A Leisurely BY 2022 from Herman and Kit

[Kitsafari]

Time to kick in for the last spurt of the year!

 

158. Indian Cormorant, Pak Thale

forgot i had this from Cambodia but far better sightings here. 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

157. Little Cormorant, Pak Thale

Ditto for the little cormorant too. 

 

smaller head and shorter bill than the Indian cormorant

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

445. Ruff, Pak Thale

 

foraging with the black-tailed godwits

 

 

[Kitsafari]

446. Broad-billed Sandpiper, Pak Thale

 

[Kitsafari]

447. Curlew Sandpiper, Pak Thale

 

 

[Kitsafari]

448. Marsh Sandpiper, Pak Thale

 

 

[Kitsafari]

449. Red-necked Stint,  Pak Thale

 

 

often the birds are mixed.

here : white-winged terns, red-necked stints, curlew sandpipers, broad-billed sandpipers

[Kitsafari]

450. Temminck's Stint, Pak Thale

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

451. Long-toed Stint, Pak Thale

 

[Kitsafari]

Some species already counted: 

 

oriental darter - saw at least 4 individuals

 

 

 

Grey-headed lapwing

 

 

Whiskered Tern

 

Spot-billed Pelican, Painted Storks, Great egret, Little egret, intermediate egrets, etc

 

 

 

wished the light was better.

 

[Kitsafari]

One EBC but has to be counted as this is a rare species

 

452. Asian Dowitcher, Pak Thale

 

Pak Thale is a good bet to find this species as well as the Normann's greenshank during migratory seasons. and if you are very lucky, which we weren't, you may just find a Spoonbilled sandpiper among hundreds of sand plovers. it's getting to be my nemesis bird. the dowitcher was like a million miles away and was always on the move. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Shikra in the Cambodia count but H managed a BIF

 

[Kitsafari]

453.  Siamese Pied Starling, Pak Thale

 

in the grey light of dawn on our way to Pak Thale, I saw a black bird with a white rump on the power lines and asked K what it was. He was stumped and puzzled over the ID until we were at the entrance to a salt pan at Pak Thale. There in bright light on top of the tree was the answer to my question.

What was known as the Asian Pied Starling is now split into the Indian Pied Starling (the black patch ends at the base of the  neck), the Java pied starling (rare endemic with a black crown) and the Siamese pied starling.  

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

454. Black-winged Stilt, Pak Thale

 

Good to see these beautiful stilts in decent numbers. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

455. Gull-billed Tern, Pak Thale

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Pak Thale is a shorebird paradise but initially we timed it badly. we arrived in the morning and the salt pans were empty. we passed by the shores and realised it was low tide and that the shorebirds and waders were out at the beaches. we returned after lunch and the pans were buzzing. still the number of birds were far less than when I was there in november four years ago. here are some shots of the fairly crowded pans. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so well camouflaged! i have no idea which species these are - my guess is sand plovers. 

[Kitsafari]

oops i thought i had finished but had left these three last for a reason: 

 

456. Richard's Pipit, pak Thale 

a hard to see species in our region

 

 

[Kitsafari]

457. Great Knot, Pak Thale

 

Very pleased to have a good view of the endangered great knot and the near threatened red knot (next count). 

 

Great Knot

 

great knot at the top of the bank

 

at least two here

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

458. Red Knot, Pak Thale

 

we were very lucky to get this sighting - 5 species in one shot. H's shot was clearer than mine. 

 

Great knot at the top, red knot next to it, lesser and greater sand plovers, 2 broad-billed sandpipers to the left bottom. 

 

mine a bit more distant includes a little tern

[PeterHG]

Pak Thale sure looks like an amazing place! The sheer number and variety of shorebirds is incredible. I love the Siamese Starling, a real beauty!

[michael-ibk]

Wader paradise indeed - wonderful!

[Kitsafari]

thanks @PeterHG @michael-ibk  i'm still twiddling my thumbs wondering if i should make a lightning trip to Pak Thale vicinity as 4-5 spoonies had been seen there. i'll decide next year. LOL!!

[Galana]

Love the Pied Starling and all the waders.

I am a bit uncomfortable with your Shikra. Never seen one with a barred under tails and such distinctive markings. Are they that dark in the East or is it perhaps a Besra?

[TonyQ]

A great place for waders indeed.

Well done on passing 450!

[Kitsafari]

5 hours ago, Galana said:

I am a bit uncomfortable with your Shikra. Never seen one with a barred under tails and such distinctive markings. Are they that dark in the East or is it perhaps a Besra?

 

hmm a shikra juvenile does have dark bars at the tail end, but i'm wondering about the dark edges to the primary secondary feathers. we'll be very happy to get a besra but we'll check again with our guide tomorrow as he was pretty certain it was a shikra when it was flying by.