Bang Pu Mai, Bangkok, Feb 2013

The tide at Bang Poo (Bang Pu Mai) was predicted, by 2 different sources, to reach its height around 07.30 this morning. It was pretty high when I arrived and looked as if it was still flowing strongly. My plan had been to arrive around high tide, check out the heron and egret roosts, then take a moment at the hide overlooking the roosting ponds. Hopefully by this time the tide would be receding and I could repair to the sea path to watch the waders flying out to greet the mud.

In case you feel slightly uncomfortable about this picture, it is a montage of the only bird that I managed to get in focus as it flew over.

Where I went wrong was not realising that a 3.9 meter tide would come up very high and would then need to drop substantially before any mud was revealed. Thus it was that I had to wait nearly four hours after the predicted high before any birds began to emerge from the mangroves and onto the mud. Even then, they were slow to feed. To get the most from this site, may I suggest that you refer to this link which gives a very good account of what to look for and what to expect. My account here is a simple snapshot of my visit and a bit of an update.

Pond-heron

I started at the heron and egret roost that can be found close to the main road at the entrance to the site. Pond herons were plentiful, but the two local species are almost indistinguishable. I did manage to winkle out a couple of Javan Pond-herons that had assumed their breeding plumage early. The spot marked on the map at the above link is not viewable, but Great Egrets, Little Egrets and a Black-crowned Night Heron could be seen at Google Earth ref; 13°31'15.27"N 100°39'9.50"E.

In the little village area Asian Koels, Oriental Magpie Robins and Chestnut Munias were quickly seen.

Back by the pier, the tide was seeping up onto the promenade and Dr Seuss Fish that seemed to dislike the water, found relief from the wet by crawling up onto rocks and floating debris.

As you look at the pier, you will notice a pair of metal gates that lead from the Visitor Centre into the mangroves on the left. A path runs parallel to the shoreline from here and the roosting ponds are very close by. Turn left and you will quickly come to a two-storey hide that gives good views of thousands of birds which have been driven inland by the rising tide. I estimated about 2500 Black-tailed Godwits and 500 Brown-headed Gulls. Other species seen in smaller numbers included Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Pacific Golden Plover. I was surprised not to see any ‘peeps’ or Charadrius plovers.

Most of the birds were crowded onto the bare earth of the roosts, but a few Common Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt and Wood Sandpiper poked around in a bit of open water just in front of the hide.

I followed the path further into the mangroves and found that the other hides and screens had been allowed to fall into disrepair. A fleeting glimpse was had of a few Common Ioras and a Plaintive Cuckoo flew across the path and stopped to look back at me. A ditch had attracted some Great Egrets and three Painted Storks.

The best find in the mangroves was the canopy walk. The mangrove canopy is not actually very high, but the raised walkway put me level with the Golden-bellied Gerygone which had been wheezing at me all morning. The walkway is not mentioned at www.thaibirding.com, nor is it shown on the Google Earth picture which needs updating. Follow the path through the mangroves and you will find it easily enough.

The walkway leads out onto the sea path and back along the shoreline. A hide has been built out from the shore at Google Earth ref; 13°30'55.83"N 100°39'27.95"E. It had also seen better days and there was a bit of maintenance outstanding. It overlooks a protected zone which has been sheltered from the ravages of wave and tide by a barrier of bamboo stakes driven into the mud about 100meters from the shore. Many of the stakes have been lost to the tidal action and float in a matt against the artificial, rocky shoreline. Common Sandpipers find good pickings amongst them.

I assume that the barrier has been put in place to provide conducive growing conditions for the mangrove which has extended its reach along the shoreline in both directions. Since the Google Earth picture was taken, the areas behind the barriers on both sides of the pier have almost filled up with mangroves.

 At last the mud began to show. Three Pacific Golden Plover and two Common Redshank came down and just stood, looking at each other. A few Little Egrets and pond herons chased fish and crabs while a Black-capped Kingfisher swooped down to pick something from the surface of the mud. Eventually more plovers and redshanks flew out from the mangroves and with the benefit of more pairs of eyes, began to feed. A few Eurasian Curlew showed up at the same time as a large flock of Brown-headed Gulls. They were followed by Common Greenshank, but still there was no sign of the Bar-tailed Godwit.

I reckoned that the small area un-colonised by mangroves would not be big enough to accommodate the godwits and that they would probably wait until the tide receded beyond the barriers and then come out to feed on the huge expanses of mud that would be available to them at low tide. I headed for the pier as the first of the godwits began to fly out from the sanctuary of the mangroves. By the time I reached the pier, they were streaming out in small flocks and the open areas of mud quickly filled with gulls and godwits.

Whiskered Gulls tried to compete with the brown-headed Gulls for the affections of the laridophiles that come to the pier to feed them. A small stand sells revolting things that the gulls and terns appear to find irresistible. This was nearly four hours after the predicted time of high tide and I could easily have taken a couple of golden early morning hours at Muang Boran on the way here without missing anything.

 

Birds seen; 41

Painted Stork 3, Indian Cormorant 30, Little Cormorant 1, Grey Heron 3, Great Egret 25, Little Egret 20, Javan Pond-heron2, Black-crowned Night-heron 1, Pacific Golden Plover 40 Black-winged Stilt 60, Common Sandpiper 6, Common Greenshank 15, Marsh Sandpiper 35, Wood Sandpiper 8, Common Redshank 35, Eurasian Curlew 7, Black-tailed Godwit 2500, Brown-headed Gull 2000, Whiskered Tern 120, Common Tern 1, Spotted Dove 2, Zebra Dove 4, Plaintive Cuckoo 1, Asian Koel 5, German’s Swiftlet 20, Black-capped Kingfisher 4, Collared Kingfisher 1, Golden-bellied Gerygone 4, Common Iora 3, Brown Shrike 1, Pied Fantail 20, Barn Swallow 20, Yellow-vented Bulbul 3, Streak-eared Bulbul 10, Common Tailorbird 5, Plain Prinia 4, Oriental Magpie Robin 12, Great Myna 10, Common Myna 2, Eurasian Tree Sparrow 15, Chestnut Munia 6

For a previous post from Bang Pu Mai, follow the link below;

Visit the dedicated Oriental page for more from Thailand, including; Lumphini Park and Pak Thale

Muang Boran Fish Ponds, Bangkok, Feb2013

Muang Boran is an area of fishponds. It is close to the Ancient City which, just to cause confusion, is also called Muang Boran. In common with taxi drivers everywhere, mine obtusely misunderstood me and took me to the Ancient City. Twice. Even with a map he showed no local knowledge. My goal was just 1 mile from the taxi rank, but I had to direct him myself. If you go there, please ensure that you know how to get to the fish ponds from the motorcycle taxi rank. See the end of the post for directions.

The first pond is directly ahead as you cross the little bridge once you arrive. It held plenty of birds this morning, but unfortunately looked directly into the sun as it rose above the chemical factories. Cotton Pygmy Geese cackled as they sought a safe distance from the bank. 

Pheasant-tailed Jacanas and Bronze Jacanas, ticked and grunted. Using the scope I found a Common Kingfisher, Little Egret, Indian Cormorants and various pond herons. The Ardeola species here are so similar that it is extremely difficult to tell them apart if they are not sporting their breeding colours. They are both very common at this time of year.

To my left were a ditch and a few scrubby trees. Streak-eared Bulbuls, Pied Fantails and a Brown Shrike were found here. One of my target birds for the day, a Striated Grassbird called from the top of some reeds. Close by was a female cuckoo that I took to be a Plaintive Cuckoo on account of a nearby male.

Yellow-bellied Prinia

Acrocephala warblers are said to be abundant here, but every time that I managed to get a decent focus on anything in the reeds, it turned out to be a Plain Prinia or a Zitting Cisticola.

Only when searching the reedbeds for rails, crakes and bitterns did I eventually come across Black-browed Warblers, another target species for the day. White-browed Crakes were easy to find again. I was hoping for a Baillon’s Crake, but settled for a Ruddy-breasted Crake in its absence.

I misread my map and went slightly off my intended route. Retrospectively, I was pleased to be in the wrong place at the right time when a Monocled Cobra swam across an open ditch ahead of me. I had to move quickly to catch up with it. It may have been intending to cross the bund that I was walking along, but once it saw me, it disappeared into the grass to the side of the path. Actually, ‘path’ is a poor word to use to describe the overgrown raised barrier between two ponds. The wet grass was up to my knees with reeds and rank vegetation on either side. Now that I had seen a cobra, I felt the need to brush my tripod through the grass ahead of me as I walked heavily along. A second cobra made me jump as I came within two or three steps of it. It made a frantic dash towards a hole into which it disappeared like a piece of spaghetti being shlurped up.

There had been plenty of birds to see up until now, but in ponds 8 and 9, the numbers increased dramatically. A big flock of Lesser Whistling Ducks took to the air from the roosting area at Pond 8. There were many other birds there including Asian Openbill Storks and Indian Cormorants. I should have taken more time to check it over, but the heat was starting to get to me and I preferred to move on. I was back on the main paths now and they are well cut and maintained.

From a shady spot beneath a small acacia tree, I watched large numbers of Cattle Egrets, Intermediate Egrets and Great Egrets instead. The heat was becoming intense now and I had not given myself adequate chance to acclimatise. My water had run out and I had to return to the little shop by the footbridge at the entrance. For the chance of a refrigerated drink I couldn’t object to taking a few pictures.

Birds seen; 55

Lesser Whistling Duck 500, Cotton Pygmy Goose 30, Little Grebe 40, Asian Openbill 30, Indian Cormorant 40, Little Cormorant 3, Yellow Bittern 8, Purple Heron 6, Great Egret 30, Intermediate Egret 50, Little Egret 8, Cattle Egret 400, Brahminy Kite 1, White-breasted Waterhen 6, Ruddy-breasted Crake 2, White-browed Crake 15, Eurasian Moorhen 4, Red-wattled Lapwing 6, Black-winged Stilt 30, Pheasant-tailed Jacana 15, Bronze-winged Jacana 10, Common Sandpiper 2, Green Sandpiper1, Wood Sandpiper 8, Oriental Pratincole 8, Whiskered Tern 150, Spotted Dove 8, Zebra Dove 2, Plaintive Cuckoo 3, Greater Coucal 1, German’s Swift 5, Common Kingfisher 2, Blue-tailed Bee-eater 5, Indian Roller 3, Brown Shrike 2, Long-tailed Shrike 2, Black Drongo 15, Pied Fantail 15, Large-billed Crow 2, Dusky Crag-martin 1, Barn Swallow 80, Red-rumped Swallow 1, Yellow-vented Bulbul 6, Streak-eared Bulbul 6, Black-browed Reed-Warbler 2 , Striated Grassbird 4, Zitting Cisticola 25, Yellow-bellied Prinia 5, Plain Prinia 25, Oriental Magpie Robin 2, Stonechat 5, Great Myna 10, Common Myna 10, Asian Pied Starling 20, Eurasian Tree Sparrow 30, Asian Golden Weaver 35.

For a previous post from Muang Boran, follow the link below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/muang-boran-fish-ponds-bangkok-june-2012.html

Visit the dedicated Oriental page for more from Thailand, including; Lumphini Park and Pak Thale.

Use the train line to get as far south as possible. The last station headed towards the coast is called Bearing. From here, ask the taxi driver for Muang Boran (pronounced Boulan). Unless he is a keen birder himself, he will probably want to drop you at the Ancient City. A bridge crosses the river that runs alongside the road and can be seen at the Google Earth Coordinates;13°32'19.01"N 100°37'21.14"E. In fact, you need to go a further 500 meters beyond the bridge for the Ancient City. pull in just before the footbridge that crosses the dual carriageway. There is another bridge crossing the river to the left. You are very close now.
You can either continue with your taxi if you feel confident directing him, or change to a local motorcycle taxi here. Either way, you may end up having to give directions.
Cross the bridge and pass two apartment blocks on the left. Turn left after the second block. Follow the road around and you will come into a village. Take the first right and follow it around until you come to the village motorcycle taxi rank. Turn right here and the ponds are 100m ahead of you at Google Earth coordinates; 13°32'27.71"N 100°38'0.13"E. Check out Google Earth and bring a mental map with you.Nick Upton writes a great Site that has a map. You can find it at;

Suan Rot Fai, Bangkok, June 2012

Suan Rot Fai is an old golf course which has been put to use as a peoples’ park. It is very easy to reach on the Skytrain from the end of the line at Mo Chit Station. Again may I refer you to www.thaibirding.com and specifically to this link which gives an excellent description and directions. As before, I shall confine myself to a snap shot of my experience of a morning at Suan Rot Fai which can be seen on Google Earth by copying and pasting these coordinates into the search; 13 48 38N 100 33 11E . Confusion may arise as the ornamental gardens in the south of the site are labelled Suan Wachira Benchathat on Google Earth and a sign pointing away from them across a bridge to the old golf course reads, 'To Vajirabenchathas Park.'

Some of the common birds of the city parks can be found here including; Oriental Magpie Robin, Streak-eared Bulbul, Great Myna and Large-billed Crow. I entered by the ornamental gardens and missed the first opportunity to cross into the less-manicured part of the park that still resembles a golf course. The gardens in the south are very structured with concrete banks to the serpentine lotus water feature and bridges criss-crossing it. It is however very picturesque and gave me the chance to get on level terms with a female Scarlet-backed Flower-pecker. The male proved to be less of a poser.

I crossed into Vajirabenchathas Park and the atmosphere changed quickly to one of slight scruffiness. Even so it was no more unkempt than most other parks and the old fairways were obviously still mowed regularly.

There were more insects here and thus more birds. Indian Rollers liked the combination of mature trees and open grassy areas. There was a hot spot close to the southern end of the lotus lake at Google Earth ref; 13 48 48N 100 33 11E.

A Plaintive Cuckoo dropped down onto the ground to catch grubs from the grass. There were three of them in the area. I have taken liberties with the background to make the bird stand out a bit better.

At last I managed to get a good close look at a Javan Pond-heron in his breeding colours.  I had long suspected that the pond-herons around here were of the Javan species, but had not been happy to tick them in their non-breeding conformity. This individual confirmed my sightings from yesterday which warranted the red pen treatment.

Along the lakeside, Gomphid dragonflies flew close to the water and I was very pleased to catch this one in flight. Further up, at the edge of what used to be a lake-side golf-green, an Asian Openbill was searching for snails by the bank.

Today had been much more bearable than yesterday. Perhaps I had become more acclimatised. There was much more shade here than at MuangBoran Fish Ponds and it was much easier to cope with the heat. As I made my way back, I was attracted by a riot in the trees. Three Plain-throated Sunbirds and two Scarlet-backed Flower-peckers were flapping and making a terrible din as if trying to chase off a snake. Sure enough there was a very thin green snake that I suspect was probably a Oriental Whipsnake. Slightly further down the path, another mob included Streak-eared Bulbuls, Oriental Magpie Robins and three Variegated Squirrels. This time I was unable to find the source of their excitement, but the squirrel was a lifer for me.

Birds seen; 25

Asian Openbill 1, Great Egret 1, Little Egret 2, Cattle Egret 1, Javan Pond-heron 6, Striated Heron 6, White-breasted Waterhen 2, Spotted Dove 25, Zebra Dove 45, Plaintive Cuckoo 3, Asian Palm-swift 4, Indian Roller 8, Coppersmith Barbet 4, Pied Fantail 12, Large-billed Crow 15, Yellow-vented Bulbul 3, Streak-eared Bulbul 25, Oriental Magpie Robin 15, Great Myna 80, Common Myna 60, Black-collared Starling 25, Scarlet-backed Flower-pecker 4, Olive-backed Sunbird 6, Eurasian Tree Sparrow 30, Nutmeg Mannikin 6.

Peaceful / Zebra Dove

For more posts from Bangkok, follow the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/02/pak-thale-bangkok.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/02/lumphini-park-bangkok.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/02/bang-pu-mai-bangkok-thailand.html

Visit the dedicated Asia Page for more from the region.

Muang Boran Fish Ponds, Bangkok, June 2012

I was cherry-picking this morning. Rather than paying any attention to the little brown jobs that might potentially require the red pen, I was concentrating my time in looking for rails and crakes for which Muang Boran is celebrated. ‘Tis true that the grassy marsh to the southeast of Bangkok is also famous for Acrocephalus and Cettia warblers, but that kind of hard work could wait. Actually, if the truth is really brought to the fore, June may not have been the best time to look for any of them, but since I cannot dictate where or when I go, this would be my best shot.

For a description and directions, I cannot hope to emulate the one at www.thaibirding.com which can be found at this link. This post will simply be a snapshot of a morning at Muang Boran (Google Earth ref; 13 32 28N 100 38 01E) in late June and confirmation that the directions are easy to follow.

Oriental Pratincoles and Asian Openbill Storks were silhouetted against the wakening sky as I arrived at 06.15 and a Plain Prinia was the first bird to greet me as I stepped from the motorcycle taxi and entered the site. Off to my right, the area looked far too dry and open to harbour any rails or crakes, so I pressed on to the much more promising area ahead, on the left. Here, there were Bronze and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Black-winged Stilts and Red-wattled Lapwings. All of them made a lot of noise as I scanned.

Asian Golden Weavers were easy to find and a Black Bittern flew across the path. I wanted to get a better look to convince myself that it wasn’t a large, dark, Striated Heron and at the third time of asking, managed to get a good look to confirm the ID. Having only ever seen this species twice before, it was odd to find it so common here. To have seen one feeding would have been wonderful, but I only saw them in flight.

The White-browed Crakes made themselves very obvious by clambering around at the top of the grasses. So much so, that they could be seen over 100 meters away. They were especially common in pond 5 which is long and thin and more conducive to photographs as you can get better positioned for the light. Beyond pond 5, the path peters out, so I spent a short while scanning back across the marsh noting Cattle Egrets and a juvenile Purple Heron. 

Even by 09.00, the day had become oppressively hot. My Western Palearctic constitution was not coping well and I went in search of some shade. The structures and houses of local families that gain their living from the marsh hogged all the shade, leaving me very uncomfortable by mid-morning. The tracks around the marsh are narrow and in some cases overgrown by weeds spilling over from the verges. I was convinced that I would come across a snake at some point during the day, but it looks as if someone got to this one before I did.

The families that live in the marsh are very tolerant of birders, but take issue with the birds that are likely to eat into their profit margin. Deterents such as nets or lines strung across the water make landing and taking off difficult, so bird such as herons and cormorants avoid these areas. More sinister are the hooks that trail from the lines. Whether or not, they are set to catch fish-eating birds, I cannot say, but casualties occur and skeletons and carcasses of birds have been seen hanging from the lines.

The Ardeola species here should have been Javan Pond Heron,  but in their non-breeding colours they are very difficult to separate from their Indian counterparts. Only when one flew by with his breeding colours firmly pinned, could I be certain. Even then it pays to be familiar with what you are looking for before having to identify it at distance.

A Zitting Cisticola was seen and plenty of Plain and Yellow-bellied Prinias called from the reeds and grasses.

I had promised myself that I would buckle down to the little brown jobs once I had had a look for some rails and crakes, but I just could not stand the heat any longer. The Black-browed Reed Warbler and the Manchurian Reed Warbler that I had planned to tick would have to wait for another day. Most of them would have been north of here anyway at this time of year although I am led to believe that a few stay for the summer. Winter would have the added bonus of a good head of Baillon’s Crake and Slaty-breasted Rail, so I am hoping for another trip towards the end of the year.

Birds seen; 35

Lesser Whistling Duck 6, Cotton Pygmy-goose 2, Little Grebe 20, Asian Openbill 200, Indian Cormorant 40, Little Cormorant 12, Yellow Bittern 1, Black Bittern 12, Purple Heron 2, Great Egret 15, Little Egret 12, Cattle Egret 25, Javan Pond-heron 15, White-breasted Waterhen 4, White-browed Crake 11, Red-wattled Lapwing 15, Black-winged Stilt 30, Pheasant-tailed Jacana 10, Bronze-winged Jacana 15, Oriental Pratincole 80, Indian Roller 2, Long-tailed Shrike 1, Pied Fantail 3, Barn Swallow 25, Streak-eared Bulbul 15, Zitting Cisticola 1, Yellow-bellied Prinia 4, Plain Prinia 8, Great Myna 15, Common Myna 25, House Sparrow 20, Baya Weaver 1, Asian Golden Weaver 20, Chestnut Munia 4.

On the next trip, assuming that I can tear myself away, it might also be possible to double up the trip with a visit to the mangroves and pier at Bang Pu Mai, just 2.5 miles further down the road. Or perhaps if I am of a cultural  frame of mind, the Ancient City is right next door.
It may pay to take the Skytrain as far as Bearing Station and get a taxi from there. City drivers are less than keen to be travelling out of town just before the morning rush starts.

For more posts from Bangkok, follow the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/02/pak-thale-bangkok.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/02/lumphini-park-bangkok.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/02/bang-pu-mai-bangkok-thailand.html

Visit the dedicated Asia Page for more from the region.

Bang Pu Mai, Bangkok, Thailand

What would I do without G.L to keep me in fresh new ideas for places to see and things to do while nursing a hang-over? It was not his suggestion that Alexandria Mills, Plurimusdecorus inorbis, be entrusted to my care for the evening, but we managed to make up for that oversight and the normal beer per lifer applies for the rest of the post.

His latest recommendation was hardly a good second best to an evening with the reigning Miss World, but I have a blog to write so I took his suggestion for a morning at Bang Pu. 

Bang Pu Mai is a nature education centre south east of Bangkok which attracts roosting birds who might otherwise be feeding on the estuary of the river (Google Earth ref; 13 31' 02"N 100 39' 18"E). Facilities include a pier which attracts people who enjoy the spectacle of hundreds, nay thousands, of Brown-headed Gulls and gulls which enjoy the spectacle of people throwing free food.

Occasionally a Pallas’s (a much bigger dark-headed gull) or Heughlin’s Gull (large, classic gull) might put in an appearance, but I was not prepared to put in the effort or attention to detail required until the beery feeling from the late night had worn off.

A mangrove and shoreline restoration project is ongoing there. Bamboo pilings have been set into the mud to help the silt to settle and mangrove spears have been planted in anticipation. The gulls use the bamboo on both sides of the pier as roosts and Little Egrets stumble along the in-shore line of defence.

Back on land, through a gate to the left as you approach the pier, a sea defence protects a sanctuary of mangrove with ponds, paths and hides. The tide is allowed to sweep in and out and as I arrived this morning, it was approaching its high mark.

A hide overlooking a scrape looked like a fine place for a nap until I noticed the sloughed snakeskin hanging from the rafters above me. Once my eye was in, I began to notice more skins, five altogether and began to sober up a bit. The only sign of live reptiles were the large Geckos, but I couldn't help glancing up now and then.

Waders and herons were abundant with Black-tailed Godwit making up a large proportion. Dense flocks had come to roost and were joined on the mud scrapes by Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt. Pacific Golden Plovers were more widely dispersed among the salt grass.

The mournful, sibilant, descending phrase of the Flycatcher is easy to imitate and the bird responds well to it. Also known as the Golden-bellied Gerygone, it was simple to tempt the little bird out of the mangroves for a look, but photographing it proved more tricky.

Another call (one that put me in mind of the introduction to ‘Boogie Wonderland’ (Earth Wind and Fire, 1979, just in case you haven’t heard this pop milestone which peaked at no. 4 in the UK single chart)), came from the Mangrove Whistler. The call was easy enough to imitate, but the bird did not respond (so perhaps it was not as easy as I thought). One was calling from a small patch of mangroves behind the visitors centre. I saw movement from the apparent source of the song, but by the time I got the Bushnells trained on the spot, he was gone. There were some Pied Fantails in there with him and that was enough to sow doubt and so I have to decline this one.

The observation tower and part of the board walk are out of service at the moment. The remainder of the boardwalk has not been well maintained and I wonder if it will be reinstated. There is groundwork underway to improve drainage and facilities, so hopefully a new and improved mangrove experience is around the corner.

Close to the entrance is a dry area with a vegetable garden and a small meadow with wildflowers. Zebra Doves fed from the ground as Streak-eared Bulbuls called from the acacia-like trees.

There were dragonflies here too. A nice selection will be added to my life list just as soon as I figure out what they are.

This damselfly, I believe, is the orange form of the Common Bluetail, Ischnura senegalensis, but I have yet to find an ID for this fine fellow below. For want of anything better, I shall call him a Dancing Dropwing, Trithemis pallidinervis which I have seen before in Singapore and looks very similar. They were very common along the sea defence wall on the seaward side.

A few Crimson Darters, Crocothemis servilia were about, but did not allow me as close as the species above. They preferred the mangrove side of the sea defence.

The species below I have no idea about and cannot find anything as a suitable match. I will have to consult the experts and I hope that I will be able to come back to confirm the identities. It has a number of features in common with the darter, but niether its thorax, nor abdomen carried any markings and its appendages are quite different.

The salt extraction ponds of Pak Thale offer day-long feeding opportunities, so the birds are less tide dependent than most waders. The tide at Bang Pu Mai obviously has more of a bearing on the birds’ feeding habits. By mid-morning, the high tide had started to recede and small exploratory flocks of godwits were making sorties from the scrapes to see if any fresh mud had been revealed. They would return shortly afterwards and wait for a few minutes before taking another look. By the time I left at about 11.30, the traffic was all one way. Tide times may be critical as the mud banks of the estuary are off the reserve and not visible. There is plenty of mud beneath the pier, but the big numbers of birds spread out quickly and the sun will affect your view.

Bird species; 25

Little Cormorant 25, Grey Heron 20, Great Egret 60, Intermediate Egret 3, Little Egret 50, Chinese Pond Heron 20, Painted Stork 28, Black-winged Stilt 250, Pacific Golden Plover 25, Black-tailed Godwit 2500, Common Redshank 30, Marsh Sandpiper15, Common Greenshank 15, Common Sandpiper 3, Brown-headed Gull 2000, Spotted Dove 2, Zebra Dove 10, Black-capped Kingfisher 2, Collared Kingfisher 1, Pacific Swallow 25, Streak-eared Bulbul 4, Oriental Magpie Robin 4, Dark-necked Tailorbird 1, Pied Fantail 8, Golden-bellied Gerygone 10