A Big Bird Race! COMING VERY SOON

So I fly out to Israel next week ahead of the 2016 Champions of the Flyway 24hr bird race and I cannot be more excited about it! I'm part of a great team (The 'Birding Ecotours Bandits') with Jason Boyce, Dylan Vasapolli, and Trevor Hardaker and we're busy raising money for a great cause - BirdLife Greece (HOS), with the aim of stopping the slaughter of migrant birds (as well as lots of other horrible things that happen to birds in that part of the world - see some of the pics below).

Any sponsorship, no matter how big or small will be greatly appreciated. A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has sponsored us so far, and those that plan on doing so soon!

Our Just Giving page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/BEB16/

We are also all VERY excited about the great birds we're going to be seeing, we're keeping an eye on all of the amazing birds been found in Israel over the last few weeks as Spring migration really kicks off!

Lets stop this!

Lets stop this!

Lets stop this!

Birding Ecotours Bandits

The Champions of the Flyway 2016 is rapidly approaching and I couldn't be more excited about being part of such an important event and I know this is how the rest of the team are feeling. Our team logo was released this week, here it is!

Please take a look at our Just Giving Page (https://www.justgiving.com/BEB16/), all sponsorship is greatly appreciated. Some information on why I'm doing this on the previous post.

Champions of the Flyway 2016

I'm very excited to be part of the 'Birding Ecotours Bandits' Champions of the Flyway 2016 (#COTF2016) team. I'm the only English member of the only team representing South Africa during this huge Bird Race so I will be an honorary South African for 24 hours! It is now just over 5 weeks until the big day in Israel where we will be one of 14 teams competing for the coveted trophy.

The 2016 Conservation Cause - the main reason we're all taking part in the race - is to combat the Illegal Hunting and Trapping of Songbirds in Greece and Champions of the Flyway will work with the Hellenic Ornithological Society (BirdLife partner in Greece) in this regard. Many of the birds trapped and killed are migratory birds that spend time in northern Europe (such as the UK) and in Southern Africa. Hence our interest in wanting to take part and contribute to this very worthwhile cause. Over 1 million birds are illegally killed in Greece each year which is a shocking number - please take a look at the details here. There's also loads of information at the following link where you can 'Follow the Race': http://www.champions-of-the-flyway.com/follow-the-race/

Part of the way that everyone can help is by picking and sponsoring a team for the race. I'd be really grateful if you'd sponsor a team and be even more grateful if you'd sponsor the Birding Ecotours Bandits! The team is made up of South Africas finest: Trevor Hardaker, Jason Boyce and Dylan Vasapolli, along with myself. You can sponsor our team at the following link on our team page: http://www.champions-of-the-flyway.com/the-birding-ecotours-bandits/  I'll be posting more details about #COTF2016 over the coming weeks so stay tuned! All sponsorship, no matter the size will be greatly appreciated.

We want to stop the likes of this from happening any more. 

Spoon-billed Sandpipers Galore!

I've been having some great encounters with a few different Spoon-billed Sandpipers over the last few days during a Birding Ecotours customized tour of Thailand. After my India trip, and Baer's Pochard twitch I decided to go to Pak Thale before my tour to check out the area and see what the birds were doing this year. Once there I found at least two un-ringed/un-flagged Spoon-billed Sandpipers, and got some good views of both birds. I was pleased as managed to get some better phone-scoped shots than my previous visits to the site.

Fast forward to the back end of this week (after an exciting few days in Kaeng Krachan - more on that later) when the tour arrived in the Pak Thale/Laem Pak Bia area for a couple of days looking for waders such as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other goodies like Nordmann's Greenshank, Asian Dowitcher etc. We were not disappointed on out first day with very good views of a fairly close Spoon-billed Sandpiper. It gave close views as it preened on a little mud island on one of the salt pans. Very satisfying views.

Then yesterday we went back to try for them again on our way through to Bangkok, time of day was not ideal and it was blowing a gale but I managed to find two birds together, one of these was leg-flagged and the other was 'clean'. It was clear that one of these birds was fast approaching our position so we all got into the dirt and lay in wait for it to come closer. Amazingly the bird came and fed within 12ft of us! This was my best view to date and it finally allowed me to get some photos with my camera rather than relying on phone-scoping it!

Needless to say we were all mighty happy with this view! Some photos below followed by some info on the ringed bird.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper U6

Spoon-billed Sandpiper U6

Spoon-billed Sandpiper U6

Spoon-billed Sandpiper - un-ringed bird (IPhone-scoped Swarovski ATX95 and IPhone 6s)

A quick search about the ringed bird photographed above - U6 - shows that it is a 'head-started' bird.

• Born in July 2015. It was cared for in its early days until fledging and left its natal area of Chukotka, Far East Russia on 5th August 2015.
• It was seen and photographed at Yuboo Island, South Korea on 28th September 2015 where it was present until 28th October 2015 (also in the presence of several other birds). 
• It was next seen and photographed at Pak Thale, Thailand on 29th November and I saw it there yesterday, 6th February 2016!

More details of the incredibly important conservation effort to save the Spoon-billed Sandpiper can be found on the Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper website here.

If you want to come and look for these stunning waders and a load more amazing birds why not join me on a Birding Ecotours trip in 2017? The shear number of waders in this area is simply staggering and is made up by over 40 species, including some globally threatened species! 

Big Spotty Cat

One of the non-avian highlights in India was undoubtedly the stunning Indian Leopard we saw whilst up in Corbett National Park. Hot on the heals of the Bengal Tiger we'd seen a few days previously, and not to forget the two Jungle Cats we'd also seen prior to this new cat sighting.

It was a huge beast and lay totally unconcerned on a huge boulder beside the river where we watched it for a good 20 minutes, unlike the Tiger where there was a crowd of people all jostling for position here we had the big cat to ourselves. Spectacular. We also had another Leopard trying to get inside our camp for a deer tea too!

IPhone-scoped Indian Leopard

BAER'S POCHARD!!!

Sorry for the delay in posts/news over the last three weeks. Internet and time during my tour was hit and miss, will catch up with posts on India soon (It was great! - 400+ species including some of the best birds in the world, and some more feline activity...), but for now I'm back in Thailand. Have been having a bit of R&R in Bangkok the last couple of days and have just started a 10 day trip to a few places.

First up on the list of places to go was Bueng Boraphet about 4 hours north of Bangkok, for one reason. Baer's Pochard. One of the rarest ducks in the world. Three birds had turned up on the lake whilst I was in India and I decided to head straight across for them once I'd organised myself. Baer's Pochard used to be fairly frequent, even a common winter visitor to Thailand but the recent population crash (last 20 or so years) has seen this species become listed as Critically Endangered - I think there's only been a couple of records in Thailand in the last 5 years.

I heard an interesting talk by Dr Debbie Pain (Director of Conservation at the WWT) whilst at the Oriental Bird Clubs AGM in September last year and afterwards thought my chances of seeing this species were getting lower and lower by the minute! Lets hope all the work going into conserving this species works...

So late yesterday afternoon I got a boat out onto the lake and saw the three birds with a flock of Ferruginous Ducks, Common Pochard and Tufted Duck. Views were distant and not great and the light was practically gone so I decided to go back again this morning...

I headed out just after first light and after an hour or so of twisting through the various channels seeing numerous really nice birds we picked up the Aythya flock. It was apparent that the Baer's were not with them! After an hour or so of searching the surrounding area we picked them out and manoeuvred the boat towards them a little.

There was a pair of birds present, the third bird was out of sight still. I managed to get the following shots on my Iphone through my Swarovski ATX95 - not an easy task handheld on a rocking boat with moving ducks! But at least I've seen them and hopefully they are clear enough. I didn't want to be the one to flush them!

Baer's Pochard (male)

Baer's Pochard (female)

Baer's Pochard (male left and female right)

TIGER!!!

After the tiger mentioned in the previous post we had incredible views of a female Tiger the following morning. Here are a couple of photos...

We first had her walking about along a lake edge, before she walked out and across a plain - fantastic views. Something I'll not forget!

The (Rare) Owl and the Pussy Cat (TIGER)

Just taking a quick opportunity to write a blog post while I have some internet. The first two days of the Birding Ecotours Northern India Tour that I'm leading have got off to a great start with the finding of a bit or a rarity in the form of a Pallid Scops-Owl in Delhi yesterday, and today with a sun-bathing Bengal Tiger! No pressure for Day 3 then....

All photos from my IPhone and reduced to upload due to internet speed.

Pallid Scops-Owl in Delhi - a bit of a rarity!

Pallid Scops-Owl in Delhi - a bit of a rarity!

Bengal Tiger having a siesta! 

Enjoying a Citrine Wagtail

Spent some time today enjoying fairly close views of a Citrine Wagtail in Sultanapur, India. Here are a few photos of it... just one of many birds enjoyed today.

Bharatpur Bird Photos

Here are a few more photos from my time at Bharatpur ahead of  the tour commencing in a couple of days. Having some great birds here, with very little effort!

Indian Courser - stunner! (IPhone-scoped)

Eastern Great Egret

Bar-headed Goose - wild ones for once!

 Common Myna

Grey Wagtail

House Crow

Spot-billed Duck

Jungle Babbler

Little Cormorant

Oriental Magpie-Robin

Purple Heron

Ruddy Shelduck

White-throated Kingfisher

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

INDIA BIRDING!

Well I've made it over to India to end 2015 and start 2016. I'm hear for a Birding Ecotours Northern India trip that I'm leading in early January. Really looking forward to the tour but came over early for a couple of days birding in Bharatpur beforehand. Have just finished one and a half days birding in the park which was great fun. Some highlights (reduced file size so they load!) below:

Black Bittern

Bluethroat

Brahminy Starling

Indian Thick-knee (IPhone)

Orange-headed Thrush

Purple Heron

Sarus Cranes

Siberian Rubythroat

Yellow-eyed Babbler