Thailand; Day 20 - Khok Kham & departure

   We had one final morning in Thailand before we needed to head off to the airport, and we had selected a hotel near to the Khok Kham salt plans just outside of Bangkok, to offer us another chance to see the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, on the off chance we might have dipped it in Pak Thale. Fortunately we did not miss out on the bird there, but we were still excited to see it again, hopefully a bit close than we had seen it before.

  In the end we spent about an hour and a half birding the pans, and in that time we did indeed manage to see a Spoon-billed Sandpiper, with one just two pans over but seemingly a bit close than it had been at Pak Thale. Through the scope we got excellent views of the bird as it fed, and chased around by the Red-necked Stints. Other waders present were all common species, but a distant Osprey was a trip tick, the final one we would get.

  We set off to the airport at 10:30 and arrived around midday, giving us plenty of time to organise ourselves and for me to prepare for the next phase of this extended adventure…

Species List:

Khok Kham: Feral Pigeon, Red Collared Dove, Spotted Dove, Asian Koel, Germain's Swiftlet, Black-winged Stilt, Tibetan Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Brown-headed Gull, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Painted Stork, Oriental Darter, Little Cormorant, Indian Cormorant, Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, Eastern Jungle Crow, Common Myna, Great Myna, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, 

Thailand; Day 19 - Kraeng Katchan & Bangkok

 So comes round our final day in Kraeng Katchan, and our last full day in Thailand. To try and see the White-fronted Scops Owl in the park we awoke at 04:30 so that we could be in the park as early as possible and maybe spend an hour of darkness searching for the bird. We entered the park at exactly 05:00, the first people through the gate, and we could tell immediately with two PALM CIVETS seen, as well as the foot of an Elephant which had been feeding by the side of the road. We saw the damage on the vegetation, heard the crashing and saw the movement in addition to the foot, but we had clearly spooked the animal as we approached and it did not reappear, the sounds of the vegetation crashing slowly receding into the bamboo.

Our search for the owl was unsuccessful, although we heard two individuals we could not locate them and the day-roosting bird was once again not present. We spent a little time birding along the road around the three stream crossings where we had searched for the owl, for the first hour of light, but the birds were generally slow. A WHITE HANDED GIBBON was sat right above the road, showing very nice and even urinated on PC. The only new bird in this hour was the long overdue Ochraceous Bulbul, not a spectacular species.

We headed back to the BAN KANG campsite for a short breakfast and to bird around this area. The previous day SH and KF had found a Forest Wagtail on the river behind the campsite, but by the time the rest of us had twitched it, the bird had already moved off and we did not relocate it before we had to leave. This morning we made it our second priority after the owl, and were relieved to refind it quickly, feeding away on the river directly behind the camp. Although distant upstream, it was nice to see such an attractive bird after searching optimistically all trip.

For the rest of the morning we spent exploring around the campsite and nearby trails. In the end we did pick up a number of new bird species, including the inspiring Olive Bulbul and smart Streak-throated Woodpecker. A Large Woodshrike was nesting in the grounds of the campsite, and this species was a feature throughout the morning despite having missed it on previous days. Finally we rounded it off with a smart male Hainan Blue Flycatcher feeding over the stream. The birding was very enjoyable, with a large mixed species flock keeping us entertained throughout the morning.

After yesterdays Broadbill success, we only had one species left to try and find in the park and it was the most difficult, the stunning Black-and-red Broadbill. Whilst exploring the area around the Youth Hostal, I received a WhatsApp from RH saying he had found the bird back at the main campsite. Although it had moved on by the time I reached him, I followed the flock up the river and was rewarded with phenomenal views of Silver-breasted Broadbill, as well as better views of Banded Broadbill before finally seeing two off the stunning Black-and-red Broadbill, right at eye level as they followed the river, whilst I was birding on the road. It was a brilliant species to round off our time in Kaeng Kratchan.

After a final lunch at Baan Maka we set off on our two hour drive to Bangkok, where we would prepare for our flight the following day. 

Species List:

Kaeng Krachan National Park: Spotted Dove, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Germain's Swiftlet, Crested Goshawk, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Greater Flameback, Streak-breasted Woodpecker, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Black-and-red Broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Scarlet Minivet, Swinhoe's Minivet, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, White-bellied Erpornis, Black-naped Oriole, Large Woodshrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Great Iora, Ashy Drongo, Hair-crested Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Sultan Tit, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Ochraceous Bulbul, Olive Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Common Hill Myna, Asian Brown Flycatcher, White-rumped Shama, Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Forest Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 

Thailand; Day 18 - Kraeng Katchan

   For our penultimate day in Krang Katchan National Park, we spent the morning birding along the road up from the bottom campsite, in the area known as the river crossings. The dirt road through here passes through some excellent forest and has the potential for the best birding in the whole park. We started just after first light and birded the area until midday.

  In total we saw nearly fifty species of bird. Although many were species we had encountered before, there were some new species for me including Oriental Dollarbird which flew around overhead calling nosily, Black-thighed Falconet which was distant but a treat to see and a fabulous feeding group of Thick-billed Green Pigeon. There were not as many mixed species flocks encountered as the previous day, but it was still a phenomenal mornings birding.

  Of course the target for many birders visiting the park are the Broadbills on offer here, and during the morning we had great success with four different species. The previous day we had already seen the striking Silver-breasted Broadbill, but this morning we found a pair constructing a nest. Banded Broadbill and Black-and-yellow Broadbill were both stunning but were always high in the canopy and difficult to see in their full glory. Finally there was Dusky Broadbill, for which we had information on an active nest, making our search for them much easier. There were three individuals blogging around the nest area, of this rather unspectacular addition to our Broadbill list.

  In the afternoon we returned to the park and I opted to bird down the main road after we passed a watering hole that had a RED MUNTJAC drinking from it which flushed as we drove past. In hope that it would have returned if I walked down, but alas it did not. Birdwise it was quite limited, with the only new bird for me being Chestnut-headed Beeeater, but with a nice flyby from three Black Baza and a pair of Crested Honey Buzzards. The deer was of no concern, since we saw it again as we drove out.

  Before dark we checked out a local reservoir just down the road from the Baan Maka Lodge, where we planned to do a night walk and where we had been having our meals. There was information that here there would be a roost of the Chestnut-headed Beeeaters but we only saw a few individuals that were flying around. It was not a total loss however, as in addition to the beeeaters, we also had a Common Hill Myna, which was a lifer for me.

  At night we return to Baan Maka to do a night walk around the lodge grounds. This was recommended to us by John Saddler who was also staying at the lodge, as a way to see Bengal Slow Loris. We had not even left the restaurant area by the time we encountered the Slow Loris, which showed very nicely. Other goodies on the walk included Collared Scops Owl and several lizards and spiders. 

Species List:
Kaeng Krachan National Park: Red Junglefowl, Red Collared Dove, Common Emerald Dove, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Large-tailed Nightjar, Common Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Red-wattled Lapwing, Bronze-winged Jacana, Little Cormorant, Little Egret, Medium Egret, Crested Honey Buzzard, Black Baza, Crested Serpent Eagle, Besra, Collared Scops Owl, Brown Boobook, Orange-breasted Trogon, Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Oriental Dollarbird, Coppersmith Barbet, Green-eared Barbet, Greater Flameback, Black-thighed Falconet, Dusky Broadbill, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Scarlet Minivet, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Malaysian Pied Fantail, Ashy Drongo, Hair-crested Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, Common Green Magpie, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Common Tailorbird, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Bulbul, Streak-eared Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Radde's Warbler, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Rufous-fronted Babbler, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Common Hill Myna, Great Myna, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Taiga Flycatcher, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Ornate Sunbird, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Scaly-breasted Munia, Grey Wagtail, 

Thailand; Day 17 - Kraeng Katchan

 For our first full day in Kaeng Krachan, we departed our lodging at 05:30, knowing that the park gate was just around the corner. Once through the park, we commenced our drive up to the very top of the park and the top campsite. This took significantly longer than expected and we did not arrive until 07:30, by which time it was already light with activity beginning to bustle around us. Our target up here at the top was Sun Bear, which a friend from Spurn, John Saddler, had seen here two days previous after the reliable individual at the lower campsite had gone missing.

Upon arrival at the top, we sussed out where the bear had been seen and that we would be keep a vigil there. They had seen it arrive at 08:00 so we knew we hopefully would not have to wait longer before knowing if we were in luck. Sadly though, the café staff informed us they had not seen the bear for a while. Still, with optimism running in our veins, we staked out the area regardless. It was not bad for birds, with a Dark-sided Flycatcher buzzing around and three Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers showing extremely well in the area.

And then, at 08:15, the bear arrived. Who knows where it came from, but we looked down at the area where kitchen scraps were thrown and there it was, with sleek glossy black fur and impressive claws. Although initially it was sat comfortably, it soon stuck its face into the waste food and spent a good half an hour there, meaning we barely saw the animals face at all. Still, once it had finished gorging itself on leftover rice, it began to walk up the hill, around the café seating area and then crossed the road, and it was here that we got truly excellent views. And not only did we see it cross the road once, a little later on it crossed again right in front of us. Although seeing it scoff rice without a care was a little bit disappointing, seeing it stride across the road on two occasions comfortably made it one of the absolute highlights of the trip.

We birded the top area of the road until around 10:30, birding back down the road from the top. Along the way we picked up a few birds but generally the birding was slow. Fantastic views of Great Hornbill were the highlights, as they really were impressive birds. Other goodies included Speckled Piculet and Red-headed Trogon, but otherwise we were left to commoner species. We did have two species of monkey at the top however, with the commoner DUSKY LANGUR mixed in with BANDED LANGUR, although we only realised this later on when checking photos.

On our way back down the mountain, just below the dam area, we found a nice mixed species flock so stopped off to bird the area. What started as a quick check became an extended hour filtering through the impressive flock which constantly revealed new bird species. In total I had seven new species during this phase of the morning, including highlights such as Sultan Tit and Buff-rumped Warbler. The best of this time however was a fantastic GIANT SQUIRREL picked out at the very last minute. Honestly, this thing was about a meter and half long including tail, and absolutely spectacular beast with striking plumage to go with its impressive size.

After lunch and a few errands, we birded the afternoon around the lower campsite. Although not as birdy, we still had one of the birding highlights of the day with three Silver-breasted Broadbill showing nicely and displaying in response to tape. Additionally there were six other new birds, including highlights of Ruby-cheeked Sunbird and Orange-breasted Trogon, the latter of which took some significant effort to find but eventually managed views of the back of a female.

A lot of the afternoon was dedicated to mammals as well. The campsite was full of the DUSKY LANGURS with a few individuals showing nicely before dropping fruit on us. There was also a distant WHITE-HANDED GIBBON which was a mammal we really wanted to see but until this point had only heard. Although distant, it was perched conspicuously and now we can hope to see more during the next few days. We finished the day staking out a watering hole not far from the entrance gate, where there were reports of GAUR visiting. In the hour we spent there we had views of five individuals of these impressive bovines, including an absolutely outrageous adult male. A fine way to round off a brilliant day birding, and a brilliant day mammal watching. 

Species List:

Kaeng Krachan National Park: Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Large-tailed Nightjar, Asian Palm Swift, White-breasted Waterhen, Red-wattled Lapwing, Little Cormorant, Little Egret, Striated Heron, Great Egret, Black Baza, Asian Barred Owlet, Orange-breasted Trogon, Red-headed Trogon, Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, White-throated Kingfisher, Green-eared Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Speckled Piculet, Greater Flameback, Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Common Flameback, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Scarlet Minivet, Swinhoe's Minivet, White-bellied Erpornis, Ashy Drongo, Hair-crested Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Sultan Tit, Black-headed Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Streak-eared Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Flavescent Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie-Robin, White-rumped Shama, Chinese Blue Flycatcher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Taiga Flycatcher, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Grey Wagtail, 

Thailand; Day 16 - Petchaburi & Kraeng Katchan

   Before setting out for the day, I had a quick walk around the neighbourhood we had been staying in in the early morning light. Despite being suburban and arable, there were some nice birds to see with Oriental Reed Warbler, Blue-tailed Bee-eater and Brown-throated Sunbird both being new for me. A Yellow Bittern was feeing on the back of the river beside our rented house, and I got my first Water Monitor of the trip, which was swimming in the middle of one of the estate ponds. A lively start to our morning.

  The first destination was the rice fields to the north of the town of Petchaburi itself. The fields were almost totally dry, with evidence of recent burning present all over. Our main target here was the critically endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting, which we hoped to find around the site. Although we were prepared for a search, we found our first individuals as soon as we got out of the car and they were an everpresent feature of the morning. However, seeing them perched up proved a challenge and generally flight views were all that we were afforded. Still, a few individuals perched up, including a stunning male.

  Although the bulk of the birds present were common species, there were a few excellent standouts. A immature Cinnamon Bittern was probably the highlight of the morning, as it watched me from the bush it perched up into. Asian Golden Weaver and Black-browed Reed Warbler were both lifers, as was Pink-necked Green Pigeon, finally the first Green Pigeon of the trip. Overhead we spent time scanning for raptors and were rewarded with two Greater Spotted Eagles, as well as throngs of Brahminy Kites and Black Kite.

  In the afternoon we drove to the Kraeng Katchan national park, our finally birding destination of the trip. Although not our lodging, we called off at Ban Maka Lodge for lunch, as we needed to arrange access to the birding hides for the following days. But as luck would have it, the most popular hide of Dab Toon was available that afternoon, so that is where we decided to spend our afternoon. We arrived around 15:00 but the activity did not pick up until after the first hour had passed.

  The birding in the hide was brilliant, with five different species of gamebird in total, including three Partridges. The first was Green-legged Partridge, which came and went throughout the morning. Followed by Bar-backed Partridge, which came out immediately into the open and fed for a short while, before it scarpered before finally a pair of Ferruginous Partridge came out at the end of the afternoon, feeding right out in the open. Additionally there was a stunning Kaliji Pheasant male with a striking tail, and a constant convayabelt of Red Junglefowl feeding away in the background, including at least two adult males.

  Additionally to gamebirds we had a few boisterous groups of Greater and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes coming and going, showing well and picking off various bits around the feeding site. There were less small birds than at other feeding sites we had visited, but we still had our first Indochinese Flycatchers and Abbot’s Babblers, as well as Siberian Blue Robin. Sadly neither of the two Siberian Blue Robins we saw were adults.

  Despite the brilliant birding, the highlight was arguably the mammals. In addition to the SQUIRRELS and TREE SHREWS, we were hopeful to see the MOUSE DEER that is known to visit and about two hours into our vigil it did indeed come down. And it was extremely comical, stuffing fruits into its face that were far too big for it to swallow, only to force it down after about a minute, taking a break and then doing it again. It stayed out in the open for about 15 minutes in total, happily struggling to eat fruits and providing excellent entertainment of an animal we probably wouldn’t even see otherwise.

  We were also extremely lucky to have a pair of Yellow-throated Marten visit us on three occasions. These mammals were spectacular, almost a meter and a half in length including the tail with beautiful markings of the dark head contrasting with the yellow body and breast. Again another secretive animal that we probably not have seen outside the hide, but that we got amazing intimate views of. The fact they kept returning made us cautious that they might prevent the secretive gamebirds from visiting, but we need not have worried and we left with nearly a full house. The afternoon simply could not have gone any better. 

Thailand; Day 15 - Pak Thale

   After successfully seeing the Spoon-billed Sandpiper the previous evening, the pressure was off for our morning birding in the Pak Thale salt pans. And it truly was a magnificent spectacle with thousands of wading birds on offer of a wider variety of species. It did not take us too long to relocate one Spoon-billed Sandpiper but it was again quite distant and we never saw it any closer to us. Through the scope the views were still good, but it was a shame we did not see an individual closer.

  Sifting through the throngs of other waders we eventually managed to suss out our next target, with Nordmanns Greenshank proving quite common once we had worked out how to separate them confidently from Common Greenshank. Asiatic Dowitcher was another species we wanted to see having seen a few the previous evening, and we were treated to a large number of flybys with mixed flocks of Black-tailed Godwits. Great Knot was another eastern species that was very common, as was Red-necked Stint. We were only able to pick out two Long-toed Stint though among the masses, and these were not close.

  In the afternoon we had booked to go on a boat trip with local bird guide Mr Daeng to a sandbar further out at the edge of the mangroves, where we hoped to find a couple of new species of plover as well as an Egret species. Sadly though we missed out on most of our targets, although not for a lack of trying, with a good few hours spent checking the birds on the beaches without success. It was tough going but still enjoyable, with the plovers proving especially tricky to decipher.

  In the end we saw many individuals of Malaysian Plover, one of our targets, and occasionally they were confiding. We saw a few females as well, which were surprisingly striking once we actually saw them. Sadly though, the White-faced Plover we were searching for did not materialise, despite our best efforts and searching through the birds present for an extended time period. The birding was generally good, and we enjoyed other lifers with Collared Kingfisher and a summer plumage Javan Pond Heron.

  What this did mean however was that our entire afternoon was spent on this activity. But this was just as well, as the sun took its tole on us and our evening meal was chaotic affair, meaning we returned home late and exhausted. 

Thailand; Day 14 - Pak Thale

   The day started abruptly when last nights party in Chiang Mai caught me out, and I did not set an alarm. A phone call at 05:50 asking where I was and why I wasn’t at the car quickly brought me to my senses, and I was our the door and packed in a matter of minutes, ready for our flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Still it did mean that I spent the rest of the day exhausted and tired. Fortunately the day was mostly to be spent travelling, with only limited birding in the late afternoon.

  At the end of the afternoon we finally arrived in Petchaburi, a state on the Malay Peninsula where we would spend the rest of our time in Thailand. The birding was to involve mostly searching salt pans for wading birds, in the quest for the very rare Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Although afternoon is not the best time, we still set off to try our luck.

  The first set of salt pans had a lot of waders on, mostly Marsh Sandpipers, but there was excellent variety allowing us to get to grips with East Asian species. Obviously Red-necked Stint was new for me, but it was the only one. Good species we found here included a smart Long-toed Stint, in total for this site we clocked up an impressive 19 different species of wader. Non wading birds included our first Brahminy Kites flying overhead, as well as Caspian and Whiskered Terns, as well as Brown-headed Gulls.

  For the last hour of light we switched up and went to the main wader watching hotspot of Pak Thale, where we would stand the best chance of finding the Spoon-billed Sandpiper. There were more waders here, but the bulk of the birds were plovers, of the Greater Sand Plover, Tibetan Sand Plover and Kentish Plover varieties. Among them we picked out our first Great Knots of the trip, with a big roosting group.

  At almost the last minutes of light Rob managed to pick out the one we wanted. Although distant and with the light fading, we could still see the delightful little beak of the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, nestled among the Red-necked Stints and Broad-billed Sandpipers. Although viewing was not ideal, it was still brilliant to get our main target so early into our time here, and a delightful little bird as well. What a great start to our time in the south.  

Thailand; Day 13 - Chiang Saen & Chiang Mai

 Today would mostly be spent travelling down from Chiang Saen to Chiang Mai, from where we would fly out the following morning to continue our travels in the south. We had been very successful in our time around Chiang Saen and so had little in the way of new targets to search for, the only species that had eluded us so far being Small Pratincole. As such, we first headed to the Meekong River at Rim Khong restaurant, as we had the previous day, in the hope that there might be some on the shingle spits where there were none yesterday.

Sadly it was not to be. The previous evening had been a prelude to Chinese New Year and fireworks had been going off all night. Were it this or simply the extensive development along the river, there was no sign of any Small Pratincoles here. Generally birding was slow, but we had nice views of Red Avadavat in the reeds there. There was a big surprise however, when I picked up a small gull species flying up river. I grabbed the camera and fired off a few photos before I lost it behind the island in front of the beach. I was in for a shock when I checked the photos; the bird was an adult Black-legged Kittiwake! Although the photos were not clear, it is possible to see the black ocular spot and the clean black wingtips. Apparently this was an incredibly rare bird for Thailand, especially this far inland, and since it was in the middle of the river it may well be a first for Laos as well. Apparently it has already been accepted by the Thai rarities committee, or so I am told.

After the disappointment of the Rim Khong section of the river, we also tried a few other areas for Small Pratincole, but the areas we wanted to check were now all built up and there was no sign or habitat for the Pratincoles. A disappointing dip, but hard to complain after the incredible few days we have had in the area. By this point it was mid-morning so we started our drive south. Half way down the drive, just to the east of the city of Chiang Rai, we visited a large lake Nong Luang where we hoped to find a few last waterbirds.

And we were in for the waterbird surprise, when Sarah picked out a cracking drake Baers Pochard among the Ferruginous Ducks. With none of this species reported in Thailand yet this winter, this was a huge surprise for us, and a massive bonus bird for our trip. It was always distant and we had to photograph it through the scope, but it was often active and in view, with the fudge ducks for comparison. Otherwise there was just common waterbirds in the area, with Cotton Pygmy Goose and Tufted Duck both being new birds for our trip.

Thrilled with our bonus stop, we continued on our journey south, arriving in Chiang Mai early afternoon. Once we had checked into our hotel and sorted the car out we drove the short distance from the city to the Huai Hong Khrai royal gardens, which have a population of Green Peafowl. Although this population is not truly wild, it was still our only opportunity to see a stunning species that we otherwise would not get to on our itinerary.

Initially we were not sure how to find the birds, but fortunately we spotted two very quickly as we drove along the road into the grounds. Around the lake we then saw several more, oftentimes distant but sometimes much closer and we were very satisfied with our late afternoon birding. The site was generally quiet, but it was nice to see our first Red Junglefowl of the trip, with a cracking male, as well as our first Striated Heron of the trip.

That evening, I headed out in Chiang Mai with a friend from University. It was certainly a messy night, but an excellent way to finish off our time in the north of the country. Before the next phase in the south. 

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, 

Thailand; Day 3 - Doi Inthanon National Park

   The plan for the day was to spend the morning on the summit of Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand. To avoid the masses of tourists, we started as early as possible which meant arriving before sunrise. Unfortunately one of the side effects of this early start meant that it was an astonishingly cold four degrees when we arrived. But we had a hot coffee and started birding as soon as the light began to improve, birding the Ang Ka Nature Tail, a boardwalk just down from the summit, known for its many species on offer.

  Although the species total was limited, we enjoyed some fabulous birding along the boardwalk, with the undoubted highlight being a set of three Rufous-throated Partridges feeding right under us and not at all concerned by our presence. Additionally, we managed some excellent target species with Himalayan Shortwing, Dark-sided Thrush and the Doi Inthanon race of the Green-tailed Sunbird. There were also brilliant commoner birds, although the leaf warblers proved extremely problematic, eventually deciding we had seen Ash-throated Leaf Warbler and Davinson Leaf Warbler.

  The boardwalk was short but we did many loops looking for our targets, so we did not finish until late morning. The summit area was extremely busy, so we drove slightly down the mountain to the Kew Mae Pan area of shops and restaurants, as here there was another nature trail we decided to try. However, before we started we found out that a group of photographers were throwing mealworms down behind the toilets for birds, and this brought out several goodies such as Slate-coloured Flycatcher, Large Niltava and Silver-eared Laughingthrush. We enjoyed spending time watching the birds.

  The trail itself was three kilometres long, and for the most part not birdy at all. It obviously didn’t help that it was the worst time of day for birding and that the trail itself was incredibly steep and busy, meaning that we spent very little time actually scanning the canopy, generally focusing on the understorey and keeping ourselves together as we quickly tired. Still, we managed to find a nice Snowy-browed Flycatcher and a female Himalayan Shortwing. At the top of the trail, where it opened out into a stunning vista, there was a singing Hill Prinia.

  Once we got back towards the end of the afternoon, we decided to check out a hide just above the town of Doi Inthanon that we had heard about. Since the actual site restaurant was not open, it took some time to find the hide but once we did there were some excellent birds on offer; Daurian Redstart, female Lesser Shortwing, Plumbeous Water Redstart and a female Hill Blue Flycatcher. But the best bird at this site was a Pygmy Cupwing, a species we had searched for all day without success which Sarah and Kate found in an ornamental area just downstream from the hide. An excellent end to an excellent day, which saw us birding relentlessly from dawn until dusk.

Species List:
Doi Inthanon National Park: Rufous-throated Partridge, Peregrine Falcon, Grey-backed Shrike, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Japanese Tit, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Hill Prinia, Pygmy Cupwing, Mountain Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Ashy-throated Warbler, Davison's Leaf Warbler, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Mountain Tailorbird, Chestnut-flanked White-eye, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Yunnan Fulvetta, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, Dark-backed Sibia, Bar-throated Minla, Common Myna, Dark-sided Thrush, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Large Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Lesser Shortwing, Himalayan Shortwing, Blue Whistling Thrush, Red-flanked Bluetail, Slaty-blue Flycatcher, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Daurian Redstart, Grey Bush Chat, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Grey Wagtail, 

Thailand; Day 2 - Doi Inthanon National Park

   For our first full day in Thailand, and our first-day birding, we started the morning a little later with a nice breakfast at the accommodation from the night before, with some casual birding around the grounds. Although all the birds we saw were common species, I still had a few new birds including Chinese Pond Heron and Streak-eared Bulbul, but nothing exceptional and we were soon on our way to our first proper destination, the Doi Inthanon National Park.

  We arrived at the main gate around 09:00 and purchased our tickets, before driving another 40 minutes into the park to reach the birding areas. Once we arrived at the second park checkpoint, we parked just up the road and birded a trail known as the jeep trail. This was a trail that had been suggested to us, but presumably thanks to our late morning arrival, it was extremely slow birding and the flocks we did encounter moved too fast with the birds moving too quickly for any good identifications. That said, we still had a few nice birds including Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Yunnan Fulvetta and a brilliant group of Slaty-bellied Tesia that showed incredibly well, for Tesias.

  A quick break and drinks stop around lunchtime gave us some time to refresh, before heading to the Kings Garden above the town of Doi Inthanon. This was obviously a very artificial environment, complete with well-tendered flowerbeds and mowed lawns. However, there were a few birds for us to find here, including beautiful male Black-throated Sunbird and Mrs. Gould's Sunbirds. Additionally, there were a few migrant species we are familiar with from Western Europe, such as Taiga Flycatcher and Olive-backed Pipit.

  At 17:00 we left the gardens and traveled to our accommodation for the next three nights, the Motho Homestay. The lodging was nice, a chalet with two rooms situated well off the main road in a quiet rural area flanked by forest. After arriving we crashed out a bit, but still spotted a distant Verditer Flycatcher showing well despite the range.

  After a slow start, it was a very pleasant day to have been birding around the Doi Inthanon National Park, and with more days yet to come, we are looking forward to seeing what we can find. 

-Himalayan Striped Squirrel

-Yunnan Fulvetta

-Rufous-winged Fulvetta

-Slaty-bellied Tesia

-Mrs. Gould's Sunbird

-Black-throated Sunbird

-Great Windmill

-Red Lacewing Butterfly

-Black-striped Frog

Species List:
Doi Inthanon National Park: Feral Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Asian Koel, White-breasted Waterhen, Chinese Pond Heron, Asian Green Bee-eater, Clicking Shrike-babbler, Common Iora, Black Drongo, Ashy Drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Japanese Tit, Common Tailorbird, Barn Swallow, Wire-tailed Swallow, Striated Swallow, Mountain Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Streak-eared Bulbul, Flavescent Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Mountain Tailorbird, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Yunnan Fulvetta, Common Myna, Eyebrowed Thrush, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Verditer Flycatcher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Little Pied Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Black-throated Sunbird, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, Common Rosefinch, Himalayan Striped Squirrel

Thailand; Day 1 - arrival

   So begins the first day of the next birding trip, and the first in 2024. This time I was travelling with a group of friends from Spurn; Paul Collins, Sarah Harris, Rob Hunton and Kate Fox. We had fancied heading to Thailand for some time, and we finally got it arranged for early this year, with the hope of visiting some of the northern national parks and then heading to the south for a few other birds.

  We left Manchester on the 28^th, departing at 08:00 in the morning, and arriving at our change in Bahrain early in the evening. After a four-hour wait there, we then continued on to Bangkok, arriving in Thailand at 09:00 in the morning. Here we had a six-hour wait before we would take an internal flight up to the city of Chiang Mai in the north, so that gave us some time to bird around the airport. We had plenty of Painted Storks fly over, and had even a few new birds with Great Myna, Asian Palm Swift and House Swift.

  Late afternoon, around 15:00, we boarded our flight north and finally reached the end of our travels. We quickly picked up the car, a Nissan X-Trail we reserved through Europcar, and set off out of the city to a small homestead to the south, halfway between Chiang Mai and the first national park we would visit in the morning, which Paul had reserved through booking.com. We were absolutely exhausted at this point so showered and crashed, ready to get started with the birding the following day. 

Species List:
Suvarnabhumi International Airport: Feral Pigeon, Red Collared Dove, Spotted Dove, House Swift, Asian Palm Swift, Painted Stork, Little Egret, Great Egret, Red-rumped Swallow, Common Myna, Great Myna, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, White Wagtail,