BY 2024 - Herman and Kit's 7th (!what?!) year

[Kitsafari]

I was exploring in early January a trip to SKorea for some winter birding in February but an emergency op laid me immobile for some 5 weeks and limited mobility for another 2 weeks. So I was unable to join Herman for a short trip to Thailand at the start of March but as soon as the doctor gave the all-clear, I booked a 4-day trip to catch my nemesis bird - the critically endangered spoonie and then to Khao Yai park where I had dreamed of seeing an Asian elephant (which sadly didn't happen so I'm still very jealous of @xelas sighting). Herman was too lazy to start the BY thread, so it falls upon me (again) to do it. I can't complain now as I have 365 days to fill without work. This year we have some major trips planned but I'm unsure if they will yield as  many bird species since the trips are a mixture of mammals and birds. we'll see how it goes. 

 

Meanwhile, I shall start our 7th BY with, of course, one of the world's rarest bird species. 

 

1. Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Khok Kham

The species' estimated global population is only about 300 birds left. About 1-3 spoonies usually winter in Pak Thale (where @PeterHG) saw it. I had dipped on the bird the two times I was at Pak Thale but it was last year that I heard more reliable sightings can be had at another spot at the salt pans in Khok Kham. There are usually about 3 birds seen there and Herman got a shot of one of them. Once I heard he saw them, it could only mean I had to get there asap. Third time's the charm, and I managed to get two of them feeding together frequently. Such a huge relief and delight to see these tiny birds with the funny bill. 

  

 

 

 

Edited April 3 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

2. Curlew Sandpiper, Khok Kham

3. Tibetan Sand Plover (formerly Lesser sand plovers), Khok Kham

 

Some curlew sandpipers were starting to adorn their breeding coats. Most of them were resting among a larger flock of Tibetan sand plovers, some of which were starting to change into breeding plumage too. 

 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

Whatever the year will bring ( hope you recover well from your operation ) happy to have you back and what a bird to start with !!

[Kitsafari]

4. Broad-billed Sandpiper, Khok Kham

 

 

found a better shot

 

 

Edited April 3 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

Thank you @BRACQUENE !

 

5. Red-necked Stint, Khok Kham

 

[xelas]

Now that you have seen the most wanted, the rest of the birding year will be a smooth sailing through many local and hopefully also some foreign species. I wish you quick and full recovery. 

 

Does your statement about "365 days to fill without work" means you have changed your employer ?! Be aware that this year we have 366 days to fill in . Birding and traveling is a great way to fill in these days.

 

As for the elephant sightings, don't despair. They are there, you just need more visits. And, as you will find out soon (or whenever our trip to Oman will be published), I am kind of a magnet for rare mammals .

[Tdgraves]

Welcome back and I hope that the recovery continues 

[michael-ibk]

Great you are on board again Kit, and what an awesome bird to start with. Happy you finally got it! Always enjoy your thread a lot with all your colourful birds over there, looking forward to it. 

[Galana]

Good to see you active again and best wishes for a good recovery.

Envy the Spoonies.

[TonyQ]

Good to see you involved again, and some great photos from a very successful trip.

We offer our best wishes for a full and rapid recovery

[PeterHG]

Let me join the others in saying I’m really happy to see your and Herman’s birds again in this thread. How wonderful that you finally managed to see and photograph the spoonies! I do hope you’ll recover fully.

[Peter Connan]

What a start!

I hope your recovery is complete.

[Kitsafari]

 

Thanks everyone. I'm almost fully recovered except for just maybe 2%. I'll just have to deal with it. 

 

On 4/3/2024 at 2:59 PM, xelas said:

 

Does your statement about "365 days to fill without work" means you have changed your employer ?! Be aware that this year we have 366 days to fill in . Birding and traveling is a great way to fill in these days.

 

 

@xelas forgot that it is a leap year in 2024! I'm now retired so i'm now my own boss, but spending too much money on birding and travelling in the short-term!

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

I had hoped to get Herman's shorebirds but he's tied up so that will have to wait. I'll push on with whatever I have on hand. 

 

6. Little Tern, Pak Thale

 

[Kitsafari]

7. Spotted Owlet, a temple in Bang Si Muang

 

At first, one popped up. Then in another tree, two popped out with a third nudging its way out of the nest. Finally, in a third tree, two - which probably included the first owl - appeared side by side. I saw five at one go so I suspect it may be a family of five. Cute small diurnal owlets. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

8. Black-crested Bulbul, Khao Yai

 

With a red patch on its throat, the bulbul in Khao Yai looks like a sub-species (Pycnonotus flaviventris (johnsoni).  

 

Edited April 4 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

9. Green-eared Barbet, Khao Yai

 

[Kitsafari]

10. Wreathed Hornbill, Khao Yai

 

[Kitsafari]

11. Great Hornbill, Khao Yai

 

A kilometre away hopping upwards  in a tall tree. 

 

[Kitsafari]

12. Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Khao Yai

 

Near the summit was an army station. A cafe opposite the station was engulfed in thick fog and my guide Isara said they did a mean omelette, and so of course we had that mean, thick omelette with a crispy outer layer and soft tasty insides with rice in the chilly foggy morning. and it was delicious!

that made the nearly empty-of-birds situation a little more bearable. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

13. Moustached Barbet, Khao Yai car park

 

A constant drilling and vocalisation led me to a  lifer species that was very busy trying to build a nest in the tree. 

 

[Kitsafari]

14. Yellow-browed Warbler, Khao Yai

 

[Kitsafari]

15. Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Khao Yai

 

A very disappointing shoot of this owl in the rain and in the evening when the light was all gone and the owl was sitting pretty high up. Isara tried to shine a torch on it but I still couldn't get a good shot. It's a lifer species, so I'm just putting up a record shot!

 

 

[Kitsafari]

16. Scarlet Minivet, Khao Yai

 

Another EBC - a female in the fog at the army station

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

17. Banded Kingfisher, Khao Yai

 

I saw the female in Vietnam in November last year but the male is the more elusive bird. I missed it posing in the open on a low branch and only managed to get a reasonable shot of it high up in the tree.