Apols for the small branch but the model wasn't very co-operative this morning.

Bog Standard Bulbul in our Drumstick tree (Moringa Oleifera)...

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater.

For the 3rd year running this Eurasian Kestrel(?) has arrived to roost under the eaves of my house(North of Phetchabun). Last year 16/10 this year 25/10. He/She stays till around April. Does anyone know where my visitor goes in the hot/rainy season? I fancy somewhere North. Always glad to see the bird since it hearlds the cool season.

^^^ Nice shot...member Goshawk may know...I'm still discovering wild pidgeons!

Sorry that this isn't a better image, I should have stuck with the original rather than zoom in.

I would appreciate if someone can put a name to it.

Oriental Magpie-Robin A common bird that often cocks its tail as this one is. This is most likely a younger bird as they have a brownish colour to the normally white under parts - or a female in just very yellow lighting.

Sorry that this isn't a better image, I should have stuck with the original rather than zoom in.

I would appreciate if someone can put a name to it.

Does anyone know where my visitor goes in the hot/rainy season? I fancy somewhere North. Always glad to see the bird since it hearlds the cool season.

more than likely . . . somewhere in China.

and what a great annual house guest! lucky you...

Does anyone know where my visitor goes in the hot/rainy season? I fancy somewhere North. Always glad to see the bird since it hearlds the cool season.

more than likely . . . somewhere in China.

and what a great annual house guest! lucky you...

Thanks. I thought it might be to somewhere cooler and dryer. I have heard of raptor migration to the South but not North from Thailand.

I feel quite privileged that the bird comes back each year and amazed at his navigating skills. He perches in exactly the same position right outside my bedroom window.

Only regret is he sits in an almost impossible position to photograph without disturbing him.

BTW I say him because I think the greyish head makes him a bloke.

I have heard of raptor migration to the South but not North from Thailand.

A group of 50-60 Black Baza close to Phayao yesterday. Amazing sight. We saw 2 more groups of raptors there, each also about 50 birds, looked like Hawk Eagles but not 100% sure.

And one that I see very often around CM, also not sure what it is.

That was in Myanmar near Ranong. Stunning environment there.

Hornbills at Andaman Club

I have heard of raptor migration to the South but not North from Thailand.

A group of 50-60 Black Baza close to Phayao yesterday. Amazing sight. We saw 2 more groups of raptors there, each also about 50 birds, looked like Hawk Eagles but not 100% sure.

And one that I see very often around CM, also not sure what it is.

By the color of the bill it would most likely be a Rufous winged Buzzard.

Some pics from a recent trip to Australia.

Spent about 20 minutes this morning waiting for this little fellow to stand still long enough for me to get a shot in.

Some pics from a recent trip to Australia.

Some nice shots:

Black-shouldered Kite, Australasian Hobby (little Falcon), Whiskered Tern, Pink-eared Duck, Little pied Cormorant with Pelican.

Resting from feeding over a swamp.

Barn Swallow

Pink necked green pidgeons again...plus...the tribe of smaller

birds that are always with them. The males are shiney black

with blood red skin around their eyes while the females are a

brownish black with off white & dark brown stripes on their

chest. Any idea what the small birds are? Back in the US as

a kid we called em starlings...a pestulance to farmers &

gardeners.

Pink necked green pidgeons again...plus...the tribe of smaller

birds that are always with them. The males are shiney black

with blood red skin around their eyes while the females are a

brownish black with off white & dark brown stripes on their

chest. Any idea what the small birds are? Back in the US as

a kid we called em starlings...a pestulance to farmers &

gardeners.

IMG_0262.JPG

Your description sounds like Philippine Starling - common only in the southern peninsular area of Thailand.

This little bloke has been hanging around lately.

Pink necked green pidgeons again...plus...the tribe of smaller

birds that are always with them. The males are shiney black

with blood red skin around their eyes while the females are a

brownish black with off white & dark brown stripes on their

chest. Any idea what the small birds are? Back in the US as

a kid we called em starlings...a pestulance to farmers &

gardeners.

IMG_0262.JPG

Your description sounds like Philippine Starling - common only in the southern peninsular area of Thailand.

Thanks MH. I'm in Ranong...just south of town centre about 20 Km's.

Just received permission fr the missus to put the Big Nik (D810) on the

table for a few days with 70-200 attached in hopes of getting a decent

shot of the starlings. The lil G16 just doesn't quite cut it through the

branches & grey white sky...but it's great for generic grab shots tho.

Thanks again.

Good thinking sunshine 51. I always forget to push the exposure when taking a shot with sky behind - usually +1.5 does the job. Depends if the background has grey clouds or is just bright sky. I have a Canon and it is poor compared to the Nikon when taking white plumaged or black and white birds. I often need an ND filter, or push or pull the exposure adjustment, to stop the whites blowing out.

Thanks for that info mousehound...much appreciated.

Ms Koel came a callin at 0735 this morning just as I

was taking my first sip of me first cup of coffee...she

was so loud I darn near spit that first swallow all over

Big Nik!...

Today in Bangkok

Plaintive cuckoo on a lotus bud.

Sooty-headed again but red-vented. From Taksin Maharat National Park near Kamphaeng Phet.

Gear: Canon 7D with 400/5.6 handheld.

Exif: F6.3; ISO2500 (yes very noisy); 1/640 speed; Av mode

Sooty-headed again but red-vented. From Taksin Maharat National Park near Kamphaeng Phet.

Gear: Canon 7D with 400/5.6 handheld.

Exif: F6.3; ISO2500 (yes very noisy); 1/640 speed; Av mode

Only ever seen the red vented once and that was at the entrance to Hellfire Pass and red and yellow vented were both together.

Quote: Only ever seen the red vented once and that was at the entrance to Hellfire Pass and red and yellow vented were both together.

Over in lower NE Isaan they are all orangey vented.

Blue Rock Thrush from Mae Wong NP.

Gear: 7D; 500F4 with 1.4X teleconverter.

Exif: F5.6; ISO 2000; Shutter: 1/320 sec; Mode: Av; Subject dist: 8.12m; F/L: 700mm