Kaeng Krachen

Spent a couple of hours looking for Black-headed Woodpeckers unsuccessfully this morning at a site that it seems has become too well known with just too many people blasting the call out and spoiling it for everyone else! A few other nice birds were around such as Red-breasted Parakeets, lots of Asian Barred and Spotted Owlets, Purple Sunbird and Rufous Treepie. So we left here and drove to a nice lodge close to the entrance of Kaeng Krachen National Park where we had lunch before driving the short distance to a very special site.

I like the fact that we can visit a small photo hide situated overlooking a little pond in the middle of some dry forest and actually get to watch birds coming down to drink and bathe. And the emphasis is on watching birds, rather than racing around trying to build your list up. In fact, you get to see some of the forests shyer inhabitants and some species that you just don’t see usually and this afternoon’s 5 hour vigil again proved that point. 

Bar-backed Partridge

We had amazingly good and close views of everything and everyone felt it was a privilege to be able to witness such a spectacle. We began with a pair of White-rumped Shamas that loitered the whole afternoon, and one of them actually had a penchant for coming inside the hide! A brief White-bellied Erpornis appeared, but was totally overshadowed by the appearance of 6 Bar-backed Partridges that walked in and began to disrupt the leaf litter in a curious feeding motion. In fact they reappeared a couple of times this afternoon. 

Pale-legged Leaf-warbler

A couple of Pale-legged Leaf-warblers were more or less on constant view, whilst Chinese Blue Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch and Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers only appeared a few times. There were just a few lulls in proceedings, but we never really had to wait too long before species such as Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Puff-throated Babbler, Greater and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes and towards the end of the day, an Abbott’s Babbler flew in to entertain us. 

Lesser (on left) and Greater Necklaced Laughingthrushes coming in for a drink

Other birds present from time to time included Siberian Blue Robin, both Stripe-throated and Streak-eared Bulbuls and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo to add to the fun. 

Siberian Blue Robin (female)

Siberian Blue Robin (male)

Non avian interest was provided by Indo-Chinese Ground Squirrel, Grey-bellied Squirrel and 2 Lesser Mouse Deer. 

Lesser Mouse Deer

The final icing on the cake was a group of 3 superb Scaly-breasted Partridges and was a species we didn’t really expect as it has been seen only intermittently here the past month or so. 

Scaly-breasted Partridge

 And that was our lot and we retired to the lodge and some of the best food of the tour so far.

Petchaburi and Wader Heaven

A brisk wind affected our birding at Pak Thale this morning and resulted in all of the waders being extremely ‘flighty’ and we spent a frustrating couple of hours chasing them as they settled briefly at various salt pans in the vicinity. We had an initially brief sighting of a Spoon-billed Sandpiper that landed right I front of us for mere seconds and only 2 of us managed to see that one. A couple of hours later after yomping around the area, Nigel found a different spoonie with a white leg flag that fortunately remained on view amongst a huge congregation of other waders for quite a while – albeit distantly. However, everyone was extremely happy to get to grips with this much-wanted species. During our search we had seen a number of other good waders, such as Pacific Golden Plover, Long-toed Stint, many Broad-billed Sandpipers, Marsh Sandpiper, 30+ Terek Sandpipers, loads of Red-necked Stints and others, but we’d see them all so much better and closer later in the day. Next up was a short drive along the road, and we had our second big target species of the day in the shape of 10 Nordmann’s Greenshanks at another salt pan. They were also distant and we had to walk out along a narrow bund to get better views. We did achieve the slightly better views, and also managed to see a Heuglin’s Gull as well that was loafing with a flock of Brown-headed Gulls and Caspian Terns.

Curlew Sand, Red-necked Stint and broad-billed Sandpiper

Long-toed Stint

A nice wader shot with the Broad-billed Sandpiper again

We were booked in for lunch at Mr Daeng’s house along the mangrove creek (sounds good right?) before hopping onto a couple of his small boats and taking a rather choppy ride out to the nearby sandspit. Once again the wind had affected things here and the White-faced Plover was located on another sandy area across a narrow channel cut off by the sea – but in the scope we could make out all of the salient features. This is currently ‘lumped’ in Kentish Plover but in my opinion (for what it’s worth) shouldn’t be as it is structurally different, is very distinctive and has certain behavious traits making it a very different creature to a Kentish Plover. Apparently the DNA research and subsequent ‘lumping’ is based on one single feather sample…? That cant be right, can it? I mean even in a teenager’s GCSE science project the teacher would laugh at him (or her) for only providing one sample and be told to go get some more evidence…..! Anyway I digress, and there was also a few Malaysian Plovers present, a Chinese Egret, Pacific Reef Egret, plus 4 Great Black-headed Gulls, Gull-billed Tern, both Great and Lesser Crested Terns, and some other common stuff.

Great crested Terns

Pallas's Gull

So following some very welcome cold drinks we drove around some more salt pans in search of dowitchers, but we got held up looking at Richard’s and Paddyfield Pipits and plenty of very close waders along the way, including a few Greater Sandplovers amongst loads of Lesser Sandplovers and Temminck’s Stint. 

Temminck's Stint

Eventually we closed in on a flock of Eastern Black-tailed Godwits (a dodgy split if ever there was one) and ended up finding at least 10 Asiatic Dowitchers. What a great bird and we spent ages watching them, with one individual getting closer and closer to us. Using the minivan as a hide is brilliant here, as you just wouldn’t get such close views as we were privileged to get if you were walking. 

Asiatic Dowitcher

Asiatic Dowitcher

Eastern Black-tailed Godwits

Also in the area was a number of close Marsh Sandpipers, and further on 52 Red-necked Phalaropes was quite a sighting.

Marsh Sandpiper

Leaving here we went to the Royal Project and drove around the lagoons where a number of White-winged Terns were seen amongst the more numerous Whiskered Terns. We also had both Common and Pintail Snipe, a Slaty-breasted Rail and a brief Ruddy-breasted Crake for some of us. As dusk descended thousands of Lyle’s Flying Foxes streamed overhead, and we spotlighted an Indian Nightjar. As we did this a female Greater Painted Snipe flew into the torch beam and landed in front of us – and that has never happened before!

Khao Yai - Petchaburi

Back into Khao Yai for a few hours this morning and after a picnic breakfast in one of the campgrounds (and guarding our food against a gang of Pig-tailed Macaques intent on mugging us) we walked along the road and into a beautiful valley. Well, we finally found some woodpeckers (where have they been..?) with Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownape and a fine Laced Woodpecker showing well. Just a shame a Greater Yellownape didn’t play ball. Undoubtedly bird of the morning was the stunning male Banded Kingfisher sitting over the road In the morning sunshine, totally oblivious to our presence. 

Banded Kingfisher - male

Things were going very well so far, with Hainan Blue and Hill Blue Flycatchers being seen, along with Crested Goshawk, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Pin-striped Tit-babblers, Radde’s Warbler and Green-billed Malkoha also showing well. Leaving here we headed out of the park, stopping at our usual site to connect with Van Hasselt’s and Crimson Sunbirds easily, and there was also our first Black-capped Kingfisher and a Striated Heron as well.

We then set out on the long drive to Petchaburi, which took 5 hours with a lunch stop and spent the last couple of hours in the middle of the patchwork of drainage channels, rice-fields and marshes. We thoroughly enjoyed being out in this open country and at the first lake had 30+ Grey-headed Lapwings, Purple Heron, Intermediate Egret, Marsh Sandpiper and lots of other common species. Across the road Phil found a Yellow Bittern, whist a tree full of Pink-necked Green-pigeons looked really nice in the lovely afternoon sunshine. 

Pink-necked Green-Pigeons

We particularly liked the male Siberian Rubythroat, but there was also Cotton Pygmy-Goose, both jacanas, Brahminy and Black-eared Kites, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Blue-throated and Little Green Bee-eaters, Germain’s Swiftlet, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Oriental Reed and Black-browed Reed Warblers, Baya Weaver and Asian Pied Starling.

Khao Yai - Day 2

Drove back into Khao Yai at 6pm and went right the way across the park and headed up to the Army checkpoint, seeing an Orange-headed Thrush in the road, before stopping at the top of Radar Road. We were almost the first people here and before we'd even finished parking saw a couple of Black-throated Laughingthrushes feeding on the road right in front of one of the Thai sentries! So we quickly hopped out and over the course of a good half an hour thoroughly enjoyed outstanding views of these usually secretive birds. 

Black-throated Laughingthrush

There was a distinct chill in the air this morning but the constant appearance of new birds meant we were rather distracted until the sun appeared over the hill. Next up was a beautiful Common Green Magpie, followed by perched views of Barred Cuckoo-Dove, Black-throated Sunbird, a close Grey-backed Shrike and stunning views of two Radde's Warblers. 

Grey-backed Shrike

Radde's Warbler

Leaving here we drove back downhill and walked for a few hours along the road, which was pretty quiet to be honest despite calling in a pair of Banded Broadbills right next to us. They are such stunners and continuing the theme of this tour, we spent quite a while admiring their intricate plumage and simply enjoying the bird. 

Banded Broadbill

Shortly after a Blue Pitta called and amazingly everyone had nailed the beauty within a couple of minutes before it melted away again into the forest. Sounds easy doesn't it? Well we got lucky as the bird remained motionless in one spot for a couple of minutes - and that doesn't happen too often! I was also pleased to see a Claudia's Warbler clambering around a dense tangle by the road - this is one of a number of tricky phylloscopus warblers to be found in Thailand. Following this we walked a trail for half an hour and got lucky with a pair of Black-and-buff Woodpeckers perched overhead.

After lunch we drove to one of the campsites which was now empty and scoped a Blue-eared Barbet high up in a tree. There was also Little Spiderhunter, an Arctic Warbler, Two-barred Warbler and a Yellow-browed Warbler present, along with Taiga Flycatcher, Fire-breasted, Thick-billed and Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers. It was then that we got some news of a Buffy Fish-owl being seen earlier in the day and dashed to the area where the bird had been but there was nothing there. But we did get views of Striated Heron and Oriental Pied Hornbill. 

Blue-eared Barbet

Thick-billed Green-pigeon

All rather frustrating really, so we returned to the campsite a found a small fruiting tree with a few Thick-billed Green-pigeons and Blue-eared Barbets in it. We had stunning views once again and I cannot remember being this close to these two species before.  Then we spent the last hour and a half staking out the back of the restaurant in a half-hearted hope of seeing a ground-cuckoo which had allegedly been seen a week ago there. An Orange-headed Thrush was very nice, as was a male Red Junglefowl, Blue Whistling-thrush, Pale-legged Leaf-warbler and Siberian Blue Robin. Heather also spotted a Greater Flameback in a large tree as well.

At the end of the day, as we were driving to the hotel, Nick spotted 3 Brown-backed Needletails circling over one of the lakes and we watched them for several minutes as they came down to drink. 

Thailand - Khao Yai National Park

It’s great to be back in Thailand once again and having met up with Nigel, Daryl, Jeff & Heather late last night we were all assembled at 5.30am and ready for the drive towards Khao Yai. We had a lovely clear blue sky to see us on our way and after an hour and a half pulled in to the famous site of Wat Praphuttabaht Noi, home of Limestone Wren-babbler. It is a nice little spot with a Buddhist temple surrounded by tall limestone crags and within a matter of just a few minutes we were watching a pair of wren-babblers clambering around the boulders at the base of the cliffs. These disappeared after a minute or so, but we then discovered another pair which were on view for around ten minutes. Superb! 

Limestone Wren-babbler

Other birds here are not numerous but we took our time and had nice views of a Peregrine carrying some prey, Coppersmith Barbet,  Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, both Asian Brown and Taiga Flycatchers, a female Black-naped Monarch, Black-naped Oriole, Olive-backed Sunbird, Yellow-browed Warbler, Long-tailed Macaque, Variable Squirrel, and just before we left a huge Lineated Barbet flew in to a tall tree right next to us.

So leaving here we drove on for another couple of hours to Khao Yai, seeing a group of Red-breasted Parakeets along the way, plus a fine male Plain-backed Sparrow near the entrance gate. Once inside the park we headed straight to a stake-out which was home to a stunning White-throated Rock-thrush and male Mugimaki Flycatcher. Both of these birds were extremely confiding and waiting for us to put some food down and flew in right beside us as soon as we arrived. It is quite amazing to think these birds have been returning to the very same spot for the last 4 or 5 years.

Mugimaki Flycatcher

White-throated Rock-Thrush

White-throated Rock-Thrush

There was also a bold White-rumped Shama hopping around the leaf litter right in front of us as well. A short walk from here only gave us Black-crested Bulbul and White-bellied Erpornis so we decided to head to the Park HQ for lunch.

Afterwards we drove deeper into the park, seeing a very close and obliging Bright-headed Cisticola along the way. Normally you wouldn't get excited about a cisticola but this one came in so close and lingered that you simply have to enjoy the bird. And we had a bonus find at the same spot, in a Rufescent Prinia  (a new bird for this tour), before walking along the road for a couple of hours. 

Bright-headed Cisticola

A Grey-backed Shrike was scoped before we found a large fruiting tree and a Moustached Barbet also looked nice in the scope, whilst a Yellow-vented Flowerpecker was seen as well and perched views of Mountain Imperial-pigeon are always a bonus. 

Mountain Imperial-Pigeon

Next up, an Orange-breasted Trogon flew over Nigel and Jeff, whilst a little further along we had Puff-throated and Grey-eyed Bulbuls, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Thick-billed, Fire-breasted and Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers, Brown-rumped Minivet, brief Black-throated Sunbird and Stripe-throated Bulbul. Scope views of a female Wreathed Hornbill were much appreciated by everyone,

Driving back we stopped for another walk and scored with two males and a female Siamese Fireback feeding beside the road. Then a cracking male Red-headed Trogon put in an appearance, followed by a reasonably close Collared Owlet, several White-crested Laughingthrushes and a brief Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush. We then spent the last hour of daylight beside a large pool waiting for needletails to come down to drink – which they didn’t, so had to console ourselves with plenty of Asian Palm Swifts a and a few Himalayan Swiftlets. As dusk settled several Great Eared-Nightjars hawked for insects around us. They are simply stunning birds, looking for all the world like a harrier and boy did they give good close views. It was also nice to see Large-tailed Nightjar here, and a Grey Nightjar was a huge bonus as well.