Doi Inthanon Day 2

After a 5.30am breakfast we headed up to the higher reached of Doi Inthanon and parked up alongside the road in readiness for the early morning sunshine to hit the tops of the trees. Sure enough within a few minutes we were scoping several Speckled Woodpigeons perched up in the scope – a scarce bird in Thailand. I always think it bodes well for the day when you get the first target bird of the day quite easily. Anyway, we then visited the summit boardwalk where, with a bit of perseverance, we saw a Snowy-browed Flycatcher and eventually a White-browed Shortwing. We did also get great looks at a Chestnut-headed Tesia picking its way out in the marsh and right out in the open – a very unusual sighting indeed. And we also had nice views of a Slaty-bellied Tesia dancing along an exposed branch in a rather more gloomy section of moss-encrusted forest. Shortly after, a nice warming cup of coffee was needed to help thaw out our shivering bones, and as we enjoyed this were able to enjoy all the usual ‘summit’ birds at close quarters once again. As luck would have it, some friends of Nick had found a Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker which showed rather well in the bright morning sunshine.

Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker

Moving to a lower elevation, a female Small Niltava and female White-browed Shortwing appeared beside the minibus as soon as we parked up. Then along a narrow trail we had a male Small Niltava, but I remember this walk for the invisible calling Green Cochoa and a ‘mega-flock’ feeding high in the canopy. There were so many birds and I can’t remember ever seeing a bigger flock on this mountain before. We picked up loads of previously seen species such as Maroon Oriole, Yellow-browed and Yellow-cheeked Tits, as well as White-bellied Erpornis amongst others.

A quick check of a more open area after lunch gave us another big flock with Speckled Piculet, Scarlet Minivet, and a Black-winged Cuckooshrike, plus a few Hill Blue Flycatchers nearby. Then we drove to the base of the mountain and enjoyed scope views of a male Blossom-headed Parakeet perched on top of a tree, plus Nick U picked up a perched Collared Falconet which was a nice bonus bird. A Freckle-breasted Woodpecker was also quite special and we saw a few other lowland birds such as a soaring Shikra and Burmese Shrike before returning to our nearby hotel a little earlier than usual.

Doi Inthanon

After a full English breakfast we drove up to the entrance gate to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. We began with excellent views of Black-backed Forktail along a quiet mountain stream before heading to our favourite trail. After quite a tussle a Silver-eared Mesia got the ball rolling here, and at the same spot a couple of us watched a pair of Grey-throated Babblers carrying nesting material across the track. Walking up into good forest we had a successful couple of hours with Clicking Shrike-Babbler, Maroon Oriole, Orange-bellied Leafbird, and a very cooperative Pygmy Wren-babbler.

Had lunch at Mr Daeng’s with two different Siberian Blue Robins and a Lesser Shortwing mooching around below the restaurant. Then we headed for the summit and had great close-up views of all the main birds, beginning with a male Green-tailed Sunbird, here of the blue-tailed race endemic to this mountain. There was also Ashy-throated, Yellow-browed, Davison’s, Claudia’s and Blyth’s Leaf-warblers to sort through, Yellow-browed Tit, a cracking male Clicking Shrike-babbler, Rufous-winged Fulvettas, Dark-backed SIbias and Chestnut-tailed Minlas all feeding right in front of us. 

Clicking Shrike-Babbler showed well today.

Along the boardwalk a Dark-sided Thrush fed quietly amongst the leaf litter below us, and we even heard it call which was a new experience for me, and a Eurasian Woodcock showed well. 

Eurasian Woodcock posing at the summit marsh.

However, a White-browed Shortwing only gave the briefest of glimpses and with the light going we decided to leave, but not before a Rufous-throated Partridge appeared right beside the boardwalk giving outstanding views. Wow! 

Rufous-throated Partridge along the summit boardwalk.

We ended the day with a large flock of birds comprising all the previously seen mountain species right beside the minibus to round off a glorious day.

Big Nuthatches and Parrotbills at Doi Lang

A rather quiet day by Doi Lang standards started with a calling Giant Nuthatch beside the road, with a pair of Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babblers, 3 Olive-backed Pipits and a brief Chestnut Bunting nearby. The top forest held a large flock that we just caught the tail-end of with several Grey-headed Parrotbills, Short-billed Minivet, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Rufous-backed Sibia and others.

Way too far for a photo - but it's a Giant Nuthatch

 Along the road a flock of Grey-cheeked Fulvettas held both Golden and Rufous-fronted Babblers. The Spot-breasted Parrotbill was also in attendance, along with Himalayan Bluetail, Siberian Rubythroat, and a few Silver-eared Laughingthrushes.

Silver-Eared Laughingthrush is common here

 

Another White-gorgeted Flycatcher...

Driving down the mountain a pair of Giant Nuthatches looked fantastic in the scope and we came across another flock of Grey-headed Parrotbills, and a group of Black-throated Bushtits. Just a shame a Speckled Piculet flew off before everybody saw it. And then it was a long drive to the Inthanon Highland Resort where we will be staying for the next 3 nights.

Another 1st for Thailand..!!!!

Today we headed to the Golden Triangle area and after a 5am departure we reached a small reserve near Chiang Saen Lake shortly after sunrise at 7am. We had taken something of a gamble coming here but were quickly rewarded with views of a Brown-cheeked Rail (also known as Eastern Water Rail) – a split from the more familiar species seen in Europe. It was working its way along a narrow channel at the back of a muddy area and often obscured by tall grasses but with persistence we had decent views, although not as good as a much closer bird later today! At the same marshy spot we also had a pair of Ruddy-breasted Crakes feeding out in the open and showing rather well. Moving on we followed a path along a channel filled with water and as we crossed a clearing a bird flew across that set alarm bells ringing. In the brief glimpse I had I thought it looked like the Firethroat that had first been seen at the end of December. However, knowing that it was extremely elusive and some birders had spent days looking for it, I though “what are the chances…” But when your luck is in – it is well and truly in, as shortly after it began singing! And after half an hour or so  of waiting patiently, the bird began to reveal itself and we had brief glimpses in the dense tangle along the water’s edge. But it never came right out into the open, which was a bit frustrating.

Just then Nick came running as he had just seen a Jerdon’s Bushchat literally around the corner so after a frantic couple of minutes the bird was in the bag and the scope views were superb! A great bird and not that easy to get here. So we were about to leave and head to pastures new when Nick and I changed our minds and went to check out a small hide that the Firethroat had occasionally been seen from.  I was kind of dumbstruck when it literally hopped out right in front of us! Panic set in and the group was quickly scrunched into the tiny photo blind (it was too small to be a hide!) and we waited, and waited. Nothing happened for 20 minutes but all of a sudden it appeared and stayed about 3 metres out in the open right in front of us for at least a minute before melting back into the dense grasses. Unbelievable! 

Firethroat

And with smiles all round we left and headed to Chiang Saen Lake, where we saw hundreds of Lesser Whistling Ducks, female Pied Harrier, a Burmese Shrike, Oriental Reed Warbler and a brief Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler amongst others. By now it was late morning so headed to the Golden Triangle for lunch at a restaurant but along the way noticed that there was still some habitat left on the Mekong River so took a detour. Just as well as the water level was low and there was quite a lot of exposed sand and gravel banks with 70+ Small Pratincoles present – what a bonus!

After lunch we returned to the lake and took a boat out to the far side but apart from some commoner waterfowl there was only Ferruginous Duck and Indian Spot-billed Ducks of note, plus another Eastern Marsh Harrier and some Purple Herons. 

Purple and Grey Herons

Purple Heron

So we returned to the Mekong River and this time found a pair of River Lapwings, as well as getting much better views of Grey-throated Martins, plus a male and few female Red Avadavats.

The final stop of the day was at the harrier roost where 50+ Pied Harriers flew in with plenty more Eastern Marsh Harriers, and boy what a bird. We watched the Pied Harriers flying over the marsh in front of us, as well as scoping some as they landed in an open area. Amazing! There was also a Striated Grassbird, Racket-tailed Treepie, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Black-browed Reed Warbler and another brief Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler. What a day!

Doi Lang again

Today we visited the Thaton side of Doi Lang, and as access has been restricted to 4-wheel drive vehicles only with minibuses not allowed we headed up in a local songthaew bus.  Our first stop produced a White-throated Fantail, Grey-chinned Minivet, Grey-eyed Bulbul, Collared Owlet, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, and a flyby Eye-browed Thrush, with a Red Junglefowl being seen on the road as well. Further up we had Grey-faced Buzzard and Oriental Turtle-Dove.

Then we spent some time up at the top where we spent some time taking photos of Dark-backed Sibias, Chestnut-crowned Warbler and eventually a group of confiding Scarlet-faced Liocichlas. There was also a calling Spotted Elachura that failed to appear, Rufous-gorgeted and White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Davison’s Warbler, Golden Babbler, Rufous-winged Fulvetta and Black-eared Shrike-Babbler.

Scarelt-faced Liocichla showed very well today.

Lunch was taken at the scenic viewpoint where it was very hot and birdless, although an Eastern Buzzard was nice and 5 Himalayan Griffons flying over were a write-in for the tour. So we returned to the barrier area and had further intimate liocihla views, as well as close Large Niltava, both races of Blue Whistling-Thrush, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, and spectacular views of a Chestnut-headed Tesia dancing along a branch on the slope below us.

Himalayan Griffons were a write-in...

By mid-afternoon we decided to head downhill and birded some lower elevation areas but it was still too hot although there were a few Chestnut-flanked White-eyes and a Two-barred Warbler.