Chom Dong Villa and Garden
In the rainy season, bird-life is most abundant – the red-wattled lapwing can be heard with its distinctive cry which has given rise to its Thai name ‘kratae-tae-waed’, and hoopoe, even the occasional kingfisher or egret frequent the water’s edge. Wild fowl come down from the hill. More common are drongoes and turtle doves. Owls and nightjars can be heard in the evenings.
Local fauna
Designed by Lookrai
Gui the peacock
Pitta
Drongo
Hoopoe
Golden pheasant
Guinea fowl
Reeve’s pheasants
The lower reservoir in particular is a breeding ground for species of frogs and toads and after a rainfall their noise reaches symphonic level. Other garden residents comprise of cicadas, butterflies and insects including occasionally the beautiful emerald jewel beetles, while the Villa is home to geckos which are found in all parts of Thailand.
More recent additions have been Rusa deer, guinea fowl and pheasants.
Jewel beetle
Monitor lizard
Peacock chicks (one month old)
Macaques
Bullfrog
‘Caruso’, the villa’s gecko
In June and July, butterflies are plentiful
A duck of French origin with a dog of Scottish origin
Keeping a watchful eye on all this are the Villa’s Thai dogs, adopted when they were abandoned at a nearby wat or from the local dog shelter. When the mango trees are laden with fruits, around March, they are joined by a troop of macaque monkeys who make their home in a cave on Khao Hin Lek Fai.
Starting as a gift of a pair of peafowls and four peacock chicks from the chief abbot at the nearby Wat Suk Samran, our peacock family has grown and multiplied and, since July 2012, some have been released to roam free. Dogs, deer, peacocks and guinea fowl live together in harmony.
