Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park

I spent most of last evening and night near a toilet with a quarrelsome stomach, and was slightly exhausted today. The birding however was totally immense! Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park provided tons of shorebirds, herons and other water- and openland birds. The day produced at least 36 new species for the trip, mainly shorebirds.

The star observation of the day was a Pintail Snipe feeding in the open at close range, but the numbers of many wanted species were also very rewarding. We got good views and recorded high numbers of Red-necked Stints (15+ birds) and especially Long-toed Stints (50) and Marsh Sandpipers (50+).

Selected new species for the trip: White-bellied Eagle, White-breasted Waterhen, Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Brown-headed Gull, Plaintive Cuckoo, Collared Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Green Bee-eater and Roufus-winged Bush-lark.

Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis.