Sunday 29th of January 2017 and I was out of bed quarter past 6 o'clock after having put my alarm to snooze for a couple of times. I was tired and I went to bed after my morning tea and Tuna Paella. I put the alarm to go off after an hour, but it was 11 o'clock when my friend called and woke me up. Lucky me, or I would have been sleeping until late afternoon.
An hour later and my friend knocked on the door. He had come here with his pushbike and he was also going to Bejakitti Park for a tour around the lake.
We spent an hour or so talking about the good ol' times before we left.
I was taking a taxi so we decided to meet in Benjakitti Park. No way they will find me on a bicuckle on the streets of Bangkok. The driving skills around here leaves a lot to wish for.
We left my apartment and he took off on his bike and I went to find a taxi. I took a taxi to the convention center next to Benjakitti Park. I could heat an Asian Koel as soon as I stepped out from the taxi.
I could also hear the Coppersmith Barbet and a Oriental Magpie Robin but the first bird I spotted was a pigeon. I was soon seeing a Black-collared Starling in one of the lamp posts.
I continued and when I entered the park in the SW corner. I had just stepped inside when I saw Malaysian-pied Fantails, Common Mynas, White vented Mynas and Pied Mynas. And I could hear the Asian Koel and Coppersmith Barbet all over the place. And of course, my friend came on his bike.
Black-collared Starling - นกกิ้งโครงคอดำ
Black-collared Starling - นกกิ้งโครงคอดำ
Malaysian Pied Fantail - นกอีแพรดแถบอกดำ
Are you following me?
The airline I used to go with back in the days
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
HEY! Are you following me?
And no! Bicycle trousers (Or what ever they call them) are not the coolest thing to be caught wearing
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
Eurasian Tree Sparrow / นกกระจอกบ้าน
Yellow-vented bulbul / นกปรอดหน้านวล
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
I walked around the lake, the East side have not much to offer regarding trees. The first 100 meter or so going north from the SE corner have some trees. There is a tree full of green berries and the tree was full of Coppersmith Barbets. On this stretch I also saw a Yellow-vented bulbul.
I reached the north end of Benjakitti Park and I left the walking path. Here are more trees and when I came over to the west side starting to walk south again there were quite a few trees. People were enjoying their Sunday in the park.
Groups doing gymnastics and people laying in the grass reading books. Pick nick and I also saw, for the first time in my life, a group training. I don't know what they call it, but it is when they jump from buildings and, well, it looked dangerous.
Female Oriental Magpie Robin / นกกางเขนบ้าน
Female Oriental Magpie Robin / นกกางเขนบ้าน
Female Oriental Magpie Robin / นกกางเขนบ้าน
Female Oriental Magpie Robin / นกกางเขนบ้าน
Malaysian Pied Fantail - นกอีแพรดแถบอกดำ
Malaysian Pied Fantail - นกอีแพรดแถบอกดำ
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
I completed my first lapse around the lake. I went to buy a bottle of water before I started my second lapse around the lake. It had taken me almost 2 hours to complete the first lapse. Of course, looking for birds and stopping to talk with people on the way. In short, it was an enjoyable Sunday afternoon in the park.
I stopped at the Coppersmith Barbet tree and it was still full of Coppersmith Barbets eating the berries, but it was not easy to get any pictures. I continued north towards the trees with the red flowers, the reason for me to come to Benjakitti Park.
I passed the park on Ratchadapisek Road in a taxi before going to Manila. I spotted the red flowers and I was thinking sunbirds and thus I am here today. So I walked towards the north side when I spotted a greenish/ yellowish bird in a tree. The bird was between me and the sun so it was not easy to see any colours or to get any pictures.
Anyway, I put it down as a Common Iora, in this light it was very hard to see if it was a Common Iora or a Green Iora
I reached the trees with the red flowers and I saw an ugly bird and I didn't recognised the bird. Not until I had taken a picture and i checked out the picture on my camera. Then I discovered that it was a Streak-eared Bulbul.
Yeah, easy to identify with the streaks around the ears. The bird was enjoying the flowers and it didn't seem to be embarrassed to have me around taking pictures.
Coppersmith Barbet - นกตีทอง
Rent a swan
Common Iora - นกขมิ้นน้อยธรรมดา
Common Iora - นกขมิ้นน้อยธรรมดา
Common Iora - นกขมิ้นน้อยธรรมดา
Common Iora - นกขมิ้นน้อยธรรมดา
Common Iora - นกขมิ้นน้อยธรรมดา
I reach the north side of the lake
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Yellow-vented bulbul come to have a feast on the red flowers
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
I spent 3 hours in the park doing 2 lapses and I was very satisfied with the afternoon. I will have to go make a new passport tomorrow, yet again, 2 or 3 years and the passport is full of stupid stamps. No more pages and a new passport is required.
So I decided to come back to Benjakitti Park tomorrow morning for a few hours before going to the Embassy. If I can get out of bed that is!
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Monday 30th of January 2017 and I managed to get out of bed at 5 thirty when my alarm went off. I left at 7 thirty as it was light enough to go look for the birds. It was pitch dark until 6 and I was enjoying my tea while watching the day coming along.
At 7 thirty it looked to be enough light and I took off, took off to look for a taxi that is. The traffic was heavy like it can only be early morning in Bangkok.
I had to walk all the way to Asok before I found a taxi and I was in Benjakitti Park at 8 o'clock. I entered the park at the same place as yesterday, in the SW corner. I walked in the same direction as yesterday, south side of the lake to the east side. After 100 meter or so I passed the “berry” tree and there were plenty Coppersmith Barbets. But I was facing the sun so I didn't bother taking any pictures.
We had a lot of Mynas as well, same as yesterday, White-vented, Black-collared, Pied and Common Mynas. But I never saw all 4 different kinds together. That would be nice to have on picture.
I continued towards the north side and I was halfway when I saw an Olive-backed Sunbird in one of the trees. It is a small bird and the light was not very good as the bird kept in the shadow.
And these small birds never sit still, always jumping around so focus is very hard. And if someone standing looking up a tree, especially with a camera there is soon people around wondering what is going on. I had soon a bunch of people around me and we talked about birds and bird watching. Never a boring moment when you're out looking for birds. I managed to get a few pictures of the Sunbird before I continued.
White-vented Mynas
Black-collared Starling - นกกิ้งโครงคอดำ
Black-collared Starling - นกกิ้งโครงคอดำ
Black-collared Starling - นกกิ้งโครงคอดำ
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
I had company by an Indian guy out exercising from the Olive-backed Sunbird tree up to the trees with the red flowers. Then a guy from Japan joined me and it was nice to chat, but I kind of lost my concentration on the birds.
There was no birds at the red flowers and I left the path to go through the “forest” to see if I could see any interesting birds. I could hear that there were many Asian Koels today. The bird everyone complains about, but I like their call.
I came back to the entrance and I had spent 1 hour for one lapse. My plan was to walk back to the NE corner and to take a taxi from there to the Swedish Embassy. I discovered a new “berry” tree on the west side and I was not disappointed, the tree was full of Coppersmith Barbets.
Also the usual Oriental Magpie Robin with their beautiful song. Streak-eared Bulbuls and many crows. I walked back and when I approached the NW corner the path was lined with something with red and white flowers. I spotted what I think was a female Olive-backed Sunbird. I sat down to try to get some pictures. But the bird was soon gone.
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
Bangkok from Benjakitti Park
Coppersmith Barbet - นกตีทอง
Coppersmith Barbet - นกตีทอง
Coppersmith Barbet - นกตีทอง
Bird watching in Benjakitti Park
Female? Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Female? Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Female? Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
Female? Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
When I reached the NW corner I had to sit down again. I saw a very small bird, grey with red uppertail coverts. The small bird jumped around and I never got any good picture. I will try to identify the bird when I'm back home.
Anyway, I was sitting there waiting for the bird to come back and I looked around and I saw my friend hissing by on his bike. I shouted to him. He looked around and he stopped.
He was going to take one more lapse and while he was gone I tried to get a sight of the grey and red bird.
I saw the birds, they have a very special twit so I could hear them, but I only got one picture, and it was not a good picture. So tight there and then I decided to come back tomorrow morning.
My friend came back and we decided to take the walk path to Lumpini Park. I would leave at Sukhumvit Soi 2 to walk to the Swedish Embassy. The walk path is very nice and you can walk all the way to Lumpini Park on a kind of sky walk and you walk through a nice area so this is recommended when you come to Bangkok.
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Tuesday 31st of January 2017 and I was out of bed at 5 thirty. It started to get some day light around 6 thirty but I was tired. I went to bed at 7 and I put my alarm to go off at 9. I was in the park around 9 thirty and I walked straight to the NW corner to see if I could see the bird from yesterday.
I walked by a Monitor Lizard on my way. But no Sunbirds at the red and white flowers. And no sign off the bird when I came to the NW corner of the lake. My friend called and I sat down to answer the phone. I could hear the bird when I spoke to my friend and I could hear the bird land in the bushes just behind me.
Monitor Lizard
Monitor Lizard
I hang up and the bird flew away and I sat down for a while looking for the bird. The bird was flying back and forth but it never landed so no picture. I gave up and I continued to walk along the north side of the lake, just 2 Streak-eared Bulbul and nothing else exciting.
I walked south on the east side and it was kind of nice in the shadows from the high risers on the other side of Ratchadapisek Road. I could hear the Olive-backed Sunbird in the trees.
It is a very small bird so it took some time for me to find the bird. And as with all these small birds, they never sit still so taking pictures is not easy.
I took a seat on one of the benches aiming the camera towards the tree. I was soon discovering what I think is a female Olive-backed Sunbird. I was soon seeing a male Olive-backed Sunbird
I got a few pictures, but the birds was jumping around in the tree they like. There is a kind of brown fruit or if it is a brown skin. The fruits looks dry but the Sunbirds jump around in these trees so there must be something they like. As I always have said, if you see a tree with berries or fruits you're almost guaranteed to find some interesting bird. And Benjakitti Park seems to be full of Olive-backed Sunbirds.
Female Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง?
Male Olive-backed Sunbird - นกกินปลีอกเหลือง
And we can see the kind of fruits they like
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน
Ahh! Va fan! Förföljer han mig?
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker - นกสีชมพูสวน
Today I learned that it is a female Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker - นกสีชมพูสวน"
Brown shrike - นกอีเสือสีน้ำตาล
Brown shrike - นกอีเสือสีน้ำตาล
I heard the bird I had seen yesterday and I was looking around. I saw a Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (นกสีชมพูสวน) in a tree. When I was back home I checked the bird in my book and the bird I saw yesterday was a female Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker. So this was a bird I identified by the sound.
Time passed quickly, I was hungry and thirsty. So I decided to go to the walk path to the Lumpini Park and cross the bridge to Sukhumvit Soi 10. The plan was to end up at Terminal 21 for lunch. I was walking with my friend and I spotted a Brown Shrike in a tree so I stopped to have a few pictures of the Brown shrike but the bird was soon gone.
Listen to the Plaintive Cuckoo
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
I could hear the Plantive Cuckoo and I started to whistle the easy sound and it sounds like the Plantive Cucko (At least I imagine so) and people looked at me like I was crazy. One guy looked at me like I was retarded but when I reached the walk path to the Lumpini Park I ran in to him again. He came back to the Benjakitti Park
No it was a different look on his face. We meet on the wooden bridge and he told me that the bird was coming closer. And I learned two things:
1) He had heard the Plantive Cucko
2) He had recognised my whistling so I was not very far off doing the sound
He had walked by me in the park looking at me wondering “Why the h**l is he walking around whistling like a retard?” Second time when he came back he was wearing an impressed expression on his face. I was in a good mood!
I crossed the wooden bridge and I walked up to Sukhumvit Road and I went for my lunch at BlueSpice at Terminal 21 before walking back home. A quick stop at the dive shop and they can make a “tailor” made weight belt for me. So now I have a little something to do on my next holiday. Otherwise I have planned to stay home for my full holiday next time.
Walk/ Bike path between Benjakitti park and Lumpini Park
Walk/ Bike path between Benjakitti park and Lumpini Park
Walk/ Bike path between Benjakitti park and Lumpini Park
Leaving Benjakitti Park behind walking up Sukhumvit Soi 10
So this is it, no more holiday and I will fly to Chittagong tomorrow. I have pre-booked a car from AOT and they will pick me up at 06:30. Bangladesh next and you just need to click HERE to find out how things work in Bangladesh.
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!