Thailand: The Northwest

Day 1: The tour begins at 6:00 p.m. with a meeting in the lobby of our hotel, followed by dinner. Night at the Hyatt Regency near Bangkok’s international airport.

Day 2: We’ll fly early this to Chiang Mai and drive south to Mae Ping National Park, one of the best-preserved lowland deciduous forests in Thailand. Woodpeckers will be one of our objectives and we have a good chance of finding the stunning Black-headed. Two other specialties, Collared Falconet and the scarce Indochinese endemic White-rumped Pygmy-falcon, [J1] occur here, and we’ll hope to see them, although we have missed the latter species the last few years. Other species might include Crested Serpent-Eagle, Shikra, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Grey-capped and maybe White-bellied Woodpeckers, Grey-headed Parakeet, Common, and Large Woodshrikes, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Rufous Treepie, Burmese and Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, White-crested Laughingthrush, and Black-hooded Oriole. In 2026 we had a Changeable Hawk-eagle, which is known from here and prefers this habitat, but we had missed it in previous years. Night at Villa Sangdao, Lamphun.

Day 3: We’ll spend the morning birding Mae Ping National Park. After lunch, we’ll travel to Doi Inthanon, stopping along the way to look for the spectacular Green Peafowl near Bang Hong before arriving at our resort hotel at the foot of the mountain. Along the Mae Ping River we might find Small Pratincoles and White and Citrine Wagtails. If time allows we’ll search for Blossom-headed Parakeet, which are often present nearby. Night at Doi Inthanon Highland Resort.

Day 4: We'll begin birding around Doi Inthanon's summit amidst gorgeous flowering rhododendrons and orchids. We’ll stop first just below the summit, where at first light we may find wintering Speckled and very occasionally Ashy Woodpigeons sunning themselves. We’ll encounter many other species, usually including Striated Bulbul and perhaps a rare wintering Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker. At the summit, we’ll walk on a boardwalk surrounded by marvelous red-flowering rhododendrons and almost certainly a multitude of small brightly colored birds, including Bar-throated Minla, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Yellow-bellied Fairy-fantail, and the stunning Mrs. Gould’s and Green-tailed Sunbirds (an endemic subspecies, angkanensis, perhaps a separate species). We’ll look too for ground skulkers such as Rufous-throated Partridge, Himalayan Shortwing, Dark-sided, Eyebrowed, and Gray-sided Thrushes, Himalayan Bluetail, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Pygmy Cupwing, and Silver-eared Laughingthrush. After a picnic lunch, we’ll begin our descent, searching for additional birds as we go, notably at the military checkpoint and at the park headquarters where we hope to see Yunnan Fulvetta, Short-billed Minivet, and Spectacled Barwing. Night at Doi Inthanon Highland Resort.

Day 5: We’ll explore the loftiest and most species-rich forest at elevations between 5000 and 6000 feet. Among the many birds, we’ll look especially for Maroon Oriole, Short-billed Minivet, Brown-throated Treecreeper, the secretive White-necked Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, Spectacled Barwing, Rufous-backed Sibia, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Slaty-bellied Tesia, and Large Niltava. We have as well a very slim chance of finding Green Cochoa. Heading back down the mountain, we’ll check along the cascading streams for White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstarts and the striking Slaty-backed and Black-backed Forktails. Among the red-flowering trees, we’ll search for White-headed Bulbul, an endemic to this part of Thailand and adjacent Myanmar, and a species we've missed here in recent years. Black Bulbuls are also found, but normally they’re at a slightly higher elevation. In the more open areas we’ll look for Hoopoe and Slender-billed Oriole among others. Night at the Doi Inthanon Highland Resort.

Day 6: Our final morning on Doi Inthanon will be flexible as we focus on species missed earlier. After lunch we may do a bit more birding and then head back to Chiang Mai. Alternatively, we might head to Ban Thi paddies. Night at the Dusit Princess Hotel, Chiang Mai.

Day 7: This morning is flexible: We’ll likely bird Mae Taeng, an area with numerous ponds and canals. We’ll stop on our way and see if we can spot Crested Treeswift on powerlines north of Chiang Mai. At Mae Taeng we have an excellent chance of seeing Green Sandpiper and perhaps Rufous-winged Buzzard and Citrine Wagtail. In 2024 and 2025, two Long-billed Plover, rare in Thailand, wintered here. Various land birds will be present, and we have a chance of seeing Wryneck, Wire-tailed Swallow, and Red Avadavat. After lunch, we’ll drive north to Fang. where we’ll spend the next four nights. Night at the Sleeping Tree Motel in Fang.

Day 8: We’ll explore Doi Ang Khang, a rugged and scenic mountain perched on the Thai-Burmese border. It’s home to people of Chinese descent who trace their lineage back to Chiang Kai-shek’s army who settled here after the Chinese Revolution, as well as Shan, Lahu, and Palong tribespeople. The Thai government has established watershed protection and upland agriculture projects to help conserve the region’s environment and, although the forest cover is much reduced, a great diversity of forest birds persists in the open oak-pine woodlands. Among the specialties are Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler, White-browed Laughingthrush, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Common Rosefinch, and with good luck Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Buff-throated and Chinese Leaf Warblers, and Chestnut Bunting. We’ll also look for hard-to-find species such as Mountain Bamboo-Partridge, Black-breasted and Scaly Thrushes, Gray-winged Blackbird, and Crested Finchbill. One of the striking species which we often see is the spectacular Giant Nuthatch, also found on Doi Lang. At times the airspace above teems with Cook’s Swift, recently split from Pacific Swift, that nest and roost in caves on the mountain, and there is always the possibility of seeing something unexpected, perhaps a rare thrush, bunting, or finch. Night at the Sleeping Tree Motel in Fang. 

Day 9: We’ll leave very early for Doi Lang, where a steep blacktop road runs above 6500 feet along the southwest ridge. Along the road, Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant and Mountain Bamboo-Partridge are distinctly possible.. We’ll be birding mostly along roadside forest edge with spectacular views over a steep escarpment that slopes away across the border into the Burmese hills. Crested Finchbills, scarce on Doi Ang Khang, is slightly easier here. We have as well a good chance for Giant Nuthatch and Slender-billed Oriole, and at least a chance for Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush and Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon. We’ll spend the entire morning on the mountain and, after lunch, bird our way back down. A series of blinds have been constructed by bird photographers where secretive forest species come into feed. Every visit is different but we might see White-gorgeted, Slaty-backed, Rufous-gorgeted and Slaty-blue Flycatchers, Rufous-bellied Niltava, and White-bellied Redstart, among others. Rarer species we've encountered previously include Spot-breasted Laughingthrush, Rusty-naped Pitta and Ultramarine, and Sapphire Flycatchers. During the day we’ll cross paths with multiple feeding flocks and be on high alert for the spectacular Himalayan Cutia. We had fine studies of two to three in 2023, 2024, and 2026 as they foraged along the vegetated horizontal trunks. Although we had none in 2025, the birds are there and it’s just a matter of encountering a feeding flock along the road in the area where they occur. From 2023-2026, a wintering White-spectacled Warbler was present, a first for Thailand, and we found it twice. We’ll hope for similar good fortune this year. Night at the Sleeping Tree Motel in Fang.

Day 10: We’ll return to the southwest side of Doi Lang searching for species we may have missed. Doi Lang is one of the best birding locations in northern Thailand, and spending another day here should not feel overly duplicative as the list of possible species is long and exciting. The very localized (in Thailand) and striking Necklaced Woodpecker, a split from Crimson-breasted, occurs here in very small numbers, and every winter, a few spectacular male Scarlet Finches are seen, though sadly not yet by us. Night at the Sleeping Tree Motel in Fang.

Day 11: After breakfast, we will head north and check the paddies near Mae Ai, or Tha Ton. Small numbers of the endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting sometimes winter, and if present, we’ll search for them. In 202,6 we counted over three hundred Grey-headed Lapwings in one area. After lunch at Tha Ton, we’ll drive east towards the Mekong River. We’ll likely make a stop at the Samok Mongolian Horse Farm near Mae Chan north of Chiang Rai. A couple there has turned their backyard into a bird haven with various secretive species making visits and visible from the blind they have erected in their garage. Three years ago, she discovered Blue-naped Pitta, a very rare and local species known from northwestern Thailand. She even found a nest. In 2026 we saw a pair. Other visitors included a Dark-sided Flycatcher, Black-breasted Thrushes, and a Siberian Blue Robin. Late in the afternoon, we’ll continue on to our lodging at the Siam Triangle Hotel right on the Mekong River in Chiang Saen.

Day 12:  This morning we’ll visit Chiang Saen Lake and take a boat around the margins, looking for wintering ducks, mostly Ferruginous but Tufted and Common Pochard are also possible, along with Ruddy Shelduck. Indian Spot-billed Duck should be present in good numbers, and Baikal Teal has been found. The “endangered” Baer’s Pochard has been recorded here and on a few other lakes. Great Cormorants (subspecies sinensis) are occasionally present along with a few Little Cormorants. Both Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas are present too, along with numerous Purple Herons and an Oriental Darter or two. We’ll watch the skies for raptors, particularly harriers. Both Pied and Eastern Marsh are possible and sometimes other species. We’ll also work along the shoreline looking for shorebirds, notably Common and Pin-tailed Snipes and Grey-headed Lapwing. In addition to lake birds, the nearby Nam Kham Nature Reserve has several species of interest, particularly if the photographic hides are open. Freckle-breasted and Laced Woodpeckers are possible along with Jerdon’s Bushchat, Siberian Rubythroat, and Baikal Grasshopper-warbler. Night at the Siam Triangle Hotel. We’ll take lunch back at our hotel and before visiting Nam Kham we’ll visit the Golden Triangle where Mayanmar (Burma), Laos, and Thailand come all meet. 

Day 13: This morning we’ll visit the “Hellscape Water Pits” a series of bodies of water with several thousand ducks, mostly Northern Pintail, Garganey, and Lesser Whistling-ducks but other species too. Nong Mae Lua, another lake about 20 km south of Chiang Saen. It can be good too for waterfowl and shorebirds, notably various plovers, stints, Wood Sandpiper, and sometimes Spotted Redshank; Eurasian Wryneck, Chestnut-capped Babbler, and Greater Spotted Eagle are also possible. We’ll travel back to our hotel for lunch and afterwards head south to Chiang Rai. Night at the Wiang Inn Hotel, Chiang Rai.

Day 14: We’ll visit Nong Laung Lake south of Chiang Rai where there is excellent birding, particularly for waterfowl. A thousand or more Lesser Whistling-ducks are typically present, and in some years Cotton Pygmy-geese. Garganey also winters here and rarer ducks have included Red-crested and Common Pochards and Tufted Duck. On the last four trips, we’ve found from one to several Baer’s Pochard with the Ferruginous Ducks.  Falcated Duck has also been recorded, and Yellow Bittern, Oriental Darter, Long-tailed Jacana, and Plain-backed Sparrow are possible. After lunch in Chiang Rai, we’ll drive to the airport for a late afternoon flight back to Bangkok and a final group dinner at the Hyatt Regency near the airport. Night in Bangkok. 

Day 15: The tour concludes this morning in Bangkok.  
 

• 2026 Narrative
• 2024 Narrative

2026 Narrative

Our tour began with a meeting in the Hyatt Regency, followed quickly by dinner. We met well before dawn the next morning and after breakfast, headed over to the airport for our domestic flight to Chiang Mai, arriving there by mid-morning. Here we met our team led by Pasith, our two drivers, Pradit and Manoon, and our chuck wagon with Mr. “C” and Muang. From here, we headed south towards Mae Ping National Park, stopping for a few birds along the way, notably for Asian Openbills, and for a Rufous-winged Buzzard, Red-wattled Lapwing, Indochinese Roller, Asian Green Bee-eater, and Asian and Pied Bushchats. After lunch, we headed on to Mae Ping National Park. Near the entrance, there was a flowering tree with many Hair-crested Drongos and Chestnut-tailed Starlings. A White-rumped Shama and a pair of Grey-headed Canary-flycatchers were nearby. We did not have many species on our 10 km drive into the park, but a light-morph adult Changeable Hawk-eagle was one of them. It circled low over us within the dry deciduous forest and was photographed by John. This species is known here, but it is the first time we have encountered it, and it is one of the very few I’ve seen in Thailand. Other species we saw included Common Flameback, the stunning Black-headed Woodpecker, Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo, Rufous Treepie, Red-billed Blue Magpie, and Black-hooded Oriole. Grey-headed Parakeets were heard and briefly seen both that afternoon and the next day, but we did not have sustained views of perched birds. Bruce Peterjohn briefly saw a Collared Falconet. That night at dinner, we were treated to Thai classical dancing by young women students. We overnighted at Villa Sangdao in Lamphun. 

After an early breakfast, we returned to Mae Ping N.P. at dawn and obtained good views of a pair of Collared Falconets. The other main highlight was an Indochinese Cuckoo-shrike, a rather scarce resident species of the dry deciduous forest. Other species seen included multiple Red Junglefowl, Banded Bay-cuckoo, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Crested Serpent-eagle, Black-headed and Grey-crowned woodpeckers, Common Flameback, Scarlet Minivet, a large moving party of White-crested Laughing-thrushes, Golden-fronted Leafbirds, Black-hooded Orioles, and Burmese Shrike. A Greater Flameback was heard.  After lunch, we stopped for a large flock of about 150 Red-collared Dove perched in just a few trees in a field and then continued on to Ban Hong Hunting Area where Great Peafowl were numerous and close. Plain and Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers were here too, along with an Indochinese Bushlark. Interestingly, this location is one of the few places where I see Plain Flowerpecker in Thailand.  Our final stop was along the Mae Ping River near Chong Tong, where the mudflats were full of birds, principally Black-winged Stilts (250) and Small Pratincoles (200). Also present were several Common Sandpipers, a half dozen Little Ringed Plovers, Common Greenshanks, and White, Eastern Yellow, and Citrine Wagtails. We arrived late in the day at Inthanon Highland Resort, our lodging for the next three nights. 

We arose very early the next morning and, after breakfast, departed for the summit of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s tallest peak at 2,565 meters (8,415’).  It was perhaps our best birding day of the tour. Just past the dramatic temple near the summit, we stopped to see if we could see Speckled Woodpigeons which winter here in scattered flocks, although they have been less predictable in recent years. We missed them but did briefly see a calling Pygmy Cupwing in the gutter of the roadside. We continued on to the end of the road, the summit. We started off with Rufous-throated Partridges feeding behind the snack shop. Blue Whistling-thrushes were present along the side of the road, and included both the yellow-billed temminckii subspecies, and several black-billed caeruleus which have a distinctly different call from other subspecies and would seem intuitively to represent a separate species. We then descended a short distance to the bog, where beautiful red flowering rhododendrons were present. A circular boardwalk trail circled the bog.  Here, there were lots of birds. In the flowering rhododendron were wintering thrushes, both Grey-sided and Eyebrowed, plus a rare and striking Chestnut Thrush. Sunbirds were numerous and provided superb views. The males were stunningly beautiful and included wintering Mrs. Gould’s and resident Green-tailed. This subspecies, angkanensis, confined entirely to this mountaintop, might represent a distinct species. More somber colored Ashy-throated and a Buff-barred Warbler were present along with numerous singing Blyth’s Leaf-warblers which, along with Ashy-throated, are resident here. Confiding Rufous-winged Fulvettas and Bar-throated Minlas were our frequent companions as we circled the bog. Other species noted included Snowy-browed Flycatcher, an adult male Himalayan Bluetail with a bluish forehead, a rather recent split from Red-flanked Bluetail, Yellow-browed (scarce) and Yellow-cheeked Tits, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, and Dark-backed Sibia.  After lunch, we returned to the bog, and Bruce spotted a beautiful male Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, a very uncommon winter visitor to Thailand, and we had superb close views of Yellow-bellied Fairy-fantails. 

Descending the mountain to the checkpoint, we stopped near the 2nd checkpoint and noted a number of species later in the afternoon. These included Golden-throated Barbet, a male Clicking Shrike-babbler, Short-billed Minivet, Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo, Indian White-eye, Large Niltava, Hume’s Treecreeper, Spectacled Barwings, and Mountain and Flavescent Bulbuls. A Bay Woodpecker, always a difficult-to-see species, was heard. 

The next day, we birded Doi Inthanon’s at mid-elevation and lower slopes.  Species seen included Streak-breasted Woodpecker and Blue-throated Barbet. Blyth’s Shrike-babbler, Long-tailed Minivet (numerous), Asian House Martin, Black Bulbul, Vivid (male) and Large Niltavas, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Forktail (pair), and White-capped and Plumbeous Water-redstarts. Lower down we noted numerous Purple Sunbirds, Racquet-tailed Treepie, a Two-barred Warbler, Puff-throated Babbler, Green Peafowl, a single Crested Treeswift, and two female Blossom-headed Parakeets. At dusk, and not far from our lodging, we saw two Indian Nightjars, one superbly, and a Grey Nightjar in flight. 

We departed early the next morning for Chiang Mai and beyond, where we birded Ban Thi paddies, a noted place in recent years for wintering raptors. We stopped briefly at a wetland pond where we noted several White-breasted Waterhens and a family group of Common Moorhens, including a black downy young bid. A number of raptors were seen including our first ever (for this tour) Eastern Imperial Eagle (juvenile) and a Short-toed Snake-eagle, along with numerous Black Kites, a Black-winged Kite, a Eurasian Kestrel, and an adult male Eastern Marsh-harrier. Other species of note included Eurasian Hoopoe, White-breasted Kingfisher, Brown and Long-tailed Shrikes, Plain Prinias, Plain-backed Sparrows,   and singing Oriental Skylarks in display flights. A wintering male Bluethroat visited an improvised feeding station. A briefly seen Eurasian Wryneck proved elusive. We then headed to Chiang Mai for a set lunch at the Empress Hotel, our hotel for the evening. After getting our rooms, we headed out to the Mae Hia Agricultural Farm and research campus of Chiang Mai University and saw a few birds, notably Wire-tailed and the “Striated” subspecies of Eastern Red-rumped Swallow (see note on taxonomy), a large flock of Baya Weavers, and numerous Scaly-breasted Munias along with five Red Avadavats. Two Rose-ringed Parakeets represented established introductions. One of the better sightings of the day was a male Greater Painted-snipe. 

Today was mainly a travel day to near the Burmese border in the far northwest of Thailand. We headed northwest, stopping at the 7th Artillery Battalion facility, where on the pond there were some 200 Lesser Whistling-ducks. Nearby, perched on the wires, were a half dozen Crested Treeswifts. From here we continued on to Mae Tang. Here we were unable to locate the two wintering Long-billed Plovers, but several Green Sandpipers and Common Snipe were present along with two Common Ioras in the trees. We had excellent views of House Swifts and Wire-tailed Swallows overhead. An Osprey, seen as I recall not far from here in flight, seemed out of place and was our only one of the trip. After lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Chiang Dao we headed to the nearby Wat Tham Pha Phlong within the forested Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary. Here we saw numerous bulbuls, including Puff-throated, Pin-striped Tit-babbler, White-rumped Shama and two Black-hooded Orioles. A Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo was heard singing.  From here, we continued north to the Sleeping Tree Hotel. 

The next morning, we ascended the very steep Doi Ang Khang, the 9th-tallest peak in Thailand at 1928 meters. We birded a number of locations on the ridge. Probably the highlight was the pair of striking Giant Nuthatches that we saw extremely well. We also saw Velvet-fronted Nuthatch and heard Chestnut-vented, bud oddly did not see one there, or later on Doi Lang. A female Gray-winged Blackbird at a feeding station was rare and was well seen.  Other highlights included Grey-capped Woodpecker, several Maroon Orioles, Grey-chinned and Short-billed Minivets, Long-tailed Shrike, Rufous-backed Sibia, numerous Blue-winged Minlas, Large Niltava, Hill Blue and Verditer Flycatchers, territorial Grey Bushchats, Eyebrowed and several Black-breasted Thrushes, Olive-backed Pipit, Streaked Spiderhunter, Orange-bellied Leafbird, and a female Spot-winged Grosbeak. Cook’s Swifts were periodically overhead and Great Barbet and White-necked Laughingthrush were heard. Gary got a brief view of a White-browed Piculet. 

The next morning, we drove up the ridge that formed the southwest side of Doi Lang. We stopped just after dawn at a place that intermittently has Mrs. Hume’s Pheasants coming out to the side of the road. We were fortunate, and after a short wait, four (one striking male, three females) came out for excellent viewing. Other birds there included foraging Oriental Turtle-doves and Red-eyed Scimitar-babblers, a split from Rusty-cheeked (see taxonomic notes), a juvenile Grey-backed Shrike, a Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, and a female Daurian Redstart. Eventually, we moved on and continued on to the army checkpoint, which sits on the Myanmar border and is as far as the public can go. Having said that, the Thais had allowed a special escorted field trip to folks who formerly lived in this region. All were returning in their vehicles with happy faces. We saw many species of interest during the day and these included Grey-capped Woodpecker, Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike, Cinereous Tit, Crested Finchbill, Striated Bulbul, multiple White-browed Scimitar-babblers, Rufous-backed Sibia (6), Puff-throated Babbler, the striking Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Rufous-backed Niltava, Rufous-gorgeted (multiples), Pale Blue, Hill Blue, Slaty-backed  and Slaty-blue and Little Flycatchers, and a male Black-breasted Thrush. A male Sapphire Flycatcher appeared briefly but was unfortunately missed by the group. Cook’s Swifts were periodically overhead. 

The following morning, we returned to Doi Lang, noting four male Mrs. Hume’s Pheasants on the way up. We stopped just on the north side of the “Island,” and at the appointed tim,e a party of nine Mountain Bamboo-Partridges came out to the roadside for good views. We birded the Doi Lang ridge through the mid-afternoon. Most of the species we had seen the previous day. New birds included a male Wedge-tailed Green-pigeon, multiple Mountain Imperial-pigeons,  Grey Treepie, a briefly seen Slender-billed Oriole, Eurasian (“White-faced”) Jays, Silver-eared Mesias, three Siberian Rubythroats, two Orange-bellied Leafbirds, and three striking Himalayan Cutias at the “Island,” The cutias were first spotted by Pasith who has found all of our previous ones, all at this location, where they have moved upon the thick vegetated branches of tall trees.  An adult Crested Serpent-eagle was also seen. 

The next morning, after a sit down breakfast at the Sleeping Tree we headed north to Mae Ai paddies. Interesting sightings included a flooded rice field which full of snipe, over a hundred. They were mostly Commons, but Bruce estimated there were some 10 Pin-tailed as well. Here a Eurasian Wryneck was spotted and an immature Pied Harrier passed by. Several Citrine, including a striking alternate plumaged male, and two Eastern Yellow Wagtails of the nominate subspecies were also seen along with multiple Long-tailed Shrikes and two Green Sandpipers.  As we were watching the birds close-by, a raptor zoomed in picked up what appeared to be a Spotted Dove off the ground just in front of us, and flew off to a perch to dine. It was an adult Peregrine Falcon and was quite pale, likely representing the northern breeding calidus subspecies. Another unusual site was a large and distant tightly packed flock of mdium-sized waders with a striking wing pattern. These were Grey-headed Lapwings. Ultimately, they landed and later we carefully counted them. Our tally was 305 birds, a large count indeed. After lunch at Tha Ton on the Kok River, where we saw Rufescent Prinia, we headed east to our next birding stop, northwest of Chiang Rai: Semok Mongolian Horse Farm. This place was amazing. Our hosts couldn’t have been more gracious, even serving us delicious hot ginger tea. We took up seats at a blind in their garage. They had turned their back yard into a paradise for birds with tilled wet soil loaded with mealworms. We noted that she and her partner wore long boots which extended well above the knee. We soon learned why when they alerted us that a cobra had come into the garage to join us, or actually to go under some object. Her partner kept careful watch with a stick but warned us to stay perfectly still if it came out. It did not! Meanwhile, back in the yard close by, various birds came in. These included Black-breasted Thrushes, two Siberian Blue Robins and a striking Dark-sided Thrush with its very long bill. Eventually, the stars of the show appeared, a pair of Blue-naped Pittas.  Cinnamon-brown with a distinct blue nape, this species has a limited range from central Nepal , Bhutan, northeastern India, southern China, Myanmar, northern Laos and northwest Thailand. It was certainly the first time we have seen this species on our Northwest trip. Aoy discovered them at her farm three years ago and has found their nest. Our time there was certainly one of the highlights of the trip! From here we continued on to Chiang Saen and the Siam Triangle Hotel on the Mekong River near the Golden Triangle. 

The next morning we briefly visited the Hellscape Water Pits which had several thousand waterfowl. By far the most numerous species was Lesser Whistling-duck (some 2500) but Northern Pintail and Indian Spot-billed Duck were also numerous and we picked out three Eurasian Wigeon. We continued on to Chiang Saen Lake for a boat trip on the lake. From shore our boatman and Bruce picked out a likely Baer’s Pochard which we were able to confirm with a scope. Later in the boat we were able to get much better views of the Baer’s Pochard in better light and picked out a 2nd bird as well. They were with a few dozen Ferruginous Ducks. The Baer’s Pochard is a critically endangered species with most breeding in northeast and central-east China, and a few into the Russian Far East. The total world population is thought to number just over 2500 birds. On the boat we found some 15 Little Grebes along with a rare (for Thailand) Great Crested Grebe, 15 Purple Herons and a Great Egret, Little Cormorants, some 100 Eurasian Coots, an Oriental Darter and some eight Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. After returning, we carefully worked the shoreline and noted numerous Grey-headed Swamphens, a Glossy Ibis, Bronze-winged Jacana, and Grey-headed Lapwings. Also we had better views of snipe, seeing and hearing both Common and Pin-tailed. Two White-rumped Munias were also seen along with a Burmese Shrike and a briefly seen Green-billed Malkoha. We headed back to our hotel for lunch and then had a break, although some of the group watched from the bank of the Mekong and worked on their Laos list. After the break, we continued on to the Golden Triangle, where Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Thailand meet, and then headed to Nam Kham Nature Reserv,e where blinds have been established. Here a female Siberian Rubythroat visited along with a Baikal Bush-warbler and a Dusky Warbler. Near dusk we had distant, but decent scope views of an Asian Barred Owlet. A flock of a half a dozen Long-tailed Minivets was seen during the day. 

The next day we visited the Hellscape Water Pits again and then continued on to Nong Luang Lake. We returned back to the Siam Triangle Hotel before heading south to Chiang Rai and the Wiang Inn Hotel where we spent the night. Waterfowl were abundant at the Hellscape Water Pits. We tallied some 4000 Northern Pintail and 1000 Garganey.  A group of 13 Ruddy Shelducks were notable. This is considered a rare to uncommon winter visitor to northern Thailand;  wintering Thai birds likely summer in China. Other species of note included Eastern Marsh and Pied Harriers, three Burmese Shrikes, a half dozen Black-headed Bulbuls and an Olive-backed Pipits. 

On our final birding day we departed early for a different (from yesterday’s) Nong Luang Lake east of town. An Oriental Reed-warbler and five Tufted Ducks were our only new birds but we had our best views, and in good light, of a male Baer’s Pochard.. It was loosely associating with 55 Feruginous Ducks. We counted some 300 Little Grebes, 100 Eurasian Coots, 70 Common Moorhens, 20 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, and 25 Grey-headed Swamphens. Three Oriental Darters were also seen along with a few Chestnut-tailed Starlings and Baya Weavers. 

Our trip list of 255 species was slightly under average, but included many memorable species. Some that come to mind are the three Baer’s Pochards, perhaps as many as seven Mrs. Hume’s Pheasants, nine Mountain Bamboo-partridges, the pair of Giant Nuthatches, Hmalayan Cutia (3), Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Grey-winged Blackbird, and the scarce to rare raptors: Changeable Hawk-eagle, Short-toed Snake-eagle, Eastern Imperial-eagle and Collared Falconet. For me the most memorable part of the trip was the blind, Aoy, and the pair of Blue-naped Pittas at the Semok Mongolian Horse Farm in the Mae Chan District north of Chiang Rai. 

Taxonomic Notes

Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropsis daurica) and Striated Swallow (Cecropsis striolata)

Most current taxonomic treatments, including the IOC World Birdlist now lump these two species into one, cecropsis daurica with the English name of Eastern Red-rumped Swallow. Despite their distinct plumage, Striated Swallow intergrades with Eastern Red-rumped Swallows farther north. On the other hand, the Eurasian Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropsis rufula) breeding east to Afghanistan and northern India, and the African Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropsis melanocrissus) of sub-Saharan Africa are now treated as separate species by the IOC. 

Asian Stonechat  (Saxicola maurus)

Some taxonomic authorities had split the northeastern Asian subspecies, stejnegeri from birds farther west (east to the west side of Lake Baikal), maurus, based on genetic and vocal differences.  The former subspecies was given the English name Amur (pronounced “Amoor”) and the latter Siberian. The Current AviList (v2025/2026) lumps them, the reason given being extreme identification difficulties and the need for further DNA support for some populations. I strongly support this “lump” as the subspecies przwalskii which breeds in western and northern China was unstudied and it has priority (Pleske, 1889) over stejnegeri (Parrot, 1908). Subspecies maurus was described by Pallas (1773). In Thailand most or all of the wintering birds are believed to be stejnegeri, but the range of przwalskii extends south to higher elevations in northern continental Southeast Asia and we formerly saw this subspecies around the Chinese cemetery on Doi Ang Khang into the early 2000s. 

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler (Erythogenys erythrogenys)

IOC/Clements 2024 split this species into two species, retaining the English name of Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler Erythrogenys erythrogenys  for the Himalayan group of three subspecies (erythrogenys, ferrugilatus, and harringtoni) found from Pakistan to eastern Bhuthan, and calling the other species Red-eyed Scimitar-babbler Erythrogenys imberbis, composed of two subspecies, imberbis  (EC Myanmar, Karrenni) and celata (E Myanmar and NW Thailand). So, what we recorded on Doi Lang was Red-eyed Scimitar-Babbler, subspecies celata. The split was based on eye color (red in Red-eyed, pale in Rusty-cheeked), bill color (pale in Rusty-cheeked, dark in Red-eyed), and vocalizations. From photos, I see some pale markings around the eye, which are lacking in Red-eyed. Assessing the small range of Red-eyed, it now becomes quite a range-restricted species, being found most easily in the mountains of northwest Thailand. 

Back to Narratives

2024 Narrative

In Brief: Our 2024 Northwest Thailand tour recorded 286 species of which six were just heard. Highlights included Rufous-throated Partridges, Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant (3), Pin-tailed Green-pigeon (pair), one roosting and one nesting Hodgson’s Frogmouth, Crested Treeswifts, Eastern Water Rail (3), Long-billed Plover (2), Jerdon’s Baza, Black-headed, Necklaced, and Necklaced (formerly known as Crimson-breasted) woodpeckers, White-rumped Pygmy-falcon and Collared Falconet (4), Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Giant and Burmese nuthatches, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Black-backed and Slaty-backed forktails, Grey-sided and Black-breasted thrushes, Spot-winged Grosbeak (20), White-spectacled Warbler (back for its third winter, a first for Thailand), Slaty-blue, Ultramarine and Sapphire flycatchers, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Himalayan Cutia (two) and eighty Yellow-breasted Buntings. On our final morning of birding on a lake near Chiang Rai we located a single male Baer’s Pochard with a flock of Ferruginous Ducks.

In Detail: Our trip began with a meeting in the lobby of the Novotel Hotel adjacent to the Suvarnabhumi airport. We adjourned to the dining room for a delicious buffet dinner and discussed the tour ahead. The next morning we departed early and took a morning flight to Chiang Mai, the second-largest city in Thailand. After meeting our team (led by Pasith with Manoon and Pradit as drivers, Mr. C as cook, and his assistant Muang, we headed south stopping here and there, notably for Black Kites and Ashy Woodswallows. We took lunch at Villa Sangdao where we noted a Black-winged Kite, a Long-tailed Shrike, an Asian Brown Flycatcher, and a Pied Bushchat. After lunch, we headed to Mae Ping National Park where we birded until dusk. We saw a scattering of species and these included Red-wattled Lapwin, Gey-capped Woodpecker, Gray-headed Parakeet, Large Woodshrike, Black-hooded Oriole, Blue-winged Leafbird, White-rumped Shama and Yellow-browed Warbler. Brian spotted a Crested Treeswift flying overhead. A calling Banded Bay Cuckoo was seen briefly. Near dusk, a Southern Boobok started calling and came in for good viewing.

After a predawn breakfast, we departed and arrived shortly afterwards at Mae Ping National Park. While birds were not abundant we had a nice collection of birds, including the striking Black-headed and White-bellied woodpeckers, Grey-headed Parakeet (ten seen), three Indochinese Cuckooshrikes (a scarce Thai species), Black-naped Monarch, Burmese and Velvet-fronted nuthatches,  a party of White-crested Laughinthrushes, Black-hooded Orioles, Golden-fronted and Blue-winged leafbirds, Rufous Treepie, Red-billed Blue Magpie, and Purple Sunbird. The species we most hoped for was a White-rumped Pygmy-Falcon and we were fortunate to get good perched views of a female. After lunch we headed north and stopped at the Bang Hong Green Peafowl preserve where we saw ten birds. Here we saw our only Plain Flowerpeckers of the tour We have previously seen this species at this location. A little father north at the Mae Ping river crossing we noted Little Pratincoles and Little Ringed Plovers (with young, Thai breeding subspecies, jerdoni), a Common Greenshank and a Citrine Wagtail. A Rufous-winged Buzzard was seen during the day and late in the day near our hotel near the entrance to Doi Inthanon National Park, we noted a single Blossom-headed Parakeet at a pre-roost site.

The next morning we were up early for our trip to the summit of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak. We stopped to look for perched Speckled Wood Pigeons at first light, but had no luck.We did entice a singing Large Hawk-cuckoo to fly over. This species is frequently heard but is seldom seen. Several Striated Bulbuls were perched up on snags.We spent the entire morning walking around the bog, much of it on a boardwalk. We found a nice selection of birds, most of which were exceedingly cooperative. These included Yellow-bellied Fairy-fantail, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, Dark-backed Sibia, Bar-throated Minla, Blue Whistling-thrush (both black-billed caeruleus and yellow-billed temminckii subspecies), a single Grey-sided Thrush, Ashy-throated and Buff-barred warblers, Blyth’s Leaf-warbler, Chestnut-flanked and Swinhoe’s White-eye, Himalayan Shortwing, (two males), a female type Bluetail (presumably Himalayan), Snowy-browed Flycatcher, and multiple Rufous-throated Partridges. Pygmy Cupwing was seen by most of the group. Perhaps most memorable were the many colorful male Mrs. Gould’s and Green-tailed Sunbirds obtaining nectar from the red flowering rhododendrons. After lunch and another walk around the bog we went back down the mountain to the second checkpoint where we added several other species. These included Golden-throated Barbet, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Spectacled Barwing, Yunan Fulvetta, Maroon Oriole (a female), Blyth’s (White-browed) Shrike-babbler, Short-billed Minivet and Mountain Bulbul.

The following morning we birded mid-elevation areas on Doi Inthanon. Some of the habitats were a bit more open and here we noted such species as Blue-throated Barbet, Slender-billed Oriole, Cinereous (Japanese) Tit, Ashy and Black Bulbuls, and Little and Streaked spiderhunters. Overhead were small numbers of Red-rumped Swallows and Asian House-Martins, and a single Mountain Hawk-eagle was also seen. Notable too was a Thick-billed Warbler. Around the streams, we noted a Hill Blue Flycatcher, a female Plumbeous Water-redstart, a striking White-capped Water-redstart, a Slaty-backed Forktail, and a male Fire-breasted Flowerpecker. After lunch, we headed back up near the 2^nd checkpoint where on a dirt track we did some quiet forest birding. Here we saw a Little Pied-flycatcher and eventually after texting back and forth with an expert Thai birder and tour leader, we located the roosting Hodgson’s Frogmouth. This is only the second time we have seen this species in some 40 years of Thailand tours. A couple of other notable sightings during the day included a Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo, an Indochinese Rat Snake, and a Northern Treeshrew.

On our last morning, we decided to bird the base of Doi Inthanon at km 13 in dry deciduous forest. We were missing Collared Falconet and this was likely our last remaining chance. We started at the river crossing where we finally spotted a Black-backed Forktail. Then we drove up the hill where we didn’t find many birds, but a few notable ones. These included Eurasian (“White-faced”) Jay, Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo, White-bellied Woodpecker, and Rosy and Swinhoe’s minivets. And, we did see Collared Falconet, four of them, a good distant spot initially by Brian. Later we went up the mountain and stopped at the WachiriathanWaterfall where we carefully examined the treetops for White-headed Bulbul, but we were unsuccessful. We did see a Crested Goshawk and a pair of Scarlet Minivets. Before heading to Chiang Mai we did a bit of birding higher up and stopped again to admire the roosting Hodgson’s Frogmouth. From here we headed back to Chiang Mai, stopping for lunch along the way. Later in the day we stopped at Mae Hia Chiang Mai University Agriculture College where we birded in the fields. Himalayan Swiftlets were numerous overhead and we spotted a handful of Striated Swallows. Rufous-winged Buzzard was also seen. We then headed on to our hotel in Chiang Mai.

The next morning we headed northwest towards Mae Tang, stopping along the highway to admire several perched Crested Treeswifts. For some reason this rather scarce species has been predictable at this somewhat urban location, at least over the last five or so years. Across the way was a small wetland with several thousand Lesser Whistling-ducks along with a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. At the Mae Tang Irrigation District we noted a small election of shorebirds including Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper and a Temminick’s Stint. A jerdoni Little Ringed Plover was present, but more important two other plovers were present too. These were Long-billed Plovers, a rare winter visitor to Thailand and a species we had seen only once previously on our Thai trips. They had been present prior to our visit. Some sixty Little Pratincoles, two Citrine Wagtails, and a pair of Wire-tailed Swallows were also present. Just to the east in the rice paddies we located two Grey-headed Lapwings. From here we headed north, stopping briefly at a lake near the police post, and then continued on to Chiang Dao Cave and Pabong Temple. This forested area at the foot of Doi Chiang Dao provided excellent birding. In fact we returned here after lunch in the nearby town of Chiang Dao. New birds included Blue Rock-thrush, Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Puff-throated and Grey-eyed bulbuls, Bronzed Drongo and a cooperative Drongo Cuckoo. A pair of Pin-tailed Green-pigeons were particularly of interest, a scarce species we have only seen twice previously and that was a few decades ago. From here we continued north to Fang, our home for the next four nights.

The next morning we retraced our steps a bit and then headed west up the steep road up Doi Ang Khang. We initially birded around the army checkpoint and the nearby campground. Here we saw many birds, perhaps highlighted by the striking Giant Nuthatch. Other species noted included Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, Maroon Oriole, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Verditer Flycatcher, Mountain Tailorbird, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Yunan Fulvetta, Clicking Shrike-babbler, Silver-eared Mesia, Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Grey Bushchat, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Olive-backed Pipit and Black-throated Sunbird. A party of White-necked Laughingthrushes were heard but typically remained out of sight. We checked another site just to the south and easily located several Brown-breasted Bulbuls. From here we continued on to the Royal Project where we had lunch but also birded. Here we found many Indian White-eyes, a scattering of Blue-winged Minlas, and some 20 striking Spot-winged Grosbeaks. Other species noted included Yellow-bellied Warbler (pair), Orange-bellied Leafbird, Black-breasted Thrushes, and a male White-tailed Robin. Brian located two Burmese Streaked Wren-babblers around the women’s restroom of the main complex, but unfortunately, they had moved on when we tried to find them. Perhaps the best bird was a Jerdon’s Baza which circled overhead, its identity confirmed by Uthai Treesucon and Philip Round. After lunch, we headed northeast along the spine of the ridge to a border (with Burma) checkpoint. Appropriately a pair of Burmese Shrikes was present, the male singing. Cook’s Swifts (a split from Fork-tailed Swift, also known as Pacific Swift) were numerous here and elsewhere. We then headed back down the mountain and back to Fang.

The next morning we were up well before dawn and headed up the southwest side of Doi Lang. We stopped at a known site where Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant sometimes appears. I say sometimes as we have missed them more often then we have connected. We had breakfast in the van and waited using the vans as a blind. Olive-backed Pipits were numerous and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babblers were about along with a stakeout beautiful male Ultramarine Flycatcher. And, after a good long while, the party of Mrs. Hume’s Pheasants appeared, one striking male and two females. As it turned out, they weren’t shy eventually approaching and walking near us. They remained for a good long time, time for numerous photos. Eventually, we carried on and checked the more protected and moist north side of the ridge. I should add that the pheasants did not appear the next morning where many in other groups waited for hours in vain. Here we found a male Rufous-bellied Niltava, Pale Blue, Slaty-blue and Rufous-gorgeted flycatchers. Also, a male Hodgson’s Frogmouth was sitting on a nest near the road, the same location where one nested last year. We also saw the White-spectacled Warbler here for its third winter, a first for Thailand. Pasith found the best bird, two Himalayan Cutias foraging along heavily vegetated tree limbs He spotted them last year here too, the first time we had encountered this beautiful large and compact babbler. We continued on a few more kilometers birding along the way noting White-browed Scimitar-babbler, Grey-capped Woodpecker (at a nest), Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, four species of minivets including Grey—chinned, a Scarlet-faced Liocichla, and four Crested Finchbills, a very distinctive species of bulbul. Two wintering Aberrant (Perplexing) Bush-warblers were well heard, but were only seen by a lucky few. Later in the afternoon we headed back down the mountain and returned to Fang for dinner and lodging.

Since the road on the northeast side of  Doi Lang was closed, we returned back on the same road on the southwest side We first checked a site where a party of Mountain Bamboo-Partridges had been frequenting last year in the early morning, but we saw no sign of them and missed the species this year. Other species noted included Large Cuckoo-shrike, Hill and Rufescent prinias, Spot-breasted Parrotbill (thanks Uthai for the information), Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Rufous-backed Sibia, and Pale Blue, Slaty-backed (male), and a male Sapphire Flycatcher, a scarce winter visitant to northern Thailand. We again located a Himalayan Cutia and also had good views of a Hume’s (Manipur) Treecreeper. Another highlight of the day was a Necklaced Woodpecker (Dryobates pernyii tenebrosus) at the end of the road which made a few brief appearances. Uthai (and others) had recorded it earlier in the day. This is a split from what is now called Crimson-naped Woodpecker (Dryobates cathpharius). Formerly when combined the English name of Crimson-breasted Woodpecker is widely used. Crimson-naped is found mainly in China while Necklaced is found to the south, as far south as extreme northern Thailand. The two species are nearly parapatric (abut but don’t quite overlap) in Myanmar (Burma). Later in the afternoon we visited Fang Hotstream in Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park. Here we briefly saw a Little Heron and a Slaty-backed Forktail. From here we headed back to Fang for dinner and our final night at the Sleeping Tree Hotel.

The next morning we drove north to the agricultural country south east of Mae Ai and Tha Ton. We started where some other birders had seen a couple of Eastern Water Rails. We found them here at the edge of a marshy pond. This is a rare winter visitor to Thailand and it is the first time we have recorded it on our tours. Two Pintail Snipe were also noted along with an adult male Pied Harrier. Other species noted, most in small numbers, included Grey-headed Lapwing (some 100 birds!), Wood Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Indochinese Bushlark, Plain Prinia, Dusky Warbler, Bluethroat, White-rumped Munia, Citrine Wagtail and Red-throated Pipit. We carefully looked through the Red-throated Pipits for Rosy Pipit, a winter visitor we have not recorded on our Thai tours. They had recently been reported here. I carefully checked references upon getting home, particularly Per Alstr?m’s and Krister Mild’s superb Pipits & Wagtails book published by Princeton University Press in 2003.There is a photographic section in the back and the photos of Rosy Pipits in basic (winter) plumage show a very long and bold supercilium, unlike any of the birds we saw. After a delicious lunch in Tha Ton we returned to Mae Ai to search for Yellow-breasted Bunting, a winter visitor in Thailand which breeds from Finland to the Russian Far East. It is now critically endangered, mainly due to it being trapped for food at its communal roost sites in migration and winter in eastern Asia. Despite the heat we searched the large field where they had been reported, but had no luck. We decided to take a break and wait in the shade and when it got later we noted a few Yellow-breasted Buntings flying over the dike where we were parked, both individuals and small flocks. We ventured out into the field and eventually got scope views of perched birds. In flight the males were easily recognizable by their yellow underparts and the distinct white patch in the shoulder (lesser wing coverts). In the end we estimated that we recorded eighty birds! From here we headed east to Chiang Saen some two hours away arriving in darkness at the Siam Triangle Hotel near the Golden Triangle where Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, and Laos meet.

The next morning we birded Chiang Saen Lake, including some new man-made ponds not too far away (Nongloom). Later in the day after lunch and too much time (my apologies) at the Golden Triangle, we went to Nong Luong Lake. For the day we encountered numerous waterfowl were numerous and we tallied some 100 Indian Spot-billed Ducks, 100 Garganey, and 750 Northern Pintail. Two Gadwall, 15 Green-winged (“Eurasian”) Teal, and ten Ferruginous Ducks were also noted. Other species of note included another Eastern Water Rail, Oriental Darter, Little Cormorant, Asian Openbill, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged jacanas, Eurasian Wryneck (brief views), Racket-tailed Treepie and strangely our first Common Ioras.

The next morning we started at Nam Kham and sat in two blinds. Here we saw both Siberian Rubythroat and Baikal Grasshopper (Bush) –warbler. A calling Chinese Francolin was heard calling in the distance.We then returned to the network of new ponds. Along the way we noted both Pied and Eastern Marsh Harrier. The numbers of ducks at the ponds were pretty staggering, some 3000 Nothern Pintail and 300 Garganey, along with 25 Green-winged (“Eurasian”) Teal, 15 Tufted Ducks (termed rare in Thailand), a male Mallard, and a female Common Pochard. Also present were 50 Ruddy Shelducks, a large count for a species termed rare to uncommon in Thailand. Later in the morning, we drove towards Chiang Rai and then northwest to Doi Thng and afterward checked the small arboretum near the summit. We didn’t see many birds here, but up at the nearby Burma border at the checkpoint we noted a half dozen Olive-backed Pipits and a party of White-browed Laughingthrushes, our only ones of the tour. Afterwards we headed south to the Wiang Inn Hotel in central Chiang Rai.

On our final morning, we checked Nong Luang Lake east of town. Pheasant-tailed Jacanas were particularly numerous here (about 40) and we also noted another Eurasian Wryneck, an Oriental Reed-warbler, four Plain-backed Sparrows, six Common Snipes, a male Greater Painted-snipe and two Yellow Bitterns. We concentrated on checking the waterfowl. We saw a female Gadwall on the east side of the lake. There were more ducks to the west and we drove over and carefully looked through them: 22 Garganey, 35 Ferruginous Ducks, three female Tufted Ducks, and 26 striking Cotton Pygmy-Geese were noted. Both Brian and I kept scoping the core group of Ferruginous Ducks hoping for the rare Baer’s Pochard, but kept finding only Ferruginous Ducks, but then as it was nearing the time to consider leaving, suddenly there it was a male Baer’s Pochard with the core group of Ferruginous Ducks. It must have flown in from elsewhere on the lak. It remained in view for all to get good scope views and note the somewhat greenish head and more extensive white on the underparts. A few distant photos were taken. We have noted this species here (from one to several) the last three years. This duck is classed as critically endangered. Most of the remaining birds breed in China. From here we left for a buffet lunch and then departed to the airport where we said goodbye to our loyal crew and awaited our mid-afternoon flight back to Bangkok. After our arrival we  had a final buffet dinner at the Novotel. Some of the group would remain to continue on to the Central tour which started the next evening, while others headed home.

Back to Narratives