Site Report: Kratie

In Search of the Mekong Wagtail

Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)

Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa)

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)

Mekong Wagtail (Motacilla samveasnae)

Asian Palm-Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

Mekong River Dolphins.

2013-01-29: Getting from the casino to Kratie required taking a trio of minivans. These are the kinds of minivans where they squeeze as many people in as they possibly can, and the ride was a challenge. In addition, All the prices seemed to be doubled for foreigners. That was not a huge problem considering that most things cost less than one dollar. After arriving in Kratie, we took the tuk tuk to the place with the dolphins. I think that we might have been upsold on the two hour boat tour, but it was good to travel around on the river, and we saw three ducks which is three more than we saw in all of Vietnam. The Mekong river dolphins seemed to be everywhere despite that there are only 75 left in the world.

Kingdom: Animals (19 records)

Phylum: Chordates (19 records)

Class: Birds (18 records)

Order: Anseriformes (1 record)
- Family: Swans, Geese, and Ducks
- Indian Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)

Order: Doves and Pigeons (1 record)
- Family: Pigeons and Doves
- Red Collared-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica)

Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies (1 record)
- Family: Osprey
- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts (1 record)
- Family: Swifts
- Asian Palm-Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots (2 records)
- Family: Bee-eaters
- Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis)
- Family: Kingfishers
- White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

Order: Pelicans (6 records)
- Family: Anhingas
- Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
- Family: Cormorants
- Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger)
- Family: Coursers
- Small Pratincole (Glareola lactea)
- Family: Herons
- Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa)
- Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
- Eastern Cattle Egret (Ardea coromanda)

Order: Perching Birds (5 records)
- Family: Bulbuls
- Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)
- Family: Old World Sparrows
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
- Family: Starlings and Mynas
- Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
- Family: Swallows
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Family: Wagtails and Pipits
- Mekong Wagtail (Motacilla samveasnae)

Order: Shorebirds and Allies (1 record)
- Family: Plovers
- Little Ringed Plover (Thinornis dubius)

Class: Mammals (1 record)

Order: Even-toed Ungalates and Cetacean (1 record)
- Family: Delphinidae
- Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)