Trogons, Pachyderms and Dholes....

Drove through Khao Yai and on reaching the far side of the park were greeted by a group of confiding Black-throated Laughingthrushes feeding close to our minibus. It was a little cool and windy but despite this we still managed to find a perched Mountain Imperial-Pigeon, several Barred Cuckoo-Doves and a Common Green Magpie. Birding lower down the road proved to be tricky as the forest was quiet, although several Orange-breasted Trogons showed extremely well, as did Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Puff-throated Babbler, Blue-winged Leafbird, and a few Sulphur-breasted Warblers.

Orange-breasted Trogon showed really well today...

A little too close for comfort....

So we drove to a different section of forest and after getting a close encounter with an Asian Elephant, walked along a trail which was very good and birdy despite several groups of annoying tourists passing by. Best of all was a pair of Red-headed Trogons, followed by a flock of White-crested Laughingthrushes that also held White-browed Scimitar-Babbler and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush. 

Red-headed Trogon (male)

Also here were Black-naped Monarch, more Sulphur-breasted Warblers, Claudia’s Warbler, and we had the first of two flyby glimpses of Wreathed Hornbill for the day. I love birding these forest trails!

After lunch we drove along the road looking for pheasants without any luck, although did get Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Philippensis Blue Rock Thrush (a future split…) and a Richard’s Pipit. 

Blue Rock Thrush of the race philippensis

So following this we birded around one of the campsites seeing Blue-eared Barbet, a pair of Orange-headed Thrushes, Abbott’s Babbler, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, and both Yellow-browed and Two-barred Warblers.

We ended the day watching a flock of Common Hill-Mynas in a flowering tree, and eventually picked up a couple of distant Golden-crested Mynas, plus several Oriental Pied Hornbills as well. Leaving the park at dusk I was amazed to see a Dhole (Asiatic Wild Dog) crossing the road in front of us, and we finished with a superb Great Hornbill perched prominently in a bare tree to round off a good day.

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!

Bangkok or Bust!

One last time up onto the slopes of Doi Inthanon and what a great result to start the day as we scoped a cracking Asian Emerald Cuckoo as it sat calling from the top of a sunlit tree. Wow! And eventually we also found our other target bird, when a small group of Black-throated Parrotbills passed close by in company with some Golden Babblers. 

Black-throated Parrotbill

Apart from that, we saw a close male Clicking Shrike-Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, some close Silver-eared Mesias, Rufous-backed Sibia, and other previously seen species. 

Then we headed off to Chiang Mai airport for our afternoon flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival we checked in to the Amari Don Muang Hotel and then had a nice little birding session nearby with Red-rumped Swallow, Germain’s Swiftlet, Yellow-vented Bulbul and best of all, a few Java Sparrows.

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.