Home the Pretty Way

Saturday March 11

Bangkok Airport, a mere half an hour from the hotel, is enormous. It didn't take long for an attendant to arrive with a wheelchair, taking me to an empty check-in desk with my own attendant. Luxury. The Bees were already checking in at an adjacent desk when we arrived, J trying to sort out their seat numbers which had been changed since booking. Not funny to be sat separately for a long flight. I thought that they were going to ask for an upgrade anyway.......?

We were offered oan upgrade for £302 each, a fraction of the price we would have paid at booking. The money we'd paid for extra leg room seats was deducted to make it this amount. The at booking time return fare Business Class is over £3000  each extra.

We were deposited  in the Business Class Lounge, free to help ourselves to food and drink. The  Bees were not there, perhaps they didn't upgrade. I worked on my computer, we didn't have long to wait anyway.

I managed to stay awake for the whole of the flight home, trying to put off jetlag. I played 'Millionaire' on the plane interactive screen, read and rested. 

Again, an extraordinarily easy baggage reclaim and Customs, going through the Crew Channel. with our crew. 

What a nuisance though. KLM had cancelled our Saturday evening flight, which entailed an overnight stay in Amsterdam and the ensuing Hotel Courtesy Bus ride. J had kindly booked the Ibis hotel for us, which was only a 15 minutes ride away. Apart from the fact that we got off at the Ibis Budget Hotel and had a 10 minute walk....... my fault.......it didn't take long to walk a long corridor and take the lift to our very adequate room.

No drink making facilities in the room  and we didn't feel like returning to the lobby, where a free machine was available.

Hot water everywhere !!

Sunday March 12

Enough sleep before an early departure for Schipol where we met the Bees at last, they hadn't been able to get an upgrade where they could sit together. What ?

Our 9.10 flight to Norwich left on time - arriving at 8.50 a.m. !!

The plane was half empty, probably why last night's was cancelled. After a slight hiccup...... Our taxi driver had a tiny notice with Pam's name written small and in pencil. Not readable. Neither did he think to approach the only two people left in the Arrivals Hall. DOH. We heard him ask someone at a desk.

So good to be back to the comforts of home. Although I  missed Robbie's welcoming presence. For the first time really.  We haven't been away since his death.

Mainly Travelling

Friday March 10

There was an offer for a pre breakfast lakeside tour this morning, attempting to see yesterday's Black Bittern, which I still wanted to see.. I got up in time but my legs wouldn't work. Neither did I want to walk at the pace of others as it was an open invitation. We finished packing and walked down to breakfast.  

A Cinnamon Bittern had been added to the list - and the Black Bittern flew across the road as they walked back for breakfast. Damn.

A White-rumped Shama, Racket-tailed Drongo and Jungle Fowl showed well as we ate. So hot this morning.

One stop on the way to Bangkok, a large and open area of paddies, where farming is done in the old fashioned way. This provides for a large rat population and the raptors to feed on them. I associate raptors with hills and ridges.......

It was extremely hot, we only managed about 30 minutes in the sun. Our stools were set up at the edge of a field, the others standing nearer to the van. We saw Eastern Marsh Harriers, Black-winged and Black-eared Kite, Greater Spotted Eagle and (a cause of much debate) an Eastern Imperial Eagle. A good return.

The nearer we got to Bangkok, the more congested the traffic. Without touching the centre, we made our way over canal and river bridges, through 'real' Bangkok, eventually stopping and walking a short distance to a roadside stall, where we lunched in the noise and chaos. The stall is leased by Choom's wife, serving only noodle soup. Everyone eats from the stalls, carrying it home in bags and cartons. Noodle Soup is less than about 50p. We had extra bits of pork in ours. We then had dessert from across the road, fresh mango and a sticky rice/coconut milk and sugar dollop. Traditional Thai dessert and delicious. . The fruit is whatever is in season. I was delighted that it was mango, some of the best I've ever eaten.

Another traffic ordeal before arriving at our Novotel, on the side of the city nearest the airport. 

Waw, luxury. Bellboys who sorted the luggage, a lift to the 14th floor, hot water and soft beds. Free WiFi and a couple of hours before leaving for dinner in the very large dining room.Too much food to pay for in the buffet, we all chose from the a la carte. Pam and I ordered snitzchel, what arrived was fish !! Eventually we got our ordered meal but the crumbs contained sage which neither of us like. The chocolate ice-cream dessert was scrumptious.

Thailand is lovely, the birds a great addition to the world list. Never again will we bird with others. With our age and limited mobility it's too frustrating and, we don't get value for money.

More Mountain Time

Thursday March 9

Yes... another 5.30 breakfast, forcing down a toast and egg sandwich, it keeps me going. The visibility has never been clear since we've been here. Due to sugar cane burning in the north and general pollution elsewhere, especially in the cities. It's not unusual to see Thais wearing full face masks. They also wear large sunhats with all encompassing 'skirt' covering necks and lower face over the nose. A dark brown skin denotes a manual worker and lowers their status. Sunbathing westerners are a source of amazement.

To-day it was misty. Low fog hanging over the trees and valleys, reminded me of cold Autumn mornings, the dampness dripping off my hair. It was far from cold. Petac was again driving and guiding us in Kaen Krachang NP. 
The first stop was before the steep climb began, a stake-out for Black-thighed Falconet. It wasn't long before this diminutive raptor was in the scope, very distantly and mist dulled. It then flew to a nearer dead tree, still too far for photos. 

Crashing noises alerted us to a group of Hornbills in the area. Would they be photographable this time?  Yes, to a less than wanted extent, it was still poor visibility and against the rising sun.

Levitating Oriental Pied Hornbill

We also added Tickell's Brown Hornbills to the Asian Pied. Several of the birds seen in the next half an hour or so were new for Pam and I, including Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo.

After several excursions, marching up and down the hill and back again, we reached the first campsite, where an Orange-breasted Trogon is nesting very near to the camping area.

No sign of the Trogon, a bird  much desired by Jacquie.
A flurry of activity caught my eye. A troupe of Dusky Langurs having a lovely time. The youngsters were chasing about play-fighting, climbing trees, wrestling on the ground. 

The adults, more circumspect, fed, whilst keeping an eye on the family's activity. One orange baby left its tree-top perch for the ground and its siblings,

before leaping  for Mum's belly, where it hung on whilst she made for another area,  running across to safety. Great fun to watch.

Still no Trogon, we went to the restaurant for lunch. Cow Pat (Khao Phad) of course, fried rice with vegetables and chicken or pork. This was one of the tastier ones to-day.

Still extremely hot, 36C +, would the Trogon return? We could sit/stand in the shade. It wasn't long before the male Orange-breasted Trogon, a stunning bird,  returned with a large cream-coloured insect in its beak. 

Perching warily on a shady branch, before delivering the food to what looked like a dead stump. 

Fifteen  minutes later, the male was back with another similar insect. We were all frantically trying to get a sharp exposure of the bird in the shade and on a swaying branch. Another fifteen minutes...... both birds returned, the female with a creamy-coloured grub. the male with a green cricket.

Happy with the sightings, we dragged ourselves away, checking the gazebo for lizards. They'd had large Tokay lizards in the roof yesterday. Not to-day. 
This is a small one we had in the resort. Pam had one fall in front of her whilst she sat on the loo in our room this morning. Adult males can be 40cms from head to base of tail.

On the hill out of camp, Petac came to a halt, gesturing upwards. A Blue-bearded Bee-eater was perched with its back to us, high above.

We also saw Red-bearded Bee-eaters, one of my favourite bird families.
A longish park under the trees at the edge of the road brought great reward. Neil has never seen five species of Broadbills and a Banded Kingfisher during the one trip before. Broadbills are stunning birds, colourful, elusive and chunky. We saw: Black and Red, Long-tailed, Banded, Black and Yellow and Dusky. I have one photograph of a bird silhoutted... haven't worked out which one yet, probably Dusky.

A long drive to the top reaches ensued, a quest to add Ratchet-tailed Treepie to the trip list, a lifer for all four of us. Pam and I had two flying by before retiring to the pick-up, the others went on for much more distant views of more flying birds far below.

We'd asked for a shorter day, it was time to begin the return journey. Sitting inside the truck did not give Pam - in the back seat - good views without gymnastics. The Bees and Neil seated in the open body because they were able to climb up and over the tailgate, had very good views. I was in the front so did better than Pam. The Orange-headed Thrush showed again roadside, in the twilight. They're skulking birds too.

 

At the Restaurant

Wednesday March 8

After a disturbed night for Pam (stomach), we did not get up for another 5.30 breakfast, even though it was only a half day excursion with the afternoon free. Pen was told they'd be back at 11.30, it is now 12.10. Held up by birds I expect.

We had a leisurely start, shower, hair wash and a sort out. Bless her, Pen arrived with our sandwich breakfast whilst Pam was only clad in a towel. Pen's lovely.

Down to the restaurant,  where there is the only WiFi. We found a table where I could plug in my laptop, see the feeding table and have a fan directed towards us. We thoroughly enjoyed watching the squirrels visiting he table, Blue Whistling-thrush on the small water bowl and, unlimited coffee.

Pen joined us after an hour or so, eating her lunch whilst being highly amused by Pam pishing the squirrels away from the newly replenished feeder. A futile task. They just kept coming back, three large Grey-bellied  and one of the very small Burmese Striped Squirrels.
They are only a foot and a half long and move like greased lightning, this is the sharpest image Pam managed - better than mine.

Neil and the Bees returned at 12.20, joining us at the table - Pan had phoned Neil to tell him where we were.  They'd been back to K16 of the road we did yesterday, stopping before the first river crossing and. walking to the next one and back. We thought that was to-morrow's plan........... 
From our table, I spied a Racket-tailed Drongo perched in the deep shade. Can't blame them in this heat but, it makes for nonsense photography. If you look carefully, the 'rackets' can be seen at the bottom of the photo, at the end of the long tail feathers.

After a leisurely lunch - I asked for bananas, twice, but didn't get any so, did not eat. My fault for not being pushy, why change the habits of a lifetime......Pam and I walked down to the lake, settling in the covered gazebo, waterside. This platform was not shaded.

Many more birds than yesterday, too distant for good photos. Bronze-winged Jacanas did their lily-trotting thing on the water lily pads in front of us 

A White-breasted Waterhen abluted in the shade, Dollarbirds, Indian Roller, Asian Koel and Asian Fairy Bluebird occasionally showed. A secretive Hoopoe probed for insects in the deep shade of a nearby tree.
The Bees joined us later, after their well earned rest, bringing me a welcome banana. We managed to haul another very heavy bench to the front and they saw all that we had - apart from a Hoopoe. We added a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, identified by Dave. He's one of the best birders I've ever birded with. He has also had the benefit of Neil's warbler knowledge, which I've missed out on. 
After we'd left, Dave and Jacquie continued to bird in another pool area and saw........Black Bittern, a bird I'd like on my list. They're migratory and only come to Thailand in the wet season. Just beginning to arrive.  

Exhausting and Productive

Tuesday March 7

The hardest day yet.
Breakfast of egg and toast at 5.30, away at 6.00 in a four wheel drive, Toyota twin cab pick-up. I sat in the front, Pam behind me and the trio were in the open, seated rear. Buffeted, but with an excellent view.
It was over an hour’s drive to the main park before the first stop. The first part of the road was notable for the number of Long-tailed Nightjars on the road, one posing on a post. I’d just said, ‘‘Do you think there’ll be nightjars on the road ,‘’ when the first appeared.
The driver / specialist guide for the day, was a little Thai man, Petac. who turned out to be 72 years old ! No-one seems to have white hair, or else they’re kept indoors after reaching 60. The one exception was a stick thin 90 year old woman, who found us fascinating, at the cafe down the road.
The road became even rougher, steeper and jolting. The driver does this most days in the high season, he is  THE bird guide.
Oh oh, we have a Tokay lizard here too, he’s just told me where to go.
At the first birding stop, I saw a nest high up, with something moving in it.  It was a Mountain Hawk-eagle’s well grown young, busily feeding. Little chance of an adult coming in so soon after delivering breakfast. The guide knew about the nest .........

A cross-shaped spider Pam noticed, builds a cross shaped web.

The Grey-cheeked Buzzard flying through was new for us.
Asian Pied Hornbill, Red-bearded Bee-eater, (Pam and I had it in our bins as it departed),
Spangled Drongo and a handsome male Jungle Fowl. The latter looked, in size,  like a cross between a bantam and a farmyard cockerel, leaning towards the first.
My day for noticing perched raptors. This Crested Serpent-eagle, taken through the front windscreen,  was one.

 

The next stop was a stake-out. A biggish roadside clearing already held six photographers, huge lenses trained on a pendulous nest over a stream. Not birders........obvious by their total lack of concern for the etiquette concerning other birders and , for the welfare of the birds. Our guide found the wanted, and very beautiful, Long-tailed Broadbill, in an opening a few yards down the hill. We were busy admiring it, quietly, when the group arrived, alerted by their spotter/ driver, one of them standing nearly under the bird. It flew away !

I have one truly appalling photograph.

Our lot then walked up the road, already a distance away when we noticed, too far away to speak. Neil motioned to ask if we were joining them.

We stayed, can't keep up with the pace set, especially after the necessary catch-up. That was at 8.40. They returned an hour and a half later. Meanwhile, there was little activity where we were left, in a deep forest area. We did enjoy the singing  Gibbons. Lovely.

During the next drive, 8, what the guide described as 'big ones' hornbills flew high across the road. I assumed that he meant Great Hornbills but Neil either didn't see the same ones, or the driver was wrong. ( They were Tickells Brown Hornbil) Blue-eared Barbet was found in Neil's scope, Brown Fulvettas flew across in front of us as did 2 Bar-backed Partridges.

We lunched on CowPat, at the only eating place near the end of the driveable track, having inspected a fruiting tree further on. An hour's stop on comfy plastic chairs, overlooking ridge after ridge of virgin forest. The hoped for raptors were restricted to Oriental Honey Buzzard.

A brown and white butterfly was never still. My camera performed better than I thought .

Jay sp.

The afternoon is a blur of stopping, walking, seeing the odd bird and another hour and a half roadside for Pam and I. We'd walked for a while, before seeing a very steep and rutted downhill in front of us. My knees can't manage that. We were both weary of standing, taking turns on the stool, little to get the circulation going.

Back to a fruiting tree, via the loo for Pam, where Neil got a new bird whilst waiting for Hornbills to arrive. A Yellow-vented Green Pigeon. There were also Thick-billed Green Pigeons. I eventually managed to see both in the scope and two of the Yellow-vented, side by side in the open. 

Some time, we also saw a Black and Buff Woodpecker female, its head stuck out of the nesting hole, and a Silver-breasted BroadbilI,  shall have to consult my list.
 J noticed a small slow worm/ legless skink type lizard on the road. We thought it was dead - until Neil moved it into safety with a stick. It was very active !

 

We were not back at the resort until 7.10, after what seemed like a very long drive. Straight to supper unwashed and unchanged. Pen wouldn't allow Neil to sit beside her. 

Pam only wanted an omelette and, as all dishes are shared, that's what I had too. It was running in oil, I ate half. Pam had to make a hasty departure for our rooms .........

So tired to-night.

More Saltpans

Monday March 6

A rude awakening - the alarm clock was set for 5.50 and breakfast was due at 6.00. That was the fastest wash and dress yet. The others were seated, drinking coffee but, the food hadn’t arrived.  Phew. We sat in silence whilst they talked Norfolk bird records - a not infrequent occurrence. Understandable.
In the van soon after 6.30 for a salt pan search. The Bees ‘needed’ Far Eastern Curlew and were also wanting Avocet and Red-necked Phalarope for the Thai list. Hoping to break the 40 wader sightings I think, as other Norfolk birders had. 
The first stop was a different area of the pans from Saturday. No salt workers in sight, the waders again, very distant. We watched them walk past the salt mountain into the distance, re-appearing on top of a bund, scopes hoisted. We saw many Great Knot, Heuglin’s, Pallas’s and Brown-headed Gulls, a host of Caspian Terns and a few Marsh Sandpiper. The small waders were too distant to ID. We did catch up with Dave’s suppressed Turnstone - the cause of much ribbing.
They’d seen the Curlew but not the other two waders. Try again - at the Spoonbilled site - for a better view. No.
Some more salt pan tours - they are very extensive - before a last visit to the rubbish dump for some bird or other. I scoped from the van's open door, adding five Ruff to the list - it's a Thai rarity.
No luck with the wanted waders. Time to return to finish the packing before moving on
for 4 nights at Keang Krchan National Park.
An uneventful, and only two hours, journey through a large place where Pen changed some money for us and we all had a Magnum, the last chance before Bangkok ! I’d never eaten one before this trip.
Lunch was at a roadside eating place, we all had fried rice - Cow Pat is what the Thai name sounds like. It’s rice, chicken and vegetables in a bowl.
The latest resort, Baanmaka, is set in a heavily wooded area with a lake in the grounds. We can just about see the water from our shared accommodation. A large cottage with the usual steep steps leading to a balcony and then a shared seating area. We each have our own bedroom and en suite.. So hot here. The trio went off to a booked hide which is approached via a quarter of a mile dried stream bed. Pam and I sat on the balcony, watching butterflies  - and the rising thermometer. We went indoors to the cool of our room when the thermometer showed 99.5 C. I think it had stopped rising. It's UK time on the thermometer.

We shall walk to the lake at about 4, hoping for a few birds. Insect repellant sounds essential, just as the previous bites are healing. My hands are the worst, the repellant must rub off.
Sitting on a solid wooden bench under a lakeside awning, gave relief from the heat. There was a pleasant breeze rippling the water. Not many birds, scoping produced a Moorhen (!) and a Smyrna Kingfisher,  Great and Little Egret, dozens of Barn Swallows and Asian House Martins. At last, a sighting of an Asian Koel, which produces its repetetive call at all hours.
The best was two Asian Pied Hornbills flapping their way from left to right and back again.
All water areas, however small, have Pond Herons in residence, A striped grey brown heron - until they fly - when they have white underparts and wings, showing a dark saddle from above.

I suddenly noticed what looked like a lizard or frog scooting fast across the water. After the third one - slow or what - I saw that it was at the end of a fishing line being pulled in by a young man. He then snagged his frog lure on a stump, swam fully clothed to retrieve it then put jeans on top of his wet shorts.Apparently it's to catch a vicious catfish variety.

No WiFi here at Baanmaka, except in the restaurant. This will be copied and pasted in when I have the opportunity.

Enforced Rest

Sunday March 5

It started last night, the stomach cramps. When I thought they'd quietened down, no details here, I went to bed. The alarm went off at 5.50 and so did I, having to scramble down the double bed to get off - that damned concrete 18 inch wide strip down the side. What happened next will remain unwritten. It took Pam, two maids and Pen  to sort everything and I slept in Pam's bed until 10.

The trio had gone to the rice paddies across the road to add yet more ticks to the list. Feeling somewhat  enervated, I went for toast and coffee at 11. We then sat in reasonably comfortable chairs under an awning, from which we could survey the pond and the wild area beyond. Germain's Swifts in constant attendance. A Brown Shrike was the star bird.

The Bees returned mid afternoon, it was too hot to continue birding. They too sat out, on their balcony, to rest, bird and take photographs.

I used the enforced free time to bring the last few days of my Blog up to date and to add photographs.

Here are a few photos which I took to-day,  of the commoner birds,.

Common Myna

Great Myna

Peaceful Dove

A typical garden ornament

Asian Pied Starling

We move on to-morrow  for a 4 night stay in a forest National Park. Keang Krchan..