Eurasian Thick-knee

This is a bird not often seen in Thailand. There is a fairly regular population at an arid area in western part of Petburi province but it involves a bit of a drive. I have seen individuals in arid areas near Kaengkrachan park as well.
However, when this bird appeared in a suburban park of Bangkok it was unusual.
The park is huge and has had some good records of late such as Fairy Pitta: new species for Thailand, and Narcissus Flycatcher.

I got wind of the bird through some local websites and knew where to look for it. It was said to be on a small 'island' called 'dog island'. This is a place where stray dogs as well as unwanted dogs are sheltered.
I drove the loop slowly in search for my bird but failed to see it. Decided to step out of the car in hope of flushing it.
Did those dogs ever bark at a large caocasian on their grounds! I walked around and finally decided to get back to the car. That is when I flushed the bird. Off it flew. I followed it with my eyes, quickly got the engine going and drove after it.
It sweetly decided to land on an open lawn. Yes! Now I knew I had a chance. I stopped, got out my 'walking blind' and with me inside moved towards my target.

There are only 9 species of Thick-knees in the world. This is the most common on northern grounds as these birds are primarily found in the southern continents. Formerly known as Stone-Curlew. I suspect the name derives from the sort of Curlew like 'wailing' sound it makes. And Stone I suppose comes from the arid area it prefers to dwell in.
Now it is called a 'thick-knee'....which this image clearly depicts.

It is primarily crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn) and spend the day sleeping.
When it is alarmed it lays down as cover.

The most striking thing about the bird to me is the large eye. Maybe they should be called 'Big-eyes'?

This was my nicest image.

All taken with Canon 30D and 400F5.6 handheld.

Comments

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

Emerald Cuckoo

This shiny little bird always causes excitement. Quite easy to observe at Pah Gloaymai campsite at Khao Yai during the right time of year. It is simply very busy gleaning grubs from the fairly low trees found at the campsite.

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and Lanceolated Warbler

It took me quite some time to develop an interest in various types of Warblers. There are so many other more obvious birds full of color and easier to see then this often rather skulky group of birds. But evidently one starts to wonder what is making all those sounds that eminate from the reed beds so armed with curiosity and a lot of trial and error the quest began. This spring before these bird migrated to their breeding grounds in Siberia etc I spent more time getting to know them and trying to learn both sounds and behavior a bit better. One of the more attractive one is the Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler aka Rusty-rumped Warbler. It belongs to the family of Locustella warblers but this family which now has been split in to 2 clades. Helopsaltes is a genus of passerine birds in the grassbird family Locustellidae . A comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the grassbird family Locustellidae published in 2018 found that the genus Locustella consist...

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