Thread: Thailand bird photos

There have been small birds flitting around a banana flower in our garden early in the morning I hadnt been able to see what they were because of the poor loght so this morning I took a camera down and waited.












Ruby-cheeked Sunbird.

A Streak Eared Bulbul nesting in the garden. Common, but not a very colourful bird so it is easy to overlook.

Female Koel another fairly non-descript bird that is more often heard than seen.

I am using a Canon PowerShot on full magnification so quality is not great.

Originally Posted by Neverna

A red-wattled lapwing

This is almost what I've been looking for. Have been trying to get a name, but I don't think this is it.
In the swamp at the end of my soi I have been watching 4 chicks growing up. They started out as these pitch black balls of fluff about the size of a tennis ball or a bit bigger, on spindly legs. Very cute.
The parents have a black back and wings, a white breast and orange rear under the tail. About the size of a bantam chook but with long legs. A wading bird, but when the water is deep enough they paddle like a duck, although I don't think their feet are webbed.
Mum is building a nest again and chicks are not full size but are independent.

I watched a fight between two adults. Thigh deep in a pool, their strategy appeared to be to grab (with the beak) the opponent by the head or neck and try to drown it.
One of the antagonists was the mum of the chicks and one of these adolescent chicks kept jumping into the fray helping mum.

It's a good swamp for birds. Surrounded by trees, I've seen eagles, nok khamin (orioles?), a brilliant blue bird, an owl, a blue kingfisher, and quite a few greater coucals.
There's also a few heron-like waders that sit and wait for fish as well as the ones I'm talking about.
Any idea of a name?

^ No, too long-leggity and my one the beak is short like in the pic I quoted. Red legs I'm pretty sure.
The orange rump is distinctive.
Mine doesn't have the white ear muffs of the one in the pic.

Hehe...maybe I should just take a pic?

How about that, White-fronted Waterhen.

That's probably it, birding.

That's it, cheers. Orange legs, not red.
I went out but no sign of any of them....probably too hot.

I did take a test photo of this pygmy dove (if that's what it's called....I have never posted a photo before, so here goes my test.


Hmmm. Need more practice/knowledge.


Anyway, thanks chaps...that is indeed my bird.
As it is nesting now (I see it taking twigs into a clump of long grass, I'm anticipating a new brood of chicks...they are very very cute.

Originally Posted by Maanaam

That's it, cheers. Orange legs, not red.
I went out but no sign of any of them....probably too hot.

I have found them to be quite shy, usually (but not always) preferring to stay near where there is quick access to cover.

Originally Posted by Maanaam

That's it, cheers. Orange legs, not red.
I went out but no sign of any of them....probably too hot.

I did take a test photo of this pygmy dove (if that's what it's called....I have never posted a photo before, so here goes my test.

Here it is. A zebra dove.

It was there.

^^ how did you do that?



We have swarms of these. I believe they are the birds nest soup swallows. There's a few farming barns near here.

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Thanks Neverna...I'm trying it out in the test thread in Newbies.
Cheers very much.

I've posted a suggestion/instruction in the test thread.

Cheers.
Very much.

Now just have to work on quality.

Wonderful photos, thank you

A not very good shot of the Swifts, taken with the phone . They seems to gather at various places in the early evening and fly round furiously, coming down to ground level and completely ignoring passers by. This shot was taken outside the small Tesco in the High Street. They were just settling down on the overhead cables but you can imagine from the numbers what it was like when they were all wheeling round in a very tight group.

Those will be Barn Swallows most of which are migratory birds that winter in Thailand and other southern countries returning to the north to nest. Swifts are much slimmer birds with swept back wings, they can sometimes be seen feeding mixed in with swallows but dont roost on wires as the swallows do.

I am not sure they are roosting. Most of these birds are attracted by the recorded bird noises from the various bird houses that have been created for nest harvesting.

Looking up 'Birds Nest Soup' on Wiki, leads me to Germain's Swiftlet as being the most likely bird to occur in this area.

They really fly round too fast to allow for a good photograph or even identification by eye.

I have assumed you are in Thailand, correct?

A good resource for bird ID in Asia is : Oriental Bird Club Image Database : Welcome

^Good site that.

If you haven't done so already birding, you should collate all your pics with descriptions and distribution and consider publishing a field guide book. I have an old one by Craig Robson who happens to be affiliated with Oriental bird club.