Sensational Spoonies..!

It is always a highlight of our Thailand tour to visit the shorebird mecca of Pak Thale and today did not disappoint because within literally a few seconds of setting up our scopes we were watching the first of six Spoon-billed Sandpipers seen this morning. In fact all six were in the same saltpan right in front of us at one stage and we spent a rather long time soaking up the views of this mega, which is classified as Critically Endangered by BirdLife International. It’s always a trifle difficult to focus on one species here as there are just so many birds present, but this is such a rare bird and we were treated to the best views I’ve ever had here.

A selection of photos taken this morning of Spoon-billed Sandpiper.

Khao Yai to Phetchaburi

We were back in the park at first light, enjoying our picnic breakfast from a fine viewpoint and spent a very nice hour or so scanning the remarkably tall roadside trees that were laden with fruit. Many Spangled Drongos were in attendance, along with Blue-eared, Moustached and Green-eared Barbets, Stripe-throated Bulbuls, Blue-winged Leafbird and many Asian Fairy Bluebirds, whilst several Vernal Hanging-Parrots showed well in the scope and a couple of Oriental Pied Hornbills flew by. Best of all a huge Great Hornbill put in an appearance before flying across in front of us – absolutely brilliant. 

Great Hornbill

It was good fun to be able to scan lots of birds perching in the treetops. We then tried a trail that was practically birdless before driving across the park and enjoying both Van Hasselt’s and Crimson Sunbirds perching in the treetops. Nearby, we watched a Crested Goshawk soaring overhead, Black-capped Kingfisher, a flyover Dollarbird, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, and we also found a huge Burmese Python coiled in a large tree. Then at a car park further down the same road we had much closer views of both sunbirds, as well as a Little Spiderhunter.

Crimson Sunbird

Van Hasselt's Sunbird

It took just a little over 4 hours to drive to the Phetchaburi rice fields where we spent the late afternoon birding along a relatively quiet road scanning the marshes and pools. At the first stop there was a mixed flock of Baya, Streaked and Asiatic Golden Weavers, as well as Brahminy Kite, Oriental Reed Warbler, Red Collared Dove, Plain-backed Sparrow and Yellow-bellied Prinia.

Moving on, a wet, ploughed field held lots of Long-toed Stints, Wood Sandpipers, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, and a lone Grey-headed Lapwing. Further on and another ‘wet’ field held lots of Black-winged Stils, our first Bronze-winged Jacana, and a really good find was a Watercock, with several Pink-necked Green-Pigeons, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Chestnut-capped Babbler, brief Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and a Racket-tailed Treepie seen nearby.

Brahminy Kite

Our last stop along a dirt track led us to a pool where 30+ Cotton Pygmy Geese were seen, plus a couple of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. We spent a good while scanning the area and also saw White-browed Crake, Yellow Bittern, close Black-browed Reed Warbler, Chestnut Munia, a calling Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, and a few Ashy Minivets flew high overhead calling.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Our hotel was only a short distance away and we celebrated a good day with some nice cold Changs!

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.