Bung Boraphet

the...Vince...Lee...

Vince Lee's birthday today and to celebrate we went birding, specifically on a boat trip into Bung Boraphet.

From Wikipedia - Bueng Boraphet (Thai: บึงบอระเพ็ด, pronounced [bɯ̄ŋ bɔ̄ː.rā.pʰét]) is the largest freshwater swamp and lake in central Thailand. It covers an area of 224 km2 east of Nakhon Sawan, south of the Nan River close to its confluence with the Ping River. This swamp can be seen from the train window between Bueng Boraphet and Thap Krit stations on the Northern railway line.

Originally the area was covered by a large swamp, which was flooded in 1930 with the building of a dam to improve fishing.

This is the only known site for the white-eyed river martin which used to winter there, but has not been seen since 1980, and may be extinct.[1]

Once in the past Siamese tiger perch can be considered the most famous fish species here, until it was said that "If anyone comes to Bueng Borapet and doesn't eat this species of fish it is as if that person has never arrived". But now it is probably completely extinct here, from being caught too much, both for consumption and for trade in the aquarium fish industry.[2]

One hundred and six square kilometres of the lake were declared a non-hunting area in 1975. In 2000 it was designated a wetland of international importance by the Thai government.[4]

The boat trip was excellent with a very good variety of birds seen; most in excellent numbers.

Common birds were abundant, such as Grey and Purple Herons, all of the Egrets, Asian Open billed Stork and both Black and Indian Cormorants.

Adding to the spectacle were ducks, with the most common being hundreds of Garganey. Fifty Pintail were seen with about a dozen Tufted Duck. Cotton Pygmy Goose were also seen.

Pheasant tailed Jacana, albeit without the pheasant tail, were easy to find.

Small and Oriental Pratincole were recorded early. Other waders included Little Ringed Plover, Common Greenshank, Kentish Plover and, a lifer for some, Temmink's Stint.

Raptors were few but included Black eared Kite, aka migratory form / species of Black Kite.

Yellow Wagtails were quite common. Two sub species were seen - Eastern and Mongolian.

Disappointingly our drivers recorded Siamese Crocodile while we were away. It had gone by the time we returned.

The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a medium-sized freshwater crocodile native to Indonesia (Borneo and possibly Java), Brunei, East Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The species is critically endangered and already extirpated from many regions. Its other common names include Siamese freshwater crocodile, Singapore small-grain, and soft-belly.

Endangered and extinct spp of the area, including White-eyed River Martin.

H.E. McClure - 

Many fisherman use the lake complex.