Arizona Day 1 - Mount Lemmon

So welcome to my Arizona blog report. I have to say that Arizona is a great birding destination with numerous exceedingly localised species of predominantly Mexican origin that just dip their toes over the border and into the USA here. Its not a particularly cheap destination and i've found prices are similar to those in the UK really as far as accommodation and food are concerned. I've got a great rental vehicle, some good friends with me and a yearning to nail a bunch of lifers to fill in some of those gaps in my Sibley Guide. So let's go birding.....

Gila Woodpecker - An Arizona speciality and lifer no. 1

The 6am breakfast in the motel was pretty good, although we were more impressed with seeing a few birds around the car park outside. The first lifer of the trip for me was Gila Woodpecker, and we also saw a Phainopepla here as well. The drive up to the base of Mount Lemmon took around 40 minutes and as the road began to rise quite steeply we made our first stop at a scenic overlook. The view looking down to a sprawling Tucson was very impressive and the surrounding habitat of arid, rocky hills dotted with cacti looked very interesting but all we saw here was a brief Lucy’s Warbler, an even briefer Townsend’s Warbler looking really out of its comfort zone and obviously on migration, a few Chipping Sparrows and a pair of Black-throated Sparrows attending a nest.

Black-throated Sparrow

The next stop higher up was more eventful as the steep cliffs above the road had a fine Canyon Wren singing away, whilst Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Zone-tailed Hawk, Cassin’s Vireo and a Verdin all put in an appearance. Further up at the Cypress Picnic Site we saw a number of goodies and in particular our first Grace’s Warbler showed exceedingly well as it sang from the surrounding pine trees. 

Loved this Grace's Warbler today.

The first of many Yellow-eyed Juncos was also much appreciated, and there was also our first cracking Painted Redstart singing its heart out. Other species seen here included Pygmy and White-breasted Nuthatches, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Spotted Towhee, House Wren and Bridled Titmouse.

A confiding White-breasted Nuthatch

A particularly favourite trail of mine was along Incinerator Road where another much closer Painted Redstart was seen, although I totally messed up the very good photo opportunities presented. 

Painted Redstart

However, just around the corner our first Red-faced Warblers got our pulses racing a bit and what a stunning bird this was. I have to say this bird, the redstart and Grace’s Warbler were a fine trio of birds to have seen so quickly – I’m loving this Arizona birding already! 

Red-faced Warbler is a stunning bird

Anyway, one bird I was a little concerned about finding was Virginia’s Warbler as it seemed to be the one bird that was missing from many of the tour reports I had been reading. Well I needn’t have worried as I found a very confiding feeding amongst some low bushes that lingered long enough for me to fire off a few record shots. Can’t say I truly nailed the photos but they will have to do. 

Very pleased to see this Virginia's Warbler

Also along here were Hutton’s Vireo, Brown Creeper, more Pygmy Nuthatches, Western Bluebird, American Robin, Northern Flicker, Violet-green Swallow, more juncos, and a very confiding Northern Flicker.

Pygmy Nuthatch

Yellow-eyed Junco was common

Northern Flicker

We had lunch at Rose Canyon and found this site to be rather quiet although a calling Coopers Hawk was nice, and there was also a Western Osprey, Audubon’s Warbler and some Pine Siskins. 

Cooper's Hawk

After our picnic we returned to the motel in the late afternoon and enjoyed good looks at a Cactus Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Bronzed Cowbird and the Phainopepla. 

A confiding Cactus Wren

After dinner I drove back up to Mount Lemmon for our first owling session of the trip, which turned out to be a dismal failure with heard only Mexican Whip-Poor-Will and Flammulated Owl – oh dear!

Great scenery is guaranteed in Arizona

Lung Sin Hide at Kaeng Krachen

OK ok so i've posted lots of photos from this place over the years but the truth is that this is such a great site and such an awesome experience. Whether you are taking photos with your slr or bridge camera, you just can't fail to get some impressive shots.

This visit turned up a few new species that i've never come across before and I managed to get some reasonable pics of all of them, apart from a Grey-faced Woodpecker......

Banded Bay Cuckoo

Common Emerald Dove

Common Green Magpie

Kalij Pheasant

Large Scimitar-Babbler & Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

Of course there were the usual birds present, so here's a section of my best pics........

Bar-backed Partridge

Black-Naped Monarch

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Puff-throated Babbler

Racket-tailed Treepie

Red Junglefowl

Stripe-throated Bulbul

Tickell's  Blue Flycatcher

Kaeng Krachen

I really love birding the forest of Kaeng Krachen, as there are just so many good birds to see here plus there's really good potential to get a few more southern species that occasionally pop up here. Our list of birds for this site over just a couple of days reads like a "Who's Who" of mouthwatering crackers..... Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Black-thighed Falconet, Long-tailed, Black-and-red and Black-and-yellow Broadbills, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Violet and Asian Emerald Cuckoos, Golden-crested Myna, Red-throated Barbet, Crested Jay, Tickell's Brown and Great Hornbills and Heart-spotted Woodpecker being amongst some of my personal favourites.

Here's a few photo's..... 

Asian Fairy Bluebird

Black-and-yellow Broadbill

Great Hornbill

Orange-breasted Trogon

Red-bearded Bee-eater

A Few Videos from Thailand.....!

Have been playing around with the video function of my Nikon D7200 whilst spending time at the numerous feeding stations and water holes on my recent Thailand tour.  See what you think......?

This Dark-sided Thrush was seen every time we walked along the boardwalk at the top of Doi Inthanon. It's a bona fide Zoothera thrush and gets my pulse racing every time.

Now who can't be moved by this Siberian Rubythroat.....?

Loved this Northern Red-flanked Bluetail... A bit brief but it's such a sexy bird....!

And best of all, the Rusty-naped Pitta from Doi Ang Khang. A little too close i'm afraid...!

Pak Thale and Laem Pak Bia - Shorebird Heaven

The shorebird heaven of Phetchaburi Province is home to a small wintering population of Spoon-billed Sandpipers and that is obviously the major draw here. And quite right too! Classified as Critically Endangered by BirdLife International they state that there are only 240 - 400 mature individuals left in the wild and this site is undoubtedly the 'easiest' place for visiting birders to go and see this very special bird. We found 3 spoonies, one of which had a green leg flag from the reintroduction project. The worrying thing here is that the owner of these salt pans is considering closing them to visiting birders due to a few instances of bad behaviour........

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

Click here to go to the "Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper " website.

The other major target species here is Nordmann's Greenshank, classified as Endangered by BirdLife International with a reputed 330 - 670 mature individuals. They are always difficult to get close too but this year we had our best views ever of several groups and enjoyed watching them on repeated occasions.

Nordmann's Greenshanks and Great Knots at distance

Nordmann's Greenshanks by Nick Upton

Asian Dowitchers have been rather more erratic this year and it wasn't until our last morning in the area that we caught up with them, thanks to Nick Upton's local knowledge. Although a little distant we watched 3 birds at a range of some 50m through the scope and felt a little relieved! Here's a photo of a different group from a tour we did a couple of years ago. 

Asian Dowitchers by Nick Upton

The sandpit of Laem Pak Bia holds White-fronted Plover (Charadrius Dealbatus) and you can read about this fascinating species here. There's also Malaysian Plovers, Chinese Egrets, and a good selection of terns and gulls, which this year held Pallas's, Heuglin's and this Steppe Gull (Larus barabensis) - a new bird for Thailand and previously found by Nick Upton some 6 weeks earlier.

Steppe Gull at Laem Pak Bia by Nick Upton

Chinese Egret

White-faced Plover (right hand bird)

A huge variety of other shorebirds were seen on our tour and on one day we saw 40 species out of a total tour count of 46...! So we saw Oriental Pratincole, 100's of Great Knots, Long-toed Stints, Red-necked Phalaropes, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Far Eastern Curlew, Greater Sandplover, Greater Painted Snipe and thousands of Red-necked Stints. For anyone with an interest in shorebirds, this is the place to be. And if you're not.... Oh well..! But the spectacle of seeing so many birds is something to behold.

Great Knots

Long-toed Stint

More Great Knots

Oriental Pratincole

Temminck's Stint

Curlew Sandpiper

Broad-billed Sandpiper

But it's not just about shorebirds and the nearby rice fields, pools and marshes also produced Baillon's, Ruddy-breasted and White-browed Crakes, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Slender-billed Gull, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, White-shouldered and Purple-backed Starlings, Asian Golden Weaver and so much more.

Spot the Slender-billed Gull

Thailand never disappoints and our tours seem to get better and better every year. Take a look a Nick Upton's blog here. And his Thai Birding website here. 

Eared Pitta by Nick Upton

So I can't wait to return. Next year's tour is already full, but looks like I will be back in June for our Thai Pita tour where we hope to see Blue, Blue-winged, Hooded and hopefully the ever elusive Eared Pitta. We might also make a detour to get Mangrove and Malayan Banded Pittas as well. If you fancy joining us then take a look at our itinerary - click here.