Inner Gulf of Thailand updates, winter 2010/11 (1 Viewer)

[jorgen1]

Hi,

My wife and I will visit Pak Thale / Laem Pak Bia tuesday-wednesday looking for Spoon-Billed Sandpipers. We will stay at Haad Chao Samran south of LPB.
Can somebody recommend how we easily can get around to the birdwatching areas (we do not have a car), by taxi? public transport? or other options?

Will it be possible to get an update text message regarding location of spoon-billed sandpipers from anyone out there these days?

Regards
Jorgen

 

[gandytron]

Hi,

My wife and I will visit Pak Thale / Laem Pak Bia tuesday-wednesday looking for Spoon-Billed Sandpipers. We will stay at Haad Chao Samran south of LPB.
Can somebody recommend how we easily can get around to the birdwatching areas (we do not have a car), by taxi? public transport? or other options?

Will it be possible to get an update text message regarding location of spoon-billed sandpipers from anyone out there these days?

Regards
Jorgen

Jorgen,

Best option would be a taxi I think, probably arranged by your hotel.

Hopefully Rockfowl or somebody else can provide an update on which pools the birds are frequenting at the moment.

Best wishes

Dave

 

[rockfowl]

Slight sweat today, first group in and a Peregrine had cleared the pans of waders completely when we arrived, took a while for small wader groups to return. In addition, many of the pans had been reflooded so the birds are concentrating on the bunds and one small area, but within the usual site. 2/3 Spooners, good views but very jumpy, watching the skies. Should settle in next few days. Still one Spooner at Abandoned building area so 7 in area. Brahminy at tip still and 31 Nordmann's max count with Great Knot. Also Asian Dowitcher with Godwit at AB yesterday but godwit not in today and distant at LPB. Am in area on Monday and
Wednesday so send me email through my website below with mobile number including country code and will update you.

 

[gandytron]

Slight sweat today, first group in and a Peregrine had cleared the pans of waders completely when we arrived, took a while for small wader groups to return. In addition, many of the pans had been reflooded so the birds are concentrating on the bunds and one small area, but within the usual site. 2/3 Spooners, good views but very jumpy, watching the skies. Should settle in next few days. Still one Spooner at Abandoned building area so 7 in area. Brahminy at tip still and 31 Nordmann's max count with Great Knot. Also Asian Dowitcher with Godwit at AB yesterday but godwit not in today and distant at LPB. Am in area on Monday and
Wednesday so send me email through my website below with mobile number including country code and will update you.

great update Mark. Seven Spooners is wonderful news!

 

[Chris Galvin]

A Wednesday update would be fantastic Mark, will be in BKK then.

Owe you a beer

CHRIS

 

[rockfowl]

3 Spooners inc a 1st winter bird it seems showing well again this morning, at PT birds are arriving midmorning as tide pushes them in from mud flats. 20 Nordmann's with Great Knot at LPB. A pair of White-faced Plover at the Sandspit LPB with Malaysian Plover and 1 Chinese Egret. There is also a Spooner feeding there regular at the moment on mud on north side, presumably the bird roosting at Abandoned Building? No update tomorrow as off to Kaeng Krachan for some welcome shade and forest birding, will update wednesday when back at PT.

 

[Steve Arlow]

There are 2, or more, Spoonies at Kok Kham also I have learnt through the grapevine

 

[KFC]

Cheers Mark - good to hear there is a first year bird present. Enjoy the shade of Kaeng Krachan!

Ken

 

[jorgen1]

3 spoonies again today at Pak Thale. We found them after searching four hours. Nice beginning of our visit to Thailand

regards
Jorgen

 

[gandytron]

Peter Ericsson saw 7 Spoon-billed Sands on one salt pan at Pak Thale this morning.

 

[rockfowl]

Yep, 7 Spooners feeding together and adjacent pans all morning until 1pm at least, still there when I left despite some disturbance from firecrackers (New Year buildup). A wonderful sight! Brahminy still at tip, 26 Nordmann's etc Saw several Spot-winged Starlings close to Bang Kran camp at KK yesterday..... Nice !

 

[halftwo]

Yep, 7 Spooners feeding together and adjacent pans all morning until 1pm at least, still there when I left despite some disturbance from firecrackers (New Year buildup). A wonderful sight! Brahminy still at tip, 26 Nordmann's etc Saw several Spot-winged Starlings close to Bang Kran camp at KK yesterday..... Nice !

Hi Mark,

Username told me you were over in Thailand, I'm on my way to KK PT etc this Monday - are you still around that week?

Great to hear of the waders & those Starlings - can't wait. Let's hope they stick around.

H

 

[Chris Galvin]

Four spoonies at Pak Thale yesterday including three together in a group feeding. Nearby there were 27 Nordmann's in a large group of Barwits. Bumped into the Birdfinders group here and at the restaurant where you get the boat out to the sandspit for the the Malaysian and White-faced Plover.

 

[rockfowl]

Hey H, Been at KK for the last four days camping up there. Will be at Pak Thale Monday morning with next team. KK very dry but very good birding... Of interest for you perhaps, 2 Blue Pitta between stream 1 and 2 and showing well. Rusty-naped just after stream 2 a nice surprise and Grey Peacock Pheasant been showing on and off in area all week, also one middle of the day at the main drinking pool lower down (Thai photographer stunning images). The main bird however might be the WhiteIfronted Scops in Bang Krang camp singing nightly...... Saves being crushed by the tusker currently in the area of the streams!
Didn't see the starlings during the last four days or heard of any further sightings.

 

[tombac]

Only one Spoonbill at Pak Thale yesterday 8.2. The waterlevel in the pools seems to vary. Lot of waders at LPB though. 25 Pied Avocets in the pools close to LPB harbour. (W-side of the road).

 

[gandytron]

I've been reliably informed that there have been 3 Spoon-billed Sandpipers at Khok Kham recently - so we are looking at a minimum of 10 birds in the inner gulf this winter.

 

[rockfowl]

4 Spooners at Pak thale yesterday and 1 roosting with a mass of waders at Laem Pak Bia. A pair of White-faced Plover, 10 plus Malaysian and 2 Chinese Egret at the Sandspit. Biggest surprise was it appears, a Christmas Island Frigatebird over the mouth of the river from the mangroves which was seen and photographed by a member of my group in the second boat out to the sandspit..... I didn't see it......

Of interest, a Giant Pitta has seemingly been showing well at KK and been photographed in recent days!

 

[rockfowl]

At least 6 Spooners still showing well during last couple of days at Pak Thale but quite widely scattered at times, but with 4 birds frequently close together.

 

[rockfowl]

Still a pair of White-faced Plovers at LPB spit today and a few Malaysian Plover , 2 Chinese Egret but a lot of disturbance from motorbikes. 14 Grey-headed Lapwing roosting in mangroves there. Peregrine and over zealous birder disrupting roost at LPB so only 12 Nordmann's there. At Abandoned building 22 Avocet but no sign of dowitchers amongst 1000's godwit.
Heard of 8 Spooners together at Pak Thale with 15 Nordmannks there also.

 

[andy latham]

Just returned from Thailand, brilliant trip. Spent the last 2 days in Khao yai 10&11/02, Mugimaki fly still showing very well, Siamese Fireback on the Radar road, CBG cuckoo showed Fri afternoon at 2.00 oclock but has been very elusive lately.
KNC 3&4/02 Guernys & Banded pitta, (yotin site), Javan frogmouth & Bay owl again yotins sites!! Some excellent birds but very difficult birding even with yotin!
Krung ching waterfall, Honeyguide the best find, no sight/sound of Rail babbler or buffy fish owl. Rufous collared kingfisher, Diards trogon being the best of the expected haul,but extremely good birding there for 3 days. Take leach precautions!!!
We tried to contact you Sun 30th Mark there were 2 Oriental prats around LPB early morning but flew towards the estuary. Thanks for the information you gave to us saturday afternoon.

Cheers Andy