17FEB17: Thailand Day 2 -Pak Thale (Part 4 of 5)

The salt farms of Pak Thale are only a short drive from Wat Komnaram.  What makes Pak Thale so important?  Read below an excerpt from the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) - 

"The Inner Gulf of Thailand has a 195 km-long section of the coastal zone from Laem Phak Bia in the west to Chonburi in the east and includes an estimated 23,500 ha of intertidal mudflats, extending over 2 km from the shoreline at low tide in places. Four major rivers, Mae Klong, Tha Chin, Chao Phraya and Bang Pakong, discharge into the Gulf of Thailand along this stretch of coastline, creating extensive areas of intertidal habitats. This site is one of the most important areas for migratory waterbirds, especially Spoon-billed Sandpiper, in the East Asian Australasian Flyway.... Nine sites have been identified including Khok Kham, Pak Thale, Lim Pak Bia and Bang Pu as globally important areas for wintering shorebirds."

In short, this place has a gargantuan amount of shorebirds including some of the world's rarest species.  (Yes I used gargantuan in a sentence, thank you very much.)  It is one of the most reliable locations to observe wintering, critically endangered, Spoon-billed Sandpiper.  Similar to the abandoned building area, there are endless salt farms.  In general, the impoundments are best birded on the incoming and high tide since this is an area that the shorebirds roost at prior to gorging themselves again on the flats of the Gulf of Thailand.  The road to the viewing area off of route 4028 is well marked:

The "Sign" up close

The must have photo....

Bob Stymeist

This picture of the sign above is nice and cool and everything but to get a real sense of the enormity and importance of the area, an aerial view is best:

Aerial View of Pak Thale area showing countless salt farms

I have put on the photo a marker where the Pak Thale Bird and Nature Center is located.  This area is just one small spot in the huge picture of shorebird migration and wintering grounds.  

Pak Thale Bird and Nature Center

After all this, we were there at the wrong tide!  In fact, some of best shorebirding in the Pak Thale Area was a salt farm right off of route 4028.  (We come back to the Pak Thale site later...)  Here are some of the great birds that were just hanging out on the side of the road:

Curlew Sandpiper

Terek Sandpiper

Long-toed Stint in flight

Whiskered Tern in flight

We then made our way to the "King's Project" and an evening of amazing experiences.