Birds of Southern Thailand

While visiting the Big Buddha temple on Koh Samui, I saw a small tortoiseshell cat gazing intently at something. I stopped to watch for a few minutes and soon my patience was rewarded. Just above her in the foliage was this pigeon. I think it might be a little green pigeon, though am unsure as there are lots of similar pigeons, short billed, wedge tailed, white bellied etc. If I had not noticed the cat, I would have missed this guy. Goes to show that taking time out sometimes has its rewards. We do forget to slow down and look around us sometimes.

Bird life in Southern Thailand is abundant and as many Thai people keep caged birds often I have seen the birds this way rather than in the wild. That said, those kept in cages often seem to correlate to those found naturally in that region. We also saw white rumped shama in cages and also a few hill mynahs. These large black birds have amazing bright yellow wattles on their heads and are easy to teach to speak. As for having birds in cages, it is not my thing, but each to their own. 4.2.2013

Four Seasons Chiang Mai

Finally, in need of some rest and relaxation we decided to stay in for the day and enjoy all that the Four Seasons has to offer. We started the day with a leisurely breakfast in our room, then strolled down to the resort library. Open from 9.00 - 10.30 am each morning, or by appointment, the collection is small, but in a beautiful room which encourages you to sit and read. Computers and daily papers are available as well as select titles on Thai cuisine, arts and crafts, culture and nature. I spent some time looking at a great book "The vanishing tribes of Burma" and then finding a book on the birds of Thailand was able to identify a number of the birds we have seen so far. The bird watching list to date includes the following: Bittern (edge of rice paddies) olive backed sunbird (by the pool deck in the flowering shrubs) red whiskered bulbul (in cages everywhere kept as song birds) nutmeg mannikin (in flocks within the rice paddies), Thai green parrots (in cages at Baan Tong Luang) spotted dove and greater coucal (within the tropical gardens of the resort).

The resort is truly beautiful and the overnight rain has freshened things up. The gardens are gorgeous and very well maintained. We even saw staff sweeping both the top of the walls, in addition to the leaves of tall shrubs so that loose leaves were brushed down and within reach to be picked up and taken away. Such attention to detail is not often observed at home.

Late morning we spent some time poolside. The pool deck is gorgeous, and there is a lower deck area reserved for adults as opposed to families. This lower area hangs right over the edge of the rice paddies and as such is a relaxing place to while away the hours. After a swim and a drink poolside it was back to our room for lunch on our private deck, before heading off to the spa for the afternoon. Quite possibly a perfect day.

1.2.2013

Cunnamulla bird life

The bird life in Cunnamulla is perfect for any beginner twitchers. On the road into town we saw an emu with his five chicks. Something I didn't know was that chick stealing is rife, with males trying to take over broods from other birds. While I didn't see it, a local told us of one male who currently has twenty chicks in his brood. Incredible thought! All those mouths to feed. I saw galahs and short billed corellas in large numbers - a flock of corellas must have numbered in the hundreds. We also saw the local gaggle of geese. This group lives down on the banks of the Warrego River, seeming right at home, evidently well loved (and fed) by locals. The birds that amazed me the most were the swallows. They nest at this time of year under the eaves of local buildings. While the local NAB has the most nests, it was those outside of the window of the Paroo Shire Council building that I was best able to observe. It really was a privilege to spy on these guys through the window. The nests are made of mud. Constructed in such a way that they cling to the eaves, with a bulge to hold eggs/babies, which then has a tube like entry point for the parent bird to squeeze in and out of to gain access to the nest. Made of mud the mind boggles at how many thousands of trips backwards and forwards the swallows must make with a mouthful of mud, to add to the construction. The nest ends up being sort of striped, and quite beautiful. I can only imagine this is because the source of the mud changes, or dries at a different rate. Actually I have no idea what causes the stripes, but I am in awe of these little birds. I know little about swallows, but do know that some are migratory travelling huge distances, so can only assume that these little guys fly half way around the world, then on arrival have to build their nest. What a mammoth effort! Postscript - since returning home I have perused my trusting Field guide to Australian birds, and am pleased to report that these little guys actually seem to be Martins, not Swallows....oops.

Paris Pie

Bird life in Paris has been in general sadly lacking.  Funnily enough sparrows, crows and pigeons look the same anywhere in the world.  I had one minor breakthrough in the bird drought though when we spotted a good sized black and white bird as we walked past a small park. Turns out he is a Parisienne magpie.  With less separation of black and white than our magpies have, his plumage also sported a navy and a green hue in different parts.  Quite a handsome fellow, I was happy to see him.  Will double check details when I can again get online and do some research.  Oh, the woes of no Internet access. 18.10.2012