NEWS PITTA DOUBLE! in THAILANDS

In contrast to winter 2007/2008, when at least three bird species were added to the Thai list, the past cool season (2008/2009) brought no mega-surprises.? But recent events have more than made up for that seeming dearth, with two species of pitta likely to be added to the Thailand tally (making a remarkable 14 pittas for the country in total).?
Banphot Kittikinglert, Korn Ratanasthien??and Ratha??Rodcharoen?were looking for a Hooded Pitta at Phutthamonthol, a park on the western outskirts of Bangkok, when they found a Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha, a globally threatened species which breeds in S Japan, Korea, and which winters in eastern Borneo.?? Once photos were widely circulated on 16 April, over a hundred observers and photographers descended on the site. ?Cooperation among birders and photographers was exemplary and most succeeded in getting outstanding views and photographs of the bird in the ensuing two days.? A 10?20 degrees longitude westwards displacement of the normal migration route is necessary to bring this bird over Thai territory. Only two weeks earlier, another Bornean winterer, a Narcissus Flycatcher was found at the same site. The record is all the more remarkable because of the length of stay? a full week, from 11?17 April. (According to conventional wisdom, northbound spring birds are in a hurry to return to their breeding grounds, and establish territories, and rarely stop off for more than a couple of days.)
The other new pitta for the country list is a likely Blue-naped Pitta P. nipalensis that was found and identified by Dr. Nantawan Suanka, Warin Komson, Rujira Phongsunon and Nolapan Vudhivanich at Na Haeo, Loei Province, in the north of the country, on 1 March.? The habitat was secondary bamboo-dominated forest. Unlike the Fairy Pitta, this has yet to be documented by photographs, but the description leaves little room for doubt and acceptance by BCST Records Committee is a mere formality.?
Blue-naped Pitta ranges from the eastern Himalayas, eastwards to Burma, S China, N Laos and northern Vietnam. This species was previously predicted as of possible occurrence by Philip Round in Appendix 2 of Guide to the Birds of Thailand (1991) and is likely to be resident in Loei .

Situation in Wieng Nong Lom Wetland

Wieng Nong Lom Wetland is a complex of nine freshwater lakes adjacent to the Ramsar site of Nong Bong Kai Non-Hunting Area in northern Chieng Rai province. The overall area is a part of Chieng Saen Basin along Mekhong River.Although Nong Bong Kai Non-Hunting Area is recognized as a wetland of international importance, as a Ramsar Site, but Wieng Nong Lom Wetland was excluded inexplicably and faces threats that need urgent attention.On February 28th,2008, a workshop was organized under the theme of “Nong-Bong Kai and Wieng Nong Lom Wetland Conservation through People’s Participation,” which was attended by 81 participants from concern government agencies, local administrators, local groups, school teachers and NGOs.The organizers were Birds Conservation Society of Thailand, Rajabhat Chieng Rai’s Biodiversity Centre, Lanna Bird and Conservation Club and Nong Bong Kai Non-Hunting Area. Some problems, due to lacking of proper management at Wieng Nong Lom Wetland, were found as following;
1. The variety of fish has decreased and some species have disappeared from lakes. Local people reported that illegal fishing methods such as fish poisoning and electrocuting were being used.
2. The environment of the wetland has been changed. Some orange orchards have encroached on part of the wetland and water is diverted from these natural lakes. Chemical contamination from the use of pesticides is also a Golden Apple Snail (known locally as the “Cherry Snail”.) 3. Bird numbers have reportedly decreased. There are fewer of egrets around the lakes of Nong Kiew, Nong Nam Ron and Nong Yao.
4. The destruction of wild fauna some of which were captured for sale.
5. Local lifestyles are changing since some business people have taken up land for big farms. This affects local people who are mostly rearing water buffaloes or fishing.
6. Land near Nong Yao lake has been used as an illegal garbage dump.
7. Some conservation activities. (bird watching and water monitoring projects, initiated by Jan Jwa School between 2005-2006) has ceased due to lack of staff and equipment.However, recently about 70 local women have formed Yonok Women’s Conservation Group. They have initiated many activities including monitoring of illegal bird sales, dismantling bird traps, training in bird watching for local children, and also teaching English for local communities.Jan Jwa School will organize youth camp on 9-10 August, 2008 and Rajaphat Chieng Rai University will organize focus group meetings with the support of BCST.

HORNBILL RESEARCH FOUNDATION SUPPORTS TRAINING OF THAI INTERNS AT THE WETLAND TRUST, UK

Dr. Pilai Poonswad's Hornbill Research Foundation generously supported costs of travel and subsistence for two DNP researchers, Ms Somying Thunhikorn, Chief of Phu Luang Wildlife Research Station, and Ms Kultida Itthipon, staff of Bung Boraphet Wldlife Research Station, enabling them to participate in bird-banding activities at The Wetland Trust, Icklesham, UK, during September 2008. The Wetland Trust administers and manages its own wetland bird reserve in the Pannel Valley, East Sussex, on the English south coast. It is a migration hot spot and well over 30,000 birds are banded there annually. This provides ample opportunity for UK-based ringers and, increasingly in recent years, ringers and bird banders and researchers from Asia, Africa and South America, to improve their mist-netting, bird-handling and banding skills. A formal training course is also run, but the great strength of Icklesham is the great opportunity that day-to-day activities offer to meet new friends and exchange experiences in idyllic suroundings.
Somying’s Totals Summary
Printed on:
30-Sep-08



Retraps/




Full grown
Pulli
Recoveries
Total

Mallard
1
0
3
4
Tufted Duck
0
0
3
3
Great Spotted Woodpecker
1
0
0
1
Sand Martin
7
0
0
7
Swallow
3
0
0
3
Tree Pipit
1
0
0
1
Meadow Pipit
11
0
0
11
Yellow Wagtail
32
0
1
33
Wren
0
0
3
3
Dunnock
1
0
3
4
Robin
5
0
1
6
Redstart
1
0
0
1
Whinchat
1
0
0
1
Stonechat
1
0
0
1
Blackbird
1
0
2
3
Song Thrush
1
0
0
1
Cetti's Warbler
3
0
3
6
Grasshopper Warbler
4
0
1
5
Sedge Warbler
126
0
3
129
Reed Warbler
74
0
7
81
Lesser Whitethroat
3
0
1
4
Whitethroat
25
0
3
28
Garden Warbler
6
0
2
8
Blackcap
194
0
15
209
Chiffchaff
8
0
1
9
Willow Warbler
7
0
1
8
Goldcrest
2
0
0
2
Spotted Flycatcher
1
0
0
1
Long-tailed Tit
0
0
2
2
Blue Tit
3
0
1
4
Great Tit
4
0
2
6
Nuthatch
1
0
0
1
Jay
1
0
0
1
Greenfinch
1
0
0
1
Goldfinch
1
0
0
1
Bullfinch
2
0
1
3
Reed Bunting
3
0
0
3





Total:
536
0
59

A Love Story

His wife is injured and her condition is very appalling....

He brings her food and attends to her with love and compassion

He brings her food but is shocked with her death and tries to move her .

He finds out that his sweetheart is dead and will not come back to him-- he cries with adoring love .