Khao Yai

Birding Khao Yai during a holiday weekend had the potential to be a disaster with so many people visiting the park but as it turned out we did pretty well and scored many of our major target species. It was actually the humid, overcast weather and resulting low bird activity that contributed to long periods without any birds showing. Yet how can you go wrong with a group of Silver Pheasants, a couple of views of Siamese Firebacks, a male Blue Pitta, and 2 superb Great Eared Nightjars flying over us before dusk one evening.

Fruiting trees were in abundance and allowed us to get up close and personal to numerous birds....

Black-crested Bulbul

Green-eared Barbet at a fruiting tree showed very well indeed....

A small feeding station was a bit problematic to visit due to the continuous presence of Thai bird photographers in their portable hides, so we visited when they departed frothier lunch break. Not the best time to visit but we did see 2 Orange-headed Thrushes, Abbott's and Puff-throated Babblers and Hainan Blue Flycatcher....

Abbott's Babbler

Puff-throated Babbler

Orange-headed Thrush

I'm thinking this is a female Hainan Blue Flycatcher

Other good birds seen included Sultan Tit, Banded Kingfisher, Banded Broadbill, Two-barred Warbler, Fork-tailed Swift, Silver-backed and Brown-backed Needletails, Red-headed Trogon, Great Hornbill, White-crested Laughingthrush, Radde's Warbler and Yellow-vented Flowerpecker. 

Non-bird highlights were this White-handed Gibbon, as well as Asian Elephant and Malaysian Porcupine...