West-central and Northwest Thailand, Feb/March 2016 |
From February 21 - March 05, 2016, Sheridan, Willlie Sekula and I spent fifteen days in the west-central, north-central, and northwest parts of Thailand, expertly led by Dave Sargeant of Chiang Mai.
We visited Pak Thale, Laem Pak Bia, Nong Pla Lai,
Kaeng Krachan, Bueng Boraphet, Mai Ping, Doi Inthanon, Mae Taeng, Chiang Dao, Fang, Doi Lang, and Doi Ang Kang.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmea). This tends to be the #1 target for any trip to Thailand between late October and late March - with good reason! Although I had seen them in Hong Kong almost 26 years ago, I was delighted to re-acquaint myself with this critically endangered species:
The following images are to show how the bill looks at varying angles:
- and here it is with a Broad-billed Sandpiper in the foreground:
