Home Again

I've been staying at home in Thailand for almost 2 weeks now. After a trip to Hokkaido, I stayed in Beppu for 5 more days and flew back to Chiang Mai. The weather is terrible here. The air is heavily polluted once again because of the illegal forest fire and paddy fields clearing. I really hate this annual air pollution which has just begun in the recent years due to global warming. The temperature alone is already too hot with the highest degree of 36 today, but the smog makes it even worse. The sky is covered with rusty smog and everywhere I go is filled with dust.

Spotted Doves

Zebra Dove

I haven't been able to go out birding until now, so I just spent my time photographing birds in my yard. Lots of Spotted Doves come to the small pool to drink water in late afternoon and the same tiny Zebra Dove is still residing in my garden. I really like the Zebra Dove. It's so small and cute, almost the same size as a quail. The same Taiga Flycatcher is also presenting well along with 2 more new birds. Its throat hasn't turned bright rufous yet, but I think it will later this month.

A non-breeding male Taiga Flycatcher

Hume's Warbler (Phylloscopus humei)

There's one Phylloscopus warbler presenting quite well in my front yard. It often comes to pick up insects and (maybe) nectar of the flowering longan tree along with a flock of Streak-eared Bulbul and a pair of White-vented Myna. I think it's a Hume's Warbler (P. humei) since it has darkish legs and greyish crown and nape. I normally see the species on high mountains but this bird obviously doesn't have bright yellowish legs and bill base like the common Yellow-browed Warbler (P. inornata), so I think it better fits with humei. I'm waiting to hear the call though. It's the best thing to surely identify the two similar species but I haven't heard its call yet.