"White-faced Plover" sightings have become something of a regularity in Thailand now that birdwatchers know what to look for. This migratory species returned to Thailand in early October 2008, with a leg-flagged bird appearing at the sand spit at Laem Pak Bia.

Since then many observers have seen the plover, although the leg-flagged bird seems to have moved on. I have seen "White-faced Plover" on at least a dozen occasions on the sand spit at Laem Pak Bia since the end of October with the highest count being a total of 3 birds in early January 2009.

In addition to being present on the sand spit, the birds have been found on salt pans at Pak Thale and Laem Pak Bia on a few occasions by a number of different observers. However, it is on the sand spit that I have had most success - the birds are usually roosting on rocks or amongst beach debris at high tide on the island part of the spit. At low tide the White-faced Plover is often seen foraging and chasing other birds around on the exposed sand, frequently favouring a spot on the part of the spit which is joined to the mainland.

A number of birders seem to have had trouble locating White-faced Plover on the sand spit at Laem Pak Bia; perseverence usually turns up at least one bird, but don't make the mistake of misidentifying one of the resident Malaysian Plovers with worn lores which can look remarkably white faced in appearance.

The sand spit at Laem Pak Bia has long been recognised as an excellent birdwatching location but now there is the added attraction of "White-faced Plover" which may or may not be a new species or subspecies of either Kentish or Malaysian Plover. Whatever its taxonomic status, it is easily recogniseable due to its snowy white face and I have seen it on the sand spit, amongst other shorebirds, at Laem Pak Bia on 19th and 25th February 2008.

Many other observers have seen this bird at the same location and Peter Ericsson obtained some very nice photographs of it in January 2008.

Peter's photographs of the plover in flight can be seen here: "White-faced Plover" in flight 1, and here: "White-faced Plover" in flight 2.

The plover seems to behave in an unusual fashion, running almost diagonally, with its head lowered and the individual at Laem Pak Bia appears quite aggressive to other shorebirds.

The unusual poise of the bird can be seen here in this photograph taken by Johan Svensson on 4th November 2007, also at Laem Pak Bia sand spit.

The conclusion of the authors, on these birds, is that proper analysis and classification can only come after DNA analysis; a conclusion which I think most birdwatchers will agree with. Whatever the eventual classification of these birds is, it remains that birders can relatively easily identify them in the field and sightings from Thailand are surely just a matter of time.

Anyone who thinks they have sighted these birds in Thailand is encouraged to contact the authors of and of course I would be interested to hear about it too.

Latest News

As I was preparing to upload this file to the website I was alerted to the fact that the "White-faced Plover" was indeed seen and photographed at Laem Pak Bia on the weekend, 5-6th January 2008. Further sightings are awaited.

Nick Upton, 9th January 2008