Thailand Birding 2023: Day 1: Monday 20 February 2023 - Khok Kham salt pans, Cha-am Petchaburi

This morning we were introduced to Ms. SUKANYA THANOMBUDDHA aka ‘End’. End has been birding for thirty years and has been interested in nature for years before that. She has been a Birding and wildlife watching guide for many years. She will be guiding our group from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

We start our trip in Phetchaburi. Petchaburi is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (clockwise from the north) Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram and Prachuap Khiri Khan. In the west it borders the Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar. Phetchaburi is located at the northern end of the Malay Peninsula, with the Gulf of Thailand to the East and the Tanaosi mountain range forming the boundary to Myanmar. Except for these border mountains most of the province is a flat plain area. Located within the province is the Kaeng Krachan National Park Thailand largest national park. With an area of 2,914 km² it covers nearly half the geographical area of Phetchaburi. It encompasses mostly rain forests in the mountains along the boundary to Myanmar, but also the Kaeng Krachan reservoir is part of the park.

Our first birding destination was the salt pans at Khok Kham Bird centre vicinity. Our goal was to target the Critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. It is estimated that there are only 400 breeding pairs remaining as a result of habitat destruction. The spoon-billed sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) is a small wader which breeds on the coasts of the Bering Sea and winters in Southeast Asia. This species is highly threatened, and it is said that since the 1970s the breeding population has decreased significantly. By 2000, the estimated breeding population of the species was 350–500. Initially we were challenged by the fact we were placed looking into the morning sun. The other challenge, the number of birds and varying species to sort through. We eventually gained permission to walk further in amongst the salt pans in order to get the sun behind us which made it so much more comfortable.

What an experience, like sorting for the proverbial needle in a haystack. But End proved her worth by eventually getting onto a single Spoon-billed Sandpiper to the delight of us all.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

This bird's breeding habitat is sea coasts and adjacent hinterland on the Chukchi Peninsula and southwards along the isthmus of the Kamchatka peninsula. The Spoon-billed Sandpiper migrates down the Pacific coast through Japan, North Korea, South Korea, South China, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. Most remaining Spoon-billed Sandpipers winter in coastal Myanmar and Bangladesh, though some birds are still found in coastal southern China, Thailand and Vietnam.

A selection of waders including Common Redshank

We were then treated to a Seafood lunch on a boat near the mangroves which afforded us more birdwatching. As we walked the plank to where the boat was docked we had our first close encounter with Long-tailed Macaques.

Other highlights for the day was a walk through the Mangroves near the Bang Tabun Witthaya School and got to engage with the children in their outdoor classroom.

Last but not least for the end of our first day was a visit to the Bat Cave to watch hundreds of thousands of small bats running the gauntlet as they left their roost for a night of feeding. The birds of prey congregated here to try for an easy meal. As the sun set on our first day we watched this spectacle from the roadside, enjoying the view of impressive limestone hills. The last event for the day, Spotlighting for Indian Nightjar.