Given the scarcity of this type of habitat in Thailand the
extreme south geographic location it is not surprising that
there are a few species to be found here that are very rare
or absent elsewhere in the country. This large fragment of
lowland swamp forest is the only know site where there are
regular sightings of Malaysian Blue Flycatcher within Thailand
and it is reasonably abundant around the research centre and
although it can be tricky to find at times it is common enough
that one should see it given enough time here.
Much less frequently seen, but present, is Black Hornbill.
If you are lucky enough to visit when there is a fruiting
tree close to the headquarters then there is a chance of seeing
this bird and during the early breeding season one may hear
its harsh call. However, this species is very scarce and with
limited access to the site you need luck to be on your side.
Far easier to see is Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler making a variety
of noises in the understorey and the nationally scarce White-chested
Babbler is also seen on a regular basis.
A wide variety of lowland forest birds occur at this location
and it is only limited access to the habitat that will limit
what can be seen on any particular day but in the trees around
the car park Red-crowned Barbets can sometimes be found calling
in the early morning; another bird that is not absent from
much of Southern Thailand.
A checklist of the birds for this location can be found here
- Sirindhorn Peatswamp
Bird
Watching Trips:
If you need help organizing a bird watching trip to Thailand,
take a look at the suggested itineraries for ideas on
creating a tailor-made trip and contact me for advice:
Thailand
bird tours.
Travel Information
Use the interactive map below to plan your route to
Sirindhorn Pearswamp (B). The blue line shows the route from
Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (A) and Narathiwat airport (C)
to Sirindhorn Peatswamp (B).
By Car/Motorcycle
By far the most convenient way to go birding at Sirindhorn
Peatswamp is by private vehicle; either a car or motorcycle.
This will give you the freedom to explore as you like and
eliminate the concern of being able to get onwards transport
after you have finished. There is ample car parking at the
study centre/hq. It is possible
to drive across the border from Malaysia but not in a self-drive
rental vehicle.
By Bus
There are many buses, from a variety of provinces,
to the provincial capital, Narathiwat, and to the nearby town
of Sungai Golok. From Bangkok these depart from the southern
bus terminal (Sai Tai Mai). Sungai Golok is only a few kilometres
from Sirindhorn Peatswamp and it would probably be possible
to arrange some local transport to take you there and pick
you up later. Buses arrive at the border from the Malaysian
side too but I do not know where they originate from.
By Train
The nearest railway station is in the town of Sungai Golok,
only a few kilometres from this birding site. All the information
you need about train times, transfers and tickets at Sungai
Golok railway station can be found here - Thailand
Trains: Sungai Golok Railway Station.
By Plane
The provinsional capital of Narathiwat has an airport with
a couple of flights daily from Bangkok. From here it is possible
to hire a car which would be the best method of visiting the
peatswamp. It might be possible to charter a taxi to take
you where you want to go from here too. Currently there do
not seem to be any flights arriving at Narathiwat from Malaysia.
By Taxi
There are no metred taxis in the area but it is possible to
arrange a taxi through your hotel from wherever you might
be staying or from the airport in Narathiwat. In Thailand
you can also use the Grab app or Line app to summon a driver
so long as you have an internet connection on your phone which
should not be a problem if you are using a Thai SIM card.
Finding Birds
The variety of microhabitats packed into a fairly small
area makes it quite easy to walk around most of the site in
a morning. At the same time this means that certain patches
of habitat attract different types of birds.
The
Road & Car Park: The beach itself is a
long, sweeping but narrow stretch of sand which receives very
few visitors and in the early morning and late afternoon it
is not rare to have the whole place more or less to oneself.
One of the highlights, which breed on this beach in small
numbers and can be seen all year round, is Malaysian Plover.
This beach-nesting plover, like many similar species around
the world, is under pressure because of habitat loss and disturbance
but at Phanang Tak Bay the beach is, for now, undisturbed
enough for a few pairs of this attractive wader to nest; look
out for them foraging on the sand and at the water's edge.
At Chumphon there are plenty of hotels to choose from.
I have frequently stayed at the Morakot
Hotel in Chumphon town. This is a decent enough hotel,
with a new wing as of 2019 and the older sections renovated.
It is clean and comfortable, with a large car park and is
fairly easy to find and good value for money with a simple
buffet breakfast available quite early in the morning. More
recently I have stayed at the Nanaburi
Hotel which is a pleasant, clean hotel with well-maintained
rooms, ample car parking with breakfast included, starting
at 6,30am; these days I prefer to stay here.
Many people will prefer to stay out of town and for those
there are a few local beaches with some accommodation at a
variety of budget points. Just use the banner link above to
search for places in the area.
If you find that breakfast in either of these hotels is not
early enough or you just want to have breakfast on site, then
there are lots of 7/11 stores in town that are open 24 hours
and stock a lot of stuff including toasted sandwiches, various
bread products, yoghurts and coffee among other things. There
are a couple of large supermarkets on the edge of town too
so birders can stock up on various supplies and make their
own breakfast in the field if desired. Being a provincial
capital Chumphon has lots of places to eat of an evening,
just wander around and take your pick.
Chumphon has all the facilities that one could possibly need
including hospitals, banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, all
manner of shops, petrol stations and it is small enough to
be able to find one's way around quickly and easily.
The area is not a national park and you will not be charged
to go birding there.
Birds
of Thailand This field guide has set new standards in identifying
birds in the wild in Thailand. With the most up-to-date
taxonomy of any publication this is the book you need
if you are birdwatching in Thailand. Forget all of the
older guides and buy this one.
How
Birds Migrate This is one of the most informative books on birds
that I have ever read. Covering all aspects of bird
migration this is a great read for broadening your knowledge.
There are usually some cheap second-hand copies available
through the link above.
Birdwatching
Trips:
Phanang Tak Bay & Laem Hua Mong are good spots to
add to a birding trip to Chumphon during raptor migration
or a good stopover when travelling between birding sites
in Central and Southern regions.
Download
a full 
