Thailand, bird watching on a scooter - February 2025

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 9 ^th of February 2025 and I took off towards the salt pans in Bang Pakong. Sunday and I experienced light traffic on Sukhimvit Road but the wind was very strong.

Strong wind and the dust were blowing over the salt pans, my glasses help a wee bit, but as I am looking for birds I do not wear my glasses.

I entered the area from another road today, a small wooden bridge just west of the other bridge that I have used the previous visits.

One of the “salt” farmers came to have a chat.
- You come to look for birds?
- Yes!

He told me that there were not many birds today and I told him that they were down at the sea to look for food. They will come in when it is high water.
- And in one month they disappear, I said
- Where are they going?
- They go to Europe to have babies

He told me that it was no problem to drive along the ponds with my Honda Giorno.

Continuing out to the salt pans

Spotting one of the salt pans and it is full of tern and gulls and I drive towards the salt pan to see if I can ID the birds.

Driving by one salt pan and I count to 57 Black-winged Stilts. There is at least 100 Gull-billed Terns to my estimation. And I count to about 63 Brown-headed Gulls.

Black-winged Stilts

Gull-billed Terns

Click on picture for full size

Brown-headed Gull and Gull-billed Terns

Click on picture for full size

Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull

Wood Sandpiper

Gull-billed Terns

Gull-billed Terns taking off when I approach

Click on picture for full size

Shorebirds taking off

Click on picture for full size

Shorebirds taking off

Click on picture for full size

Approaching the salt pan with the terns and gulls and the birds took off hanging in the air until they realized that I was no threat, they landed again.

There were plenty shore birds in the salt pans behind and they took off when I approached.

The wind and dust turned out to be a little more troublesome than I had been hoping for. Wind coming in from east and it was blowing dust in my face. The area covered in powder that turns in to glue when it is wet.

And the sun is a problem for taking pictures so I drive quite fast towards east and when I turn around, I have the wind and sun in the back.

And it seems like the high water is coming in as there are more and more shorebirds coming in for a rest in the salt pans.

Little Cormorant

Harvest salt

Harvest salt

Harvest salt

Pacific Golden Plover

Enjoying my Sunday

Common Redshank and Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-capped Kingfisher

Common Greenshank

There is a big group of stints, plovers and terns between two salt pans. Stopping to take a few pictures so I can try to ID the birds when I am back home with my books.

And the shore birds are not very easy to ID in winter plumage, but now they are moulting to breeding plumage. This makes it a little bit harder to ID the birds between different plumages.

Driving back to Sukhumvit and I turn off my eBird app and I heading west towards Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

Whiskered Tern

White-winged Black Tern

Red-necked Stint

Long-toed Stint

eBird Report

Bang Pakong--Sai Khlong Phi Khut 2 Alley salt pans, Chachoengsao, TH
Feb 9, 2025 09:30 - 11:34
Protocol: Traveling
13.3 kilometer(s)
31 species (+4 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 2
Spotted Dove 1
Zebra Dove 6
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 112 Counted in 3 ponds 57+24+43+8
Pacific Golden Plover 5
Tibetan Sand Plover 5
Black-tailed Godwit 3
Wood Sandpiper 12
Common Redshank 70
Common Greenshank 3
Long-toed Stint 1
Red-necked Stint 100
shorebird sp. 1000 Estimated, impossible to count
Brown-headed Gull 63
Gull-billed Tern 100 One big group
Whiskered Tern 1
White-winged Black Tern 1
tern sp. 6 Not possible for me to ID
Painted Stork 4
Little Cormorant 2
Indian Cormorant 11
Little Egret 10
Striated Heron 1
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 12
Medium Egret 6
Grey Heron 12
Common Kingfisher 1
Black-capped Kingfisher 1
Collared Kingfisher 2
swallow sp. 2 Not possible for me to ID
Common Myna 2
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 4
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S212539320

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

Plunging down Sukhumvit and I reach the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center in 50 minutes. Starting my eBird app and I report a few birds on my way to the parking lot.

I will concentrate on finding the new bird bath today, so not any driving around.

Sunday and there are a lot of people but I find a space to squeeze in my Honda Giorno. I walk to the old bird bath, Sunday and there might be some bird watchers that I can ask about the new bird bath. Empty! There is a gate and a bridge over one of the mangrove channels next to the bird bath.

There is a sign NO ENTRY! AUTHORIED PERSONEL ONLY! But the gate was open today and the sign was not visible and I walked across the bridge. There was nothing going on, but I continued walking hoping to find a bridge across the mangrove channel on the other side.

I find another bridge

I found a plank across the narrow channel and I get out on the paved walk/ bicycle path. Walking towards the sea and I pass the bird watching tower.

And I was surprised as I have not been here for several years now. But back in the day and I never went inside the bird watching tower. It looked like it was about to fall apart and full of garbage and shit and I did not want to run in to any snakes or any other nastiness.

But now it looked brand new with a new entrance and a bridge out to the bird watching tower in the pond. Nice and clean and I stepped inside not even having to think about snakes.

New entrance

Beautiful bird tower

View from the bird watching tower

View from the bird watching tower

There are two floors but I stayed on the bottom to stay close to the birds. There were two other bird watches looking for birds.

High water so there was a lot of birds in the pond. I estimate about 400 Black-tailed Godwits and about 100 Common Redshanks. I count to about 60 Indian Cormorants swimming in a group, back and forth across the pond.

A lot of white egrets and I count to 14 Painted Storks.

Common Greenshank

Black-tailed Godwits

Click on picture for full size

Painted Stork

Little Cormorant and two Black-winged Stilts

Great White Egret - The bill turning from yellow to black (Breeding plumage)

I was happy with the new tower and it is just a 15 minutes’ drive from my room with my “bird watching” scooter and I will for sure come back here again.

Now I just need to find the new bird bath. I leave the bird watching tower and I continue towards the sea.

After 50 to 100 meters and I can see a bird hide on my right-hand side. Sunday and there were a lens sticking out from almost every opening in the bird hide.

I was soon seeing the bird bath Infront of the bird hide and I had found the new bird bath.

The bird hide

The bird hide

View from the bird hide

View from the bird hide

Finding one opening that I could use. The girl next to me moved her stuff and I got a seat. Sunday and the hide were almost full and I made a mental note to come back and check it out tomorrow again.

There was two Malaysian Pied-Fantails hunting insects at the bird bath, otherwise it was quiet. The girl next to me pointed out towards left and there was one Greater Coucal walking in front to the hide.

I got a picture and I was expecting the greater Coucal to get to the bird bath, but the bird disappeared and I never saw it again. This was of course disappointing.

Two Racket-tailed Treepie visited the bird bath, a bird I have not seen for a long time.

Malaysian Pied-Fantails

Greater Coucal

Racket-tailed Treepie

Racket-tailed Treepie

Racket-tailed Treepie

Racket-tailed Treepie

Listen to the Asian Koel

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Sitting in a tree above the bird hide. We can also hear the Zebra Dove in the end

There were two Oriental Magpie-Robins, one male and one female, but they did not look to be a pair even though it is time to have eggs.

But they were bathing and they were soon joined by two Streak-eared Bulbuls in the bird bath.

So, there was a little action around the bird bath, but nothing exciting. Well, there was one Dusky Warbler, that was a wee bit exciting.

I could not remember having seen the Dusky Warbler before so I was excited, a new LIFER? Well, back home and it is the fourth time I see a Dusky Warbler, first time 16 April 2022 at the other bird bath here at Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

Actually, all my Dusky Warbler sightings have been here at Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

Oriental Magpie-Robin

Streak-eared Bulbul

Streak-eared Bulbul

Streak-eared Bulbul

Dusky Warbler

Scaly-breasted Munia

We also had one small Monitor Lizard coming for a swim and the bath was just big enough for the small lizard. A little bit laer and we had a huge lizard coming.

This lizard did not fit in the bath and it had to enjoy the bath bit by bit.

Time turned quickly and I was also getting hungry as I had been on the go since early morning. And I need to wash my “bird watching” scooter as it is very dusty.

Turning off my eBird app and I drive back to my room with a stop to wash my Honda Giorno.

Lizard having a bath

Lizard having a bath

Lizard having a bath

Lizard having a bath

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 9, 2025 12:24 - 15:21
Protocol: Traveling
1.61 kilometer(s)
23 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 3
Zebra Dove 1
Greater Coucal 1
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 24
Black-tailed Godwit 400
Common Redshank 100
Common Greenshank 4
Painted Stork 14
Little Cormorant 1
Indian Cormorant 60
Little/Indian Cormorant 1 Not possible for me to ID, too far away
Little Egret 6
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 11
Grey Heron 1
Collared Kingfisher 1
Coppersmith Barbet 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 4
Racket-tailed Treepie 2
Streak-eared Bulbul 2
Dusky Warbler 1
Common Myna 4
Oriental Magpie-Robin 2
Scaly-breasted Munia 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S212549473

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

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Monday 10 ^th of February 2025 and I decided to go have a look for birds at Bang Pu--Recreation Center when I am back home from my session with The Red Devil, ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์ at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym.

Lunch/ dinner when I am back home and then I load my Canon EOS R3 with Canon RF 100-500mm IS USM lens in the basket in front of my Honda Giorno.

Reaching Bang Pu--Recreation Center and I start my eBird app. I drive a round the area before Ipark my scooter at the parking lot. I walk to the bird hide and it was empty as I suspected it to be on a weekday.

But there was a camera on a tripod outside the hide and there was soon a guy coming in from the area in front of the hide.

He was leaving for the bird watching tower and he had spent three hours in the hide and I asked if he had seen anything exciting. But it had been a slow afternoon.

He left and I was all by lonesome and there was not much action as he had told me. Of course, the two Malaysian Pied-Fantails from yesterday was there hunting for insects. And two Streak/eared Bulbuls was chasing each other, flirting or fighting?

Streak-eared Bulbul

Dusky Warbler

Listen to the Streak-eared Bulbul

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Two birds in a tree next to the bird hide. Fighting or flirting? Chasing each other.

Listen to the Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

I record the bird without seeing it from inside the bird hide. Then I get out to play the recording and the bird come to have a look and I can get pictures.

We can hear the Collared Kingfisher in the back

I get a recording of the Streak-eared Bulbuls and I also get a recording of one Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher. I cannot see the Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher and I get out from the hide to have a look around.

There is one Taiga Flycatcher sitting on a piece of a dead tree and I get a picture. I cannot see the Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher and I play my recording and it does not take long before the bird shows up.

The bird was sitting high up in the tree, and it was moving around all the time. It was even diving towards me to check out the sound.

I got a picture, not any good picture, but I was happy with the pictures.

Taiga Flycatcher

Taiga Flycatcher

Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher

Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher

I walk to the bird watching tower and the guy from the bird hide was there and we started to chat. Turned out that it was him that had built the new bird hide.

It was very nice to talk with him and we shared bird watching stories and I learned a lot about Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

And it turns out that we live very close to each other in Samut Prakan.

Turned out to be a very nice afternoon in the bird watching tower and time passed very quickly.

High water and there were a lot of shorebirds in the pond. I estimated it to be 400 Black-tailed Godwits and we knew that the high water was going out when they took off to look for food at the mud flats down at the sea.

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Painted Stork

We leave the bird watching tower and my new friend goes to the parking lot and his car. I had decided to have another quick look at the bird hide. I want to see the Black-naped Monarch.

But the day light is disappearing so I do not expect any good pictures. And I keep my eyes out for otters as my new friend told me that they have otters in the area. Mostly seen in the dark, and as it was getting dark I kept my eyes open.

Otter

Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals.

Description
Otters have long, slim bodies and relatively short limbs. Their most striking anatomical features are the powerful webbed feet used to swim, and their seal-like abilities for holding breath underwater. Most have sharp claws on their feet and all except the sea otter have long, muscular tails. The 13 species range in adult size from 0.6 to 1.8 m in length and 1 to 45 kg in weight.

The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest. They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry, warm, and somewhat buoyant under water.

Several otter species live in cold waters and have high metabolic rates to help keep them warm. Eurasian otters must eat 15% of their body weight each day, and sea otters 20 to 25%, depending on the temperature.

In water as warm as 10 °C, an otter needs to catch 100 g of fish per hour to survive. Most species hunt for three to five hours each day and nursing mothers up to eight hours each day.

Feeding
For most otters, fish is the staple of their diet. This is often supplemented by frogs, crayfish and crabs. Some otters are experts at opening shellfish, and others will feed on available small mammals or birds.

Prey-dependence leaves otters very vulnerable to prey depletion. Sea otters are hunters of clams, sea urchins and other shelled creatures.

They are notable for their ability to use stones to break open shellfish on their bellies. This skill must be learned by the young.

Otters are active hunters, chasing prey in the water or searching the beds of rivers, lakes or the seas. Most species live beside water, but river otters usually enter it only to hunt or travel, otherwise spending much of their time on land to prevent their fur becoming waterlogged.

Sea otters are considerably more aquatic and live in the ocean for most of their lives.

Otters are playful animals and appear to engage in various behaviours for sheer enjoyment, such as making waterslides and sliding on them into the water. They may also find and play with small stones.

Different species vary in their social structure, some being largely solitary, while others live in groups – in a few species these groups may be fairly large.

Dusky Warbler

Zebra Dove

Making a stop in the bird hide but it was getting too dark for any good pictures. The sun was still up, but very low behind the bird hide so it was dark in front of the hide.

I walk to the parking lot and my Honda Giorno and I am soon on my way back to my room in Samut Prakan. And I was very happy to have met my new friend and I will most likely meet him here again when we are looking for birds.

He has a lot of information about the area. He also told me about a national park where they have spotted three tiges so I hope to get more information about this.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 10, 2025 15:15 - 16:27
Protocol: Traveling
3.22 kilometer(s)
23 species (+1 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 2
Greater Coucal 2
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 24
Black-tailed Godwit 400
Common Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 8
Common Greenshank 1
Painted Stork 15
Little Egret 6
pond heron sp. 1 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 12
Medium Egret 2
Grey Heron 1
Common Kingfisher 2
Black-capped Kingfisher 2
Collared Kingfisher 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 2
Dusky Warbler 1
Common Myna 5
Oriental Magpie-Robin 4 One female spotted on a wire singing
Taiga Flycatcher 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S212728634

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

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Tuesday 11 ^th of February 2025 and I drive to check out the bird hide at Bang Pu--Recreation Center and my plan is to go to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym in the afternoon. And I will try to only take pictures if I see any special birds.

I will take pictures for my eBird reports, but I will not use them by myself. So, today I only have one picture, a poor picture that I will post on eBird to see if anyone know the ID of the bird.

I spotted the bird in the trees when I left the bird hide. Jumping around in the tree. In the shadow then between me and the sun and it was a poor picture.

Mystery Bird

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 11, 2025 10:52 - 12:01
Protocol: Traveling
0.42 kilometer(s)
17 species (+3 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 4
Black-winged Stilt 8
Pacific Golden Plover 1
Black-tailed Godwit 100
Common Redshank 2
Painted Stork 6
Indian Cormorant 3
Little/Indian Cormorant 20 Too far away for proper ID
Little Egret 4
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 5
Medium Egret 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Collared Kingfisher 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
Streak-eared Bulbul 1
Common Myna 7
Great Myna 2
Scaly-breasted Munia 5
Passer sp. 1 Jumping around in the tree. Shadow then between me and the sun. So poor picture, but I hope someone know the ID of the bird

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S212833293

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

It was late by the time I got to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym so it was dark by the time I drove back home. I do not like to drive my Honda Giorno in the dark because of the risk of drunk drivers.

But it was OK and not so much traffic so I was back home in a jiff.

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Wednesday 12 ^th of February 2025 and I decided to go to the Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym in the late afternoon after the success of managing to get back to my room yesterday evening.

And I will drive along the sea front to the Bang Pu--Recreation Center and I will look for birds on the way using the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary to report birds.

I start the eBird app at 11:03 and I drive towards the Bang Pu--Recreation Center in the east.

Scaly-breasted Munia

Scaly-breasted Munia

Scaly-breasted Munia

I pass a huge building and there are Edible-nest Swiftlet flying in and out from a heart shaped hole in the wall. Looks like they might have nests in the building. Too far away for any pictures.

But I needed pictures for ID purpose as I did not know what birds it was.

There were a lot of Whiskered Terns hunting on the water front. I tried to get some “in flight” pictures of the terns, but it was next to impossible.

Ships and barges are leaving/ arriving to Bangkok and I enjoyed the water front view before I continued towards the Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

Edible-nest Swiftlet

Poor picture, kept for ID purpose only

Good that I kept the pictures. ID as Edible-nest Swiftlet by eBird in August 2025 and I had ID the bird as Sand Martins

Edible-nest Swiftlet

Poor picture, kept for ID purpose only

Good that I kept the pictures. ID as Edible-nest Swiftlet by eBird in August 2025 and I had ID the bird as Sand Martins

Edible-nest Swiftlet

Poor picture, kept for ID purpose only

Good that I kept the pictures. ID as Edible-nest Swiftlet by eBird in August 2025 and I had ID the bird as Sand Martins

Samut Prakan water front

Samut Prakan water front

Whiskered Tern

Samut Prakan water front

Samut Prakan water front

Samut Prakan water front

Reaching the mangrove at Wat Sichan Pradit (วัดศรีจันทร์ประดิษฐ์ สมุทรปราการ) and I spot the second Collared Kingfisher for today and I stop to take a picture before turning off the sea front road to drive 100 meters along the mangrove before reaching the temple.

There is one Pond Heron and one Great White Egret in the mangrove just before the temple. I drive through the temple and I spot the normal temple birds, Feral Pigeons and sparrows.

Leaving the temple behind and I go to look for a place to buy refreshments as I am getting thirsty in the blazing heat.

Collared Kingfisher

Pond Heron

Stopping to buy refreshments

Buying 2 bottles with refreshments and I have a chat with the girls before I take off. Driving through the village to get out on the other side of the sluice.

I cone up at the water front, about 50 meters from the gate to Bang Pu--Recreation Center. There were no birds to report on the way to the gate.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 12, 2025 11:03 - 12:20
Protocol: Traveling
4.54 kilometer(s)
18 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 23
Red Collared Dove 1
Zebra Dove 7
Black-winged Stilt 4
Whiskered Tern 70
Little Cormorant 1
Indian Cormorant 19
Little Egret 11
pond heron sp. 3
Great White Egret 5
Grey Heron 1
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 2
Black-capped Kingfisher 1
Collared Kingfisher 2
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
Edible-nest Swiftlet 30 Look like they have a nests in the building as they were flying in and out
Streak-eared Bulbul 1
Oriental Magpie-Robin 1
Scaly-breasted Munia 7

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S212942337

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

Turning off the eBird app and I restarted the app immediately, now using the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center . Taking a short trip around the western area and I get a picture of one Little Cormorant before parking my Honda Giorno at the parking lot.

Walking to the bird hide and I do not have to wait for long before one male Black-naped Monarch came to have a bath. This is one of the birds I wanted to see, seen it before but I do not have any good pictures.

The bird was not spending many seconds at the bird bath before it disappeared. But I managed to get pictures of the Black-naped Monarch.

Little Cormorant

Black-naped Monarch

Black-naped Monarch

Malaysian Pied-Fantail

Scaly-breasted Munia

Streak-eared Bulbul

Scaly-breasted Munia

Swinhoe's White-eye

Swinhoe's White-eye

I was also joined by two Swinhoe's White-eye that came to have a bath and I got both pictures and a video of the Swinhoe's White-eye.

The water attracted one Streak-eared Bulbul that I got on a video recording as well.

And one Oriental Magpie Robin was calling from a tree above the bird hide that I got on a sound recording. I turned off my eBird app and I drove back home to have lunch before going for my afternoon session at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym.

Listen to the Oriental Magpie Robin

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Bird sitting above the bird hide. We can hear a second Oriental Magpie Robin answer

We can hear the Asian Koel, Common Myna and the Collared Kingfisher in the back.

Recordings of this species are currently restricted.

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Why are recordings of certain species restricted?
Some species are under extreme pressure due to trapping or harassment. The open availability of high-quality recordings of these species can make the problems even worse. For this reason, streaming and downloading of these recordings is disabled. Recordists are still free to share them on xeno-canto, but they will have to approve access to these recordings.

We do not take this action lightly, and we wish it were not necessary, but we have been convinced that the negative impacts of offering easy access to these recordings outweigh the benefits.

If you would like access to these recordings, you may contact the recordist directly.

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eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 12, 2025 12:21 - 14:09
Protocol: Traveling
2.91 kilometer(s)
21 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 17
Asian Koel 2
Black-winged Stilt 10
Little Cormorant 1
Little Egret 5
pond heron sp. 2 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 6
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 2
Collared Kingfisher 2
Coppersmith Barbet 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 6
Black-naped Monarch 1
Racket-tailed Treepie 2
Large-billed Crow 1
Common Tailorbird 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 4
Swinhoe's White-eye 1
Common Myna 8
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Taiga Flycatcher 1
Scaly-breasted Munia 13
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S212945568

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

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 13 ^th of February 2025 and I start my eBird app at 14:54 when I reach the bird hide in front of the bird bath. I am alone in the bird hide, but there is soon one more bird watcher coming. There is some tourist coming to have a look taking pictures with their mobile phones.

The action starts as soon as I take my seat with a male Black-naped Monarch coming to the bird bath. But same as last time, the bird disappeared after less than a minute.

One Ashy Drongo landed and it stayed for several minutes. Never had a bath, but a little to drink.

One female Black-naped Monarch landed at the bird bath, a gorgeous bird and she stayed for quite a long time and she let me take pictures.

Male Black-naped Monarch

Male Black-naped Monarch

Ashy Drongo

Ashy Drongo

Ashy Drongo

Ashy Drongo

Dusky Warbler

Dusky Warbler

Female Black-naped Monarch

Female Black-naped Monarch

Female Black-naped Monarch

Female Black-naped Monarch

Female Black-naped Monarch

Female Black-naped Monarch

Common Kingfisher

Leaving the bird hide and I walk to the bird watching tower. There are three bird watchers, one of them are the one that was in the bird hide before.

They are all there to watch the kingfishers, they usually show up 4 thirty or so to have there evening meal.

I could count to 23 Painted Storks and the final count ended on 37 as there were more of them arriving to have their rest in the pond.

We could see one Collared Kingfisher next to the bird watching tower. Sitting in a tree, but covered by the branches.

Like clockwork, the Common Kingfisher landed on a pole in front of the bird watching tower at 5 o'clock. I had a few pictures and I left to walk back to my Honda Giorno.

Painted Stork having a snack

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Great White Egret

Common Kingfisher

Great White Egret

Brown-headed Gull

Click the picture for full size - Poor picture, kept for ID purpose only.
Birds ID by the black marking on the wings as the birds were too far away to see eye colour and head shape.

Making a short cut over the “NO ACCESS” area, there is no sign coming from the mangrove side. And walking towards the parking I cannot see the “NO ACCESS” sign as it is on the outside of the small gate at the wooden bridge.

Coming out close to the old bird bath and I spot two Swinhoe's White-eye bathing together with an Malaysian Pied-Fantail.

But this bird bath is always in the shadow so no pictures. Turning off my eBird app and I am soon on my way back to my room.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 13, 2025 14:54 - 17:09
Protocol: Traveling
0.44 kilometer(s)
24 species

Zebra Dove 2
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon 1
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 16
Black-tailed Godwit 200
Common Redshank 2
Brown-headed Gull 200 Poor picture, kept for ID purpose only. Birds ID by the black marking on the wings as the birds were too far away to see eye colour and head shape.
Painted Stork 37
Indian Cormorant 13
Little Egret 5
Great White Egret 19
Collared Kingfisher 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 5
Ashy Drongo 1
Black-naped Monarch 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 1
Dusky Warbler 2
Swinhoe's White-eye 2
Common Myna 2
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Taiga Flycatcher 1
Scaly-breasted Munia 2
House Sparrow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S213062846

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

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 15 ^th of February 2025 and I had a good session at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym, and from there it went down hill, quickly. I ended up at my friends house and we had tea and way to many cookies. Not so many that I felt physicaly bad, but it felt mentaly bad.

Tea and cookies

I go home to have a shower and to change my gym clothes before going back to pick up my friend and we are soon on our way towards eBird Hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center

Saturday and it might be too much people in the hide, but I decided to take the chance. Otherwise I avoid Bang Pu--Recreation Center during the weekends as there are too much people.

But it is about 10 - 15 minutes to drive there so it is worth taking the chance.

On the way to look for birds

Driving down Sukhumvit Road, light Saturday afternoon traffic and it was a joyfull ride. Makingthe U-turn and driving back 100 meters before turning in to Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

Driving down towards the parking and there are a lot of cars on the parking lot and there was a lot of people in the food stall area at the pier entrance.

We park the “bird watching” scooter and we soak ourself in mosquito repellent.

Grabbing my Canon EOS R3 and my Steiner binoculars and we start to walk towards the bird hide.

I bought the Steiner a few years ago and to have come in handy many times and now I carry it with me all the time.

And I have the JBL microphone that I bought in Panama. So, there is a wee bit of equipment to carry around when looking for birds.

Listen to the Common Tailorbird

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

The bird was in a tree outside the bird hide.

Listen to the Mystery Bird

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

The recording start with the Mystery Bird and we can hear it together with the Common Tailorbird. I will post on xeno-canto and eBird to see if anyone can ID the bird.

The bird was light coloured, but I never got any pictures as it was moving around all the time.

And I found instant use for the JBL microphone when we approached the bird hide. One Common Tailorbird was singing away from the tree and I made a recording. There was also another bird that I was not able to ID, but I posted the recording as a Mystery Bird and I hope someone at xeno-canto can help me with the ID.

I try to take pictures of the bird, but then I discover one Grey Nightjar sleeping in the tree.

Getting a few pictures of the Grey Nightjar and we go to have a look in the bird hide.

Grey Nightjar

ID as an Indian Nightjar by me. August 2025 the bird was ID as an Grey Nightjar by eBird.

Grey Nightjar

ID as an Indian Nightjar by me. August 2025 the bird was ID as an Grey Nightjar by eBird.

In the bird hide

There is one more bird watcher in the bird hide and I show him the picture of the Indian Nightjar. He is getting excited and I show him the bird in the tree.

He spend quite some time with the nightjar and me and my friend are alone in the bird hide. There is not many birds coming, most of th ebirds are actually in the trees just before getting in the the bird hide.

We walked around a little, the bird watching towers was full of bird watches and we walked back to the Honda Giorno.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 15, 2025 15:20 - 15:48
Protocol: Traveling
0.3 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: At the bird bath only.
17 species (+1 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 2
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon 4
Greater Coucal 1
Plaintive Cuckoo 1
Grey Nightjar 1
Collared Kingfisher 1
Coppersmith Barbet 1
Common Iora 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Black-naped Monarch 1
Common Tailorbird 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 2
Dusky Warbler 1
Swinhoe's White-eye 12
Common Myna 3
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Scaly-breasted Munia 3
passerine sp. 1 The recording start with the Mystery Bird and we can hear it together with the Common Tailorbird. I will post on xeno-canto and eBird to see if anyone can ID the bird.

Small light coloured bird, but I never got any picture as it was moving all the time

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S213376810

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

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 16 ^th of February 2025 and have not giving up on the Spoon-billed Sandpiper and I left for the Bang Pakong salt pans. Light Sunday traffic so I enjoyed the drive to the salt pans.

Making the U-turn at Bang Pakong and I drive back towards west for a kilometer or so before I get off Sukhumvit Road.

I start my eBird app and I drive along the cart track until I reach the wood bridge. Crossing bridges like this in Thailand always makes me a wee bit worried.

Always scared to cross any bridges

Making it across the bridge and I plunge town towards the sea between the salt pans. It is obviously that it is low water, there is not many birds in the salt pans.

But this is good as it is easier to count the birds. There were of course many shorebirds as some stay behind to have a rest in the ponds.

Driving past one Brown Shrike sitting on the wire and I continue for 100 meters before I make a U-turn and go back. I have the sun in my face and I have to drive past the shrike again.

Making another U-turn and now I am between the bird and the sun. And the shrike so not care about me, the bird is busy walking along the wire looking for food in the vegetation between the dust road and the salt pan.

Brown Shrike (Brown)

Brown Shrike (Brown)

Brown Shrike (Brown)

Brown Shrike (Brown)

Driving down towards the sea and there are some shorebirds on the mudflats in one of the ponds. Of course, Black-winged Stilts and some Black-tailed Godwits.

I managed to record on Common Redshank that was calling from the mudflats and the recording is disturbed by the Black-winged Stilt.

Reaching the eastern part of the area, I do not think it is possible to get further east. Anyway, I was turning around when I heard one whimbrel flying over the pond.

I started the recording and the bird disappeared and I stopped the recording. The bird came back and I started to record again so the recording is two recordings put together to one.

Listen to the Common Redshank

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Several shorebirds on the mudflats. We can also hear the Black-winged Stilt

Listen to the Whimbrel

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Flying over the pond and I stopped the recording. The bird came back again, so this recording is two recordings

Listen to the Eurasian Curlew

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Flight call, the bird is flying away, most likely been flushed by me. We can hear the Great White Egret from recording XC973480 flying by at the end

Listen to the Great White Egret

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

This is the same recording as the Eurasian Curlew XC973479

I drive south towards the sea on the eastern most cart track and I manage to get a recording of one Eurasian Curlew, most likely flushed by me when I stop the scooter. I flushed one Great White Egret at the same time and I got this on the same recording.

Two birds that I had not on recording before, so together with the whimbrel is is three new bird recordings for me today.

Happy when I drove back to Sukhumvit with three new bird recordings on my phone. And I am really happy that I bought the JBL microphone back in Panama

eBird Report

Bang Pakong--Sai Khlong Phi Khut 2 Alley salt pans, Chachoengsao, TH
Feb 16, 2025 10:41 - 12:32
Protocol: Traveling
10.5 kilometer(s)
29 species (+5 other taxa)

Red Collared Dove 2
Zebra Dove 1
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 57
Pacific Golden Plover 6
Little Ringed Plover 1
Tibetan Sand Plover 1
Kentish Plover 1
Whimbrel 3
Eurasian Curlew 1
Black-tailed Godwit 17
Common Sandpiper 1
Marsh Sandpiper 2
Wood Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 6
Common Greenshank 1
Red-necked Stint 20
shorebird sp. 1000 Not possible for me to ID
Brown-headed Gull 200
White-winged Black Tern 150 Resting in the salt pan, see attached picture
tern sp. 7 Not possible for me to ID
Painted Stork 6
Little Cormorant 4
Indian Cormorant 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 6 Too far away for me to give proper ID
Little Egret 5
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 5
Grey Heron 1
white egret sp. 5 Too far away for any ID
Collared Kingfisher 2
Brown Shrike (Brown) 1
Great Myna 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S213676794

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

Turning off my eBird app when I reach Sukhumvit Road. I start to drive back towards west and I will make a stop at the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--estuary E of Dan Noi and it is a 30 minutes ride to reach the hotspot.

Turning off Sukhumvit Road and I start the eBird app. I drive towards the sea and there are no birds in the ponds. But there are many white egrets in one of the trenches.

Very low water and the birds were far out on the mudflats, too far away for any ID even though I used my binoculars. I reported 500 shorebirds in my eBird app.

Four Collared Kingfishers could be reported, but no Black-capped Kingfisher and this is the first time here that I cannot report any Black-capped Kingfisher.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--estuary E of Dan Noi, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 16, 2025 13:00 - 13:24
Protocol: Traveling
2.75 kilometer(s)
8 species (+3 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 1
shorebird sp. 500 Very low water and the birds were too far away foraging on the mud flat for any ID even when I used my binoculars
Asian Openbill 4
Little Cormorant 2
Little/Indian Cormorant 5 Too far away for proper ID
Little Egret 27
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 11 One with breeding bill
Medium Egret 3
Grey Heron 2
Collared Kingfisher 4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S213680290

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

Driving towards Samut Prakan and I was surprised when I reached Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Sunday and there was not so much people. I started the eBird app about 30 minutes after having turned it off at the last hotspot.

I walked out on the pier and the mudflats were full of Brown-headed Gulls. Black-headed and Slender-billed gulls have been reported and I kept my eyes out.

But I could only see the Brown-headed Gulls. It is not all that easy to see the difference between the brown and black headed gulls.

Brown-headed adults have white eyes and the wings have a different pattern. A little disappointing to only be able to report Brown-headed Gulls, but I will be back again.

Brown-headed Gulls

Brown-headed Gulls

Brown-headed Gulls

Listen to the Brown-headed Gull

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Hundreds of Brown-headed Gulls on the mud flats

Listen to the Whiskered Tern

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Flying around next to the pier

Listen to the Feral Pigeon

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

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

Wing flaps in the end

Three new birds on recording, so it is a total of 6 new birds recorded today and I was happy. Walking back and I tried to record another bird that I could hear from the mangrove, but the bird turned quiet every time I started to record.

I could also hear the Common Tailorbird, but I got a recording last time I was here so I did not bother to record the bird.

The Indian Nightjar that I spotted when I recorded the Common Tailorbird, turned out it was the first time ever the Indian Nightjar had been seen here.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Feb 16, 2025 13:52 - 14:39
Protocol: Traveling
0.6 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching on the pier only
8 species + 1 other taxa

Feral Pigeon 8
Brown-headed Gull 400
Gull-billed Tern 10 Impossible to count, at least 10. I put 20 but I decreased to 10 as it gave a warning
Whiskered Tern 20
Common Tern 1
Little Egret 2
pond heron sp. 1 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 1
Collared Kingfisher 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S213686081

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

Turning off my eBird app and I did not bother to report the mynas and sparrows that I spotted walking back to my Honda Giorno.

Realizing that I had forgotten to wash my “bird watching” scooter when I was back home. I did not bother to leave again, now it is time for some food and afternoon tea.

I had an early morning “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® and I had been on the go for a while so I was hungry and a snack will be good.

Booking a ticket to Singapore for the next week so I do not know if there will be any more birding in Thailand before that. I hope to see some crocodiles and the Milky Stork in Singapore.

I have never been to the Gardens by the Bay and they say that it is a good place for bird watching. So, I will check out the area and I also have planned to go visit the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to look for the Milky Stork and crocodiles.

You just need to click HERE to find out if I see any birds in Singapore.

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