Birds in your garden

[Goldieinkathu]

Lovely pics Thetefldon, I love that Olive backed Sunbird!

[Goldieinkathu]

I was surprised to see this baby in my mango tree this afternoon.

Looks like a baby Oriole.

[AjarnNorth]

Maybe one of the Iora species, but I have no books and am in a rush and no books to hand. Where do you live? Province?

 

[isanbirder]

My reaction too, AN.  Ditto no books handy.  Don't know what that black bit is!

[Goldieinkathu]

I"m in Phuket. The reason I said Oriole was that there were some adults nearby calling. It was very high up in the tree but easy to see, too big for an Iora I thought. But the shape of the beak doesn't look like an Oriole.No sign of it this morning but will keep an eye out.

[thetefldon]

No 58 on the patch list is a Cuckoo but which one?

 

Eurasian(common) for me but interested in what the experts think. Bird was on the ground-not feeding but resting-could it be a passage migrant?

 

Thanks in advance from a very wet Phetchabun.

[tahaan]

A question for the resident experts.  

 

I've just seen a very large raptor passing high over my garden soaring/gliding eastwards towards Chumphae. I was able to grab binos and follow it for a minute or so. It seemed a uniform black with very distinctive widespread 'fingers.' Looking through Robson and the iPad it looks like it may have been a Black Eagle. Is this likely in a semi urban area.  Are they migratory. I'm on the Khon Kean/Chaiyaphum border not far from Phukeow/Nam Nao parks as the crow, err, eagle flies.

 

 

[Goldieinkathu]

 

Looks like a Eurasian Cuckoo to me too.Nice picture!

There's a lot of info on this web site about it http://what-when-how.com/birds/eurasian-cuckoo-birds/

 

[Skeptic7]

14 hours ago, Goldieinkathu said:

I was surprised to see this baby in my mango tree this afternoon.

Looks like a baby Oriole.

 

4 hours ago, AjarnNorth said:

Maybe one of the Iora species, but I have no books and am in a rush and no books to hand. Where do you live? Province?

 

 

3 hours ago, isanbirder said:

My reaction too, AN.  Ditto no books handy.  Don't know what that black bit is!

would have to agree with AN and IB...Iora, but which one? the plumage is funky to say the least. the bird is puffed up and Ioras have white under-feathers, sometimes giving them a white-rumped appearance. granted this white appears to extend up the entire back! could be a juvey plumage thing or molt, but that is one funky wingbar! the bird definitely shows faint spectacles. my best would call it a funky-plumaged female Green Iora, but best to wait for the knowledge and expertise of AN and IB.

 

 

[Skeptic7]

2 hours ago, thetefldon said:

No 58 on the patch list is a Cuckoo but which one?

 

Eurasian(common) for me but interested in what the experts think. Bird was on the ground-not feeding but resting-could it be a passage migrant?

 

Thanks in advance from a very wet Phetchabun.

Either Common or Oriental... 

[AjarnNorth]

8 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

 

 

would have to agree with AN and IB...Iora, but which one? the plumage is funky to say the least. the bird is puffed up and Ioras have white under-feathers, sometimes giving them a white-rumped appearance. granted this white appears to extend up the entire back! could be a juvey plumage thing or molt, but that is one funky wingbar! the bird definitely shows faint spectacles. my best would call it a funky-plumaged female Green Iora, but best to wait for the knowledge and expertise of AN and IB.

 

 

I've got limited time this week, but just did some reading and some i-net comparisons and I have this bird as male common Iora betwen fledgling and juvenile status. prepared to be wrong, but that's my call.

 

[AjarnNorth]

10 hours ago, tahaan said:

A question for the resident experts.  

 

I've just seen a very large raptor passing high over my garden soaring/gliding eastwards towards Chumphae. I was able to grab binos and follow it for a minute or so. It seemed a uniform black with very distinctive widespread 'fingers.' Looking through Robson and the iPad it looks like it may have been a Black Eagle. Is this likely in a semi urban area.  Are they migratory. I'm on the Khon Kean/Chaiyaphum border not far from Phukeow/Nam Nao parks as the crow, err, eagle flies.

 

 

Absolutely possible, but not enough info to make a definitive call. Tail? Length and shape? Lighting conditions? Time of day? If the sun is high, and the bird.are back-lit ten t, many raptors appear a uniform black. All things considered, could have been any number of specis 

[tahaan]

Thanks Ajarn. It was overcast late morning. I'm familiar with Buzzards in the UK and this appeared a fair bit bigger with broader wings. Longish wedge shaped tail when soaring. Definitely not a kite. I've got a decent pair of bino's and there was no hint of any markings under.

 

The only other raptors seen around regularly are Besra, Shikra and Black Shouldered Kite.

 

Lots of other movement going on at the moment. I've had a Brown Shrike visiting the garden the last few days and wagtails and swallows passing through.

[thetefldon]

On 9/20/2016 at 11:07 PM, Goldieinkathu said:

I was surprised to see this baby in my mango tree this afternoon.

Looks like a baby Oriole.

Reckon might be Common Iora-based on head,eyering and beak, would suggest juvenile

Attached photo of mature bird in my garden.

 

 

 

[Goldieinkathu]

I saw this this morning when I was walking in a park, only had my phone so it's not a good picture but can anyone tell me what it is?

[isanbirder]

Not a wild bird, Goldie.  I can't see the bill clearly, but would guess a Budgie. (Do they have white ones?!)

[AjarnNorth]

First AB Flycatcher of the year from the garden this morning, though I have been busy the last week so it may have been around a couple days already. No Ashy Drongo yet. Hoping to check on some waders this evening. 

[Goldieinkathu]

I got a better picture this morning, it's eating grass seed, looks sort of like a finch of some sort. I thought a Budgie has a long tail? Whatever it is it's cute and I"m worried as it stands out like a sort thumb.

 

 

[tahaan]

It looks like it has pink eyes and beak. Could it be an albino munia or finch. Is it seen with other bids?

[Skeptic7]

Definitely not a budgie...wrong head and bill shape. Budgerigars do not have conical shaped bills.

[Goldieinkathu]

5 hours ago, tahaan said:

It looks like it has pink eyes and beak. Could it be an albino munia or finch. Is it seen with other bids?

No , it's always alone. It's not nervous of me  until I get a couple of feet away from it then it flies off.

[AjarnNorth]

15 minutes ago, Goldieinkathu said:

No , it's always alone. It's not nervous of me  until I get a couple of feet away from it then it flies off.

 

Looks like someone lost their "Pure White Zebra Finch." https://www.google.com/search?q=white+finch&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=644&tbm=isch&imgil=qYRBT5NEi7vxNM%3A%3Budz3sCtOEix2DM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.animalspot.net%252Fzebra-finch.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=qYRBT5NEi7vxNM%3A%2Cudz3sCtOEix2DM%2C_&usg=__n5OfVmFJIrSIPLECTzxOV6IItJY%3D&ved=0ahUKEwi8uqfyzqrPAhVMuo8KHZUDAPIQyjcIKQ&ei=C9DnV_yIOMz0vgSVh4CQDw#imgrc=UnBqhumkW5-LzM%3A

 

[thetefldon]

One for the experts please.

Was watching a group of raptors very high riding thermals from NE to SW. Biggish birds. Then this fella, which looked same as group, showed at low level heading in same direction right by me.

 

1. bird at alltitude but shows underwing nicely

2,3,4 as it flew towards me and passed

Sorry about out of focus shots @ 1,2,and 3

 

My own thoughts Oriental Honey Buzzard

 

[Goldieinkathu]

I think you're right thetefldon. Great  pictures. I love birds of prey!

[Skeptic7]

My response is in no way meant to insinuate that I am an expert. In fact, I've never seen an Oriental Honey-Buzzard (aka Crested Honey-Buzzard), but after consulting a couple field guides as well as some online sources, I would agree with your ID. The underwing and tail patterns match nicely.

 

Great post and great pix! 

[thetefldon]

Thanks for replies guys. Much appreciated

Had 50+ of these birds heading SW yesterday-fantastic sight-one bird stayed around patch yesterday too!

Several other sources also confirm OHB

 

[AjarnNorth]

First Ashy Drongo yesterday, October 1, on top of my TV antenna which I leave up just for birds. Don't even own a TV and even if I did I certainly wouldn't need an antenna. Just reading now in P. Round's "Birds of BKK Area" earliest record for this region is 3 October. Should have snapped a pic, but it was dusk so the light was terrible. But unmistakable by sight and call.

 

Had just returned from taking the long way home from work to check on a few wader locations. First Bar-tailed Godwit among a group of about 100 mixed waders - PGPs, Greenshank, Redshanks, BW Stilt. Could have been something else in there but just too far off to be positive and my 8 x 35s have seen better days. Need to replace them and get some 10 x 50s. And maybe even a "real" camera one day. 

[Skeptic7]

Great pix. Thx AN! Cool to get new early date on the Ashy. Back in GA we used to keep arrival and departure date records for neo-tropical migrants and it was always way cool to report a new early arrival date or later departure date for the database! 

[AjarnNorth]

Yes, well, it is very possible that since 2008 there have been earlier reported arrivals in this area. But wishing I had taken a photo last night, I set out this morning to get one and had two quick sightings but no photo in over an hour of walking up and down my soi. Finally gave up and was having breakfast outside, then the bird showed up, again right on my antenna. Not great shots, but photo records nonetheless. Again, very possible that earlier records have been reported from this area since 2008, but Sight record of 1 October and these photos of 2 October have already been submitted to the proper authorities, or authority, I should day. And then an epic snake capture! A harmless Golden Tree Snake (caught my 8th Reticulated Python in the yard last week, and have also gotten Monocled Cobras and etc.), but at the same moment I snared it, it got hold of a Tokay and an epic battle ensued. It looked good for the Tokay for a while, because I didn't think that little snake could take it in... I was wrong. But that's for another thread i suppose after I have reviewd the pics and video.

 

Attached here the photo records of the Ashy leucogenis today, 2 October 2016, and one Juv. Brown Shrike. Now I will have to go back and see if I have any earlier records of Ashy form years previous here or in Surin. Don't think so - my Surin records are thorough, but I've been keeping terrible records here in Chonburi over the years. Need to do a better job of that. 

[thetefldon]

Interesting stuff regarding Ashy Drongo

Saw my first and got the photo on 29th September 10.38am!

Na Ngua Phetchabun Thailand. Never seen one here before.

Is that a record?