Bird watching in Vientiane, Laos - Laos bird watching trip report

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

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คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

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E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

June 2023

Friday 2 ^nd of June 2023 and my friend woke me up just before 6 o'clock, I had been turning of my alarm when it went off at 4 o'clock. My friend had started with the breakfast when I came out in the kitchen and we were soon having tea and omelette.

The car from AOT will come to pick us up at eight thirty so we have plenty time. I have already packed my luggage a couple of days ago so everything is ready. I need to bring my new Samsonite and Canon equipment to claim the tax at the airport.

My friend has started to prepare breakfast when I come up

So, there will be a lot to bring, normally I would just take my weekend bag for a couple of days abroad. The car from AOT was waiting when we came down quarter past 8. First time ever I use my new Samsonite Unimax so I was pretty excited.

I had my friend to take some pictures of me with my new luggage before it was loaded in to the car. There was enough space for the luggage in the trunk as it is a car running on petrol. You cannot take a taxi with luggage as there is a gas tank in the back as the taxi are running on LPG.

My new Samsonite Unimax

We are ready to leave

Luggage stowed in the back

Luggage stowed in the back

We are leaving

On our way to Suvarnabhumi

Arriving to Suvarnabhumi International Airport

First stop TAX FREE for TOURISTS RETURN at gate 10

It takes us about 30 minutes to reach gate #10. We will check in at gate #2 but they have the TAX RETURN at gate #10. There were not many people and I was at the desk after a couple of minutes. I had to show my camera equipment and the two Samsonite bags was easy for her to see.

She stamped my receipts and I will pick up the cash after check-in, security and immigration. We had to trot all the way back to the other end of the terminal to check-in to Thai Smile flight WE 570, I had booked it as Thai Airways flight TG2570.

There were not many people at the airport and not many people in line to check-in to Thai Smile.

Checking-in line

Checking-in line

Checking-in

Everything went very smooth, check-in and off to the security. Security was done in a couple of minutes and immigration did not take much longer. Walking towards gate C1 and we passed the TAX FREE for tourists and I got my cash.

And again, I was alone at the tax refund so this went very quick. It was a very nice “Suvarnabhumi” experience this morning. It is totally different experience when there are many passengers. But finding the Thai Airways lounge was a different experience.

I don't know if one of their lounges are closed, we followed the signs but we had to walk all the way back to the main lounge. We were told again that there was one at the C gates so it was a lot of walking back and forth until we ended up at the main lounge again.

Relaxing in the lounge

Relaxing in the lounge

Boarding delayed by 30 minutes

Boarding the flight

Relaxing in the lounge and my friend had cappuccino and I had two soda waters before we left at 10:45, boarding starting time. I was not surprised to find out that boarding started about 30 minutes late. Time we could have spent in the lounge instead of standing up at the gate.

It was very nice when we finally took our seats on board. We started by filling up the immigration cards to Laos. It is about one hour to Vientiane and I was surprised when they offered food but as we just had had breakfast, we said no thanks to the food.

I had a bottle of water and my friend had a soda water and it was just to sit back and relax until arrival in Vientiane where we will be picked up by the hotel car.

In our seats

Busy with the immigration form

Busy with the immigration form

Time to get off the flight

Time to get off the flight

I had to buy a VISA ON ARRIVAL and it set me back with 40 US Dollars to get the visa. My friend went straight through without having to pay any fees. Our luggage was waiting for us next to the conveyor belt when we came to the luggage claim area.

There was no sign off any hotel car when we came out in the arrival hall. He showed up when my friend was buying a SIM card. We both use AIS and I had bought a Laos package for 93 Baht before we left Thailand, but my friend could not do this.

We tried My AIS app but he could not find the option so he had to buy a SIM card. And the tourist SIM cards are very cheap in Laos. The driver took our luggage while we bought the SIM card and we took our seats in the back seat.

Buying SIM card

Hotel car

On the way to the hotel

Checking-in to the hotel and they informed me that it was an additional 6% when I paid with the AMEX. I told them that there was nothing about any 6% when I booked the room with my room online using my AMEX.

I refused to pay the extra 6% and they accepted m AMEX, same I used when I booked the room. My card was not approved and we tried several times.
- You have another card? She asked.
- STOP IT RIGHT THERE, I said.

She used another machine and now the card was working.
- Are you serious? I asked.

We went to our rooms and then we went to the foot massage across the road for an hour of foot massage. I want to go to look for birds in the park very close to the hotel. But it was still very hot by the time we left the massage so we went next door for dinner.

Beer Lao, first time ever for my friend

Beer Lao, first time ever for my friend

Beer Lao, first time ever for my friend

Beer Lao, first time ever for my friend

Day2night looked like a cafe, but it turned out to be a restaurant as well and they had animpressive menu. They call it Vietnamese Cuisine but it was, well, I don't know what to call the food.

There were things you could have ordered on a Thai or Lao, or for that matter, any international restaurant.

My friend tested a Beer Lao for the first time in his life, our friend has teased him many timestelling him that Beer Lao was better than any beer he could find in Thailand. Well, San Miguel Light is very hard to beat, but that is not a Thai beer.

My friend liked the beer, and I liked the Earl Grey tea, a big pot. The food was excellent and there were plenty of it and I had 3 pots of tea.

Plenty tea as we were also killing time to let the temperature cool down a bit before we went to look for birds.

Plenty food

It was still very hot when we left Day2night to walk down to the eBird hotspot: Chao Anouvong Park Took us 3 minutes to reach the park and they were setting up the stalls for the night market. So, there was not many birds, exactly zero birds until we had walked past the night market.

It was very hot and the sun was pounding us and there was no place to sit down relaxing. And the birding, there was a couple of Eurasian Tree Sparrows and a Hose Sparrow. Two Common Mynas and a group of Red-necked Doves.

Red turtle dove / นกเขาไฟ

House Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Listen to the Common Tailorbird

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my phone as I had forgot to bring my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder. High Pass Filter Applied with Audacity.

Just got one short drill as the bird stopped singing when I started the recording. I never saw the bird but thanks to Barbets48 at birdforum.net I could ID the bird

We walked back to the hotel with a stop to buy water and milk so we can make tea in the room. We go to the roof top restaurant, the Tipsy Elephant to have a look. There were plenty people enjoying the Friday evening and we were leaving again.

But there was a table a little bit away from the crowd and we sat down. My friend had a drink and I had two bottles of soda water before we went to bed-

Breakfast at 6 thirty and we will leave for bird watching at 7 with the hotel car that it is booked for the full day.

View from the roof top restaurant

Roof top restaurant

Roof top restaurant

Roof top restaurant

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 3 ^rd of June 2023 and we went for breakfast at 6 thirty, not a very impressive breakfast, mostly sugar, but I had omelette and some toast. It was OK and we left the hotel just after 7 with the same car that picked us up at the airport yesterday.

Our first stop will be at the Mekong Golf and Resort where we will see if we can rent a golf cart to go around to look for birds. We make a few stops on the way to look for “refreshments” on the way but they are sold out and we had to make a few stops before we stroke gold.

Saturday and all the golf carts were booked for the day so we left again. We did not get back to the main road as we wanted to check out the wilderness west of the Mekong Golf and Resort and we drove along the gravel road.

We went of road and we spotted a Sunbird, otherwise there were no birds. We could hear some birds but no birds to be seen.

Olive-backed Sunbird

Olive-backed Sunbird

Olive-backed Sunbird

Olive-backed Sunbird

It was very strange, not even one single Myna was seen along the dirt road. It was kind of spooky and I suspected that they are eating the birds in Lao. I ask the driver and he say that they eat birds.

We make a U-turn at a brick factory and we hear a Common Tailorbird and as it sounded like the bird was close to the road we stopped. I made a recording and I could finally see the bird when the bird stopped to sing. The bird took off and landed in a tree.

I took a picture even though the bird was too far away.

Listen to the Rufescent Prinia

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and High Pass Filter Applied with Audacity.

Sitting next to the gravel road. I was hearing the bird and starting the recording and it took me about 1 minute to find the bird with the camera.

Originaly ID as a Common Tailorbird by me.

ID corrected by Bram Piot at eBird: The documentation you have provided shows a Rufescent Prinia, both on sound (which does sound a bit similar to Common Tailorbird) and the photograph (note structural differences, especially bill length and shape).

Also, the sunbird is an Olive-backed Sunbird, which is also heard calling throughout your recording of the prinia.

Rufescent Prinia

I am writing about the following observation:

Species: Common Tailorbird
Count: 1
Observation Date: Jun 3, 2023
Location: Vientiane, Vientiane Prefecture, Vientiane Prefecture, LA
https://ebird.org/checklist/S140278318

The documentation you have provided shows a Rufescent Prinia, both on sound (which does sound a bit similar to Common Tailorbird) and the photograph (note structural differences, especially bill length and shape). Can you please apply the correction?

Also, the sunbird is Variable Sunbird, which is also heard calling throughout your recording of the prinia.

eBird Report

Vientiane, Vientiane Prefecture, Vientiane Prefecture, LA
Jun 3, 2023 08:08 - 09:10
Protocol: Traveling
5.09 kilometer(s)
1 species (+1 other taxa)

Rufescent Prinia 1 Sitting next to the gravel road. I was hearing the bird and starting the recording and it took me about 1 minute to find the bird with the camera.
Olive-backed Sunbird 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S140278318

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track outside the Mekong Golf and Resort

We are back on the main road along the Mekong River and we continue towards west, next stop is the eBird hotspot: Phou Phanang--Ban Ang (Wealth Coffee) This was a place I had not planned to visit, but we will drive along the river.

I was suspecting that it was never mind where we went to look for birds, there would not be many of them. And we spotted exactly ZERO birds at the eBird hotspot: Phou Phanang--Ban Ang (Wealth Coffee)

We had passed a restaurant on the way here, The River Moon. Our Driver said it was a famous restaurant and we decided to stop there on the way back to Vientiane.

I was kind of desperate to find birds and a sure thing for birds must be Mekong River. So I kept my eyes open for a road down to Mekong River on our way to The River Moon.

Mekong River

We found a dirt road going down to Mekong River and it was a nice view of the river, but it was a disappointment regarding the birds. One Common Myna and I made an eBird checklist, that is how desperate I am regarding the birds.

I turned off the eBird app when we were back on the main road and we continued towards The River Moon Restaurant. The River Moon have an AC restaurant but we choose to sit next to Mekong River even though it was hot like h*ll.

We order our food and we are enjoying the view over Thailand across the Mekong River even though the sun was pounding us through the garden umbrellas we had set up over the table.

Lunch at The River Moon

Lunch at The River Moon

Lunch at The River Moon

Lunch at The River Moon

White-rumped Munia / นกกระติ๊ดตะโพกขาว

White-rumped Munia / นกกระติ๊ดตะโพกขาว

We spotted two White-rumped Munias during the meal so I could make an eBird checklist out of our lunch break at The River Moon. And it was a new bird for me in Laos.

The food was good and my tea was OK so we were happy when we left for the next eBird hotspot at the University in Vientiane. We took of leaving the restaurant behind and we were soon coming in to the outskirts of Vientiane.

Our friend is married to a girl from Laos and last time we were out he told us that it was prohibited to take pictures of official buildings like police stations in Laos. And my friend has been scared to get any police station on picture as he was not fancying spending time in a Lao jail.

We passed a police station and I told the driver to stop and put the car in reverse. Back at the police station and I went out to have a picture and my friend was wetting his pants. But I got him to be on the picture and the Driver took the picture.

Police station in Vientiane

Police station in Vientiane

One of the Police Officers came to check what the ruckus was all about. I asked if he could join us for a picture, but he was cold to the idea and he disappeared in to the office again.

We reached the eBird hotspot: Dongdok NUOL at the National University of Laos. We spent almost an hour in the area and we came up with no birds. So, yet another disappointment in Vientiane, something I starts to get used to by now.

eBird Report

Vientiane--Dongdok NUOL, Vientiane Prefecture, LA
Jun 3, 2023 12:37 - 13:18
Protocol: Traveling
3.66 kilometer(s)
2 species

Feral Pigeon 2
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S140287659

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Dongdok NUOL

We left the university area to make one more stop on the way back to the hotel. Nongtha Lake have an eBird hotspot that I want to check out, but I have no high hopes. We have not seen one single egret or heron since we arrived to Laos.

In Thailand the rice paddies are full and here we have seen nothing. But I want to have a look before giving up on Laos. We got the directions wrong and we approached the Nongtha Lake and we try to reach the lake through the Nongtha Central Park.

But we cannot reach the lake and we leave again. I was just able to report two Feral Pigeons and three House Sparrows.

House Sparrows

We end up at the Nongtha Lake, well, the Phonsavang Temple next to the lake. It is not possible to get down to the lake and we speak with the people in the area and they told us that rich people have built houses in the area. Well, I don't know, it did not look like an expensive area.

Anyway, I gave up the bird watching and we drove back to the hotel. Approaching the hotel and we had some spare time so we decided to drive down to the river side to have a look for birds.

It took us a little time and driving around before we found the way down to the sand banks. We see the Great Myna, the first time for me in Laos and there is five of them. So now I have seen a total of 9 mynas since I came to Vientiane.

We drive along a dirt track and we are soon having to turn around and we decided to go back to the hotel and call it a day.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Coming down to Mekong River

Coming down to Mekong River

Great Myna

We are soon running out of road

eBird Report

Mekong river Vientiane (Quai Fa Ngum), Vientiane Prefecture, LA
Jun 3, 2023 14:18 - 14:39
Protocol: Traveling
2.31 kilometer(s)
3 species

Common Myna 2
Great Myna 5
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 5

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S140290117

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Mekong River Vientiane (Quai Fa Ngum)

Back at the hotel

We said good bye to the Driver and we went to leave my camera in my room before we went across the street for a pedicure and a foot massage. We stopped at the reception to ask if there was any “HIGH END” Lao food restaurant in the area.

Took a while for them to understand what I meant. They told me there was plenty Lao food along the road and I tried to explain that we wanted a “very nice” restaurant- They understood and they had a discussion and they wrote down the name on a card.

Going for dinner

We go to find a Tuk after the foot massage and we reach the restaurant at 5 o'clock. We step inside just to find out that they do not open until 6 o'clock. We asked if there was a cafe nearby so we could have some tea while waiting.

We were pointed in a direction and we walked there to look for the cafe. But we decided to have our dinner at the place. The food was good, a little set back with the chocolate cake to end the dinner, but it is Saturday.

We left to find a Tuk Tuk to go back to the hotel and the second Tuk Tuk passing us was empty and we stepped in to the Tuk Tuk

Going back to the hotel

The Driver handed us a placard with different tourist spots and asked us if we wanted to go. We decided to take the tour tomorrow and the Tuk Tuk will come to pick us up at 7 thirty tomorrow morning. I had given up on the bird watching so we can spend the day doing tourist stuff.

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 4 ^th of June 2023 and my friend come to pick me up at 6 thirty and we go to have our breakfast at the restaurant on the second floor. We go to look for the Tuk Tuk at 7 thirty and the Driver is waiting for us across the street.

We take off towards our first stop and we are excited in the back of the Tuk Tuk plunging down the roads of Vientiane.

Tuk Tuk waiting for us outside the hotel

Tuk Tuk waiting for us outside the hotel

We are ready for today's tourist activities

Approaching the Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ)

Patuxai

(Lao: ປະຕູໄຊ; literally Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph, formerly the Anousavary or Anosavari Monument, known by the French as Monument Aux Morts) is a war monument in the centre of Vientiane, Laos, built between 1957 and 1968. The Patuxai was dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France.

In romanising the name from the Laotian language, it is variously transliterated as Patuxai, Patuxay, Patousai and Patusai. It is also called Patuxai Arch or the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane as it resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

However, it is typically Laotian in design, decorated with mythological creatures such as the kinnari (half-female, half-bird).

The first stop is the Patuxai and I can see all the birds approaching the Patuxai. And we can soon hear all the birds flying in and out of their nests on the Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ). We get out of the Tuk Tuk and as I don't have my birding equipment, I try to record the bird with my mobile phone.

Listen to the House Swift

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone as my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder was left in my hotel room. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Hundreds of House Swifts flying in and out from their nests at the Patuxay

Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ)

Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ)

Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ)

Coming close and I can see that it is House Swifts and there are hundreds of them flying in and out from their nests on the Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ). I was instantly regretting not to bring my camera and I decided to come back here tomorrow morning again.

Our flight leaves at 13:30 and I will have time to come here again after breakfast tomorrow. We leave the Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ) and the next stop is the Pha That Luang. We are mostly interested in Buddha amulets (พระเครื่อง) and Holy cloth (ผ้ายัน) at the temple.

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang (Lao: ທາດຫຼວງ or ພຣະທາດຫລວງ; IPA: [tʰâːt lǔːəŋ] 'Great Stupa') is a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of the city of Vientiane, Laos.

Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century AD, the stupa has undergone several reconstructions as recently as the 1930s due to foreign invasions of the area.

It is generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol.

We got out of the Tuk Tuk and we went to look for the temple shop to see if they had any amulets for sale. Most of the temples have amulets for sale to support the temple. Back in the days the temple handed out these amulets to people that had helped to work for the temple.

We ran in to a monk and we asked for directions and he went to get three amulets. I give the monk 500 Baht for the amulets and we leave to check out the rest of the temple. We are soon on the way to Wat Si Muang, ວັດສີເມືອງ

Wat Si Muang

Wat Si Muang or Simuong (Lao: ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a Buddhist temple in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
History

The temple was built in 1563, in the former Kingdom of Lan Xang.

There is a legend that pregnant women at the time of construction were given to as sacrifice to God.
Description

Inside, the temple is unusual in being divided into two rooms. The front room is quiet, with a monk usually on hand to give blessings. The rear room houses the large main altar, with statues and images of the Buddha.

Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a beautiful temple

Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a beautiful temple

Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a beautiful temple

The Tuk Tuk Driver enter the temple and he park on the parking lot and we go out to check out the temple. It is a beautiful temple and it looks to be very well maintained. And it is the same with all the other temples I had seen here in Laos.

All temples look to be freshly painted and it is nice to walk around. Coming inside and the temple was very nice inside as well. We found the amulets and we bought a few amulets and the lady had us to hold the amulets while praying.

So now I am pretty sure we will win the lottery very soon.

We bought one gift basket each to give to the monk, there were two of them sitting on the floor blessing people giving the gift basket to the monks.

My friend starts and I make a video and when he was blessed it was my turn so by the time we left the temple we had so much luck handed to us that we had more than we could handle and at least one JACK POT on the lottery is guaranteed.

And the noise we can hear on the videos is a chain saw. The monks are cutting down a tree and they make a lot of noise with the chain saw. I went to have a look and there were several Monks busy removing and old tree using a scaffolding that looked kind of flimsy.

I got a video out of it and we went to look for the Tuk Tuk Driver and we left for the next tourist attraction. We will visit 5 places before we finish the tour.

Taking down a tree at Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ)

Taking down a tree at Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ)

Taking down a tree at Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ)

Taking down a tree at Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ)

Taking down a tree at Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ)

Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a beautiful temple

Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a beautiful temple

Wat Si Muang (ວັດສີເມືອງ) is a beautiful temple

Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket (Lao: ວັດສີສະເກດ) is a Buddhist wat in Vientiane, Laos. It is situated on Lan Xang Road, on the corner with Setthathirat Road, to the northwest of Haw Phra Kaew, which formerly held the Emerald Buddha.

Overview
Wat Si Saket was built in 1818 on the order of King Anouvong (Sethathirath V.) Si is derived from the Sanskrit title of veneration Sri, prefixed to the name of Wat Saket in Bangkok, which was renamed by Anouvong's contemporary, King Rama I.

Wat Si Saket was built in a contemporary style of Buddhist architecture at the time, with a surrounding terrace and an ornate five-tiered roof, which may have kept it safe, since the armies of Siam that sacked Vientiane following Anouvong's rebellion in 1827 used the compound as their headquarters and lodging place.

It may be the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. The French colonial government restored Wat Si Saket in 1924 and again in 1930.

Wat Si Saket features a cloister wall with more than 2,000 ceramic and silver Buddha images. The temple also houses a museum.

Wat Sisaket (ວັດສີສະເກດ) is the next stop and it is the fourth stop since we started the tour outside the hotel. We stopped outside the Wat Sisaket (ວັດສີສະເກດ) and we went inside. My friend paid the entrance fee and it was an old temple, now a museum and it took us about 5 minutes to walk through the museum

There was two Common Mynas and some House and Tree Sparrows and I made an eBird checklist just to have at least some birds observed on my birding tour to Laos.

Wat Sisaket (ວັດສີສະເກດ)

Wat Sisaket (ວັດສີສະເກດ)

Wat Sisaket (ວັດສີສະເກດ)

We leave the museum and we ask the driver to take us to an airconditioned cafe so we can have tea and cappuccino. And some air-condition as it is very hot walking around in the blazing heat.

The driver stopped at Café Sinouk Khemkhong and we went inside to have tea. I got a pot of tea and my friend had a cup of cappuccino. I ordered some small cookies for us but I regretted the decision instantly. But it is Sunday so it is OK, I guess.

The cafe was full when we arrived but we were almost alone by the time we left. We are going to have a look at the Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khouane Luang) but it is about 30km to go there, and the small TUK TUK is not very comfortable.

We go back to the hotel

We go back to the hotel

So we decided to go back to the hotel to see if they had their car available. Café Sinouk Khemkhong is just around the corner from the hotel so it only took a few minutes to get to the hotel. The hotel car is not available, but they booked a taxi for us.

It took quite some time to reach the Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khouane Luang) and we had made a few stops to look for refreshments, but we had come up with nothing. And we were very happy that we were not sitting in the Tuk Tuk.

I started the eBird app and we paid the entrance fee for foreigners and we went inside the park. It was a beautiful park and I expected plenty birds. We did not see any birds except some sparrows walking our way down to the Mekong River.

Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khouane Luang)

Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khouane Luang)

Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khouane Luang)

We stop to buy water and we went to sit down on the terrace overlooking the Mekong River. There are trees below us and I spot a few Zebra Doves that I try to get on picture. There are also House Sparrows attending nests under the roof at the restaurant.

I go to check out the trees in the corner and I am at eye level with a couple of munias. It is very hot and we start to walk back to the entrance to find our car.

Zebra Dove

Scaly-breasted Munia/ นกกระติ๊ดขี้หมู

Scaly-breasted Munia/ นกกระติ๊ดขี้หมู

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

We are passing the bridge between Thailand and Laos, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge No.1 (สะพานมิตรภาพไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1) and this is also one of the tourist attractions so we were surprised to find out that we could not come down to Mekong River to see the bridge.

We were a little disappointed when we left the bridge behind, next stop our hotel. We will pass the Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ) on the way to see if we can get pictures of the House Swifts. We make a couple of stops to look for refreshments and I find one can in a MINI Big-C.

It did not taste very well so I poured out the drink again.

We get a glimpse of the bridge to Thailand

We drive past the Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ) but the birds are having a rest and we continue to the hotel without stopping. My friend wants to eat pizza and I was not so happy about it as I am on diet. But one pizza cannot be so bad.

We looked for pizza restaurants online and there is one that looks good 50 meters from the hotel. It was very good food and we were satisfied walking back to the hotel.

+++++++++++++++
Monday 5 ^th of June 2023 and my friend come to my room at 6 thirty so we can go have breakfast. My friend come in and open the curtains and we discover that it is raining. Instant disappointment as we had planned to go to Patuxai (ປະຕູໄຊ) to look for the House Swifts.

We decide to go have tea at Day2night across the street. We asked for fresh bread and on top of that we had chocolate toast so we were full by the time we returned to our hotel.

Second breakfast at Day2night

We had booked the car for 11 o'clock and we expect about 30 minutes to get to the airport and we expect to arrive two hours before departure. Check-in was done in a few minutes and passing the security was as quick.

We went to the lounge to drink a soda water while waiting for the departure. I heard them calling my name on the PA system. I should contact the check-in and I went to look for some representative for Thai Smile. I did not want to go back to the check-in and do the security and everything again.

I spotted a girl at one of the boarding desks and she called the check-in. They had found a power bank in my bag. I don't know why they had put my name on both bags. But I did not have any power bank so I went back to the lounge and I told my friend that he had to go to the check-in.

My friend came back carrying his power bank. We went to the gate and we started the boarding but coming down to the jet bridge we had to line up again as they started to disembark arriving passengers before we could board flight WE571.

Waiting for the passengers to come off the plane

We can go on board

Boarding flight WE571

Boarding flight WE571

We find our seats

We had to stop again half way down the jet bridge to wait until they had cleaned the plane. We took our seats and we were pulled out from the jet bridge 5 minutes after departure time so this was very good.

Take off and they served some food, but we only had water while sitting down waiting for us to arrive to Bangkok. Time passed quickly and we arrived at 14 thirty. And I discovered that we will have to go by bus to the terminal. Bus is very good when arriving as they take you straight to the immigration so no need to walk very long.

Departing is another story, then it is just annoying with the bus.

Arriving to Bangkok

Arriving to Bangkok

Arriving to Bangkok

Arriving to Bangkok

eBird Trip Report

Since April 2023 eBird offer a new feature, to create Trip Reports. At least this is when I first heard of this feature and I have decided to make the eBird Trip Reports instead of my list of OBSERVED birds.

And of course, this also means that I will HAVE TO go back and do the same for my old birding adventures, WHEN I HAVE THE TIME!

Today's Trip Report: Birding in Laos - 2 June to 4 June 2023 | Click HERE

Download | PDF

Lifers
Icons for lifers used in the eBird trip reports

Species lifer:First time that someone observes a species in their life

Photo lifer:First time that someone photographs a species in their life

Audio lifer:First time that someone audio records a species in their life

Exotic species
Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species.

Naturalized:Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s).

Provisional:Either: 1)member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2)rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.

When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Provisional species count in official eBird totals.

Escapee:Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that have
bred but don't yet fulfill the criteria for Provisional. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals.

I was not very happy with the birding in Laos, but we had had a nice time. And I was very pleasantly surprised coming in to the immigration, no line and I was through in two minutes and our bags came on the belt when I arrived to the luggage claim area.

We were in my apartment at 4 o'clock so everything had run very smoothly. My friend's son will come to pick him up and he will bring some cement. The A/C Technician destroyed my Grù Maan Sáp Sŏm-bàt (กรุมานทรัพสมบัติ) And my friend will repair the statue.

I was kind of happy with my friend’s repair of the Grù Maan Sáp Sŏm-bàt (กรุมานทรัพสมบัติ) The food was delivered from the Supermarket and we made dinner before my friend went back home.

The diet had suffered during the weekend in Vientiane so I will go to see The Red Devil (ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์) at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym tomorrow.

My friend will go to work in Sriracha and we will go to Kanchanaburi (จ.กาญจนบุรี) to see Luang Poo Tong (หลวงพ่อ ทอง). My friend have a ton of Thai Buddha Amulete Magazine that he will give to Luang Poo Tong (หลวงพ่อ ทอง). Click HERE to find out how it goes.

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