19/03/19 Tuesday. Nam Nao - bungalow accommodation.

After a good nights sleep I resolved to be out early. I awoke refreshed checked the time and decided that I had overslept- a peek at the clock indicated 07.10 so I washed and dressed cleaned my teeth and even made my bed as it was still dark outside which suddenly began to be puzzling. I checked the clock again and realised that it was actually only 01.40!

I went back to bed and finally went out at 06.15, teamed up with Paul and we hit the forest trail again and within minutes chanced upon a party of about 8/9 Collared Babblers ( in my old book White-headed Babblers). Further on peering across a gully I saw with my naked eye what seemed like a white fox sporting a huge white bushy tail some sixty yards off. Raising bins I was delight to see my first Silver Pheasant- a fine male and catch up species as I had missed one here last April.

Still elated and with Paul leading over a wooden footbridge we flushed a Striated Heron of which I barely saw the tail end.

Once we had packed and bought ice creams at the little shop a bird perched close at hand proved to be our first Large Woodshrike of the trip so we left in good spirits at noon. Five hours on we arrived back in Kutchum to a noisy welcome from the overexcited dogs. A celebratory barbecue ensued as the expedition of 2780 kms. had yielded a full complement of Thailand ticks.

Cheers,

Mike P.

17/03/19 Sunday West side 5.00 start.

The three of us were very early at the first feeding station with Barb able to catch up with a female Humes Pheasant and Great Tit (!) though en route we again failed to find on the road any Mountain Bamboo Partridge or Nightjars though Large-tailed and Grey get reported from here. Hoopoe and Jay were logged for the growing park list and more importantly we saw our first Spectacled Barwing of the trip and through persistence and patience really good looks at Aberrant Bush Warbler and best of all the range restricted Crimson-breasted Woodpecker. We had enjoyed a good morning with too many repeat species to mention and were heading back intending an early finish in view of a long drive through the afternoon ahead going south east.

We had only gone a couple of kms. when we passed a solitary figure - another birder. I recognised Pete Hines so Paul reversed the vehicle and we introduced ourselves. Pete (a veteran of thirty years birding here) was newly arrived and covering what was familiar ground from past exploits but anxious to enjoy some videoing of quality species so we turned around and he followed us back to the stake out for the Cutias. We bade him good luck and left him in peace to get on with things.

Paul drove us some 380 kms. as far as Uttaredit where we checked in at the excellent Hobby Hotel - superb good value for a quarter of what we should pay in the UK!

Cheers,

Mike P.

15/03/19 Friday - still Doi Pha Hom Pok Nat. Pk.

We decided to repeat yesterdays sites to enable the girls to do some catching up, also we still had many good target species awaiting us. We had an excellent hotel breakfast which meant that we didnt arrive at the Pheasant stake out until 9.00. and accordingly had no expectation of seeing it. The girls did however see the Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babblers and the Ultramarine Flycatcher along with close views again of a Chestnut-vented Nuthatch foraging on the road and nearby low tree trunks. Paul noticed a Nuthatch some 80 metres further down the road ahead edging up and down a roadside conifer - it looked big!

We glassed it critically and agreed that it looked big but it moved into the trees and out of sight. As a contingency Paul had downloaded the calls of several species the previous night so played the calls for Giant Nuthatch. Nothing happened but after what seemed to be a long minute we all heard an answering call close by in a large pine. The tension rose - the worlds biggest Nuthatch was close at hand!

I notice movement high up - and Paul and I got onto the bird. Barb got naked eye views only and Pen (suffering with a cough and streaming eyes) inexplicably was looking in a totally different direction. The beast flew off right past us and there was a sense largely of relief on my part to have caught up with such a special bird.

We moved on to the next feeding stops and were a little disappointed to find a coachload of birding tour participants all at the best stakeout hoping for the male White-bellied Redstart and Cutia which sometimes appears on a large old tree festooned with bromeliads. We moved on and played the calls for the Spot-breasted Parrotbill which to the girls astonishment shot straight in to within 10 feet perching boldly and for minutes right in front of us - truly the lead character of the day so far. Walking on Barb alerted us to a bird high up at 10 oclock on a ridge top leafy tree -our first Burmese Shrike for Thailand obvious from its chocolate coloured mantle and dark grey head and altogether a much more compact beast than the paler Long-tailed Shrike.

Back-tracking we arrived in time for the tour groups departure and took their place at the stakeout where we spent the next 40 minutes standing quietly. Here were views of the nesting Black-throated Tits regularly bring in food items, another immature male Siberian Rubythroat and a new female Flycatcher which we studied very thoroughly and identified it independently afterwards as a Slaty Blue Flycatcher. The male White-bellied Redstart had not been seen by anyone this morning but the female was very obliging, as was a White-gorgetted Flycatcher; all new for the girls.

The highlight event followed - four handsome Himalayan Cutias cavorting in the mature bromeliad tree. These then flew right into the red flowering otherwise leafless tree to join in with foraging Black-headed Sibias and Scimitar Babblers.

We exited the feeding station and moved on to another where previously on the Thursday we had the spectacular Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrushes performing but today due to the time of day it was a no show from them. As some consolation we watched the comings and goings of a Hill Prinia, and a fine Blue Whistlingthrush fanning its tail and feeding on a horizontal log  and on the ground only 20 feet away.

Despite Pen being somewhat under the weather she rather sprang into action and in typical fashion alerted me to a bird. Dad! I see a jumper! (Any small bird flitting in and out of foliage or darting about like a Flycatcher she refers to as a Jumper).

I saw her bird immediately (which was a relief as she struggles of course in English with giving directions). I was very pleased to see a male Little Pied Flycatcher the first of our trip, and praised her accordingly. Crested Finchbill are a common bird in this general location and consort here with Flavescent Bulbuls in the scrubby roadside margins. We chatted with the soldiers at the border post and Barb and Pen ticked off the Burmese flag flying in the pines by an army post on the Myanmar side of a shallow valley some 200 yards away and as it was now 12.30 we strolled back (dipping again on Spectacled Barwing which feed on a particular favoured tree with little orange berries) and drove off back to Fang and to enjoy an excellent lunch in rather dude like fashion and a lazy afternoon. We were well pleased with the morning with the Cutias winning our bird of the day vote.

Cheers,

Mike P.

13/03/19 Kings Project site

We awoke early and brewed warming coffee before any serious thoughts of birding but did note a Long- tailed Shrike on a fence post dislodged by our first Blue Whistling Thrush of the trip. Soon into birding mode we drove a short way and commenced some roadside birding adding our first Fulvettas for Thailand - a party of Grey-cheeked Fulvettas and followed these with a superb Silver-eared Mesia - a species which Barb and I had last encountered some 19 years ago in the forests of the eastern Himalayas- how time flies!

New trip birds were White-browed Shrike Babblers (now split as Blyths Shrike Babbler).The Rusty-naped Pitta was again heard and seen foraging in the trailside leaf litter on the Firebreak Trail barely 15 feet from us and promptly hopped out ahead of us and hopped along the trail as if to show what a fine fellow he was.

Shortly after this we met a couple of birding expat Brits (Brian and Paul- the latter originally from Denton!) and mentioned the Pitta which they subsequently photographed. Later back in the gardens they met up with us and showed us where they had been throwing out mealworms behind the kitchens. Here thanks to them we saw our first turdus genus of the trip a Black- breasted Thrush with another Olive-backed Pipit for good measure. Later after coffee we fanned out and logged our first Chestnut-vented Nuthatch but missed a Daurian Redstart which the other duo had seen in the gardens. Apparently also we should have searched more diligently for Goulds Sunbird which is also readily available here. Later exploring another trail we found a pair of Blue-winged Minlas.

Later in the afternoon we set off for our next destination Fang in the far north but were turned back at the army checkpoint as the road which runs right alongside the Myanmar border is now only open to the locals. Nevertheless whilst Paul and Pen were trying to charm the solder into allowing us through Barb pointed out some birds hopping about the short grassy field some 30 metres off the road- another new species - White-browed Laughingthrushes which were gratefully admired and eventually seen by us all. We turned around and eventually arrived in Fang by the southerly route and secured accommodation at the Lumanee Lahu Home Hotel where Brian and Paul were staying and with whom we made plans for an early start for the following day as they had a number of target species staked out.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Monday 11/03/19 Doi Chiang Dao

We got off after breakfast rather earlier than yesterday heading off to an alternative mountain road from which Paul had found Giant Nuthatch some 15 years previously. The intention was to do more birding and much less driving. The day got off to a promising start with 2 Slaty-backed Forktails along a tiny stream next to the first checkpoint where we showed our 3 day passes. At our first birding stop at around 3700 feet we found a decent mixed flock with Grey Bushchats several Grey-capped Woodpeckers and a few other species whizzing up and over the ridge upon which we were standing. Peering down the north side below us Pen found the birds of the day- a pair of Silver-breasted Broadbills a long awaited catch up species for Paul. I was seeing small birds but because of the configuration of the ridge was struggling against the glare of the sun as these birds were to the east of us. Nevertheless a pair of Velvet-fronted Nuthatches were obvious but several tiny philoscopus Warblers (either Ashy throated or Pallass) remained unidentified as my eyes were streaming with tears in the glare. I should happily have paid a pound or two to have been on the other side of the birds.

Against our better judgement we drove off seeking the high point of the road and our search for the ideal site for Giant Nuthatch proved abortive with no sign or sound. (The call of this species is transcribed as Get it up) and a google search more or less approximated to this. We spent far too much time driving and stopping and ended up squandering most of the morning. 

In new territory it is all too easy for the exploratory instinct to take over and we really should have known better.

We did log an overflying Rufus-winged Buzzard, Scarlet Minivets and another of the tiny Grey-capped Woodpeckers located by its calls being very close to those of Great Spotted.

Hot and tired we returned to our lodging for showers and refreshments and only resumed birding after 16.00. We visited the temple car park and found a calling Yellow- browed Warbler and a Grey Wagtail. Paul and I hauled ourselves up half of the 500 steps to the shrine and explored part of the gully trail where lucky birders have in the past found Blue Pitta as well as Rusty- naped. We enjoyed point blank views of the very common and confiding Puff-throated Babbler but that was all.

A day of quality which fizzled out all too soon and basically our own fault!

Cheers,

Mike P.

Friday 08/03/19

We left Kutchum at 07.10 and drove all day 743 kms. to Lampang where we founding good lodgings at the Regent Hotel at about £9 per night per twin bed room leaving at 07.35 for a few hours in Doi Khun Tan Nat. Pk. 9.00 to 10.40 before continuing on to Chiang Mai.

New trip species seen were Bronzed, Hair-crested, and Ashy Drongos, Sooty-headed, Stripe-throated, and Black- Crested Bulbuls but raptors stole the show with a fine Crested Serpent Eagle being mobbed by a Shikra, a pair of Crested Goshawks, and a perched Black Baza found by Pen. Blue winged Leafbirds were also logged before we departed on another longish 200 km. drive via Chiang Mai city and its traffic to arrive at Doi Chiang Dao wildlife reserve where Paul had seen Giant Nuhatch some 15 years ago.

After securing lodgings at Malees (well known to visiting birders in the past) we had an exploratory walk up the temple steps.

Himalayan Swiftlets were zooming overhead, and we found several Asian Fairy Bluebirds and a Taiga Flycatcher with common Red Whiskered Bulbuls seemingly everywhere.

From the top of the climb we noted a family party of Green-billed Malkohas, a pair of minivets which proved too far to confidently identify with binoculars and some 20 Green Pigeons again too far off for my old eyes but which Paul felt sure were Pin-tailed.

With the light fading we set off down the steps only to happen upon a couple of furtive Babblers foraging on the ground in deep cover. They looked frustratingly featureless and we later narrowed them down to two quite common possibles which warrant further study over the coming days.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Wednesday 06/03/19

A lie in today so didnt get up until 07.25 and set about some garden chores as we are off on a brief road trip from midday on.

I neglected to mention that on the drive into Yasothon the other day we had several sightings of Black shouldered Kites - this is always a favoured stretch of open country so we tend to rather take them for granted.

The Rubythroat show continues. It has not missed a day and today it appeared just before 10 am walking across both lawns before swooping up into its favoured tamarind tree (see photos below). From reading it seems to be a very good record for these parts.

John Rayner remarks as to what a treat it would be for one to turn up at Hope Carr. Birders are typically never satisfied! Imagine the parking chaos if one were to be found there - I should be truly delighted -  (more so if I was back in England of course).

Cheers,

Mike P.

Monday 04/03/19

9 am saw three of us at Yasothon Pools, where the water levels were much lower than Paul had noted 12 months ago.

Accordingly we only found about 100 Lesser Whistling Ducks, 15 Purple Swamphens, 2 Moorhens and no White-browed Crakes.

9 Little Egrets and 5 Purple Herons were new trip birds as was a Cattle Egret en route. Several Eastern Marsh Harriers were quartering the site and we noted 3 Brahminy Kites. A male Brown- throated Sunbird was a site tick. 

Back at base after lunch we logged the Rubythroat in the vegetable patch at 13.15.

We had a final run out to a temple complex on a local hilly forest patch at 16.30 which produced a party of Ashy Wood-Swallows, 2 Red-rumped on roadside wires with Barn Swallows. Final species added were a Rufous-winged Bushlark, and 2 Plaintive Cuckoos.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Saturday 02/03/19

I was out at 6.15 am set on a slow walk along the riverside section with scope and tripod to hand.

Early additions to the trip list were Asian Palm Swift, 3 Black-Collared Starlings, Black Drongos, a Brown Shrike (just outside the garden compound but still on the farm fields) and a White-rumped Munía. What I provisionally took to be Oriental White-Eyes were darting in and out of close foliage above me but perhaps Japanese White Eyes (which winter in Thailand) could be fooling me?

A roughly one km. stretch of the river walk yielded about 20 calling Dusky Warblers, several of which offered up good views, but best was an obliging Raddes Warbler beneath me in a corner of a stubble field, giving almost continuous throaty Tuk calls and showing off well its strong supercilium and ochre toned under tail coverts.

Back at breakfast around 9 am the Rubythroat appeared on the lawn for the others as I was washing out my coffee cup.

At around 10am Paul, Barb and I went into town shopping but took in the temple complex as well. Within its grounds is what seems to be a relict area of good forest which possibly could harbour a few additional species. We saw Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, and more Purple Sunbirds, and a male Olive-backed Sunbird. There were plenty of genetically fine Red Jungle Fowl clawing in the leave litter but were these truly wild or introduced by the monks? - hard to decide.

At around mid-day we were sitting in the lounge section when I noticed the Rubythroat sitting facing us at eye level barely 15 feet away so we obtained a few record shots on my little Lumex camera at x 20 zoom.

With Rubythroat, Brown Shrike, Dusky and Raddes Warblers- that possibly equates with a decent morning on Fair Isle, though never having been there myself who knows??

Cheers,

Mike P.

Friday March 1st,

A lazy start to our first morning after 31 hours on the go and three flights to get here last night.

While sipping coffee in the kitchen (which has one side open to the garden) at 9.45 am, amid the gangs of Tree Sparrows Barb noticed a tallish chat on the lawn edge some 35 feet away, - the wintering male Siberian Rubythroat. Also foraging along the edge of the garden compound; - earlier there had been a Hoopoe which Paul had seen coming in to land beyond the vegetable plot.

I last saw a Rubythroat some 11 years ago and its a nice start to get one now on my Thailand list. Its really nice to watch its circuit around the closest section of the garden. Id forgotten just how leggy they are, with an upright carriage (as Paul describes) rather Pitta like in its moves as it makes little runs out of and back into the cover of the little border hedge.

Durham birders ruefully still ponder on the Sunderland bird in a Roker garden some ten years ago which was only ever seen by three out of county birders before the news finally broke after its departure.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Thursday, Feb 7th

No, we are not back in Thailand just yet, (only just back home from Hope Carr last night of course).

We go off in a few weeks time hoping for some new adventures. In the meantime we have news from our older son Paul.

Today he was watering trees and plants around the garden complex when he noticed a passerine on the lawn which on jizz appeared to be something new.

He shouted for Pen to bring his bins, and on glassing the bird realised instantly that he was looking at a lifer; - a male Siberian Rubythroat.... a self-found stunner in the garden; does it get any better?

Looking forward to going!

Cheers,

Mike P.

24/04/18 Tuesday.

We left Kut Chum at around 7.45 am for the 5 hour drive nw to Nam Nao Nat Pk. With coffee stops en route it was about 14.45 when we arrived, the only new trip birds casually noted en route being the usual soaring Openbill Storks.

This park was new ground for all of us and comprises roughly 1000 sq. kilometres in north central Thailand just south of the Mekong River which here flows east/ west forming as usual the border with Laos, with the park HQ at approx 2700 ft above sea level.

We had made no prior arrangement for accommodation (their telephone was dead), and to book by e mail one had to make ridiculously complex arrangements involving registration - including job status, nationality, etc. 

Upon arrival, we paid a one off entrance fee of 200 baht per head (=£4.60) and found it easy to book a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom bungalow at 2000 baht per night, less a discount of 30% for each of Tues. Wed. Thurs. For our 4 nights stay therefore the cost per couple came out at 3500 baht (=£80 approx) - a really good deal, and free of red tape.

We knew from trip reports that no birders seem to come here in April, and apart from an American couple touring the national parks, we appeared to be the only visitors, - certainly the only birders, which was a wonderful contrast to Khao Yai, normally awash with noisy campers and traffic.

We had an initial stroll round at 15.15 and noted noisy gangs of the delightful but common White-Crested Laughing Thrushes, a superb White-bellied Woodpecker edging up a roadside conifer, and one of the Flamebacks only fleetingly noted. In the thicker deciduous foliage we logged a pair of Blue-winged Leafbirds, and for me a new Thai species a Great Barbet, whose raucous contact note I soon began to recognise in the following days. Above the nearby deserted campsite we located several Red-billed Blue Magpies, an Ashy Minivet, and Small Minivets. 

We made a short excursion onto one of the forest trails and found a pair of Slaty-backed Forktails just above the stagnant waters of a small muddy rivulet, and White-rumpled Shamas feeding fledged young. The forktails were appreciated particularly by Paul as life ticks.

Wednesday 25/04/18

A 5.45 am start produced a crop of the regular species with new trip birds in the shape of Hair-Crested and Bronzed Drongos, Jays, a gang of about 6 Lesser Necklaced Laughing Thrushes, a daytime perched Asian Barred Owlet, a better look at a Common Flameback, a Forest Wagtail, (swaying its tail laterally as usual), Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, several Black-napes Monarchs, and underwhelming Sooty-headed and Black-Crested Bulbuls. Paul found  pair of Red-headed Trogons which vanished as he was whistling for us to join him.

As the day wore on I realised that the Drongos I was seeing regularly with adults feeding fledged young were in fact Bronzed Drongos not Black Drongos and wondered if I had always overlooked them previously on my travels- a rather sobering thought.

At about 12 noon the heavens opened with thunder and heavy rain so we took time out. Later we ventured out again but added little that was new other than a Lesser Yellownape to boost the Woodpecker tally, Puff-throated Bulbuls, and Scarlet Minivets. Silent philoscopus Warblers caused me some frustration as I struggled to check tertials on jigsaw overhead views of either Yellow- browed or Two Barred Greenish Warblers. 

We set about keeping a Nat Pk list but found it slow going with a lack of water species and with the forest trails alive with leeches after the rain.

Thursday 26/04/18 6.15 am

Red Junglefowl were the first birds for the morning, followed by a late Brown Shrike, Common Ioras, and for me a fine close encounter with a Bay Woodpecker, supposedly an uncommon resident here.

We were constantly hearing a trisyllabic Barbet call and traced these to Blue-throated Barbets, (a close congener of Moustached Barbet with which we were well familiar from Khao Yai visits).

Paul and I did a slow trail walk which rewarded us with several good looks at White-crowned Forktails, a party of about 6 Red- billed Scimitar Babblers, and fleeting sightings of the common Rufous-fronted Babblers. In spite of our leech socks several had looped up our legs and underneath to mess up our clothing.

I delighted in torturing the culprits and splattering their guts and my blood accordingly. Our main target species, Blu Pitta, Bar- backed Partridge, and Silver Pheasant remained hidden.

Later with the girls we drove a short distance to an open area with a tower hide as a lookout for the elephants which come probably daily to wallow in the lakeside muddy pools. We noted fresh dung and listened out carefully, but carried on birding nevertheless.

The lake had many bare dead tree stumps scattered across and produced our only Dollarbirds of the trip, -a pair obligingly perched up giving good scope views much to Pens liking. Ashy Woodswallows, a Golden-fronted leafbird and a pair of Paddyfield Pipits were Park list additions. The drive back produced a pair of Green Magpies, to give us a clean up of the park crows.

Barb and I had a late afternoon stroll around some of the forest edge quiet spots, and met with about 5 Black-throated LaughingThrushes which entertained us for some minutes, though we still dipped on Pauls Trogons seen previously in the same shady area. Further on we found a Grey- headed Woodpecker probing in the short grass, briefly interacting with a single White-browed Scimitar Babbler, a squirrel, and a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo.

Friday 27/04/18

A Shikra which had been noted almost daily in the same roadside forest patch was the first bird of note, soaring overhead and perching obligingly. After investing some time trying to scope up Warblers in the high pines, I at last heard Yellow-browed calls traced back to the culprits, saw a new Thai species (for me) a Black-Hooded Oriole, which Paul had noted earlier. A walk in open forest gave us Large Cuckoo Shrikes in ideal habitat for them with their familiar raucous chewee calls from the open canopy recalling previous encounters at Sab Sadao. 

Paul decide on a forest trail walk at around 13.00 whilst the rest of us opted for a nap. He met up with us some two hours later smiling and with a celebratory ice cream in hand. He had managed both Orange-headed Thrush and a fine male Silver Pheasant, scratching in the leaf litter without seeing him first. 

Despite a foray to try to pull something back, I recorded only good views of Forktails and more leeches. Later that evening we enjoyed scoped views of a pair of very confiding Hill Mynas, a Common Flameback persistently attacking its reflection in an outdoor mirror of the campsite washroom and perched views of a Lesser Yellownape. The others saw a Greater Yellownape whilst I was otherwise carefully studying a female type Flycatcher which I failed to identify satisfactorily.

Saturday 28/04/18

A very early start on the forest trails produced excellent views of stunning White-crowned Forktails but none of the star targets still remaining unseen.

After breakfast we embarked on the 400 km. drive to Bangkok in heavy rain all the way. We passed various rice paddies on the city outskirts which appeared to be crawling with waders, egrets and herons but the only stops en route were for coffee and noodles.

Sunday 29/04/18

I rose early and walked brusquely to Suan Luang Park in just under 20 mins to arrive at 6.45 am. Already there of course were thousands of joggers enjoying their weekend in a healthy manner. The birds here are well used to noise and people, and I headed for the reedy pools which I quite like. List padders were Yellow-vented Bulbuls and Little Egrets which I quickly noted and moved on. At the pools were several big monitor lizards which cruise the waters undaunted by anything. Three Night Herons were on show, (one a spanking immaculate adult), 6/7 Yellow Bitterns which I always relish watching as they lunge at prey with seemingly telescopic necks. I was set on checking any Chinese Pond Herons on the lookout for possible Javan Pond Herons as in summer plumage these are now readily separable/identifiable. I only saw an immature presumed Chinese PH. 

I realised that in the background I was hearing one of my new found pals - a Plaintive Cuckoo close by. I strolled on and nailed him for my park list then set off home to breakfast with the team, still either partly dressed or still showering.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Saturday 21/04/18 - 5.30 am

An early alarm call saw us en route for the 38 mile drive to the Pha Nam Yoi temple set atop a forested hill with some excellent old trees within the large grounds. We arrived on site at 6.45 am and soon were adding a few new trip birds - Black-naped Oriole, the very common Black-crested Bulbuls together with a few species we see around the farm fields, - Green-billed Malkohas, Common Tailorbirds, etc.

We have visited the temple once before as it is an incredible building to see quite apart from its birding potential and had noted Blue Rock Thrush then, and fittingly it was immediately seen this morning on one of the gable ends.

Four House Swifts were hawking overhead, and we enjoyed good views of a pair of common Thick-billed Green Pigeons but best of all was an adult Crested Serpent Eagle (found by Barb), perched out on a high bare tree top which we scoped for some minutes, - the best sighting of the session.

We left at 9 am (as the heat was becoming a factor), having heard more species than we saw, - typical forest birding, with a far distant large Barbet left unidentified (either Lineated or more probably Green- eared), and a very quick glimpse of a probable male Shikra belting behind a line of trees.

Back at base I heard the Plaintive Cuckoo singing as I slurped my bowl of cereal, so I checked a bare tree top some 150 yds away and noted the culprit - now no longer able to tease me, and now even on the kitchen list.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Thursday morning 19/04/18

I rounded off yesterday (18th) with a few more added species to manage 44 recorded for the day, - obviously boosted by the water birds at Yasothon, - not a bad total for Isaan.

Barb came out with me for a stroll by the river this morning but an hour later than would have been ideal. I have been keeping an eye on a magnificent old tree near the edge of a neighbours rice field which is of interest to many of the resident species. Currently many Black-collared Starlings are to be seen there and three small excavated holes look intriguing, in that I have noted the Coppersmith Barbet calling from near there And showing interest.

This morning we were delighted to see the barbet emerge from the lower of the three holes. This is generally the commonest of the genus to be seen in Thailand and is both small and colourful, with a very familiar repeated monotone call (ponk - ponk- ponk etc ) which carries for some distance across the fields. There is some superb video available if one Googles the bird, - dirt common but a little cracker!

Today we and a small team demolished the old breeze block shack which had been Pauls and Pens home for some 15 months before the main accommodation was built, this has opened up the view across the garden complex considerably, but marks the end of an era.

Tomorrow we are off birding to a forest section recommended by Paul based on his previous explorations.

Cheers,

Mike P

16/04/18 Monday 6 am to 7.45 am.

An early start along the riverside produced 18 species, including several trip additions, the best of which were excellent scoped views of only my second ever Rufous-winged Bush Lark, sharing a line of fence posts with a Pied Bushchat pair and a Brown Shrike. A Stonechat female (which is most likely a lingering Siberian stejnegeri), was working a grassy ditch between the bare ploughed fields. 

Oddly, I have still not seen any Indian Rollers or Black-shouldered Kites yet on this visit, as these are generally conspicuous hereabouts perched high on bare branches, often seen readily from the vehicle. The bird life generally is all the quieter at this time of year with most of the wintering stuff absent, though I am hoping that some surprises will materialise later in the north west.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Saturday 14/04/18 6.40. am.

A later start this morning after a poor nights sleep due to the heat. I headed off for the riverside walk, the start of which is only 5 minutes from base. I noted that the water levels were lower than I had ever seen before, with April being a new month for me in Isaan province, I was curious about what to expect. It was one of those mornings when any perched birds were off before ones bins could be raised, let alone focused. So I slowed my pace and just stood very still. It was noticeable that these resident birds were more wary than the Siberian stuff which winters here. Far distant birds were visible in bare treetops but I resolved to bring the scope next time along here, as X8 bins were insufficient. Nevertheless, I was hearing unfamiliar songs and decided that patience would be rewarded sooner or later. I logged a modest 15 species in 90 minutes, but this was largely taken up usefully in study. I noted a couple more Brown Shrikes still around, a Chinese Pond Heron which I tentativey aged as a likely first summer (based on its apparent summer plumage being no great shakes), 4 Pied Bushchats on the fence posts along the bare fields, where the resident Bee Eaters were hawking, a gang of White-rumped Munias, and a pair of very distant Greater Coucals. (The one I still have not found is Lesser Coucal). Ahead of me a pair of sneaky Green-billed Malkohas glided across the river into dense cover, only their very long tails showing where they were perched. I then heard a four note passerine song close by in the dense riverside saplings. A gentle low squeaking served to pull it in closer and I glimpsed a strong supercilium on a smallish warbler. From jigsaw views it did look like a Dusky Warbler, but gave no calls at all, just the repeated song as it foraged quite low down in typical Dusky Warbler habitat, and was typically confiding- so was I simply hearing a singing Dusky for the very first time? Back at base I checked Xeno- Canto, - Paul Holts recording from China, which pleasingly confirmed my i/d.

Later with the temperature hitting 39 degrees, we went shopping to Yasothon as Paul wanted to buy some power tools, and en route we noted from the vehicle a single Lesser Whistling Duck on the large lake.

Cheers,

Mike P.

April 12th Thursday afternoon.

Today marked the start of a 4 day holiday, here it is year 2561, and traditionally everyone goes around throwing water over each other, so I felt it better to leave optics behind. At 1 pm we all drove over to Kam Pak Nam a village some 25 kms from Kutchum, where Pen spent 7 years of her childhood.

At the temple compound there was already a large gathering with 5 monks holding a service involving much chanting and responses from the crowd. Barbara was invited to sprinkle water on the Buddha along with the locals, following which all hell broke loose with hose pipes, water pistols and buckets of water sloshing everywhere. Old ladies were particularly lethal and intent on pouring icey water down the back of ones neck, in response to which one has to thank them. Following the departure of the monks, a 9 piece band appeared and beer began to flow.

There is presently concern across the country of an increase in rabies outbreaks, and a move is gathering momentum to vaccinate all dogs free of charge to address the problem, but there must be millions of strays about.

Pen was greeted by many old friends and a particular woman whom she didnt introduce to us, but who took a seat by herself some 15 feet from me. Pen quietly explained to us that the woman had killed several people (apparently by stabbing) and was not in prison because she had been officially certified as crazy.

Accordingly I kept a wary eye on any dogs ambling by, and on the crazy woman, noting that nobody had doused her in water.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Also at 

Thailand -postscript

Whilst idly perusing the species list for Kaeng Krachen Nat. Park I came across Blyths Shrike- Babbler something of which I have no prior knowledge. On investigation it appears that White-browed Shrike Babbler has been split into 4 species, one endemic to Java, one to the Da Lat plateau of S. Vietnam, one to the Himalayan region, and one (Blyths) to the border region of Myanmar/western Thailand. A sub species of Blyths (ricketti) is found in N.Vietnam, which my records tell me I saw at Tam Dao in 2008.

I had previously seen Himalayan, and the N.Vietnamese form, (as well as what is now Blyths, just a week ago), and in ignorance at the time simply logged them as White-browed - thus an armchair tick materialises (always welcome!).

As regards the Yellow Wagtail form seen on 28/11/17, that was what we should refer to as Grey-headed (thunbergii), though I have not been able to ascertain what is (if any) the difference between this and macronyx.

For the recent trip I ended with 12 life birds of 171 species, which wasnt bad seeing that only 8 days were dedicated to proper birding, and within that about 1000 kilometres involved driving.

Cheers,

Mike P

Friday 01/12/17

After a 5 am start we headed off to the park for an early start and blitz on the lower section; this produced a commotion of Spot-necked Babblers. We seemed to have woken them at their communal roost. It seemed very quiet, producing little other than Common Flamebacks, which were at least new trip birds.

We were hearing many birds but seeing hardly anything, nor were birds flying;- we got the impression that we we just too early. Things picked up a little at one of the deserted campsites with our only Spiderhunter of the trip, - a Yellow-eared.

This day was basically very low key despite our efforts, though things did improve later with Pen finding not one but a pair of superb Black-thighed Falconets by a lakeside stop which she also photographed through the scope. Other finds here were both Black-capped and White- throated Kingfishers, Chestnut-headed Bee Eaters, and Indian Rollers, which together added a fair splash of colour at least to a quieter day.

At our lodgings, I added Pheasant-tailed Jacana to the trip list on the superb and very extensive lily pools of Baan Maka Lodge, which we had quite neglected due to the prioritising of our efforts in the National Park.

Cheers,

Mike P.

Wednesday 29/11/17

We left home at about 9.30 am heading south to the gulf coast and lunched by the sea, the few birds noted were Little Green Bee Eater, Brahminy Kite, Whiskered Terns, and two passing Grey-hooded Gulls.

On nearby salt pans we noted Black-winged Stilts, a Common Redshank, 3 Long-toed Stints, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, a Kentish Plover, and Marsh Sandpipers. On reaching Baan Maka Lodge, a brief exploration of the garden and pools turned up a Banded Bay Cuckoo and the usual water birds on the lake, including White-breasted Waterhens and Bronze-winged Jacanas.

Tomorrow we look forward to our first day in Kaeng Krachen National Park;- a 5am start.

Cheers, 

Mike P.

I am trying to do updates but the Wi-fi here is dodgy. We are at Baan Maka Lodge close to Kaeng Krachen Nat. park, booked in for 3 nights. 

After our encounter with the Firebacks, the last birds back at the research station were Thick-billed Green Pigeons, about 15 romping around in the big fig tree.

Monday 27/11/17

We left at dawn en route for Khao Yai, but with a stop to scan a large lake where we noted Bronze- winged Jacanas, Red-wattled Lapwings, a few Moorhens, Purple Swamphens and 12 Cotton Pygmy Geese. We arrived at Khao Yai at 8.25 and a check at our favourite glade yielded 8 Long-tailed Broadbills. Shortly after, we became aware of a concentrated feeding flock behind us. Though the viewing was somewhat against the light, we identified a White-bellied Yuhina, a stunning Sulphur - bellied Warbler, a Bar- winged Flycatcher Shrike, a Grey -headed Canary Flycatcher, a skulking White-rumped Shama, at least one Two-barred Greenish Warbler, and a potential Eastern- crowned Warbler which annoyingly didnt appear to have yellow undertail coverts and so avoided positive identification. - All good fun but rather hectic.

Moving on, we noted Chestnut- headed Bee Eaters, a Blue-eared Barbet, Buff-bellied Flowerpeckers, many Ashy Woodswallows ( perhaps too many!), causing repeated distraction. Apart from the usual culprits, new trip birds included Puff-throated, Stripe-throated, and Grey-eyed Bulbuls. Several Grey Wagtails on the river were new, but we met with no Forktails. Even in the heat of midday we found within the forest edge, a Laced Woodpecker, a female Tickells Blue Flycatcher, a Blue Rock Thrush on the same roof as we noted in February ( same bird?). On the river we found a Blue-eared Kingfisher, and perhaps by a stroke of luck a pair of Scaly-breasted Partridges foraging in the leaf litter under the roadside trees.

Cheers,

Mike P.

How nice to have some feedback; thanks David, - nice to hear from you.

Friday 24/11/17 was a busy workday, and saw us heaving 25 kilo bags of rice up into the rice store before the sun became too intimidating, we then got on with packing ahead of a week of wending our way back to Bangkok via various birding sites selected by Paul as being worthy of exploration. We did no birding and went to bed early.

Saturday, 25/11/17 saw us on the roads by 5.22 am heading south towards the Cambodian border, then veering west to our first stop, Sanam Bin Reserve (a non hunting reserve) which Paul had never before visited. This comprised many extensive pools and lakes on an impressive scale. Within a few kilometres of arrival at about 9 am we were seeing many circling parties of Openbill Storks and by the first pool we recorded Common Moorhens, a scatter of Purple Herons, a pair of Cotton Pygmy Geese, and 4/5 Bronze-winged Jacanas. Within a few hundred metres we were met by the spectacle of countless hundreds of Openbills some carrying nesting material into a huge and extensive colony of thousands of birds. In this mix were some scores of Night Herons ( adults and juveniles).  Across the marshy fields were Great, Intermediate, and Little Egrets in close association; - the Purple Herons seemed to prefer their own company, and we reckoned there were about 20, of various ages, against very few (possibly only 5/6) Grey Herons. With an earlier arrival we may well have recorded more species, and were surprised not to find any Cinnamon Bitterns, which surely must be present.

Lesser Whistling Ducks numbered hundreds but despite diligent scanning, we could find no other duck species. Little Cormorants were well represented, and some 4/5 Eastern Marsh Harriers quartered much of the area. The roadside pools held some 30 or so Purple Swamphens along a kilometre stretch.

A tower hide afforded superb views across the reserve and beyond, though a slight rocking in the breeze made one feel slightly drunk when scoping at x60. The best find of the day was Pauls Chestnut - winged Cuckoo, (a handsome congener of our familiar Great Spotted Cuckoo) being mobbed by Weavers in non- breeding plumage which we provisionally took to be Baya Weavers, though a little more research needs to be done on these.

Other nice finds were great views of a Black-capped Kingfisher, a Hoopoe, and a Black- browed Reed Warbler which responded nicely to my squeaking. Alongside these were other species which we had been recording daily in Kut Chum.

in summary, this is not a hot site for a big day list, but as a spectacle, in the context of sheer numbers, it is very impressive.

Our next site which we reached at 3 pm, was Sab Sadao, a tract of Dyptocarp forest (assuming that Ive named that correctly)

As recommended by Nick Upton. this is one of those sites seldom visited by birders as it is rather off the beaten track, and four wheel drive is essential. In spite of our late arrival we recorded some new birds : Large Cuckoo- Shrikes, the fine gaudy Black-headed Woodpeckers flaunted themselves, while Paul and Barb noted a flyover White-bellied Woodpecker which I missed, (ouch!).

Other birds here were Eurasian Jay (here the white-headed form), Chestnut- capped Babblers, a Hair-crested Drongo, a Thick-billed Flowerpecker, and Rufescent Prinias; as dusk loomed, we had to leave to seek food and beds for the night. In summary, a day of quality, but with much expectation for the following day, as our plan was to explore another new site,- the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, as well as a morning visit back to Sab Sadao, where we felt we had unfinished business!

Cheers, Mike P.

entirely (ouch!) I in turn found an elusive pair of Chestnut - capped Babblers. The local white-headed form of Eurasian Jay is common here and calls exactly like ours, and a noisy procession of these ensued towards dusk.

22/11/17 Wednesday

A morning of raking and stacking hay was the forerunner to a well earned siesta, after which we drove the 30 plus kilometres to Phu Mu Forest Park, a well wooded hilltop site which we had visited previously in the dry season last February; our rationale being that it had to be better than last time, - when we arguably should have stayed in bed.

We had a Yellow-browed Warbler, followed by another one, followed by bad jigsaw views of a Black-headed or Black crested  Bulbul...... followed by nothing. Never have we birdied an area so promising yet so devoid of birds. To be honest we did hear stuff, but not much, and nothing within decent viewing range of the road, which lacked anywhere to pull off safely in order to duck into the forest.

We drove off downhill to the extensive lake at the foot of the park. This lake in India would have been teeming with stuff; here frolicked barely a few common hirundines, Chinese Pond Herons, a few Little Egrets, and a single wader, - a very distant likely Marsh Sandpiper, which we sensibly left unidentified. Even on full scope magnification we could barely make out the details, and we struggled in the face of a fresh breeze; - dead horses and floggings came to mind.

Phu Mu Forest Park will not see our like again; - in the unlikely event of any reader visiting these parts, give the place a wide berth.

23/11/17 Thursday

I chose the riverside walk and set off at 6.30. Immediately I encountered 4 yapping dogs from an adjacent farm which seemed determined to follow and distract me, so I picked up a length of bamboo and snarled back. Paul was bitten several weeks ago whilst out on his bike and underwent the full course of rabies injections, finishing these only on Tuesday, so one cannot be too careful. As a further precaution, Pen has resolved to lock him up at the next full moon.

A selection of the usual species going about their business was soothing after yesterday at Phu Mu, and pleasingly a new local patch species put in a long overdue appearance, a White-breasted Kingfisher, (the only resident Halcyon in these parts) barely 40 yards from the boundary of Pauls fields. Our own Kingfisher is often around, but is overwhelmingly a winter/none breeding visitor here.

Cheers,

Mike P.

17/11/17 - Friday

An early riverside walk with Barb produced an Arctic Warbler, several Yellow- browed, and the usual Dusky Warblers, with a fine perched Black - shouldered Kite, a pair of high soaring Shikras, and a handsome male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker which Barb found high above us in a section often frequented by this species.

Later with Paul driving we explored a promising looking area of scattered lakes which failed to produce more than a few trip birds, a single Grey Heron, a few Asian Palm Swifts, Two leucopsis Wagtails in a muddy corner and a Common Kingfisher; - a poor return which caused us to comment that in India, such a habitat would be teeming with birds!

House Sparrows at a Kutchum filling station complex almost qualified as birds of the morning!

18/11/17 - Saturday

Paul, Barb and I hit the road east at 5.40 a m. for the 80 kilometre drive to the Mekong River, where the first birds encountered were Brown Shrikes, Yellow - vented Bulbuls, a female Blue Rock Thrush, and unexpected numbers of Wire-tailed Swallows.

Some 40 of these handsome hirundines were counted at several stops where we scanned looking for rocky islets in the river, noting a Great Egret, a Common Sandpiper, several Kentish Plovers, the inevitable leucopsis Wagtails, and several Brahminy Kites gliding overhead. A great find was Pauls Small Pratincole settled on a minute islet, and a pair of River Lapwings within a hundred metres or so of where we had seen a pair in February, - these birds many hundreds of kilometres from their indicated range in the field guides, obviously very much at home on the same river island sandbar.

Our final stop (overlooking some really promising rocky islets) looked more attractive than any site we had checked in our two previous visits, and we were now wishing that we had discovered this site earlier. Here was a Little Ringed Plover, another leucopsis Wagtail, and birds were taking the shelter of rocky overhangs as the sun was now quite ferocious.

A Wagtail which I briefly saw through binoculars showed the familiar blank face of leucopsis but as it disappeared among the rocks so readily, I was encouraged to keep scanning for something better. We stuck it out a little longer. I did note a rocky ledge about 6 feet long barely a yard from the river edge which formed a deep overhang and afforded about a foot of shade.

Through bins, I noted a whitish blob which I scoped up, expecting it to be an item of litter, (polythene bag?).

It was a Wagtail, front on facing me, its black breastplate resting on white underparts, but the head showed black ear coverts, tapering sharply towards the bill, and sporting a white supercilium to be proud of! 

I checked it again, eyes popping by now. Ive got the Wagtail! Get over here quick!

The bird walked out of the shade and we took repeat turns at the scope, black crown, white super, black ear coverts; after hundreds of kilometres, buckets of sweat, lots of exploration down dirt roads off the main highway (which runs parallel to the winding river) often struggling to even get a view of the river, we were watching our first Mekong Wagtail, and it was all smiles.

Cheers, Mike P.

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