2012 Tour Narrative
Our tour this year recorded about 400 species, including the extension. Highlights included a feeding party of Siamese Firebacks at Khao Yai National Park, as well as three species of broadbills and all four hornbills, including the scarce Brown. In the far north, highlights included a briefly seen female Hume’s Pheasant, a male and female Spot-winged Grosbeak, an alboides White Wagtail and prolonged views of a singing Giant Nuthatch. The best remembered bird might have been the displaying Mountain Hawk Eagle on Doi Lang exhibiting flight dynamics that seemed nearly impossible to perform. Mammal highlights (all at Khao Yai) included several encounters with Asian Elephants and numerous gibbons, mostly White-handed, but a well-seen and heard Pileated Gibbon too. On the extension we recorded nearly forty species of shorebirds, including four of the highly endangered Spoon-billed Sandpipers and four threatened Nordmann’s Greenshanks. Other highlights included a single White-faced Plover, in addition to Malaysian Plovers, a Chinese Egret, and four species of eagles, including Steppe and Imperial.
Our tour began with a dawn visit to Rangsit on the northern fringe of Bangkok. Despite the vast urbanization of Bangkok, Rangsit, a small fresh water marsh, is still an excellent birding spot. We arrived with Bluethroats still on the dirt track and in the field we had scope views of both Baya and Streaked Weavers. At the edge of the reeds, a Baillon’s Crake offered outstanding views. We also had a Watercock and both Bronze-winged (including a family group) and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. Six Purple Swamphens were of interest as were Lesser Whistling-Ducks and Cotton Pygmy-geese. Old World warblers included Black-browed, Oriental Reed, and Dusky. Some twenty White-shouldered Starlings were a nice addition, a species that we have generally missed in recent years. Later at a temple we had good studies of a Spotted Owlet, at the entrance of its presumed nest cavity. Also present were Red-breasted Parakeets, including an adult feeding a juvenile. Later we had a family group of Small Minivets. At the end of the day we stopped at Wat Khao Noi, where Pipith finally located our target species, the Limestone Wren-Babbler.
We spent three and a half days at Khao Yai, probably Thailand’s most famous national park. There were too many highlights to detail individually, but a few of them would include all four of Khao Yai’s hornbills, including the scarce Brown Hornbill, Siamese Firebacks, a pair of Scaly-breasted Partridges that remained for prolonged studies, Black Eagle, a Silver-backed Needletail with some 50 Brown-backed Needletails drinking from a pond in flight, a pair of Blue-bearded Bee-eaters, Banded, Long-tailed and Silver-breasted Broadbills, a male Red-headed Trogon, a Dark-sided Flycatcher (normally winters farther south), Orange-headed Thrush and an adult male Siberian Blue Robin. Mammals included multiple views of Black Giant Squirrel and multiple encounters with gibbons. Most were White-handed, but on the Khao Khieo road we saw and heard (with the distinctive bubbling calls) the much scarcer Pileated Gibbon. We also had multiple Asian Elephants, including one that seemed to pursue a vehicle for a brief bit before turning into the woods, briefly facing us, and then lumbered off. The one group of birds that we did poorly on was woodpeckers and that luck, or lack thereof, continued throughout the trip. Where were they? After a final morning at the Viewpoint, we drove back to Bangkok for our flight to Chiang Mai.
On our first morning in the north we birded Doi Pui. On the way up a few of us glimpsed a female Hume’s Pheasant fly across the road. We also had no fewer than five Scaly Thrushes that were on the road. On the summit of Doi Pui we had a nice selection of birds, including a briefly seen female Grey-winged Blackbird. Flycatchers encountered included Little Pied, Rufous-gorgeted, and Slaty-backed, as well as two Vivid Niltavas (nothing vivid about the brown females). Later in the afternoon in the lowlands at Ma Hia we added a wide range of new species. These included Rufous-winged Buzzard, Richard’s Pipit, Burmese Shrike and Racket-tailed Treepie as well as Striated Swallows. The next morning we visited Huai Hong Khrai where we found a displaying male Green Peafowl. Other highlights included a seen Puff-throated Babbler and a beautiful singing male Hainan Blue Flycatcher. After lunch in Chiang Mai we drove to the Inthanon Hiighland Resort. Nearby we were able to get good scope views of a Rufous Treepie, and eventually a few Blossom-headed Parakeets came in near dusk.
Early the next morning we arrived at the magical summit bog on Doi Inthanon. Here we found many key species, most of which were seen very well. These included the Himalayan (rufilatus) subspecies of Red-flanked Bluetail, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, a Dark-sided Thrush, and a very cooperative Pygmy Wren Babbler that actually perched on a fence rail for Dave to photograph. Also much enjoyed were prolonged views of a Eurasian Woodcock. The male Green-tailed and Gould’s Sunbirds were striking and were much in evidence. Sadly we were never able to see the singing White-browed Shortwing. Later in the day many in the group saw a pair of Small Niltavas as well as a variety of other species. The next morning we started a little lower on the mountain and were rewarded with good scope views of a Speckled Wood Pigeon. Lower down on the mountain we encountered males of both Asian Emerald and Violet Cuckoo, the first time I’ve seen the latter species in northernmost Thailand. At the waterfalls we located both Pumbeous and White-capped Redstarts, as well as a pair of Slaty-backed Forktails. And, in the trees above, a pair of the striking and localized White-headed Bulbul were located. At Mr. Deng’s shop we watched another Dark-sided Thrush as well as a Lesser Shortwing.
Returning to Chiang Mai, we started the next morning at Mae Tang. On the mudflats we watched numerous White (leucopsis subspecies) Wagtails as well as a single Citrine. Other species of note included Common Snipe, Little Ringed Plover (resident jerdoni subspecies) and Green Sandpiper. In the shrubbery and trees across the canal we got to see a male Crested Bunting and some of us got to see a calling Chestnut-capped Babbler. Racket-tailed Treepies and Chestnut-tailed Starlings were about. A male Purple Sunbird briefly appeared. Nearby in some paddies we located some Grey-headed Lapwings and several Pin-tailed Snipe and near there at a small wetland we found five Eurasian Coots (a tour first!) and in the nearby trees a party of Blue Magpies. After lunch in Chiang Dao we continued on to our next destination, Doi Ang Khang where we spent the next three nights.
The following morning we started at the army checkpoint where despite the rather hacked over appearance, birds were numerous in the bordering shrubbery. Highlights included several striking Red-faced Liocichlas as well as White-browed Laughingthrushes, and Rusty-cheeked Schimitar Babblers. Later in the morning we connected with a Maroon Oriole, an adult male rufilatus Red-flanked Bluetail couldn’t have been more cooperative and a Chinese Leaf Warbler that flashed its yellow rump while it hovered. Later in the day we finally saw a woodpecker, a male Lesser Yellownape. Also there in the saddle was a charming pair of Long-tailed Shrikes and a scattering of Common Rosefinches and a Chestnut Bunting. On the next morning we walked down the Me Pur Valley which was birdy, but we didn’t add too many new species. A pair of White-crowned Forktails briefly flashed the group and a male Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush was present at the start. We heard a White-gorgeted Flycatcher singing but unfortunately couldn’t lure it out for views. At that point we decided to look again for the Giant Nuthatch before lunch. It had been found the day before but we were initially unsuccessful later that same afternoon. But the following day it was singing continually on our arrival and we were able to track it down and quickly and get prolonged views, even in the scope. This striking and scarce species is found mainly in Thailand on Doi Chinag Dao to the south, but a few are also on Doi Ang Khang. This is the third time we have encountered this species on this mountain. After lunch we enjoyed prolonged views of a nearly torpid female Daurian Redstart.
On our last morning we birded for a few hours along the road on Doi Ang Khang. We did not encounter Hume’s Pheasants or Mountain Bamboo Partridge (we did hear one) but did succeed in getting fine views of a noisy party of White-necked Laughingthrushes. A singing Velvet-fronted Nuthatch also offered excellent views and a singing Hoopoe was also seen. A bush warbler (genus Bradypterus) was briefly seen in a hedge, but typically remained hidden. This genus and species in the genus Locustella are total skulkers. Our bird was likely Russet, but might have been Spotted (Baikal). Later in the morning we stopped at Fang Hot Stream in the lowlands where the highlight was a very cooperative pair of White-capped Redstarts. We surveyed the previous year’s flood damage up towards the check dam. The area was still pretty ravaged, but we did see a distinctive adult alboides White Wagtail. This resident subspecies in Thailand is normally restricted to the Mekong River. It’s the first time we’ve encountered it on the tour in Thailand. Late in the day near Tha Ton we had superb views of an adult male Pied Harrier.
The following day we birded Doi Lang. Much of the day we were virtually on the Burma border. We started at a small village where we had breakfast. Here we had a Grey-faced Buzzard and several Oriental Turtle Doves along with an Oriental Skylark. Higher up the mountain we had prolonged views of two Slender-billed Orioles and enjoyed a stunning Black-eared Shrike Babbler. Eye-browed Thrushes were perched in the treetops, and a few saw a male Vivid Niltava. Later we saw Whiskered Yuhinas and a variety of other species, including numerous Crested Finchbills and Striated Bulbuls plus two Red-faced Liocichlas coming in for food at the army checkpoint. The day’s highlight though was the displaying Mountain Hawk Eagle engaging in flight acrobatics (somersaults, etc.) that seemed nearly impossible to perform given its large size.
We again birded the Tha Ton paddies for a short time the last morning, but did not succeed in finding any buntings. We did see a juvenile Pied Harrier and tried to see a skulking Chestnut-capped Babbler at our feet! On the way back to Chiang Mai we made one stop and were rewarded with a Black-capped Kingfisher and several Crested Treeswifts soaring high over the tall deciduous forest.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper extension
We left the Novatel well before dawn on our way to Pak Thale. Arriving at the site, a single Spoon-billed Sandpiper was spotted and later we saw several more. We estimated our day’s total was four. The total population numbers only a few hundred, most of which winter in Myanmar (Burma). They breed in only a few areas of Russian Far East. On the following morning we had prolonged superb views of two birds and got to see them feed. Apart from the Spoon-billed Sandpipers there were of course so many other shorebirds to see. We had nearly forty species. These included numerous Broad-billed Sandpipers and seven species of plovers including five Malaysian and a single male White-faced Plover, a species which was described over 140 years ago, then forgotten, and “rediscovered” a little over a decade ago. The species is obviously rare (breeding coastal central China), but a few been found in winter in peninsular Thailand. Scarcer species included Dunlin, Red-necked Phalarope (ten) and Eastern Curlew. Some also hiked out for the four Nordmann’s Greenshanks, a distinctive Tringa species that breeds mainly on Sakhalin Island, Russian Far East. We also had a pair of Greater Painted-snipe that cooperated well at the Royal Project. These were the best views I have ever had of that species. We spent two late afternoons at this most productive location. We watched hundreds of mynas of four species bathe and watched Ruddy-breasted Crakes and Slaty-breasted Rails scurry from ditch to ditch. As the skies darkened, dozens of Black Drongos and White-shouldered Starlings and hundreds of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters all came into roost. Late on the 2nd day Pipith flushed up an Indian Nightjar. Other species of note included a Chinese Egret, two Pacific Reef Egrets, and several Oriental Pratincoles. Just to the north at Nong Pla Lai we had an excellent raptor show in afternoon with numerous Black Kites, and four species of eagles including numerous Greater Spotted and single juveniles of Booted, Steppe and Imperial. The latter two are particularly scarce in Thailand. I think our group was in unanimous agreement that our two nights at the Fisherman’s Resort was our most comfortable accommodation of the entire tour. After another morning of looking at shorebirds we then headed back to Bangkok, stopping at the swift condominium complex at Banheam where Germain’s Swiftlets nest and the nests are later salvaged for the famous soup. The buildings are built strictly for the swifts!
- Jon Dunn
Updated: April 2012