An early morning visit to the southern shore of the Reservoir produced more views of Savannah Nightjars and we watched the Pied Harriers leave their roost in the dawn light. We then visited the Dragon Hills Golf Course mainly hoping for wintering migrants that threatened to be productive with an Amur Wagtail followed by a superb Burmese Shrike and a Brown Flycatcher being seen shortly after our arrival, but under sunny clear blue skies, it soon became very hot and bird activity plummeted that also coincided with good numbers of golfers appearing on the course. We returned to the north shore of the Reservoir but the disturbance was greater today with noisy jet skis out on the water yet surprisingly part of the flock of Small Pratincoles were present nearby all having left the more peaceful south shore. We spent 90 minutes hoping for Blossum-headed Parakeets to appear in the trees at the wash where Gerry Brett occasionally sees them but there was no sign of any today although a Wryneck being mobbed by a couple of Common Ioras were enjoyable to watch. We returned to the Pied Harrier roost and were surprised to see another vehicle there that proved to be Gerry back from successfully twitching the offshore Brown Noddy - he who dares wins!! Being another very bright day the Pied Harriers arrived late to roost and Gerry drew our attention to a couple of calling Chinese Francolins but they remained unseen. After watching the Pied Harriers we left to the chorus of Rain Quail, Savannah and Indian Nightjars - a fitting finale to our visit to this very enjoyable site.
Chinese Francolin 2h
Rain Quail h
Pond Heron sp. 20
Cattle Egret 100
Grey Heron 1
Purple Heron 2
Little Cormorant 50
Osprey 2
Black-winged Kite 2
Eastern Marsh Harrier 1
Pied Harrier 4
Black-winged Stilt 30
Red-wattled Lapwing 10
Pacific Golden Plover 20
Little Ringed Plover 20
Common Snipe 10
Wood Sandpiper 10
Small Pratincole 100
Oriental Pratincole 8
Whiskered Tern 10
Red Turtle Dove 50
Peaceful Dove 20
Green-billed Malkoha 1
Asian Koel h
Indian Nightjar 1 +h
Savannah Nightjar 2+h
Indian Roller 10
White-throated Kingfisher 6
Green Bee-eater 20
Hoopoe 6
Coppersmith Barbet 10
Wryneck 1
Kestrel 1
Ashy Woodswallow 20
Common Iora 2
Brown Shrike 2
Burmese Shrike 1
Black-naped Oriole 4
Black Drongo 50
Ashy Drongo 2
Racket-tailed Treepie 3
Large-billed Crow 2
Oriental Skylark 6
Sooty-headed Bulbul 2
Sand Martin 4
Swallow 100
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Fan-tailed Warbler 2
Grey-breasted Prinia 6
Plain Prinia 2
White-vented Myna 10
Common Myna 5
Asian Pied Starling 40
Magpie-Robin 1
Brown Flycatcher 1
Siberian Stonechat 6
Olive-backed Sunbird 6
Tree Sparrow 1
Scaly-breasted Munia 6
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 6
Amur White Wagtail 1 male
Richard's Pipit 2
Paddyfield Pipit 12
Red-throated Pipit 50
Indian Nightjar at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Both Indian and Savannah as well as what sounded like a Large-tailed Nightjar were all calling in the vicinity of this bird seen sat on the track. On reviewing the images at the time I thought the extensive white in the tail would likely identify it as a Savannah Nightjar but its white malar, distinct buff nuchal collar and pale buff scapular fringes all point in favour of it being an Indian Nightjar.
Awaiting the Pied Harriers to leave their roost
Dragon Hills Golf Course
Paddyfield Pipit at Dragon Hills Golf Club
Burmese Shrike at the Dragon Hills Golf Course
Red-throated Pipit at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Adult Little Ringed Plover at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Pacific Golden Plover at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
Sunset at Samnak Maiteng Reservoir
