An Afternoon at the Dump

Wanted to share our exploits from the other day.
Got a call from my friend Dr. Somchai, a Thai bird photographer who's photos on Flickr always leave me drooling. We got together a few times in 2008 to shoot and i was happy to meet him again briefly this trip at Laem Pak Bia / Pak Thale, the location of a bird that is common in India, but super rare in Thailand. This bird had decided to spent some time at a rural dump in Petchaburi province and all the Bangkok birders and photographers were making a trip out to see it. I was no different in wanting to see this rarity.
Apiradee and myself drove out that way and hooked up with Dr. Somchai and his constant birding companions, his sister and brother in law, who i met last trip and we followed their car to the dump location. I had been smart and brought my blind along, good thing too as this bird was very flighty.
There must have been at least 30 birders and photographers out and at least 13 blinds set up in the small dumping ground, filled with rotting garbage, plastic bags and other things i'd rather not think about.
Some feral dump dogs would wander the grounds every now and then scattering the Pied Starlings and Common Mynas that would come in every now and then to feed.
Among them was our East Indian visitor.
i was lucky to get three brief looks at the beauty before the flies and smell got the better of me and i packed up the blind.
When i first set up my blind i noticed a small camera crew filming the goings on and noticed their lens aimed at me briefly, who knows if my lanky frame made it onto some humerous nightly news clip about some crazy birders hanging out at a dump LOL.

Brahminy Starling (Temenuchus pagadarum)

 

Up next will be my last birding expedition, I will be heading out with my friend Alex to Kaengkrachan  NP tomorrow for 2 days of blind shooting and whatever else we can muster up.

stay tuned as we could be bringing back some good birds.