Birdwatching In Isan

[isanbirder]

I would say Grey-headed for the first two, can't do the third. Two Lesser Yellownapes, and the last one Greater. A nice White-bellied.

[Robby nz]

Got back yesterday from Huai Kah Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.

What an amazing place with 3 species of deer wandering the camping ground. Food security is very important there as were raided by monkeys during the day and wild pigs at night. Just on twilight one evening a large wild boar trotted past within 50 meters of our tent and when it saw me reaching for a camera gave a snort and departed at speed. A Hog Deer stag would visit me at breakfast time and try to get its nose into my plate, no way this is mine go eat grass.

We had planned to go and stay at the sanctuary for 3 or 4 nights and ended up staying 9, we would have stayed longer but had run out of some essential supplies.

The weather was good for the whole trip with some rain when we arrived that cleared quickly and some light rain in the early morning of the day we left. The lady boss wants to turn round and go back for a month but there are some things that must be done this month so we will wait to see what the weather brings after that.

The staff there are very conscientious with strict rules as they don’t want to lose any ‘tourists’ (that was us) either in the forest or to wild animals. One of the rules is that nobody must go farther than 50 meters from a road without a staff member as a guide. As the lady puts it I am very naughty for as I have hunted all my life I am confident in my abilities in the forest so ignored that one. What they didn’t know didn’t worry them.

The only real danger there from animals are the elephants which are completely unpredictable and just as likely to attempt to stomp you as they are to run away. Everything else will run from people and that includes tigers, yes there are tigers not very far from the camp ground, we saw tracks in the river bed less than 200 meters from our camp and the staff told us one had taken a deer behind the toilets while we were there.

Elephants are also very close as we saw fresh sign of a large elephant in the river bed, it had been there only an hour or so before us, there is also ample older sign of their leavings everywhere we went. On several occasions I got a very strong smell of elephants, one of those was when we were returning in the evening from a lookout tower, a little farther down the track a large animal jumped out of a tree and ran off, very likely a leopard. Next a Sambar hind ran ahead of us. At this point the lady was getting very scared and almost climbing on my back.

There are many species of animals to be seen there, we saw herds of 15 to 18 Banteng on 3 occasions all from watch towers in forest clearings, whether they were the same herd or not we couldn’t tell although the last lot I saw was about 9KM from where we saw the first just a few days before. As well as the deer in the camp ground I saw Sambar on 3 occasions, Eld’s deer, Feas Muntjac and a very small deer that was probably a Mouse deer. There was a Golden Jackal that disappeared before I could get a photo, wild pigs were everywhere and were seen on most days sometimes in large groups. Two species of monkey, as well as the Macaque around the camp ground and elsewhere there was a species of Langur which was probably Pahyre’s Leaf Monkey as that has been recorded there before. Squirrels were also abundant with Giant Black Squirrel, Himayalan Striped Squirrel, Pallas’s Squirrel and several others I couldn’t get good enough photos to ID. Also a Shrew type thing on the ground and I saw rodents a couple of times.

There was a place where large cattle had been wallowing in a mud hole. They were probably Wild Water Buffalo as they are the only cattle species that would wallow.

Plenty of bird life about as well, I recorded over 40 species 8 of them new to me. They were sometimes in quite large mixed flocks with 3 or 4 species of woodpeckers, blue magpie, laughing thrush and drongo’s together. I was getting a bit picky towards the end “Ha just another Black Headed Woodpecker, Rufous Treepie or Golden Fronted Leaf bird”

Full list of birds :

Green-billed Malkoha Greater Coucal

Sooty-headed Bulbul Rufous Treepie

Black-crested Bulbul Puff-throated Babbler

Stripe-throated Bulbul Blue-winged Pita

Greater Yellownape Tickells Blue Flycatcher

Greater Flameback Golden Fronted Leaf Bird

Grey-headed Woodpecker White-rumped Sahma

Black-headed Woodpecker Hoopoe

Red-billed Blue Magpie Liniated Barbet

White–crested Laughing Thrush Coppersmith Barbet

Lesser Necklaced Laughing Thrush Black-headed Oriole

Red Jungle Fowl Velvet Fronted Nuthatch

Spangled (hair crested) Drongo Oriental Magpie Robin

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Red-wattled Lapwing

Ashy Drongo Blue-bearded Bee Eater

Bronzed Drongo Collared Falconet

Indian Rollar Pied Hornbill

White Throated Kingfisher Asian Openbill

Great Lora Common Tailorbird

Great Egret Spotted Dove

Green Peafowl

There were smaller birds present but very difficult to see let alone get a photo of, attached a photo of one which posed nicely for me, looks like one of the flycatchers but other than that I wouldn’t like to guess. Any input welcome.

[MrTrip]

Really enjoyed reading your report Robby. Definitely a place on the visiting list for the future.

[AjarnNorth]

Got back yesterday from Huai Kah Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.

What an amazing place with 3 species of deer wandering the camping ground. Food security is very important there as were raided by monkeys during the day and wild pigs at night. Just on twilight one evening a large wild boar trotted past within 50 meters of our tent and when it saw me reaching for a camera gave a snort and departed at speed. A Hog Deer stag would visit me at breakfast time and try to get its nose into my plate, no way this is mine go eat grass.

We had planned to go and stay at the sanctuary for 3 or 4 nights and ended up staying 9, we would have stayed longer but had run out of some essential supplies.

The weather was good for the whole trip with some rain when we arrived that cleared quickly and some light rain in the early morning of the day we left. The lady boss wants to turn round and go back for a month but there are some things that must be done this month so we will wait to see what the weather brings after that.

The staff there are very conscientious with strict rules as they don’t want to lose any ‘tourists’ (that was us) either in the forest or to wild animals. One of the rules is that nobody must go farther than 50 meters from a road without a staff member as a guide. As the lady puts it I am very naughty for as I have hunted all my life I am confident in my abilities in the forest so ignored that one. What they didn’t know didn’t worry them.

The only real danger there from animals are the elephants which are completely unpredictable and just as likely to attempt to stomp you as they are to run away. Everything else will run from people and that includes tigers, yes there are tigers not very far from the camp ground, we saw tracks in the river bed less than 200 meters from our camp and the staff told us one had taken a deer behind the toilets while we were there.

Elephants are also very close as we saw fresh sign of a large elephant in the river bed, it had been there only an hour or so before us, there is also ample older sign of their leavings everywhere we went. On several occasions I got a very strong smell of elephants, one of those was when we were returning in the evening from a lookout tower, a little farther down the track a large animal jumped out of a tree and ran off, very likely a leopard. Next a Sambar hind ran ahead of us. At this point the lady was getting very scared and almost climbing on my back.

There are many species of animals to be seen there, we saw herds of 15 to 18 Banteng on 3 occasions all from watch towers in forest clearings, whether they were the same herd or not we couldn’t tell although the last lot I saw was about 9KM from where we saw the first just a few days before. As well as the deer in the camp ground I saw Sambar on 3 occasions, Eld’s deer, Feas Muntjac and a very small deer that was probably a Mouse deer. There was a Golden Jackal that disappeared before I could get a photo, wild pigs were everywhere and were seen on most days sometimes in large groups. Two species of monkey, as well as the Macaque around the camp ground and elsewhere there was a species of Langur which was probably Pahyre’s Leaf Monkey as that has been recorded there before. Squirrels were also abundant with Giant Black Squirrel, Himayalan Striped Squirrel, Pallas’s Squirrel and several others I couldn’t get good enough photos to ID. Also a Shrew type thing on the ground and I saw rodents a couple of times.

There was a place where large cattle had been wallowing in a mud hole. They were probably Wild Water Buffalo as they are the only cattle species that would wallow.

Plenty of bird life about as well, I recorded over 40 species 8 of them new to me. They were sometimes in quite large mixed flocks with 3 or 4 species of woodpeckers, blue magpie, laughing thrush and drongo’s together. I was getting a bit picky towards the end “Ha just another Black Headed Woodpecker, Rufous Treepie or Golden Fronted Leaf bird”

Full list of birds :

Green-billed Malkoha Greater Coucal

Sooty-headed Bulbul Rufous Treepie

Black-crested Bulbul Puff-throated Babbler

Stripe-throated Bulbul Blue-winged Pita

Greater Yellownape Tickells Blue Flycatcher

Greater Flameback Golden Fronted Leaf Bird

Grey-headed Woodpecker White-rumped Sahma

Black-headed Woodpecker Hoopoe

Red-billed Blue Magpie Liniated Barbet

White–crested Laughing Thrush Coppersmith Barbet

Lesser Necklaced Laughing Thrush Black-headed Oriole

Red Jungle Fowl Velvet Fronted Nuthatch

Spangled (hair crested) Drongo Oriental Magpie Robin

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Red-wattled Lapwing

Ashy Drongo Blue-bearded Bee Eater

Bronzed Drongo Collared Falconet

Indian Rollar Pied Hornbill

White Throated Kingfisher Asian Openbill

Great Lora Common Tailorbird

Great Egret Spotted Dove

Green Peafowl

There were smaller birds present but very difficult to see let alone get a photo of, attached a photo of one which posed nicely for me, looks like one of the flycatchers but other than that I wouldn’t like to guess. Any input welcome.

HKK mai roo.JPG

Nice report, Robby. I'll have a go at your mystery bird. Maybe a juvenile Hill Blue FC.

See here for comparison:

http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2648&Bird_Image_ID=4437&Bird_Family_ID=&p=45

[crusty]

Sorry not to have commented earlier. I'm away from home at the moment, and have no books with me to check things.

Off the cuff, I would just have to say 'cuckoo' to the first one; several species are very close. Yellow-browed Warbler OK. The babbler remains just a babbler to me without several books and internet checks!

I'll get back later to all these.in

Hi hope you can explain why this bird can swallow a 6 inch centipede with no ill effects when their bite is very painful and can be fatal for baby children. It looks like a Kingfisher with blue plumage and reside front of my house here in Koh Samui.

Thanks

Crusty

[isanbirder]

The bird is an Indian Roller. But I can't explain its digestive system!

[crusty]

The bird is an Indian Roller. But I can't explain its digestive system!

Thanks but the bird deserves research as it shows no fear whereas a human will leg it, it must possess unique antibodies and one wonders what happens when they take on a scorpion ?

Crusty

[crusty]

The bird is an Indian Roller. But I can't explain its digestive system!

No I don't think so as the only blue visible is when they spread their wings, there is no blue on their head. Their head and body are greyish brown while the blue is below the body.

Crusty

[isanbirder]

The bird is an Indian Roller. But I can't explain its digestive system!

No I don't think so as the only blue visible is when they spread their wings, there is no blue on their head. Their head and body are greyish brown while the blue is below the body.

Crusty

It's a Roller for sure. I see them every day. You don't see much blue until they spread their wings.

I'm not a biologist, but birds' ability to digest odd things often surprises me. What about the species (several) which habitually eat snakes?

Another puzzle to me is the Phalaropes. They spend the breeding season on freshwater marshes, and the winter at sea, living on small insects/crustacea in the water. How on earth can their systems cope with salt water for several months of the year, and then switch to fresh water for the rest?

[Mousehound]

Gulls are interesting. They can change their digestive method from gizzard to gut. this gives them a great range of food to prey on from vegetation and carrion to live moths.

[khonKaenBirds]

Hello to all. This is my first post here. I normally shy away from posting on thaivisa due to the amount of negativity that get posted in response to sensible requests for information in the main threads. But this is a topic i am interested in and find this forum useful and very informative as information on birding in Isarn is hard to find. I live in Khon Kaen with my favourite place to bird being Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum and have a reasonable knowledge about the place and other places of interest around Khon Kaen and always happy to talk birds or fishing.

Regarding the Indian Roller eating a centipede. Here is a really cropped shot of a White-crested Laughingthrush eating the same at Nam Nao. Maybe birds are immune to the poison in the same way birds can eat chilli without the ill effects it has on most of us!!

[isanbirder]

Hello to all. This is my first post here. I normally shy away from posting on thaivisa due to the amount of negativity that get posted in response to sensible requests for information in the main threads. But this is a topic i am interested in and find this forum useful and very informative as information on birding in Isarn is hard to find. I live in Khon Kaen with my favourite place to bird being Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum and have a reasonable knowledge about the place and other places of interest around Khon Kaen and always happy to talk birds or fishing.

Regarding the Indian Roller eating a centipede. Here is a really cropped shot of a White-crested Laughingthrush eating the same at Nam Nao. Maybe birds are immune to the poison in the same way birds can eat chilli without the ill effects it has on most of us!!

Welcome, khonkaenBirds.

I'm afraid your pic didn't register!

I haven't posted recently as there simply haven't been any birds round my place due to the drought. Since the rain started a few days ago, there's a bit more life about, but still not much of interest. One of my regular wet-season visitors, the Watercock, simply didn't turn up this year, and the Black Bitterns were around for a fortnight, and then vanished. Autumn visitors should be here soon now, and I'm on the lookout for a Brown Shrike, usually the first to come.

[isanbirder]

Spoke too soon.... two male Watercock this morning! But it's a very late 'first summer date' for me here.

[jack2964]

Over my end just as 'birdless' too other than a rather interesting observation I made a few days back while out with the dog; I saw a single Asian Koel fledgling begging from a Black-collared Starling but didn't get to see any actual feeding. The pair was disturbed by my dog and took off into thick bushes. I thought Koels prefer crows as hosts?

[isanbirder]

Over my end just as 'birdless' too other than a rather interesting observation I made a few days back while out with the dog; I saw a single Asian Koel fledgling begging from a Black-collared Starling but didn't get to see any actual feeding. The pair was disturbed by my dog and took off into thick bushes. I thought Koels prefer crows as hosts?

I think Black-collared Starling is the preferred host. Crows would surely be a bit big for them?

[AjarnNorth]

Anybody seeing any winter visitors yet? Here in Chonburi, I had Whiskered Tern over the sea on Wednesday and yesterday took a drive out to Bang Phra reservoir where I saw two Yellow Wagtail and a small group of Pacific Golden Plovers (as well as a host of other resident species).

[isanbirder]

All I've had so far are Chinese Pond-herons, two on 28th and two this morning. Not even a Brown Shrike.

[jack2964]

Just after reading your response I took the dog out as usual not expecting anything but I did see a Brown Shrike perched on an upright farm sprinkler!

Also of note for my patch a pair of Vinous-breasted Starling which I've never seen before in over 3 years here.

[isanbirder]

First Brown Shrike on September 6 ( I usually get some in August). Otherwise very little else.

An early (or late) Painted Stork this morning ch

[Ombra]

I am spending a few months by the seaside 20 kms south of Prachaub Khirikhan town, and I would appreciate some insight into a surprising bird watching experience I had last night. I was in the garden at about 6.30 p.m. and I saw what I thought was a dead bird. It was lying on its back and it was upside down on a small bush. Its wings were outspread and they were about 18 -20 inches from tip to tip. The bird looked to me like a juvenile Brahminy kite, but I am only a novice bird watcher. As I turned to tell my wife about this beautiful bird, it flew away. I am very happy that it was not dead, but sorry that I didn't have more time to look at such a bird at close quarters. My wife says that she remembers seeing birds resting upside down when she was a child in the countryside more than 50 years ago. I've looked on the internet for information about birds resting in this fashion, but I haven't found anything helpful. I would be grateful for anything anyone can tell me.

[isanbirder]

In 60 years' birding, I don't remember ever seeing a live bird lying on its back. Sorry!

[Ombra]

Thank you. I've also never seen such a thing before. Perhaps it was a sick bird.

[Ombra]

Thank you. I've also never seen such a thing before. Perhaps it was a sick bird.

Actually, I checked with my wife who said that my eyesight was at fault. It was not a kite, but an owl. She claims to have seen owls hanging upside down before, and the question of whether they do or not certainly appears on the internet.

[isanbirder]

At last things are beginning to liven up a bit!

Burmese Shrike on 29th, White-cheeked Drongo today, and the first few Black Drongos over the last week.

But some species are late or much reduced in numbers. Barn Swallows usually start coming back here in mid-July, and I get a few most days from then on. By now the place should be full of them. This year they started as usual, but I'm still only seeing them once or twice a week.

Much the same for Common and White-throated Kingfishers. A few records in early September, but none since.

[jack2964]

Where I am it's been a very slow start. That Brown Shrike I saw last month is no longer around. Previous years there were lots of them around the farms.

Even Black Drongo numbers are way down and no sign of Chestnut headed BEs. And no Common KF as yet.

Was out on the lake 3 mornings ago and saw what is the best bird this year: a Black Capped KF which I haven't seen for over 2 years.

[AjarnNorth]

Here in Bangsaen, Chonburi, one Black Drongo over two weeks ago and no more since. Black-winged Cuckooshrike a few days ago. A possible Burmese Shrike a few days ago, though maybe just a brown. None since. A probable A. Paradise Flycatcher.

Finally, this morning, two Ashy Drongs (white-cheeked) on my TV antenna and two Asian Brown Flycatchers in my garden.

Ashy are the more common drongo on my soi at this time of year. Nice to have them back. And the Flycatchers stay around all season as well.

Other than that, not much to report though i haven't got out to the local fish ponds in about ten days. Hope to do so on Friday.

[isanbirder]

Wintering birds are still only coming in dribs and drabs (3 Barn Swallows this morning!), but at least there's something nice most days.

Yesterday, it was 4 Little Cormorants (my max before was 3). Today it was a couple of glorious male Black-naped Orioles. Some of these yellow birds, the colour simply leaps out at you from the foliage.

[isanbirder]

It has been a very slow autumn here in Buriram, hotter than usual, which is possibly why many wintering birds have been slow coming south.

A few days ago, the wintering raptors starting arriving, and today I had a splendid male Eastern Marsh Harrier and also a young bird. Ironically, I also saw the same number of Barn Swallows over the paddies.... two. (There are some on the telegraph wires... but my walks rarely take me near the roads.)

[sundaram444]

I have seen many kinds of birds near the Phanom Rung -Hill temple. The one rare bird is the The Greater Coucal . They say if you see this bird , it will be lucky day for you. There are other birds like Hummingbirds, Egrets and cranes in the rice fields.

[AjarnNorth]

I have seen many kinds of birds near the Phanom Rung -Hill temple. The one rare bird is the The Greater Coucal . They say if you see this bird , it will be lucky day for you. There are other birds like Hummingbirds, Egrets and cranes in the rice fields.

Greater Coucal are actually very common. Also, there are no hummingbirds in Thailand. What you're probably seeing is sunbirds. Your cranes may well be storks, most common are Openbill.