Name this bird ... Please

Post by **parrot** » May 30, 2014, 4:50 pm

No cigars provided....but our shamas are taking care of 5 fledglings. It's the first nest for this female....but for the male.....he's probably sired more than an individual of Saudi Arabia by now.
The nesting box is from an insect lamp that we bought a while back. Cut out a small slot, tossed in a few leaves/pine needles.....and the birds took to it as if it were a tree trunk.

Post by **parrot** » July 2, 2014, 9:05 am

I wasn't able to get a photo......but spotted what looked like a mangrove pita in our yard this morning. First time I've seen one of those in the area. A nice way to start the day!

Post by **parrot** » July 6, 2014, 6:49 pm

The mangrove pitta has been in our yard each day for the past few days digging in the soft dirt for worms. Today, a mate showed up.....so we're guessing where there's a male and a female, there are kiddies as well. The birds have a very distinctive red backside. From what I read on google, they're common in Thailand, but not in this part of the country. Wonder where they came from?

Post by **stattointhailand** » July 6, 2014, 7:07 pm

They probably came up north a month or so ago parrot. They were probably being harassed by loads of farang down south who had to do all their bird watching during the day coz of the curfew :-"

Post by **maaka** » July 6, 2014, 7:25 pm

the floods a year or three back, might have forced them to mitgrate out of state, or someone had them as pets and they got away..

Post by **maaka** » July 6, 2014, 7:32 pm

as for Old Timer's pic..
thats a pair of rare tight arsed boobies..quite unusual to be mating in that manner..must be a nest nearby..

Post by **chopperjoey** » July 11, 2014, 5:37 pm

"As Coxo says they are an agrresive pest and will chase all other birdlife away from your garden, if you see one kill it and all it's relatives. Sorry I should be PC just eradicate the poor thing."

A bit of a dramatic and uninformed opinion, i would say.

These birds are native in Thailand and other South East countries, they are "wildlife" and not "pest" and if they would chase birds away, it would be because they are nesting in the area or the chased away bird would be a threat to their young.
These birds simply adapt to a changing environment, at least SOME birds can adapt to our crappy human environment!

Oh, we have them in "the garden" just like we have seen bee eaters, cuckoos and a whole lot of other small bird species, nesting and all..

Post by **parrot** » July 11, 2014, 8:35 pm

We have plenty of common mynas hanging around our yard....along with probably 10 other variety of birds that we see every day....a few variety of finch, shama, pitta, doves, starlings, owls, crows, bulbuls, sunbirds, magpie, coucals, white-headed myna, waterhens, an occasional hawk, and owls that we hear at night. Strangely, we've never seen a sparrow in our yard. All the birds seem to mind their own business....maybe because there's no religion or politics involved between breeds.

Post by **pf-flyer** » July 12, 2014, 4:24 pm

There is a bird out our way that makes a call that sounds like a Monkey. We have not been able to see the bird that is making the call. Is anybody familiar with a bird that makes that make a sound like a monkey calling ?

Post by **parrot** » July 12, 2014, 5:18 pm

If it's a whoop whoop sound, it's probably a coucal.....very common around these parts.

Post by **pf-flyer** » July 12, 2014, 5:49 pm

Thanks.... We have seen that bird from time to time.

Post by **TicToc** » July 12, 2014, 6:06 pm

Yes lovely bird,we have three pairs of them near us.
They are snake eaters as well,nicely equipped with big feet and a curved beak. Seen one dive on a Cobra in the garden
but he backed off as the Cobra was a bit big for him i think.

Post by **parrot** » July 12, 2014, 6:07 pm

Our pair of white-rump shamas took up residence in an old Lotus bag, hanging on the back of our storage shed with some scrap pvc pieces. Another 5 chicks! That's over 50 chicks (probably more like 60) that have hatched over the past few years.

Post by **chopperjoey** » July 13, 2014, 1:23 pm

"If it's a whoop whoop sound, it's probably a coucal.....very common around these parts."

i agree with you "Parrot", this bird really sound like a monkey. Seems like you know your birds. LOL.

Beautiful photo, did you take it yourself?

Post by **socksy** » July 13, 2014, 1:27 pm

"If it's a whoop whoop sound, it's probably a coucal.....very common around these parts."

i agree with you "Parrot", this bird really sound like a monkey. Seems like you know your birds. LOL.

I often hear the noise on the Golf Course and I thought it was some American spectators watching as I drove the ball out of sight from the Tee. Now I'm dissapointed.

Post by **parrot** » July 13, 2014, 1:50 pm

chopperjoey wrote:Beautiful photo, did you take it yourself?

The picture of the coucal? No....I took it off the internet. I've toyed with the idea of buying into a SLR, telephoto....but it's way too much baggage to be carting around. I much prefer my 6 oz or so canon or even more convenient, my smart phone.

Post by **parrot** » July 24, 2014, 9:06 pm

Our visiting female white-rump shama asked for a selfie today.......so I obliged. The male wasn't a happy camper.....he's a bit more timid and wasn't pleased to see the female get all the attention....and get all the mealworms.

Post by **parrot** » February 5, 2015, 11:39 pm

The pair of pita that visited our yard last year must have been on tourist visas as we they disappeared after a few weeks. They were easily the most colorful birds we've had in our yard. But today a Hoopoe showed up... foraging for insects in our freshly watered yard. Don't know yet if it's just visiting or setting up house. Nice looking bird....... Unfortunately not my photo

Post by **Shado** » February 6, 2015, 8:12 am

The Hoopoe is a striking bird. I've never seen one in Isaan before. Nice to know they about. This past week, while fishing, we saw a big flock of Asian Openbill Storks circling the ponds and I'd never seen them in this area either.

Post by **noosard** » February 6, 2015, 8:46 am

There flocks of the storks around at the moment
maybe because it is dry they are more visible in the few remaining wet areas