The project started on the day we found the River Tern 26th may 2007.

However we have been looking Birds and dealing with problems in the Yonok for more than a year now.

Our week is divided up as follows: mostly I get up about 6am.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we both teach in the local school. Saturday we are teaching in the two Temples .

This leaves us only three days to devote to the project. I am also committed as a birder to a number of my own interest with regards to birding.

The discovery of breeding Grass Owls has taken a great deal of our time as they are so difficult to track down, due to they're nocturnal habits.

The Harrier roosts also requires us to stay late in the evening. We have discovered all the large harrier roosts in Thailand as far as I am aware, and is a subject of paramount importance, not just to us but it demonstrates that Thailand still has spectacular wildlife to witness, when you see a line of 2-300 harriers coming in over a hillside in the space of 15 minutes! Well for me it just knocks you out.

When I lived in England and mostly Kent , migration was my main interest and I have spent most of my birding career counting migrants.

Thailand is pretty interesting and there are some aspects of migration that interest me.

Here in Thailand they're a variety on migrations / breeding movements. For instance all the 3 species of Bittern at Chiang Saen are wet season visitors, rarely seen in winter.

There is the: what you might call the standard migration patterns that involve the departure and arrivals of migrants to and from they're northern breeding grounds.

Local species start breeding late winter. A number of species like blue-winged Pitta arrive in late May however they're timing may be affected by the onset of the rainy season.

I was surprised to discover around 8 territories of Hooded Pitta as late as the end of June these birds were newly arrived as they were all singing against each other, I did wonder if maybe they sing on migration but the are still present today.

Buntings, well my first full year here I felt that buntings were more or less gone in northern Thailand .

In February we found a group around 300 common rose finches, pretty impressive and latterly they were joined by a huge group of Chestnut Buntings, although our highest counts were of approx 500 it's not unlikely that they're numbers reached a thousand.

In order to make such discoveries, you need to be birding most days.

The areas we cover are: The Mekong Sandbars from Sop Ruak Chiang Klong,

Chiang Saen Lake , Yonok Wetland, Little England and a number of small wetland bogs and forested areas.

We also have to visit 4 harrier roosts per month, during the winter, the larger one has to be counted on consecutive evenings as the birds arrive from two directions and as many arrive as its dark it's impossible to count from one spot.

My experience tells me: here as any where you have to be out in the field, you can never predict when something interesting will turn up.

Example: at this time of year it's quiet on the wetland with few birds to see, we were riding out to our Temple teaching class when we spotted a new River Tern feeding on the perimeter fish ponds, two River terns in the space of a month.

Not bad for a bird that is extinct as a breeding species.

Sadly birds like the River Tern have no chance as they wish to live on a river that is a geographical border between countries.

Now fair enough this is all good fun, but there is a down side. Sadly I often find what I don't want to see, mist nest! At worst long lines of them, hunters with guns, and areas that once were full of birds now empty, in Europe I termed these places as empty valleys.

In some ways for me this project is purely selfish, when I see this destruction it stops me going out, well!

I still go out but I tend to avoid those areas, so I don't see so many birds. Also it's very hard on Dowroong as she being Thai has to deal with these problems, often with people whose job it is to stop this hunting but are reluctant to act for various reasons, which I do understand.

Basic points of this project:

Stop all hunting in the Yonok wetlands

To establish areas of safe sanctuary for birds

It is hoped that the wetland area as a whole will become a sanctuary.

In Order to achieve this:

We have spoken with the Monks of both Temple and have they're agreement in createting the two initial Sanctuary's in the north sector (see map Yonok Wetland Northern Section)

There are two Temples in the north section of Yonok and both of these temples have strong ties with the local community.

We have agreed to teach the children and monks English in the Temples .

The age of our students on average is between 6 and 18 and a few older ones.

We have at present 120 students in all, 66 at Wat Yonok and 55 at Wat Pa Mak No

Pra Sane Tawaro of Wat Pa Mak No is very keen to protect the area and we have spoken at length with him. They have asked all children to bring a tree to plant each time they come for a lesson.

This way we hope to help the new generation to be more caring of our wildlife.

The lessons are divided into sections, mostly English conversation: which is what there parents want but as Dowroong is a Buddhist she likes to mix in stories of Buddha and the love of animals.

The No Hunting Signs are being painted by: Pra Sane Tawaro of Wat Pa Mak No.

The children have asked to paint the signs at Wat Yonok.

What we have achieved so far.

Wat Pa Mak No: has been our greatest success: I hope to make this the project HQ with Pra Sane Tawaro permission.

Pra Sane Tawaro, may well be the man to care for the wetland in the future, I believe it very important to give him as much support as possible.

This Island Temple set in the heart of Yonok affords the best views of the Yonok and is easily accessible. From the temple you and see the Harriers coming to roost at times as many as 250. The grass owls are also seen from this Temple . So it may make sense for a viewing platform here at least if it was sited in the Temple grounds it will be well look after.

The teaching here has been a great success.

The Monks Children and Villagers have all pulled together in Planting Trees, painting signs with much enthusiasm and happiness.

This is good for the Buddhist and Conservation and People.

Wat Yonok is coming along a little slower but we have some regular students. The other Boss in the Village came to our teaching class not to learn but to observe and he's likes our ideas and will encourage people to come along and he is looking into making the signs

I'm getting the feeling that we can deal with the Hunters in the local Buffalo camp.

They seem friendly now and happy to talk to us.

Future:

Now that we are established I have to consider the southern section, we can spread out from Ba Mak No.

We have to start visiting the other areas temples, buffalo camps and people and push on.

That's it really.

Mick