Thale Noi Area
Supporting more than 180 species of local and migratory waterbirds and protected under the international Ramsar wetlands preservation treaty, Thale Noi is Thailand’s largest waterfowl reserve. Birdwatchers are joined by flora enthusiasts looking to glide through pink waterlilies that bloom by the thousands. Locals weave grass mats and fish off stilted platforms, adding splashes of culture to this increasingly popular natural attraction.
The marshy, 450-square-kilometre Thale Noi (Small Lake; also spelt Talay) is the northernmost of the bodies of water that make up Thale Sap (Freshwater Lake), also known as Songkhla Lake. Birdlife is most abundant from November to March, when flocks travel here from as far north as Siberia. From February to April, the birds glide above hot-pink waterlilies amid a brilliant sea of colour.
The heron and stork family is prevalent in Thale Noi, with plumed egrets and purple herons fairly easy to spot. Also well-represented are purple swamp hens that show off their stunning blues, greens and indigos while hopping awkardly from one patch of greenery to the next. Rarer species include the bronze-winged jacana, cotton pygmy goose and the brahminy kite, a handsome thing that looks like a smaller cousin of the bald eagle.
Thale Noi Area
Supporting more than 180 species of local and migratory waterbirds and protected under the international Ramsar wetlands preservation treaty, Thale Noi is Thailand’s largest waterfowl reserve. Birdwatchers are joined by flora enthusiasts looking to glide through pink waterlilies that bloom by the thousands. Locals weave grass mats and fish off stilted platforms, adding splashes of culture to this increasingly popular natural attraction.
The marshy, 450-square-kilometre Thale Noi (Small Lake; also spelt Talay) is the northernmost of the bodies of water that make up Thale Sap (Freshwater Lake), also known as Songkhla Lake. Birdlife is most abundant from November to March, when flocks travel here from as far north as Siberia. From February to April, the birds glide above hot-pink waterlilies amid a brilliant sea of colour.
The heron and stork family is prevalent in Thale Noi, with plumed egrets and purple herons fairly easy to spot. Also well-represented are purple swamp hens that show off their stunning blues, greens and indigos while hopping awkardly from one patch of greenery to the next. Rarer species include the bronze-winged jacana, cotton pygmy goose and the brahminy kite, a handsome thing that looks like a smaller cousin of the bald eagle.