If I had to bird in one spot for the rest of my life it
would be here at Thailand’s largest natural freshwater lake. In my nine trips to Thailand, I have gone
there at least once a trip. As a marsh
bird aficionado, Bueng Boraphet draws me like no other birding spot in
Thailand. Let’s face it, most of central
Thailand is a wetland and BB just happens to be smack dag in the middle!
There are so many birders, bloggers, bird tour leaders, and
the like who have meticulously detailed the avifauna of this historic wetland
that for me to do so would be redundant and most probably incomplete. Therefore, I will write what I want to say
about BB and my experiences there. For
really good birding info, check out thaibirding.com,
the The
Phuket Birder, and North Thailand
Birding.
From the various literature and websites, Bueng Boraphet (or
Boraphet Marsh as some call it) encompasses an area of approximately 52,400
acres (212 square kilometers, 81.9 square kilometers, 132,500 rai, or 21,200
hectares). I think you get the picture,
it’s quite large. The central body of
the wetland is a shallow lake with a variety of varied habitats including
reeds, rushes, grass, and lotus that surround the property. The open waterway is dotted with several islands that, at the right time of year, play host to thousands of breeding long-legged waders.
The best way to bird the lake is via flat bottom boat. I use Pa Nom:
and his phone number is:
He is very nice, reasonably priced, and does not speak a word of English. I’ve had my friends and fiancé speak with him in Thai to indicate what I’d like to do and he obliges as best as possible. He is no spring chicken but he’ll jump off the boat and unclog the long tail propeller or push the stuck boat through the tangles with his long bamboo pole. Basically, he’s really cool.
The best way to bird the lake is via flat bottom boat. I use Pa Nom:
and his phone number is:
He is very nice, reasonably priced, and does not speak a word of English. I’ve had my friends and fiancé speak with him in Thai to indicate what I’d like to do and he obliges as best as possible. He is no spring chicken but he’ll jump off the boat and unclog the long tail propeller or push the stuck boat through the tangles with his long bamboo pole. Basically, he’s really cool.
The location of Bueng Boraphet is to the east of the confluence of two (2) rivers - the Ping River and Nan River. These two waterways, with additions from the Wang River and Yom River, combine together to make a single river called the Chao Phraya River. The Chao Phraya then runs its course southward through Bangkok before flowing into the northern reach of the Gulf of Thailand. Evidently, the Boraphet Marsh used to be called "Chom Beung" which translates into Northern Lake. According to the Phuket Birder, the Boraphet Marsh water levels rose and fell at the mercy of the seasonal rains. In 1926, "a royal decree was set forth to construct a dam as a means of conserving the water for the dry season and to preserve the area as a natural breeding station for freshwater fish in the central basin. Two years later the Treasury department declared the area a protected zone which in effect turned the lake into one of Thailand’s first national wildlife reserves." I couldn't have said it better myself!
As I said, Bueng Boraphet is extremely well documented on how to, what to find, and when to go birding. I wouldn't do it justice -yet. I will concentrate on my trips there relating my thoughts, feelings, impressions, and photos. Stay tuned for posts about this beauty.
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