Skip to main content

A short twitch!


Ever since I heard of a Pied Cuckoo (Jacobin Cuckoo) being seen at Phuket I always wanted to see one. Then a couple of years later a pair showed up at Chiang Rai by the Mae Kong River but I didn't fancy a 1000 km drive. Thridly, last year another was spotted at Beung Borapet when I was in Europe. So when I saw a posting of this bird by Thanarot I knew I had my chance. 
Thanarok kindly invited me to his home and we enjoyed a true Thai meal at a restaurant by the river.
                                                     Thank you Thanarot! Very yummie! In the morning we did general birding in the wetlands surrounding Beung Borapet (240km North of Bangkok) and saw a lot of birds including a roosting Savanna Nightjar, Glossy Ibises and plenty of Streaked Weavers.......We then sat down to view the trees he had seen the Cuckoos in. After 2 and a half hours and no bird I thought; 'better pack up, bet that will bring it in, a bit sarcastically'. Before we got our stuff together in the car I gave a last scan and my eyes fell on the Cuckoo. They had finally arrived. A wonderful lifer and classy bird. It might be easy in Africa and India but over here it is a mega rarity.
(never mind I had to endure a 6 hour drive (240km) back to Bangkok in insane traffic)


 



Comments

Choy Wai Mun said…
Congrats on your lifer. This species has only been recorded once in Malaysia - in my home state of Penang. But I missed it...
August 14, 2014 at 9:44 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Birding trips out of Bangkok!

Daytrips out of Bangkok The following are a few sites that I regularly take visiting birders to. I often do one site in the morning and another in the afternoon and sometimes even fit in one midday.  Depending on the time of year number of birds seen will vary. Most migrants are here from September – April yet there are others that only visit in May-August.  I find it very fulfilling for people on business or others with limited time circumstances to invest in a guided trip with someone that not only knows the birds but also how to get around and has years of experience living in Thailand. Fields of Latkrabang, Bangkok: My local patch and a gem in the city concrete with still rice fields and scrub present. The roar of the traffic in the background and airplanes lifting to the sky is subdued a bit and the birds present are clearly heard. Many a good wetland birds as well as warblers and other birds have been recorded. On a normal morning I average 70-80 species. Pe
Post a Comment
Read more

Blue-naped Pitta, 1st March 2022

 I am not quite sure how or when to begin this story. Back in the day when all I had was the birds in my garden and the fantastic illustrations of magical birds found in the field guide I could only dream of one day seeing them in real life. My life was restricted and very little opportunity to set out in pursuit of ‘imaginary birds’! Ha! Well, a long story cut short. Things changed and slowly I started to lay my eyes on the real things I had only seen drawn in literature. I remember my first Pitta, the Blue-winged, on an excursion to a waterfall with some rumbunctious kids but it didn’t stop me from seeing one crossing the pathway. (as a note, the late Jon Hornbuckle, who eventually saw all recognized Pittas of his day, told me his last one was the Blue-winged. Just goes to show how this rather ‘easy’ to see bird is not very easy unless you are in the right area at the right time.) So, here in Thailand we have a lot of Pittas. Some are regular, none are easy, and som
Post a Comment
Read more

Alone with Spoonie!

  I have been fortunate enough to spend time on my own with Spoon-billed Sandpiper this season. I have seen this bird over 100 times but feel like I never have enough.  These pictures are from Khok Kham, Samut Sakorn about 1 hour from Bangkok.  
Post a Comment
Read more