Calling All Birders In Isan

Isan is a good, but little-known, area for bird-watching (don't believe those people who tell you there aren't any birds about). I cover an area of paddy, plus a very small wood, within walking distance of my house in Buriram... and I've recorded over 150 species there. Areas with wetlands will have more.

There is a very small group of people who exchange information on what we're seeing; none of us are experts, but we like to help with identification where we can. Isan is so little watched (apart from Khao Yai) that we frequently record birds never previously seen in the area.

I usually seem to put a post of this nature in during Painted Stork time... last week I had 24 of these magnificent birds in the paddy stubble. This is also the time for raptors of all sorts; this morning there were only Brahminy Kite and the lovely Black-shouldered Kite, but I've had Black Kite, Honey Buzzard, Kestrel, Shikra, Rufous-winged Buzzard during the past few weeks.