Thread: Thailand bird photos

This fellow was out on the gate the other day. Hoopoes normally live in the mountains around here but when the burning season comes they visit the suburbs. Fantastic birds.



The better photo is not mine.

Purple sunbirds are nesting outside my kitchen again, this time in a difficult place to photo. If I open the kitchen window, they won't come near the nest so I have to leave it closed and photo through the glass. The female sits up in a nearby tree until she deems it safe enough. It will probably change once they started feeding but I won't be here then.









Not the best lighting to photo the male makes it quite a challenge.

Originally Posted by Troy

Purple sunbirds are nesting outside my kitchen again

Excellent shots. Sunbirds are small and they don't stay still for long.

What the heck is this bird? Stepped out the back to throw some bread in the canal for the fish and this guy pops up alone to investigate the bread. Didn’t seem too concerned I was there. Not a wading bird I normally see here. Crappy pics, but you can see it’s markings and it has wader legs.

^ look at the state of that klong, you really need to stop polluting it with food waste MK

The klong gets cloudy when it rains. There has been a snakehead fish hanging out for a while along with a lot of minnows I’ve been watching and feeding.

Don’t worry about me polluting the canal. My neighbors do a great job of that.

I'd say Common Moorhen.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

I'd say Common Moorhen.

Yep. I agree.

Originally Posted by Shutree

Sunbirds are small and they don't stay still for long.

Olive backed sunbird. My best effort! The sunbirds have been absent for months, maybe the flowering mango trees are bringing them back.

Originally Posted by Troy

Purple sunbirds

A pair reappeared in my garden today. I really ought to buy a half-decent camera, but then I'd have no excuse:

Whilst I was waiting for the sunbird, this little chap appeared. Some kind of warbler?

Also sparrows are ever present. We have House sparrows



Sometimes there are Tree sparrows, although not today. Then we have a pair of Plain-backed sparrows that are probably nesting nearby:

Originally Posted by Shutree

Whilst I was waiting for the sunbird, this little chap appeared. Some kind of warbler?

Yes. A yellow-browed warbler probably.

Originally Posted by Neverna

Yes. A yellow-browed warbler probably.

Thanks, Nev. I am sure you are right. The book alone isn't enough to distinguish all these warblers. They are small and active and all very similar.

^ What book is that from, Shutree?

Originally Posted by Neverna

^ What book is that from, Shutree?

This is "A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand" by Craig Robson. I have a couple of books, this is the one I prefer.

Thanks. I have "A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia". It's not bad but its weakness is that some of the photographs are not very good, and a few species are not covered. I have the 2003 edition. Perhaps the 2014 edition is better.

Originally Posted by Neverna

I have "A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia". It's not bad but its weakness is that some of the photographs are not very good, and a few species are not covered. I have the 2003 edition.

I don't have that one. I have A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of Thailand, which has photographs. I can't recommend it. I find the drawings much more useful, a lot of the photos are in mixed light and don't clearly show the distinguishing features. Also it shows far fewer birds. The Purple sunbird, for example, has no entry. Maybe I should send them my pic. 555

Originally Posted by Shutree

A pair reappeared in my garden today. I really ought to buy a half-decent camera, but then I'd have no excuse:

I have spotted a pair of purple sunbirds outside the kitchen again. Unfortunately they have built their nest on the other side of the trees so I can't get a good photo of them.

You need some luck as well as a good camera. I need to make a hide to get close from the other side and swelter hours in the sun. That's not going to happen, so just hope I get to find their perches and one has a decent shot.

Not sure if I posted already but a pretty amazing nest with a bird mid-flight. If anyone knows the species tx

This was in Phutthamonthon Park

They are nests of weaver birds, probably either Baya Weavers or Streaked Weavers. Golden Weaver birds have a different shaped nest.

^ Thanks for that - and the website

Originally Posted by Bonecollector

Definitely getting one of those books when I go back next time.

FWIW, I buy my books in UK. Just seems easier to get what I want. Usually cheaper, too.

Originally Posted by Shutree

This is "A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand" by Craig Robson. I have a couple of books, this is the one I prefer.

If anyone is interested, I saw this book in Asia Books in Udon Thani yesterday (lower floor in Robinson's shopping centre).