19 March - 9 April 2009: Island Bird Sanctuary - Yang Chum Lake - Kuri Buri N P
After the Flood; Four years later we return to our Island Home; to see if it can be selvedged, following four years of flooding and hopefully restore the island to its former glory.
The birds on our Island garden were surprisingly; in good numbers. Water birds were well represented and quite tame. The floods had destroyed most of the trees and reed beds. However some surprises were in store. A pair of Rollers had young in a nest hole next to the kitchen. Several pairs of Ashey Wood swallows also had nests in the dead trees. Two pairs of White-bellied Sea Eagles were seen dally taking fish to their respective eire's in the mountains.
About 88 species were recorded during our stay and a number of new species added; Pacific Golden Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhowes' Snipe, Oriental Pratincole. This brings the total for the Island to 194 (Island List - click). The destruction of the reeds has resulted in easier viewing of many birds that would have been concealed.
Our intention is to restore the Island to a Wetland Bird and Migration sanctuary. In order to do this we need some voluntary help. We need in particular fast growing trees that can survive in water during times of floods. Careful planning of the reed beds and wet pools will hopefully bring back the large numbers of birds that formerly breed and winter here.
Celebrations at Yang Chum; Dowroong, family and friends join with the villagers of Ban Pu Bon on the "Island" Dowroong's son Marathon gets ready for the transformation to Monk and will stay at Wat Rai Bon . (click here for photos)
Kui Buri National park: remains one of my favorite lonely places and I spent many days walking my favorite trail. this trails is unusual as it has almost zero annoyances; mosquitoes and leeches are rare, no ticks and only a few suicide flies and few humans, just the occasional Elephant to keep you on your toes. Interesting mammals seen on this visit.
Khao Sam Rio Yot; Some of the most impressive mountain scenery in coastal Thailand. Sad! that the prawn farms are allowed to cover the place in garbage and orange and blue netting. I find it hard to understand "WHY" the park is in such a untidy state, whereas outside is well looked after. Are you taking the piss. The charge for driving through a park that one cannot see at times the mountains through the masses of plastic fences is a wonder to me. Surely as a park one has a duty to preserve ot.
Mae Wong National Park: This is my idea of a well managed park. One road in with a barrier, you have to pay (fare enough). After a few KM you reach the HQ, several signs proclaim. No Litter, fire, music, taking of flora, fishing or hunting. Sign the book and you can camp and drive up the mountain. Good forest and no people living here, except for a few dwelling in the forest. Seems a lot of mountain forest has to be restored and large areas are cleared, however all is quiet and only one gun shot heard. This park has a great future and good birding.
Pra Wichid Boa'on
fresh water shrimps are abundant in the lake. Marton rescued a pair of Silver Pheasants from trappers and we passed them to Kui National Park officers. anew species for the garden, a common one.
Little Grebe
Little Cormorant
Darter
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Chinese Pond Heron
Javan Pond Heron
Cattle Egret
Great White Egret
Yellow-billed Egret
Little Egret
Green Heron
Black Bittern
Night Heron
Yellow Bittern
Schrenk’s Bittern
Cinnamon Bittern
Great Bittern
Garganey
Cotton Teal
Lesser Whistling Duck
Osprey
Black-shouldered Kite
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
Black Baza
Crested Goshawk
Northern Sparrowhawk
Chinese Sparrowhawk
Shrika
Japanese Sparrowhawk
Oriental Honey Buzzard
Common Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
Mountain Hawk-Eagle
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
Black Eagle
Spotted Eagle
Eastern Marsh Harrier
Pied Harrier
Peregrine f p ernesti
F. P. japonensis
F. P. pereginator
Kestrel
Chinese Francolin
Yellow-legged Buttonquial
Barred Buttonquial
Slaty-breasted Rail
Baillon’s Crake
Ruddy-breasted Crake
White-browed Crake
White-breasted Waterhen
Watercock
Moorhen
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Bronze winged-Jacana
Grey-headed Lapwing
Red Wattled Lapwing
Whimbrel
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-winged Stilt
Pacific Golden Plover
Little Ringed plover
Common Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe
Swinhowe's Snipe
Oriental Pratincole
White-winged Tern
Whiskered Tern
Pink-necked Pigeon
Rock Dove
Spotted Dove
Emerald Dove
Large-hawk Cuckoo
Indian Cuckoo
Oriental Cuckoo
Banded-bay Cuckoo
Plaintive Cuckoo
Emerald Cuckoo
Violet Cuckoo
Asian Koel
Green-billed Malkoha
Greater Coucal
Lesser Coucal
Barn Owl
Brown Hawk Owl
Collared Scops Owl
Collared Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Brown Fish Owl
Brown wood Owl
Great Eared Nightjar
Large-tailed Nightjar
Pied Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-breasted Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Green Bee-eater
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Indian Roller
Dollarbird
Hoopoe
Wreathed Hornbill
Oriental Pied Hornbill
Lineated Barbet
Coppersmith’s Barbet
Common Flameback
Rufous Woodpecker
Blue-winged Pitta
Germains Swiftlet
Himalayan Swiftlet
AsIan Palm Swift
Silver-rumped Needletail
Pacific Swift
House Swift
White-throated Needletail
White-vented Needletail
Brown-backed Needletail
Sand Martin
Dusky Crag martin
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Asian House Martin
Olive-backed Pipit
Paddyfield Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Forest Wagtail
Common Iora
Black-crested Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Streak-eared Bulbul
Black Drongo
Crow-billed Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
Gt Racket-tailed Drongo
Black-naped Oriole
Racket-tailed Treepie
Large-billed Crow
Puff-throated Babbler
Abbotts Babbler
Large Scimitar Babbler
Chestnut-capped Babbler
Dusky Warbler
Arctic Warbler
Two-barred Greenish Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Thick-billed Warbler
Clamorous Reed Warbler
Oriental Reed Warbler
Black-browed Reed Warbler
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
Lanceolated Warbler
Bright-capped Warbler
Grey-breasted Prinia
Plain Prinia
Common Tailorbird
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Spotted Bush-Warbler
Magpie Robin
Stonechat
AsIan Brown Flycatcher
Brown-streaked Flycatcher
Red-throated Flycatcher
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Black-naped Monarch
Asian Paradise Flycatcher
Brown Shrike
Tiger Shrike
Phillippine Glossy Starling
Chestnut-tailed Starling
White-shouldered Starling
Purple-backed Starling
Aaian Pied Starling
Black-collared Starling
Vinous-breasted Starling
Common Myna
White-vented Myna
Olive-backed Sunbird
Scalet-backed Flowerpecker
Tree Sparrow
Plain-backed Sparrow
Baya Weaver
Scaly-breasted Munia