was to search this extensive complex of newly planted rice fields scanning for any waders. In the past when these fields have an inch or so of water coinciding with movements of migrants we have enjoyed a degree of success. This morning however the only waders proved to be a scatter of Black-winged Stilts with both the usual Myna species, several Greater Coucals, Scaly- breasted Munias and Openbill Storks.

Paul suddenly exclaimed that in the far distance he thought he had noticed two large ducks most likely Knob-billed Ducks! The farm workers now often appear to be increasingly using drones for either sowing or fertilising fields and suddenly a sizeable flock of large ducks had likely been flushed by the drone.In the air these didnt fit either Whistling Ducks or Spot-billed - they were indeed Knob-billed and as Paul rattled off photos I kept track of the the flying birds and counted 19 birds.

Quite soon the birds settled and we carefully closed the distance but stayed in the car getting more photos and confirming the earlier count. These were my first of this species in Thailand and seem to be the biggest party ever recorded in the Isaan region.

In all of 18 species logged the best of the rest were 7 Indian Spot-billed Ducks sharing the same pool. Our first Whiskered Tern of the spring was noted and 4 Little Cormorants and 4 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas.

Cheers,

Mike P.