This morning just after 0600h five River Lapwing were flying low over Huay Mai Teng Reservoir when I arrived at the launch area;unfortunately they were flying away! But not a problem – they were undoubtedly River Lapwing and that was all I was really concerned with. There will hopefully be plenty of opportunities to get to see them in the next few months. They usually stay until about mid-August. They are back bang on time – in previous years about May 22nd. I only saw one last year but that was virtually on the same day. Five today bodes well. It’s a great mystery to me how birds can be so predictable.
Elsewhere the big story is further development at the site this time on the east side where major water works are under way. A huge amount of plant is involved in digging out what look like large reservoirs so more habitat is being lost. In fairness this area is under water for about two thirds of the year so perhaps not too much impact. This is the area where I have seen a lot of good birds including Chinese Francolin – there was once a a leafy lane leading to the reservoir where virtually no one but locals ever went. That is gone now as trucks thunder up and down from the building site.
On the bird front loads of Rain Quail, including sightings of about eight which were out in the open feeding. However the most striking feature is the call and basically I could hear Rain Quail everywhere I stopped to bird this morning. A few Small Pratincoles were present but not in significant numbers and certainly not in anything approaching the numbers seen in previous years. Their previous breeding site is now being used for the same purpose by Oriental Pratincoles. In this area I had the joy today of observing a tiny Little RInged Plover chick taking its first steps under parental supervision.
No sign of Savanna Nightjar today but they may be because it was virtually daylight when I arrived and they had taken to their day roosts.
It was really hot and sticky today and flies were a huge problem for the first time I can recall. A pair of Pied Kingfishers, a Yellow-eyed Babbler and a Barred Buttonquai were also of note.
Dodgy Birds 