Saturday 21 April 2012

Spring In Thailand

To be correct, there's no spring in Thailand. But as dry season gradually changes into summer when the first monsoon hits, it feels somewhat spring-like around here too. Birds are singing their sweet songs everywhere and trees are becoming green again. At Cho Lae, lots of passerines were singing from grass tops. A pair of Pied Bushchats (Saxicola caprata burmanica) got my attention the most. They seemed to be nesting somewhere near the place where I set up my hide. The male bird was very vocal and performed a really interesting courtship display.

Male Pied Bushchat in breeding plumage


Singing its sweet warbling song


I normally don't really take photos of them since they're very common bird in northern Thailand. A small black dot in the middle of the field is a common sight around here. This time, since both of them were very obliging and the surrounding setting was so pretty, I just couldn't help but taking loads of photos of them. With the green background and flowery perches, these photos remind me a lot of spring in Japan, if only the temperature were much lower.

White wing patch and rump are puffed up while displaying.

Another photo showing displaying male

Female in breeding plumage

It was collecting nesting materials.

A male Eastern Stonechat (Saxicola maurus stejnegeri) was staying in the same area with the Pied Bushchats as well. It looked beautiful in its breeding plumage. I tried so hard to get decent photos of it, but it proved to be really difficult. Not only that it was much shyer than the local Pied Bushchats, it was also constantly chased away by both of them. At least, I could finally get some decent shots of it shortly before it got too hot for me to stay.

Male Eastern Stonechat in breeding plumage


These are the only decent photos that I got.

Adult Spotted Dove

Plain Prinia; subspecies blanfordi of northern Thailand has more buffish plumage


Above are some other birds that were staying in the same area; the Spotted Dove and Plain Prinia. The prinia was hopping along the small dike searching for small insects and also constantly stopping to sing from treetops. Below is a video of the male Pied Bushchat while singing and performing courtship display. The striking white wing patch and rump are puffed up while displaying, making it look much more striking than usual.

7 comments:

  1. Die Fotos sind wünderschön.
    In Deutschland ist der Frühling die schönste Jahreszeit, da die Vögel aus Süden wieder zu uns kommen.
    Im Herbst ziehen die Zugvögel wieder nach Süden, aber manche kommen auch zu uns.

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  2. Die Fotos sind wünderschön.
    In Deutschland ist der Frühling die schönste Jahreszeit, da die Vögel aus Süden wieder zu uns kommen.
    Im Herbst ziehen die Zugvögel wieder nach Süden, aber manche kommen auch zu uns.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Super little birds and really great photos. You've caught the faces and eyes perfectly to show up their personality.

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  4. Well good you did this time because it is maybe common but it is also wonderful! It would be like common eider here. We tend to forget them cause they are so common... But they are still beautiful... Well done Ayuwat..

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  5. Great that such a nice looking bird is so common!

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  6. Beautiful images as usual. Well done!

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  7. They may be common but well worth some pictures for us in the UK just used to Stonechat Saxicola torquata. Looks like they both have similar habits.

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