Waders at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Thailand (2 Viewers)

[Aladdin]

Dear members and bird watchers!

Back from Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale and I have managed to ID (Almost sure) most of the birds with the help of my books

One of the birds was ID as a Kentish Plover, but it is close to an well known area for Malaysian Plovers. Attached picture #1

I have two pictures that I cannot ID, see attached picture # 2 +3

There is 2 or 3 waders that I am sure of and can ID easily, Common Sandpiper is one of them with the white wedge between the wing and neck. Like the bird in picture # 2+ 3 but the bird have a white throat and grey back. The Common Sandpiper have brown back and brown throat.

Anyone know the ID of this bird?

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Hi Aladdin, I'm not experienced enough with adult/sum-plum Kentish/Malaysian/White-faced plovers to comment, but your second and third birds are both Marsh sandpiper.

 

[Aladdin]

Hi Aladdin, I'm not experienced enough with adult/sum-plum Kentish/Malaysian/White-faced plovers to comment, but your second and third birds are both Marsh sandpiper.

Thank you dwatsonbirder!

That I would never have managed to ID. Last time I spotted a Marsh Sandpiper (attached picture) was back in March 2022 that I ID with my book. Maybe this is wrongly ID, or the bird have got longer in the molting in the breeding plumage.

Thanks again, highly appreciated

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Adult moulting into/having attained breeding plumage - super smart birds (and a nice photo too!).

 

[Aladdin]

Adult moulting into/having attained breeding plumage - super smart birds (and a nice photo too!).

Thanks!

So now I have learned to ID a new bird (hopefully)

Cheers!

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Pleasure, the main confusion species with Marsh sandpiper is Greenshank (also Nordmann's Greenshank in Thailand, very rare but Pak Thale is one of the best places to see it). MS differs from both species in having a much finer bill, which lacks the upward curve of both greenshank species, and generally always shows pale lores (the feathers immediately behind the bill). The two Greenshank can be separated by leg colour and colour to the base of the bill (yellowish for both leg/bill in Nordmann's and green for Eurasian).
You are very lucky to have one of the best wader sites in the world as a local patch - I still need to visit to see Spoon-bill sandpiper/Nordmann's Greenshank/Asian dowitcher!

 

[Aladdin]

Pleasure, the main confusion species with Marsh sandpiper is Greenshank (also Nordmann's Greenshank in Thailand, very rare but Pak Thale is one of the best places to see it). MS differs from both species in having a much finer bill, which lacks the upward curve of both greenshank species, and generally always shows pale lores (the feathers immediately behind the bill). The two Greenshank can be separated by leg colour and colour to the base of the bill (yellowish for both leg/bill in Nordmann's and green for Eurasian).
You are very lucky to have one of the best wader sites in the world as a local patch - I still need to visit to see Spoon-bill sandpiper/Nordmann's Greenshank/Asian dowitcher!

I have Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale 2 hours way with taxi. But Khok Kham is only a short trip away and you have the waders there as well.

I don't like to visit without a guide. I tried to call and write 4 different companies before this visit. But no reply so I guess the last 3 ears might have put them out of business. I went during the covid and the company really appreciated the business.

Actually, there was a little fight between guides to have me going.

Anway, I don't like to go alone as I get so frustrating to see all these birds and I cannot ID them, even though I learn every time I go with a Guide the waders still makes me very confused. Looking at all the birds and at the same time looking in my bird book.

Iam actually in Sweden for a few days, and now after 2 days I have two rare bird alerts, Baltimore Oriole and a Siberian Rubythroat.

I hope to find a bird guide in Thailand next week and I will give the waders another chance.

Cheers

 

[andyb39]

The plover is a Kentish.

 

[THE_FERN]

The plover is a Kentish.

A particularly smart one...

 

[Aladdin]

Thank you very much andyb39!