The Bee Eaters are back.

[worgeordie]

I see the Bee Eaters are back ,so the cool season cannot be far away,

sitting on the wires outside my house,they are very aerobatic,twisting

and turning in the air to catch insects. I think they must come down

from China or some other part of Asia,on their winter holidays.

The Pied Wagtails also come for the winter,great to watch nature

just doing its thing.

regards Worgeordie

[narkeddiver]

Aren't the Bee(f) Eaters from the Uk - sorry

[Goshawk]

back? Green Bee-eaters (& others) are resident & present throughout the year around CM & the north... (maybe just dodging your particular place of late )

right about wagtails though... the White Wagtail (looks like a Pied) is a winter visitor.

[hellodolly]

This is not good. Bee's are a very important part of the food chain.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

This is not good. Bee's are a very important part of the food chain.

perhaps that is why they eat them?

[worgeordie]

Hi Goshawk, I once seen a Hoopoe a few years ago,are they migratory

as well ? and never see Kingfishers anymore I could see them flashing

about in the small river at rear of my house, looks like the same Kingfisher

we have in UK so must have a very wide range.

regards Worgeordie

[worgeordie]

This is not good. Bee's are a very important part of the food chain.

Dont worry Dolly, thats just their name, their diet will be made of

mostly other harmful insects, you have to be careful what you say

on ThaiVisa ,as theres always someone who wants to kill somethi

ng

be it Pigeons,frogs,snakes,dogs cats,and maybe if they think this

bird is eating all the bees, kill it kill it, only joking

please excuse the way this has turned out,new keyboard,not used

to it yet.

regards Worgeordie

[hanno]

Hi Goshawk, I once seen a Hoopoe a few years ago,are they migratory

as well ? and never see Kingfishers anymore I could see them flashing

about in the small river at rear of my house, looks like the same Kingfisher

we have in UK so must have a very wide range.

regards Worgeordie

Hi Geordie,

I am not Goshwak, but have been birding in SE Asia for 20 years;-)

Hoopoes are very common all over SE Asia in winter. Numerous species of Kingfishers are very common in Thailand, I saw a Common Kingfisher (the same as in the UK) just yesterday in the middle of Chiang Mai along a small canal. Other Kingfishers here are more in dry habitat, such as White-throated Kingfisher whilst yet others are forest birds and a bitch to see....

[MESmith]

Seen a kingfisher in our garden this week. Bright turquoise with reddish breast. Comes every year. Are they migratory?

[ARISTIDE]

Don't worry I'm sure the Bee eaters will spare us enough bees to make us some Longan Honey!

This is not good. Bee's are a very important part of the food chain.

Edited September 20, 2013 by ARISTIDE

[eyecatcher]

This is not good. Bee's are a very important part of the food chain.

please excuse the way this has turned out,new keyboard,not used

to it yet.

regards Worgeordie

A few more B# and D minors and your tune will be like a little song thrush.

Sent via tin can and string after pigeon shot

[Greenwich Boy]

Hi Goshawk, I once seen a Hoopoe a few years ago,are they migratory

as well ? and never see Kingfishers anymore I could see them flashing

about in the small river at rear of my house, looks like the same Kingfisher

we have in UK so must have a very wide range.

regards Worgeordie

saw a Common Kingfisher, same as in UK, at the north west corner of the moat today - just along from Huay Kaew.

Haven't been here for a winter yet - looking forward to seeing a Hoopoe

[isanbirder]

Common Kingfishers are common, as their name implies (doesn't always work). You are likely to see them more in winter, though.

I don't think I ever saw a Hoopoe in fifteen years in Chiangmai. Here in Buriram, though, they are very common... and a great source of pleasure to me. Last year, one brought off two broods in the same nest-hole. It was only two feet above the ground, so I could keep a good watch on them. They sit very tight, and did not even move when I shone a (weak) torch on them. This year they didn't do so well... two broods failed, and a Spotted Owlet too in the same hole (not at the same time!).

Edited September 20, 2013 by isanbirder

[cloudhopper]

Used to love to watch the Pied Harriers soaring over the paddies every cold season but haven't seen them for years now.

[MESmith]

Used to love to watch the Pied Harriers soaring over the paddies every cold season but haven't seen them for years now.

Saw a couple last cold season out past San Kamphaeng.

[Alwyn]

This is not good. Bee's are a very important part of the food chain.

perhaps that is why they eat them?

lol....

[Alwyn]

Hi Goshawk, I once seen a Hoopoe a few years ago,are they migratory

as well ? and never see Kingfishers anymore I could see them flashing

about in the small river at rear of my house, looks like the same Kingfisher

we have in UK so must have a very wide range.

regards Worgeordie

Hi Geordie,

I am not Goshwak, but have been birding in SE Asia for 20 years;-)

Hoopoes are very common all over SE Asia in winter. Numerous species of Kingfishers are very common in Thailand, I saw a Common Kingfisher (the same as in the UK) just yesterday in the middle of Chiang Mai along a small canal. Other Kingfishers here are more in dry habitat, such as White-throated Kingfisher whilst yet others are forest birds and a bitch to see....

Used have an abundance of Hoopoes where I lived as a volunteer on a Kibbutz. What amazing birds! (There were a few other amazing birds but I won't talk about that right now)

[Joe Mamma]

Saw the rare red eyed mileormore. A little brown bird that sticks it head in the sand and whistles outta it's ass, and you can hear it's whistle a mile or more.

[Thailion]

Saw the rare red eyed mileormore. A little brown bird that sticks it head in the sand and whistles outta it's ass, and you can hear it's whistle a mile or more.

Hmmmmmm...thought you went off topic there for a sec.

[galoubet]

Bee eaters are pretty much around all the time. But they don't much like this wet weather!

[Briggsy]

Just checked my notes.

I hardly ever visit the North of Thailand in the rainy season. However......

27 August 2003; Green bee-eaters; Meuang Kao, Sukhothai.

[galoubet]

I once seen a Hoopoe a few years ago,are they migratory

as well ?

Hoopoes are resident in Thailand. They are migratory in Europe. I see them often in the South of France. And as far north as central France. Loads around my place in Kanchanaburi. I took this one at Bang Phra, Chonburi.

[Saan]

And the granddaddy of kingfishers is the sacred kingfisher better known as the kookaburra.

[Mudcrab]

I believe the Lesser Beaver Eater and the Come Quick will be in abundance this Autumn /Winter. The call of OIey Oley Oley and the twitter of thisplaceiscrapwherecanigetafuggincurry is a regular and well known vocal occurrence of the many migratory breeds from the northern hemisphere at that time of year. A beautiful and no doubt welcome addition to the Thai natural history that we have come to known and love.

[rdcny1]

well...where to start? If you head down towards Chumphon and stop just a few kilometers north of town at the Khao Dinsor (Pencill Hill) watch site, you can see about 25,000 Blue-tailed Bee-eaters migrating south each August to late October...and also approx. 5,000 Blue-tailed Bee-eaters...and 100-200 Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters...and about 300,000 raptors of 30 or so species (Black Baza; Chinese Sparrowhawk; Greater Steppe Eagle, etc.)

For our (free) report on the 2012 migration (peak season is October), click on this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8urns9xj4capwgb/KhaoDinsor.2012.DeCandido.pdf?m

many photos therein...and much data.

Look up the Chumphon Raptor Center on Facebook for daily updates on the bird migration...

We occasionally get Hoopoe migrants as far south as Chumphon...and I remember them well from Israel when I did bird migration research there...

https://www.facebook.com/ChumphonRaptorCenter -

Robert DeCandido PhD

Photos of Thailand and its birds: http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=714849

[OOLEEBER]

I started bird watching up here in Sukhothai about 10 days ago and took this photo of a green bee-eater last week.

http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/obroadie/files/2013/09/Not-sure.jpg

I also started a wee online journal of Thai birding here.

http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/obroadie/

I'm really new to this so I hope some folks can help correct any identification mistakes I've made.

Thanks for any input of the subject.

Cheers

Ollie

[galoubet]

I started bird watching up here in Sukhothai about 10 days ago and took this photo of a green bee-eater last week.

http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/obroadie/files/2013/09/Not-sure.jpg

I also started a wee online journal of Thai birding here.

http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/obroadie/

I'm really new to this so I hope some folks can help correct any identification mistakes I've made.

Thanks for any input of the subject.

Cheers

Ollie

Your cuckoo looks like a plaintive cuckoo (see my pic taken in Sriracha). Your "Indian Pond Heron" is a Chinese Pond Heron.

[galoubet]

I started bird watching up here in Sukhothai about 10 days ago and took this photo of a green bee-eater last week.

Just an additional note on your cuckoo. It definitely is a plaintive cuckoo for two reasons. Firstly the rusty breasted cuckoo is only found in the south of Thailand and even there is quite rare. Secondly the rusty breasted cuckoo has an orange breast all the way up to the throat whereas the plaintive cuckoo continues it's grey head colour a third of the way down its breast. Otherwise, I agree, the two birds are quite similar. But not in their call. You'll never mistake a plaintive cuckoo. Sounds like some child trying to whistle, badly and out of tune!

And btw I bought Dylan's album "Bringing It All Back Home" when it first came out in 1965. Still have it. Great record.

Edited September 20, 2013 by galoubet

[trainman34014]

[Goshawk]

Hi Goshawk, I once seen a Hoopoe a few years ago,are they migratory

as well ? and never see Kingfishers anymore I could see them flashing

about in the small river at rear of my house, looks like the same Kingfisher

we have in UK so must have a very wide range.

regards Worgeordie

hi worgeordie, Hoopoe's are resident but quite localised around CM. The best place to see them is around the base of Doi Suthep among agricultural/farm land & sparsely wooded areas. For a very long period there was one particular large tree at Mae Hia Ag' college that i came to name the 'Hoopoe tree', it always had one in it... right up until it got cut down. Ho hum.

can't say i've noticed any big decrease in (common) kingfisher numbers.. although the presence, or absence, of them in any area is indicative of the standard/quality of the water.