Thailand, bird watching on a scooter

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

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

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.

Birding/ Bird watching on a scooter in Thailand

Sunday 23 ^rd of June 2024 and I leave my room at 7 and Sukhumvit Road is almost empty early Sunday morning. I will visit three eBird hotspots in Samut Prakan before going back home to pick up my cake that I ordered at S & P.

And I will start in the east going back towards west and my apartment and I will pass three eBird hotspots going back towards west:
1) Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley
2) Bang Pu--Recreation Center
3) Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley)

So, I throw myself and my scooter out on Sukhumvit Road driving towards east. The sky is grey for long as I can see, they promised sun and nice weather yesterday.

Light early morning traffic on Sukhumvit

Driving past the U-turn to Bang Pu--Recreation Center and I continue towards Chonburi. I take the next U-turn to get to Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley

U-turn and going back towards Samut Prakan for 100 meters or so before I am turning off Sukhumvit towards the sea. I enter a construction area just before reaching the sea front.

Looks like they are making fish ponds and I spotted on Collared Kingfisher before I left for the sea front.

I discover that it is low water and the mud flats reaching far out. So, the birds are far away. I turn on my eBird app and I start to drive along the water front.

Mud flats for long as I can see

I stopped 50 meters before the fence, one Common Tailorbird singing from the bushes. I brought out my mobile phone and I recorded the bird using the Merlin app.

There was another sound as well, an exotic sounding bird, I have no clue what it was. The Common Tailorbird? I do not know, but I will send the recording to www.birdforum.net and Xeno-canto to see if there is anyone knowing the sound.

There was one Collared Kingfisher sitting on a pole on the mudflats. Too far away for any pictures. I could hear Collared Kingfishers all over the area.

Listen to the Common Tailorbird

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Bird sitting in the bushes next to the road.

Thanks to Bram Piot at Xeno-cant for help with the ID of the background species.

Turning around when I reach the fence blocking the road and I star to drive towards the Bang Pu Fish Bridge Viewpoint (สะพานปลา ชมวิวบางปู) at the east end. I stop to report birds in my eBird app but no pictures, the birds on the mud flats are far away.

So, when I reach the Bang Pu Fish Bridge Viewpoint (สะพานปลา ชมวิวบางปู) I have managed to get zero pictures.

Turning around at Bang Pu Fish Bridge Viewpoint (สะพานปลา ชมวิวบางปู) to drive back to Rabiang Thale Restaurant (ร้านอาหารระเบียงทะเล) I stop to take a picture of one Barn Swallow sitting on top of a pole. I discover around 50 Asian Openbills on the mudflats.

Bang Pu Fish Bridge Viewpoint (สะพานปลา ชมวิวบางปู)

Barn Swallow

Asian Openbills foraging on the mudflats

Asian Openbills foraging on the mudflats

Asian Openbill

Mudflats

Mudflats

Asian Openbills foraging on the mudflats

Asian Openbill

Asian Openbill

Asian Openbills and Javan Pond Heron

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley, Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 23, 2024 07:28 - 08:16
Protocol: Traveling
5.2 kilometer(s)
16 species (+4 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 5
Zebra Dove 7
Black-winged Stilt 7
Asian Openbill 50 One huge group foraging on the mudflats
Little/Indian Cormorant 75 One huge group flushed from the trees
cormorant sp. 1 Flying by, not possible for me to ID
Little Egret 5
Javan Pond Heron 3 Foraging on the mudflats
white egret sp. 6 Far out on the mudflats so no proper ID
Collared Kingfisher 3 Heard all over the area
Coppersmith Barbet 1 Heard only
Golden-bellied Gerygone 1 Heard only. Thanks to Bram Piot at Xeno-canto for help with the ID of the background species on the Common Tailorbird recording
Common Iora 1 Heard only. Thanks to Bram Piot at Xeno-canto for help with the ID of the background species on the Common Tailorbird recording
Common Tailorbird 1
Barn Swallow 1
swallow sp. 8 Not possible for me to ID
Common Myna 7
Oriental Magpie-Robin 1
Scaly-breasted Munia 25
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 17

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S183176605

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley

Turning off my eBird app when I reach Rabiang Thale Restaurant (ร้านอาหารระเบียงทะเล) and I get back on Sukhumvit Road and I drive a few hundred meters towards Samut Prakan to the next eBird hotspot.

Took me a few minutes and I turned off Sukhumvit Road and I started my eBird app, this time using the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center

And I could see my first bird before I started the eBird app. One Painted Stork sitting on top of a mast at the gate.

Painted Stork

Painted Stork

Painted Stork

Painted Stork

Painted Stork

Plaintive Cuckoo

There is one female Plaintive Cuckoo sitting in a tree and I try to take a picture before I continue. Too far away, but good enough for ID.

Passing the gate and I turn right instead of continuing to the pier. I had seen a lot of white egrets among the dead mangroves. I could not see them, there is a wall going through the mangroves along the Sukhumvit Road.

But I spot one Plain Prinia with a big insect in the bill. And the bird was making sound and there was at least one bird answering.

I got pictures of the bird and I managed to get one sound recording of the bird as well.

Listen to the Plain Prinia

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Bird carries an insect in the bill. There is one weak answer to the call or song

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Leaving the Plain Prinia behind, but I have to stop after 20 meters as I see on cormorant, turns out to be a Little Cormorant so I report all the other cormorants sitting in the trees as Little Cormorants.

Little Cormorants and Indian Cormorants can be a wee bit difficult to ID when they are far away. At least for a novice like me. The experts have no problem to tell the difference. Well, at least most of the time, and using a binocular.

Little Cormorant on the picture and I ID the 50++ cormorants in the dead trees as Little Cormorants. So, I was happy to have got the pictures of the bird.

Otherwise, I would have had to use the Little/ Indian Cormorant option in eBird.

Little Cormorant

Little Cormorant

Little Cormorant

Little Cormorant

Leaving the Little Cormorant behind driving towards the western part of Bang Pu--Recreation Center and there are several Painted Storks on one of the ponds. I was surprised, first time I see Painted Storks in this pond.

There are usually some egrets foraging in the pond. I stop to get a picture before I continue out on the road along the water front.

Pond with Painted Storks

Painted Stork

Painted Stork

There was not much to see along the water front, but the gate was open, first time I see this. But I turn around, we will do BBQ in the afternoon and I have also been hit by a few rain drops.

So, I really do not want to get out on any long trips and I turned around. And of course, if I would have continued, I would have had to change the birding spot in my eBird app.

Back at the mudflat between the two roads and I was looking for waders. 10 years ago, and there were dead mangrove trees and you could see a lot of birds. Now it is mainly just a mudflat and not many birds.

Some waders if you are lucky, but I have always been seeing at least one Black-winged Stilt on the mudflat. And there use to be nests as well.

The bird makes a lot of noise and I record the bird, and I manage to get a video as well.

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Listen to the Black-winged Stilt

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Foraging on the mud flats

Zebra Dove

Zebra Dove

There was a Zebra Dove landing on the wire above me so I got a picture when I was ready with the Black-winged Stilt. I continued towards Sukhumvit Road. Soon time to go pick up the cake I have ordered.

Looking in to the mangroves and I could see a lot of white egrets and I stopped to see if I could get any pictures.

Dense foliage and I cannot get a good overview of the birds. There are many of them, I report 25 Little and 25 Great Egrets, impossible to count. But there are at least 50 of them.

I would like to have a picture of the whole group, but impossible due to the mangroves between me and the birds.

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little and Great Egrets in the mangroves

Little Egrets in the mangroves

Great Egret in the mangroves

Trying to get better pictures, not any close ups, but a picture of all the egrets together and I drove to the other side of the mangrove.

It was not much better but I gave it a try. And I discovered one Painted Stork foraging in the water among the egrets and herons.

Leaving the eBird Hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center and I stop at Sukhumvit Road to stop my eBird app beforee continuing towards Samut Prakan.

Egrets and herons in the mangroves

Egrets and herons in the mangroves. Can you see the Painted Stork?

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 23, 2024 08:21 - 09:08
Protocol: Traveling
4.75 kilometer(s)
16 species

Zebra Dove 16
Plaintive Cuckoo 1 Female sitting in a tree
Black-winged Stilt 2 See video of the foraging bird at https://youtu.be/rnAezq-S-KE
Red-wattled Lapwing 1 Heard only
Painted Stork 12
Little Cormorant 50 At least 50 sitting in the dead trees in the mangroves. I came close to one and I got pictures so I could ID the bird as a Little Cormorant and thus I ID all the cormorants in the trees as Little Cormorants.
Little Egret 25 Pond Herons, Little and Great Egrets together in a pond in the mangroves. At least 50 birds
Javan Pond Heron 3 Pond Herons, Little and Great Egrets together in a pond in the mangroves. At least 50 birds
Great White Egret 25 Pond Herons, Little and Great Egrets together in a pond in the mangroves. At least 50 birds
Collared Kingfisher 2 Heard all over the area. Two seen and many heard
Coppersmith Barbet 1 Heard only
Plain Prinia 2 Small insect in the bill while calling.
Common Myna 1
Great Myna 2
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 30

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S183182457

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center

Driving for a few kilometers towards Samut Prakan and I reach another eBird hotspot: Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley) I turn on my eBird app and I start to drive down towards the water front.

Leaing Sukhumvit road and there is a restaurant on your right hand side. On stilts as the restaurant is in the wet lands. I don't know if the place is open. There is a concrete road going down to the water front and there is wetlands on both side of the concrete road.

Restaurant at the Sukhumvit Road

Concrete road down to the water front

The first bird I report one Black-winged Stilt coming out from the wetland. The bird flying around me while calling, most likely beause they have a nest in the wetland.

I drive down the concrete road and I see a few more Black-winged Stilt. There was a lot of Zebra Doves, Feral Pigeons and sparrows flying around in big groups.

One Grey Heron flying over the area and I report the bird in my app. Reaching the water front and the access to the water front road is blocked. We remember when I was here last time looking for access to the road along the waterfront.

I turn around and I go back to Sukhumvit Road. I see the Grey Heron flying in the other direction. Well, I think it is the same heron I spotted before. I took a picture and it turns out to be a Purple Heron.

I remove my Grey Heron report and I make it a Purple Heron. I am not sure it is the same bird I saw before, but to make sure, I removed the Grey Heron from my checklist and I replaced it with a Purple Heron.

Purple Heron flying over the area

There is a bird singing in a bush next to the road, like electric sparkling, and this is how the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker sounds like. I record the bird and my Merlin app and the app suggest that it is a Plain Prinia.

I was waiting at the bush to see the bird and the bird came out and it was one Male Scartlet-backed Flowerpecker. Good, I spotted th ebird and now I can upload the recording to Xeno-canto and eBird. And I think it was the first time for me to record an Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker.

So I was happy when I turned off my eBird app. And it started to rain when I turned off the app and I was in a hurry to get back home.

Listen to the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Sitting in a bush, but my camera never managed to focus before the bird was gone.

eBird Report

Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley), Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 23, 2024 09:18 - 09:42
Protocol: Traveling
2.31 kilometer(s)
11 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 5
Spotted Dove 2
Zebra Dove 30
Black-winged Stilt 10
Little/Indian Cormorant 3 I am not able to give proper ID
Little Egret 1
Purple Heron 1
Plain Prinia 1
Common Myna 3
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 25

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S183185479

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley)

Nothing much exciting during the morning. But I had got a few recordings and a video so I was pleased when I drove back home. It was raining but it was just for a minute or two so I managed to get back home dry.

Rain, and I am mostly worried about slippery roads so I drive slowly. But today it was no problem, and I stayed in the lane under the sky train.

A wet Sukhumvit Road

I walked to S & P to pick up the cakes I have ordered and I was soon back in my room to prepare for the BBQ. My friends will come at 1 o'clock so I had some time to study my bird pictures and recordings from the morning.

At 12 thirty my friend called and I went down to pick them up. The elevator came up and when it opened my other friend came out and we went down to pick up our friends together.

We fired up my new Weber Q 2400 Electric Grill and we had to wait for a few minutes before it was hot to start the BBQ. And we were hungry.

We start the BBQ

We start the BBQ

We start the BBQ

I had bought 2 kilos of pork collar and we had a kilo of sausages from Sweden. And I will try yet again to BBQ cabbage slices. I tried a few days ago, but I had bought a salad head instead of a cabbage head.

Starting with a few slices of pork collar and they tasted very good. The first cabbage was also tasty so I put on more cabbage. Cabbage is soaked in olive oil and it had become one of my BBQ favourites and it come with the perk of being healthy.

More pork collar and when the second batch was ready, I filled the Weber Q 2400 Electric Grill with Swedish sausages.

Excellent result with the Weber Q 2400 Electric Grill

Excellent result with the Weber Q 2400 Electric Grill

Excellent result with the Weber Q 2400 Electric Grill

We were full and the last slice of pork collar, my friend had to struggle to finish it. But we managed to finish all the food, but there is cake to be had as well.

And this is the first time we are so many people in my apartment, very small apartment. In my old apartment we could have 12 people sitting in the kitchen at our dinner parties. We were actually20 people one time when I was cooking Thai food, but then we had to have people in the living room as well.

We were 5 people + one baby. It was OK, of course, we could not run around.Moving around and it required some planning. But it was OK, now we know the maximum capacity for BBQ in my small apartment.

No one were hungry by the time they went back home. And there were no left overs that I had to eat in the evening, so it was a very good Sunday lunch.

The cake was very good

The cake was very good

I have to go to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym for my daily session with The Red Devil (ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์) after all the cake. I am a wee bit worried about the weather. Rainy season havestarted so if there is heavy rain I cannot drive to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym.

My first real rain experience with my scooter was when coming out from MACRO Supermarket Tuesday evening. It was pouring down, luckily enough, it is just a few minutes’ drive back home.

Keeping a rain poncho under the saddle on my scooter. I bought it when I was in Rumania looking for birds in the Danube Delta.

The poncho has never been used so now it was the first time it came to use. And I gave it to my friend, I can change when I am back home.

We tried to wait for the rain to stop, but we gave up after 15 minutes and we threw us out in the rain. We arrived to my apartment after a few minutes. My friend was dry thanks to my poncho. I was like I had been swimming with my clothes on.

Raining when we come out from MACRO Supermarket

Raining when we come out from MACRO Supermarket

Raining when we come out from MACRO Supermarket

Raining when we come out from MACRO Supermarket

My chance to use the poncho for the first time was already the day after. Wednesday, no rain when I drove to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. The sky was black, but I made it all the way to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym.

It started to rain and when it was time to go back home one of the girls asked if I had a rain coat. Yes, she is so sweet, she had one in her car and she offered it to me. I told her that it would be too small.

I showed her my poncho that I kept under the saddle. It was less than a light drizzle so I took off without my poncho. I stopped at Tops Market to buy groceries, and again, when I came out it was pouring down.

Coming out from Tops Market

Giving up waiting for the rain to stop after 10 minutes. Cannot sit outside Tops Market all day long wasting my time. So, I donned my poncho and it was quite comfy to wear.

The biggest problem is the rain in the face when driving my scooter so only possible to run slow.

And the water from the poncho is all coming down on the platform for my feet. So, my leather sandals are soaking wet. I made a mental note to look for rubber shoes for rainy days.

Ready to drive back home

It stopped to rain by the time I reached Srinagarindra and I kept the poncho on for a few kilometres to dry it. I stopped at 7 Eleven and I took off my Poncho, by then the poncho was dry and I put it back under my saddle.

I bought a MAX and I left 7 Eleven and my clothes were dry by the time I reached home.

+++++++++++++++
Friday 28 ^th of June 2024 and I discovered an almost blue sky when the sun came up. A few clouds and it looked a wee bit grey over Gulf of Thailand. But I can always hide my camera under my seat on the scooter so I took off to look for birds.

A little bit of pain in my left shoulder so I will take a rest from Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym today. I will start at the eBird hotspot: Bang Pla--Sukhumvit 119 Alley fish ponds and it is about 30 minutes towards east driving with my scooter.

Sunshine and it was soon becoming very hot. I stopped to try to get a picture of two Streak-eared Bulbuls without any success. There is one Little Cormorant in the pond and I try to get a picture.

Little Cormorant

Little Cormorant

Starting my eBird app and I continue on the paved road and I am soon passing a mudflat and it is full of egrets and herons. There are also 12 Asian Openbills and I count to 40 Black-winged Stilts.

15 Javan Pond Herons and one Cattle Egret. The only number I am sure on is the single Cattle Egret. The other birds, so many of them so it was impossible to give an accurate count as they were moving around.

Moving down the road and the egrets and herons moved every time I stopped the scooter.

Asian Openbills - นกปากห่าง

Javan Pond Heron - นกยางกรอกพันธุ์ชวา

At the end of the paved road there was one Greater Coucal walking across the paved road. I stopped to look for the bird in the vegetation without any success.

There is a wooden bridge at the end of the paved road and after that it is only dirt tracks between the fish ponds.

There are several prinias and I report them all as Plain Prinia (นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ) But I learned that some of them was Yellow-bellied Prinia (นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง)

Easy to see the difference in the books. I have bought 3 books by Craig Robson, the last one is the Birds of South-East Asia and it is an e-book. In real life I have trouble to see the difference when I only get a short glimpse.

But now I got some training to see the difference and I was happy to see the different prinias.

Birds of South-East Asia by Craig Robson

eBird hotspot: Bang Pla--Sukhumvit 119 Alley fish ponds

eBird hotspot: Bang Pla--Sukhumvit 119 Alley fish ponds

Plain Prinia - นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

Plain Prinia - นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

Plain Prinia - นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

Yellow-bellied Prinia - นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง

Continuing along the fish ponds and there is a group of dogs coming to check me out. But they seem to be spending most of the time swimming in the ponds to cool down. And I enjoyed to watch the dogs play in the water.

There were 3 guys with a pick-up truck working with fishing nets. They asked what I was doing here and I told them that I was looking for birds.

It is getting hot, but I enjoyed driving around in the area. I reached the end of the dirt track and I turned around and drove back towards the paved road.

Yellow-vented Bulbul - นกปรอดหน้านวล

Asian Golden Weaver - นกกระจาบทอง

Driving along the paved road and I was almost back where I started. I took off the paved road and I drove along a dirt path when I spotted one Malaysian Fantail chasing on Greater Coucal.

The coucal landed in a tree and I washoping to get a picture. But the Malaysian Fantail continue to attack the coucal.

The Greater Coucal took off and landed in the bushes on the other side of the dirt path. I could not see the coucal but I could hear the bird. The fantail was sitting in the bush and it looked like the bird was guarding the coucal.

I had heard the Greater Coucal many times, and I have a few recordings, but this bird was very close so I decided to try to make a recording.

Listen to the Greater Coucal

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Mobbed by a Malaysian fantail. The fantail chased the coucal in to the bushes next to the dirt track. I made a recording of the coucal and the fantail was sitting between me and the coucal.

eBird Report

Bang Pla--Sukhumvit 119 Alley fish ponds, Samut Prakan, TH
28 June 2024, 24 08:25 - 09:27
Protocol: Traveling
4.94 kilometer(s)
24 species (+1 other taxa)

Red Collared Dove 7
Zebra Dove 6
Greater Coucal 2 One mobbed by fantail. The fantail chased the coucal in to the bushes next to the dirt track. I made a recording of the coucal and the fantail was sitting between me and the coucal.
Asian Koel 1 Heard only
Plaintive Cuckoo 1 Heard only
Black-winged Stilt 40 On the mudflats together with egrets, openbills and herons
Red-wattled Lapwing 1
Asian Openbill 12 On the mudflats
Little Cormorant 2
small bittern sp. 1
Little Egret 29 Many on the mudflats
Javan Pond Heron 15 Many on the mudflats
Eastern Cattle Egret 1 On the mudflats with all the Little and Great Egrets. I could only see one Cattle Egret
Great White Egret 12 Many on the mudflats
Common Iora 1 Heard only during my recording of the Greater Coucal
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 3
Yellow-bellied Prinia 4
Plain Prinia 6
Streak-eared Bulbul 2
Yellow-vented Bulbul 3
Common Myna 1
Great Myna 5
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Asian Golden Weaver 2
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184113395

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Bang Pla--Sukhumvit 119 Alley fish ponds

I turned off the ebird app and I was off to the high way where I turned right to go back to the Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodin Hospital. I drove against the traffic for a few hundred meters to reach the hospital.

There was no traffic on the three-lane high way so I saved some time avoiding going back to Sukhumvit to make a U-turn.

The hospital is also an eBird hotspot: Bang Pla--Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodin Hospital and I started my eBird app at 09:35 and I entered the hospital area.

I spend 30 minutes in the hospital area before I leave. I was actually surprised, there are quite a few birds. But will I come back? I do not think so.

eBird Report

Bang Pla--Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodin Hospital, Samut Prakan, TH
28 June 2024 09:35 - 10:02
Protocol: Traveling
5.62 kilometer(s)
11 species (+2 other taxa)

Red Collared Dove 3
Zebra Dove 2
pigeon/dove sp. 1 Not possible for me to ID, flying carrying nest material
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 1
Little Egret 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Common Myna 4
Great Myna 1
Asian Golden Weaver 3
Scaly-breasted Munia 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 20

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184115684

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Bang Pla--Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodin Hospital

Getting back to Sukhumvit and I start to drive back towards Samut Prakan and I turn off Sukhumvit when I reach the eBird hotspot: Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley)

Starting the eBird app at 10:44 and the first birds that I reported was feral pigeons. I could report 2 Black-winged Stilts that I could see in the water around the restaurant.

Stopping after about 50 meters to try to get a picture of a Yellow-bellied Prinia (นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง). The bird took off to the next bush when I stopped, so the bird was a wee bit too far away for good pictures.

But I got a recording of the Yellow-bellied Prinia (นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง) My first recording of the Yellow-bellied Prinia (นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง) and that makes it 258 species that I have recorded according to aBird. And a total of 439 recordings in eBird.

Xeno-canto and I have 269 species and a total of 512 recording with a total length of 5H 38M 56S . You can find my statistics from Xeno-canto by clicking HERE .

Yellow-bellied Prinia - นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง

Yellow-bellied Prinia - นกกระจิบหญ้าท้องเหลือง

Listen to the Yellow-breasted Prinia

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Singing bird sitting in a bush

Continuing towards the sea front and there are Black-winged Stilts in the wetlands. Doves, plenty of them and they are flushed when I approach with my scooter. So not possible to give proper ID, but looked to be mostly Zebra Doves and Red Collared Doves.

There is something looking like a disco down at the water front, VIVACE and it is some kind of event place for wedding etc. I hear a short call from a kingfisher and the bird takes off. Shadow and flying in to the sunlight so not possible to give proper ID.

Bluish shadow, too big to be a Common Kingfisher, so either a Collared Kingfisher or a White-throated Kingfisher. Most likely a Collared Kingfisher from the call, but the call was too short to make anything out of it.

Kind of wetland down at the VIVACE

I drove back to Sukhumvit and I turn in to the next soi, soi 66. Soi 66 and 68 are the same eBird hotspot. I drive down to the end of the road and I can see that there are people having lunch at the restaurant.

Coming down to the gate to a village and I have to turn around. There is a small tree/ bush in the wetland and I can ID the swallows sitting there, Barn Swallows.

There is on Black-winged Stilt sitting on a nest, otherwise not much and I drove back to Sukhumvit Road. And of course, I forgot to turn off my eBird app.

Barn Swallows

eBird Report

Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley), Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 28, 2024 10:44 - 11:16
Protocol: Traveling
5.5 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Forgot to turn off my eBird app when I left the area. Distance and time adjusted after
14 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 6
Red Collared Dove 1
Spotted Dove 1
Zebra Dove 6
Black-winged Stilt 6
Little/Indian Cormorant 1
Little Egret 2
Great White Egret 1
kingfisher sp. 1 In the shadow flying away so not possible to give a proper ID. Either Collared or White-throated as the bird was blueish
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Yellow-bellied Prinia 1
Plain Prinia 1
Barn Swallow 7
Common Myna 1
Great Myna 1
Asian Golden Weaver 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184119884

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley)

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 30 ^th of June 2024 and I leave at 7 o'clock plunging down Sukhumvit towards east. I will start my day at eBird hotspot: Khlong Dan--Irrigation Project It is about 30 km to reach theirrigation project.

It was a gloomy and grey morning and it actually looked to be rain. The sky was black in the east, in the direction I was driving.

By the time I reached Khlong Dan it was sunshine and it was getting hot. Continuing on Sukhumvit instead of taking off towards the Irrigation Project.

Need to fill up some gasoline and to buy some refreshments. There was no convenient store at the gas stop so I had to continue, making a U-turn under the bridge over Khlong Dan and I stop at 7 Eleven.

Refreshments and I am ready for bird watching

Two bottles of refreshments and I get out on Sukhumvit Road and I drive back towards Samut Prakan and I make a U-turn after about 2 kilometres. Making the U-turn and I can soon get off Sukhumvit. Khlong Mai runs along Sukhumvit fromSamut Prakan, but here it turns towards north towards Khlong Dan.

There is a barrow concrete road running along Khlong Mai from Sukhumvit Road. Driving here from Samut Prakan and I had been overtaken by many motorcycles with fishing rods.

Sunday and the Thai people like to spend the day fishing, as people from most parts of the world do. And there were many people fishing along Khlong Mai.

Khlong

A khlong (Thai: คลอง, pronounced [kʰlɔ̄ːŋ]), alternatively spelt as klong (/ˈklɔːŋ/) commonly refers to a canal in Thailand.

These canals are spawned by the rivers Chao Phraya, Tha Chin, and Mae Klong, along with their tributaries particularly in the low-lying areas of central Thailand.

The Thai word khlong is not limited to artificial canals. Many smaller rivers are referred to as "khlong" followed by the name of the stream.

Khlong Mai

Khlong Mai

Khlong Mai

Prison เรือนจำกลางสมุทรปราการ on the other side of Khlong Mai

Stopping to have a few pictures and I also need to turn my “racer” in to a bird watching scooter. I had forgot my towel so I need to line my basked forward with my rain poncho so I can keep my camera in the basket.

No need for helmet, I will drive very slowly to look for birds so I put my helmet under the seat together with one bottle of refreshments. Cannot wear the helmet when I take pictures.

Keeping my camera easily accessible in the basket and I take off looking for birds. I take a picture of one Zebra Dove sitting next to me when I prepare my scooter. So, the Zebra Dove (นกเขาชวา) was the first bird picture for today.

My bird watching scooter

Zebra Dove - นกเขาชวา

There is a concrete wall along the khlong and maybe 3 meters of vegetation between to narrow concrete road and the khlong so it is not easy to see the khlong. But there are openings in the vegetation and I can look for birds on the khlong.

There are cormorants sitting on pols and wires, but too far away for proper ID so I report them as Little/ Indian Cormorant.

I am soon stopping, there is one Javan Pond Heron hunting for fish from the floating Water hyacinth. There are plenty of the Water hyacinth on the rivers in Thailand. You can read about it in Bangkok Post by clicking HERE .

There is also one Yellow Bittern that I discover while taking pictures of the Javan Pond Heron (นกยางกรอกพันธุ์ชวา). The bittern is sitting on a bamboo structure and is also hunt for fish.

Javan Pond Heron - นกยางกรอกพันธุ์ชวา

Yellow Bittern - นกยางไฟหัวดำ

Javan Pond Heron - นกยางกรอกพันธุ์ชวา

Driving along Khlong Mai

Driving along Khlong Mai that turns in to Khlong Dan and when I come to the point where the road turns and I can see the cleaning plant I turn off my eBird app.

I did not get many pictures riding along the khlong. Many doves and birds sitting on the wire along the road. The birds sitting between me and the sun so only visible as shadows.

So, I did not bother spending any time to ID them.

eBird Report

Drivning along Khlong Mai / Dan, Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 30, 2024 7:58 AM - 8:24 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.14 kilometer(s)
11 species (+5 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 1
Zebra Dove 3
pigeon/dove sp. X Many sitting on the wires along the road. Not possible to ID as they were between me and the sun.
Greater Coucal 1
Plaintive Cuckoo 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 7 Too far away for proper ID
Yellow Bittern 1
small bittern sp. 1 Not possible for me to ID
Javan Pond Heron 1
white egret sp. 2 Too far away for proper ID
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Common Myna 5
Great Myna 3
Oriental Magpie-Robin 2
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 3
passerine sp. 2 Two yellow weavers flying over the road.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184469001

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

Today's track along Khlong Mai / Dan, Samut Prakan

Turning on the eBird app immediately and now using the eBird hotspot: Khlong Dan--Irrigation Project and the first bird to report was a Eurasian Tree Sparrow.

There is something looking like a power plant, but I do not think it is a power plant. More like a sluice that they can close.

I really don't know what it is and I am here to look for birds so I continued driving along the dam.

Khlong Dan--Irrigation Project

There was two singing Oriental Magpies Robin sitting on a wire at the bridge over the drainage canal. They were singing beautifully but they took off when I tried to make a video.

There were 3 Black-crowned Night Heron (นกแขวก) sitting in the drainage canal. I could only see two, but on the pictures, there were three of them.

There were also Little Egrets and cormorants in the drainage canal.

Khlong Dan--Irrigation Project

View from the bridge

Three Black-crowned Night Heron/ นกแขวก

Little Egret/ นกยางเปีย

Black-crowned Night Heron/ นกแขวก

Indian Cormorant / นกกาน้ำปากยาว

The Cormorant could be ID by the help of the pictures. Blue eyes so it was Indian Cormorant / นกกาน้ำปากยาว. I crossed the bridge over the drainage canal and I passed something that looked like a parking lot. Mud and water, but I managed to get out there on the gravel.

Black-winged Stilts and one Javan Pond Heron was reported to eBird. There was another bird, but it was gone before I could take any picture so I could not ID the bird.

Looked like a female finch of some kind.

Black-winged Stilt

Javan Pond Heron - นกยางกรอกพันธุ์ชวา

Crossing another bridge and I turned right ending up in the city again and I made a U-turn and I crossed the bridge again. Driving around the area between the bridges without seeing anything interesting or any exotic birds.

Back at the drainage canal and I drove out in the wilderness to try to get close to the birds. I managed to come closer to the Indian Cormorant / นกกาน้ำปากยาว and the Black-crowned Night Heron/ นกแขวก

Collared Kingfisher could be reported as well before I left the drainage canal.

Indian Cormorant / นกกาน้ำปากยาว

Indian Cormorant / นกกาน้ำปากยาว

Black-crowned Night Heron/ นกแขวก

eBird Report

Khlong Dan--Irrigation Project, Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 30, 2024 08:25 - 09:02
Protocol: Traveling
4.1 kilometer(s)
14 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 22
Zebra Dove 3
Black-winged Stilt 4
Red-wattled Lapwing 2
Indian Cormorant 5 ID by the blue eyes
Black-crowned Night Heron 3
Little Egret 3
Javan Pond Heron 2
pond heron sp. 1
Great White Egret 7
white egret sp. 5 Too far away for ID
Collared Kingfisher 2
Common Myna 3
Great Myna 1
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184472598

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Khlong Dan--Irrigation Project

Turning off my eBird app and I drove along Khlong Mai / Dan until I reach Sukhumvit Road. I stop to put my camera under the seat and I take off towards west. My plan is to visit the eBird hotspot: Wat Hong Thong (Hong Thong Temple)

Driving past Wat Hong Thong and I have to continue towards east until I find a U-turn place to go back to Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง). I make the U-turn and I drive back towards Samut Prakan.

I am soon passing a small road and I turn off Sukhumvit to explore the road. I end up in the mangrove and I am about to turn back. There is a concrete bridge going through the mangrove, but I really do not fancy falling through the concrete bridge.

Turning around and there is an old lady telling me that it is OK do drive on the bridge through the mangrove. I thought “what the heck?” and I drove out n the concrete bridge and I reached the water front after about 100 meters.

There is some kind of breakers along the mangrove and there is a concrete track on top of the breaker. I was pleasantly surprised and I started to drive along the breaker.

Mudflats on one side and mangrove on the other side

Mudflats

Reaching the end of the breaker

Reaching the end of the concrete path and I had to get off my scooter to turn around. I was for sure not fancying getting stuck off the path with my scooter.

The path is as wide as my scooter, but I managed to make a 180° and I was soon on my way in the other direction.

The end of the concrete track is just a couple of hundred meters from Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง), but it is hundreds of meters of mudflats so I have to drive back to get out on Sukhumvit Road to get to Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)

Low water, but not many birds to be seen on the mudflats. It is summer so most of the shorebirds are away to have babies in Europe. Some cormorants, too far away for proper ID.

Little egrets foraging on the mudflats and I could hear several Collared Kingfishers from the mangrove, and I could also hear them in the village.

Driving back crossing the bridge through the mangrove

Driving back crossing the bridge through the mangrove

eBird Report

Chan Kasem, Song Khlong, Chachoengsao, TH
Jun 30, 2024 09:33 - 09:44
Protocol: Traveling
0.75 kilometer(s)
4 species (+1 other taxa)

Black-winged Stilt 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 3 Too far away for proper ID
Little Egret 9
Javan Pond Heron 2
Collared Kingfisher 3 Three birds seen, could hear several from the mangroves

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184476062

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

Today's track at Chan Kasem, Song Khlong

Reaching Sukhumvit and I continue towards Samut Prakan and I had to drive for a couple of hundred meters to reach the road to Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)

Stopping to have a zip or two from my refreshment that I keep handy on the steering bar. A few drag on my e-cig before continuing towards the eBird hotspot: Wat Hong Thong (Hong Thong Temple) down at the water front.

Reaching the road to Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)

Sunday, and I was surprised, not many visitors. The road going down to the Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง) was empty. And same goes for the ponds. There were no birds and by the time I reached Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง) I had nothing to report to eBird.

Still early and the parking areas was almost empty. But now I could see that cars were starting to arrive. I turned around and there were plenty cars coming down from Sukhumvit.

I spotted 2 Black-winged Stilts on the parking lot and there were also two Eurasian Tree Sparrows on the parking lot.

Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)

Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)

Thinking what the heck? And I start my eBird app and I report the birds. I had not bothered to start my eBird app before as there were no birds to report.

Driving back towards Sukhumvit Road and there were some few birds to report before I turned off my eBird app and I threw myself out on Sukhumvit.

eBird Report

Wat Hong Thong (Hong Thong Temple), Chachoengsao, TH
Jun 30, 2024 09:58 - 10:06
Protocol: Traveling
1.41 kilometer(s)
5 species (+1 other taxa)

Black-winged Stilt 7 Two of them foraging on the parking lot
Little Cormorant 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 1 Fly over and not possible to give proper ID.
Great White Egret 1 Only bird in one of the big ponds
Great Myna 3
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 2 Foraging on the parking lot

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184477738

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)

There is another eBird hotspot one or two kilometres up the Sukhumvit Road and I have planned to visit this hotspot on my way home. Turning off Sukhumvit and there is some kind of construction site. There are 5 Little Cormorants swimming in the water.

Continue down to the water front and there is some kind of concrete path along the water. But there is so much debris laying around so I do not bother to get out to explore the area. There are Collared Kingfishers and I can hear them from the mangrove.

I can hear several Oriental Magpie-Robins all over the village.

Dead mangove at eBird hotspot: Ban Si Long--Samut Prakan side

The coast line along Samut Prakan is almost only mangroves and fishing ponds and there are roads going down to the waterfront and they are lined with houses.

So, it is not easy to get out to the mangroves as you have to cross someone’s land. But at the water front you can get access. If you want to walk through mangroves, you should visit the Bang Pu Recreation Area (สถานตากอากาศบางปู) and they have bridges going through the mangroves.

Time turned quickly and I stopped my eBird app and I drove back to Samut Prakan for my lunch.

eBird Report

Ban Si Long--Samut Prakan side, Samut Prakan, TH
Jun 30, 2024 10:14 - 10:26
Protocol: Traveling
2.52 kilometer(s)
9 species

Red Collared Dove 1
Zebra Dove 1
Little Cormorant 8
Little Egret 5
Collared Kingfisher 2 Could also hear several Collared Kingfishers
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
Common Myna 2
Great Myna 1
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3 Oriental Magpie-Robins could be heard all over the area.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S184479318

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

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Ban Si Long--Samut Prakan side

Well, the month of June in the year of our Lord 2024 have come to an end. I hope I will be able to do some birding with my scooter in July as well.

Click HERE to find out if I see any birds in July.

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