Thailand (and 1000th life bird)

[Ben]

Hello all!
It's been a while since I've posted on here, and that's largely due to the fact that I moved to Thailand about 2 months ago! I got a job teaching special education at an international school in the Bangkok area and likely won't be back in Canada for a while ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I thought I might take the time to share a bit of the bird life that I've been able to appreciate in the last little bit though...

The bulk of my birding has been in the heart of Nonthaburi City (which is essentially part of Bangkok) so despite the fact that Thailand boasts 1077 species, in the last 2 months I've only managed to get 148. 

My primary birding location has been the "Ministry of Public Health" which is an area that I was able to get a hotspot created for. I now have 67 species recorded there and in total the site now has 69, bringing it into the top 10 for the Nonthaburi province (perhaps not that impressive considering the province only has 40 hotspots, but I'm still proud of myself 0:)). Some of my highlights here have included Amur Paradise-Flycatcher, Glossy Ibis (2nd(?) record of the province), Tiger Shrike (1st legit record for the province), and a wide variety of "common" birds: Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Bronze-winged Jacana, Green-billed Malkoha, and more.
Link to the hotspot: ebird.org/hotspot/L26644091?yr=all&m=&rank=lrec

Some photos I've taken there:


Stork-billed Kingfisher at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

Tiger Shrike at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap (in moult)

Little Cormorant at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

Bronze-winged Jacana at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

White-throated Kingfisher at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

Little Egret at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

Asian Openbill at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap

Eurasian Hoopoe at Ministry of Public Health by Benjamin Pap


I've been quite happy with what the location has been able to produce species wise, and typically with 3-4 hrs I can walk away with about 50 species (which is a good chunk more than any of the other city parks where I struggle to pass 30).

Since coming here I got in contact with a local birder who I've now been out with several times. A nice guy who has only been birding seriously for about 2 years, but is very knowledgeable (and has a car ). We've done some city birding together and also spent an afternoon down on the BKK shoreline where we tallied a solid 22 species of shorebirds (I think more is possible, but need to be further into winter and better location). 
I neglected to upload any of my photos, but you can see some of my friend's here and here

And most recently I went out with a friend from work who is into birding a bit (well more of a photographer, but enjoys birds enough ). We went to Lat Krabang which is just on the outskirts of eastern Bangkok. We ended our morning there with 78 species, which felt very impressive to me. I learned that later in the winter, over 100 is possible in a few hours at that location, so I'll have to go back at some point. My life list before this day was sitting at a nice 999, so I was excited to see what my 1000th life bird would be. To my surprise, it was the first bird I saw! Indian Nightjar. I saw the bird, bent down to pick up my camera, and by the time I looked up again it was gone. I wasn't too sad about missing the picture because it was quite dark anyways, but I had been hoping for a selfie with my 1000th bird in the background which I unfortunately missed.
In any case, some other pics from the day: 

Lifer White-shouldered Starling:
 
White-shouldered Starling at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Black-crowned Night-Heron at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Painted Stork at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Little Ringed Plover at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap



anyone wanna venture a guess at this peep?

Asian Golden Weaver at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Pink-necked Green-Pigeon at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Red Collared-Dove at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

White-browed Crake at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Black-headed Ibis at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap

Spot-billed Pelican at Lat Krabang--Thap Yao paddies & aquaculture ponds by Benjamin Pap


A very successful outing for a location that I didn't know much about beforehand!

Hope all is well in The Valley! I've been enjoying reading all the reports and been a little jealous of some of the nice migrants you've been getting out there (brewer's sparrow, clay-coloured sparrow, etc.). If any of you are in Bangkok in the next year and want to do some birding in the area you'll have to let me know!


The list for those who like lists (in order of most recently found to first):
Java Sparrow

Crow-billed Drongo
Japanese Sparrowhawk
Chestnut Munia
Asian Golden Weaver
White-shouldered Starling
Zitting Cisticola
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Black-capped Kingfisher
Black-headed Ibis
Black Bittern
Spot-billed Pelican
Wood Sandpiper
Pin-tailed Snipe
Common Snipe
Long-toed Stint
Temminck's Stint
Little Ringed Plover
Gray-headed Lapwing
White-browed Crake
Indian Nightjar
Little Grebe
Daurian Starling
Thick-billed Green-Pigeon
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Painted Stork
Gull-billed Tern
Little Tern
Red-necked Phalarope
Red-necked Stint
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Red Knot
Great Knot
Ruddy Turnstone
Greater Sand-Plover
Black-bellied Plover
Common Greenshank
Golden-bellied Gerygone
Collared Kingfisher
Brahminy Kite
Indian Cormorant
Common Tern
Common Redshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Terek Sandpiper
Asian Dowitcher
Curlew Sandpiper
Black-tailed Godwit
Eurasian Curlew
Whimbrel
Lesser Sand-Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
Sooty-headed Bulbul
Blue Rock-Thrush
Whiskered Tern
Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher
Amur Paradise-Flycatcher
Burmese Shrike
Blue-winged Pitta
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Hainan Blue Flycatcher
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Black-headed Bulbul
Tiger Shrike
Common Iora
Arctic Warbler
Glossy Ibis
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Hoopoe
Plain-backed Sparrow
Yellow Bittern
Mangrove Whistler
Red Junglefowl
Golden-headed Cisticola
White-throated Kingfisher
Pacific Reef-Heron
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Pacific Swallow
Black-naped Tern
Bridled Tern
Paddyfield Pipit
Baya Weaver
Brown-throated Sunbird
Black Drongo
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Shikra
Purple Heron
Oriental Darter
Oriental Pratincole
Lesser Whistling-Duck
Peregrine Falcon
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Intermediate Egret
Green-billed Malkoha
Ashy Woodswallow
Red-wattled Lapwing
Black-winged Stilt
Lineated Barbet
Germain's Swiftlet
Plaintive Cuckoo
Asian Palm Swift
White-rumped Munia
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Red-breasted Parakeet
Great Egret
Little Cormorant
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon
Olive-backed Sunbird
Siamese Pied Starling
Plain Prinia
Common Tailorbird
Brown Shrike
Small Minivet
Indochinese Roller
Spotted Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Striated Heron
Javan Pond-Heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Asian Openbill
Bronze-winged Jacana
White-breasted Waterhen
Greater Coucal
House Sparrow
Scaly-breasted Munia
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Black-collared Starling
Streak-eared Bulbul
Barn Swallow
Large-billed Crow
Malaysian Pied-Fantail
Coppersmith Barbet
Asian Koel
Red Collared-Dove
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Great Myna
Common Myna
House Swift
Zebra Dove
Spotted Dove
Rock Pigeon

(exotics)
Budgerigar

Helmeted Guineafowl

Indian Peafowl

Muscovy Duck


All the best!
Ben

[Ben]

I wasn't sure how to upload this photo. But in lieu of my 1000th bird selfie, here's me in a camo net waiting for some sneaky Barred Buttonquail to show up in baking hot 40+ degree sunshine (spoiler: they didn't).

[Dave]

Hi Ben! Great to hear from you and nice list you have started there! Several on the list are lifers for me. Not far from Bangkok is where I got my only Spoon-billed Sandpipers so I’m sure that opportunity is coming soon.

Any pics of the Pitta? Such a cool family.
Enjoy your time in Thailand! Looking forward to additional updates!
Dave.

[Ben]

Thanks! I'm a bit surprised that several would be lifers, but perhaps some of the passage migrants and such that wouldn't be there later in the year ¯\_(ツ)_/¯... And yes! Spoon-billed Sandpipers should be arriving at the salt pans in Samut Sakhon (just southwest of Bangkok) at the end of October. I'll be sure to head down there later in the fall and find one or two (or three or four ). I'm excited for their arrival



I did get some pics of the Pitta but it was quite dark and the bird was very flighty (which was cool to see the lightning white in the wings appear out of nowhere


Blue-winged Pitta at Department of Public Relations by Benjamin Pap

Blue-winged Pitta at Department of Public Relations by Benjamin Pap




And here's a slightly better photo that my friend got (I assume he wouldn't mind me sharing)... Clearly time for me to get a new camera!


Blue-winged Pitta at Department of Public Relations by Sam Hambly

[Chris]

Ben thanks for the report. Enjoyed reading it and looking at the photos.

Some of these birds I recognize through Fantasy Birding!

Congrats on 1000 species and looking forward to the next report.