It wasn't all swimming in the Andaman, sipping cold beers in the shade, eating delicious food at the waterfront night markets and watching sunsets from the roof garden while in Krabi; oh no. There were a few birds here and there also.
As well as the aforementioned regular visits to Thara Park, we also enjoyed a handful of sessions along the mangrove walkway (see following posts), and several trips out into the mangrove and along the coast via traditional long-tails (the de rigour mode of transport locally).
Brown-winged Kingfisher
Although a generally crappy time of year for the specialist species, drifting silently through primeval mangroves during warm, blanket rain or as dawn broke with just the eerie conversation of Macaques for a soundtrack was worth the boat-hiring pittance alone, and we enjoyed some good birds for our troubles.
Kingfishers were wonderfully ubiquitous, with a hatful of species encountered; Collared, White-throated, Common, Ruddy, Black-capped, and commonest (and most impressive) of all, Brown-winged.
Common Kingfisher
Whimbrel
Out on the mud, waders were surprisingly hard work and thinly-spread; Whimbrels, Common Redshanks, Common Sandpipers and Lesser Sand Plovers being the most abundant, with odd Bar-tailed Godwits, Wood Sandpipers and Eurasian Curlews here and there.
There were, however, a few Terek Sandpipers along the shore, which were great value (especially with their distinctive feeding style). Otherwise, terns were a regular sight, with Whiskered, Little and White-winged Black along the river.
Terek Sandpipers
