For The Birds !

[Goshawk]

You mean to say the 1st of the 3 pics of my mistaken ID of small niltava?

yes

[Goshawk]

on a cold cloudy summit...

Flavescent Bulbul - Doi Inthanon

[Robby nz]

The evil eye

[Goshawk]

there'll be blue birds over around the white cliffs the rivers of Dover of Thailand....

Blue Whistling Thrush - Namtok Wachiratan

[Robby nz]

Looking for breakfast.

Pied kingfisher

Never see them anywhere else than the river.

[jack2964]

Looking for breakfast.

Pied kingfisher

Never see them anywhere else than the river.

pied kingfisher in flight singburi.JPG

This is one I really want to see but so far no luck.

Common one from my backyard-Peaceful dove and family:

[Robby nz]

This is one I really want to see but so far no luck.

See them most days down by the river here, not always lucky enough to be able to get close enough to get a photo of one hovering.

Had a look through and found one of this one perched in a small branch.

Not usually easy to get close to them as they have very sharp eyesight and are not keen on people.

[jack2964]

This is one I really want to see but so far no luck.

See them most days down by the river here, not always lucky enough to be able to get close enough to get a photo of one hovering.

Had a look through and found one of this one perched in a small branch.

Not usually easy to get close to them as they have very sharp eyesight and are not keen on people.

pied kingfisher 2.JPG

These pics make me drool. I've been wanting to capture the Pied KF since I set foot here. Been looking for it at Bueng Boraphet without success as well as Surin. A fellow TV member shared a location over in Surin recently but I still failed to sight one. TFS!

[hanno]

Come to Cambodia and visit my local patch; up to 50 Pied Kingfishers on certain days (and Black-necked Stork, both Adjutants, Milky and Painted Stork, and much, much more).

[jack2964]

Come to Cambodia and visit my local patch; up to 50 Pied Kingfishers on certain days (and Black-necked Stork, both Adjutants, Milky and Painted Stork, and much, much more).

Sure is tempting Hanno but just the thought of going through Cambo's immigration is a big turn off. But that's another story.

Any montane birding near you?

[hanno]

Come to Cambodia and visit my local patch; up to 50 Pied Kingfishers on certain days (and Black-necked Stork, both Adjutants, Milky and Painted Stork, and much, much more).

Sure is tempting Hanno but just the thought of going through Cambo's immigration is a big turn off. But that's another story.

Any montane birding near you?

Cambodian immigration is a breeze. My ANg Trapang Thmor list is at over 200.....

No montane birding nearby, that is a few hours away. That is why I am going to Chiang Mai in a couple of weeks:-)

[Robby nz]

Come to Cambodia and visit my local patch; up to 50 Pied Kingfishers on certain days (and Black-necked Stork, both Adjutants, Milky and Painted Stork, and much, much more).

Might just take you up on that some time in the future.

Only been to Cambodia once many years back traveled from south to Ankor , no camera then so no bird pix.

Must be far different from Lao where you are lucky to see a bird of any sort, all eaten, saw half a dozen sparrows on one of the 4000 islands and a mist net hanging up, imagine trying to catch a sparrow for food.

Asked about seeing birds at one of the national parks in the north and was told you have to go at least 2 days in to see any, and animals, no chance.

Agree no problem with Cambodian immigration but take US $ they don't like Thai Baht like I took, but that's another story.

[hanno]

Cambodia still has a few birds that have disappeared from Thailand (e.g. Giant and White-shouldered Ibis) as well as two endemics, but you had better hurry; the deforestation is insane.

I had a good trip to Laos looking for Bare-faced Bulbul. Saw those and had quite a lot of other good birds too.

[Robby nz]

Another kingfisher that has turned up here recently.

They have a raucous call and like to call on the wing, can hear them coming more often than see them.

The ones I have seen have been around paddy surrounded with mature trees.

Stork Billed Kingfisher.

[jack2964]

Another kingfisher that has turned up here recently.

They have a raucous call and like to call on the wing, can hear them coming more often than see them.

The ones I have seen have been around paddy surrounded with mature trees.

Stork Billed Kingfisher.

stork billed kingfisher singburi.1.JPG

stork billed kingfisher.jpg

Good catch Robby. I ticked this one recently when out fishing but still no photos yet.

[jack2964]

Any sightings of Oriental dwarf and Ruddy kingfisher in your patch?

[Robby nz]

Hi Jack

That was a dangerous thing to say not that long back , might still be in some circumstances.

But anyway the only other Kingfisher I see is the White Throated, common around here, see them most days.

I keep looking at every one I see just in case it is something different.

according to the book I have The Collared and Banded should be here and the Black Capped and Ruddy are either winter visitors of passage migrants.

There are also the smaller ones, the Blue Eared, Common and Black Backed which should be around.

Will keep looking.

Robby

[hanno]

Robby, some of the birds you mention are forest kingfishers and are pretty hard to track down if you don't know the calls. Blue-eared? Look at every Common. Collared is a coastal bird and noisy as hell, easy enough. Banded is a bitch as it tends to sit still forever. Black-backed is another hard one, Black-capped should be easy enough.

[Goshawk]

a tough shot for the SX50, in dark dense forest...

Hill Blue Flycatcher - summit of Doi Pui

[Robby nz]

Trying to get photos in dense forest and poor light is not easy.

This bird is particularly frustrating as it stays close to the ground in dense undergrowth, it has a loud alarm call and you know it can see you when you cant see it.

The temptation is to follow the call as best you can but the call seems to keep the same distance away.

This was the best shot I got out of about 30 exposures before it hopped away.

There was always a small branch or leaf in the way and just getting a focus through it all was almost impossible.

Blue Pitta

Phu Khae Botanical Gardens

[Goshawk]

You did well the Pitta Rob, always tricky are they.

..from sculker's to show off's...

Bright-headed Cisticola - Chiang Mai

[jack2964]

Trying to get photos in dense forest and poor light is not easy.

This bird is particularly frustrating as it stays close to the ground in dense undergrowth, it has a loud alarm call and you know it can see you when you cant see it.

The temptation is to follow the call as best you can but the call seems to keep the same distance away.

This was the best shot I got out of about 30 exposures before it hopped away.

There was always a small branch or leaf in the way and just getting a focus through it all was almost impossible.

blue winged pitta. better JPG.JPG

Blue Pitta

Phu Khae Botanical Gardens

Yours is probably a Blue-winged which I haven't seen yet. Yes, pittas are-shall I say a pita to see.

I remember making more than half a dozen trips to Phu Khieo and battling to keep leeches off me to finally see a female Blue Pitta. Have yet to see a male. My score is so far 1 Blue (f) and Mangrove pitta. I have a long way to go.

Btw, where is Phu Khae Gardens?

[Goshawk]

out of the dark, dense forest now... and back into the light ...

Green Bee-eater

[jack2964]

Headless one: Enjoying a rain shower.

[jack2964]

out of the dark, dense forest now... and back into the light ...

Green Bee-eater

Nice shot. Had a peek at the exif and I notice you have a SX50 which I am quite keen to get my hands on.

I find it too taxing hauling long lens, tripod and associated bits. Are you able to get decent images at say

400-500mm F/L hand-holding?

[jack2964]

Could this be a Thick-billed Flowerpecker?

Taken at village surrounded by cassava farms

Lower NE Isaan.

[Goshawk]

Are you able to get decent images at say

400-500mm F/L hand-holding?

yes... the IS pretty good. Although 99% of the time, i still prefer a tripod.

(the bird you posted is a Thick-billed)

[jack2964]

Are you able to get decent images at say

400-500mm F/L hand-holding?

yes... the IS pretty good. Although 99% of the time, i still prefer a tripod.

(the bird you posted is a Thick-billed)

OK thanks, yet another plus point for the SX50.

Didn't expect that thick-billed to show up in my backyard.

The whole place is completely deforested.

[samuijimmy]

Some pretty nice bird images guys!

The best I could do waiting for the train in Surratthani... at dusk!

[jack2964]

Whoa! bad drivers are everywhere...even in the skies.