Birdwatching In Isan

[jack2964]

An old photo which I've forgotten about till today when I looked inside my hard drive.

Taken in Dec 2010 from my Isaan backyard. What cuckoo? Thanks.

[AjarnNorth]

An old photo which I've forgotten about till today when I looked inside my hard drive.

Taken in Dec 2010 from my Isaan backyard. What cuckoo? Thanks.

I think I would have that down as a Large Hawk Cuuckoo, but I would wait and see what others say as I have no field experience with that species at all.

[AjarnNorth]

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?

I know exactly what you mean about the shoulders of the Peregrine. I've never seen a Hobby or any other kind of Falcoln, though, or at least not for certain, so I'm stumped. I always go for the default probability when I haven't had a good enough look or, in my case, a decent enough photo to be sure.

[jack2964]

An old photo which I've forgotten about till today when I looked inside my hard drive.

Taken in Dec 2010 from my Isaan backyard. What cuckoo? Thanks.

I think I would have that down as a Large Hawk Cuuckoo, but I would wait and see what others say as I have no field experience with that species at all.

It's missing the rufous breast patch but I've looked at OBC's database and some do look like my pic. Thanks AN.

[Robby nz]

Another from my dunno file.

Only got one shot, taken at Hellfire Pass.

[jack2964]

I have no idea what that is Robby, btw, did you get to see Limestone Wren Babbler while there?

And today I got this one, a Leaf Warbler. Could it be Yellow-browed/Inornate again?

[Robby nz]

Saw a brown bird hopping around among the rocks and had just got a focus on it when the phone rang, so no shot and the only way I can ID anything except the everyday ones is to put them on the computer and look in the books and even then there are a lot of head scratchers.

[AjarnNorth]

Another from my dunno file.

Only got one shot, taken at Hellfire Pass.

hfp.JPG

Not at all sure about this, Robyy, but maybe just maybe a Buff-breasted babbler.

Check OBC pics at: http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?p=1&Bird_ID=1425&Bird_Family_ID=&pagesize=1

[AjarnNorth]

Jack, I think you're right. Looks like Yellow-browed/Inornate to me. My experience in Isaan and now again in Chonburi is that Yellow-browed are the leaf warbler I most often see.

[jack2964]

Jack, I think you're right. Looks like Yellow-browed/Inornate to me. My experience in Isaan and now again in Chonburi is that Yellow-browed are the leaf warbler I most often see.

Thanks AN, probably the same bird as before, It seems to have a set routine, it visits this particular tree most days at about the same time.

[isanbirder]

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.

[Robby nz]

Robby nz, on 08 Jan 2014 - 12:22, said:

Another from my dunno file.

Only got one shot, taken at Hellfire Pass.

hfp.JPG

Not at all sure about this, Robyy, but maybe just maybe a Buff-breasted babbler.

Check OBC pics at: http://orientalbirdi..._ID=&pagesize=1

Thanks Ajarn.

Possibility, but there are distinct markings on the throat and perhaps the legs are the wrong color, could just be the light.

[jack2964]

Sighted a couple more leaf warblers today but no pics. As usual I cannot ID any of them.

Found this PDF document which might be useful to some who can use it. It sure didn't help me though: http://goo.gl/5AdJia

Anyone knows of any good detailed article/book that tackles this difficult specie?

[hanno]

"Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa", Kevin Baker, Helm Identification Guides.

[jack2964]

Thanks Hanno, did a quick google and found it but a bit pricey at 2141baht.

[hanno]

Thanks Hanno, did a quick google and found it but a bit pricey at 2141baht.

True, but I don't think there is much else out there.

[jack2964]

Took a closer look and now I am not sure if this is Rusty-breasted or Plaintive (taken from my backyard).

Over at OBC's database, Plaintive usually has a full grey hood that extends to the breast. But if it is Rusty-breasted then this is out of range.

What do you think guys?

[isanbirder]

Just had another look at the earlier ones. Large Hawk-Cuckoo for sure.... nice to see it from the front. Yellow-browed Warbler, also OK. The babbler remains a mystery to me!

The Plaintive Cuckoo is certainly that, and not a Rusty-breasted. It's a very common bird in most areas. Range is a very helpful ID factor when there are several similar species!

[Robby nz]

Feel a bit guilty using you all as an ID panel, must try to post something positive soon.

Warblers.

No wing markings, thought a Dusky ?

Thinking 2 barred for this one.

Both in Singburi in November.

[isanbirder]

No need to feel guilty, Robby!

The first pic may be a Dusky, but is not clear enough. Usually the best guide to a Dusky is the behaviour and habitat; it flits about in the undergrowth, usually making a constant ticking call.

The second pic is probably a Two-barred, but I'm never very confident on these!

I had the first nests of the season this morning..... a Brahminy Kite, with both adults fending off the crows, and a Hoopoe sitting tight in its hole! (Actually some species nest all year round, or at different seasons, but January to April seems to be the main nesting season.). Both of these birds have nested in the same area (the Hoopoe in the same hole) for three years running.

[hazman]

Anyone know what this bird is?the photograph isn't very good was taken from a distance with my phone it has very shinny gold head and a green body there was a pair of them in my yard I never seen them before.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[isanbirder]

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Hazman.

[isanbirder]

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Hazman.

[hazman]

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Hazman.[/quote

Thanks for the name isanbirder,are they a common bird here?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[isanbirder]

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater is a fairly common to common resident throughout Thailand. It likes most fairly open country, secondary forest, scrubland etc, but will not normally occur in the towns. So it depends where you live!

[Robby nz]

Saw a white rumped munia carrying nesting material a couple of days back so they are starting

Also a freshly dug nest hole in a bank down by the river, presume pied kingfisher as there were 2 pairs of them close by and the bee eaters haven't turned up in any numbers yet.

Saw something interesting a while back. There was a lesser whistling duck at a nest in a tree and it had just kicked out the eggs of a koel, the eggs (3) were freshly broken on the ground.

Two male koel were flying around screeching, they didn't think much of the ducks behavior but it wasn't being fooled.

[jack2964]

Saw a white rumped munia carrying nesting material a couple of days back so they are starting

Also a freshly dug nest hole in a bank down by the river, presume pied kingfisher as there were 2 pairs of them close by and the bee eaters haven't turned up in any numbers yet.

Saw something interesting a while back. There was a lesser whistling duck at a nest in a tree and it had just kicked out the eggs of a koel, the eggs (3) were freshly broken on the ground.

Two male koel were flying around screeching, they didn't think much of the ducks behavior but it wasn't being fooled.

Interesting observation Robby, had the Koels been successful in fooling the ducks, would the hatchlings survive if the ducks' diet is anything to go by.

[Robby nz]

Walking down by the river yesterday saw this bird and first thought was Little Heron but it looked to big.

When I got home and put it on the machine I see It is a Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron.

Seen the adults before but this the first young one I have seen.

[isanbirder]

The Koels, Robby and Jack.

I don't know if the chicks would survive, but it sounds a pretty improbable host! Three in one nest is not good practice for a cuckoo, either!

[Robby nz]

Wouldn't even have seen the nest if it hadn't been for an egg landing in front of us.

Had to go back farther from the tree to see the nest then we could see the duck.