Thailand, bird watching on a scooter - January 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

Wednesday 22 ^nd of January 2025 and I have my lunch/ dinner coming back home from my session with The Red Devil, ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์, at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. A quick power nap and I put my Canon EOS R3 with the Canon RF 100-500mm IS USM lens in the basket in front of my Honda Giorno.

I get out on Phraeksa Road and I drive towards east until I reach the country side. I will check out an area that I have not visited in a very long time now.

Not an eBird hotspot, but I have named the area as Rural Road Samut Prakan 6024

Getting a wee bit lost and it took a little bit of time to find the area. When I found the place, it looked like they have started to prepare the area for something, more storage sheds.

They are preparing the land for something

They are preparing the land for something

Paddyfield Pipit

I spot one Paddyfield Pipit, well, most likely a couple of them, but I got pictures of one of the birds. I drive a loop around the first field and most of the vegetation was dry and gone.

But still a lot of small birds foraging in the dry vegetation. The first pond was dry and I spotted one Little Ringed Plover foraging in the mud. There were also a Pond Heron and one Little Egret.

Did not take long before I had a group of dogs chasing after me and they were howling and barking and the birds took off when we approached them following the trench between the field and the pond. Me in the lead followed by a gang of barking dogs.

My new friends

My new friends

Zitting Cisticola

Zitting Cisticola

Zitting Cisticola

Zitting Cisticola

Zitting Cisticola

Asian Golden Weaver

Red-wattled Lapwing

Driving between two ponds and I flush one pond heron and I discover a fish next to the pond. The pond heron had caught a fish and left it flapping in the grass next to the pond.

I stopped and I threw the fish back in the pond, and who knows? Maybe you will find the fish on your dinner plate in the near future.

The had flattened a huge area and they had put sand and gravel on top and I could drive all the way out to the edges. Last time it was impossible to drive in the area, unless of course, you had a 4 wheel drive.

Dry ponds

Dry ponds

Not much vegetation remaining in the area.

Yellow Bitern

Spotted Dove

Streak-eared Bulbul

Driving in to the sunset

I had explored the vegetation around the area and I had spotted one Streak-eared Bulbul and one Spotted Dove sittin gin one of the trees. Weavers/ sparrows flying around foraging, but they take off when I approach.

I am driving in to the sunset, still enough light for photography if I am between the sun and the bird. I had seen a tern flying ove what must be a pond so I drove over to have a look. At least 40 Black-winged Stilts and there were a lot of waders.

Far away but I took pictures to see if I could ID some of them.

Long-toed Stints, Common Greenshanks, Wood Sandpipers, Little Rined Plovers and Marsh Sandpipers. There were more waders on the other side of the pond and I drove back to the paved road to see if I could reach that area.

Shorebirds

Shorebirds are birds commonly found along sandy or rocky shorelines, mudflats, and shallow waters.

In some regions, shorebirds are considered wading birds.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Waders

Waders are birds commonly found along coastal habitats shorelines and mudflats that wade in order to forage for food (such as insects or crustaceans) in the mud or sand. They are called shorebirds in North America , where the term "wader" is used to refer to long-legged wading birds such as storks and herons. Waders are members of the order Charadriiformes, which includes gulls, auks and their allies.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Waders in one of the ponds

Back on the paved road and I take of on a dust road to see if I can get to the other side of the pond. The dust road was a dead end, but I got to see two Malaysian Pied-Fantail and a group of Asian Golden Weaver

There was also some Scaly-breasted Munias foraging close to a group of Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

Back on the paved road and I continue for about 50 meters and I took off again getting out on a sand/ gravel filling. I could reach the back side of the pond, but by then the sun was very low. And the birds was between me and the sun so it was not any good light for pictures.

Scaly-breasted Munia

Black-winged Stilt

eBird Report

Rural Road Samut Prakan 6024, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 22, 2025 16:40 - 17:44
Protocol: Traveling
5.07 kilometer(s)
24 species (+4 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 11
Spotted Dove 1
Zebra Dove 6
Asian Koel 2 Heard only
Black-winged Stilt 40
Little Ringed Plover 2
Red-wattled Lapwing 4
Marsh Sandpiper 2
Wood Sandpiper 3
Common Greenshank 4
Long-toed Stint 3
shorebird sp. 40 Many shore birds too far away for me to be able to get pictures for any ID
tern sp. 2 Not possible for me to ID
Little/Indian Cormorant 2
Yellow Bittern 2 Little Egret 4
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so not possible to give a proper ID
Great White Egret 1
Purple Heron 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
Plain Prinia 1
Zitting Cisticola 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 1
Siamese Pied Starling 3
Asian Golden Weaver 8
Scaly-breasted Munia 7
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 11
Paddyfield Pipit 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S210241978

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

Today's tack at Rural Road Samut Prakan 6024, Thailand

Turning off my eBird app and I start to drive back towards Samut Prakan and I get on the wrong road going towards north. So, I am a wee bit delayed, but I got to see the sun going down over the rice paddies. It was dark and I do not like to drive in the dark.

Darkness is the time people are drunk and most of the accidents occurs in the dark.

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 23 ^rd of January 2025 and I have my lunch/ dinner when I am back home from Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. I packed my Canon camera in my “front” basket and I took off towards eBird hotspot: Bang Pu Golf Course surroundings

Driving along Sukhumvit until I reach Tamru - Bang Phli Road and I drive towards north for a few kilometers. Turning off the road and I am at Bang Pu Golf Course after a few minutes.

The first bird is a Grey Heron foraging in the water with four Asian Openbills standing on the lawn behind the Grey Heron.

Grey Heron and Asian Openbills

Grey Heron

Brown Shrike

Brown Shrike

A tree full of Eurasian Tree Sparrows

I drive along the road going around Bang Pu Golf Course and I see some birds. I get to the road block and I turn around to drive around Bang Pu Golf Course until I reach the road block from the other side.

Spotting one bird sitting on the wire, one Brown Shrike and I stop. The bird takes off but it lands in top of a tree and I manage to get a picture.

Passing the club house again and I continue around the golf course. There are a lot of birds in the vegetation along the abandoned road. The first picture I get is of a Pink-necked Green-pigeon sitting on a wire.

Pink-necked Green-pigeon

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Asian Openbill

Sun is setting and it is time to go home

Several Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and there were many Oriental Magpie Robins singing, so it is soon getting time for eggs in the area. Reaching the road block and I turn around to go back towards the club house again.

It is getting too dark for pictures and I stop to turn off my eBird app.

I see one more Greater Coucal flying across the road and I stop to see if I can spot the bird. No luck with that, but I report the bird in my eBird app even though I had stopped the app.

eBird Report

Bang Pu Golf Course surroundings, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 23, 2025 16:24 - 17:35
Protocol: Traveling
10.33 kilometer(s)
25 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 11
Red Collared Dove 3
Spotted Dove 1
Zebra Dove 20
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon 1
Greater Coucal 2
Asian Koel 3 One female and two males, also heard all over the area
Red-wattled Lapwing 13
Asian Openbill 5
Painted Stork 2
Little/Indian Cormorant 4 Too far away for proper ID
Little Egret 1
pond heron sp. 1 Winter plumage so not possible to give proper ID
Great White Egret 2
Grey Heron 2
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 5
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 3
Black Drongo 1
Brown Shrike 2
Streak-eared Bulbul 3
Yellow-vented Bulbul 2
Common Myna 14
Great Myna 5
Oriental Magpie-Robin 9
Asian Golden Weaver 3
Scaly-breasted Munia 18
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 40

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S210346282

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

Today's track at Bang Pu Golf Course

+++++++++++++++
Friday 24 ^th of January 2025 and I take off to Bang Pu to look for birds after my lunch/ dinner. I will visit two eBird hotspots in Bang Pu:
• Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley
• Bang Pu--Recreation Center

Starting at the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley and I start my eBird app at 16:07 and the first birds to report is Feral Pigeons and Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

Driving around the construction area and there are a couple of birds, not many and I was soon back on the street taking me down to the sea front.

There was a road block going towards west and I turned towards east. The mud flats were full of Brown-headed gulls. Actually, the mud flats were white, that’s how many gulls there was.

Road going towards west is closed

Road going towards west is closed

Brown-headed Gull

Mud flats full of Brown-headed Gulls

Driving slowly keeping one eye on the mudflats on my right-hand side and the other eye in the trench going along the road on my left-hand side. If I would have had a third eye, I would have kept that on the road.

Stopping, there is a Common Kingfisher sitting in a small bush over the trench. I get my camera ready but then the kingfisher took off disappearing in to the mangrove.

There are some waders that I manage to ID on the mudflats, but there are mostly Black-winged Stilt. Reaching the pier and I turn around to drive back again.

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 24, 2025 16:07 - 16:38
Protocol: Traveling
4.71 kilometer(s)
11 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 8
Zebra Dove 2
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 27
Common Redshank 1
Common Greenshank 5
Brown-headed Gull 300
Little Egret 19 Coming in to breeding plumage
pond heron sp. 11 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 7
Common Kingfisher 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 13

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S210445841

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

Today's track at Bang Pu--Thetsaban 108 Alley

Turning off my eBird app and I get back to Sukhumvit Road and I turn left and I drive a few hundred meters to the next eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center

Turning on my eBird app and I can report one Common Myna and a group of Eurasian Tree Sparrow before I continue to check out the mangroves. There are Oriental Magpie Robins singing beautifully all over the area.

There were a few egrets, Little Egrets coming in to breeding plumage and there were Great White Egrets. One Grey Heron and pond herons foraging in the ponds. But only one wader, the Black-tailed Godwit.

Oriental Magpie Robin

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Great White Egret

I could hear the Collared Kingfisher, but I never spotted the bird. I could hear the Coppersmith Barbets all over the area. But I could never see the birds.

But driving towards the pier and I spotted one bird in a tree. I stopped to check out the bird with my binoculars and it was a Coppersmith Barbet.

I took a few pictures and I discover another Coppersmith Barbet in a tree across the road.

Coppersmith Barbet

Coppersmith Barbet

Parking my “bird watching” scooter and I walk to see if there is any birds at the bird bath behind the small houses. They have built a new toilet, but the bird baht is still there.

I sat down for 10 minutes, but no birds, well, it was getting late, the bath is more attractive during the hot hours midday. But I was hoping for some birds to come for an evening bath.

Walking down to the pier and I could see the big tourist attraction. Hundreds of Brown-headed Gulls flying around looking to catch some food that the tourist help up.

Getting out on the pier and I spot my first ever monkey at Bang Pu--Recreation Center. The monkey, not scared but it looked a little hesitant when tourist feed it. Very bad, there will soon be plenty monkeys attacking people for food.

Plenty Brown/headed Gulls around the pier

My first ever monkey at Bang Pu--Recreation Center

Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull

There was a lot of tourists on the pier and a couple of girls from China asked me to help them taking their pictures. They spotted my camera.
- Ohhh, can you please take a picture of us?

Of course, I got their camera and I took a few pictures and they were happy. I enjoyed walking around the area, a lot of people and it was a funfair feeling over it.

I managed to get back to my “bird watching” scooter without stopping for a snack at one of the many food stalls. I spot one Asian Koel sitting in the top of a tree and I drive there to have a look and I canhopefully get a picture.

The bird is gone when I reach the area, I turn off my eBird app and I drive back home.

Bang Pu--Recreation Center is almost like a funfair

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 24, 2025 16:44 - 17:59
Protocol: Traveling
5.81 kilometer(s)
18 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 5
Zebra Dove 5
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon 3
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 8
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Common Redshank 1
Brown-headed Gull 500
Little Egret 10 Breeding plumage
pond heron sp. 9 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 8 Start coming in to breeding plumage
Grey Heron 1
Collared Kingfisher 1 Heard Only
Coppersmith Barbet 2
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
Large-billed Crow 1
Common Myna 2
Oriental Magpie-Robin 7 Birds singing all over the area. Both males and females
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 25

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S210448787

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

Today's track at Bang Pu--Recreation Center

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 26 ^th of January 2025 and time to go look for some birds. Saturday and I had a meeting in Bangkok at 1 o'clock. Not a very good time, I had some time to kill and we went to have a cup of tea at Bellenies.

A great set-back for my diet and no time to go look for birds when I was back home late afternoon. Sunday morning and I was out of bed at 4 o'clock and I was back in bed a few hours later with a slight oncoming cold.

We go to Bellenies for a Saturday snack

We go to Bellenies for a Saturday snack

We go to Bellenies for a Saturday snack

We go to Bellenies for a Saturday snack

Double/ triple dose of vitamin C and D3 and I felt ready to go explore a new eBird hotspot. Original plan was to stay home, but the boredomdrove me out when the vitamins kicked in.and I felt better. Getting on my “bird watching” scooter and I was soon on my way towards Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

I will drive through the Bang Pu--Recreation Center to reach the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary . I have tried to get out on the sea front drive before, but the gate have been closed on the western part of Bang Pu--Recreation Center.

But the last few times looking for birds the gate have been open. There is a gate on the eastern side also, or I could have been driving my “bird watching” scooter along the sea front all the way from the Bang Pu Fish Bridge Viewpoint in the east to Thetsaban Bang Pu 54 Alley in the west.

Passing the gate and I stop to turn on my eBird app. The first birds to report are Little Egrets, Black-winged Stilts and one Malaysian Pied-Fantail.

Malaysian Pied-Fantail

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little Egret

shorebird sp.

There was one wader, but the bird only showed the back so I could never give a proper ID of the bird. I have to get off the sea front road to avoid a sluice building blocking the road.

Driving through a small village and I get out on the other side of the sluice after have been driving through the temple Wat Sichan Pradit (วัดศรีจันทร์ประดิษฐ์ สมุทรปราการ)

Spotting a few Feral Pigeons and Eurasian Tree Sparrows in the temple area.

I end up at a working site next to the road but I discover that it is a concrete platform and it was not possible to get down on the road, 30 cm below the platform.

Feral Pigeon

Painting at Wat Sichan Pradit (วัดศรีจันทร์ประดิษฐ์ สมุทรปราการ)

On the sea front road

On the sea front road

Black-winged Stilt

Finding my way out to the sea front road and I pass a mudflat/ mangrove next to the temple. Heading towards west driving along the sea and I kept my eyes out in the trench next to the road. No mudflats so I could concentrate on the trench.

I flush several birds driving along the road. Spotting mudflats a head of me and there was aterrible stank, what the dusk is going on around here.

But there were many birds on the mud flats. One Little Ringed Plover, otherwise only Pond Herons, Little Egrets and Black-winged Stilts.

I reach a couple of dredgers, at least it looks like dredgers. They are standing on the mud flats and I do not know if they are decommissioned.

On the sea front road

Brown-headed Gulls

Dredgers

Dredgers

Turning around to drive back to Bang Pu--Recreation Center. I did not want to continue any more to avoid coming in to the next eBird hotspot. But now I know how to get up on the sea front road, I have looked for a way to access the road many times, but they have all been blocked.

Driving back passing the stinking area and I stop to take a picture of a Pond Heron. Approaching another barge, well, a wreck. At least it looked like a wreck. I stopped to have a look and I got a picture of the Zebra Dove and a Eurasian Tree Sparrow.

There was a big group of Eurasian Tree Sparrows foraging and sand bathing next to the road.

Driving back towards Bang Pu--Recreation Center

Pond Heron

Zebra Dove

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Old wreck

Back at Wat Sichan Pradit (วัดศรีจันทร์ประดิษฐ์ สมุทรปราการ) and there is one Little Cormorant sitting on top of a dead branch. I spotted one Coppersmith Barbet in the mangrove next to the Wat Sichan Pradit (วัดศรีจันทร์ประดิษฐ์ สมุทรปราการ).

Trying to take pictures of the barbet I spotted one Collared Kingfisher. I had heard the bird but I never saw the bird but now I could see the bird jumping up on a branch and down again, just a quick glimpse and no pictures.

Driving in to the temple area and there is one Pond Heron sitting in the mangrove. I stop to try to get a picture and I was lucky, the bird remaining until I got the pictures.

Little Cormorant

Coppersmith Barbet

Coppersmith Barbet

Pond Heron

Pond Heron

Driving through the temple and I am back in the village. Crossing the bridge and I have to drive on a concrete board walk over the mudflats. The houses are built on stilts and the boardwalk is about one meter above the mudflats.

Back out on the sea front road and I spot one Pacific Swallow sitting on a pole in the mudflats. The tide is going out so the low water leaves mud flats behind.

There are some egrets foraging, but I do not report them as it can be the same birds I reported when I started my eBird app.

Driving through the village

Pacific Swallow

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 26, 2025 3:51 PM - 4:56 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.96 kilometer(s)
17 species (+4 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 11
Zebra Dove 9
Asian Koel 1
Black-winged Stilt 13
Little Ringed Plover 1
shorebird sp. 1 Only picture from behind so no ID
Brown-headed Gull 16
gull sp. 50 One group flying by, most likely Brown-headed Gulls
Little Cormorant 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 6
Little Egret 16
pond heron sp. 11 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 5
Collared Kingfisher 1
Coppersmith Barbet 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Pacific Swallow 1
Common Myna 2
Oriental Magpie-Robin 4
House Sparrow 4 Sand bathing
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 20

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S210717656

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

Today's track at Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary

Turning off the eBird app and restarting it immediately, but now using the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Recreation Center and I drive through the gate to start look for birds at Bang Pu--Recreation Center and I can actually report one Brahminy Kite before I started to move as I spotted the bird landing in a tree.

Driving towards the pier and the stalls to buy water. There were a lot of people, the parking was full and the cars were parked along the road along the mangrove.

A bottle of water and a coconut. Ice cold coconut and it was very good, but I am on diet so I never bought a second coconut. I put the water bottle in my bottle holder and I took off as soon as I finished the coconut.

Coming back to Sukhumvit Road and I turn off my eBird app and I drive back home.

Brahminy Kite landing in a tree

Brahminy Kite

Great White Egret

Little Egret

Painted Stork

Painted Stork

Great White Egret

Collared Kingfisher

Collared Kingfisher

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Recreation Center, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 26, 2025 16:57 - 17:24
Protocol: Traveling
2.49 kilometer(s)
10 species (+2 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 12
Black-winged Stilt 5
Painted Stork 3
Little/Indian Cormorant 15 To far away for proper ID
Little Egret 3
pond heron sp. 4 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 5
Brahminy Kite 1
Collared Kingfisher 3
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 3
Oriental Magpie-Robin 4
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 15

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S210719681

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

+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 29 ^th of January 2025 and starting the day by driving to the eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary to have a look for birds. Of course, breakfast before leaving. “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® and I bucket of tea.

Plunging down Sukhumvit Road until I reach Bang Pu Recreation Center and I make a U-turn. Passing the western border of the Bang Pu Recreation Center and I turn off Sukhumvit and I drive down to the water front where I start my eBird app.

I am at the sluice again

Getting out on the sea front on the wrong side of the sluice and I had to drive through the village again. But before that I could report two Collared Kingfishers and three Little Egrets.

High water so no mud flats. I passed through the temple and it seems like they had cut down some vegetation between the temple and the mangrove so I had a good view over the area.

I can only spot two birds in the mangrove, one Little Cormorant and one Great White Egret and I get a picture of the Great White Egret.

Coming up on the road along the sea front and I spot a Little Egret, Pond Heron and two Black-winged Stilts.

Great White Egret

Pond Heron

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Little Egret

Little Egret

Pond Heron

Black-winged Stilt

Great Myna

A tree full of cormorants

White-throated Kingfisher

There was a dead tree with cormorants, too far away for any proper ID. There was also one Great White Egret in the tree. And I discovered one White-throated Kingfisher as well, but with the back towards me so no picture.

Continue along the sea front and there are a lot of terns flying around, but not possible for me to ID. But I see one perching on a pole and I can get a picture, very far away, but I ID the bird.

High water and the barge from yesterday was clearly sunken, the deck was below water and there is no question, it is a wreck. There was one Pacific Swallow sitting on the barge but it took off when I got in to position to take a picture.

The Great White Egret sitting on the barge also took off before I could take a picture

Common Tern

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Reaching the barges

A sluice is blocking the road

Reaching the barges and there is a sluice blocking the road so I cannot continue. I turn around to go back to the sluice where I started. I spot on Black-capped Kingfisher in the mangrove and that makes it the fourth species of Kingfisher for today:
1) Collard Kingfisher
2) White-throated Kingfisher
3) Common Kingfisher
4) Black-capped Kingfisher

I passed on Common Kingfisher before and this is the fourth of the 5 kingfishers you can expect to see in the area, only the Stork-billed Kingfisher missing.

I hear the Asian Koel and this time it is very close and I start to record the bird. You can hear the bird all over Bangkok, but this close is not happening every day.

Listen to the Asian Koel

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

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.

There was another bird in the bushes and I made a recording, no clue what bird it is but maybe someone at xeno-canto can help me with the ID.

Continue towards east and the sluice where I gas started. Driving towards the sun so I drive quite fast planning to drive back again slowly with the sun in my back.

I stop at the wreck to take a picture of the Great White Egret that are perching at the same spot it took off from when I came from the other direction.

Great White Egret

Back at the sluice at Wat Sichan Pradit (วัดศรีจันทร์ประดิษฐ์ สมุทรปราการ) and I turn around to drive back again with the sun in my back. There was one Collared Kingfisher sitting in a dead tree in the mangrove. Manage to sneak closer and I got a picture before the kingfisher took off.

There was one Little Egret sitting in the top of another dead tree. I start driving towards west and I am soon stopping to take a picture of a Pond Heron sitting in the trench next to the road.

Collared Kingfisher

Collared Kingfisher

Little Egret

Pond Heron

Tanker leaving Bangkok

Entrance to Chao Praya River and Port of Bangkok

eBird Report

Bang Pu--Sichan Pradit estuary, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 29, 2025 7:45 - 9:22
Protocol: Traveling
9.85 kilometer(s)
24 species (+4 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 15
Red Collared Dove 1
Zebra Dove 18
Greater Coucal 1
Asian Koel 3
Black-winged Stilt 3
Common Tern 1
tern sp. 7 Too far away for proper ID
Little Cormorant 2
Little/Indian Cormorant 17 Too far away for proper ID
Little Egret 8
pond heron sp. 5 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Great White Egret 6
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 1
Common Kingfisher 1
White-throated Kingfisher 1
Black-capped Kingfisher 1
Collared Kingfisher 4
Coppersmith Barbet 2
Plain Prinia 1
Pacific Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 5
Streak-eared Bulbul 2
Common Myna 5
Great Myna 3
Oriental Magpie-Robin 3
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 12
passerine sp. 1 Heard only, not possible for me to ID

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S211075996

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

Back at the western sluice and I turn off my eBird app. I leave the sea front and I have to drive to Sukhumvit to get up on a road to come out on the western side of the sluice.

Finding myself at a ship yard when I come up on the western side of the sluice. The Prakan Kollakan Shipyard (อู่ปราการกลการ) and this was the reason the dredgers and barges were here. They were all moored at the ship yard.

There is a road block so I cannot continue along the sea front road and I have to turn off my eBird app again. Not many birds to report before I left the area, but I discovered that the area was an eBird hotspot: Bang Pu--Thai Salat estuary when I reported the birds in my eBird app.

Coming out west of the sluice

Container ship leaving bangkok

Coming out west of the sluice

Prakan Kollakan Shipyard

Prakan Kollakan Shipyard

Only small boats at the shipyard

Driving towards the next eBird hotspot: Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley) and I try to find another access to the sea front, but they were all blocked and I gave up.

Starting my eBird app when I reach Soi Bang Pu 66–68 and I discover that there is a new restaurant. But I am not here to eat and I keep my eyes out for birds driving down the street towards the sea front.

There was nothing much exciting to report to my eBird app and I was soon on my way back home.

eBird Report

Soi Bang Pu 66–68 (Thetsaban Bang Pu 66–68 Alley), Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 29, 2025 10:04 - 10:31
Protocol: Traveling
4.34 kilometer(s)
12 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 3
Zebra Dove 10
Black-winged Stilt 47 Resting in a group, most likely waiting for the low water so they can get to the mud flats when it is low water again.
Little/Indian Cormorant 3 Too far away for any proper ID
Little Egret 4
pond heron sp. 1 Winter plumage so not possible to give proper ID
Great White Egret 5
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 1
Plain Prinia 2
Barn Swallow 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 1
Common Myna 1
Great Myna 9
Asian Golden Weaver 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S211079284

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

Lunch/ dinner before I took off to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym for an afternoon session with The

Before

After

Red Devil, ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์ to burn off some excessive fat.

Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym open up at 3 o'clock after the mid-day break and I left at 2 o'clock and I rolled up outside the gym an hour later

+++++++++++++++
Friday 31 ^st of January 2025 and I leave towards Chon Buri at 6 thirty to go give the Spoon billed Sandpiper a new chance. Heavy early morning traffic towards Chon Buri on Sukhumvit, but I expect it to become light traffic when we put Samut Prakan behind.

And as I thought, after having passed the Tamru - Bang Phli Road and I was hauling arse towards Bang Pakong salt pans. Passing Khlong Dan and I have to make a Y-turn to get back to fill up gasoline just outside Khlong Dan.

I stop to start my eBird app at 08:11

I recognised the wood bridge

Little Egret

I make a U-turn in Bang Pakong and I drive for a kilometre before I turn off Sukhumvit. I run for a few hundred meters before I take off the paved road and I stop on the gravel road to start my eBird app.

I drive along one pond until I reach a wooden bridge and as soon as I see the bridge I recognize it. I have been here looking for birds before.

There is one Little Egret close to the bridge and I get a picture. There is one White-throated Kingfisher but it takes off before I have a chance to get a picture.

I cross the bridge and I reach the salt pans on the other side of the wooden bridge. Driving for hundred meters or so and I see one of the salt pans and it looks to be full of birds.

I stop and I check it out with my binoculars and the salt pans is full of shore birds. Too far away for any ID and I report the birds as shore bird sp. Charadriiformes sp. in my eBird app.

Thousands of shore birds in the salt pans - Click on picture for full size

Great, Medium and Little Egrets + two Painted Storks - Click on picture for full size

Medium Egret

I continue along the salt pans

There was one pond full of white egrets, and I counted to 20 Medium Egrets, I learned that they are called Medium Egrets when I was reporting them in my eBird app. Last time I reported the bird it was called an Intermediate Egret. I counted to 27 Medium Egrets and 15 Little Egrets in the salt pan. And I counted to 20 Great White Egrets.

And there was two Painted Storks in the salt pan as well.

I see one guy walking towards the salt pan with the shore birds and I check him out with my binoculars and it is another bird watcher.

There was a motorcycle driving between the salt pans so I knew it was possible to get out there and my spirit was high. The spirit disappeared when I realised that there was no road. But I am soon back in good spirit, there are embarkments between the salt pans and I discover motorcycle tracks on them.

Little Egret and Pacific Golden Plover

Black-winged Stilt and garbage

Black-tailed Godwit

Thousands of shore birds in the salt pans - Click on picture for full size

The bird watcher was approaching the salt pan with all the shore birds and I knew that he was looking for the Spoon Billed Sandpiper and I didn't want to disturb, if one of the birds take off the whole group will take off.

He was pretty close to the birds so I washopeful that I could get close. I drove on the embarkments between the pans, dust. And if you come here in the rainy season, it is all a muddy glue and impossible to drive in the area.

Approaching the shore birds and I stopped quite far away from the salt pan as I did not want to flush the birds when the other bird watcher was looking at them.

He is soon leaving and he is approaching me and we have a chat. He recognizes my name from eBird and I ask if he had seen the Spoon Billed Sandpiper but the bird has not been seen today. But there were 3 of them a couple of days ago.

Tibetan Sand Plover

Great Knot

I could spot at least 2 of them among the other shore birds. Thanks to www.birdforum.net for the correct ID

Great Knot

I could spot at least 2 of them among the other shore birds. Thanks to www.birdforum.net for the correct ID

Long Toed Stint

2 birds ID by the feathers in a group of Tibetan Sand Plovers

Tibetan Sand Plover - Click on picture for full size

Easy to drive between the salt pans

Bang Pakong salt pans

Tibetan Sand Plover - Click on picture for full size

My new friend left for his car and I tried to come close to the shore birds, without any success. I got a few pictures and I will try to ID the birds when I am back home.

There was a lot of terns and gulls in one of the salt pans. So, white egrets in their own salt pan, the shore birds in their own salt pan and one salt pan for the gulls and terns.

I could ID the Brown-headed Gulls but the rest of the birds have to be ID when I am back home. I will try to get closer to the birds later on as I was leaving the salt pans behind driving towards the sea on a small dirt path.

Great White Egret with two Medium Egrets

White Egrets

Marsh Sandpipers

Common Greenshank

Collared Kingfisher

Looking for new adventures and avoiding snakes

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.

Common Redshank and we can also hear the Asian Koel + another mystery bird. Just after the first redshank call and the last call

Listen to the Zitting Cisticola

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.

We can hear a water pump and the Black-winged Stilts in the back.

Following the narrow dirt path and I have wetland on one side and a pond on the other side. Sun in my face so I kept good speed to reach the end so I could drive back with the sun in my back.

Driving back with the sun in my back, no pictures, but I stop to try to record the Common Redshanks sitting next to the path.

The bird gives two calls and then it is quiet, but then one Zitting Cisticola starting to sing and I could make two recordings out of one.

Back to the salt pans and I got a few pictures of the Tibetan Sand Plover.

Tibetan Sand Plover

Tibetan Sand Plover

Tibetan Sand Plover

Gull-billed Tern - Click on picture for full size

Passing one salt pan and I count to 27 Gull-billed Terns resting in the salt pan.

Getting out on a cart track driving towards the sea leaving the salt pans behind. Sun in my face and I keep a good speed, and when I reach a house at the end of the road, I turn around to drive back with the sun in my back.

There were at least 5 Grey Herons and 2 Purple Herons that I could see driving along the cart track. Turning around to drive back and I spot one Pond Heron hunting from a dead tree and I got a few pictures before I took off.

Pond Heron

Winter plumage so not possible to give a proper ID

Pond Heron

Winter plumage so not possible to give a proper ID

Pond Heron

Winter plumage so not possible to give a proper ID

Pond Heron

Winter plumage so not possible to give a proper ID

Pond Heron

Winter plumage so not possible to give a proper ID

Pond Herons in winter plumage

Pond Herons looks almost identical in winter plumage. And when I started to look for birds I visited Nick Upton's web page, www.thaibirding.com and I found a lot of information about birding in Thailand.

And I started my bird watching hobby in December so I never realised that the Pond Herons could be different species until I read that: “Non breeding Javan and Chinese Pond Herons looks the same and you will have to wait until March - May to tell them apart”

Purple Heron

Purple Heron

Purple Heron

Long-toed Stint

Thanks to Bewick at www.birdforum.net for help with the ID

Back at the salt pans and there is one salt pan full of Brown-headed Gulls and Gull-billed Terns. I try my best to get pictures but they are too far away.

I spot a small bird in a bush in one of the ponds and I stop to have a look. The bird moved all the time and I could never get any pictures. And the bird was on the other side of the bush but I got a glimpse with my binoculars.

Looked to be a female sun bird, either a Brown-throated or Ornate Sunbird. I heard something sounded like Donald Duck and I made a recording and I willhopefully be able to get help with the ID.

We can hear the Zebra Dove on the recording and the end of the recording was of the Zebra Dove only and I made a separate recording for the Zebra Dove

Gull-billed Tern

Brown-headed Gulls and Gull-billed Tern - Click on picture for full size

Brown-headed Gull

Whiskered Tern

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.

Mystery bird and I hope to get the ID from xeno-canto. We can also hear the Zebra Dove from recording XC966071

Listen to the Zebra Dove

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 recording is the end of recording XC966072 when I recorded the mystery bird.

I was soon making another recording. I drove on a very bumpy dirt road and there were plenty Black-winged Stilts and Common Redshanks resting on mud piles in the pond I was driving along.

The Redshanks takes off, the only bird that does not care very much are the Black-tailed Godwits, they just stay put. Maybe a few steps away when I stop to take pictures.

2 and a half hours in the area and I drove back to Sukhumvit Road, I have another stop to make before going back home.

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.

The birds take off and I get a recording of their flight call

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Common Redshank

Black-winged Stilt

Little Cormorant

Little Cormorant

eBird Report

Bang Pakong--Sai Khlong Phi Khut 2 Alley salt pans, Chachoengsao, TH
Jan 31, 2025 08:11 - 10:40
Protocol: Traveling
9.92 kilometer(s)
35 species (+6 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 2
Greater Coucal 1
Asian Koel 3
Black-winged Stilt 75
Pacific Golden Plover 1
Tibetan Sand Plover 500 Estimated to be around 500, the salt pans are full of them
Black-tailed Godwit 79 Two big groups at 2 different places. 54 + 25 birds. There were a lot of them in the area but I did not count as they could come from the first two groups that I had counted.
Common Sandpiper 1
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 20
Spotted Redshank 14
Common Greenshank 4
Great Knot 2 I could spot at least 2 of them among the other shore birds. ID by the down tipped bill and blackish strip through the feathers on pictures when I was back home. Well, I was wrong to ID the bird as a Broad-billed Sandpiper. Thanks to www.birdforum.net for the correct ID
Long-toed Stint 2 2 birds ID by the feathers in a group of Tibetan Sand Plovers
shorebird sp. 1000 1000 ++ I had a chat with local expertise and it was estimated to about 3000 birds
Brown-headed Gull 27 6 in one salt pans and I counted to 21 in another salt pan together with the Gull-billed terns
Gull-billed Tern 47 27 in group in one of the salt pans and I counted to 20 in another salt pan
Whiskered Tern 4
tern sp. 2
Painted Stork 2
Little Cormorant 1
Indian Cormorant 1
Little/Indian Cormorant 11
Little Egret 18
pond heron sp. 3
Great White Egret 35 Together with two Mediums Egrets
Medium Egret 27
Grey Heron 5
Purple Heron 3
Black-winged Kite 1
Brahminy Kite 1
White-throated Kingfisher 1
Collared Kingfisher 3 One seen + two heard
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Brown Shrike 1
Plain Prinia 1
Zitting Cisticola 1
Barn Swallow 1
Oriental Magpie-Robin 2
sunbird sp. 1 Female orenate or brown throat
bird sp. 1 Recorded with my mobile phone using my JBL microphone with the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Mystery bird and I hope to get the ID from zeno-canto. We can also hear the Zebra Dove

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S211310340

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

Today's track at Bang Pakong salt pans

Turning of my eBird app when I reach the paved road. I put my camera in my front basked and I done my helmet. I am on Sukhumvit Road heading west a few minutes later.

I will stop at another eBird hotspot going back home, Bang Pu--estuary E of Dan Noi and I start my eBird app at 11:08, thirty minutes after having turned it off back at the salt pans.

Putting my helmet in the front basket and I hang my Canon EOS R3 with the Canon RF 100-500mm IS USM lens around my shoulder and I am ready to look for birds.

I make a recording one Plain Prinia before I start moving. Stopping again after 50 meters as there is one Collared Kingfisher sitting on a wire. Too far away for any good pictures.

I can also report one Pond Heron and a Great White Egret to eBird before I continue.

Listen to the Plain Prinia

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.

My Merlin app ID the bird as a Bluethroat. But it sounds like a Plain Prinia

Collared Kingfisher

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

I discover about 300 Black-tailed Godwits and a lot of Black-winged Stilts in the first pond. And there is about 150 Black-tailed Godwits in the next pond.

They make some noises and I try to record the birds. About 450 Black-tailed Godwits and they are resting so that means that it is high water and the mudflats are covered. As soon as it is low water again the birds will be foraging on the mudflats.

Plenty Black-tailed Godwit in the ponds

Plenty Black-tailed Godwit in the ponds

Plenty Black-tailed Godwit in the ponds

Coming down to the sea and the mud flats are almost covered by water so the birds can rest in the pond for a little longer. There are Collared Kingfishers perching on the bamboo poles and one Black-capped Kingfisher landing on the highest pole.

The Collared Kingfishers dive down and get back to the bamboo pole to eat whatever they had catch in the mud.

There were a couple of terns hunting for fish as well. A Little Egret foraging in the water, otherwise I think most of the birds were resting in the ponds.

Black-capped and Collared Kingfisher

Black-capped and Collared Kingfisher

The man-made oasis

They are still working with the area

High water

Brahminy Kite

Little Egret

I spotted one Brahminy Kite perching in the top of a dead tree. Coming back to the Black-tailed Godwits and I managed to get a recording of the birds this time.

Groups of Black-tailed Godwit came in for landing and we can hear wing flaps and there is also the sound of one bird bathing.

Now I hope that the recording turned out good, I will know when I am back home again.

Listen to the Black-tailed Godwit

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.

A group of about 150 Black-tailed Godwits in this pond. The pond next have a group of about 300 Black-tailed Godwits. The birds are resting while waiting for the low water

Wingflaps at 00:28 + 00:44 + 01:04 and at 01:11 we can hear one of them bathing

eBird Report

Bang Pu--estuary E of Dan Noi, Samut Prakan, TH
Jan 31, 2025 11:08 - 11:52
Protocol: Traveling
3.34 kilometer(s)
11 species (+3 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 2
Black-winged Stilt 50
Black-tailed Godwit 450 A group of about 150 Black-tailed Godwits in this pond. The pond next has a group of about 300 Black-tailed Godwits. The birds are resting while waiting for the low water
Little/Indian Cormorant 28 Not possible for me to ID, too far away
Little Egret 6
Striated Heron 1
pond heron sp. 6 Winter plumage so not possible to give proper ID
Great White Egret 6
Brahminy Kite 1
Black-capped Kingfisher 1
Collared Kingfisher 5
Plain Prinia 1
old world warbler sp. 1 Not possible for me to ID
Oriental Magpie-Robin 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S211312794

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

Lunch/ dinner when I am back home after my last bird watching adventure for January 2025. And I will do my last session at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym for January in the afternoon.

It will be February 2025 by the time I am off for my next bird watching adventure, click HERE to find out if I see any birds!

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