A pre-dawn start to be at the wash near the Lake Scene Resort to try for Savannah Nightjar. As we arrived we were delighted to hear a chorus of their calls just as Gerry had described in a blog posting. With so many to choose from it didn't take long to see a couple in flight and then spotlight a calling bird sat in an Acacia-like tree. A few Indian Nightjars joined the chorus and then as the first light appeared in the sky everything fell silent. After a coffee we made our way to the southern shore where Rain Quail were calling from the surrounding grassland. It didn't take long before a male flew in a small loop around us and a short walk into a small area of grassland the size of a couple of tennis courts flushed around 30 including a few small groups - presumably family parties - where a Barred Buttonquail was also flushed with its rufous vent being very obvious as it flew away. Nearby grassland produced a pair of Yellow-eyed Babblers and a few Oriental Skylarks. Arriving at the edge of the reservoir we soon located the flock of 350 Small Pratincoles that today included 4 Oriental Pratincoles. Large numbers of wintering Red-throated Pipits frequented the margins as did a few waders and a couple of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. A female-type Pied Harrier was seen interacting with an Eastern Marsh Harrier. The Eastern Marsh was also seen to down a Pond Heron into the water, but despite several attempts it failed to seize it, and the Heron eventually floated to the shore. With so many birds present, the day all too soon passed, and it was time to await the arrival of the Pied Harriers, but being a much brighter day, fewer appeared and they arrived considerably later, virtually in the dark.
Rain Quail 30
Little Grebe 1
Pond Heron sp. 20
Cattle Egret 100
Grey Heron 2
Purple Heron 4
Great Egret 6
Little Egret 6
Little Cormorant 50
Osprey 2
Black-winged Kite 2
Eastern Marsh Harrier 1
Pied Harrier 3
Barred Buttonquail 1
Black-winged Stilt 30
Red-wattled Lapwing 12
Little Ringed Plover 20
Pheasant-tailed Jacana 2
Common Snipe 10
Wood Sandpiper 20
Small Pratincole 350
Oriental Pratincole 4
White-winged Black Tern 30
Red Turtle Dove 50
Spotted Dove 10
Peaceful Dove 10
Lesser Coucal 1
Asian Koel h
Indian Nightjar 1 +h
SAVANNAH NIGHTJAR 3 +h
Indian Roller 2
White-throated Kingfisher 6
Green Bee-eater 10
Ashy Woodswallow 6
Brown Shrike 5
Black Drongo 50
Racket-tailed Treepie 1
Large-billed Crow h
Indochinese Bush Lark 2
Oriental Skylark 6
Yellow-vented Bulbul 1
Sand Martin 6
Swallow 300
Red-rumped Swallow 1
Yellow-browed Warbler h
Oriental Reed Warbler h
Fan-tailed Warbler 6
Grey-breasted Prinia 6
Plain Prinia 1
Yellow-eyed Babbler 2
Asian Pied Starling 100
Siberian Stonechat 8
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 10
Richard's Pipit 4
Paddyfield Pipit 4
Red-throated Pipit 300
Rain Quails at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Yellow-eyed Babbler at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Black Drongo at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Oriental Skylark at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Paddyfield Pipit at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Stejneger's Siberian Stonechats at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Brown Shrike at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Female Eastern Marsh Harrier at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Red-throated Pipits at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Pheasant-tailed Jacana at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Small Pratincoles at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
First-winter Small Pratincole at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Spot the Oriental Pratincole
Oriental Pratincoles at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Adult Purple Heron at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Adult male Pied Harrier at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
