Best of 2011

One more year has finally come to an end. 2011 has been another fruitful year for birding, although not specifically for Beppu.This year saw me changing my camera body twice. The first time from an old Canon EOS 350D, which I'd been using for over 5 years, to a new EOS 550D in March. This new 550D unfortunately dropped into the mud at Sekinoe in May, and I was left birding without any camera for roughly 4 months before I got another 550D to replace the former one. It was the biggest tragedy that happened for me in 2011. At least it made me become much more conscious about the safety of my equipment.

The highlight of January was the 2 Black-necked Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) that showed up in a small port behind my dorm. Both of them were in their non-breeding plumage with one of the birds having strangely deformed upper mandible. Photos and stories of the first individual can be seen here, and here for the second individual.

I also discovered another great birding place in Oita where over 100 Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata) gathered along with a few other species of ducks. It was a quiet curve of Oita River sheltered by large oak trees near Taromaru. Even though I couldn't get close to the birds, it was an absolutely wonderful experience observing them performing courtship display and relaxing in the afternoon light. More photos can be seen here.

The pair of Bean Geese (Anser fabalis) that was staying at Sekinoe since late October 2010 was still presenting well until early March. It was sad that I couldn't observe them until they left because I had to go back to Thailand during the spring vacation starting from February. The above photo was taken on January 15, showing the smaller Tundra Bean Goose (Anser fabalis serrirostris) on the left and the Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffi) on the right. More photos taken on that day can be seen here.

February kicked in with a great surprise at the top of Mt. Tsurumi. A flock of Asian Rosy Finches (Leucosticte arctoa brunneonucha) was found feeding on the small lawn next to the cable car station. I first found them on February 2, but the weather was not good for photography. I decided to visit the place again on Febrary 3, only one day before I flew back to Thailand, and finally got a great bunch of decent shots of both male and female birds. More photos and stories can be viewed here.

Shortly fter arriving in Thailand, I visited Nam Kham Nature Reserve in Chiang Rai to look for the rare Chestnut-crowned Bush-Warbler (Cettia major) and the White-tailed Rubythroat (Luscinia pectoralis tschebaiewi), which had been seen visiting the water hole by other birders. The trip was half successful since I only saw the bush-warbler but not the rubythroat. However, it's always a nice experience visiting Nam Kham because you'd get to see many secretive species that normally wouldn't come out into the open. More photos from that visit can be watched here.

I also visited Chiang Dao during mid February to see the tiny but extremely colourful Pin-tailed Parrotfinch (Erythrura prasina). A large flock of these wonderful little birds came to the salt lick every morning to get sodium. I was lucky to get photos of them up close in the morning before they flew back to feed in the forest. Only about a month later, the number of the birds decreased and they became more difficult to see and photograph. More photos of them can be seen here.

Twitchers at Nam Kham

Well, it was back in February 9th, only 2 days after my arrival back at home in Thailand. I headed right to Nam Kham Nature Reserve in Chiang Rai Province with Nuk, one of my birding colleagues, in search of the 2 rarities which appeared to be regular visitors to a waterhole inside the nature reserve area. These 2 rarities are White-tailed Rubythroat (Luscinia pectoralis tschebaiewi) the mascot of the nature reserve, and the Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler (Cettia major). However, we've also been informed that the former has been absent from the waterhole for quite a while, as there was one bird photographer who put out worms in hope of attracting the bird, the worms instead brought out 2 aggressive male Siberian Rubythroats (Luscinia calliope) which finally made the shyer White-tailed Rubythroat disappeared. Mealworms are prohibited within the reserve area since then.

Male Siberian Rubythroat (Luscinia calliope)

Dusky Warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus)

Baikal Bush Warbler (Bradypterus davidi); female/non-breeding?

Common Sun Skink (Eutropis multifasciata)

Another male Siberian Rubythroat (Luscinia calliope)

We arrived at Nam Kham around 8 o'clock and went straight into the Cettia Hide, where both of the rarities were found. We were welcomed by the common stuff like Baikal Bush Warblers, Dusky Warblers and of course, Siberian Rubythroats. I didn't try the Rubythroat Hide, which is further in the reeds, since I didn't know that another rarity, the Chinese Bush Warbler (Bradypterus tacsanowskius) has just been found a few days earlier at that hide. We waited in the Cettia Hide until around 3:30pm, when the Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler made its first appearance at the waterhole. It was already dark at that time, since the waterhole is located deep in the middle of reeds. The bird was very skittish at first and didn't come down to the waterhole. It later disappeared and showed up again at 4:00. This time it came down to the waterhole, but was chased off shortly after taking bath by the male Siberian Rubythroat. It appeared again at 4:30 and this time it took a really long bath before flying back into the reeds by itself.

Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler (Cettia major)

Baikal Bush Warbler (Bradypterus davidi); heavily spotted breast (male?)

So we failed to see the male White-tailed Rubythroat, but at least we've got to see the great Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler. These two birds were extremely rare before Nam Kham Nature Reserve was established. With extensive research and well protection, a great number of rare species is constantly reported from the area. The nature reserve is now a private area owned by Dr. Rungsrit Kanjanavanit, the chairman of my local bird club, Lanna Bird and Nature Conservation Club (LBNC), but is normally open for birders and researchers.

All videos captured by Nuk; apologies for my noisy shutter sound

Nam Kham Nature Reserve 2010/01/02

The next morning we woke up at 5am before sunrise and walked up to the blind next to the large pond waiting for ducks but none were seen. Dr. Mong said that water level might have been too low for ducks to stay and feed in the pond. Dawn at Nam Kham was beautiful with a small group of Barn Swallows sunbathing on a dead tree. A Common Kingfisher, Common Moorhen and 2 shy White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) were also seen at the pond. When the sun has risen high enough, a flock of Little and Intermediate Egrets came feeding all over the pond. I spent time taking photos of some Little Egrets that came walking near the blind.

The setting moon at dawn

A nice and warm morning.

A White-breasted Waterhen

Barn Swallows warming themselves up with morning light

A non-breeding Great Egret

A non-breeding Little Egret with an unfortunate shrimp

Love the reflection of the bird

That morning Phil and Andy caught a Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler again and I was so happy to be able to see it. I went into the hide waiting for some birds to come to the waterhole. Many people from the G04Get group came and saw Baikal Bush Warbler coming to take a bath at the other waterhole inside the reedbed. I saw nothing special today, just the same badass rubythroat, munias and Dusky Warblers. The only interesting thing was a male Red Avadavat that came down to the reeds in front of the blind but disappeared just a few moment later. I went to the other hide and got quite many photos of another ringed male Siberian Rubythroat. I'm sure it's the same bird that I saw last year. A female Jerdon's Bushchat (Saxicola jerdoni) was a real surprise but she wasn't kind enough to give me a pose or two. Because we all have to drive back to Chiang Mai today and it's quite a long way to go, we had to leave Nam Kham around noon. I packed my things and said goodbye to this wonderful place and promise to come back again if I could.

A male Oriental Magpie-Robin; note color rings for resident birds

The same Siberian Rubythroat

And Mister No.2

This guy is much tougher to photograph.

Some more shots of the first bird before leaving

And White-rumped Munias