Birdwatching In Isan

[jack2964]

A happy update from my local patch:

Chestnut-winged cuckoo.

Lifer for me. Happy to snap a pic although it is an awful shot.

Recent sightings but no pics include a single Blue-bearded bee-eater and once again that

stout all black and white woodpecker in flight. Tail is almost non-existent and I could see clearly

a large white band/patch near its rump as it flapped its wings.

How big is the woodpecker. The only ones that spring to mind are Black-and-Buff and Heart-spotted Woodpecker.

It's a tiny one but 'stocky' as in short and broader if compared to Fulvous-breasted WP. I think it is Heart-spotted but given the habitat which is secondary growth kinda rules it out too. But nothing else seem to fit. I've seen this at least 3 or 4 times now, everytime in flight. Well, one day I might get lucky and get a pic.

[hanno]

A happy update from my local patch:

Chestnut-winged cuckoo.

Lifer for me. Happy to snap a pic although it is an awful shot.

Recent sightings but no pics include a single Blue-bearded bee-eater and once again that

stout all black and white woodpecker in flight. Tail is almost non-existent and I could see clearly

a large white band/patch near its rump as it flapped its wings.

How big is the woodpecker. The only ones that spring to mind are Black-and-Buff and Heart-spotted Woodpecker.

It's a tiny one but 'stocky' as in short and broader if compared to Fulvous-breasted WP. I think it is Heart-spotted but given the habitat which is secondary growth kinda rules it out too. But nothing else seem to fit. I've seen this at least 3 or 4 times now, everytime in flight. Well, one day I might get lucky and get a pic.

My first ever Heart-spotted was in a little tree next to a road; don't rule anything out.

[jack2964]

Need help please to ID this which I got today. Looks like some kind of flycatcher but not sure.

Pics are terrible and cropped about 70%. Size is about same as Asian Brown FC maybe a tad smaller.

It cocked and fanned its tail quite frequently. Habitat is secondary growth. Elev about 200 meters.

Its call is a series of 'tac' notes. Thanks in advance.

[isanbirder]

I can't even make a guess, Jack. Sorry!

[jack2964]

I can't even make a guess, Jack. Sorry!

No worries Isanbirder. Hope to get a side view if I see it again. Thanks.

[jack2964]

Am I right here....Oriental honey buzzard?

Thanks.

[isanbirder]

Yes. The head sticking out further than most is usually the best feature (if you can't see the tail markings).

I've had an odd pattern of raptor occurrences this autumn. A Black-eared Kite at the end of September, then no more of any migrant raptors until early November when I had a rush of them. Marsh and Pied Harriers, a party of Black Bazas, and another Black-eared Kite (the 'Black Kites' here are all Black-eared, as far as I can make out).

Also winter visitors were very late coming. I still don't have anything like the usual numbers of Black Drongos, and the main rush of Barn Swallows was a month late, in early November.

[jack2964]

Good I got this one right. Didn't know about the 'protruding' head as a distinctive feature. Good tip!

Where I am I don't get to see many raptors other than the occasional sparrowhawk high up in the sky.

To date I have yet to sight any harrier.

The black drongos are around but lesser in numbers against last year.

The couple of resident darters have gone missing for the past 3 or 4 months and the large flock of

whistling ducks has disappeared as well. Only the open-bills are still around but their numbers have dwindled too.

As for that 'flycatcher' in post #153 the likeliest ID would be Hainan blue if I can discount the tail cocking and fanning.

If you had to make a wild guess what would it be?

Thanks.

[isanbirder]

Not even a wild guess, Jack!

Not a single Barn Swallow this morning, and the raptors seem to have gone too.

Numbers of Openbills fluctuate wildly; I suspect they feed over a wide area, and sometimes they'll be in my patch, sometimes not. Three days ago I had 250 (counted); today there were four! When I get big numbers, I often see them coming in, always in ones and twos or small parties, never as a compact flock.

[Boyce]

I done some good birdwatching in Korat Mail yesterday..

[hanno]

I done some good birdwatching in Korat Mail yesterday..

A dollar for every time I heard something along those lines and I could have retired 20 years ago. Especially if a also got a Dollar for the "Run, Forest, run!" when I exercise

[jack2964]

Need help with this guys.

As usual taken from far and cropped over 100%.

Was seen flying over water. Thanks.

And update for my patch:

First sighting of 3 stripe-throated bulbuls feeding on some kind of fruit.

Small flock of ashy minivet (5 or 6) and 1 Blue-bearded bee-eater again

Couple of phylloscopus warblers which I won't attempt to ID.

[Goshawk]

Need help with this guys.

Osprey.

your bird in post #153 is a Hainan Blue Flycatcher

[jack2964]

Need help with this guys.

Osprey.

your bird in post #153 is a Hainan Blue Flycatcher

That was quick, thanks Goshawk.

And Hainan blue it is. That's relief; I don't need to chase it anymore.

[Long tang]

Saw a beautiful Burmese shrike, common Iora, streaked spider hunter and loads of black Drongos and hoopoes passing through the grounds of the big stadium in Khorat last week.

Great stuff!

[SantiSuk]

Yep - definitely an Osprey - first bird I ever bird-watched. The whiteness and the black bar through the eye are so distinctive.

Our family used to tour Scotland every Summer and we often visited the observatory for the Loch Garten Opsreys - then the only breeding pair in the whole of the UK. Unforgettable even after 50 years.

[jack2964]

Saw a beautiful Burmese shrike, common Iora, streaked spider hunter and loads of black Drongos and hoopoes passing through the grounds of the big stadium in Khorat last week.

Great stuff!

That's a good specie count. I drop by Korat quite often but don't know where this 'big stadium' is, can you give more specific details please. Is it some sort of park with lots of trees?

Btw, forgot to mention in my earlier post on patch update; anyone seeing Grey heron lately as I have quite a few now at my reservoir. But I miss the darters, nowhere to be seen for about 3 months now.

[Long tang]

Saw a beautiful Burmese shrike, common Iora, streaked spider hunter and loads of black Drongos and hoopoes passing through the grounds of the big stadium in Khorat last week.

Great stuff!

That's a good specie count. I drop by Korat quite often but don't know where this 'big stadium' is, can you give more specific details please. Is it some sort of park with lots of trees?

Btw, forgot to mention in my earlier post on patch update; anyone seeing Grey heron lately as I have quite a few now at my reservoir. But I miss the darters, nowhere to be seen for about 3 months now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Majesty_the_King's_80th_Birthday_Anniversary,_5th_December_2007_Sports_Complex

This is it mate, hope the link works.

It's the kings 80th birthday stadium in Khorat.

Nakonratchasima FC play their home games there it's a big sporting complex with a shooting range, mountain bike track, tennis courts, football pitches a big pond etc. There are some nice patches that get overgrown at times and a side that runs adjacent to a temple with some big trees and bushes. I go there to jog mainly but keep the binoculars in the car and have a stroll around once in a while. I'm sure there are better birding spots around but it's just a nice place to stroll around anyway.

My favorite spot in the area is a resort called Golden Land resort. It's set on 300 acres and is a great place for a spot of birding especially if you stay over night and get up very early. The headquarters of the forestry department is good too!

Cheers

[Long tang]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80th_Birthday_Stadium

Whoops, sent the wrong link, apologies.

[Long tang]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80th_Birthday_Stadium

Whoops, sent the wrong link, apologies.

This one should do the job.

[55Jay]

Does somebody have a record of Yellow(?) Bittern's "WOOP WOOP WOOP"? I can't find any on the Internet.

I'm living on Samui, but hope Isan have them too.

It doesn't sound like a Yellow Bittern to me! The call is transcribed by Robson as 'kak'kak'kak' in flight.

I think he means what I've been told is the "Leo Leo" bird (in lower Issan)?

I've got one outside my window in the mango or coconut tree, besides the daytime, he/she starts going about 1:30 in the morning

And I love it, its very nice - Lay-o Lay-o, Layyy-oo, lay-oooo.

"The Birds of the Bangkok Area" (Philip Round) has notes on the Yellow Bittern's flight call vs. territorial call. Male's territorial call "is a soft crrew crrew also described as a series of low pitches ou notes." I used to hear this often when i lived in a wetlands area in Surin.

Coucals also make a kind of whooping sound that might match, Greater and Lesser.

55Jay, sounds like you are describing an Asian Koel.

Strangely enough, or perhaps not for those of you in the know, but my Layoo Layoo bird (Asian Koel) has been fully absent in the wet season. Here in Nakhon Ratchasima, we are now on the cusp of wet and dry, and I heard one, just briefly, the other night. Layoo layooo.........and then silence.

I am not a serious birder, but lurk among you in this thread. However, I was overjoyed when I heard that sound the other night, and said to myself, "Ah, there he is....".

It reminded me of Henry Fonda and Margret Hepburn, in a way, and their beloved Loons.

[jack2964]

Thanks Long tang for the link. Will see if I can find some nice birds.

And for today from my patch what I initially thought to be the usual Asian brown flycatcher might instead be Red-throated flycatcher?

Can't say for sure whether it's male (non-breeding) or female. I picked this after referring to Robson's 'Birds of Thailand'.

The conspicuous white in the tail after it took flight made it easy. Please correct me if I am wrong here. Ta!

[isanbirder]

Robson now calls it the Taiga Flycatcher. Without checking, I think this and Red-throated have been split from a single species. It doesn't show any red in winter, but as you say, the white on the tail in flight is a giveaway.

[hanno]

Yupp, Taiga Flycatcher. Common like heck in these parts of the world in winter. Listen for the oft-repeated brrrrrrrr call.

[jack2964]

Robson now calls it the Taiga Flycatcher. Without checking, I think this and Red-throated have been split from a single species. It doesn't show any red in winter, but as you say, the white on the tail in flight is a giveaway.

Pardon my ignorance does this mean Taiga and Red-throated are now two separate species?

I did a quick google search and came up with Ficedula parva, F.albicilla and finally F. parva albicilla.

I am totally confused.

[Goshawk]

Pardon my ignorance does this mean Taiga and Red-throated are now two separate species?

I did a quick google search and came up with Ficedula parva, F.albicilla and finally F. parva albicilla.

I am totally confused.

2 separate species alright. But the split is Red-breasted & Red-throated (Taiga)

i remember the first record for Britain of Taiga Flycatcher... back in 2003, one turned up at Flamborough Head! Twitchers from all over the UK flocked to Yorkshire to see it. Was quite an event for British birding. It was also mist netted.

[jack2964]

2 separate species alright. But the split is Red-breasted & Red-throated (Taiga)

i remember the first record for Britain of Taiga Flycatcher... back in 2003, one turned up at Flamborough Head! Twitchers from all over the UK flocked to Yorkshire to see it. Was quite an event for British birding. It was also mist netted.

Thanks for the clarification Goshawk. Further googling says Red-breasted (F.parva) winters in S.Asia and what we get here is the Taiga (F.albicilla).

[Long tang]

Pardon my ignorance does this mean Taiga and Red-throated are now two separate species?

I did a quick google search and came up with Ficedula parva, F.albicilla and finally F. parva albicilla.

I am totally confused.

2 separate species alright. But the split is Red-breasted & Red-throated (Taiga)

i remember the first record for Britain of Taiga Flycatcher... back in 2003, one turned up at Flamborough Head! Twitchers from all over the UK flocked to Yorkshire to see it. Was quite an event for British birding. It was also mist netted.

Was it lost? Why would it end up there? How does something like that happen?

Please excuse my ignorance.

[Goshawk]

Pardon my ignorance does this mean Taiga and Red-throated are now two separate species?

I did a quick google search and came up with Ficedula parva, F.albicilla and finally F. parva albicilla.

I am totally confused.

2 separate species alright. But the split is Red-breasted & Red-throated (Taiga)

i remember the first record for Britain of Taiga Flycatcher... back in 2003, one turned up at Flamborough Head! Twitchers from all over the UK flocked to Yorkshire to see it. Was quite an event for British birding. It was also mist netted.

Was it lost? Why would it end up there? How does something like that happen?

Please excuse my ignorance.

in this case, at the western most part of their range, when migrating south they (all migrating birds actually) can get caught up in strong weather/winds that blow them way off course....hence a few oddities turn up in places where they simply shouldn't be. We call them 'vagrants'. UK gets a handful of these every year from east & west.

Thailand gets them too... enter the 'twitcher'.

[hanno]

Pardon my ignorance does this mean Taiga and Red-throated are now two separate species?

I did a quick google search and came up with Ficedula parva, F.albicilla and finally F. parva albicilla.

I am totally confused.

2 separate species alright. But the split is Red-breasted & Red-throated (Taiga)

i remember the first record for Britain of Taiga Flycatcher... back in 2003, one turned up at Flamborough Head! Twitchers from all over the UK flocked to Yorkshire to see it. Was quite an event for British birding. It was also mist netted.

Was it lost? Why would it end up there? How does something like that happen?

Please excuse my ignorance.

Malfunctioning GPS