Paul's 2024 World List (4 Viewers)

[Paul Chapman]

A very good day today ended with my Thai List on 603 species. A breakdown of that is as follows:-
10 heard only in Thailand
1 heard in Thailand but seen elsewhere
35 species that I have only ever seen
16 species that I have only seen in Thailand but photo'd elsewhere
541 species photo'd in Thailand

So about 90% of my Thai List is photographed in Thailand.

Today had eleven ticks with Bushy-crested, White-crowned & Helmeted (heard only) Hornbills, Red-billed Malkoha, Mugimaki Flycatcher, etc. A couple of days left to add to the trip list of 517 species.

Year list update:-
Sri Phang-nga NP - 12th March
641 - Maroon Woodpecker
642 - Mugimaki Flycatcher
643 - Wallace's Hawk-Eagle
644 - Helmeted Hornbill
645 - Zappey's Flycatcher
646 - Plain Sunbird
647 - Red-billed Malkoha
648 - Gould's Frogmouth
649 - Streaked Bulbul
650 - Bushy-crested Hornbill
651 - White-crowned Hornbill

A few back of camera pics from today - White-crowned Hornbill, White-rumped Shama, Purple-naped Spiderhunter, Bushy-crested Hornbill, Plain Sunbird, Silver-rumped Spinetail, Banded Kingfisher, Red-billed Malkoha, Malayan Banded Pitta (male & female), Gould's Frogmouth, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Bamboo Woodpecker, Red-throated Barbet, Blue-eared Barbet, .Maroon Woodpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Mugimaki Flycatcher & Little Cormorant (with big ambitions).

Lots of quality there that I really enjoyed.

All the best

Paul

 

[lgonz1008]

Amazing how many species you normally consider as best seen in Borneo can be found in Southern Thailand. I get that it's a similar bioregion, but doesn't deter from how dynamic and unique Thailand is.

Probably one of those best places to bird if you could do only one country in that part of the world (sort of like Kenya for Africa and Peru for South America).

 

[stuartelsom]

A very good day today ended with my Thai List on 603 species. A breakdown of that is as follows:-
10 heard only in Thailand
1 heard in Thailand but seen elsewhere
35 species that I have only ever seen
16 species that I have only seen in Thailand but photo'd elsewhere
541 species photo'd in Thailand

So about 90% of my Thai List is photographed in Thailand.

Today had eleven ticks with Bushy-crested, White-crowned & Helmeted (heard only) Hornbills, Red-billed Malkoha, Mugimaki Flycatcher, etc. A couple of days left to add to the trip list of 517 species.

Year list update:-
Sri Phang-nga NP - 12th March
641 - Maroon Woodpecker
642 - Mugimaki Flycatcher
643 - Wallace's Hawk-Eagle
644 - Helmeted Hornbill
645 - Zappey's Flycatcher
646 - Plain Sunbird
647 - Red-billed Malkoha
648 - Gould's Frogmouth
649 - Streaked Bulbul
650 - Bushy-crested Hornbill
651 - White-crowned Hornbill

A few back of camera pics from today - White-crowned Hornbill, White-rumped Shama, Purple-naped Spiderhunter, Bushy-crested Hornbill, Plain Sunbird, Silver-rumped Spinetail, Banded Kingfisher, Red-billed Malkoha, Malayan Banded Pitta (male & female), Gould's Frogmouth, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Bamboo Woodpecker, Red-throated Barbet, Blue-eared Barbet, .Maroon Woodpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Mugimaki Flycatcher & Little Cormorant (with big ambitions).

Lots of quality there that I really enjoyed.

All the best

Paul

Wow, that Malayan Banded Pitta is a cracker!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Wow, that Malayan Banded Pitta is a cracker!

Cheers Stuart. Looking forward to editing some of these. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

So today I had 8 lifers and some additional trip ticks/year ticks but real highlights for me were Spotted Wood Owl, River Lapwing, Brown-winged Kingfisher and more Mangrove Pitta action.

Late again - especially as I was following the football live text before it was light... - so usual formalities only. 1.5 days' birding left. A 550 trip list would be nice but may be a few too many. Currently 538 after 20 days.

Year list update:-
652 - River Lapwing - Ban Thung Yai meadowlands - 13th March
653 - Long-toed Stint - Ban Thung Yai meadowlands - 13th March
654 - Cinnamon Bittern - Ban Thung Yai meadowlands - 13th March
655 - Ashy Minivet - Ban Thung Yai meadowlands - 13th March
656 - Red-throated Pipit - Ban Thung Yai meadowlands - 13th March
657 - Blue-throated Bee-eater - Thai Mueang Health Garden - 13th March
658 - White-bellied Sea-Eagle - Ao Phang-nga NP - 13th March
659 - Brown-winged Kingfisher - Ao Phang-nga NP - 13th March
660 - Mangrove Whistler - Ao Phang-nga NP - 13th March
661 - White-chested Babbler - Ao Phang-nga NP - 13th March
662 - Asian Glossy Starling - Ao Phang-nga NP - 13th March
663 - Tibetan Sand Plover - Ao Phang-nga NP - 13th March
664 - Terek Sandpiper - Ban Bang Phat mangroves - 13th March
665 - Pacific Reef-Heron - Ban Bang Phat mangroves - 13th March
666 - Collared Kingfisher - Ban Bang Phat mangroves - 13th March
667 - Swinhoe's White-eye - Ban Bang Phat mangroves - 13th March
668 - Copper-throated Sunbird - Ban Bang Phat mangroves - 13th March
669 - Spotted Wood-Owl - Thai Mueang Health Garden - 13th March

A few pics - Spotted Wood Owl, Ornate Sunbird, Swinhoe's White-eye, Collared Kingfisher, Pacific Reef-Heron, Asian Glossy Starling, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Mangrove Pitta (two pics), River Lapwing, Streak- breasted Woodpecker (male & female), Greater Flameback, Common Flameback, Ashy Tailorbird, Mangrove Whistler, Yellow Bittern, Blue-throated Bee-eater, White-chested Babbler & Brown-winged Kingfisher.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

So today was another 7 lifers and my trip list sits at 547 species! Tomorrow we have a morning birding before flying to Bangkok before Saturday's flight home.

Yearlist update:-

670 - Black-and-red Broadbill - Ao Phangnga NP - 14th March
671 - Rufous Piculet - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
672 - Yellow-bellied Bulbul - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
673 - Puff-backed Bulbul - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
674 - Cream-vented Bulbul - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
675 - Van Hasselt's Sunbird - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
676 - Thick-billed Spiderhunter - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
677 - Pin-tailed Parrotfinch - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March
678 - Red-throated Sunbird - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary - 14th March

A few pics - Red-throated Sunbird, Green Broadbill, Van Hasselt's Sunbird, Oriental Honey-Buzzard, Plain Sunbird, Little Bronze Cuckoo, Orange-headed Thrush, Pale-legged Leaf-warbler, Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker, Rufous Piculet, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Pin-tailed Parrotfinch, Puff-backed Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Bulbul, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Thick-billed Spiderhunter, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker, Cream-vented Bulbul, Black-and-red Broadbill & Arctic Warbler.

Three additions in the morning would be nice...

All the best

Paul

 

[Owene]

More amazing birds. Did you get all your main targets?

 

[Paul Chapman]

More amazing birds. Did you get all your main targets?

An interesting question. A stockcheck tonight or tomorrow with eBird will probably suggest 550 trip list out of a realistic 585 species maybe on our itinerary as a maximum. I will report back.

We did not get cheap trip ticks out of wildfowl and waders as no lifers there for us on our itinerary.

Just finished a final c4km walk that was quiet in some quite oppressive humid heat before an early lunch & transit to the airport.

All the best

Paul

 

[Richard Prior]

Don’t forget to get a present for the long suffering Mrs C You’ll be back in time for the rugby too!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Don’t forget to get a present for the long suffering Mrs C You’ll be back in time for the rugby too!

If I purchased my wife a present, having entered a "no presents binding bilateral agreement" in 1993, which has been observed for 31 years, after a trip to Thailand, it would cause a whole heap of unmerited suspicion!

Krabi - 15th March
679 - Green-backed Flycatcher
680 - White-bellied Munia
681 - Ferruginous Babbler

Current tallies - expected to be final:-
Trip - 550
Heard - 18
Photographed - 466
Lifers - 239

(Maybe some common photography tomorrow morning at our Bangkok Hotel before our flight thT may add to the photographed....)

Thai List - 622
Thai Heard - 10
Thai Heard but Seen elsewhere - 1
Thai Seen Only not photo'd anywhere - 32
Thai Seen Only but photo'd elsewhere - 15
Thai Photo'd in Thailand - 564

Only a couple of pics this morning - Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, Green-backed Flycatcher & Ferrruginous Babbler.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

More amazing birds. Did you get all your main targets?

Between our two trips totalling approximately 34 days' birding, I recorded 622 species including eleven heard only.

I compared the outcome by combining the two Birdquest Trip reports on-line for 2020 and 2023 with a total of approximately 38 days' birding. The combined trip lists for the two reports were 578 species including 16 heard only species. Of course, that does not mean that all participants would have seen or heard all of the species combined especially over two tours. (My travelling companion and guide recorded additional species that I did not between our two trips.) Also, our two trips covered more diversity of sites and a broader spread on time of year so it is not a fair comparison but it is indicative of success or failure.

519 species were seen by both the Birdquest tours and us and two species were heard by both the Birdquest tours and us. Eleven species were heard on the Birdquest tours that were seen by us. More importantly, 36 species were seen on the Birdquest tours but not recorded by me (which would have included 28 species that would have been new for me):-

Chinese Francolin

Chestnut-bellied Malkoha

Indian Cuckoo

Ruff*

Pallas's Gull*

Lesser Crested Tern*

Changeable Hawk-Eagle

Greater Spotted Eagle*

Booted Eagle*

Steppe Eagle*

Lesser Fish-Eagle

Himalayan Buzzard

Barred Eagle Owl

Rusty-cheeked Hornbill

Blue-eared Kingfisher

Eared Pitta

Short-billed Minivet

Rufous-winged Philentoma

Crested Jayshrike

Mongolian Short-toed Lark

Buff-vented Bulbul

Grey-bellied Bulbul

Yellow-streaked Warbler

Black-throated Tit

Whiskered Yuhina

Chestnut-rumped Babbler

Spot-necked Babbler

Rufous-crowned Babbler

Eyebrowed Wren-Babbler

Green Cochoa

White-tailed Flycatcher

Blue-fronted Redstart

White-throated Rock Thrush

Common Rosefinch*

Scarlet Finch

Chestnut-eared Bunting*

Further, seven species were seen on the Birdquest tours that I only heard:-

Grey Peacock-Pheasant

Mountain Bamboo-Partridge

Lanceolated Warbler

Aberrant Bush Warbler

Yellow-eyed Babbler

Wedge-tailed Green-Pigeon

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

and three species were heard on the Birdquest tours that would have been new for me:-

Blyth's Hawk-Eagle

Malaysian Blue-banded Kingfisher

Grey-cheeked Bulbul

So failure? Well no. On the other side of the equation, I saw 81 species that were not recorded on the Birdquest tours (of which 70 were photographed) and I heard two species that were not recorded on the Birdquest tours.

Category	Species
Heard by Birdquest but seen by me	11​
Seen by Birdquest and me	519​
Heard by Birdquest and me	2​
Seen by Birdquest but not by me	36​
Seen by Birdquest but only heard by me	7​
Heard by Birdquest but not by me	3​
Seen by me but not by Birdquest	81​
Heard by me but not by Birdquest	2​
Total	661​

On balance, we were successful over the two trips in getting most of our targets. A few pics of species photographed that were not recorded on the Birdquest tours (Little Bronze-cuckoo, Red-legged Crake, River Lapwing, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Oriental Scops Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Brown Hornbill, Bamboo Woodpecker, Blue-naped Pitta, Short-tailed Parrotbill, Red-billed Scimitar-babbler, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Mugimaki Flycatcher & Lesser Green Leafbird) and photographed that were only heard on the Birdquest tours (White-fronted Scops Owl, Mountain Scops Owl, White-crowned Hornbill, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Dusky Broadbill & Lesser Shortwing).

Of course, I use the Birdquest comparison because of their reputation for excellence. Indeed, I have three tours in the diary with them later this year...

All the best

Paul

 

[Owene]

Im loving the statistics almost as much as the pictures. A man after my own heart

 

[Paul Chapman]

A year tick today on my usual Dowlais walk from home:-

682 - Sand Martin Clevedon, North Somerset 21st March

All the best

Paul

 

[foresttwitcher]

Sounds more than successful to me...

 

[DMW]

I don't think these "crude" statistics mean very much in world birding. Seeing an extra 50 globally or regionally common and widespread species is of little significance to most keen world birders, who are generally far more target-oriented. I guess tour companies like to pad their lists for marketing purposes.

I can certainly say your trip has been very successful in terms of seeing key regional endemics and specialities.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I don't think these "crude" statistics mean very much in world birding. Seeing an extra 50 globally or regionally common and widespread species is of little significance to most keen world birders, who are generally far more target-oriented. I guess tour companies like to pad their lists for marketing purposes.

I can certainly say your trip has been very successful in terms of seeing key regional endemics and specialities.

I am very conscious that I am unable to judge regional endemics and specialities. I have been to most localities once only - other than in a Western Palearctic context where there is very limited biodiversity and endemism in any event - so it is interesting beginning to understand some of these concepts.

Our guide had an excellent understanding of distributions and indeed population dynamics and likely future taxonomic changes so all credit goes to him. I am beginning to have an understanding now as to what may come in the future if I start targeting things more specifically.

The Merlin Birdpack has 950 species for Thailand. It is an unusually comprehensive pack. What I would expect as our guide was engaged in its production. If I flick the switch to exclude species that I have already in my eBird list, that reduces to 231 species. (There are one or two more maybe not in my eBird yet but that is about right.) I do intend to look at a few South East Asia trips and the next analysis will probably show where we tried and dipped key targets in Thailand. I think that there are some such as Rusty-cheeked Hornbill but as said, I know that I cannot really make that judgement yet!

We did plan this itinerary in the immediate aftermath of our first Thailand trip.

All the best

Paul

 

[DMW]

I am very conscious that I am unable to judge regional endemics and specialities. I have been to most localities once only - other than in a Western Palearctic context where there is very limited biodiversity and endemism in any event - so it is interesting beginning to understand some of these concepts.

Our guide had an excellent understanding of distributions and indeed population dynamics and likely future taxonomic changes so all credit goes to him. I am beginning to have an understanding now as to what may come in the future if I start targeting things more specifically.

The Merlin Birdpack has 950 species for Thailand. It is an unusually comprehensive pack. What I would expect as our guide was engaged in its production. If I flick the switch to exclude species that I have already in my eBird list, that reduces to 231 species. (There are one or two more maybe not in my eBird yet but that is about right.) I do intend to look at a few South East Asia trips and the next analysis will probably show where we tried and dipped key targets in Thailand. I think that there are some such as Rusty-cheeked Hornbill but as said, I know that I cannot really make that judgement yet!

We did plan this itinerary in the immediate aftermath of our first Thailand trip.

All the best

Paul

I would say you've got a very solid platform for planning future SE Asia trips. Thailand is pretty unimpressive as far as strict national endemics go, but is far and away the best country for seeing a lot of regional specialities, and also has a lot of "functional endemics" - birds which do occur elsewhere but are rarely seen outside Thailand (Hume's Pheasant and Giant Nuthatch for example). The logical progressions are to do Vietnam plus Cambodia, and to head south and make a deeper foray into the Sundaic region, with Malaysian Borneo perhaps the obvious starting point. Then you can fall into the rabbit-hole of Indonesia!

 

[Paul Chapman]

683. Northern Wheatear Clevedon, North Somerset - 25th March

Better late than never. On my usual daily local walk.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

684. Willow Warbler Clevedon, North Somerset

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

685. Western House Martin Clevedon, North Somerset

Wading through admin and stuff currently so additions only likely to be local unless I get something to chase...

All the best

Paul