Birding Asia

Birding Doi Inthanon – Thailand’s highest mountain

Thumbnail image for Birding Doi Inthanon – Thailand’s highest mountain by DaleForbes 13 August 2011

Thailand is not only gorgeous white beaches, lowland tropical forests and Bangkok cabaret shows; there are also some great high-altitude forests. Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai province holds Thailands highest mountain (of the same name) rising up to a surprising 2565m asl (8415ft). It is pretty much solid forest all the way to [...]

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Breeding Spoon-billed Sandpiper found in Chukotka

Thumbnail image for Breeding Spoon-billed Sandpiper found in Chukotka by Gunnar 10 July 2011

Breeding Spoon-billed Sandpiper has been found by a unique conservation collaboration between BirdLife International and Heritage Expeditions – a BirdLife Species Champion in far eastern Russia at the Chukotka coast.

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Bustard and Bastard are not the same words

Thumbnail image for Bustard and Bastard are not the same words by Gunnar 15 June 2011

In 1960, the International Council for Bird Preservation met in Tokyo to encourage governments around the world to designate a national bird, particularly among species in the greatest need of protection in each country. Great Indian Bustard was one of the most threatened species on the Indian Sub-continent. An obvious choice to any conservationist. However, in the end, the Indian government decided to place the title to the peacock. The bustard was passed over because its name was similar to a pejorative term for an illegitimate child. Now the species is Critically Endangered.

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Finding Gurney’s Pittas

Thumbnail image for Finding Gurney’s Pittas by DaleForbes 12 December 2010

Crouched in the undergrowth of a mosquito and leech-filled tropical forest I waited quietly, and patiently, for yet another view of the Gurney’s Pitta. I knew his ritual: every 35-55 minutes he came on a feeding cycle through this area. I never knew when he was going to appear and there was no way to [...]

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The final 50 Best Birds in Asia!

Thumbnail image for The final 50 Best Birds in Asia! by SusanMyers 10 December 2010

So here is the final list of ten to make up the fifty. The process of putting it together has been, if totally random. Sadly, I didn’t receive any suggestions although earlier I did promise to include Wallcreeper. I have no problem with that! Now THAT is a fancy bird (even if it is found [...]

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The Fifty Best Birds in Asia: Part 4

Thumbnail image for The Fifty Best Birds in Asia: Part 4 by SusanMyers 4 December 2010

Sadly, I’m running out of my own photos to post. Hmmm, funny how so many birds I have taken photos of appear in my Top Fifty… Make of it what you will! I do have to admit that part of the reason is that I’m of the belief that blogs are best suited to postings [...]

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The Fifty Best Birds in Asia: Part 3

Thumbnail image for The Fifty Best Birds in Asia: Part 3 by SusanMyers 27 November 2010

The list goes on! The list continues and as I put it together I realize perhaps fifty isn’t enough!  It’s very hard to choose and I probably should apologize for having so many from Borneo, but I’m not going to… 21. Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi There are a number of families that reach their aesthetic [...]

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The Fifty Best Birds in Asia: Part 2

Thumbnail image for The Fifty Best Birds in Asia: Part 2 by SusanMyers 20 November 2010

Righto! I’m back with the next installment – yes, 11 to 20. I know you’ve been looking forward to this all week! Actually, this is where it starts to get tricky for me. The first ten are pretty easy but the next forty are more difficult. How to choose? And why would I put Banded [...]

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The Fifty Best Birds in Asia!

Thumbnail image for The Fifty Best Birds in Asia! by SusanMyers 13 November 2010

Top 50 Asian birds, part 1 OK, I’m mainly doing this to see if anyone’s listening! Oh, and I like to be controversial… These 50-type lists seem to be all the rage at the moment. I had a chapter in a book entitled “50 Places to Bird before you Die” – a bit of a [...]

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Flores Scops-Owl photographed .

Thumbnail image for Flores Scops-Owl photographed . by Gunnar 11 November 2010

Rare Indonesian owl photographed by Danes News from BirdLife International today – accompanied by the splendid photographed of a Flores Scops-Owl featured above – tells about a Danish funded conservation project for the forests around Mbeliling on Flores, Indonesia. The Flores Scops Owl that is just as enigmatic as the Long-whiskered Owlet in Peru. Only [...]

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