Off to Khao Yai

Left Bangkok early doors and headed to the usual stake-out for Limestone Wren-Babbler, which duly performed right on cue with nice, close views. Moving on to Khao Yai we spent a little while watching a flock of Red-breasted Parakeets before heading up into the hills to take a look at the Mugimaki Flycatcher which has returned to winter in its usual area of the park. 

Red-breasted Parakeets showed very well this morning.

Mugimaki Flycatcher is a rare winter visitor to Thailand

Then a short walk to an open area proved to be very successful as we had a pair of Banded Broadbills, followed by Orange-breasted Trogon, Laced Woodpecker, Greater Flameback, a flock of White-crested Laughingthrushes and a couple Common Green Magpies.

After lunch we drove to one of the campsites where we saw Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Orange-headed Thrush, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Swinhoe’s Minivet, Puff-throated Babbler, Alstrom’s Warbler, a gorgeous male Siberian Blue Robin and a White-rumped Shama. It was just a shame that the calling Blue Pitta and Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo weren’t more responsive! 

Hainan Blue Flycatcher

So leaving here we birded along the road which turned out to be very quiet apart from a Heart-spotted Woodpecker and male Siamese Fireback.

We ended the day watching Brown-backed Needletails flying low over the treetops, and at dusk at least 4 Great Eared Nightjars flying overhead. Oh and on the way out of the park, we narrowly missed a huge bull Gaur crossing the road in the dark right in front of us!