29 Jan - 1 Feb - An ambitious short, long haul, trip to south east Asia and an amazing assemblage of eastern waders - with Wildwings and Mark Andrews. Highlights were many on this outstandingly successful trip - the most sought-after trio of waders were all seen well - 3+ Spoon-billed Sandpipers out of 7 thought to be present, with stunning views in perfect light down to 40 yards - a flock of 35 elegant Nordmann's Greenshanks, with superb Great Knots as a supporting cast - and a flock of 50+ Asian Dowitchers in the evening sunlight. Altogether, we saw 42 species of shorebirds. This year there are exceptional numbers of Broad-billed Sandpipers and Terek Sandpipers, as well as Red-necked and Long-toed Stints, Greater and Lesser Sandplovers, Marsh Sandpipers and Spotted Redshanks. Thousands of birds in the vast areas of saltpans are an amazing spectacle.
And a very impressive supportive cast - Malaysian and White-faced Plovers on the coast, Chinese Egret, Caspian and Crested Terns, a enormous immature Pallas' Gull, Openbill and Painted Storks around the paddyfields, not to mention Spotted Eagles, Black-winged Kites, Blue-tailed and Green Bee-eaters, and eastern passerines including Thick-billed Warbler and a first for Thailand, Bay-backed Shrike.
We crammed a lot in to 3 days, while concentrating on the outstanding wader watching, and a memorable trip with excellent photographic opportunities. It really is surprising what can be fitted in to 4 days!
The sandspit west of Pak Thale was reached by a short boat ride and held an excellent range of species......
The extensive paddyfields inland from the saltpans are well known as an area for Storks and wintering raptors, as well as waders, Kingfishers and Bee-eaters. Also here are nesting towers for the Germain's Swiftlets to breed in, whose nests are the source for birds nest soup.
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