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Posted

Not sure where to post this.

Two days ago I saw a huge seabird in the sky off Rawai beach in Phuket. It had a white body and head with grey to black wings. The beak was large, yellow and hooked. It’s flight was stunning. it would flap its wings a few times and then soar with wings outstretched, its head crooked, looking for food in the shallows below. I would say it was bigger than the common Kites seen all over the island.

My immediate thought was of an albatross. I tried to check it on various websites but all the info seems to suggest that Thailand is way outside the usual areas for an albatross.

Any ideas? Do any bird experts have any idea what it might have been.

Posted

There is a wonderful site Birds of Thailand that a member pointed out in this forum a while back. Worth perusing.

www.pbase.com/peterericsson/birds_of_thailand

Posted (edited)

The good news is if it lands in Phuket it should be good for 30 day visa exemption as it arrived by air...

Edited by phaethon
Posted
White-bellied Sea Eagle. See the pic.

I am seriously impressed by your speed of response and thanks for your help but I don't think that was it.

From memory it did not have those "fingers" on the end of the wings. Which would have had me thinking"eagle" immediately.

Actually the wife doesn't think that was it either.......course we could both be wrong!

Any other possibilities?

Posted
post-13487-1229615618_thumb.jpg

Definitely not the black headed ibis.

It was this

Sorry that didn't upload properly.

It was definitely not the Black Headed Ibis. For one thing it did not have a black head. It was one or other of the albatross pics.

Is it really not possible to see an albatross in Thailand??

Posted

my immediate reaction was/still is White bellied Sea Eagle..

but, as you've ruled it out on not showing flight 'fingers' and are drawn to a more straight/narrow winged sea bird..

2627759944_b4b9863582.jpg

this is a Great Crested Tern

wings are grey above & it's the only other largish seabird likely off Phuket with a "The beak was large, yellow and hooked" description that i could think of..

Alabatross is highly unlikely from that location

Posted
my immediate reaction was/still is White bellied Sea Eagle..

but, as you've ruled it out on not showing flight 'fingers' and are drawn to a more straight/narrow winged sea bird..

2627759944_b4b9863582.jpg

this is a Great Crested Tern

wings are grey above & it's the only other largish seabird likely off Phuket with a "The beak was large, yellow and hooked" description that i could think of..

Alabatross is highly unlikely from that location

But a Tern would not soar in flight.

Having said that - I have no idea what it might have been!

Patrick

Posted (edited)

I don't think a Tern would not be large enough. only 45cm wingspan.Mr John wrote that it was bigger than a Kite.

A Masked Booby (85cm) perhaps?

Like the Goshawk I've never heard of an albatross sighting on Thailand shores before.

post-68387-1229680487_thumb.jpg

Edited by Geekfreaklover
Posted (edited)
A Masked Booby (85cm) perhaps?

thought of that too.. but this paricular bird would be almost in the same category as an Albatross just off Rawai beach in Phuket - highly unlikely..

edit:

From memory it did not have those "fingers" on the end of the wings. Which would have had me thinking"eagle" immediately.

Actually the wife doesn't think that was it either.......course we could both be wrong!

(probably was the Eagle after all...) :o

Edited by Goshawk

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