Thailand; Day 11 - Chiang Saen

   For our first full day in the Chiang Saen area we first visited the Nam Kham Nature Reserve just outside the town. Although small, the reserve includes a number of different habitats and a few specialist hides to target rare migrant species. The plan was to spend the morning here, enjoying some very nice birding, and that was how it transpired. Although there were no rare species here, I had new birds with Chestnut-tailed Starling, with other interesting species being Red Avadavat, Thick-billed Warbler and our first actually seen Coppersmith Barbet.

  There were two species we wanted to see here, both rare migrants rather than range-restricted endemics; the Baikal Bush Warbler and the Siberian Rubythroat. It was mid-morning before we found either, with the Rubythroat being the first to fall. A small hide setup in the reedbed seemed promising, and after a short wait, a stunning male popped out of the reeds and began to prance around in the open. Although he did not stop long, we got to see him a couple more times. The Bush Warbler was a bit more tricky. The dedicated hide required a twenty-minute wait for a brief view, but at around lunchtime when waiting again with Sarah, an individual came right out in the open and started bathing in the small pool there. Brilliant to see both targets so well.

  After lunch we returned to the lake we visited the previous evening for the Harriers, but this time on the far side where we hoped we might have a little more indication as to where the birds were heading to roost. The birding was once again spectacular, with a counted 1200 Barn Swallows all heading northwest, and with an estimated 350 Wood Sandpipers all passing south overhead in flocks ranging from 20 to 70. Additionally, we had good numbers of Lesser Whistling Ducks and late in the afternoon a phenomenal bonus bird with a sub-adult Greater Spotted Eagle flying west over the lake.

  There were less harriers than the previous night, but we still had some of both Eastern Marsh and Pied, but they continued to fly overhead heading northeast. After a few birds had gone we drove up the hill to gain a better vantage point to see where they were heading, but could see they were heading far to the other side of the main lake, not roosting anywhere near us. Still from this higher vantage point we had excellent views of male Pied Harriers passing over us, and we also spotted a male sitting in a dirt field on the far side of the lake. Just as we were leaving we had a Large-tailed Nightjar blogging around the car, rounding off another brilliant days birding. 

Species List:
Nam Kham Nature Reserve: Spotted Dove, Greater Coucal, Green-billed Malkoha, Asian Koel, Red-wattled Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Asian Openbill, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Rufous-winged Buzzard, Common Kingfisher, Asian Green Bee-eater, Coppersmith Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Ashy Woodswallow, Common Iora, Black Drongo, Ashy Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Brown Shrike, Racket-tailed Treepie, Thick-billed Warbler, Baikal Bush Warbler, Barn Swallow, Streak-eared Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Puff-throated Babbler, Black-collared Starling, Siamese Pied Myna, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Great Myna, White-rumped Shama, Siberian Rubythroat, Taiga Flycatcher, Scaly-breasted Munia, White-rumped Munia, Red Avadavat,
Harrier Roost Lake: Lesser Whistling Duck, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Red Collared Dove, Spotted Dove, Greater Coucal, Asian Koel, Common Moorhen, Grey-headed Swamphen, Wood Sandpiper, Oriental Darter, Little Cormorant, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Medium Egret, Purple Heron, Crested Honey Buzzard, Greater Spotted Eagle, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Pied Harrier, Shikra, Asian Barred Owlet, Lineated Barbet, Laced Woodpecker, Black Drongo, Long-tailed Shrike, Racket-tailed Treepie, Barn Swallow, Two-barred Warbler, Great Myna, Amur Stonechat, Richard's Pipit,