Skip to main content

Spoonie is back! 7/11/2023, Khok Kham, Samut Sakhon

The tree cutters arrived at the house to clear the tree that fell in the storm yesterday and to cut another one in half. We don’t want another tree fall on the property. Once they were done, and they did a good job, it was lunch time and I thought….hmm ‘where should I go’? Ha! Well, the sun was out, the tide was high and I knew Spoonie had arrived. Got my stuff together and did the drive ( less then an hour midday). I arrived at the Bird Center at Khok Kham just before 2 pm and it was hot! There were many pans filled with waders…..which one to start with? Well, I have been there so many times that by now I sort of ‘feel’ where my little friend like to settle. I scanned a little here and there. So nice to see the waders again and in such big numbers. They are all in winter plumage, all grey but all in different shapes, size and bill. I went to a place with a tiny shelter from the scorching sun and set up my scope. I scanned the pond in front of me. Not a lot. To the right there were a lot of birds but no spoonie. Tried to get myself comfortable on my little stool while using the scope. I scanned again….oh, yes, in the pond in front of me there it was preening itself….that familiar spoon bill gave no cause for questioning what was on display. Ha! I got some pix and then the birds flew off. Hmm…back to the pan on the right….and yet no Spoonie…’what about the next pan further away?’ Looking with intent….suddenly I see something with a rather white face….’Sanderling’? …..nah….then it lifts its bill…..my baby! I followed it in the scope, it came walking toward my pan on the right…..it got chased by other birds…but it was set on a feeding area not too far from me and finally made it there….. I slowly got my gear and walked in ‘slow motion’ as to not scare anything away and settled in a position closer to the birds. From there I got to view Spoonie for almost an hour feeding, preening, bathing etc. It never came all that close. I could have made my way closer but didn’t feel the need to as I already have close ups from before and the birds have just recently arrived so didn’t feel like disrupt the feeding too much. Here are some of the pictures I got…..
PS. the 48 km drive home took 4 hours....this is Bangkok for you... PPS. If you read the whole thing and still clicked like I adore you even more for it....he he

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

lndian Thick-knee in Bangkok!

This is the first photograph of an Indian Thick-knee from Bangkok on eBird. I stumbled across it this morning on a site in Nong Chok district of Bangkok. A big surprise that brought about a grin on my face! Like a ray of light it gave me joy!
Post a Comment
Read more

Bahkplee, Nakorn Nayok

I couldn't resist paying another visit to this great open area. It is 120 km from my house so it means an early rise to be there at sunrise. Today there was more traffic as many folks were headed out of Bkk to celebrate the up coming New Year.  My target for this trip was to find an Australasian Bushlark. A bird that has eluded me till now. It actually didn't take all that long to find it as I had reviewed the bird's song. There is was singing away in a towering flight display. I later stalked one but never got close enough for any decent shots so had to settle for scope views. A lot of singing in the air included Striated Grassbird, Oriental Skylark and the afor menetioned Bushlark. So I put up my hide again. The birds seemed quite eager to grab the worms. Perhaps the cool night, 14 C, had made them hungry?  This time there were two male Bluethroats coming in. The one brighter then the other. It seemed that Rosy Pipit had more rosy on throat an...
2 comments
Read more

Wut Tum Prathoon, Chonburi

 About an hour and 20 minutes drive from my home in Bangkok there is a temple on a little hill. The hill is surrounded by a forest that hold both resident and migratory birds.  At the temple there is a permanent hide with seating for about 8 people. The hide is for free.  A hose with dripping water and a bath is set up for the birds. This hide has some regular species that make use of the water as continuously. I have visited the hide a few times, mainly mid day when birds are hot and come to bath.  Here is a sample of birds I have seen of late.  Siberian Blue Robin, female  Emerald Dove Amur Paradise Flycatcher Streak-eared Bulbul Black-headed Bulbul Racket-tailed Treepie Sooty-headed Bulbul Eye-browed Thrush Chestnut-flanked White-eye Orange-headed Thrush Black-crested Bulbul Verditer Flycatcher Oriental Magpie Robin
1 comment
Read more