The Bee Eaters are back.

[trainman34014]

Above landed on our restaurant table at lunch today....is it a Lovebird ?

[jack2964]

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

Aren't they two separate species? The burra is a much larger bird and often visits backyards and gardens.

The sacred is a little smaller than the local white-throated.

[Saan]

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

Aren't they two separate species? The burra is a much larger bird and often visits backyards and gardens.

The sacred is a little smaller than the local white-throated.

I think you are right about the sacred kingfisher. Serves me right trying to rely on childhood memories. But the kookaburra is definitely a member of the kingfisher family.

[seajae]

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.

is that related to the ohmedoodle bird, has no legs so when it lands you understand its name.

[galoubet]

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

I'm taking you at your word. Your identifications are rather dubious. What you need is a really good field guide. I recommend the "Birds of Thailand" by Craig Robson. Excellent book with accurate drawings and descriptions making identification a breeze. The newer editions also have bird names in Thai script.

Your "Giant Black Crow" is most likely an Asian Koel. It's a very skulking bird, as big as a giant crow but hides effectively in the trees. You can't miss the raucous "koel, koel, koel" call all over Thailand. Your best opportunity to see one is when they fly from one tree to another (as I suspect that's what you saw). The giveaway for me is your picture has a bird with a pale beak not a black beak like a crow. If you get close enough you'll see it has vivid red eyes (as do several other big Thai birds). I took this bird in my garden in Kanchanaburi.

[Goshawk]

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

I'm taking you at your word. Your identifications are rather dubious. What you need is a really good field guide....

Your "Giant Black Crow" is most likely an Asian Koel. It's a very skulking bird, as big as a giant crow but hides effectively in the trees. You can't miss the raucous "koel, koel, koel" call all over Thailand. Your best opportunity to see one is when they fly from one tree to another (as I suspect that's what you saw). The giveaway for me is your picture has a bird with a pale beak not a black beak like a crow. If you get close enough you'll see it has vivid red eyes (as do several other big Thai birds). I took this bird in my garden in Kanchanaburi.

just had a quick look at your blog Ollie & your 'giant black crow' is indeed a crow... specifically, it's a Large-billed Crow. They're resident, pretty common & found throughout the Kingdom.

sorry galoubet... but in his photo, the huge broad 'fingers' on the wings alone should've immediately told you what it is. (koel's wings in flight are much cleaner almost falcon like, as they should be being a member of the cuckoo family)

[SantiSuk]

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!).

Hoopoes and Green Bee-Eaters - two of my favourite common birds in my neck of the woods. Loads of them around all along the Southern part of Isaan i reckon.

I don't think they are migratory here in Kantaralak? Bee eaters certainly not - they sit on a wire above my garden with the Ashy Wood Swallow gangs year round. Green bea-eaters are ubiquitous but Hoopoes seem to be more localised; can't see them anywhere around my village in a populated main road area but I know areas well away from populations where you will nearly always find them.

[Bobsufc]

Every the small copse of trees in the swamp next to my school in Nonthaburi is visited by a pair of Asian Koels. He is easy to watch coz he sits in the Crown of a tree level with the top floor of the School. Easy to hear him through closed windows and air con and class noise. LOL

2 or three times. I'm not sure if they breed here as the only hosts would appear to be Indian Mynas.

[MESmith]

Spotted some storks in the rice fields on my morning bike ride. Don't often see them, usually just egrets. Are storks resident year round?

btw, the last couple of days, the weather seems to have changed. Feels more autumnal but without the cold.

[Muhendis]

We get all sorts (of birds) out here in the wilds of Buriram. Earlier this year whilst ploughing I was startled by a bright blue crow sized bird came swooping down to feed in the furrows. It was, of course, an Indian Roller. Never saw one before but it, and it's pal, stayed around for a few days adding a bit of colour to the fields.

We also have Green Bee Eaters here. There was only one pair six years ago now that number has increased to seven pairs.

[isanbirder]

Spotted some storks in the rice fields on my morning bike ride. Don't often see them, usually just egrets. Are storks resident year round?

btw, the last couple of days, the weather seems to have changed. Feels more autumnal but without the cold.

Asian Openbills (storks) have spread over much of Thailand during the past two years. It's not clear what is happening; they have deserted Wat Phailom (Pathum Thani, I think) where the main colony used to be, and I don't think they nest in the other main colony, at Bung Boraphet, any more. But they have reached north at least as far as Chiangmai, and are present in some numbers in the south of Isan. They should start breeding next month, so maybe the situation will become clearer.

We get all sorts (of birds) out here in the wilds of Buriram. Earlier this year whilst ploughing I was startled by a bright blue crow sized bird came swooping down to feed in the furrows. It was, of course, an Indian Roller. Never saw one before but it, and it's pal, stayed around for a few days adding a bit of colour to the fields.

We also have Green Bee Eaters here. There was only one pair six years ago now that number has increased to seven pairs.

Indian Rollers are fairly common in my part of Buriram too. They are supposed to be hole-nesters, but last year I had one nest in an old mynah's nest in an isolated tree. I see them throughout the year, sometimes in display flight, which is rather splendid.

[MESmith]

I spotted the storks here: 18.696698,99.092839

Last month saw some here: 18.705867,99.138243

[Muhendis]

Isanbirder. I don't know if your pun was deliberate or not but you wrote " They are supposed to be hole-nesters, but last year I had one nest in an old mynah's nest in an isolated tree". Nesters that make holes to live in could well be miners

Re. the storks. We have them in great abundance here, almost like pigeons in Trafalgar square. Early this morning I saw a trio of huge grey herons looking longingly into the paddy field waters.

[MESmith]

Isanbirder. I don't know if your pun was deliberate or not but you wrote " They are supposed to be hole-nesters, but last year I had one nest in an old mynah's nest in an isolated tree". Nesters that make holes to live in could well be miners

Re. the storks. We have them in great abundance here, almost like pigeons in Trafalgar square. Early this morning I saw a trio of huge grey herons looking longingly into the paddy field waters.

But 'here" is Chiang Mai, as in Chiang Mai forum.

[hanno]

Open-billed Storks have made a massive comeback. They were pretty rare about 20 years ago, now they are all over the place. Went to Hua Hien today and saw hundreds. Why? I have no idea.

[Briggsy]

Since we are now on about openbill storks, they have invaded Laem Chabang Deep Sea Port much to my amazement. I suspect they have discovered a feeding ground there, rather than a roosting or breeding ground but there are many birds. They may be coming out from Bang Phra Reservoir where tney roost.

[worgeordie]

Its great to see people on here who appreciate wildlife and nature,

where most posts on here seem to be along the lines of, have frogs

in the garden how do i get rid of them!,Doves are hanging around my

house,where can I buy a gun,seen a snake and killed it !,its always

best to be part of nature and not be against it.

regards Worgeordie

[Muhendis]

My farm is in the middle of a sugar cane area. I have a magnificent variety of species of birds all year round. I feel the primary reason for this is that I don't grow sugar cane. I have devoted 10 rai to hardwood forest and the rest of my 50 rai to cassava, rice, papaya, banana and sweetcorn. I do not use herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers but instead use organic compounds and crop rotation. Whilst production may not be at maximum possible yield, my enjoyment of the habitat thus created and all creatures with whom I share it, is incalculable. I have a common kingfisher that comes every year to check out the fish stocks in my lake. There are many different types of dragonfly to control the insect population. I work on the principle that for every "pest" there is a predator so by encouraging them all I can achieve a workable balance. I'd be interest to know if others are doing the same.

[cloudhopper]

Our place up in the northern foothills of Maihongson is surrounded by terraced fields, and while the crops are rotated between rice, soy, eggplant, okra etc so are the pesticides, herbicides, hormones etc. Our ponds, organic gardens and orchard appears to be a haven for all the critters fleeing the surrounding pollution but we grow lots of flowers too and the resulting butterfly, dragonfly, firefly and bird residents keep it all in order. We don't mind eating fruit and veg with a few holes in it - if the insects don't want it it's probably not good for us either.

[worgeordie]

Witnessed an amusing event the other day, there was a right

racket been made from some birds outside,I thought they must

have seen a snake,anyway the awning where i park the car,I

have 2 rods one each side hanging from it, covered with Spanish

moss, so I looked out the window to see, 10/12 Red rumped Bulbuls

sitting on one side they were going crazy at 2 birds sitting on the

other side,these 2 birds were just sitting calm doing nothing,they

were about size of a Myna ,light brown in colour,anyway the Bulbuls

had a distinction dislike of those 2 birds.

Seen a program on TV last night about Africa, David Attenbourgh,

in the Kalahari, In the cold morning the Drongo cannot find any

insects till it warms up, so it flies over to where some MeerKats

are digging looking for food,when the Drongo sees a Meerkat

has a scorpion, it gives an alarm call and all the Meerkats run

for cover,leaving the meal,the Drongo flies down and eats it,

The Drongo tries this trick a again,but the Meerkats are not

fooled this time,so the Drongo gives out the call that the

Meerkat sentry's make when theres danger,and it works again.

Natures wonderful,strange,funny,dangerous,unbelievable.

regards Worgeordie

[Muhendis]

Strange and wonderful things in nature often spoiled by the dominant species. We are a part of that picture in no small way.

I saw a program in the UK presented by a prominent physicist whose name escapes me, but he said something like;

"If a visitor from another planet compared the human genes with those of a blade of grass, then it would be determined that the human and the blade of grass came from the same planet".

We are all related although I must say I sometimes wish my relations were a little more friendly and, in some cases, less inclined to eat me.

[CMKiwi]

Just saw a hoopoe and a kingfisher from the bathroom window. Both perched on the same branch of a dead tree. Nice looking birds. Seems to be more and more birds since our cat died and dog ran away! Was a soi dog from the city....obviously found a bitch somewhere around here and hasnt come home for about a week.

You can take a dog out of the city but not the city out of the dog... or something like that

[Saan]

I know it's a fair stretch from Chiang Mai but twitchers might be interested in this report by the ABC.

A Queensland bird enthusiast claims to have caught the rare Australian night parrot on camera.

The fat, ground-dwelling bird is so elusive it was once thought to be extinct, and the photos could be the first proof of a living night parrot in more than 100 years.

But the news has ruffled some feathers in the bird-watching community because the photographer remains coy on some of the details.

Wildlife photographer John Young says that after 17,000 hours in the field and 15 years of searching, he has captured several photos and a 17-second video of the bird in western Queensland.

Australian Birdlife Magazine editor Sean Dooley says it is an extraordinary development.

"The night parrot is the holy grail of world bird-watching, it's probably the hardest bird in the world to see," he said.

[Muhendis]

I saw this owl a couple of weeks ago perched on my electricity wire. I'm not too sure which one it is. Perhaps someone can recognise it?

It came to visit at the same time for three days but hasn't been back since.

[hanno]

Inclined to go for Spotted Owlet. Common bird and often diurnal. Any calls?

[Muhendis]

Inclined to go for Spotted Owlet. Common bird and often diurnal. Any calls?

Thanks for that hanno. Plumage look very adolescent to me. It was as silent as could be.

[isanbirder]

Inclined to go for Spotted Owlet. Common bird and often diurnal. Any calls?

Definitely a Spotted Owlet. They're very common in my area, but I rarely hear a call.

Last year one or two could be seen early every morning in the vents at the top of the crematorium chimney!

[hanno]

I hear them call quite often here in Siem Reap, though nowhere near as often as Barred.