Chelela Pass revisited

The Natural Traveller

Chelela Pass revisited:  Warning: Long Post with lots of pictures

When: October 2019          Weather:  Cold to Cool.  7-20C from daybreak till the afternoon

Leica M10P 35mm Summilux,  Nikon P900, Sony Alpha55 with 70-200mmG lens

Inauguration of the new Eye Center in Thimphu on the occasion of its inauguration by her majesty, the Queen Mother: Gyal Yum Kesang Choden Wangchuck National Eye Centre (GKCW NRC)

In Thimphu to attend the inauguration of the new eye hospital in the national referral centre, I had a day free to bird.  This time I was delighted to engage the services of Norbu and Tshering from Bhutan Birding, who are specialists in birding Bhutan.   I had hoped to do a day trip to Punakha but was advised that for a day trip it would be challenging so although I’d done Chelela Pass in 2016, the advice (which turned out to be…

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Birding on the Wangchu orThimphu Chu, Bhutan

The Natural Traveller

Birding on the Wangchu or Thimphu Chu, Bhutan

When:  October 2019     Weather: Cool 10C

Leica M10P 35mm Summilux, Nikon P900, Sony alpha55 70-200mm G lens

The last time I was here in Bhutan, we stayed at the Druk Hotel in town.  This time we were booked into the Terma Linca resort about 15min south of Thimphu on the way to Paro airport.  Looking at the resort on Google maps, it looked promising as the property sits right on the bank of the Wangchu/Thimphu Chu (river) and is fringed by greenery….just my type of place for a short early morning or evening ramble to bird…

Arriving after dark at the Terma Linca resort just outside Thimphu, it wasn’t immediately obvious how close we were to the river..

As the sun rose in the morning, the serene surroundings emerged

The river Wang Chu…I thought it was called the Thimphu Chu until…

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Snipe seeking in Singapore

The Natural Traveller

Snipe seeking in Singapore

When:  February 2019    Weather: Hot 25C

Nikon P900 and Sony A55 with 70-400mm x2TC

With reports of the painted snipe and pin-tailed snipe in the Neo Tiew area of Singapore and my little 10 yr old niece from Scotland wanting to bird, we set off at 7am to the area where they had been sighted…

Traipsing along a little canal side, we looked for the other photographers and we started seeing some activity in and around the water where the canal turned and disappeared…

a wood sandpiper on a mudbank from afar

Wood sandpipers foraging

and on the muddy shore, a little ring plover

little ring plover

little ring plover

egret

and then from behind the greenery the unmistakeable features of the painted snipe appeared!

painted snipe and wood sandpiper

front view

back view

Painted snipe : photo by Emily Chong

And then in a…

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Kranji Marshes Birding

The Natural Traveller

Kranji Marshes Birding

When:  February 2018    Weather: Hot 28C

Nikon P900

Brought my little niece to try some singapore birding early one morning about 715am at Kranji marshes.  The light was still dim but we saw some activity on the ground…

something with a red head was pecking around on the ground…

A beautiful Laced woodpecker

and then strutting on the road was a chicken sized bird..

a slaty breasted rail

Green pigeon

pair of pink breasted pigeons

asian glossy starling

juvenile glossy starlings

Rose ringed parakeet

yellow vented bulbul

distant Koel fanning his tail and calling

juvenile asian glossy starling

pink breasted pigeon

spotted dove

baya weaver

baya weaver

common flameback

front view

at the end of the trail, we went up the hide and spotted this egret in the field

Red wattled lapwings scurried about in the distance

Common snipe from a long way away

Purple heron…

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Larnaca area this morning 10th October 2019

Cyprus Birding Tours

First time around the area for a few weeks. The best place for birds was Oroklini Marsh where these two Eurasian Spoonbill were feeding (photo).

Eurasian Spoonbill, Oroklini Marsh 10th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Also in the area were:

Oroklini Marsh
Eurasian Spoonbill 2
Great White Egret 1
Little Egret 3
Cattle Egret 1
Common Teal 13
Northern Shoveler 34
Greater Flamingo 30
Common Snipe 6
Wood Sandpiper 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 3
Spur-winged Lapwing c45
Common Kingfisher 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1 m
Black-winged Stilt 1
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Laughing Dove 3

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo c150
Eurasian Spoonbill 10
Red-rumped Swallow c20

Spiros Pool
Red-throated Pipit 2

Larnaca Airport Coast
Northern Wheatear 2

Larnaca Sewage Works
Spur-winged Lapwing 7
Armenian Gull 2
Great Cormorant 1
Common Teal 15
Ruff 7
Western Marsh Harrier 1

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Cyprus Wheatear, 10th October 2019

Cyprus Birding Tours

Cyprus Wheatear can still be found in several areas and this is one of eight found today in the Panagia Stazousa valley.

Cyprus Wheatear, Panagia Stazousa 10th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

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Larnaca area waterbird count 15th October 2019

Cyprus Birding Tours

Another disappointing waterbird count in the Larnaca area this morning. Best birds were three Common Pochard, four Common Snipe (see photo) and the long-staying Mediterranean Gull.

Other birds seen:

Meneou Pool
Little Stint 1
Kentish Plover 2

Larnaca Sewage Works
Grey Heron 3
Common Coot 5
Mallard 122
Common Teal 51
Northern Shoveler 4
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Common Pochard 2m and 1f
Great Cormorant 7
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Northern Pintail 2f
Common Shelduck 1
Red-throated Pipit 1h
Common Redshank 1h
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv
Common Whitethroat 1

Spiros Beach
Mediterranean Gull 1 (long-staying bird)

Larnaca Salt Lake
Barn Swallow 1
Greater Flamingo 40 juv and 83 ads
Kentish Plover 40
Common Snipe 3
Water Rail 1h

Kamares area
Common Snipe 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Little Egret 2

Common Snipe, Larnaca 15th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

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Bar-tailed Godwit and Red Knot, Akrotiri 19th October 2019

Cyprus Birding Tours

Two scarce waders for Cyprus on the Gravel Pits at Akrotiri last weekend– a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Red Knot. Also at least nine Grey Plover with the Knot – which was a good count for Cyprus.

Bar-tailed Godwit, Akrotiri 19th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red Knot, Akrotiri 19th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

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Common Crane, Larnaca 25th October 2019

Cyprus Birding Tours

Over the last two days several thousand Common Crane were forced to halt their migration over Cyprus and were put down at various wetlands due to the bad weather. Around 650 were at Meneou, Larnaca this morning having roosted in nearby fields. Around 10:15 they started to leave with various groups of two to 70 taking off and heading towards Cape Kiti and out to sea.

Common Crane, Meneou 25th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

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Lady’s Mile 28th October 2019

Cyprus Birding Tours

A quick visit to Lady’s Mile this morning. Around 40 Dunlin and several Little Stint were feeding in the marshy area and at least 50 Black-headed Gull were flying around. Several Red-throated, Water and Meadow Pipit were also in the area as were three Northern Wheatear and two Common Redstart.

Photo of one of the Water Pipits.

Water Pipit, Lady’s Mile 28th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

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