Birdwatching In Isan

[isanbirder]

It looks like a Verditer to me. It;'s the only blue flycatcher which likes exposed perches. But if the blue is an illusion........

[hanno]

Agreed. Even if the tail is wrong, but maybe a juvenile molting into adult? I cannot think what else it could be.

[jack2964]

It's 3 votes for Verditer then although the ones I have seen before tended to be at elevations above 500m and in moist evergreen forests while I am a mere 200+meters and farmland.

Not doubting you folks but shouldn't the face of Verditer be blue? As for the bluish rump and tail I can't tell if it is optics or actual. The bird was silhouetted against bright sky.

For now I'll take it as verditer which gives a new tick for my patch.

And no AjarnNorth, have not been out to Huai Saneng since that last time. Btw, have you spotted Red Avadavat over there before?

This bird I am quite sure is too large to be Hainan-blue.

Thanks guys.

[jack2964]

How about this Prinia?

I am having a tough time picking either Rufescent, Grey-breasted or Plain.

It has quite a prominent supercilium.

Was taken from an uncut rice field. There must have been easily up to 8 birds spread out in a small area no bigger than 15mX15m.

[HansVilder]

i'm very much a newbie on birds...but the one above looks like a plain prinia in my book.

where's Goshawk when we need him? seems he's quit TV?

[hanno]

I am going for Rufescent. Too dark for Plain, too much of a supercillium for Grey-breasted.

[isanbirder]

I am going for Rufescent. Too dark for Plain, too much of a supercillium for Grey-breasted.

The pics are a bit fuzzy.... but I would take it for a Yellow-bellied. Too much yellow for any of the others, and also this and Plain are the normal Prinias on rice paddy.

Here's a challenge for you, Hanno (and Goshawk). This morning, I checked my prime nesthole (Hoopoes and Spotted Owlet the past two years) for condition by shining a penlite into it. There was a bird sitting! It sat firm. All I could see was a fairly uniform back (rules out Hoopoe), a beady passerine-type eye (rules out Owlet), and it's mid-December which, with the size, rules out Indian Roller (starts breeding in March). I couldn't see the bill. The hole is about 2 feet off the ground in a tree on the edge of a rice paddy, with thin woodland behind it (so thin that it is also planted with paddy). General habitat is rice with scattered trees.

What on earth could it be?

[AjarnNorth]

Jack, Yes, a fair share of Red Avadavat around the Huai Saneng area in Surin, though most often seen on the far side which people rarely visit. As some mentioned above, I usually had them in reeds in open marshy areas, though like Mike I also had them roadside in paddy.

I also had Verditer FC at Huai Saneng, only one sighting but luckily got a pic. Some pics below.

[AjarnNorth]

Oh, and I have the Prinia as probable Rufescent. I will have to check my records, but as I remember it in Surin I always had Grey-breasted and Rufescent, the few times I saw each, in or near forest edge. Any forest near where you took theese prinia shots? Here in Chonburi I only see Plain and Yellow-bellied. I never had Yellow-bellied in Surin, but have become very farmiliar with them down here. These don't look yellow enough for YB... also hard to miss YB on call alone. First time I head one i thought it was a sick kitten!

[jack2964]

Oh, and I have the Prinia as probable Rufescent. I will have to check my records, but as I remember it in Surin I always had Grey-breasted and Rufescent, the few times I saw each, in or near forest edge. Any forest near where you took theese prinia shots? Here in Chonburi I only see Plain and Yellow-bellied. I never had Yellow-bellied in Surin, but have become very farmiliar with them down here. These don't look yellow enough for YB... also hard to miss YB on call alone. First time I head one i thought it was a sick kitten!

The many times I have seen Yellow-bellied were in Malaysia where they are very common and very vocal. More often heard than seen.

The closest degraded forest would be a couple of kilometers away. This forest spreads far to merge with Ta Phraya, Pang Sida, Thap Lan and finally KhaoYai National parks.

Good photos and you got the avadavat with bonus Black-headed munia which I have also yet to see in my patch.

[jack2964]

I am going for Rufescent. Too dark for Plain, too much of a supercillium for Grey-breasted.

The pics are a bit fuzzy.... but I would take it for a Yellow-bellied. Too much yellow for any of the others, and also this and Plain are the normal Prinias on rice paddy.

Here's a challenge for you, Hanno (and Goshawk). This morning, I checked my prime nesthole (Hoopoes and Spotted Owlet the past two years) for condition by shining a penlite into it. There was a bird sitting! It sat firm. All I could see was a fairly uniform back (rules out Hoopoe), a beady passerine-type eye (rules out Owlet), and it's mid-December which, with the size, rules out Indian Roller (starts breeding in March). I couldn't see the bill. The hole is about 2 feet off the ground in a tree on the edge of a rice paddy, with thin woodland behind it (so thin that it is also planted with paddy). General habitat is rice with scattered trees.

What on earth could it be?

Sorry about the poor quality pics, I had no choice but to shoot at very high ISO to get a fast enough shutter speed as I was hand holding a non-IS lens.

I hope you get to ID the bird-in-a-hole soon. Sure everyone here is just as curious.

[jack2964]

We don't seem to have a unanimous decision here so I'll leave this open till I get a better pic.

Thanks to all.

[isanbirder]

Here's a challenge for you, Hanno (and Goshawk). This morning, I checked my prime nesthole (Hoopoes and Spotted Owlet the past two years) for condition by shining a penlite into it. There was a bird sitting! It sat firm. All I could see was a fairly uniform back (rules out Hoopoe), a beady passerine-type eye (rules out Owlet), and it's mid-December which, with the size, rules out Indian Roller (starts breeding in March). I couldn't see the bill. The hole is about 2 feet off the ground in a tree on the edge of a rice paddy, with thin woodland behind it (so thin that it is also planted with paddy). General habitat is rice with scattered trees.

What on earth could it be?

I had a look at the hole again today. No bird, but straw lining the hole (neither Spotted Owlet or Hoopoe have used any lining in this hole before). But I saw a Hoopoe on one of his usual perches before returning to the hole (the previous two breeding seasons).

[jack2964]

This surely is verditer! Sorry for this really bad photo.

I got out to a wooded area couple of km from my house and the whole area is devoid of birds other than this.

Not even Streak-eared. Wonder where all the birds have gone.

Anyway, I have proven myself very wrong , verditer does inhabit this poor habitat. Don't know if it is the same

bird from my previous post.

[jack2964]

Leaf warbler ID help please.

From my backyard this morning:

L

I've only managed to positively ID 2-barred, Radde's and Sulphur-breasted to date. I think this is 2-barred again but hope it might be something else. Thanks.

[AjarnNorth]

Inornate would be my guess, Jack. Nice pic!

[isanbirder]

Inornate would be my guess, Jack. Nice pic!

I would agree, Inornate/Yellow-browed, depending on which book you're using.

[jack2964]

Thanks guys.

Don't know how you guys are able to figure out leaf warblers so easily but I am very pleased to tick this one.

Probably seen it many times before and if I get a half decent pic I'll post it here and get help; aim is to tick off as many as I can.

[jack2964]

This one was seen landing onto a betel nut palm where a pair of House sparrows is nesting.

It sent one parent bird into a frenzy and other birds in the vicinity shrieked alarm calls.

Only managed this overexposed shot. Can't be sure whether it is Chinese Sparrowhawk or Besra.

[isanbirder]

A very difficult group, even with a nice picture like that! My guess (and it's not much more) is Japanese Sparrowhawk. Besra is unlikely because of range.

[jack2964]

A very difficult group, even with a nice picture like that! My guess (and it's not much more) is Japanese Sparrowhawk. Besra is unlikely because of range.

With 3 separate guide books in front of me I still struggle. These raptors are as difficult as Leaf Warblers, worse if it's a juvenile.

[jack2964]

OK folks, I've an extra copy of this (recommended by Goshawk...where are you Goshawk? Thank you!):

Due to delivery problems probably because of the rallies in BKK, I've ended up with 2 copies.

The first order failed to show up until way after the deadline and the seller reimbursed me; kudos to The Book Depository of the UK.

I offered to send it back but they generously told me to keep it as a gift.

I then placed a 2nd order which has now arrived and if anyone wants a copy please PM me.

To share my 'good fortune', and perhaps a little plug for Book Depository, I'll go halves with whoever is interested. The new price is 909baht.

Will send to within Thailand only.

Happy New year to all!

[Robby nz]

Hi All.

Just found this forum thanks to Jack 2946 posting a link.

While I am not in Issan I am only a short way away over the hill, some may say in more ways than one.

However I hope you will forgive me for imposing on you and using you to try to work out what some of the birds in my dunno list are.

Start with

It landed high in a tree some way away and only stayed for a couple of seconds I got this (very poor) shot just as it started to spread its wings to take off.

I had seen a pair of them flying round prior, light underwing and calling with a short squeak. Though possibly Shikra

And

Thought about a female Monarch but the legs are the wrong color.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Robby

[isanbirder]

Welcome, Robby!

The first one is a Shikra, but the second is an Asian Paradise Flycatcher, not a Monarch.

[Robby nz]

Thanks very much for that isanbirder.

Both new species for me.

Will look my dunno page and see what else is there.

Went out this morning and got a shot of a juvenile Bronze-winged Jacana.

Plenty of adults but this is the first juvenile for me.

[AjarnNorth]

Welcome, Robby!

The first one is a Shikra, but the second is an Asian Paradise Flycatcher, not a Monarch.

Agree on the Shikra, but the second one looks to me like a Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher.

Asian Paradise FC is a species I have been seeing pretty regularly as of late. Rufous upperparts and buffish breast and belly. Robby's bird has too much yellow to be APFC.

Will post some pics of each when i get home to my computer this evening.

[AjarnNorth]

Thanks very much for that isanbirder.

Both new species for me.

Will look my dunno page and see what else is there.

Went out this morning and got a shot of a juvenile Bronze-winged Jacana.

Plenty of adults but this is the first juvenile for me.

juvenile B W J.jpg

When i lived on Huai Saneneg, a wetalands area in Surin, I had a lot of BW and PT Jacana. Most of the juv BW were in Jan and Feb, though i did have adults with chicks as early as October. I'm in Chonburi now and have not seen any Jacana as yet. Where are you, Robby?

[Robby nz]

I am in Singburi.

There is one small piece of swamp where I have seen BWJ every time I have been there, only place I have seen them.

Last month I was the first time I saw juveniles.

One is following an adult around and I think another 2 are independent, hard to say how many are in there as there is a lot of cover and they move quicker than the adults and just pop up in different places.

This is a very poor head on shot of the same small bird if that helps.

I took these photos at Phu Kae Botanical Gardens between Lopburi and Saraburi

[hanno]

I agree with the Canary-Flycatcher,Asian Paradise is never that yellow.

[isanbirder]

I agree with you, Hanno and AjarnNorth, after seeing the second picture. I was deceived by the whitish line on the neck, and the somewhat chestnut shade of the wings. Good!

Now one for you! A few days ago I had a magnificent male Peregrine, beautiful view, with that impression of power in the shoulders which I think you get from no other bird.

An hour or so ago, I had another falcon fly over, not far away, but against the sky, so any colours would have been obscured. Dark above, pale below, with black and white on the head (exactly where on the head I couldn't say). So far, so good, but it seemed to me much slimmer and somewhat smaller than the Peregrine. Eurasian Hobby? Or just a rather small Peregrine?