Talking of Spoonbills... guiding back in Norfolk last weekend and nice to see several Eurasian Spoonbills already returned to Cley and Holkham. This one was feeding in the shallow pools on the grazing marsh just off the East Bank, showing off its shaggy nuchal crest.
Black-faced Spoonbill is a conservation success, recovering from c400 in 1995 to c7000 in 2024. It breeds mainly on the Korean peninsula, most winter in Taiwan. A rare winter visitor to Thailand (0-3pa?), so we were pleased to eventually catch up with this one near Laem Pak Bia
Talking of endangered shorebirds, we enjoyed a group of c80 Nordmann's Greenshanks and thousands of Great Knot by the Gulf of Thailand at Pak Thale. Plus a massive flock of c500 Asian Dowitchers, and loads of commoner species. A magical place to visit if you like your waders.
One of the most sought after species in Thailand at this time of year - we managed to catch up with one of the Spoon-billed Sandpipers wintering at Khok Kham. Mean population est now just 443 mature individuals, ongoing declines of c5%pa - so still perilously close to extinction
...also this Pygmy Cupwing on Doi Inthanon. A similar idea to the Tesias - tiny, short-tailed and mostly lurking in thick vegetation in the dark of the forest understorey - but unrelated.
I love Tesias - but they can be impossible to see, hiding in dense undergrowth on the forest floor. So it was a real treat to get such good close views of both Chestnut-headed Tesia and Slaty-bellied Tesia on Doi Lang this year.
Hodgson's Frogmouth can be a tricky bird to find. Last year, we had great views of one on the nest on Doi Inthanon. So I was particularly pleased when we arrived there this year to hear it had been found back nesting in the same tree again just a few days before we arrived.
...and we also saw at least five different Grey-winged Blackbirds on Doi Ang Khang, North Thailand. Mostly more elusive but this showy individual was coming to mealworms and the water bath at Wat Phra That.
It has been a good winter for thrushes in North Thailand, after a few poor years. We saw at least four different Chestnut Thrushes (3 on Doi Lang & 1 on Doi Inthanon), with some great close up views. An irruptive winter visitor from China...
Just back from 2 1/2 weeks guiding in Thailand with
@oriolebirding.bsky.social. One of the highlights was catching up with the pair of Blue-naped Pittas which has been showing well at a hide in Chiang Rai province this year. Also good to see a pair of Baer's Pochard at Chiang Saen lake.
Lovely sunny morning yesterday, so went for a walk at Blakeney. Great views of the small flock of Twite - after coming in for a drink, they perched up in the sunshine for a preen. Just clinging on here these days, this is only 1 of 2 small groups still coming back each winter
Lovely day in the Brecks with @lnashnature.bsky.social on Weds. Lots of Crossbills around this year, great to watch - in this group, birds were courtship feeding and bark stripping. Also our first displaying Goshawk of the season, singing Woodlarks and four Hawfinches.
...squabbling with one of its mates the other day. Sadly the Red-breasted Goose has not been found again (yet?)
Sat in the office catching up on admin today in the wind & rain, but had to make a quick dash to Morston late am with @lnashnature.bsky.social to see the Red-breasted Goose. Seemed to be associating with 7 Barnacle Geese, more closely than with the Brents. Nice find by @oriole-ashley.bsky.social
Then on Sunday with the group in North Norfolk, we managed to catch up with the Eastern Black Redstart, 3 Glossy Ibis, Great Northern Diver, Jack Snipe, Little Gull, Hen Harrier and several Merlins and a great selection of wildfowl and waders, before we just ran out of time
Guiding in the Norfolk Broads on Saturday - as well as the Black-winged Kite, lots of Cranes, Whooper & Bewick's Swans, Iceland Gull, Caspian Gull & Purple Sandpipers at Sea Palling and a Short-eared Owl to finish
I used to spend lots of January watching Barn Owls. The population is lower now, after a succession of poor breeding seasons, but those which are around seem to be coming out much less during daylight hours than they used to. Nice to see this one still out early the other morning
You can see why Jack Snipe like cut reed. This one has been hanging around outside Bishop Hide at Cley for some time. Mostly asleep during the day, it can be impossible to see at times.
