Hanno
Ho Ho Ho
This trip was actually not planned as a bird watching excursion. The idea was to go to Long Xuyen to sample the local specialty: Lau Trau or Buffalo Hot-pot.
We set off from Chau Doc on my trusty Husky, a Korean-built motorbike, braving the insane traffic. Riding along the Bassac river, the first birds we saw were about 24 White-winged Terns. Most were still in their transitional plumage, but a few were already in full breeding plumage. What elegant birds.
After two hours on the road, and miraculously avoiding getting killed, we arrived in Long Xuyen and dug into the hot-pot. Absolutely delicious, especially when washed down with a few cold Tiger beers. In the background, there was a Collared Kingfisher whistling away. If you ever pass Long Xuyen, let me know, this is not to be missed. Apparently, people come from wide and far to sample the dish, the restaurant doesn’t even need a sign or advertisement, it is so popular.
Suitably fortified, we headed out on the road to Tri Ton. As usual, not many birds in evidence, the hunting pressure is just too intense. However, the more usual suspects were encountered along the way: Barn Swallow, Red Collared Dove, Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
We stopped at a pagoda in the middle of nowhere. Whilst my girlfriend went to pray, I checked out the surrounding trees, turning up Common Iora, more Red Collared Doves and a single Streak-eared Bulbul.
In the currently completely dry rice paddies we saw large numbers of yet more Red Collared Doves and about 5 Indian Rollers. One struggled for 5 minutes with a small snake, before finally devouring it.
The sun was about to set, so we just had half an hour at my local patch, Tra Su forest. It is officially still closed due to avian flu, but the people there know me and let me in without hassle. As usual, this are proved to be the most rewarding. We were greeted by a Common Kingfisher. The wet paddies around the forest held hundreds of Chinese Pond Herons. According to Craig Robson, Javan Pond Herons should be more common here, but I did not see a single one. Whilst Pond Herons are devilishly difficult to tell apart in winter, many of them are now in full breeding plumage, and the deep rufuous heads certainly meant that they were indeed Chinese Pond Herons.
The first herons, Ibises, and Egrets started coming home to roost, and in the space of a few minutes we counted 32 Glossy Ibis, 130 Cattle Egrets, and hundreds of Little Egret. Dozens of Black Drongo were hunting over the Lotus fields, which also held large numbers of Cinnamon and Yellow Bittern.
On the canal, 2 Oriental Dartes were courting, whilst dozens of Purple Swamphen and Common Moorhens were busy feeding. Both the odd Grey Heron and Purple Heron were stalking the numerous fish. A Black-shouldered Kite chased up a Black-capped Kingfisher, whilst the Spot-billed and Lesser Whistling-Duck were not at all impressed.
A pond nearby held dozens of Great White Egret, an incredible 50+ Little Grebe, and a solitary Black-winged Stilt. There were a number of Striated Grassbirds, Pied Fantails, and Magpie Robins.
As we were leaving, the night shift took over, with Black-crowned Night Heron leaving the roosts.
The last bird for the day was a White-breasted Waterhen caught in the headlight on the way home.
A thoroughly enjoyable day: Nice weather, good food, good birds, and some more Tigers to finish it off.
We set off from Chau Doc on my trusty Husky, a Korean-built motorbike, braving the insane traffic. Riding along the Bassac river, the first birds we saw were about 24 White-winged Terns. Most were still in their transitional plumage, but a few were already in full breeding plumage. What elegant birds.
After two hours on the road, and miraculously avoiding getting killed, we arrived in Long Xuyen and dug into the hot-pot. Absolutely delicious, especially when washed down with a few cold Tiger beers. In the background, there was a Collared Kingfisher whistling away. If you ever pass Long Xuyen, let me know, this is not to be missed. Apparently, people come from wide and far to sample the dish, the restaurant doesn’t even need a sign or advertisement, it is so popular.
Suitably fortified, we headed out on the road to Tri Ton. As usual, not many birds in evidence, the hunting pressure is just too intense. However, the more usual suspects were encountered along the way: Barn Swallow, Red Collared Dove, Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
We stopped at a pagoda in the middle of nowhere. Whilst my girlfriend went to pray, I checked out the surrounding trees, turning up Common Iora, more Red Collared Doves and a single Streak-eared Bulbul.
In the currently completely dry rice paddies we saw large numbers of yet more Red Collared Doves and about 5 Indian Rollers. One struggled for 5 minutes with a small snake, before finally devouring it.
The sun was about to set, so we just had half an hour at my local patch, Tra Su forest. It is officially still closed due to avian flu, but the people there know me and let me in without hassle. As usual, this are proved to be the most rewarding. We were greeted by a Common Kingfisher. The wet paddies around the forest held hundreds of Chinese Pond Herons. According to Craig Robson, Javan Pond Herons should be more common here, but I did not see a single one. Whilst Pond Herons are devilishly difficult to tell apart in winter, many of them are now in full breeding plumage, and the deep rufuous heads certainly meant that they were indeed Chinese Pond Herons.
The first herons, Ibises, and Egrets started coming home to roost, and in the space of a few minutes we counted 32 Glossy Ibis, 130 Cattle Egrets, and hundreds of Little Egret. Dozens of Black Drongo were hunting over the Lotus fields, which also held large numbers of Cinnamon and Yellow Bittern.
On the canal, 2 Oriental Dartes were courting, whilst dozens of Purple Swamphen and Common Moorhens were busy feeding. Both the odd Grey Heron and Purple Heron were stalking the numerous fish. A Black-shouldered Kite chased up a Black-capped Kingfisher, whilst the Spot-billed and Lesser Whistling-Duck were not at all impressed.
A pond nearby held dozens of Great White Egret, an incredible 50+ Little Grebe, and a solitary Black-winged Stilt. There were a number of Striated Grassbirds, Pied Fantails, and Magpie Robins.
As we were leaving, the night shift took over, with Black-crowned Night Heron leaving the roosts.
The last bird for the day was a White-breasted Waterhen caught in the headlight on the way home.
A thoroughly enjoyable day: Nice weather, good food, good birds, and some more Tigers to finish it off.
