12 February 2023

Bird watching trip report


Introduction

Phetchaburi

is a province in central Thailand bordering Myanmar (Burma) to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the east. The dense rainforest of Kaeng Krachan National Park covers nearly half its area, offering hiking trails and camping. The capital, also called Phetchaburi, has been inhabited since the 8th century.

Phetchaburi is an area with many eBird hotspots. Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, a world famous area to look for waders. It is part of the Pak Thale – Laem Phak Bia Flyway Site, recognised as a priority site on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. There are many salt pans in the area. There is also the Environmental Research & Development Project with mangroves.

Go to the fishing harbour and rent a small boat with a Captain to explore the canal and mudflats going out to the Gulf of Thailand. And with the boat you can also go to check out the Sandspits.

This area is interesting in Spring/ Summer when you can see the waders in breeding plumage. Of course, most of the birds are here when they fly south from the winter months in the winter.

Another famous area is the Phetchaburi Rice Fields, located north of the city Phetchaburi. And south of the city Phetchaburi we have Hat Chao Samran (ตำบล หาดเจ้าสำราญ) and there are many eBird hotspots as well.

Hat Chao Samran (ตำบล หาดเจ้าสำราญ)

This Beach, which is located approximately 15 kilometers from Phetchaburi City, has a History that can be traced back to the Ayutthaya Era. The name Hat Chao Samran meaning Royal Leisure Beach was derived as a result of several visits for extended periods of time made by King Naresuan the Great and his brother, King Ekathotsarot.

Shorebirds

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

In some regions, shorebirds are considered wading birds.

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


So Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale is an exciting area and there are of course several eBird hotspots in the area:

• Pak Thale Nature Reserve (General area) (Plan to visit today)
Pak Thale Nature Reserve (General area) have 3 hotspots:
      - Pak Thale Nature Reserve--DMCR salt pans (without bamboo poles)
      - Pak Thale Nature Reserve--salt pans by the junction (behind the hut)
      - Pak Thale Nature Reserve--Intertidal mud flats only
I use the General Area hotspot to avoid any confusion


• Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity
• Wat Khomnaram (Khomnaram Temple)
• Laem Phak Bia--Salt pans EAST of Hwy. 4028 (Plan to visit today)
• Laem Phak Bia--Salt pans WEST of Hwy. 4028 (Plan to visit today)
• Laem Phak Bia (General area)
• Laem Phak Bia--Environmental Research & Development Project (Plan to visit today)
• Laem Phak Bia--Canal
• Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit
• Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint
• Laem Phak Bia--Artemia ponds (Plan to visit today)
• Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” wetlands (Plan to visit today)
• Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump (Plan to visit today)
The garbage dump is not in use anymore and is overgrown. But you pass it on the way to the Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” wetlands

I will also visit three eBird hotspots in the area Hat Chao Samran (ตำบล หาดเจ้าสำราญ) south of the Petchaburi city as we will drive past them on our way to Laem Phak Bia:
• Hat Chao Samran--Hwy. 3177 ricefields & marshes
• Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal
• Hat Chao Samran--Thetsaban 4 Alley wetlands

To skip the information and to go straight to the TRIP REPORT click HERE


Guide

I usually don't use any bird watching Guide in / around Bangkok. But could be a good idea to have a Guide to help me identify all the birds I see. As it is now my eBird checklists are not very impressive as I can only ID half of the birds I see.

I had been here before with a Guide, but most of the time I am here I don't have any Guide. I tried to call 4 different travel companies, but no answer on email or phone. Maybe they disappeared during the Covid debacle.

So I will go with a taxi that I have hired for the day.

Land transportation

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Thailand
About 130 km from the Sukhumvit / Asoke intersection in DOWN TOWN Bangkok

You will need a car and if you don't have your own a taxi is a very convenient way of travelling. Depending on the early morning traffic it will take a little more than 2 hours to reach Pak Thale. You rent the taxi for a full day and it will set you back with about 1500-3000 Baht (May 2020). To make sure that the driver understand you can show the below Thai Script:
• Pak Thale ปากทะเล

• Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST) ศุนย์เรียนรู้เรื่องนกและระบบนิเวศบ้านปากทะเล

Or show the driver a map. Click HERE for a map to the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST) in Pak Tale


Scan for map to Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST) in Pak Tale


• Laem Phak Bia แหลมผักเบี้ย

Or show the driver a map. Click HERE for a map to the bridge over the canal in Laem Pak Bia


Scan for map to the bridge over the canal in Laem Pak Bia


Get to Rama II Road on the west side of the Chao Phraya River and follow route #35. Reaching road Phetchaburi Border and #35 merge with route #4 about 21km after having crossed the Mae Klong River. The second river you cross after having left Chao Praya River behind. Get up on route #4 going south towards the town of Phetchaburi.

Road #4 goes all the way down to the border to Malaysia, but we will leave to road in Phetchaburi. Entering Phetchaburi and we slowed down to keep an eye out for any sign for road #3177. We could not see any sign until we had a sign saying 3177 “keep left” and it is easy to miss the exit.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Look out for road #3177

We turned off the highway and we turned left at the first intersection. We drove north until reaching the intersection and turn right to get on road #3177. Drive south for about 16 km until reaching an intersection. Turn left to get on road #4028.

From the intersection it is about 5 km to Laem Pak Bia fishing harbour. And it is about 14 km to Pak Thale following road #4028 driving north from Laem Pak Bia fishing harbour.

You can also leave RAMA II about 13 km after having crossed the bridge over River Klong, the second river you cross after having left Chao Praya River behind. Turn on road #2021 (Called highway 2021) and this road is soon turned in to road #4012. Follow this road until you reach BanLaem.

Turn right following road #3176. Turn left to follow the Rural Road #2021 and turn right at Na Am Phur and when coming out from BanLaem you reach a small roundabout.

The roundabout, can easily be mistaken for an intersection. But go straight and you are up on the road #4028. If you follow road #4028 it will take you to all the eBird hotspots 11 km south of the intersection starting with the Pak Thale Nature Reserve.


Equipment

Canon 5D Mk. III + Canon 5D Mk. IV
Canon EF 28-300/3,5-5,6 L IS USM
Canon EF 70-200/2,8L IS II USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens
Canon Speedlite 600EXII-RT flash
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II
Panasonic HC-W585 video camera

Sound recorder
ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder

Binocular
Steiner Skyhawk 8x32 (Since May 2020)


Weather / climate

Weather, I don´t know if Bangkok is the hottest capital in the world. But this is what they say and I have no reason to doubt this information because it is darn hot.

Bangkok, Thailand - Climate & Temperature
Pictures from www.climatemps.com

Bangkok, Thailand - Climate & Temperature - Click picture for full size
Pictures from www.climatemps.com



References/Resources

Thai National Parks - About the National Parks in Thailand A very good web page - Do you know that there are still wild tigers, elephants, leopards, tapirs, gaurs, bears and many monkey species in many tropical rainforests across Thailand? Do you also know that around 10% of all marine species in the world can be found in Thailand? And the fact that Thailand is the best bird-watching destination in mainland Asia?

National parks are protected areas of land because they have unspoilt landscapes and a diverse number of native plants and animals. There are 127 national parks in Thailand, of them 22 marine national parks. These parks offers a diverse range of flora and fauna, home to important population of endangered species.
So now it will be easy to find out if there are any National Park close to you.

Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST) - The Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST) is one of the oldest Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST)organisations conserving birds and nature in Thailand and is the country partner of BirdLife International. BCST's role to the local community is to spread awareness about urban birds and reconnect people back to nature.

The Logo
Dated back to 1986 when BCST was then a loosely-formed “Bangkok Birdwatching Club”, the Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis), or “Nok Gang Ken Baan” in Thai, has been chosen to represent the organisation.

There are two sites covering Thailand and I have used them many times. These two web pages are actually everything you need for your birding adventures in Thailand. All the information you need about all the birding spots. Click on the map and then select your spot and you will have maps and everything you need to know about the areas. They have put a lot of jobs in to their web pages, North Thailand Birding and thaibirding.com A must to visit before you go bird watching in Thailand.

www.norththailandbirding.com - A one stop only for all your birding in Thailand

thaibirding.com - Nick Upton's one stop only for all your birding in Thailand.

Use both www.thaibirding.com and www.norththailandbirding.com and you have a winner. Some of the maps on www.norththailandbirding.com are way better than Nick Upton´s, while some of Nick's maps are much more detailed. So I have found that if I use both the web pages for information, well, nothing else needed.

PBase/Peter Ericson - Peter Ericson, a guy I thought was from USA because of his family name. I met him at Lat Krabang Paddies in May 2020 and turned out that he was Swedish. Anyway, I have used his excellent page PBase since 2016 as help to ID birds by the help from his beautiful bird pictures.

Here you can also find information about birding tours.

He is also having a Blog - Thaibirds and more with interesting information.

Bangkok City Birding - A lot of interesting birding stories and information on this bird watching blog by David Gandy. Bangkok-based patch-worker in Suan Rot Fai, a large park close to the city's famous weekend market. He have recorded 150 species on his patch since 2008. As one of the only big green spaces in the city, “SRF” acts as a real magnet for migrants during spring and autumn, and holds a healthy selection of "sibes" during the winter months.


The East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership - The East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership is a network of partners within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). The East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) aims to protect migratory waterbirds, their habitat and the livelihoods of people dependent upon them.

The Flyway is one of 9 major migratory routes recognised globally. Partners include National Governments, Inter-Governmental Organisations, International Non-governmental Organisations, and International Private Enterprise, which agree to endorse the text and support the objectives and actions under this Partnership.

Thailand have three Flyway Network Sites - www.eaaflyway.net/thailand to find more information.
Pak Thale – Laem Phak Bia Flyway Site
Khok Kham Flyway Site
Krabi Estuary and Bay

www.tideschart.com GET THE LATEST TIDES IN THAILAND AND AROUND THE WORLD - A must to check out times for HIGH and LOW water when going to look for waders / shorebirds.

ebird - Find birding hotspots with bird checklists from all over the world

Avibase - is an extensive database information system about all birds of the world, containing over 25 million records about 10,000 species and 22,000 subspecies of birds, including distribution information for 12,000 regions, taxonomy, synonyms in several languages


www.oiseaux.net This web page is also excellent for identifying birds. There is information and range maps for many many birds from all over the world. This page is almost guaranteed to give you any answer you have about any bird in the world.

Cloudbirders - Read birding trip reports from all over the world

Fatbirder - Linking birders worldwide... Wildlife Travellers see their sister site: WAND


Fatbirder is a fantastic web page with information from, I think every country in the world. My first stop when I plan for my bird watching trips. There is information about locations and guides, well, pretty much everything you need to know. Sometimes this is the only place I need to visit to plan my trip.

BirdingPal - find a birding Guide around the world

BirdingPal


And the web page you cannot live without. I have been around the world looking for birds. I usually have a Guide, but sometimes it is not possible to find a Guide. So, well, I have lost count on how many times I have had help to ID birds at BirdForum. Joining this forum have been very very good for my bird watching experience.

www.birdforum.net

ClimaTemps.com is the place to learn about the worlds climates with more than 4000 locations documented. Each aspect of the climate is represented using colour enhanced tables and professional graphs so that data can easily be compared by switching between locations in different tabs in your browser.

“A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South East Asia by Craig Robson”


A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South East Asia by Craig Robson

A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South East Asia by Craig Robson. New edition updated with 76 species since previous edition “A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South East Asia by Craig” Nick Upton at www.thaibirding.com wrote “This quite excellent book is packed full of quality illustrations and written information on 1251 species recorded in Southeast Asia”

I bought this book for bird watching in Thailand, but it goes for all over SE Asia

I have been very happy with the “A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South East Asia by Craig Robson” But I had a fire in my condo 2019 and I needed to buy a new book. I was looking for the “A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South East Asia by Craig Robson” as I liked the book. But this book is not available anymore so I had to buy the “A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand” by Craig Robson.

What a disappointment this was, using the pictures in the book didn't helped to ID any birds.

“Birds of Thailand” by Uthai Treesuconand Wich'yanan Limparungpatthanakij


I met Peter Ericson, a famous bird watcher and he recommended the “Birds of Thailand” by Uthai Treesuconand Wich'yanan Limparungpatthanakij. I bought the book as soon as the book stores opened after the Wuhan virus. And I am very happy with the book and I have managed to ID some birds using the book.

Birds of Thailand by Uthai Treesuconand Wich'yanan Limparungpatthanakij

This new field guide will help you identify all 1049 species to have been recorded in the country to date, including the 20 species endemic or near-endemic to Thailand.

-Taxonomy follows the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World.

-Detailed texts covering status, habitat and behaviour, age, sex and geographical variation, voice, and confusion species.

-Almost 2200 illustrations covering all species and distinctive subspecies, birds in flight, males and females, juveniles and non-breeding plumages, where appropriate.

-QR code for each species, linking to the Internet Bird Collection gallery of photos, videos and sounds.

-More than 1025 full-colour range maps for all species other than vagrants.

-Well-marked subspecies groups receive full accounts, and the distributions of subspecies breeding in the region are clearly mapped.

-Local species name and local conservation status included.


I like the book, but I miss the picture index.


Places to visit

Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale


Laem Phak Bia (Thai: แหลมผักเบี้ย, pronounced [lɛ̌ːm pʰàk bîa̯]; lit. 'purslane point') is a coastal area in Ban Laem District, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand. The shore is a large, open area of mudflats and salt pans, with some mangrove areas and scrub, tipped by a sand spit. The area is not a national park, the land being privately owned, but it is a favoured location for bird-watchers where they can see a wide variety of shorebirds. The area is administered as Laem Phak Bia Subdistrict, and is home to a village of the same name.

Fauna
This area is famed for its bird-watching opportunities. Important species include the critically-endangered spoon-billed sandpiper, the endangered Nordmann's greenshank and black-faced spoonbill, and the white-faced plover. On the saltpans nearby, the spoon-billed sandpiper is reliably present from November to March, inclusive, and the painted stork, the red-necked phalarope and the pied avocet can also often be seen.

The sand spit is a wintering area for such gulls as the Pallas's gull, the Heuglin's gull and the Vega gull, and the Malaysian plover the Chinese egret are often present. Passerines that can be seen in the mangroves, swamps and enclosures at the research centre include the golden-bellied gerygone, the dusky warbler, the racket-tailed treepie, various reed warblers, the common snipe, the pin-tailed snipe, the ruddy-breasted crake and the slaty-breasted rail.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, a world famous area to look for waders. It is part of the Pak Thale – Laem Phak Bia Flyway Site, recognised as a priority site on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. There are many salt pans in the area. There is also the Environmental Research & Development Project with mangroves.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
eBird “Hotspots” at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
eBird “Hotspots” in Pak Thale

There are several eBird hotspots in the Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale Area, have a look at these if you CLICK the names below:

Some places the hotspots are very close and it is really impossible to know the limits between them.

Pak Thale Nature Reserve--Intertidal mud flats only

Pak Thale Nature Reserve (General area)

Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity

Wat Khomnaram (Khomnaram Temple)


Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
eBird “Hotspots” in Laem Pak Bia


Laem Phak Bia--Salt pans EAST of Hwy. 4028

Laem Phak Bia--Salt pans WEST of Hwy. 4028

Laem Phak Bia (General area)

Laem Phak Bia--Environmental Research & Development Project

Laem Phak Bia--Canal

Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit

Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint

Laem Phak Bia--Artemia ponds

Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” wetlands

Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump


Pak Thale Nature Reserve--Intertidal mud flats only


If I understand it right, this is only a hot spot at low water. Drive as far you can get on the dirt road and you reach a pier. Maybe you can see birds here during the low water. If it is realy low water the birds will be too far away.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
As far as you can get on the dirt road at Pak Thale

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Mud flats at low water

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Mud flats at low water



Pak Thale Nature Reserve (General area)


There are a green “Pak Thale ShoreBird Site” sign and just turn east here and you are on a dirt track taking you past the saltpans and to the ponds on the way to the pier at the end of the road. There are several salt barns in the area and it had been reported that you can find Barn Owls in these barns.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Coming from south and you can see the green “Pak Thale ShoreBird Site” sign

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Follow the sign to Ban Pak Tha-le

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
By now you should already have left road #4028 and you should be on the dirt track

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
After a few hundred meters you're in the Salt Pans again, turn right as per directions on the sign

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
DRIVE SLOW TO AVOID DUST!!

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Drive by the salt pans

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Ponds turn in to mudflats during low water

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Concrete paved track to the pier

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST)

At high water the waders are in the pans/ ponds eating or resting. You can drive around on dirt tracks and you can come very close to the birds. Every time I tried to get out the birds took off and it was not possible to take any pictures.

Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST) have a house in the area and if they are open you can pay them a visit.



Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity


There is a tank farm south of Pak Thale located just next to the road on the west side. Just north of the tank farm you turn down towards the water. There is a row of restaurant at the water front.

There is a gravel area between the restaurants and the road and there is plenty space for parking. Enter the restaurants slowly and carefully, to quick and three step later you're in the water on the other side of the restaurant.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale - Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Enough parking in front of the restaurants

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale - Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity, Phetchaburi, Thailand
You can see the tank farm behind the palm trees on the right hand side

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale - Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Water front restaurant

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale - Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Board walks from the restaurant

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale - Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity, Phetchaburi, Thailand

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale - Mai Payung Restaurant vicinity, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Not much space for bird watching

There is a meter or two between the restaurant and the water, and you will most likely be here mid-day and by then the sun is shining on the restaurant and it is next to impossible to get between the sun and the birds in the trees outside the restaurant. OK, you can wear rubber boots to get out in the water to get between the sun and the birds.

OK, if you don't have any time, just drive by. And I don't understand why they have made this place to an eBird hotspot, but it is so I made a stop. And it was not a waste of time, but to come here to look for birds, no.

Wat Khomnaram (Khomnaram Temple)


The fields in front of the temple Wat Kom Naram and the fields turns in to mud during the rainy season. There are quite a few Oriental Pratincole nesting on the dry mud. There are Skylarks and Bushlarks in the fields. There are a lot of birds in the trees along the wall between the fields and the temple ground.

There are fish farms next to the temple on the east side and these are accessible via a dirt track on the eastern side of the fields. The fields are divided by a dirt track between the temple and road #6022 south of the temple.

If you come from the north you can turn east in to the temple and there is a gate to the dirt track going south to road #6022.


Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving to the temple

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Reaching the temple

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Dirt track dividing the fields

If you come from the south on road #4028 you will pass a fuel station on your left hand side in good time before the T junction where you turn to west in to road #6022. And it is even easier to see the red and white radio mast just north of the T junction. So turn towards west between the gas stop and the radio mast.

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Easy to see the gas stop and radio mast coming from south on road # 4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Temple from the south

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
The fields

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
The fields

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
The fields

Can be worth a visit just to see the Oriental Pratincole standing on the dry mud. Otherwise here is not much to see, but worth to drive through when you go between Pak Thale and Laem Pak Bia.



Laem Phak Bia--Salt pans EAST of Hwy. 4028


Just north of Laem Pak Bia you have salt pans on both East and West side of road # 4028 and you can expect, of course, waders. Drive slow during the low water and keep your eyes in the ditches next to the road. They are now turned in to mud. We spotted Crakes at the water line at the bottom of the ditches. But they are very scared so not possible to get any pictures as they took covers in the vegetation.

Birding/ Bird watching at Wat Khomnaram, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving south on road#4028 between Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans

Drive between salt pans and pond on the dirt tracks and it is pretty much the same as the rest of the salt pans I have been visiting in Thailand. And drive slow to avoid dust on the heaps of salt they keep everywhere.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Getting in to the dirt track East of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving around the salt pans East of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving around the salt pans East of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving around the salt pans East of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving around the salt pans East of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving around the salt pans East of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Driving around the salt pans East of road #4028

We spotted a couple of Crakes driving by the area and of course waders and all the other birds associated with ponds and salt pans. And even if you don't see any birds it is an interesting area to see.



Laem Phak Bia--Salt pans WEST of Hwy. 4028


Just north of Laem Pak Bia you have salt pans on both East and West side of road # 4028 and you can expect, of course, waders. Drive slow during the low water and keep your eyes in the ditches next to the road. They are now turned in to mud.

We spotted Crakes at the water line at the bottom of the ditches. But they are very scared so not possible to get any pictures as they took covers in the vegetation so no pictures.

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Work on the salt pans West of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Work on the salt pans West of road #4028

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia Salt Pans, Phetchaburi, Thailand
West of road #4028

We left road #4028 and the first thing we see is a new sign that it is prohibited to drive and walk in the area. So we just drove down the dirt track for a couple of hundred meters before we turned around.

I was here back in 2016 and you can read about it HERE



Laem Phak Bia (General area)


This seems to be a hot spot used for the general area and I never used this hot spot.



Laem Phak Bia--Environmental Research & Development Project


Closed during the Wuhan Virus, but it is reported that you are not allowed to enter by car any more, but there is a golf cart service. I need to check this out when it opens gain.

I was here back in 2016 and you can read about it HERE



Laem Phak Bia--Canal


On the boat and you passing the canal from the fishing harbour going to the Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit. There are mangroves on both sides of the canal. And there are mudflats during low water. You see birds in the mangroves and there are waders on the mudflats during the low water.

And we can see all the birds we associate with water front, mangroves and mudflats. So here is a lot to see and if you’re on a boat you have rented yourself it is easy to ask the “Captain” to slow down. Or to ask the “Captain” to stop.

Maybe not so easy if you're in a group, the reason for me to pay the extra and go alone.

Laem Phak Bia--Canal
Leaving Laem Phak Bia fishing harbour

Laem Phak Bia--Canal
The canal and Gulf of Thailand ahead of us

Laem Phak Bia--Canal
Mangroves and mudflats on both sides of the canal

Laem Phak Bia--Canal

Laem Phak Bia--Canal
Mangroves and mudflats on both sides of the canal

Laem Phak Bia--Canal
Mouth of the canal




Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit


Leaving the canal and the sandpits are on your right hand side. During low water you can use the dried up sand as a berthing place and get of the boat. And as it is sand and no mudflats it is possible to walk on the “sea bottom” Walk around and there are many waders, even though they tend to take off when you came close to them.

Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit
We can see the sandpits on the right hand side coming out from the canal

Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit
I get off the boat

Laem Phak Bia--Sandspit
Many waders on the dry sand at low water




Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint


This place, maybe worth a visit in the winter, and it won't take you many visits to come here. Just turn east less than 100 meters south of Laem Pak Bia fishing harbour. You reach the beach about 200 meters from road #4028 and there is a big parking area. MAY 2020 and no birds was spotted, well, one Chinese Pond Heron and a Malaysian Plover very far away + three unidentified Terns.

There is a dead tree area just before you reach the parking, not one single barbet was spotted here.

Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint
It is not a well maintained area

Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint
There is enough parking

Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint
The beach

Laem Phak Bia--Had Sai Med Rak Viewpoint
I don't think I will bother coming back




Laem Phak Bia--Artemia ponds


Well, this hot spot is pretty much the same as the other “pans & ponds” hotspot in the area. Comming from north and turn right about 200 meters after having crossing the bridge over the fishing harbour.



Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump


It is the same way to the garbage dump and the abandoned building and you can see the abandoned building from road #4028. When you reach the sluice gate on the south side of road #4028 you turn north on to a dirt road.

Even if you don't know what a sluice gate you will understand when you pass the sluice port. After a couple of hundred meters you will pass the garbage dump

Laem Phak Bia--Abandoned building
Easy to see the abandoned building form the road

Laem Phak Bia--Abandoned building
Sluice port

Laem Phak Bia--Abandoned building
After passing the sluice port turn to north in to the dirt track (ARROW)
AGAIN! DRIVE SLOWLY IN THE AREA!! Not far between the spots and it is easy miss a road etc.

Birding/ Bird watching in Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale, Thailand
Dirt track from the sluice port to the abandoned building

Birding/ Bird watching in Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale, Thailand
You are soon passing a garbage dump (On your left hand side)
Took this picture after passing the garbage dump

Just to park the car anywhere as there is plenty space on the dirt road. Walk around the area looking for birds and there are plenty birds around the garbage dump. And I guess it is because of flies and insects in the garbage.

MAY 2020 AND THE GARBAGE DUMP IS REMOVED

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump, Thailand
MAY 2020 AND THE GARBAGE DUMP IS REMOVED

Birding/ Bird watching at Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump, Thailand
MAY 2020 AND THE GARBAGE DUMP IS REMOVED




Laem Phak Bia--Abandoned building" wetlands

Scan for map to the “Abandoned building”

Drive past the garbage dump and you reach the abandoned building in a couple of minutes. And again, plenty area for parking or drive along the dirt tracks to check out the birds.

Birding/ Bird watching in Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale, Thailand
Driving past the garbage dump - The abandoned building

Birding/ Bird watching in Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale, Thailand
The abandoned building

Birding/ Bird watching in Laem Pak Bia/Pak Thale, Thailand
Wiev from the abandoned building





Bird checklist

I never use any bird lists, but since I try to make it in to Cloudbirders. A very helpful site when planning your birding trips. But they ask for a bird checklist, and if I use their service, of course I want to contribute as well. My two first bird watching trip reports was rejected by Cloudbirders.

So I started to take ideas from the reports I found on Cloudbirders. So I have started to use bird lists, eBird generate one for me and I can post it on Cloudbirders. I will post my birds on eBird and on my different “BIRDS THAT I HAVE OBSERVED” pages.

Full Thai list updated to the taxonomy, nomenclature and sequence of the IOU/IOC World Bird List. The complete checklist, including Thai names and synonyms, can be downloaded in Excel format - Thailand Bird Checklist. - Version 8.2 (2018) - found at www.norththailandbirding.com

Check lists can come in handy to find out the local name of the bird etc. And Avibase have a list with pictures and sounds, excellent!

So I will post bird checklists here and if my Guides provide me with checklists I will also post them here.

Cloudbirders


Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Phetchaburi bird checklist from Avibase, click HERE - eBird version 2019 taxonomy

Avibase is providing you with bird checklists from all over the world. And I´m impressed by their web page. Select country and area and you get the bird checklist. Like the PDF files I got from Avibase on the links above. You also get the checklist with pictures and sounds.

The best part is that you get the local names of the birds and the online checklist gives the names in English plus the language you have selected. But it seems like the PDF cannot handle some alphabet.

For example the Japanese language so it is blank in the PDF checklist. But it worked excellent with Swedish. But you get them in the local language on the online version.


Bird list

I only list birds I have got on picture on my list of OBSERVED BIRDS. But since I started using eBird I have changed a bit. I list all the birds on the eBird checklist. See the DAY TO DAY report in the itinerary below.

And you can visit my list of “Birds I have seen in Thailand” ONLY BIRDS I HAVE ON PICTURE.


Trip Report


“Hat Chao Samran--Hwy. 3177 ricefields & marshes”

12th of February 2023 and we left my Condo a few minutes after 6 o'clock in the morning. We will spend most of the time at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale. But as we will pass through Hat Chao Samran area, I had decided to visit three eBird hotspots close to the main road.
• Hat Chao Samran--Hwy. 3177 ricefields & marshes
• Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal
• Hat Chao Samran--Thetsaban 4 Alley wetlands


I gave the GPS coordinates to the driver for the first stop at Hat Chao Samran--Hwy. 3177 ricefields & marshes and I was soon enjoying a power nap in the back seat. I woke up when we made a stop to fill gas in the car and I took the opportunity to buy some refreshments.

We left the highway at Phetchaburi City and we drove south toward Hat Chao Samran. I started my eBird app at 08:09. About two hours after leaving Bangkok.

My friend and driver stop the car. He pointing to the right and he tells me that there is a VERY BIG bird. Turns out that it is a Purple Heron. A wee bit too far away for any good pictures. But it is really a very big bird.

Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea, นกกระสาแดง

Baya Weaver, Ploceus philippinus, นกกระจาบธรรมดา

Scaly-breasted Munia, Lonchura punctulata, นกกระติ๊ดขี้หมู, Spotted Munia

Scaly-breasted Munia, Lonchura punctulata, นกกระติ๊ดขี้หมู, Spotted Munia
Scaly-breasted Munia / นกกระติ๊ดขี้หมู

We were soon stopping again as we had Baya Weavers in a bush and I discovered some Scaly-breasted Munia foraging at the bottom of the ditch between the road and the bushes.

There were also noisy Asian Koels in the bushes.

We continued and we were soon seeing something blue in the dry rice paddy and we stopped. Turned out to be a White-throated Kingfisher standing on the ground. I cannot remember having seen this before. But I will most likely have seen it, but nothing you see every day.

We spot a pair of Green Bee-eaters in the bushes. We stop and as soon as they get used to us the land on the ground and they continue to dig a nest in the ground.

My driver spot one Brahminy kite and I try to take a picture.

White-throated Kingfisher, White-breasted Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis, นกกะเต็นอกขาว

Green Bee-eater, Little Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis, นกจาบคาเล็ก

White-throated Kingfisher, White-breasted Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis, นกกะเต็นอกขาว
White-throated Kingfisher / นกกะเต็นอกขาว

Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus, เหยี่ยวแดง

Streak-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus blanfordi, นกปรอดสวน


Amur Stonechat, Stejneger's Stonechat, Saxicola stejnegeri

Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, นกอีเสือสีน้ำตาล

Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, นกอีเสือสีน้ำตาล
Brown Shrike / นกอีเสือสีน้ำตาล

eBird

eBird Report


Hat Chao Samran--Hwy. 3177 ricefields & marshes, Phetchaburi, TH

Feb 12, 2023 08:09 - 08:53
Protocol: Traveling
2.48 kilometer(s)
23 species

Feral Pigeon X
Zebra Dove 2
Greater Coucal 1 Heard only
Asian Koel X
Red-wattled Lapwing 3
Asian Openbill 1
Purple Heron 1
Little Egret 3
Cattle Egret X Many
Brahminy Kite 1
White-throated Kingfisher 2
Asian Green Bee-eater 2 A pair building a nest digging in the the ground
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 1
Black Drongo 3
Brown Shrike 1
Large-billed Crow 2
Barn Swallow 1
Streak-eared Bulbul 1
Great Myna 7
Oriental Magpie-Robin 4
Amur Stonechat 2
Baya Weaver 3
Scaly-breasted Munia 4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128132638

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


*******
“Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal”

I turn off my eBird app when we reach the highway. We turn left and we continue south. We reach the next eBird hotspot, “Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal” after a couple of minutes. We turn left and I start the eBird app at 08:58.

I was instantly disappointed, well, I should have known better. Not been raining for a long time so the landscape was dry. Getting up on the dust road leaving the highway behind and we had the dry rice paddies on the right-hand side.

On the left-hand side, we had a fence and bushes. I could get some glimpses of what looked like a fish farm behind the bushes. I could see some Black-winged Stilt among what looked to be domestic ducks.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot; Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal
We end up with a lot of cattle

Bird watching at eBird hotspot; Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal
We end up with a lot of cattle

Bird watching at eBird hotspot; Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal
We end up with a lot of cattle

We drive along the dust road through the dry area and here were not very much birds. I decided to go back to the highway to continue towards the next hot spot. When we turn around, I spot a Pipit in the dry paddy.

I ID the bird as a Paddyfield Pipit, well, just because I spotted the bird in a paddy. These pipits almost look the same, but when I came back home, I checked my books and it looks like a Paddyfield Pipit. In my Thai book there is 3 pipits on the same page:
• Richard's
• Paddyfield
• Blyths


And they could as well have used the same picture for all the birds. The books I have at home also look the same. But I decided to keep the ID after having studied the book “Birds of Thailand” My Thai book is the same I gave my driver and he brings it when we go birding.

Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata, นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

Paddyfield Pipit, Oriental Pipit, Anthus rufulus, นกเด้าดินทุ่งเล็ก

Green Bee-eater, Little Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis, นกจาบคาเล็ก
Green Bee-eater / นกจาบคาเล็ก

Green Bee-eater, Little Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis, นกจาบคาเล็ก
Green Bee-eater / นกจาบคาเล็ก

eBird

eBird Report


Hat Chao Samran--reedbeds & paddies W of Sala Daeng Canal, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 08:58 - 09:28
Protocol: Traveling
2.46 kilometer(s)
12 species (+2 other taxa)

Red Collared Dove 1
Black-winged Stilt 2
Red-wattled Lapwing 2
Asian Openbill 2
Cattle Egret 3 Start to turn orange to get the breeding plumage
white egret sp. 2 Too far away for ID
pond heron sp. 3 Winter plumage so no proper ID. But they are starting to change to breeding plumage
White-throated Kingfisher 1
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 5
Indochinese Roller 1
Black Drongo 1
Plain Prinia 2
Amur Stonechat 1
Paddyfield Pipit 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128134056

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


*******
“Hat Chao Samran--Thetsaban 4 Alley wetlands”

We reach the highway again and I turn off the eBird app. We drive south and I turn on the app again 3 minutes later when we turn left and leave the highway.

We end up in a village and we turn around driving back towards the highway. We turn off the paved road I see a female Plain-backed Sparrow on a wire and yet another Paddyfield Pipit in the dry paddy.

We are soon in the wetlands and there were many waders. I find it very frustrating with a lot of waders as I don’t recognise them and even though I use my book in the back I don't manage to put an ID on many of them.
Plain-backed Sparrow, Passer flaveolus, Pegu Sparrow, Olive-backed sparrow, นกกระจอกตาล

Paddyfield Pipit, Oriental Pipit, Anthus rufulus, นกเด้าดินทุ่งเล็ก
Paddyfield Pipit / นกเด้าดินทุ่งเล็ก

My friend and driver shout out and pointing up and forward.
- Same kingfisher we saw in Ayutthaya!!

I threw my self over to the right side in the back seat and I see the Pied Kingfisher flying by. We cannot see if the bird landing, but we got to see the bird. My friend is all excited over the kingfisher. He likes kingfishers very much but he has only seen the White-throated before Ayutthaya.

So, he was very excited to see the bird in Ayutthaya, but today we only got a very quick glimpse.

Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, นกทะเลขาเขียว

Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis, นกชายเลนบึง, Dammsnäppa
Bird that I cannot ID
ID by dwatsonbirder as a Marsh Sandpiper / นกชายเลนบึง

Thanks to Details dwatsonbirder at Birdforum I could identify this bird.

Forum thread HERE


Birdforum


Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, นกทะเลขาเขียว
Common Greenshank/ นกทะเลขาเขียว

Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis, นกชายเลนบึง, Dammsnäppa
Bird that I cannot ID
ID by dwatsonbirder as a Marsh Sandpiper / นกชายเลนบึง

Thanks to Details dwatsonbirder at Birdforum I could identify this bird.

Forum thread HERE


Birdforum


Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva, นกหัวโตหลังจุดสีทอง

Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola, นกชายเลนน้ำจืด, Grönbena

eBird

eBird Report


Hat Chao Samran--Thetsaban 4 Alley wetlands, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 09:31 - 09:56
Protocol: Traveling
2.03 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Many waders but I could only ID a very few of them
15 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon X
Zebra Dove 6
Asian Koel X
Black-winged Stilt 7 Fight
Pacific Golden Plover 1
Common Greenshank 1
Marsh Sandpiper X Thanks to dwatsonbirder! at Birdforum for the ID
Wood Sandpiper 1
Cattle Egret 1 Starts to come in to breeding plumage
pond heron sp. 5 Start to change to breeding plumage but still not possible for me to give proper ID
Pied Kingfisher 1
Asian Green Bee-eater 2
Great Myna 2
House Sparrow X
Plain-backed Sparrow 1 Female
Paddyfield Pipit 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128135526

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


*******
“Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump.”

We leave Hat Chao Samran and next stop will be at Laem Phak Bia. I know that the garbage dump is closed down since a couple of years. But it is still an eBird hotspot so first hot spot will be the Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump.

And can as well keep our eyes out as we have to pass the Garbage dump on the way to the eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans.

We leave the paved road and we get up on the dirt track. The first thing we see is a Cattle Egret and a Little Cormorant standing together on a pile of mud in the middle of the pond.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump.
Cattle Egret and Little Cormorant

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--Garbage dump.
We can see the “abandoned building” from the garbage dump

eBird

eBird Report


Laem Phak Bia--garbage dump, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 10:04 AM - 10:10
Protocol: Traveling
0.63 kilometer(s)
8 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon X
Black-winged Stilt 2
Little Cormorant 1
Cattle Egret 1 Start to get breeding plumage
pond heron sp. 1 Winter plumage so no proper ID
Asian Green Bee-eater 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Common Myna 1
Great Myna 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128136066

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


*******
“Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans”

I turn off the eBird app and I restart it immediately with the hot spot: “Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans” I was frustrated already before our first stop. I could see hundreds of waders on the salt pans.

I will try to find a guide when I come back from Sweden next week, a must for me when I watch waders. But as my friend suggested, they might have gone bust with no customers that last 3 years.

Well, anyway, now I am here and I am alone with my Thai bird book and I will give it my best.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans
The sky is black of pigeons

Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos, Drillsnäppa, イソシギ, นกเด้าดิน

Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, Chlidonias hybridus, นกนางนวลแกลบเคราขาว

Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos, Drillsnäppa, イソシギ, นกเด้าดิน
Many Common Sandpipers in the area

Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos, Drillsnäppa, イソシギ, นกเด้าดิน
Add this picture because eBird wanted a picture as my count was high for this area
Click picture for bigger picture

Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus, นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก

Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger, นกกาน้ำเล็ก

We leave the first pond and I spot something I never seen before, hundreds of Little and Indian Cormorants standing together. Clock on below picture and the birds with yellow bill are Indian Cormorants.

There are also several egrets with well-developed breeding plumage. This was interesting to see, but it was a little too far away for any pictures.

We continue and we reach the “abandoned building” and we turn around. Next hot spot is only 150 meters away. But we need to leave the area to get back on the road and enter from there.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans
Hundreds of Indian and Little Cormorants - Click picture for bigger picture
And we can also see some egrets with well-developed breeding plumage


Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans
Hundreds of Indian and Little Cormorants
And we can also see some egrets with well-developed breeding plumage


Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, นกทะเลขาเขียว
Common Greenshank/ นกทะเลขาเขียว

Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, นกทะเลขาเขียว
Common Greenshank/ นกทะเลขาเขียว

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans
We reach the “abandoned building”

eBird

eBird Report


Laem Phak Bia--“abandoned building” salt pans, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 10:11 - 10:35
Protocol: Traveling
0.97 kilometer(s)
13 species

Feral Pigeon 500 A huge black cloud flying over the salt pans
Lesser Sand Plover 2
Kentish Plover 1
Black-tailed Godwit 3
Common Sandpiper 50 50 ++ Add this picture because eBird wanted a picture as my count was high for this area
Common Greenshank 1
Common Redshank 2
Brown-headed Gull 3
Whiskered Tern 5
Little Cormorant 200 Impossible to count, a huge group of Little and Indian Cormorants
Indian Cormorant 200 Impossible to count, a huge group of Little and Indian Cormorants
Great White Egret X Many of the egrets had well developed breeding plumage
Little Egret X Many of the egrets had well developed breeding plumage

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128136987

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


*******
“Laem Phak Bia--artemia ponds”

We leave the “abandoned building” and we drive past the garbage dump and we turn left when we reach the paved road. I start my eBird app 6 minutes later and now I have chosen the hot spot Laem Phak Bia--artemia ponds.

First bird to be reported is the Red-collared dove. There were egrets and a couple of waders. We made a U-turn and we drove back to the paved road.

Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos, Drillsnäppa, イソシギ, นกเด้าดิน
Common Sandpipers foraging

Forage

verb [no OBJ.] (of a person or animal) search widely for food or provisions: gulls are equipped by nature to forage for food.
• [with OBJ.] obtain (food or provisions): a girl foraging grass for oxen.
• [with OBJ.] obtain food or provisions from (a place).
• [with OBJ.] archaic supply (an animal or person) with food.

noun
1 [MASS NOUN] bulky food such as grass or hay for horses and cattle; fodder.
2 [in SING.] a wide search over an area in order to obtain something, especially food or provisions: the nightly forage produces things which can be sold.


Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva, นกหัวโตหลังจุดสีทอง
Pacific Golden Plover / นกหัวโตหลังจุดสีทอง - A gorgeous bird

eBird

eBird Report


Laem Phak Bia--artemia ponds, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 10:41 - 10:52
Protocol: Traveling
0.97 kilometer(s)
10 species (+1 other taxa)

Red Collared Dove 4
Black-winged Stilt 28
Pacific Golden Plover 2
Common Sandpiper 2
Little Cormorant 1
Great White Egret X  Some of the egrets have well-developed breeding plumage
Little Egret X  Some of the egrets have well-developed breeding plumage
pond heron sp. X  Start to get breeding plumage, but still not possible for me to give a proper ID
Common Myna 1
House Sparrow X
Eurasian Tree Sparrow X

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128137578

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


*******
“Laem Phak Bia--Environmental Research & Development Project”

I start my eBird app at 10:59 and I am soon discovered that the area has turned in to a giant construction site. Maybe they are making new ponds as there were excavators. It was a huge difference from the last time I was here.

here were plenty waders in the mud field and I am, well, not proud, but I was very happy that I managed to ID the Red-necked Stint and the Temminck's Stint. Of course, with a lot of help from the bird book. The godwit, I am pretty sure it is a bar-tailed. But it can also be a Black-tailed Godwit.

I am almost 100% sure it is a bar-tailed.

Identifying Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit


Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica, นกปากแอ่นหางลาย

Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis, นกสติ๊นท์คอแดง

Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis, นกสติ๊นท์คอแดง
Red-necked Stint / นกสติ๊นท์คอแดง

Temminck's Stint, Mosnäppa, นกสติ๊นท์อกเทา, Calidris temminckii

Pond Heron, Ardeola

I remember from my last visit here, a small field with different crop and there were many egrets and herons feeding. I think the small green area is part of the research.

When I was here last time it was surrounded by mangroves and ponds. Well, I will have to see how it looks next time I visit the area.

We drove around the green area and we could come pretty close to the birds as we were using the car as a bird hide. I spotted the top of a Black-crowned Night Heron and this was the last picture before we left for the next eBird hotspot a few minutes away.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot:
Green area in the middle of the mud fields

Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus, นกตีนเทียน

Pond Heron, Ardeola
Pond Heron, Ardeola

Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, นกทะเลขาเขียว
Common Greenshank/ นกทะเลขาเขียว

Pond Heron, Ardeola
Pond Heron, Ardeola

Pond Heron, Ardeola
Pond Heron, Ardeola

Pond Heron, Ardeola
Pond Heron, Ardeola

Great Egret, Great White Heron, Ardea alba, นกยางโทนใหญ่
Great Egret / Great White Heron / นกยางโทนใหญ่

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, นกยางเปีย, コサギ
Little Egret / นกยางเปีย

Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, นกแขวก
Black-crowned Night Heron / นกแขวก

eBird

eBird Report


Laem Phak Bia--Environmental Research & Development Project, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 10:59 - 11:20
Protocol: Traveling
0.96 kilometer(s)
14 species (+1 other taxa)

Zebra Dove 3
Asian Koel X
Black-winged Stilt X  Many
Red-wattled Lapwing 2
Black-tailed Godwit 2
Temminck's Stint X
Red-necked Stint X
Common Greenshank X
Great White Egret X  Some of the egrets have well-developed breeding plumage
Little Egret X  Some of the egrets have well-developed breeding plumage
Cattle Egret X  Start to get breeding plumage
pond heron sp. X  Many
Start to get breeding plumage, but still not possible for me to give proper ID

Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Indochinese Roller 1
Oriental Magpie-Robin 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128138498

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


*******
“Laem Phak Bia--salt pans E of Hwy. 4028”

Back on the road and we turn right towards north and we leave the road after 5 minutes and I turn on my eBird app again. We are at eBird hotspot: Laem Phak Bia--salt pans E of Hwy. 4028. And we are soon turning around again. Same last time I was here, they are working on the salt pans and the dirt tracks are blocked.

And not many birds to be seen so I turned of my eBird app and we left the area.

Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus, นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก
Lesser Sand Plover / นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก

Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus, นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก
Lesser Sand Plover / นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก

Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus, นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก
Lesser Sand Plover / นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก

Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus, นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก
Lesser Sand Plover / นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก

eBird

eBird Report


Laem Phak Bia--salt pans E of Hwy. 4028, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 11:25 - 11:34
Protocol: Traveling
0.86 kilometer(s)
3 species

Black-winged Stilt X  Many
Lesser Sand Plover 2
Little Cormorant 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128138935

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


*******
“Laem Phak Bia--salt pans W of Hwy. 4028”

We crossed the highway and I turned on the eBird app 2 minutes after I had turned it off. Now we are on the hotspot west of the highway. The first bird is a Little Cormorant fishing in the ditch next to the road.

I make a video and the bird catch a lot of fish, but very small fishes. But I am not very happy with the video so I threw it in the garbage. It was very nice to watch the Little Cormorant swimming and catching fish.

Bird watching among the salt pans
Bird watching among the salt pans

Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger, นกกาน้ำเล็ก
Little Cormorant / นกกาน้ำเล็ก

Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger, นกกาน้ำเล็ก
Little Cormorant / นกกาน้ำเล็ก

Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger, นกกาน้ำเล็ก
Little Cormorant / นกกาน้ำเล็ก

Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger, นกกาน้ำเล็ก
Little Cormorant / นกกาน้ำเล็ก

We continue along the dirt track between the salt pans. We spot a Collared Kingfisher and my driver and friend goes crazy. He really loves the kingfishers and now he was really confused. How many different kingfishers are there. I showed him the bird book. I said that there are man different all over the world.

He was very happy to have seen the blue and white kingfisher.

Common Redshank, Tringa totanus, Rödbena, นกทะเลขาแดง
Common Redshank / นกทะเลขาแดง

Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, นกทะเลขาเขียว
Common Greenshank/ นกทะเลขาเขียว

Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, นกหัวโตขาดำ

Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, นกหัวโตขาดำ
Kentish Plover / นกหัวโตขาดำ

eBird

eBird Report


Laem Phak Bia--salt pans W of Hwy. 4028, Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 11:36 - 12:16
Protocol: Traveling
5.12 kilometer(s)
14 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 1
Asian Koel X
Black-winged Stilt X
Pacific Golden Plover 1
Lesser Sand Plover 1

Kentish Plover 1  Thanks to andyb39 at Birdforum for confirming the ID
Common Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 2
Little Cormorant 2
Great White Egret 1
Little Egret X
pond heron sp. 3  Winter plumage so no proper ID
Collared Kingfisher 1
Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128139990

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


*******
“Wat Khomnaram (Khomnaram Temple)”

We drive north towards the eBird hotspot: Pak Thale Nature Reserve (general area) and I decided to drive through the Wat Khomnaram on the way. There was not many birds to be seen at the temple and we were soon on our way again. Spent 6 minutes, always worth a visit as ou never know what shows up.

eBird

eBird Report


Wat Khomnaram (Khomnaram Temple), Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 12:25 PM - 12:31 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.78 kilometer(s)
5 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 3
Asian Koel X
Black-winged Stilt 2
Little Egret 1
pond heron sp. 1  Winter plumage so no proper ID
Black Drongo 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128140325

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


*******
“Pak Thale Nature Reserve (general area)”

We leave the temple and we drive north for a few minutes towards Pak Thale Nature Reserve and I start my eBird app less than 10 minutes after we had left the temple. I use the hotspot: Pak Thale Nature Reserve (general area) so no need to keep track on where I am.

We see a lot of Brown-headed Gulls resting and there are 5 Comon Terns among them.

There is a lot of waders and I manage to ID a few of them. The last bird we spotted was a Collared Kingfisher and the second time the bird showed up it landed in a salt shed and my driver got a good look and he was impressed by the beautiful of the bird

Brown-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus, นกนางนวลธรรมดา
Click picture for bigger size

Spotted Dove, Spilopelia chinensis, นกเขาใหญ่, นกเขาหลวง

Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, นกอีก๋อยเล็ก

Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus, นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก
Lesser Sand Plover / นกหัวโตทรายเล็ก

Collared Kingfisher, Todiramphus chloris, นกกินเปี้ยว, White-collared Kingfisher, Mangrove Kingfisher

eBird

eBird Report


Pak Thale Nature Reserve (general area), Phetchaburi, TH
Feb 12, 2023 12:39 - 13:16
Protocol: Traveling
3.98 kilometer(s)
15 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon X
Spotted Dove 2
Zebra Dove 2
Black-winged Stilt X
Lesser Sand Plover 2
Whimbrel 1
Common Sandpiper 1 Common Redshank 9
Brown-headed Gull 31  Resting together with what I can count 5 Common Terns. Only reason to attach the picture is that it was a high count for this time of the year when I reported the birds. I count to 31 in the picture but there was more. 5 Common Terns in the picture as well
Common Tern 5  Resting together with Brown-headed Gull
Little Cormorant 1
Great White Egret 2 Little Egret 6
pond heron sp. 1  Winter plumage so no proper ID
Collared Kingfisher 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S128141736
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

We drive back to Bangkok and I spend the evening with my bird books tring to put and ID on the waders we have seen today. Lsst birding in Thailand for a while as I am off for a week in Sweden. Click HERE to find out if I see any exciting birds in Sweden




Bird watching trip report



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

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

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

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

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

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.

Flag of Skåne / Skånska flaggan Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.


                                       

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