New Zealand; Day 12 - Stewart Island & Ulva Island

  Today would be our only full day on Stewart Island, or more accurately in the Raikoura National Park, since for the morning we had arranged a charter to the nearby predator-free Ulva island, which is home to a number of target birds. This plan saw us through until early afternoon, and meant we got to walk through an area of pristine coastal forest surrounded by beautiful beaches and other stunning islands.

  We made our way across from Golden Bay Wharf and arrived on Ulva Island itself at around 09:00.  This early in the morning we found the trails lively with birds, and we quickly started to see common species I had become familiar with over the last few days. Red-crowned Parakeet was nice to see well after yesterdays flyovers, and at the end of the afternoon I had a nice Yellow-crowned Parakeet as well. Kaka flew over multiple times during the morning, and at one point there was one playfully feeding low in the canopy allowing excellent views. The usual assortment of Tomtit, South Island Robin and New Zealand Fantail also entertained us during the day.

  There were two key targets for me on the island; the South Island Saddleback and the Yellowhead. Thanks to some information I was given by Dan Pointon I knew he had seen Saddleback on the edge of Sydney Beach, so that was where we went. No sooner had we arrived than I spotted a Saddleback feeding on fruits in a small tree. A huge relief as it was a bird I feared I would miss. The bird quickly moved, as did we when a large bull New Zealand Sea-Lion started chasing us, but throughout the morning we saw a minimum total of six Saddleback, involving probably two family groups. Yellowhead took a little longer but eventually turned out to be very common and we were treated to some excellent views throughout the morning.

  Once back on Stewart Island, I decided to explore the coast to the north of Oban, in the vague hope of finding Fiordland Penguin. Again, Dan Pointon had explained how to see a group of moulting birds on a small island in one of the small coves, but despite how hard I tried I could not see into the cave they were residing in, at least not enough to see if there were Penguins in it. Despite this, I decided to carry on round to Horseshoe Point to see if there were any other birds around, and after waiting half an hour there I was thrilled when a Fiordland Penguin swam past, surfacing a total of three times before I lost it. An absolutely brilliant bonus bird for my time here on Stewart Island. And as I walked back, early evening, I had my first Bullers Albatross in the harbour, although very distant from where I was viewing.

  In the evening we tried to see the Little Penguins coming in to roost off the jetty in Oban itself but sadly nothing happened by dark. Still, a flock of 120 Bar-tailed Godwit flew over us heading into the island, and a Morepork was singing near the jetty. It was a very pleasant evening. 

Species List:
Stewart Island: Mallard, New Zealand Pigeon, Variable Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit, Silver Gull, Kelp Gull, White-fronted Tern, Little Penguin, Fiordland Penguin, Buller's Albatross, Shy Albatross, Little Pied Cormorant, Spotted Shag, Australian Pied Cormorant, Foveaux Shag, White-faced Heron, New Zealand Kaka, Red-crowned Parakeet, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, Grey Gerygone, New Zealand Fantail, Tomtit, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Lesser Redpoll,
Ulva Island: New Zealand Pigeon, Variable Oystercatcher, Silver Gull, Kelp Gull, Little Penguin, Little Pied Cormorant, Spotted Shag, Australian Pied Cormorant, Foveaux Shag, New Zealand Kaka, Red-crowned Parakeet, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, Grey Gerygone, Yellowhead, Pipipi, New Zealand Fantail, South Island Saddleback, Tomtit, South Island Robin,

New Zealand; Day 11 - Awarua Bay & Stewart Island

  After yesterdays success, but with the light fading, I wanted to try again for the South Island Dotterel in Tiwai. I left our motel at six and drove the half hour there, before walking the additional twenty minutes to the location I saw the birds yesterday, just in time for the first light to break through. It was a little more sluggish than the previous evening, but the tide began to fall soon enough and birds began to arrive. The complexion of the arriving birds was much the same as the previous day, although the Spoonbill did not return. The South Island Dotterel did indeed return, 15 of them in fact, but only at 08:10 when I had to leave at 08:30. Still I was able to record many colour rings and take more photos in better light, although the birds were not as confiding as they were the previous day, but still pretty confiding.

  Today we would take the ferry across to Stewart Island, a beautiful pristine island home to several rare and threatened birds which I was looking forward to seeing. The ferry across would take an hour, and departed from the docks in the town of Bluff at 13:15. Surprisingly the conditions were very calm and as such it was easy to see birds as we sped along, although due to the calm conditions not much was active. What was active however were the Little Penguins, another new penguin species, and we started seeing these right out of the harbour, and would continue to see them even after we landed on Stewart Island. In addition, there was a Southern Royal Albatross among many Shy Albatross, a single Common Diving Petrel and a few Sooty Shearwaters. As we approached Stewart Island itself, a few Foveaux Shag also started to make an appearance.

  For our first afternoon on Stewart Island we decided to walk out to Ackers Point Lighthouse, a walk of a few kilometres through some mixed habitats. It was very pleasant walking under surprisingly bright and sunny conditions. In the harbour, we continued to see the Little Penguins, sometimes showing nicely close to shore. In the bushes there were so many Tui, seemingly everywhere to excess, often showing nicely as well. My first Red-crowned Parakeets flew over us at multiple points, but not allowing for any real detail to be observed, and as the evening wore on we also saw a few Kaka fly over our campsite in the small town of Oban, as well as one roosting at the back of the campsite.

  Today was very special as we had booked a Kiwi tour with one of the companies on the island, Beaks and Feathers. This company has access to the airstrip on the island after hours, and has an excellent success rate of finding the Southern Brown Kiwi which lives on the island. We met up with the tour at 21:30 and took a short minibus ride up to the airstrip, optimistic to put my last Kiwi pain behind me.

  And that happened very quickly, as no sooner had we jumped out of the car than our guide, showed us a large female Kiwi feeding right next to the road. We watched her feeding for some time, often at close range, before we continued up to the airstrip itself. Before 23:00, we must have seen in excess of five different Kiwi of all shapes and sizes. We saw them calling, we saw them running, we saw them falling over, it was absolutely brilliant, with us never being without a Kiwi for long. One of the juvenile birds even came running up to us and since I was crouched down trying to take photos, came up and started quickly pulling on my trousers before swiftly running away. There is absolutely no way that our Kiwi night could have gone any better, it was simply incredible to be a part of. 

-New Zealand Plover

Species List:
Awarua Bay: Black Swan, Mallard, Pied Stilt, South Island Oystercatcher, Variable Oystercatcher, Double-banded Plover, New Zealand Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, Caspian Tern, White-faced Heron, Swamp Harrier, New Zealand Fantail, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Dunnock, Lesser Redpoll,
Stewart Island Ferry: Silver Gull, Kelp Gull, Little Penguin, Southern Royal Albatross, Shy Albatross, Sooty Shearwater, Common Diving Petrel, Little Pied Cormorant, Spotted Shag, Foveaux Shag,
Stewart Island: South Island Kiwi, New Zealand Pigeon, Variable Oystercatcher, Silver Gull, Kelp Gull, White-fronted Tern, Little Penguin, Shy Albatross, Australian Pied Cormorant, Foveaux Shag, New Zealand Kaka, Red-crowned Parakeet, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, Grey Gerygone, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, 

New Zealand; Day 10 - Fiordland National Park & Awarua Bay

  Our final day in Fiordland National Park was spent around Te Anu, since the forecast was for rainy weather during the day. However, that was not how it transpired, and it was in reality quite a pleasant morning in the town. We started by visiting the Te Anu Wildlife Centre to see the feeding of the two pairs of South Island Takahae that are kept there, since it is not possible to see the species any other way. It was quite cool to see such a rare bird, even though they were in captivity. The rest of the morning was still chilling out by the lakeside, with its confiding New Zealand Scaup and Black-billed Gulls. From mid-afternoon we set off in the car heading south, driving the three hours to the town of Invercargil.

  Once we finally arrived in Invercargil, we unpacked quickly and I drove the half hour down to Tiwai Bay, arriving at 19:30, to check for wading birds. Here there were two main targets for me, so it was extremely frustrating to find that I could not drive to the site I wanted, falling about two kilometres short of my final destination. I decided to persevere regardless and walked the rest of the way to the location I wanted to check, along the shoreline of the estuary.

  Frustratingly, even from two kilometres away I could see that there were no birds present on the beach, and it looked bleak that I would find either target here. However, the tide was very high and slowly dropping so I positioned myself on the west side of the Brandy Point peninsula and waited here. Helpfully this was the only location where I could actually see wading birds, with a few Ruddy Turnstones trotting about in front of me. However, as the tide began to fall, it started to expose areas of mud and sure enough birds started to arrive.

  The majority of the birds were Ruddy Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit and Double-banded Plover, with a healthy contingent of South Island Oystercatcher also present. With the scope I spent the remaining hours of daylight filtering through as birds continued to arrive until there was a couple of hundred wading birds feeding on the foreshore. Additionally, there were a pair of Royal Spoonbill that dropped in at near dark, and a few Pied Stilts were also present, a new species for me.

  The one I really wanted to see here was New Zealand Plover, the South Island subspecies of which is critically endangered with just over 100 birds left. They were one of the last wader species to arrive on the beach, landing when a large portion of the estuary was already exposed. In total four birds dropped in, all of them with colour rings, much to my relief. Since they were not too far out I tried to approach the birds with my camera, but soon realised that they were in fact approaching me, leaving me to sit still and wait. And sure enough two individuals came so close that I could have touched them had I wanted to, completely unfazed by my presence. Absolutely brilliant and a real privilege to see such a rare species so close.

  Sadly the light was not on my side, and I ended up driving back to Invercargill in the dark. Still, it was an absolutely brilliant evening, and one of the best days birding I had since arriving in New Zealand.

-South Island New Zealand Plover

Species List:
Fiordland National Park: Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, New Zealand Scaup, New Zealand Pigeon, Kelp Gull, Little Pied Cormorant, New Zealand Fantail, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, House Sparrow, Eurasian Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch,
Awarua Bay: Black Swan, Pied Stilt, South Island Oystercatcher, Variable Oystercatcher, Double-banded Plover, New Zealand Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, Black-fronted Tern, White-faced Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Swamp Harrier, Common Blackbird, Lesser Redpoll, 

New Zealand; Day 9 - Fiordland National Park

  From our base in Queenstown, after a shower and a lie-in, we drove the three hours to Te Anu in the Fiordland National Park and eventually arrived at around Midday. After a short stop to grab some lunch and supplies, we continued up the Milford Highway towards the town of Milford Sound, another hour and a half drive. We needed to arrive for our cruise trip along the fiord, which departed at 15:30.

  We did make it to the cruise with limited time to spare. The cruise itself took just under two hours, traveling all the way up the Milford Sound up to the Tasman Sea and then back again. The common birds were present as usual, but in addition there was a spectacular amount of Sooty Shearwaters, which I estimated to exceed 1000 birds. We initially met the flock at the mouth of the fiord, but soon many of the birds found their way down the fiord and for the entire return journey we encountered Sooty Shearwaters passing close by. A feeding frenzy of White-fronted Terns and Shearwaters certainly had the potential for something more, and so it transpired when a group in excess of five Bottlenose Dolphins started swimming up the fiord, frequently breaching their dorsal fins above the waves. A small group of New Zealand Fur Seals were also bathing on the rocks, and the scenery was truly spectacular.

  After the cruise, at around 17:00 we had a walk around Milford Sound itself, and had more intimate Weka encounters that again failed to generate the stunning photos I hoped for. What did happen however, was a Weka attacking the lens hood of my camera, repeatedly biting the neoprene cover. New Zealand Pigeon also showed nicely, and with the tide out at this point we could see a smart White-faced Heron feeding on the exposed shoreline.

  On the way back we planned to check the riverside stops again for Blue Duck, at least as long as time would allow. On our first stop we met a German birder who said someone else had been looking at the Monkey Creek just down the valley. As such we returned to that location in the chance of something happening, but there was nothing doing. But just as we were about to leave two medium-sized birds with dark wings flew downriver, just out of the corner of my eye.

  Although not confident, I wondered, so pursued the birds down the river as best as I could. And then, as I was about to round the corner, two Blue Duck flew past me at extremely close quarters before continuing upstream. It looked as though they dropped in but alas, that is not how it transpired as further searches produced nothing. The photos I got were not great, but clearly showed the identity of the birds. Blue Duck, after much effort, was finally on the trip list.

  It was already quite late at this point, so we continued back to Te Anu, to our campsite and then to bed. Our final day with the Fiordland National Park comes to an end with some more excellent birding and finally seeing the Blue Duck. 

-New Zealand Fur Seal

-Bottlenose Dolphins

-Cicada

Species List:
Fiordland National Park: Paradise Shelduck, Blue Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Mallard, New Zealand Pigeon, Weka, Variable Oystercatcher, Silver Gull, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, White-fronted Tern, Sooty Shearwater, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pied Cormorant, White-faced Heron, Great Egret, New Zealand Falcon, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, Grey Gerygone, New Zealand Fantail, Tomtit, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, House Sparrow, Eurasian Chaffinch, 

New Zealand; Day 8 - Fiordland National Park

  After yesterdays downpour we were desperate to make up for lost time around the Fiordland National Park, both for exploring and for birding. That said, I spent the first couple of hours exploring the campsite area while Ben slept a bit more. There was nothing new, although a pair of very confiding Rifleman in the early morning gloom were easily the best views I had of this species until this point. While having breakfast a little later a New Zealand Kaka flew over, which was the final available species of New Zealand Parrot available on this trip.

  Most of the rest of the morning was spent slowly making our way up the Milford Highway towards Milton Sound, one of the most famous areas in all of New Zealand, renowned for its natural beauty. Along the way we made several stops near the river to search for Blue Duck, but it was already quite busy and we had no joy at any of the spots we checked. A New Zealand Falcon flew overhead which was probably the highlight. After passing through Homer's Tunnel we stopped a few more times, and had our first Weka of the morning at a spot called ‘the Chasm’ although it wasn’t super interesting.

  Once we arrived at the tourist village of Milford Sound we spent an hour walking along the edge of the fiord. The Weka were very tame as we expected, with a family with at least two chicks in the car park itself, taking a roadkill House Sparrow out of the grill of one of the cars. There was another individual in an adjacent park which took a fancy to some leftover pasta to feast upon. Sadly the hoped-for Kea encounter did not arise, with no sign of any particularly habituated individuals.

  On the way back down the Milford Highway, after a little eBird research told us that there was a good chance for Rockwren on the scree slopes at the entrance to Homers Tunnel, I persuaded Ben to make a stop. Conveniently, there was a tour group from the US there already, with a New Zealand guide, and they had been searching for two hours without success. Still, we decided to wait it out, and after half an hour the tour group finally picked up on a Rockwren, which they kindly brought us over to see. The bird was brilliantly confiding, showing extremely well as it moved around the rocks, and perching right in front of us. It was always mobile, however, and difficult to keep track of so our time with it was somewhat limited, even if it did show incredibly well.

  After that we drove back from the Milford Highway, three hours to the town of Queenstown further inland, where we would collect Ben's girlfriend before returning to the National Park the following day. With Rockwren safely under the belt, attention returns to trying to find the Blue Duck, before moving on to other goodies. 

Species List:
Fiordland National Park: Pacific Black Duck, New Zealand Pigeon, Weka, Variable Oystercatcher, Silver Gull, Kelp Gull, White-fronted Tern, Little Pied Cormorant, New Zealand Falcon, Kea, New Zealand Kaka, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Rifleman, New Zealand Rockwren, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, New Zealand Fantail, Tomtit, South Island Robin, Welcome Swallow, Dunnock, Eurasian Chaffinch, 

New Zealand; Day 7 - Fiordland National Park

  From our base in Lumsden we drove the final hour to the town of Te Anu, the gateway town to the Fiordland National Park. Frustratingly, as we began to approach the town it became apparent that the weather was not going to be on our side, and upon arriving in Te Anu, the downpour started. Initially we spent some time around the town itself hoping it would pass, but sadly it did not. With little else to do, I persuaded Ben it might be worth heading into the park to search for the Blue Duck on the rivers, since it would be quiet and there might be some activity. So that’s what we did…

  Sadly the rain did not let up, and after driving an hour along the Milford Road to the locations I wanted to check, it quickly became clear that the rain had turned the normal torrent of a river into something else, with gallons of water gushing past. It seemed that searching for the Blue Duck was a futile endeavour, and we did not stick at it for long. The rain continued to hammer down, so we decided to head to the Cascade Creek Campsite, the last campsite on the Milford Road where we had hoped to stay the night.

  After about an hour waiting at the Campsite we decided that it was probably worth heading back to Te Anu, where we might at least be able to find somewhere warm and dry to sit out the storm, hoping that it might clear up later in the day. It was as we were leaving the site that the day finally turned around, not the weather but the birds. On the fringes of the campsite, I spotted a Weka lurking between the parked cars, so we quickly jumped out in the rain to inspect this key trip target. And what a bird it was, extremely confiding and behaving extremely comically, removing logs from the fire pits and flicking away leaflitter as it foraged. An absolutely outstanding bird for its character, one of the highlights in New Zealand.

  After returning to Te Anu, the weather quickly began to pick up, and so after some afternoon snacks we returned up the Milford Road to the Cascade Creek campsite to stay for the night. The rain continued to hold off, until just a little after dark, although it remained quite gloomy throughout. Even though we arrived at the campsite quite late, we still found time for a short walk. The Weka was once again out on patrol, so we enjoyed its antics a bit more. The walk did not yield anything particularly spectacular, but we did see a pair of Rifleman and a confiding South Island Robin came bounding along the path to greet us as we walked up.

  Helpfully the forecast for tomorrow is much better, so that kept our spirits high after a very frustrating day. We spent the evening watching Long-tailed Wattled Bats fly above the forest, the first time I have seen bats here in New Zealand. 

Species List:
Fiordland National Park: Pacific Black Duck, New Zealand Scaup, Feral Pigeon, Weka, Masked Lapwing, Little Pied Cormorant, Kea, Rifleman, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, Grey Gerygone, New Zealand Fantail, Tomtit, South Island Robin, Welcome Swallow, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, House Sparrow, Eurasian Chaffinch, European Goldfinch,

New Zealand; Day 6 - Dunedin

 Today was not a birding day at all, as it was my first time visiting Ben since he moved out to New Zealand almost six months ago. We took a late morning breakfast on the beach, and then spent the rest of the day preparing for our trip to the Fiordland National Park that evening. Still, we found some time to get to the Orokonui Ecosanctuary just outside of Dunedin, a place aiming to restore New Zealands native flora and fauna in a protected reserve. The reserve is most famous for its resident pair of Takahe, but sadly we did not see them during our time there. We did have excellent views of the New Zealand Pigeon on our walk around, and in one of the enclosures we spotted the Otago Skink.

In the evening we set off on our road trip to the town of Lumsden, two-thirds of the way to our final destination of Fiordland National Park, we eventually arrived after nightfall and set up camp there. 

-Smith's Dragonfly

-New Zealand Pigeon

Species List:
Orokonui Ecosanctuary: New Zealand Pigeon, Tui, New Zealand Bellbird, South Island Robin, Welcome Swallow, Common Blackbird, House Sparrow, Lesser Redpoll,

New Zealand; Day 5 - Lake Pukaki & Oamaru

  As light broke over the mountains I headed back down to the delta at the north end of Lake Pukaki to try once again to find the Wrybill. Alas it was not possible to find any, and I ended up leaving without the bird. That said, it was a very pleasant morning to be out birding, with a low mist hanging over the marsh, and the light reflecting from the glaciers on Mount Cook. The birds were similar to the previous day, with Black Stilts being daft once again, and plenty of Two-banded Plover running around everywhere.

  By 10:30 I set off on my three-hour drive to the coast. After 10 hours the previous day, it was a struggle to get back into the car and do it again, but it had to be done. There were a few short stops on the way at a few small water bodies outside the town of Twizel. Here there were hundreds of New Zealand Scaups, and I had a New Zealand Falcon come charging through well, which is just my second of the trip.

  The coastal town of Oamaru was the destination for the afternoon. I started in the harbour hoping to find the Otago Shag here, which I did fairly easily with a few birds drying their wings on the breakwater. Additionally, there were my first Spotted Shags of the trip and a small group of Australian Pied Cormorants, all mostly roosting on the decrepit pier on the south side of the harbour. Confiding Silver Gulls were also nice to see, having mostly seen Black-billed Gulls in the recent days.

  But the undoubted highlight here was just outside the harbour breakwater, with Hectors Dolphin, the worlds smallest dolphin and endemic to New Zealand. As I was walking up the breakwater I saw the fin protrude from the water, completely rounded at the top and not pointed, indicating it could only be this species. This first individual was so close I could see the profile of the animal as it submerged, but sadly none came this close again. In the end I spent an hour watching their dorsal fins emerge from the waves at varying distances, but sometimes quite close. This was a species I had really wanted to see here in New Zealand, and I was thrilled to have made it happen.

  For the late afternoon and until the evening, I went to the Penguin viewpoint at Bushy Beach. From here it is possible to watch the Yellow-eyed Penguin as they come into their breeding colony in the vegetated cliffs there. However this was not until later, so I kept myself busy scanning the sea. Although not super lively, I had a Royal Spoonbill, three Shy Albatross, an Australian Gannet, a Sooty Shearwater and a Fluttering Shearwater during the hours I spent there. But perhaps the highlight was the roost movement of Shag with 483 Spotted Shag heading south, and 76 Otago Shag heading north.

  Then at just approaching 08:00, the first Yellow-eyed Penguin came up onto the beach and started to waddle towards the forest. This first individual spent some time pottering about and not doing much, allowing for extended views, which is more than can be said for the second bird which made a dash straight up the beach. We were viewing from a respected distance up the cliff, but through the scope the views were really excellent. A brilliant end to the day, before driving the 90 minutes south to the town of Dunedin to meet Ben, my old university housemate. 

-Hectors Dolphin

-New Zealand Fur Seal

Species List:
Lake Pukaki – Tasman Delta: Canada Goose, Black Swan, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, Grey Teal, Great Crested Grebe, Black Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Double-banded Plover, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, Caspian Tern, Black-fronted Tern, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Cormorant, White-faced Heron, Swamp Harrier, Australian Magpie, Eurasian Skylark, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, New Zealand Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch,
Twizel: Canada Goose, Black Swan, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, New Zealand Scaup, Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Coot, Little Pied Cormorant, Swamp Harrier, New Zealand Falcon, Welcome Swallow, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, House Sparrow, Eurasian Chaffinch, European Goldfinch,
Oamaru: Paradise Shelduck, Feral Pigeon, Variable Oystercatcher, Masked Lapwing, Parasitic Jaeger, Silver Gull, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, Caspian Tern, Black-fronted Tern, White-fronted Tern, Yellow-eyed Penguin, Shy Albatross, Sooty Shearwater, Fluttering Shearwater, Australasian Gannet, Little Pied Cormorant, Spotted Shag, Australian Pied Cormorant, Otago Shag, White-faced Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Swamp Harrier, Grey Gerygone, Australian Magpie, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Dunnock, House Sparrow, European Goldfinch, 

New Zealand; Day 4 - Okarito & Lake Pukaki

  After last nights disappointment, today I was keen to try and set things right, getting back to form. Unfortunately a lot of the day would be spent driving, as I travelled from Okarito to Lake Pukaki, a six hour drive with stops but obviously much longer with breaks. It turned out however to be an absolutely gorgeous drive, at least for the first three hours, travelling through lush coastal forests with beautiful mountains on one side and the Tasman Sea on the other side.

  I spent the first couple of hours birding the beach at Okarito. The sunlight was fantastic and I got very nice views of the Variable Oystercatchers on the beach, showing very nicely and looking very handsome in the morning light. The White-fronted Tern flock I had seen the previous evening were still present and showing well, especially when they were harassed by an Arctic Skua first thing. Also on the beach were both an adult Silver Gull, and an adult Black-billed Gull, both my first proper look at the species pair of the trip. A flyby pair of Little Pied Cormorant rounded off the new birds nicely.

  As mentioned, the drive along the road was lovely, although the roadworks and winding mountain passes were not easily navigated. It was on this route that I started to see the New Zealand Pigeon, and after a few short stops I finally got excellent views of one gorging itself on fruit next to the road. Additionally, I saw my first Tui of the trip on the same stop, which alighted briefly on the side of the road next to me. A midday walk up the trail at the Haasts Pass brought some nice common forest birds, such as a pair of Rifleman, but nothing new.

  Late afternoon the road passed an artificial reservoir so I made a short stop here to scan for birds. There were a few species of interest here, including masses of Black-billed Gulls of various ages. Ducks were also present, although not in huge numbers, with Pacific Black Duck and New Zealand Scaup being the standouts from this short stop.

  Finally at 18:30, 10 hours after departing from Okarito, I arrived at the north end of Lake Pukaki, just as the light was getting good. So I immediately went onto the reserve to find the Black Stilt, hoping I would be able to easily pick them out, and so it transpired with a few of these birds being fantastically confiding allowing unbelievable views. Finally, a target bird that landed easily and without any problems at all.

  The birding here was good. In addition to the Stilt there were many Two-banded Plover of all ages running around the beaches, sometimes close and confiding. New Zealand Pipit was also very approachable and I got some very nice photos here. Using the scope I was able to pick out a pair of Royal Spoonbill but very distantly on the shingle. As the light wore on a juvenile Black-fronted Tern started fishing the channel in front of me, before rounding off the evening with a nice White-faced Heron. Additionally to the new birds, there were great numbers of Paradise Shelducks and other commoner species here, making the whole experience very enjoyable.

  Sadly however, there was no sign of the Wrybill. Another check in the morning will hopefully be more fruitful.

Species List:
Okarito: Paradise Shelduck, New Zealand Pigeon, Australasian Swamphen, Variable Oystercatcher, Masked Lapwing, Parasitic Jaeger, Silver Gull, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, White-fronted Tern, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Egret, Swamp Harrier, Tui, New Zealand Fantail, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Lesser Redpoll,
Haasts Pass: Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Rifleman, Tomtit, Silvereye, Lesser Redpoll,
Lake Pukaki – Tasman Delta: Canada Goose, Black Swan, Paradise Shelduck, Australasian Shoveler, Grey Teal, Black Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Double-banded Plover, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, Caspian Tern, Black-fronted Tern, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Cormorant, White-faced Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Swamp Harrier, Eurasian Skylark, Welcome Swallow, New Zealand Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, 

New Zealand; Day 3 - Arthur's Pass National Park & Okarito

  The priority for the day, and only target, was the New Zealand Rockwren, or South Island Wren in the Otira Valley. From my campsite I headed straight there and began to work the area between the car park and the bridge, but with no joy. There was some success however, with my first Pipipi of the trip, with a nice showy group next to the trail.

  After a short trip down to the village of Arthurs Pass for some breakfast, I continued exploring the area past the bridge, since I was told that the scree slopes in this area were the best place to check and not down below the bridge. Frustrated by having wasted a morning, I spent the next three hours here but again found nothing, with no sight or sound of the Rockwren. In the end I had to leave at 14:00 to have time to complete my drive to my next destination.

  Still the morning was not a complete loss as I was able to watch some excellent Kea action when returning to Arthurs Pass. Around 10 birds were hanging around, and they were very confiding and full of character. One small bush on the ground had three Kea in it, and they were pouncing on any food left out in the open, and generally just causing chaos.

  The drive in the afternoon took me along the West Coast Road, which was truly stunning. Along the way I stopped off at some sewage stink pits, where there were a few waterbirds, including my first New Zealand Scaup, Pacific Black Duck and Grey Teal of the trip. There was also another tick a small group of four South Island Oystercatcher that flew south down the beach.

  My destination for the night was the small town of Okarito, surrounded by pristine forest. There were a few birds to try to see here, and since I arrived with some daylight left, I had a chance to check for my first one in a small marsh on the edge of the lake here; the New Zealand Fernbird. With a little persuasion, I managed to get one bird to come out of the vegetation for me, so that was one problem I did not have to worry about in the morning.

The evening plan was to go on a tour to look for the Okarito Kiwi, but alas, fate was not in my favour. An hour before the tour I found myself locked out of the car, with the engine still running. Fortunately, I had the keys still with me, and although the buttons were not responding to the car I could use the manual key to open it. Or I could of done, had the manual key actually been cut, which it wasn’t. So I had to call out a mechanic to open the car for me, which meant I missed the Kiwi tour. Ian, the guide, had suggested if the mechanic came quickly I could find them in the woods and join them, but I could not locate them when I tried. A shame, but these things do happen on birding trip.

Species List:
Arthur’s Pass National Park: Californian Quail, Kea, New Zealand Bellbird, Pipipi, Tomtit, Silvereye, Lesser Redpoll,
Hokitika Water Treatment Plant: Canada Goose, Black Swan, Paradise Shelduck, Australasian Shoveler, Pacific Black Duck, Mallard, Grey Teal, New Zealand Scaup, Australasian Swamphen, South Island Oystercatcher, Black-billed Gull, Kelp Gull, Great Cormorant, Yellowhammer,
Okarito: Variable Oystercatcher, New Zealand Fantail, New Zealand Fernbird, Lesser Redpoll, 

New Zealand; Day 2 - Arthur's Pass National Park

  I had a busy day planned, so it did not help that I slept terribly with the wind battering the tent throughout the night and my jetlag kicking in so that I was well awake two hours before light. Still, what better place to wake up than the beautiful Hawden Valley in the Arthurs Pass National Park. Already before dawn a Morepork was singing although I did not try to find it.

  The birding in the valley was very enjoyable, although it took me a good hour to find the right trail. Once I had managed this however the birds, although low in abundance, were extremely confiding and South Island Robin, Tomtit and New Zealand Fantail all showed phenomenally well, especially the Robin which would hop around my feet. Grey Gerygone, New Zealand Bellbird, Silvereye and then the tiny Rifleman were also present, although less confiding. Rifleman was a species I really wanted to find at this site, to relieve pressure later in the trip, and throughout the morning I encountered four individuals.

  At 11:00 in the morning I headed back to camp and packed up, heading to Arthurs Pass village for some supplies before continuing onto the Otira Pass. Sadly at this point, the morning, which had been blustery throughout, finally turned to torrential rain, so I decided to stop in the village for lunch at a small café there. As I was leaving, the rain continuing to fall, a photographer pointed out a Kea sitting on the roof of the coffee shop across the road. A bird I was desperate to see, I was thrilled at being able to see one at such close range, as it preened itself under the overhang, trying to keep out of the rain.

  I birded the Otira Valley, but in the rain it was futile and I saw nothing. At a loose end now, I decided to return early to the Hawden Valley and bird again in the afternoon. This worked well as it was not raining at this end of the National Park. In addition to more of the species I had seen in the morning, I also found the Yellow-crowned Parakeet, which showed nicely on the forest edge. Not the rarer of the two species in the valley here, but still not common and a nice way to offset the damage done by the weather.

  At night, once I had put up my tent in the Hawden Valley Campsite, I was serenaded by another Morepork and this time got flight views of the bird as it passed me by, closing out an excellent first-day birding in New Zealand. 

Species List:
Arthur’s Pass National Park: Paradise Shelduck, Kelp Gull, Great Cormorant, Swamp Harrier, Morepork, New Zealand Falcon, Kea, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Rifleman, New Zealand Bellbird, Grey Gerygone, New Zealand Fantail, Tomtit, South Island Robin, Silvereye, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Dunnock, House Sparrow, New Zealand Pipit, Eurasian Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Yellowhammer,

New Zealand; Day 1 - Arrival & Arthur's Pass National Park

  As one trip ends so another begins. Since I was already halfway there, I decided that after Thailand I would continue, alone, to New Zealand for a few weeks to visit an old university housemate who had moved out here, and spend some time also trying to see as much of the wildlife as I could. Despite being half way there, it was still a nine-hour flight to Sydney from Bangkok, followed by a three hour wait and a two-and-a-half hour flight to Christchurch before I finally arrived. Once arrived and through passport control, my tent and boots had to be checked for biosecurity, with the tent requiring a cleaning before I could continue.

  With the car then collected, I was able get on my way, driving the 90 minutes to the Hawdon Valley in the Arthur's Pass National Park where I would start my New Zealand adventure. Along the way I saw many common European species introduced by the settlers, and a few Australian Magpies as well, just for good measure. I managed to arrive in Hawdon in reasonable time, and once I put my tent up I had a walk around but only found Song Thrush and Yellowhammer. Still, the location was spectacular, and the stillness of the environment made it a wonderful location to camp in. 

Species List:
Hawdon Valley: Song Thrush, Yellowhammer,

Thailand; Day 12 - Chiang Saen

   With very little in the way of outstanding targets in the Chiang Saen area, we decided to spend the morning birding the wetlands around the harrier viewpoint we visited two nights ago, on the island of the Pa Mak No Temple. The wetlands were lively with birds, but there was little in the way of new birds. The highlight, and only new bird of the morning, was a surprise Yellow Bittern that showed well as it crept out of a small patch of reeds in the middle of the marsh. Other goodies included another, or the same, flyover Great Spotted Eagle and a singing Paddyfield Pipit in the field adjacent to the car.

  Once the temperature had begun to soar, we left the marsh and decided to check the Mekong River next to the Rim Khong restaurant, a well-known location to see Small Pratincole. Sadly there were none present in the half an hour we spent there, but the river was busy with people traffic and the haze made birding difficult. We decided to call it a bad job and return in the morning when the conditions would be better. Despite the issues, we had a few waders including our first Greenshank and Temminck’s Stint of the trip.

  For the afternoon we birded the area around the eastern end of Chiang Saen Lake to try and find some ducks and other wetland species that we are missing. Unfortunately we ended up looking directly into the sun, so most the birds ended up being silhouettes and impossible to identify. A change of location eased the situation, although the birds were more distant, we still managed to find Ferruginous Duck and Garganey between the rafts of Common Coot and Lesser Whistling Duck. In the fields adjacent we also found our first Eastern Yellow Wagtails of the trip, and there were good numbers of Little Cormorant and Oriental Darter.

  At the end of the afternoon we found a nice vantage point in order to watch the harriers. Based on what we had seen the previous evening, we presumed that the roost site must be up at this end of the lake somewhere. And so it transpired, with the dusk bringing both Pied Harriers and Eastern Marsh Harriers to an area of surface vegetation on the north side of the lake across from us. By the time we departed there were an estimated 17 Pied Harrier and 20+ Eastern Marsh Harrier flying over a small area of lake, finally giving us the spectacle we wanted when we started searching for them two nights ago. 

Species List:
Chiang Saen: Lesser Whistling Duck, Garganey, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Little Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Red Collared Dove, Spotted Dove, Zebra Dove, Greater Coucal, Asian Koel, Plaintive Cuckoo, Large-tailed Nightjar, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Grey-headed Swamphen, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Bronze-winged Jacana, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Temminck's Stint, Asian Openbill, Oriental Darter, Little Cormorant, Yellow Bittern, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Medium Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Black-winged Kite, Crested Honey Buzzard, Greater Spotted Eagle, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Pied Harrier, Shikra, Asian Barred Owlet, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Asian Green Bee-eater, Coppersmith Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Eurasian Wryneck, Freckle-breasted Woodpecker, Ashy Woodswallow, Black Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Racket-tailed Treepie, Barn Swallow, Streak-eared Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Black-collared Starling, Siamese Pied Myna, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Common Myna, Great Myna, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Taiga Flycatcher, Amur Stonechat, Pied Bush Chat, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Purple Sunbird, Plain-backed Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Richard's Pipit, Paddyfield Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, 

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, 

Thailand; Day 10 - Fang & Chiang Saen

   We started the day by birding the rice fields on the drive between Fang and Chiang Saen, which is one of the main sites for us to encounter common lowland and wetland species on this trip. We arrived a little late in the morning, at 08:30, but we got stuck in and we had a very enjoyable morning seeing more than 50 species before 11:00 when it just got too hot to carry on being out in such an exposed area.

  The birding started fantastically well with a wet area full of Chinese Pond Herons, with our first Black-winged Kite of the trip hovering behind. We then started walking around the paddies, and quickly picked up common species, before we switched our attention to checking out the overgrown ditches and scrubby areas for passage and wintering species. This got us a fantastic Thick-billed Warbler, as well as a nice handful of Dusky Warblers. The ditches were full of seeding grasses, and these proved popular with Scaly-breasted Munia and Plain-backed Sparrows. Afterwards our attention turned to the sky, and raptors passing overhead. A displaying pair of Shikra were nice, as was a flyover Crested Honey Buzzard, but the highlight was two distant Black Baza circling.

  But we also had our first real Thai rarity of the trip early on in the morning when scanning through the flocks of Chinese Pond Herons. Out of the vegetation walked a rail, almost identical to Water Rail from the UK, which meant that the bird could only be a Brown-cheeked Rail. Seeing such an elusive species out in the open would be bonus enough, but to know that it was quite a notable rarity on a local level added an extra level of excitement to the bird.

  We then drove the two hours to Chiang Saen, where we had a lovely lunch on the banks of the Mekong River. Early afternoon we headed to what promised to be one of the highlights of the whole trip, the Pied Harrier roost at the Wiang Nong Lom wetlands. While waiting for the harriers to come we had some time for birding, and we made the most of this with a brilliantly showy Plaintive Cuckoo, a few Bronze-winged Cuckoo and excellent numbers of common species such as Barn Swallow, Baya Weaver and White Wagtail. Probably the standout species from the evening also came once darkness had nearly set in, when a Cinnamon Bittern flew out of the reeds and began feeding on the bank close to us. A real bonus species for our trip.

  The harrier roost was excellent, but not quite what we anticipated. The first Eastern Marsh Harrier started to arrive not long after we started, but they did not stop where they were supposed to and instead carried on flying over the distant hill. The watchtower was broken so we couldn’t get a proper view of the landscape, but we could clearly see the birds were not stopping. The first Pied Harriers finally arrived at 18:15 and they came regularly after this until dark, but they continued to fly over the hill and out of sight. In total we managed 20 Eastern Marsh Harriers and 23 Pied Harriers, and while it was excellent to see, it was a little disappointing that they did not stop in the marsh close to us, as we expected. 

Species List:
Huai Mafueang Rice Paddies: Lesser Whistling Duck, Feral Pigeon, Red Collared Dove, Spotted Dove, Zebra Dove, Greater Coucal, Asian Koel, Brown-cheeked Rail, Common Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Little Ringed Plover, Pin-tailed Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Medium Egret, Grey Heron, Black-winged Kite, Crested Honey Buzzard, Black Baza, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Shikra, Black Kite, Asian Barred Owlet, Common Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Common Kestrel, Ashy Woodswallow, Black Drongo, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Eastern Jungle Crow, Common Tailorbird, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Plain Prinia, Thick-billed Warbler, Barn Swallow, Streak-eared Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Black-collared Starling, Common Myna, Great Myna, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Taiga Flycatcher, Amur Stonechat, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Scaly-breasted Munia, Plain-backed Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, White Wagtail, Richard's Pipit, Paddyfield Pipit,
Harrier Roost Watchtower: Lesser Whistling Duck, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Spotted Dove, Zebra Dove, Greater Coucal, Asian Koel, Plaintive Cuckoo, Common Moorhen, Grey-headed Swamphen, Bronze-winged Jacana, Wood Sandpiper, Asian Openbill, Little Cormorant, Cinnamon Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Medium Egret, Purple Heron, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Pied Harrier, Asian Barred Owlet, Eurasian Hoopoe, White-throated Kingfisher, Ashy Woodswallow, Black Drongo, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Barn Swallow, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Black-collared Starling, Great Myna, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Purple Sunbird, Baya Weaver, Scaly-breasted Munia, Citrine Wagtail, White Wagtail, 

Thailand; Day 9 - Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park & Fang

   Having dipped out on the pheasants the previous morning, we decided to try again on our second morning and see if we would have more success this time around. Even though it required another 04:30 start, we still managed to make it up the mountain well before sunrise. This time there were a couple of birders, but most people present were Thai photographers who seemed to have a better idea of what was going on. They instructed us where to wait and explained the situation to us, rather than the chaos of the previous morning.

  We waited in suspense, but need not have worried this time, as just after sunrise the birds emerged from the vegetation and began to scrat around on the roadside verge in front of the assembled photographers hides. We were not sure how long the birds were supposed to linger, but it seems we were in for a treat today, with them lingering for a couple of hours in total giving us time to properly watch them at leisure. In total, we had five female-type birds, and a single spectacular male who was much more reluctant to show but eventually came out later in the morning.

  Satisfied with our pheasants, once the birds returned to the forest, we drove up to the Myanmar border checkpoint to try and find out last remaining target with the Scarlet-faced Liocichla. It did not look like we were to have any success, although birding the area produced other goodies such as Silver-eared Mesia and Striated Bulbul, as well as a displaying Crested Serpent Eagle. But fortunately a group of the Thai birders also came up and pointed out a feeding station for the Liocichla just down from the border post. After a short wait, the birds finally came in and showed very nicely for us.

  While we were watching the Liochichla, some of the other birders present told us about a Hodgsons Frogmouth nest further down the valley. One of them was kind enough to head down and point it out to us, giving me my first-ever encounter with this elusive nocturnal bird. The nest itself was right by the road, but it was hardly a surprise we missed it due to the phenomenal camouflage. The circumstances of our encounter meant we could watch it for an extended period at our leisure. It was already midday at this point, we had cleared up all the target birds we wanted and we were exhausted from the morning, so decided to head down the mountain and have a more relaxed afternoon.

  After lunch and a nap, we spend the cool end of the afternoon birding some nearby rice paddies to our accommodation. Although the birding was good, it was usually common species. There were our first Citrine Wagtails here, which were present in good numbers. For the last hour we found ourselves in amongst some dry fields, not on purpose, but it worked out nicely as it offered an excellent vantage point over the valley below and as such we got to catch a few birds moving in the evening. Rufous-winged Buzzard, Eastern Marsh Harrier and Racket-tailed Treepie were all new birds for me. We also enjoyed an almost murmuration by an estimated 900 Lesser Whistling Ducks in the distance, and the fields themselves were full of Richards Pipits. An excellent place to watch the sunset descend over the mountains. 

Species List:
Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park: Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, Spotted Dove, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Cooks Swift, Hodgson’s Frogmouth, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Grey-backed Shrike, Barn Swallow, Striated Bulbul, Crested Finchbill, Flavescent Bulbul, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Giant Nuthatch, Spectacled Barwing, Silver-eared Mesia, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Slaty-blue Flycatcher, Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Grey Bush Chat, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, White Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit,
Fang Rice Paddies: Feral Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Greater Coucal, Common Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Little Ringed Plover, Grey-headed Lapwing, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pin-tailed Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Asian Green Bee-eater, Black Drongo, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Barn Swallow, Striated Swallow, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Black-collared Starling, Common Myna, Great Myna, Amur Stonechat, Pied Bush Chat, Citrine Wagtail, White Wagtail, Richard's Pipit, 

Thailand; Day 8 - Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

   Today promised to be one of the birdiest, but also longest days, on our whole itinerary, with a plethora of species we wanted to see in the mountains of Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park. We took the middle road, or west Doi Ankgang which leads up to the border with Myanmar. To target a few very specific species we set off first thing in the morning, departing our accommodation at five in the morning, to be on-site around six before first light.

  The reason for this dramatically early start was to arrive at the location where the very rare Mrs Humes Pheasant is fed before sunrise, to avoid disturbing the birds and potentially preventing their visiting. Sadly when we arrived we found that a tour group was already present, and this made it difficult to view the layby where the birds are fed, and with so many people present it was hardly a surprise that the birds did not come out to feed in the morning. While we waited there were a few other nice species, including a smashing Ultramarine Flycatcher, and a quirky Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler.

  Once it became apparent that the pheasants were not coming, we continued our morning by birding back down the road. This route took us through an area of primarily pine forest, and as such was not incredibly lively, but we added a few nice species including Chestnut-vented Nuthatch and Puff-throated Babbler, before we landed our first key target species with a pair of Giant Nuthatch. Although impressive compared to the other nuthatch species present, it was not as large as I had hoped to see, and they were reluctant to show well.

  From here we drove all the way to the border gate with Myanmar to search for a few species here. The habitat in this area was more open and we had a few specific targets to look for while here. We got excellent views of a pair of Crested Finchbill feeding on roadside fruits just down from the border post, and had phenomenal views of a Crested Serpent Eagle soaring low overhead. However, this area was generally not particularly lively and it certainly did not help that the morning was already getting quite warm.

  We walked quickly through the open areas and eventually arrived at an area of nice broadleaved woodland where there were much fewer pines, and this was the area where we finally encountered mixed species flocks with good variety, despite it already being midday. Streak-throated Woodpecker was new for me, and we had another Giant Nuthatch before the peak of the morning session with a fantastic Himalayan Cutia feeding in the canopy as the flock passed through. A stunning, but uncommon and tricky species, it was a key target for the day and one we were extremely pleased to connect with. A massive bonus species we had here was a group of four Long-tailed Broadbills which we were absolutely not expecting to see. This flock showed very nicely feeding above the road.

  Also in the area we found the rare  White-spectacled Warbler. This species is a rare winterer further north, but one has spent the previous three consecutive winters at this site and it was good to find this bird. Confusingly it was also in the company of a Martens’s Warbler, which is an almost identical species it took us some time to work out exactly what we were looking at.

  After a short lunch break with a nap, we set off again around 15:00, once again deciding to work the same area of woodland. Again it proved fruitful with a fantastic Golden Babbler, one of the highlights of the day without doubt. A Humes Treecreeper was another new species for me, as was Grey-chinned Minivet and the area was generally lively with good numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers and Pallas’s Warblers feeding in the canopy. It was certainly a pleasant area to spend the afternoon birding session before we returned to the area for the pheasants. This time we were alone but once again the pheasants did not come out onto the road and at 18:40, with the light fading, we decided to bite the bullet and drive back down the mountain, content with a phenomenal days birding. 

Species List:
Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park: Oriental Turtle Dove, Spotted Dove, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Cook's Swift, Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Broadbill, Grey-chinned Minivet, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Slender-billed Oriole, Maroon Oriole, Ashy Drongo, Grey Treepie, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Japanese Tit, Hill Prinia, Asian House Martin, Crested Finchbill, Flavescent Bulbul, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Radde's Warbler, White-spectacled Warbler, Martens's Warbler, Davison's Leaf Warbler, Black-throated Bushtit, Golden Babbler, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Puff-throated Babbler, Yunnan Fulvetta, Himalayan Cutia, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, Spectacled Barwing, Giant Nuthatch, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Hume's Treecreeper, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Grey Bush Chat, Black-throated Sunbird, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, Grey Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, 

Thailand; Day 7 - Chiang Doa & Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

   Having had a fairly successful day the previous day, we decided to spend the morning birding an area of open agricultural land rather than return to the forest. This was just a short drive from our lodging, adjacent to the town of Chiang Dao itself. It was quite lively but generally with common birds including our first large numbers of herons of the trip (although all were Eastern Cattle Egrets) as well our first waders with nice numbers of Grey-headed Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt and Little Ringed Plover. We stayed birding here until around 11:00 in the morning when the heat became unbearable to be out birding in.

  There were just a few new birds for me here, but it was nice to finally get a prolonged view of Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker with a male singing on a set of roadside telegraph wires. There were also a few groups of Black-collared Starling feeding on the recently mown lawns adjacent to the road and rice paddies. A leaf warbler we picked up we identified as a Two-barred Warbler, which is a new species for me, and a good species to be aware of for birding the UK. A steady morning birding, but with some nice species to keep things ticking over.

  After the morning birding, we drove north to the Doi Angkhang region, the Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park where we would spend the next few days birding. We arrived around lunchtime, and after checking in to our hotel at 14:00 we drove up the mountain on the western side, up one of the steepest roads I have ever seen, to visit the Doi Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station; where there are some nice botanical gardens with some pleasant birding.

  The birding here started slowly but picked up later on in the afternoon. We enjoyed large numbers of Cooks Swifts passing overhead throughout the afternoon. In the bushes, we had brilliant views of Spot-winged Grosbeak as they noisily cracked open seeds right next to us. A flowering tree had a few bits visiting, including Blue-bearded Bee-Eater and Streaked Spiderhunter, which were both good to see. Although it was a long shot, a singing Banded Bay Cuckoo provided a challenge, and after some time we managed distant views, before it approached and flew directly over us. We rounded off the afternoon with a very tricky Bay Woodpecker, which really did not want us to see it landed, but was quite content for us to hear it at regular at all times. 

Species List:
Chiang Dao Ricefields: Spotted Dove, Zebra Dove, Greater Coucal, Grey-headed Lapwing, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Crested Honey Buzzard, Shikra, Black Kite, Asian Barred Owlet, Indochinese Roller, Ashy Woodswallow, Black Drongo, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Eastern Jungle Crow, Common Tailorbird, Plain Prinia, Barn Swallow, Wire-tailed Swallow, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Two-barred Warbler, Black-collared Starling, Common Myna, Great Myna, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Taiga Flycatcher, Amur Stonechat, Pied Bush Chat, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Baya Weaver, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Richard's Pipit,
Doi Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station: Spotted Dove, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Himalayan Swiftlet, Cook's Swift, Mountain Scops Owl, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Blue-throated Barbet, Bay Woodpecker, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Ashy Drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Long-tailed Shrike, Japanese Tit, Striated Swallow, Mountain Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Dark-backed Sibia, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Verditer Flycatcher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Grey Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, Spot-winged Grosbeak, 

Thailand; Day 6 - Chiang Dao

   Our only full day in Chang Dao was spent at the nearby monastery, just a short walk up the road from our accommodation. The actual temple itself was up a flight of apparently 500 stairs, but this passed through some stunning forest, and this was where the birding was done. We spent the early morning birding around the lodge, and while there were a few nice birds, there was nothing that we had not seen already.

  Once in the temple grounds, we quickly started to see birds. Although there were a lot of stairs, because we were moving slowly we did not exhaust ourselves going up and we picked up birds along the way. We started with a nice Great Iora in the canopy above us, followed by Black-hooded Oriole and our first of the brilliant White-throated Fantails, although we would see more during the day. Continuing up the mountain, we also had a nice Pale Blue Flycatcher and our first Hornbills of the trip, with a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills passing over us as we hiked. Once we reached the top we had probably the bird of the morning with a stunning Violet Cuckoo which showed nicely despite the strong midday sun. Despite the heat, on our way down we added a few more species with a nice Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.

  After lunch the team headed off to a nearby wetland but I decided to stay behind and return again to the monastery forest. Obviously the forest was quieter but there were still a few nice birds. The highlight was walkaway views of Streaked Wren-Babbler, which were incredibly confiding and frequently scuttled along next to the path. There was also a nice Streaked Spiderhunter, although high up in the canopy, and Blue Rock-Thrush was a good trip tick.

  I stuck around until after dark to try to find some owls, and was able to find a Mountain Scops Owl near the summit which was a new species for me. The other species I tried did not come in or respond to the tape, but at least four other species were singing during the two hours I spent searching.

  The undoubted highlight of the evening was an unbelievable Indochinese Flying Squirrel. I was simply scanning the canopy for something when a shape flew through the light. Assuming this would be an owl, and quite pleased about this, I followed it to where it landed, upon which it became clear that it was in fact not an owl, or even a bird, but a Squirrel. It then scuttled up the tree it was in and began to feed on the abundant figs growing off the trunk. Unfortunately it had a strong aversion to the light, and it was very difficult to get photos of them. 

Species List:
Chiang Dao: Spotted Dove, Violet Cuckoo, Himalayan Swiftlet, Chinese Pond Heron, Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Mountain Scops Owl, Asian Barred Owlet, Brown Boobook, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Peregrine Falcon, Black-hooded Oriole, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Common Iora, Great Iora, White-throated Fantail, Ashy Drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Eastern Jungle Crow, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Common Tailorbird, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Barn Swallow, Striated Swallow, Puff-throated Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, White-rumped Shama, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Taiga Flycatcher, Blue Rock Thrush, Black-throated Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Golden-fronted Leafbird, White-rumped Munia, Grey Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, 

Thailand; Day 5 - Doi Inthanon National Park & Chiang Dao

  For our final day in Doi Inthanon National Park we birded the dry forests at the bottom of the mountain on the Mueang Ang KM13 road, a less birdy area but with a different composition of species than those we had seen at the top of the mountain. We unfortunately arrived late, having spent some time around the Motho Homestay with a few birds such as a Blue-winged Leafbird and Small-billed Minivet visiting the trees around the house.

  Once we started birding along the road, we picked up a few bits but it was generally quite slow going. The standout bird was a stunning pair of Black-naped Monarch which showed nicely in the adjacent forests. Otherwise most of our attention was spent on the good numbers of raptors that passed over, including Crested Goshawk, Crested Honey Buzzard and Crested Serpent Eagle, a full house of crested raptors. A distant Collared Falconette was also nice, but was a struggle even with the scope. Around lunchtime we found another area slightly further along the trail which was a bit wetter, and here we added more birds including Golden-fronted Leafbird, Black-headed Bulbul and Pin-striped Tit-Babbler.

  With the temperature already hot, we started our three-hour drive north to the town of Chang Dao where we would spend the next couple of days. We arrived at our next hostel, Malee’s Nature Lovers Bungalows, early evening and were delighted to find that it had a raised balcony where we could scan the nearby woodland. Although it was late, we had our first Stripe-faced Bulbul and Sooty-headed Bulbuls, both common species but new for us. Whilst visiting a nearby restaurant we had our first Asian Fairy Bluebird come to visit us.

  At night we had our first serious session out looking for owls, after we were informed of a few nice species in the area. In two and a half hours we had some excellent success, with brilliant views of Brown Boobook near the entrance to the wildlife sanctuary, and a Collared Scops Owl on the road to the nearby monastery. The Scops Owl proved especially problematic, and it took us some time before we actually managed to see the bird. However, once we did it showed nicely for all of us. It is always a good feeling when an owl session produces the goods. 

Species List:
Doi Inthanon National Park: Spotted Dove, Green-billed Malkoha, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Crested Treeswift, Chinese Pond Heron, Crested Honey Buzzard, Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Asian Barred Owlet, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Collared Falconet, Ashy Woodswallow, Black Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Barn Swallow, Black-headed Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Taiga Flycatcher, Purple Sunbird, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Grey Wagtail,
Chiang Dao: Spotted Dove, Himalayan Swiftlet, Black-crowned Night Heron, Collared Scops Owl. Brown Boobook, Striated Swallow, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Verditer Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Grey Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, 

Thailand; Day 4 - Doi Inthanon National Park

   For our second morning in Doi Inthanon National Park we birded the 34.5 kilometre trail off the main road, which was a tarmacked road through a nice area of forest. It is a popular area with birders to access the forest, and in the hours we spent there we enjoyed many mixed species flocks with a few new birds for us, such as White-browed Shrike-Babbler and Rufous-backed Sibia. We also managed to finally see the Golden-throated Barbet that has been tormenting us since we got here, with its call constantly going on in the background.

  One of the reasons we decided to bird this trail was because we were told by our friend Sam Pitt-Miller about a feeding station well down in the valley where he had seen several interesting birds for us. As such we visited the feeder with our own worms to see if we could have the same success. And we did, with Slaty-breasted Tesia, White-gorgetted Flycatcher, Himalayan Shortwing and the absolute highlight with a Pygmy Cupwing that visited twice, but on both times passed through extremely rapidly. Whilst we were waiting, we also had a small group of Spectacled Barwing pass through.

  After a lunch stop at Mr Daengs we returned to the Yee Lee resort hide we had gone to the previous day where we had enjoyed some nice birds visiting a hide overlooking a stream. Sadly, the forktails we had hoped for did not visit in the hour we spent there, and the birds we did see were all the same as the previous day. Helpfully, once again, Sam came to the rescue and tipped us off to another location to check for forktails, on the river next to the Rong Fai Fa Ban Khun Klang Restaurant where we were delighted to have a Slaty-backed Forktail showing nicely, if a little distant and always remaining wary. In addition, there was a smart White-crowned Redstart here, a stunning riverside inhabitant.

  At the end of the afternoon we decided to visit the hide complex at Rang Bon Doi, slightly lower down the mountain, and as such had a completely different species composition visiting the feeders and watering hole. Despite arriving quite late, much to the surprise of the owner, in the 90 minutes of light we enjoyed brilliant birding with a constant stream of birds passing through. Although we only recorded 10 species, each one was new for us. The highlights were a fantastic pair of Orange-bellied Leafbirds drinking from a small bamboo puddle, and a pair of White-tailed Robin which were absolutely stunning birds. Plus we had a lot of mammal activity, with Northern Treeshrew and Himalayan Striped Squirrel both making appearances. The squirrels were especially entertaining as they were ever-present and constantly chasing each other around the site. 

Species List:
Doi Inthanon National Park: Spotted Dove, Asian Palm Swift, Asian Barred Owlet, Golden-throated Barbet, Short-billed Minivet, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Clicking Shrike-babbler, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Japanese Tit, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Pygmy Cupwing, Barn Swallow, Striated Swallow, Puff-throated Bulbul, Grey-eyed Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Davison's Leaf Warbler, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Grey-throated Babbler, Buff-breasted Babbler, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Yunnan Fulvetta, Spectacled Barwing, Rufous-backed Sibia, Oriental Magpie-Robin, White-rumped Shama, Large Niltava, Small Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Lesser Shortwing, Himalayan Shortwing, Slaty-backed Forktail, White-tailed Robin, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Plumbeous Water Redstart, White-capped Redstart, Daurian Redstart, Black-throated Sunbird, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter, Blue-winged Leafbird, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Grey Wagtail,