Visitors since 01/09/06

Muang Boran Fishponds, in Samut Prakarn province, consists of a patchwork of shallow fish ponds and drainage ditches of varying size, with areas of reeds, open water and lilies. This is a really good place to visit whilst staying in Bangkok, a taxi will only take about 30-40 minutes from the city centre early in the morning.

The best time to visit is between October and April, when there are large numbers of migrants present and fine weather, with 60 to 80 species easily seen in a 4-5 hour visit. However, a visit between the months of May and September will provide the best views of breeding birds, most notably the weavers at their most colourful, when they can be seen with their elaborate nests.

Waterbirds and open-country birds are the main reason for a visit to this venue. As well as numerous Egrets, Herons, Bitterns, Cormorants and Jacanas, the Crakes/Rails and Reed Warblers are particularly well represented here.

Striated Grassbird is probably more numerous here than anywhere else that I've visited in Thailand, and is easily seen all year round. The sheer number of Acrocephalus warblers allows good views of many species and the separation of Black-browed from Manchurian Reed Warbler. Oriental Reed Warbler is very numerous in the dry season and Thick-billed Warbler can sometimes be found. Rusty-rumped (Pallas's Grasshopper) Warbler is occasionally seen here with Blunt-winged Warbler being available for those willing to spend time checking out all the" small brown jobs".

White-breasted Waterhen, Common Moorhen and Ruddy-breasted Crake are very numerous and both White-browed Crake and Slaty-breasted Rail are commonly seen here. In addition, Watercock can be found throughout the year and Baillon's Crake puts in an appearance in the winter months; Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas are common throughout the year.

Getting to this site can be a little tricky. The first step is to get to Muang Boran which is a little-visited tourist attraction with recreations of cultural landmarks from around the country. Muang Boran can be found in most guidebooks on Thailand. The easiest way to get to Muang Boran is to take a taxi from central Bangkok; virtually all taxi drivers know the site.

If you have any trouble communicating with the taxi driver show him the Muang Boran Thai script and you should get there.

I would not suggest trying to get here by bus or songtaew as, although it is possible, the chances of a visitor who cannot speak Thai getting lost are extremely high and it would take a very long time on slow local transport.

From Muang Boran to the fishponds is no great distance, but having to make a short journey through some residential areas has the potential for difficulties so I shall describe the route with the aid of the simple sketch map below.

It is necessary to take a motorcycle taxi from next to the footbridge and follow the route to the other motorcycle taxi stop marked in red on the map. The tricky bit here is to turn left immediately after the apartment block and not turning into the apartment car park itself. From the second motorcycle stop it is easiest to walk; simply walk along the road past a couple of small shops where it is a good idea to buy water if you do not already have enough. Foreigners walking through here are a source of entertainment, so be prepared to be stared at. At the end of the road is a small walkway in order to cross a ditch heading towards some wooden shacks. Turn left here and you are into the fishponds; congratulations! Although this sounds difficult in reality all the tracks quickly turn into dead ends if you go the wrong way, so if you do not get it right first time a little perseverance will get you to the right place. Plenty of people have e-mailed me telling me that they successfully followed these directions!

Pond 1: This is the first pond one sees on entering the site and it is worth spending at least half an hour watching birds here. Its shallow nature means it is good for Pond Herons, Jacanas and Egrets. This is also where large groups of Whiskered and White-winged Tern congregate and both can bee seen fishing here.

Another bird which can usually be seen in this vicinity is Striated Grassbird, with one bird favouring a dead tree to the left of the trail here as a songpost; watch for it as it launches itself off into brief song-flights.

Blue-tailed Bee-eaters often perch on some wires or casuarina trees (large pine-like trees) here too.

Pond 2: This deep-water pond contains permanent water and as such is a favourite fishing spot for Little and Indian Cormorants. In winter months at least one Osprey can often be observed catching fish here and a roost of Black-crowned Night Herons is in the surrounding trees. To the left of the main trail here is an overgrown ditch which seems to be a good place to look for Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler.

Trail 3: The track here passes alongside an area of low and often burned vegetation which is an excellent place to observe various Acrocephalus Warblers. Black-browed Reed Warbler and Oriental Reed Warbler will be seen easily and by spending some time here it should be possible to find at least one Manchurian Reed Warbler. Be careful to take time over identifying these species as Blunt-winged Warbler also occurs and misidentification is likely if good views are not obtained.

Pond 4: The water level in this pond seems to fluctuate quite frequently and is a good spot for many species. A small colony of Asian Golden Weavers nest in some reeds here and White-browed Crake is usually easy to see. By walking around this pond all corners can be investigated and in the past I have found Bluethroat, Red Avadavat and Baillon's Crake. Although never common, virtually all my sightings of Oriental Skylark have come from the vicinity of this pond, and it can be picked out singing in the same way as its European relative (with virtually the same song too).

Location 5: A wide ditch here always contains water and is another excellent place to find many species. Asian Golden Weaver, Black-browed Reed Warbler, Baillon's Crake and Black-headed (Chestnut) Munia are often to be seen along here.

Pond 6: This large pond has varying depths and as such is a great place for many species. A small flock of Lesser Whistling-duck usually winter here and occasionally Cotton Pygmy-Goose can be found. Watercock is not an easy species to find at this location, but most of my sightings of this species have been from this pool and Purple Herons can reach double figures here. Both Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas are nearly always to be found here and sometimes can be in large numbers.

Pond 7: A number of large radio masts are placed in this pond but some of the support cables tend to be a favourite place for Indian Cormorant to roost, with numbers up to 100. Most winters a Peregrine Falcon uses these radio masts to launch its hunting forays and an Osprey can often be seen perched on top of some of the smaller masts.

Location 8: A lot of dry, thorny undergrowth in this region plays host to plenty of Warblers such as Black-browed Reed Warbler, Dusky Warbler and Oriental Reed Warbler. Although I haven't seen them here, this seems like a good area to search for Lanceolated Warbler and Baikal Bush Warbler.

Workers draining pools 

Birds through the reeds

Cattle Egrets & Factories

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Thailand Tour, 11-29th January 2007

Thailand - An introductory Trip, 11th-21st Jan 2007

by Patrick O'Donnell

by Joe Cockram