Leaving Bangkok just after 7 o´clock in the morning and we drove along the Chon Buri Motorway and we turned off before reaching Chon Bury cutting through Thailand towards Chanthaburi. We passed a few interesting signs. Warning for wild life and even though I kept my eyes open but failed to see any wild life.
Leaving Bangkok behind early morning
But I spotted two “Egret and Heron” trees when we drove along the Chon Buri Motorway. The trees were full of Egrets and Herons breeding and the reason why there is a very few Herons and Egrets around at this time of the year.
This was the only thing I could spot on the way to Chanthaburi. But time passed pretty quickly and we were soon approaching Chanthaburi.
Took us about 3 to 3 and a half hour to reach Chanthaburi. We discovered that there was a lot of people and tourist busses when we drove to Tho-rat Sports Field. My driver told me that they have a marked at Nong Bua Walking Street on Sundays.
Tho-rat Sports Field was like a swamp due to heavy rain. But we found a place and I walked around looking for birds while waiting for the boat to come. I could hear several Collared Kingfishers from the mangrove next to the Tho-rat Sports Field.
The boat arrived and we took off towards south and Gulf of Thailand just after 11 o´clock.
Let the adventure begin
Looks to be rain
We left Tho-rat Sports Field and there were several Collared Kingfishes, I had counted to more than 7 just a few minutes after leaving. It had been raining since we arrived to Chanthaburi. But it stopped when we arrived to Tho-rat Sports Field, but it is for sure looking to start rain soon.
I have a small umbrella for my camera that the driver had given me. So I was set for an adventure and I was excited even though I was a little worried about the rain. And of course, gloom and grey so the lightning situation is not that good.
First boat trip
Great Egret in breeding uniform
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Striated Heron / นกยางเขียว on the mudflats and we can see that it is raining
Fishers coming down the river
We had to experience rain, heave rain a couple of times during the boat trip. The umbrella for my camera came in to very good use. Zero visibility rain and no pictures. A little set back but I enjoyed every minute. I had more or less stopped to keep count of the Collared Kingfishers after 22 birds. Same with the Little, Intermediate and Great Egrets.
There were not so many Brahminy Kites around, maybe because of the rain.
Great Egret and Intermediate Egret
Great Egret
Collared Kingfisher / นกกินเปี้ยว
Collared Kingfisher / นกกินเปี้ยว
Collared Kingfisher / นกกินเปี้ยว
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Heavy rain again
Zero visibility
We pass a few fishers going back for lunch
We pass a few fishers going back for lunch
We pass a few fishers going back for lunch
We pass a few fishers going back for lunch
We pass a few fishers going back for lunch
We pass a few fishers going back for lunch
Last time in Chanthaburi and we had lunch at a Japanese Restaurant at Robinson, for sure nothing impressive. My Guide brought me to DANA Restaurant. Looking, like, well, a place I would have skipped. But we went in and I was super pleasantly surprised when the food came on the table.
And it tasted very good and I could hardly walk when we left the restaurant going back to Tho-rat Sports Field for the second boat tour.
Excellent lunch!
Excellent lunch!
Excellent lunch!
Excellent lunch!
I had planned to go north this time. Up the river to check out the area and I asked the Captain if it was possible. And it was no problem, I had been worried because we had touched bottom several times during the first trip. But there should be enough water up river.
We started by crossing the river as Captain had seen a Collared Kingfisher sitting on a sign there. He had sleeping in the boat during the lunch break and the kingfisher had been sitting there all time. So we went to see if I could get a picture.
Second boat trip
Collared Kingfisher / นกกินเปี้ยว
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
we left the kingfisher and I was soon asking Captain to come close to the shore line. A bird I had never seen before, coming closer and I see that it is a Chestnut-headed Bee-eater. But the colours had faded away, maybe from digging the nest in the sand. I will ask birdforum.net for advise.
Passing two Red-wattled Lapwings on the river bank, a few crows and I counted to 6 or 7 Brahminy Kites along the river.
Looking for birds
Looking for birds
Looking for birds
Looking for birds
Looking for birds
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง
Looking for food
Looking for food
Looking for food
We stopped at Tops Market on Robinson so I could buy fruit and we left Chanthaburi at 16 thirty and I was back in my room in Bangkok at 20 thirty happy with my day trip to Chanthaburi for bird watching. I will be off to Benjakiti Park tomorrow and you can read the Trip Report from Benjakiti Park if you click HERE