Kanchanaburi

Wednesday 19th of January 2023 and we take off towards Pattaya leaving the Agent Office behind in Sriracha. We are later than we had been hoping for so the breakfast was over at Hilton. But we decided to go anyway to see if we could get tea.

The plan is to go to the bird hide at Wat Tham Prathun on the way back to Bangkok.


I have not been to Pattaya for many man years and I did not recognize much of the city. But we managed to find the Hilton Hotel. The top floor restaurant was closed and the ALL DAY DINNING restaurant was also closed.

This was not what I had expected from a supposed to be a 5-star hotel.

We found a lobby bar after much running around, not what we had expected, but we took a seat in two sofas with a table between.

On the way to Pattaya
On the way to Pattaya

We order food and as I see they have afternoon tea I order one of those. This was not exactly what I had expected for “breakfast” but it was OK.

The afternoon tea was ok and we were full when we finished our meal. We ordered Mango pudding, this was a disappointment, we were told that they only had two and I had expected a 5-star hotel to make a third pudding. So, it was two Mango and one chocolate pudding before we paid the bill and left Hilton hotel.

And I had no plans to never return when we left.

On the way to Pattaya
At Hilton Pattaya

On the way to Pattaya
Afternoon tea at Hilton Pattaya

On the way to Pattaya
Afternoon tea at Hilton Pattaya

We leave Pattaya and we arrive to Wat Tham Prathun (วัดถ้ำประทุน) expecting the bird hide to be empty. Waste of time to come here on weekends and holidays as there will be plenty people. But there were 4 cars parked so we did not even bother to get out to have a look.

We drove around the temple area and we spotted a couple of Ashy Drongos and I managed to get a few pictures of the birds.

Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา

Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา
Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา

Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา
Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา

Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา
Ashy Drongo / นกแซงแซวสีเทา

We left Wat Tham Prathun (วัดถ้ำประทุน) and we have planned for a stop at eBird hotspot Lat Krabang close to Suvarnabhumi International Airport before leaving our friend at Samut Prakan.

I started my eBird app at 14:46 and the first picture I got was a Zebra Dove sitting on a fence.

Zebra Dove, Geopelia striata, นกเขาชวา

Asian Golden Weaver, Ploceus hypoxanthus, นกกระจาบทอง

Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Merops philippinus, นกจาบคาหัวเขียว

Amur Stonechat
Amur Stonechat

Amur Stonechat
Amur Stonechat

We stopped at a tree where I tried to get pictures of a Stonechat. It was darn hard to get pictures of the small bird as it was moving around all the time. But I needed to get a picture so I can ID the bird with the help of my bird book.

I discovered a White-throated Kingfisher in the same tree so I got a few pictures of this bird. And there was also one Zebra Dove in the same tree. So, I could thick off three birds on my eBird app in the same three.

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

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

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

Zebra Dove, Geopelia striata, นกเขาชวา
Zebra Dove / นกเขาชวา

We leave the tree behind and we are soon stopping again to get a picture of yet another Zebra Dove sitting just next to the gravel road. A picture and we are soon on our way again and we stop to try to get pictures of a Great Egret and an Intermediate Egret.

There was a Yellow Wagtail as well, but I never got any pictures that I could use.

Zebra Dove, Geopelia striata, นกเขาชวา
Zebra Dove / นกเขาชวา

Intermediate Egret, Median Egret, Smaller Egret, or Yellow-billed Egret, Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ, นกยางโทนน้อย

Great Egret, Great White Heron, Ardea alba, นกยางโทนใหญ่

Pond Heron, Ardeola

Un identified bird
I need help from Birdforum to ID this bird - Amur Stonechat

Un identified bird
I need help from Birdforum to ID this bird - Amur Stonechat

Un identified bird
I need help from Birdforum to ID this bird - Amur Stonechat

Thanks to andyb39 at Birdforum I could identify this bird.

Forum thread HERE


Birdforum


Streak-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus blanfordi, นกปรอดสวน

Streak-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus blanfordi, นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน

We drive back towards the highway as we have decided to go drop our friend at Samut Prakan. We will have dinner at S & P restaurant at Robinson. We make a few stops on the gravel road to get pictures and I come quite close to one Streak-eared Bulbul.

The bird was in a bush and it seems like it did not give a darn about us stopping to have a picture.

We continued and we had almost left Lat Krabang when we passed a paddy with some water. And as it was very hot there were birds coming for a swim. Mostly Asian Golden Weaver / นกกระจาบทอง but I spotted one Common Snipe / นกปากซ่อมหางพัด. And the bird was just pottering about don't bother with us as we used the car as a bird hide.

Common Snipe, Enkelbeckasin, Gallinago gallinago, นกปากซ่อมหางพัด

Common Snipe, Enkelbeckasin, Gallinago gallinago, นกปากซ่อมหางพัด
Common Snipe / นกปากซ่อมหางพัด

Asian Golden Weaver, Ploceus hypoxanthus, นกกระจาบทอง
Asian Golden Weaver / นกกระจาบทอง

Asian Golden Weaver, Ploceus hypoxanthus, นกกระจาบทอง
Asian Golden Weaver / นกกระจาบทอง

Asian Golden Weaver, Ploceus hypoxanthus, นกกระจาบทอง
Asian Golden Weaver / นกกระจาบทอง

Asian Golden Weaver, Ploceus hypoxanthus, นกกระจาบทอง
Asian Golden Weaver / นกกระจาบทอง

Asian Golden Weaver, Ploceus hypoxanthus, นกกระจาบทอง
Asian Golden Weaver / นกกระจาบทอง

Bird watching at Lat Kraban
Stop to buy some refreshments

+++++++++++++++
Friday 20th of January 2023
and it was nice to come back to Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym for a session with Red Devil (าจแดง ก.กุมานนท์), but first yoga. And as it is a very long time since I was at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym I wanted to have a slow start. Usually an hour of yoga, but today I decided to do 40 minutes.

Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym
Starting with light yoga

Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym
Starting with light yoga


Back home and I have my lunch/ dinner and a shower. My friend want to go for a “fika”, to go drink tea would have been better, “fika” includes some kind of cake. At least this is how I interpret it. Anyway, I did not feel very good when we had finished the “fika” at Landmark.

But I got a constitutional Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st out of it as we walked down to Soi 19 for another cup of tea before I went for a haircut.

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 21st of January 2023
and my friend will come here at 1 o'clock and we will take my Ganesh to MAMA GOD. I hope to be home from the gym before that and to have time to prepare some food for us before leaving for MAMA GOD in Samut Prakan.


My friend arrives late and he start to pack the Ganesh while I put the last hand on the food. He had brought paper boxes for the Ganesh and he arranged everything very nice. We don't want any Ganesh to broke during the trip to Samut Prakan.

He had 4 Ganesh with him that he had brought from Karen Mærsk when we had been in Sriracha. Thise Ganesh was already packed and he had them in his car.

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
He find my safari helmet

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
He find my safari helmet

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
He find my safari helmet

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Packing the Ganesh in boxes


Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Lunch time

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Lunch time

The food tasted good and we managed to finish all the food, good, no left overs that I will have to eat tonight. Well, my friend will come back from MAMA GOD with me. We will be picked up at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning to take off to Kanchanaburi.

We will spend one night in Kanchanaburi and one night in Lopburi and we will look for birds and visit some temples. We will also visit the Pilot from Bongkot in Lopburi.

We finish the food and I clean the dishes before my shower. We get a shopping cart in the lobby and we load it with my Ganesh.

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Loading the shopping cart

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Loading the shopping cart

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Ganesh (พระพิฆเนศ)in the car

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Ganesh (พระพิฆเนศ)in the car

Saturday afternoon light traffic on the toll way to Samut Prakan via Tonburi. We have to drive carefully to protect Ganesh in the back of the car.

We reach MAMA GOD's house and we unload the car. MAMA GOD arrange a table and we unpack Ganesh and we put them on the table. Ganesh will stay with MAMA GOD until next Sunday and we will start the Ganesh eyes opening ceremony (พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา). We will start at 09:19 as this is the best time.

MAMA GOD prepared drinks for Ganesh (พระพิฆเนศ), looked like milk and some red coloured soda.

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Unloading Ganesh at MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Unloading Ganesh at MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Unloading Ganesh at MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Unloading Ganesh at MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Unloading Ganesh at MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
Unloading Ganesh at MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
At MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
At MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
At MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
At MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
At MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา
At MAMA GOD

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา

Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา

We leave MAMA GOD's house and we will come back on the 29th for the Ganesh eyes opening ceremony. We were told that 29th was the best day, and at 09:19. But I don't know, maybe because this was the only time available.

My friend's son drop us at Robinson Samut Prakan and we will have tea at S & P before going back home. We had had enough to eat for lunch so we cancelled the dinner that I was going to cook, but we found Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st room for a little bit of cake.

We went to the Supermarket next door to buy a little whiskey before we took a taxi to lower Sukhumvit and we will book hotel for our trip to Kanchanaburi and Lopburi.

S & P at Robinson Samut Prakan
Eating cake at S & P

S & P at Robinson Samut Prakan
Eating cake at S & P

S & P at Robinson Samut Prakan
My friend having a second piece of cake

We book our rooms and we will stay one night in Kanchanaburi and one night in Lopburi. We will visit Luang poo Tong (หลวง พ่อทอง) at Wat Nong Prachum (วัดหนองประชุม).

We will also take the chance to visit Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ). Luang Poo Chub (หลวงพ่อชุป) died last year and as I have a few amulets that he made I want to see the temple.

So, there is two temples to visit in Kanchanaburi so we will be busy, and of course, I will Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hopefully see some nice birds during the trip.

Whiskey

Whiskey
My friend having a whiskey

Whiskey
My friend having a whiskey


+++++++++++++++
Sunday 22nd of January 2023
and my alarm went off at 4 thirty. My friend was already awake and we started to make the breakfast. Cheese omelette with bacon, my friends’ favourite, and that is even though I had forgot to buy ketchup.

We were ready at 6 and we were soon on our way towards Kanchanaburi. And as no surprise 6 o'clock Sunday morning, not much traffic in Bangkok.

Breakfast in Bangkok
Early morning breakfast

Breakfast in Bangkok
Early morning breakfast

Road trip to Kanchanaburi
Leaving Bangkok early morning

I am soon a sleep in the back seat and by the time I wake up we are approaching Kanchanaburi. Our first stop is at Wat Nong Prachum (วัดหนองประชุม) to visit Luang poo Tong (หลวง พ่อทอง). We were closing in on Wat Nong Prachum when we left the road. We followed a dirt road to have a look for birds.

We see Cattle Egrets and many birds that I could not ID. Plain backed Sparrows and Black Drongo. There were three birds on the road and I ID the birds as Richard's Pipits.

My friend accidentally dropped his coffee cup and I said stop and we had to go back to pick up the cup. We don't want to leave anything behind.

Bird watching in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Black Drongo

Bird watching in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
My friend had to get out to get his accidentally dropped plastic cup

Indochinese Bush Lark, Mirafra erythrocephala, Indochinese lark, นกจาบฝนปีกแดง
Indochinese Bush Lark / นกจาบฝนปีกแดง

Indochinese Bush Lark, Mirafra erythrocephala, Indochinese lark, นกจาบฝนปีกแดง
Indochinese Bush Lark / นกจาบฝนปีกแดง

Back home and the Richard's Pipit looked strange when I went through my pictures. andyb39 at Birdforum gave me the correct ID, it is a Indochinese Bush Lark / นกจาบฝนปีกแดง

Thanks to andyb39 at Birdforum I could identify this bird.

Forum thread HERE


Birdforum


We turned around and we drove back to the paved road continuing towards Wat Nong Prachum (วัดหนองประชุม) a few minutes’ drive away. Luang poo Tong (หลวง พ่อทอง) came to look who was arriving when he heard our car.

Of course, we had called him to notify him that we are about to arrive.

We went up to his house and he brought Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets for my friends to see. And they had been delirious with anticipation since we left Bangkok.

Wat Nong Prachum / วัดหนองประชุม
Luang poo Tong (หลวง พ่อทอง)

Wat Nong Prachum / วัดหนองประชุม
Delirious with anticipation waiting for the Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets

Wat Nong Prachum / วัดหนองประชุม
Study the Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets

Wat Nong Prachum / วัดหนองประชุม
Study the Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets

Wat Nong Prachum / วัดหนองประชุม
Study the Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets

Wat Nong Prachum / วัดหนองประชุม
Study the Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets

We left Wat Nong Prachum (วัดหนองประชุม) and as we were getting hungry we were going for lunch. The driver had been here to visit Wat Nong Prachum (วัดหนองประชุม) and he recommended a floating restaurant. Our driver have become a good friend of us by now.

First time he met my friend he couldn't care less about Thai Buddha amulets (พระเครื่อง) but now he is crazy about them, especially Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets. Now he and my friend are talking NON-STOP about Luang Poo Jim (หลวงปู่เฒ่ายิ้ม) amulets. And he is bringing his family to Wat Nong Prachum (วัดหนองประชุม) to buy amulets.

Anyway, he recommended this restaurant and we drove towards the restaurant with some stops on the way for bird watching.

Bird watching in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Red-wattled Lapwings

Bird watching in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Grey Wagtail

I woke up in the back seat when we parked at the floating restaurant. It is obviously a popular restaurant with tourists from Bangkok. We take a seat and we take order our food, but after 10 minutes they come back to tell us that they have run out of food.

We left driving towards our hotel close to the River Khwae Bridge (สะพานข้ามแม่น้ำแคว). We search the internet to try to find the restaurant we had visited the first time we came here. We found the restaurant and we decided to go there for lunch.

Driving along the road and there are many warning signs for elephants so I guess they come down from the mountains to the river.

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

Road trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Warning! Elephants

We find the restaurant and we realise that it is not the same restaurant that we visited the first time in Kanchanaburi. But it looked very nice and we parked the car to get in for lunch.

TARA VILLA RIVERKWAI RESORT is next to the River Kwai Yai. It is nice and cool in the shadow, but in the sunshine it is very hot so we choose to sit inside. Otherwise, it would have been a gorgeous view over River Kwai Yai.

The food was good, but the tea was a disappointment. Only fancy tea flavours that taste like.... Why not having normal tea in a restaurant?

TARA VILLA RIVERKWAI RESORT
Lunch

TARA VILLA RIVERKWAI RESORT
Lunch

TARA VILLA RIVERKWAI RESORT
Lunch

We leave TARA VILLA RIVERKWAI RESORT and we drive to Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi where we check-in. We were still full after the lunch so we will skip dinner and I Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stdecided that from now on there will be no more cake and sweets.

We will have an hour of rest before going to Big-C to buy a mouse to my computer as I had forgot the mouse in Bangkok.

My friends are going to have a whiskey in the room when we come back so we stopped at 7 Eleven to buy some ice when I had bought my mouse.

Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi
Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi

Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi
Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi

Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi
Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi

Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi
Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi

+++++++++++++++
Monday 23rd of January 2023
and we will leave for Lopburi toaday. But first a stop at Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ) to see how Luang Poo Chub (หลวงพ่อชุป) had been living. We left our rooms at 7 to go for breakfast. And the hotel breakfast was surprisingly good.

The hotel, looked like a luxury hotel on internet. But in real life it was a different story so the breakfast was a pleasant surprise.

Felix River Khwae Resort Kanchanaburi
Breakfast

We leave the hotel driving north to Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ) and we park the car. I walk down towards the river with my friend and the driver will drive down to pick us up when he is ready cleaning the inside of the car.

I was not to happy when we started, not many birds to be seen. But coming down to the parking and I could see a green bird flying in to a tree. I went to see if I had any luck and I had. There was a Lineated barbet sitting on a wire and I managed to get a picture.

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ)

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ)

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ)

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ)

Sooty-headed Bulbul, Pycnonotus aurigaster, นกปรอดหัวสีเขม่า
Sooty-headed Bulbul / นกปรอดหัวสีเขม่า

Lineated barbet, Megalaima lineata, นกโพระดกธรรมดา
Lineated barbet / นกโพระดกธรรมดา

Lineated barbet, Megalaima lineata, นกโพระดกธรรมดา
Lineated barbet / นกโพระดกธรรมดา

Pied Myna, Asian Pied Starling, Gracupica contra, นกอีแจว, Siamese Pied Myna, Gracupica floweri
Siamese Pied Myna / Gracupica floweri
Not a good picture. But the first picture I take after the name change

Leaving the barbet and I spotted an Asian Pied Starling in one of the trees. I tried to report the bird in my app, but I could not find the bird.

I learned that they had changed the name of the bird: It previously was considered a subspecies of the pied myna, which has now been split into three species.
• Siamese Pied Myna
• Indian Pied Myna
• Javan Pied Myna


Listen to the Lineated barbet

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone as I had forgotten my ZOOM Handy Recorder at home.

Anyone known what bird it is?

Thanks to Bram Piot for help with the ID

I saw the bird at the temple and I also got a few pictures. Don't know if it was the same bird, but the recording is from the other side of the road, next to the school.



www.xeno-canto.org


I had forgot my recorder in Bangkok so I only had my mobile phone. I heard a bird in the trees next to the school and I went to try to get a recording.

I did not know what kind of bird it was but I got help from www.xeno-canto.org and it turned out to be a Lineated Barbet, same bird that I had got on picture?

We continued down towards the river and it was a beautiful view. Of course, we did not bother to go down to the river as it would have taken us the whole day.


Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Gorgeous view

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Gorgeous view

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Gorgeous view

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Gorgeous view

Wat Wang Krachae, วัดวังกะแจะ
Ashy Woodswallow / นกแอ่นพง

Ashy Woodswallow (นกแอ่นพง) is the last bird I see at Wat Wang Krachae (วัดวังกะแจะ) before we are leaving. I am soon a sleep in the back seat and we have left Kanchanaburi by the time I woke up. We are driving towards Chai Nat and the bird park. We leave the highway at Wat Thung Krathin Rice Paddies to have a look for birds.

A beautiful area and we spotted many birds before we decided to leave. We drove on the small gravel road next to the highway until we found a place to get up on the highway.

There was a field full of ducks, but I suspect it was domestic ducks so I never reported them in my eBird app. But there was enough birds to report in the app.

Black Drongo, कालो चिबे, Dicrurus macrocercus, นกแซงแซวหางปลา
Black Drongo / นกแซงแซวหางปลา

Pond Heron in winter plumage so not possible to give proper ID
Pond Heron in winter plumage so not possible to give proper ID

Amur Stonechat, Stejneger's Stonechat, Saxicola stejnegeri

eBird

eBird Report


Wat Thung Krathin Rice Paddies, Chai Nat, TH
23 Jan 2023 12:42 - 13:26
Protocol: Traveling
3.31 kilometer(s)
15 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon X
Red Collared Dove 9
Asian Koel X Heard only
Red-wattled Lapwing 12
Painted Stork 1
Little Cormorant 2
Great White Egret 1
Little Egret 7
white egret sp. 7 Too far away surrounding an excavator working in the field. They were looking for food at the digging
pond heron sp. 14 Winter plumage
White-throated Kingfisher 3
Indochinese Roller 1
Black Drongo 3
Siamese Pied Starling 1
Common Myna 1
Amur Stonechat 2
House Sparrow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S126769063

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

Bird watching at Wat Thung Krathin Rice Paddies
Today's track at Wat Thung Krathin Rice Paddies

Bronze-winged Jacana, Metopidius indicus, นกพริก

We leave Chai Nat following road #3454 towards Lopburi. I spot one Bronze-winged Jacana (นกพริก) in a small road next to the road and the next pond 50 meters further down the road had one Jacana as well. I stop to get a picture and to report the birds in the eBird app.

The bird had never been reported in this area before, at least not in eBird.

We leave the road at Wat Bud Da to see if there is any birds. We spend 15 minutes at Wat Bud Da before we continue towards Lopburi. Next stop will be at the hotel to check in before going to meet the Pilot from Bongkot.

Bird watching at Wat Bud Da, Sing Buri
Paddies at Wat Bud Da, Sing Buri

Bird watching at Wat Bud Da, Sing Buri
Great Myna

Wise from experience and I have booked a cheap hotel. Last time in Lopburi and we booked the most expensive hotel, there is really not many hotels in Lopburi. But the most expensive hotel was really not what I had expected.

Kanchanaburi, same, looks great on the internet, but when you come to see the real thing you're nothing but disappointed.


Feels like you have checked in with Norman Bates. This time we had chosen a 620 Baht hotel, Hopp Inn. And we were pleasantly surprised. My friend had sent an email with the hotel name to Hopp Inn Hotel the Pilot and he said that it was a new hotel.

It was clean, last hotel and I was scared to go to the bathroom. When was it cleaned last time? Hopp Inn, clean and fresh. Small room, but there was what we needed and I will stay at Hopp Inn again.

They have hotels all over Thailand, check it out: https://www.hopinnhotel.com

Hopp Inn Lopburi
My room

Hopp Inn Lopburi
My room

Hopp Inn Lopburi
My room

Hopp Inn Lopburi
My room

So I was very happy with the hotel. We decided to have an hour of rest before leaving for the restaurant. We had changed plan, the Pilot had recommended a new Japanese Restaurant. The Japanese foodoriginal plan was to have Japanese food at Robinson.

But now it was decided to try this new restaurant instead.

I spent an hour in my room before I went to pick up my friends in their room and we left the hotel to go find the restaurant.

Hopp Inn Lopburi
Time to leave

Hopp Inn Lopburi
Time to leave

By now I am very hungry so I am looking forward to reaching the restaurant. And I am pleasantly surprised when we stop outside the restaurant. Brand new and it looked very clean and I stepped inside with high expectations.

Turned out that it was eat as much as you can from the menu in 2 hours. And the food looked good in the menu so it looks to be no problem to eat enough to cover the cost. Any food remaining after 2 hours and we will have to pay 3000 Baht.

And the food was very good, and on top of that, they had MAX.

The Pilot arrived 20 to 25 minutes later and we had already prepared by pulling two tables together so we have plenty space to enjoy the food.

Japanese food in Lopburi
Japanese food

Japanese food in Lopburi
Japanese food

Japanese food in Lopburi
Japanese food

I was impressed by the food, everything I ordered was delicious and it was well worth the money 1150 Baht ++ for 2 hours. And this is the first Japanese Restaurant with MAX, at least what I Pepsi MAX can remember.

We were full when we left and as it was healthy food we also felt good. We stopped at Big-C to see if we could find a place to repair my wrist watch. We found a place on the second floor and it would take 10 minutes to fix.

We had spotted a Swensen on the first floor so we went there for ice cream while waiting for the clock Doctor to finish my clock.

The ice cream was excellent, OK, not very healthy but it is holiday. And we had to do something killing time while waiting for my wrist watch to be ready.

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Ice cream at Swensen

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Ice cream at Swensen

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Ice cream at Swensen

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Ice cream at Swensen

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Extra whipped cream

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Ice cream at Swensen

Ice cream at Swensen in Lopburi
Ice cream at Swensen

covid


+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 24th of January 2023
and my alarm went off at 5 thirty, as it does every morning. We had decided to leave the hotel at 8 o'clock. The only bad thing with the Hopp Inn is that there is no restaurant. They have instant noodles and snacks but I wanted a real breakfast.

My friend was obviously bored and he called me at 7 and said he wanted to leave. I did not mind and I told him that I would be ready in 30. I passed their room to tell them that I was ready and that I would wait on the parking.

Hopp Inn Lopburi
I can see my friend from the parking

I wait on the parking when I see two Hoopoes landing on a TV antenna. I try to get some pictures and I decide to start my eBird app to have a look what birds I can see from the parking lot.

And there was quite a lot to see and time passed quickly. My friends came down and we decided to go for breakfast. One hour to go to Ayutthaya and there should be some nice hotels with breakfast. In Lopburi there is no hotels with any breakfast, at least not what I would call a “nice” breakfast. So, we decided to leave Lopburi without breakfast.

Eurasian Hoopoe, फाप्रे चरा, Upupa epops, นกกะรางหัวขวาน

Eurasian Hoopoe, फाप्रे चरा, Upupa epops, นกกะรางหัวขวาน
Eurasian Hoopoe / นกกะรางหัวขวาน

Zebra Dove, Geopelia striata, นกเขาชวา

Streak-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus blanfordi, นกปรอดสวน

Streak-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus blanfordi, นกปรอดสวน
Streak-eared Bulbul / นกปรอดสวน

eBird

eBird Report


Hop Inn Hotel, Lopburi, TH
24 Jan 2023 07:16 - 07:26
Protocol: Stationary
8 species

Feral Pigeon X Many
Spotted Dove 1
Zebra Dove 2
Asian Koel 1 Heard only
Eurasian Hoopoe 2 Landing in the same TV antenna, sitting on each end for a minute or two before taking off
Sooty-headed Bulbul 6
Streak-eared Bulbul 2
Great Myna 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S126820520

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

I checked internet and I found Sala Ayutthaya and it said “Luxury Riverside Boutique Hotel” I called them and asked if it was a 5-star hotel and they said yes. Breakfast will close at 10 thirty giving us plenty time to get to Sala Ayutthaya.

We reached the hotel about one hour after we had left Lopburi. The parking in front of the hotel was full so it took some time for them to arrange a parking for us.

We are sitting next to Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) and it was very hot in the sunshine. But it was very comfortable as soon as we got under the garden umbrella.

Sala Ayutthaya
Breakfast at river side Sala Ayutthaya

Sala Ayutthaya
Breakfast at river side Sala Ayutthaya

Sala Ayutthaya
Breakfast at river side Sala Ayutthaya

Sala Ayutthaya
Breakfast at river side Sala Ayutthaya

Sala Ayutthaya
Breakfast at river side Sala Ayutthaya

We enjoyed the food when I suddenly discovered a Pied Kingfisher hovering next to us hunting for fish. I had seen this bird in Africa and Japan, but never in Thailand so it was the first time for me. So, I was pretty excited, but the bird was gone by the time I had my camera ready.

I tried to get a picture when we spotted the bird on the other side of Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) later on. But the pictures turned out to be nothing but sh#t.

There was also a juvenile Brahminy kite (เหยี่ยวแดง) soaring over the restaurant, too far away for any pictures. But I could use the pictures for ID, quite easy to ID with the wing pattern.

Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus, เหยี่ยวแดง

Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus, เหยี่ยวแดง
Brahminy kite / เหยี่ยวแดง

Sala Ayutthaya
Boat coming to pick us up

Sala Ayutthaya
Boat coming to pick us up

Sala Ayutthaya
Boat coming to pick us up

Sala Ayutthaya

I don't know how or why, but someone suggested a boat tour on Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) to have a look for the Pied Kingfisher. There was a jetty at the hotel and I went in to enquiry about a boat trip at the reception.

They could arrange a boat to come to pick us up in the restaurant.
- They require one hour notice
- OK, try to get the boat as quick as possible.
She called the company:
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - Can you come earlier than one hour
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - We can be there in 30 minutes

I said thank you and I went out on the restaurant deck and I ordered a pot of tea to enjoy while waiting for the boat. We could see the boat arriving 30 minutes later and we went down to the jetty to board the boat.

It was a proper boat with comfortable benches to sit on. Refreshing instead of sitting on the floor in some long boat. And we had cover for the sun so we did not use the hats we had brought from the car before going to the boat.

The boat tour around the island of Ayutthaya will take about 90 minutes and it cost 1400 Baht.

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Boarding the boat

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Leaving the restaurant

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
We are on the way

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
There are something very interesting in his phone

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Leaving the hotel going east towards the Pak Sa River

We had not been on our way for many minutes' before we spotted the first Pied Kingfisher (นกกะเต็นปักหลัก) and not long after we had the second Pied Kingfisher. And I was happy that I had managed to get some pictures of the birds.

We continue towards east and we are soon turning north leaving Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) going north on the Pa Sak River (แม่น้ำป่าสัก) going south towards Gulf of Thailand in Bangkok.

When Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) reach Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร) it turns towards south. And Pa Sak River (แม่น้ำป่าสัก) river joins Chao Phraya River here coming down from the north.

And the river is full of barges going up and down the river. Long train of barges pulled by a small tug boat. Going south, bound for SiRacha (ศรีราชา) to discharge to big bulk carriers. And they come back up the river empty to load again.

The Pa Sak River

(Thai: แม่น้ำป่าสัก) is a river in central Thailand. The river originates in the Phetchabun Mountains, Dan Sai District, Loei Province, and passes through Phetchabun Province as the backbone of the province.

It then passes through the eastern part of Lopburi Province and Saraburi Province, until it joins the Lopburi River northeast of Ayutthaya Island, before it runs into the Chao Phraya River southeast of Ayutthaya near Phet Fortress.

It has a length of 513 km and drains a watershed of 16,291 km2. The annual discharge is 2.4 km3.

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Pied Kingfisher / นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Pied Kingfisher / นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band

Sala Ayutthaya

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
We can see the barges navigating on Chao Phraya River

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and a Red Collared Dove

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

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

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Barge passing Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร)

Great Egret, Great White Heron, Ardea alba, นกยางโทนใหญ่
Great Egret / นกยางโทนใหญ่ in breeding plumage

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
More barges on the river

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
More barges on the river

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
More barges on the river

Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Merops philippinus, นกจาบคาหัวเขียว

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
North bound barge

The Lopburi River

(แม่น้ำลพบุรี) is a tributary of the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand. It splits from the Chao Phraya river at Tambon Bang Phutsa, Singburi. Passing through Tha Wung district and the town of Lopburi, it enters the Chao Phraya together with the Pa Sak River at the town of Ayutthaya. It is about 95 kilometres (59 mi) long.

We are cruising north on Pa Sak River, แม่น้ำป่าสัก and we leave Pa Sak River NE of the Auyttahaya island and we are on the Lopburi River, แม่น้ำลพบุรี. We spot an elephant next to the river and there is the Elephant Royal Kraal Village (หมู่บ้านช้างเพนียดหลวง) A tourist attraction with elephants.

So it was not a wild elephant that we saw, but I had not expected any wild elephants in Ayutthaya. And as it was not a wild elephant I could no care less.

Elephant Kraal of Ayutthaya

or Elephant Corral of Ayutthaya is a historic place in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand. It is considered part of the Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Indochinese Roller, Burmese roller, Coracias affinis, นกตะขาบทุ่ง

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Elephant

Asian Openbill Stork, Anastomus oscitans, นกปากห่าง

We reached a bridge and we turned around to go back again. Now there was a guy riding and elephant coming down towards the boat. And our driver steered up to the beach and the elephant was quick to stick the trunk in to the boat to beg for money.

I realised that the boat driver took the d tour just for the money to the elephants. My friend gave money but I did not give any. My friend handed me cash to give but I refused, wild elephants or nothing. If we don't support things like this they might keep the animals in the wild.

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Elephant Kraal of Ayutthaya

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Elephant Kraal of Ayutthaya

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Elephant Kraal of Ayutthaya

We go back and when we reach the Muang Canal we turn to west and we are now passing the north side of Ayutthaya and now it is a small canal only, the Muang Canal. And we have houses on both sides. But we spot some kingfishers sitting on wires going over the Muang Canal.

Before we had seen many Bee-eaters hunting from wires and branches. But we did not see any Bee-eaters here in the Muang Canal. Of course, plenty doves and pigeons.

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Wreck at the entrance to the Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

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

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Pied Kingfisher / นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Pied Kingfisher / นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Our friend enjoy the boat trip?

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Our friend enjoy the boat trip?

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Our friend enjoy the boat trip?

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Our friend enjoy the boat trip?

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Pond Heron

Ayutthaya is an historical city with a lot of ruins and it is a world-famous place for old temple ruins. And there is many tourists and I was surprised that we were alone on the river. Maybe Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stbecause the boat tours are mostly in the evening.

Only crazy bird watchers sitting in the blazing sunshine in the middle of the day. But it is January and we have shade from the roof so it was quite comfortable to cruise the river. But in the top of the hot season, it might be better to do it in the evening.

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya

(พระนครศรีอยุธยา); also spelled "Ayudhya"), or locally and simply Ayutthaya, is the former capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located on an island at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers, Ayutthaya is the birthplace of the founder of Bangkok, King Rama I.

Ayutthaya is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana (Thai, Ramakien); phra (from Khmer: preah ព្រះ ) is a prefix for a noun concerning a royal person; nakhon designates an important or capital city (from Sanskrit: nagara); the Thai honorific sri or si is from the Indian term of veneration Shri.

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Pied Kingfisher / นกกะเต็นปักหลัก
Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
The Muang Canal

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
There is something going on in his phone

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
There is something going on in his phone

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
There is something going on in his phone

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
There is something going on in his phone

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Enjoying the views

Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) in Ayutthaya
Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)

We reach the end of the Muang Canal and we are back on Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) and we start heading towards east and Sala Ayutthaya where we had started the boat tour. We are soon passing the Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) and we stop to take a few pictures.

But we did not bother to step ashore, enough to see it from the boat.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram

(Thai: วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, outside Ayutthaya island. It is one of Ayutthaya's best-known temples and a major tourist attraction.

Location
Wat Chaiwatthanaram lies on the west bank of Chao Phraya River, south-west of the old city of Ayutthaya. It is a large compound part of Ayutthaya Historical Park; however not a part of Historic City of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It can be reached by road or by boat.

History
The temple was constructed in 1630 by the king, Prasat Thong, as the first temple of his reign, as a memorial of his mother's residence in that area. The temple's name literally means the Temple of long reign and glorious era. It was designed in Khmer style to gain Buddhist merit and as a memorial to his mother, however Prince Damrong believed it was built to celebrate Ayutthaya Kingdom's victory over Longvek.


Even my friend showed some interest in the Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) and he stopped playing with his phone to get up front in the boat to get a picture.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) in Ayutthaya
Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)

Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) in Ayutthaya
Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)

Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) in Ayutthaya
Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)

Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) in Ayutthaya
Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)

Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา) in Ayutthaya
Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา)

Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา) in Ayutthaya
North bound, empty barges passing Wat Phutthaisawan
(วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา)

Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา) in Ayutthaya
North bound, empty barges passing Wat Phutthaisawan
(วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา)

Wat Phutthaisawan

(Thai: วัดพุทไธศวรรย์; also spelled: Phutthai Sawan or Buddhaisawan; literally: "Monastery of Buddhist Kingship") is an historic Thai Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, central Thailand, and is part of Ayutthaya Historical Park. It is over 666 years old.

The temple is situated on the west bank of Chao Phraya River, opposite to south of Ayutthaya City. The temple was built in 1353 by King Uthong (Ramathibodi I), who was the first monarch and founder of Ayutthaya Kingdom at the royal residence of "Wiang Lek" or "Wiang Hlek" from inconsistent writing, the site where he first settled before establishing Ayutthaya as the capital city in 1350. He built this temple to serve as a royal monastery after he had reigned for three years.

The most striking aspect of this temple is a white prang (Khmer-style pagoda), located in the middle of the ancient compound and built on an indented pedestal protruding towards the north and south. According to the cosmology of Buddhism, the prang represents the cosmic Mount Meru.

We leave Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม) steaming towards the hotel and we can see the white prang at Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา). There was also empty barges north bound coming to load before going back south again.

We pass the St. Joseph’s Church (วัดนักบุญยอแซฟ พระนครศรีอยุธยา) and it is a beautiful yellow church next to the river. On this last stretch we did not see many birds, but I spotted a Great Egret sitting on a buoy in the river.

St. Joseph’s Church (วัดนักบุญยอแซฟ พระนครศรีอยุธยา)

The St Joseph Church is considered to be one of the oldest churches in Thailand. It was built on request by the Vietnamese missionaries who were headed by French bishop Lambert De La Motte.

Active even today, St. Joseph Church served as the centre for the French Catholic Mission for the better part of a hundred years before it was destroyed by the Burmese invasion of Ayutthaya. The grounds include a small lake and gravestones of Catholics buried as far back as the 1500s.

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

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

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
St. Joseph’s Church (วัดนักบุญยอแซฟ พระนครศรีอยุธยา)

Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา) in Ayutthaya
Passing Wat Phutthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์ พระอารามหลวง อยุธยา)

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
North bound barges

Sala Ayutthaya
Back at Sala Ayutthaya where we had started

eBird

eBird Report


Sala Ayutthaya Boat Tour, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, TH
24 Jan 2023 10:16 - 11:55
Protocol: Traveling
16.01 kilometer(s)
17 species (+2 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon X
Red Collared Dove X
Zebra Dove 1
Asian Koel X Heard only
Asian Openbill 3
Purple Heron 1
Great White Egret 2
Little Egret 5
Cattle Egret 1
pond heron sp. 4
White-throated Kingfisher 3
Pied Kingfisher 8
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 3
bee-eater sp. 2
Indochinese Roller 1
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo 1
Large-billed Crow 1
Common Myna 1
Great Myna 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S126828941

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

Bird watching in Ayutthaya
Today's track on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Time to get off the boat

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Time to get off the boat

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya
Handing over some tip

Back at Sala Ayutthaya and we had been cruising three rivers: Chao Phraya River (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา), Pa Sak River (แม่น้ำป่าสัก) and Lopburi River (แม่น้ำลพบุรี) and it was a nice experience. A trip I can recommend, even if you are not looking for birds.

We stepped ashore at the restaurant and we were soon in the car, next stop Bangkok.

Bird watching on Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 28th of January 2023
and It is nice to be back at the gym after 3 days with no exercise during our road trip. And I really like the yoga, already feel better after just a couple of sessions. A waste of money? Nah, of course, I can do this by myself at home. But, I am not very good at this self-motivating exercising. I would just end up on top of the bed staring in to the ceiling.

So, I really consider the money spent on yoga as an excellent investment.




I have arranged all my pictures from the last road trip so I had some time to spend. I decided to go check out the Benjakiti Park. And Benjakiti Park is also an eBird hotspot. The park is not very exciting, but they have extended the park.

And on the map below we can see that the new part of the park is huge. Most of it wet lands with board walks. There is also a sky walk across the new part of the Benjakiti Park. The new part is called Benchakitti Forest Park (สวนป่าเบญจกิติ) and the area used to belong to the Tobacco Authority of Thailand (การยาสูบแห่งประเทศไทย สำนักงานใหญ่)

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Today's track at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Old park marked in yellow

I had trouble o book a taxi and I gave up after a try. I switched to GRAB and I had luck and I was soon on the way towards Benjakiti Park and I could start my eBird app at 16:25

The first birds I spotted, as no surprise, Zebra Dove and a couple of Eurasian Tree Sparrows. The Eurasian Tree Sparrows was busy Dust bathing at the entrance to the park.

Dust bathing

(also called sand bathing) is an animal behaviour characterized by rolling or moving around in dust, dry earth or sand, with the likely purpose of removing parasites from fur, feathers or skin.

Dust bathing is a maintenance behaviour performed by a wide range of mammalian and avian species. For some animals, dust baths are necessary to maintain healthy feathers, skin, or fur, similar to bathing in water or wallowing in mud.

In some mammals, dust bathing may be a way of transmitting chemical signals (or pheromones) to the ground which marks an individual's territory.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus, นกกระจอกบ้าน, Pilfink

Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus, นกกระจอกบ้าน, Pilfink
Eurasian Tree Sparrow / นกกระจอกบ้าน

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Entering Benjakiti Park at the old part

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Lake at the old part of the Benjakiti Park

Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata, นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata, นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ
Plain Prinia / นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata, นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ
Plain Prinia / นกกระจิบหญ้าสีเรียบ

I continued towards the new part of the park. My friend was at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (ศูนย์การประชุมแห่งชาติสิริกิติ์) to buy coffee. I spoke with him in the taxi coming here but I did not bother to go see him as I want to have as long time as possible with day light.

I was a little late coming here so I went straight on with the birding. Walking to the SW corner of the old park as my plan was to start in the south part of the new park. I was looking at a group of Eurasian Tree Sparrows foraging in the grass to see if there was any House Sparrows.

I spotted my first Oriental-magpie Robin for the day and I kept myself busy with the sparrows when my friend came down the walk path.

I was a bit surprised, but it makes sense, he take the chance for a guided bird tour, and for free. A real Bangkok “Saturday afternoon special”

The first birds we see is 3 Plain Prinias in a bush and I get a few pictures. Perfect focus, but over exposed so they went in to the garbage. It is hard to take bird pictures when they jump in and out from the shadow / sunshine.

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

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

And he was very lucky, he got to see one White-throated Kingfisher landing in a tree next to us. We continued through the wetland using the excellent board walks. I can imagine here being plenty birds early morning. And of course, not on a weekend when the park is full of people.

We decided to cross the park and use the sky walk walking back. Better to stay on ground level to look for birds, but I will use the sky walk going back so I have done it. And there will be no reason for me to ever use the sky walk again.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Benjakiti Park

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Benjakiti Park
And we can see the old abandoned sheds belonging to Tobacco Authority of Thailand

Benchakitti Forest Park สวนป่าเบญจกิติ was an interesting place and it was nice just to walk around. The park is full of Asian Koels calling from what sounded like every tree in the park. I only spotted on egret and I had expected more. But luckily for the birds, there are areas not accessible from the board walk.

We continued and I spotted a green/ yellow bird, most likely an Iora but the bird was almost fully covered by the foliage so not possible for me to ID.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Benjakiti Park

I will try to send the picture to Birdforum, there are people with a lot of knowledge so I hope to be able to get the ID. We spotted a couple of Asian Koels and I gave one female a try, but not very lucky with the pictures.

There were many Dragonflies and we had one sitting next to the boardwalk and my friend asked me to take a picture. I gave it a try even though I did not have a macro lens.

Asian Koel, Eudynamys scolopaceus, นกกาเหว่า
Female Asian Koel / นกกาเหว่า

Dragonfly
Dragonfly

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

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

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

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

The sun is disappearing behind the skyscrapers at Sathorn and Silom and we take the sky walk back to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (ศูนย์การประชุมแห่งชาติสิริกิติ์) where we hope to find a place that serve tea.

Not many bird pictures from the sky walk but we had a good view over the park and it was, well, different but it was very nice. Saturday evening and there was a lot of people enjoying the evening in the park. So, I cannot really say anything about the bird life here.

I will have to come back another day when there is no, or very little people around.

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Study Benjakiti Park from the sky walk

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Benjakiti Park from the sky walk

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Benjakiti Park from the sky walk

Bird watching at eBird hotspot: Benjakiti Park
Plenty people in the park

We find a tea place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (ศูนย์การประชุมแห่งชาติสิริกิติ์) and we have tea before we go back home. My friend will pick me up at 7 tomorrow morning to go to MAMA GOD for the Ganesh eyes opening ceremony / พิธีเบิกเนตรคเณชา.

If you have never experienced a Ganesh eyes opening ceremony before it might be worth clicking HERE to find out what we will do.

Blue line

       
                  
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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