An International Tour organised in conjunction with our friends at Oriole Birding. In 18 days, just in north and central Thailand, we recorded 433 species. If you like what you read, we already have dates for 2026 – you would be very welcome to join us next year! You can find all the details here.
This blog has been split into two. The first, covering North Thailand, you can read here. Part 2, about our time in Central Thailand, follows below.
Friday 14th February
After spending the morning on Doi Inthanon, we caught a late morning flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The flight took off pretty much on time and landed in Bangkok on schedule and it was only a short wait until our bags appeared on the reclaim carousel. One of the group had gone off to use the loos and we had no idea which ones. We waited by the carousel for a bit, then outside in the arrivals hall, while the rest of the group went to use the facilities.
We figured he must have gone to the meeting point where we had arranged to meet our bus driver. It was very busy here and he had apparently wandered off when we weren’t there but thankfully eventually reappeared out of the crowds. Now we had the challenge of getting to the bus. The pick-up point was solid with traffic and we had to wait close to fifteen minutes now for Nai, our driver in the south, to bring the minibus round through it to pick us up.
Finally, we were underway. We had been hoping to get a little birding in this afternoon, but the drive to Pak Thale took just under two hours and forty minutes and after the delays earlier it meant we arrived with less than an hour of light left. We met Games, who would be guiding us in the south, at the 7-Eleven and she told us that we had just missed a Spoon-billed Sandpiper. They had located it out on the nearby saltpans earlier but it had just been flushed by a Brahminy Kite.
Still, we drove out into the saltpans and had a short introduction to the site’s waders. A flock flew in and landed on one of the compartments in front of us, mainly Tibetan and a few Greater Sandplovers. Scanning through, we found at least seven Great Knots and a couple of Red Knots, Grey and Pacific Golden Plovers, Broad-billed Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints.
A single Red-necked Stint was feeding the other side, with three Kentish Plovers and another Tibetan Sandplover. Further back, we could see a few Little and Common Terns on the bunds and a large roost of Caspian Terns in a more distant compartment with a couple of Brown-headed Gulls. Several large flocks of Whimbrel came up off the mud out on the Gulf of Thailand beyond and some landed on the seawall in the distance.
The sun was setting now, looking very dramatic over the saltpans. We drove the short distance to our hotel and quickly checked in. After half an hour to settle in and freshen up, we drove to a nearby restaurant for dinner. There was live music playing and you felt for the singer because tonight’s crowd, which was just us, was not particularly engaged! After we had eaten – green curry, fried fish, chicken with cashew nuts and stir-fried morning glory – Games asked if we could have a break in the music and we ran through the day’s list quickly. Then it was back to the hotel.
Saturday 15th February
An early start this morning, as we wanted to get out into the saltpans before dawn. On the way, we stopped to get a coffee in the 7-Eleven in Pak Thale and Games picked up some breakfast. Then we drove to the edge of the village and out on the same track to where we had parked late yesterday afternoon. There were several sandplovers roosting on the track which scattered ahead of us in the headlights.
As it started to get light, there were not many waders at first. The sandplovers, mainly Tibetan Sandplovers were all roosting on the bunds between the pools now and flew out to the shallow water. A small group of Broad-billed Sandpipers was on one of the compartments nearest to us and there were lots more on the next one back. More waders flew in and joined them, including several small parties of Red-necked Stints. We ate our breakfast as the sun rose over the saltpans and we had a great view of the sunspots before it got too high and bright.
Several Germain’s Swiftlets fluttered past overhead and a couple of Pacific Swallows flew round low over the pools. Some Indian Cormorants and Painted Storks came up in the distance and a Black-crowned Night Heron flew over the mangroves beyond the pools. Both Gull-billed Tern and one or two Whiskered Terns flew past in front of us. We could hear lots of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters calling and looked up to see them flying over very high above us.
There was no sign of any Spoon-billed Sandpiper here and then all the waders were spooked by something and flew off, landing again much further back, over towards the road. We could see other large flocks whirling round out in that direction, so we decided to make our way over there. As we walked up the main track, we scanned all the pools. There were several Black-winged Stilts on one and in with them were a few Marsh Sandpipers. More of the latter were on the next compartment over, along with Common Redshanks and a Spotted Redshank.
Lots of Black-tailed Godwits flew up and whirled round over the back and we could see a group of Asian Dowitchers with them. When they landed again, they were hidden from view though. One to look for later. Further up, towards the sea, all the Terek Sandpipers were roosting on a bund but they were distant and asleep and we were looking into the sun. We would come back round that way so hopefully get better views of them later. A Painted Stork flew across behind us in the low morning light.
For now, our main target was to find a Spoon-billed Sandpiper. We turned right and walked down one of the smaller bunds towards where we had seen all the waders landing earlier. The large group of Caspian Terns was still roosting in much the same place as yesterday afternoon as we walked round and we had great views as birds flew past us now, presumably heading out to feed. In with the ones on the ground were a couple of Brown-headed Gulls and on the bank beyond were lots of Little and a few Common Terns.
A small roost of waders on a low rocky bank (where we had seen Spoon-billed Sandpiper last year) included a few Turnstones and Sanderling, but nothing more interesting this time. We picked up a single Long-toed Stint in with the waders on another compartment, but it flew off before everyone could see it in the scope.
Over on the far side, the larger flocks of waders were feeding out on the mud. Games had been struggling with a cough and a fever all morning and had a rather nasty looking bite on her leg, so she took a break while we scanned through. In with all the sandplovers, Broad-billed Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints, we found a couple of Dunlin and several Ruff.
It was gradually warming up now and some of the birds were starting to gather to roost on the bunds, others sleeping on the pools. Checking through the smaller waders, we came across one asleep on the edge of the massed flock which caught our eye. It was slightly paler headed than the nearby Red-necked Stints, with a more distinct dark bandit mask, but we couldn’t see its bill as it was tucked in. We watched and waited and after a couple of minutes it lifted its head briefly – a Spoon-billed Sandpiper, as we suspected! Everyone had a quick look at it asleep and then we made sure all the scopes were trained on it. After a while, it duly obliged, woke up and started preening – now everyone had a good look at its distinctive spoon-shaped bill.
Critically Endangered, with a declining population currently thought to number only around 400 mature individuals or less, it is sadly a case of catch up with it while you still can. Thankfully, we had the chance to watch it for a while before all the waders spooked and flew up. Most circled round and landed again, but there was no sign of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper now. The roosting waders were more tightly bunched than they had been and it would be impossible to see a smaller one if it was in the throng. We did find several Red-necked Phalaropes in there though.
We decided to walk back. On the way, the Red-necked Phalaropes had moved and were feeding on another compartment much closer to the path. We could see six of them now, all swimming round in formation, much better views than earlier.
Cutting across to try to get a better look at the Terek Sandpipers, there was no sign of them on the bund where they had been. We found them perched on the line of posts out in the sea – not much closer then earlier, but in slightly better light and some were awake now so we could see their distinctive upturned bills.
Games had walked round this far with us but needed to go back to sit down in the shade, so she went off down the main track and we continued on to see if we could find the Asian Dowitchers. An Eastern Yellow Wagtail posed on one of the bunds, a couple of Little Cormorants were drying their wings on the posts by one of the ditches and a Striated Heron flew across and dropped down over by the beach, where we could just see the top of its head. An adult Brahminy Kite circled overhead.
In the far compartment, there were lots of Black-tailed Godwits feeding and in with a roosting group we could see around 50 Asian Dowitchers. We walked down the bund alongside until we were opposite them and had a look through the scopes. They were mostly asleep but from time to time one would wake up and flash its long bill. Asian Dowitcher is another rare wader, classified as Near Threatened with a declining population last estimated at just 23,000, so good to see a decent sized group here.
Continuing on, there were several Pacific Golden Plovers loafing on a nearby bund, some of which flew across in front of us showing off their dark underwings.
We found a single Great Knot in a large roost of Grey Plovers, which we got in the scope. A second Great Knot was on the bund ahead of us, helpfully with a Red Knot beside it at one point for comparison. This Great Knot appeared to have a damaged leg, which was perhaps why it allowed us to get closer than many of the other waders.
Just beyond was the birding shelter and the minibus was waiting for us there, so we walked the short distance back. Games had had a rest and recovered enough to carry on for the time being, but was planning to go to the hospital in Phetchaburi to get checked out at lunchtime. Driving out of the saltpans, we had a quick loo stop at the large boat-shaped temple nearby, then back to the 7-Eleven for a cold drink and a late morning snack.
Surprisingly, Nordmann’s Greenshank was absent this morning and we had only seen two Great Knot, so we decided to try a couple of nearby sites to see if we could find more waders there. As we turned off the road and down a track through the saltpans, there were a few Kentish Plovers and Marsh Sandpipers on the pools here, with more Black-winged Stilts. Round on the far side, we could see more waders on a large compartment in the distance, but we couldn’t get round there in the minibus. There didn’t appear to be any obvious greenshanks though.
Back to the road, we tried another track the other side. Games stopped briefly to speak to another guide who was walking back to his truck with two people. They had apparently seen just one Nordmann’s Greenshank, but it had flown off. We checked the pools in the direction they said it had gone, but the water was deeper here and there were few waders. The one suitable area held just more of the same birds we had seen earlier. As we drove back to the road again, a Temminck’s Stint was feeding on the edge of the bund right below the track. Games headed off to hospital to get checked out now, while we drove back to the restaurant in Phetchaburi.
After lunch, it was too hot to go out looking for waders and we had a boat trip to the sandspit at Laem Pak Bia this afternoon, so we went back to the hotel for a break. The minibus picked us up again at 3.15pm and we drove the short distance round to Mr Daeng’s. Two boats were waiting for us, Mr Daeng piloting one and his son in law the other, with his daughter along to translate. As we motored up along the channel through the mangroves, a couple of Collared Kingfishers perched up along the remains of the boardwalk and Pied Fantail and Common Kingfisher were in amongst the roots of the trees.
Out at the sandspit beyond, another large group of birders was just disembarking from their boats, a US tour group. We waited for them to finish and then climbed out onto the sand ourselves. Three Malaysian Plovers were higher up the beach, hiding on the edge of the mangroves in the shade.
Just offshore, a few birds were gathered on the low sandy islands. On one, we could see several Little and Common Terns plus a few Sanderling. On another, at first there were just a couple of Brown-headed Gulls and two Caspian Terns but then a Crested Tern landed with them, followed by a Lesser Crested Tern giving a good comparison alongside, and then two more Crested Terns. The terns were bathing where the water was lapping up over the end of the island.
We all walked together on along the beach, led by Mr Daeng. Two Kentish Plovers ran ahead of us beside the edge of the water, we could see their plainer brown mantles now compared to the Malaysian Plovers. Round the corner, another Malaysian Plover scuttled up into the edge of the mangroves beyond. We were hoping to find White-faced Plover too, but there was no sign. A couple of motorbikes with sidecars drove past along the shore, fishermen heading back to the village. There was just too much disturbance out on the sand today, and the waders had retreated to the mangroves or the offshore rocks. Scanning the sea defences from here, we picked up both dark morph and pale morph Eastern Reef Herons and a Common Sandpiper.
Walking back up to the point, we scanned the rocks offshore there too. There were several Sanderling and Malaysian Plovers roosting on top, along with three Tibetan Sandplovers, but we couldn’t see anything else with them. Another dark morph Eastern Reef Heron caught a fish and flew up to a nearby light tower. We could see it had a nest in the top, with three well grown juveniles. Several young Brahminy Kites were catching fish and, back at the boats, two more Collared Kingfisher were calling loudly in the mangroves. We motored out to check the far side of the furthest rocks, but all we found were more Malaysian Plovers, a single Tibetan Sandplover in with them now and the Sanderlings still on top.
It was starting to get dark already and time to head back. On the way, a Greater Coucal was feeding in the roots of the mangroves, but hard to see. The Lyle’s Flying Foxes which roost in the trees here were starting to get active already, a few flying round briefly. A Long-tailed Macaque looked out of place on the roof of an abandoned building, but it was not clear from Mr Daeng’s daughter if it was a wild one or not.
Back on dry land, we said our farewells to Mr Daeng and family and Nai took us in the minibus straight over to the restaurant for dinner. Games had been admitted to hospital, so we met her nephew, Beckham, there who would be driving the other vehicle and translating for us because Nai didn’t speak English. After dinner, we hadn’t brought out lists with us, so we had to go through those when we got back to the hotel.
Sunday 16th February
We would be heading up to Kaeng Krachan this afternoon, but we wanted to spend some time exploring the ricefields around Phetchaburi this morning. In the absence of Games, Nick had given us some different sites to visit. We had planned to stop at a 7-Eleven for breakfast but the plan got lost in translation. Instead, Nai drove us straight out to our first stop, while Beckham went off to get us something to eat.
It meant we were on site to watch the sun coming up. Lots of birds were flying over in the half-light, impressive numbers of Oriental Darters, herons and egrets, a large flock of Glossy Ibis and lots of Whiskered Terns heading out to feed in the ricefields. A male Eastern Marsh Harrier flew past.
There were warblers calling in the reeds, and a Black-browed Reed Warbler came out a couple of times but only briefly. The Oriental Reed Warblers were even more difficult to see at first, but we walked up the road a little and as it started to warm up several came up to feed in the top of the reeds.
Beckham arrived with the coffees and we stood and scanned the wires along the side of the road. Lots of Red Collared Doves flew in but despite it apparently being a good site for Pink-necked Pigeon, none of those appeared here this morning. There were several Blue-tailed Bee-eaters, lots of Yellow-vented Bulbuls and a few Pied Fantails which came up onto the wires in the early morning sunshine.
A Freckle-breasted Woodpecker flew in and landed briefly on a concrete pylon. Lots of Germain’s Swiftlets were hawking over the ricefields beyond. An Ashy Woodswallow was hawking from the wires. On the other side of the road, a pair of Plain Prinias were on the edge of the reeds and a couple of Bronze-winged Jacanas flew out. Beckham found an Oriental Whip Snake sunning itself in the top of a bush.
Moving on further up the road, we tried another small pool down a side track but arrived to find the site being excavated by diggers. A White-breasted Waterhen was standing in the middle of the track further up as we turned around. We drove back past where we had started and turned onto a quieter side road. The pools here are good for Cotton Pygmy Goose, but there was no sign of any here at first, just a couple of Purple Herons and a Moorhen.
One of the group had photographed some pigeons in the trees the other side of the road, and when he showed someone else the photos it turned out they were a pair of Pink-necked Pigeons. Thankfully they were still there and we eventually had some nice views of them. A Greater Coucal was perched up on the top of a bush beyond a dried out fish pond and a Brown Shrike was on the old netting strung across.
A few Germain’s Swiftlets were swooping low through the reeds by the road and the tops of the trees right above us, with several Asian Palm Swifts too. A challenge for the photographers!
A Pied Fantail was on the wires.
Turning our attention back to the pools, we found a couple of Grey-headed Swamphens now and a Wood Sandpiper. One of the group found a Chestnut Munia in the reeds but it flew off past us before we could get all the scopes on it. Two Indochinese Rollers were perched on a tall palm stump at the back and hundreds and hundreds of Whiskered Terns were loafing on the net lines and poles over another pool beyond. From a different angle, we finally found the Cotton Pygmy Geese. We were looking straight into the sun, down one edge of the nearer pools, but we could see at least ten of them through the scopes.
A couple of large flocks of Lesser Whistling Ducks had flown up further along the road and dropped back down again, so we walked up in that direction now to investigate. A White-breasted Waterhen in the middle of the road scuttled off into the verge as a motorbike drove by. There were several Asian Koels here, including two males in a low tree right by the road, and we stopped to watch an Oriental Reed Warbler climbing around a gatepost.
At the large open pool beyond, we found the flocks of Lesser Whistling Ducks. Two Garganey were loafing on the island in the middle too, along with a couple of Glossy Ibis and another very large flock of Whiskered Terns. Several Little Grebes and Coot were out on the water. A single Grey-headed Lapwing and two or three pairs of Red-wattled Lapwing were on the bunds around the edge.
Back to the minibus, we moved on again. There were lots of Asian Openbills, Pond Herons and egrets in the ricefields as we passed. We stopped to try for Stork-billed Kingfisher but all we could see were two Blue-tailed Bee-eaters hawking from a post and a White-throated Kingfisher by the road just beyond. It was starting to warm up now and at our next stop we found a Booted Eagle circling up, being mobbed by crow.
A little further on, a Black-winged Kite was on the wires and posed nicely, even allowing us to get out before it eventually flew off. Two Greater Spotted Eagles were circling here, joining a thermal with a larger group of Openbills. A larger flock of weavers disappeared into the reeds, but wouldn’t come out. We could hear them calling but the only ones we could see were two Baya Weavers which landed in the bushes on the other side of road. A Yellow-bellied Prinia perched up briefly.
As we drove on, two Yellow Bitterns flew round over a ditch, chasing each other. They dropped down but by the time we had stopped and got out they had disappeared into the thick vegetation. We were still staring down into the ditch when what were presumably two more Yellow Bitterns flew in from the other direction. They gave us a nice long flypast, circling back and landing in the ditch, where they stood with their heads up for a few seconds before disappearing in. We hadn’t seen the first two go out.
We had one last area to check and as we drove along a Plaintive Cuckoo flew out of a bush by the road. A Freckle-breasted Woodpecker landed in a small banana palm and as we pulled up we could see it feeding on a banana flower.
There were lots of Asian Openbills, egrets and pond herons in the wet paddies, plus Wood Sandpipers and a Red-throated Pipit. We stopped and got out to scan, finding several Eastern Yellow Wagtails now, including a grey-headed male (probably of the subspecies macronyx). A pair of Paddyfield Pipits on the bank the other side were panting in the heat of the day. Two Indochinese Rollers were perched in a tree, distant but a better view than the ones we had seen earlier. Two Pied Harriers flew round further back, a male and an immature, and several Black Kites were circling up in the thermals with the Openbills.
It was about an hour’s drive to Kaeng Krachan from here, and we had an appointment at Baan Maka for lunch, so we had to move on. The journey was uneventful and as we settled in the restaurant we watched the birds coming to water and bananas as we waited for the food to arrive. As well as all the usual bulbuls, a Racket-tailed Treepie was clambering around in a tangle of vegetation above the start of the nature trail and Puff-throated Babbler had just had a bath, and was looking very wet. Thankfully our lunch was served as our view was then rather blocked by the big US tour group who had just arrived and rather excitedly then stood right in front of us while they ordered.
After lunch, we climbed into two 4x4s for the drive over to Mr Bird’s Hide. There was already lots of food put out, seeds, fruit and mealworms, and lots of squirrels in to eat it – Grey-bellied, Indochinese (Berdmore’s) and Himalayan Striped – and couple of feisty Northern Treeshrews.
The birds came thick and fast too. Small groups of Greater and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes were in and out all the time, along with lots of Streak-eared and a couple each of Black-crested and Stripe-throated Bulbuls. Three White-crested Laughingthrushes came in regularly too, great close up views. We reminded the group how much they were worried about getting on to the first ones we had seen, deep in the trees on the first afternoon in Chiang Mai.
A Taiga Flycatcher, a pair of White-rumped Shamas and a female Siberian Blue Robin were almost ever present.
Several times, a male Orange-headed Thrush hopped out of the trees on one side and came down on to one of the logs to feed.
Some of the birds were ridiculously tame and when a woman started feeding them mealworms from one of the viewing holes, a pair of Puff-throated Babblers flew up and took them directly from the pot. They then stayed right in front of the hide feeding throughout and when she threw the remaining mealworms out later, a female Siberian Blue Robin, the Orange-headed Thrush and the male White-rumped Shama came right in too.
More mealworms had been pushed into some tree trunks out in front and they are great for woodpeckers – both Greater Yellownape and Common Flameback came several times to feed on them.
We had good views of Racket-tailed Treepie and several Pin-striped Tit-Babblers, which came in to drink or bathe in the small pool.
An Oriental Pied Hornbill appeared in the trees at the back and when it flew down to one of the logs, everything else scattered. We watched it delicately picking bits of fruit out with its amazing bill.
It was not just birds. A Red-necked Keelback snake slithered through the leaves in front of hide and almost tried to come in at one point.
Two Yellow-throated Martens appeared in the trees at the back. It looked like they might come in to the food but they were nervous and after starting to walk out, changed their minds at the last minute. Late on, several Lesser Mouse Deer came in to drink, one pair then mating in the bushes off to one side.
A Common Green Magpie lurked in the trees at the back, but wouldn’t come in. We hoped it might change its mind later. An Oriental Paradise Flycatcher appeared briefly too. A male Indochinese Blue Flycatcher hung around for some time, joined later on by a male Hainan Blue Flycatcher and a Black-naped Monarch. The Hainan and Indochinese Blue Flycatcher spent some time chasing round after each other, arguing over who could come down to bathe.
The galliformes were obliging here too. At least three male and three female Red Junglefowl came in to feed, along with a selection of partridges.
A pair of Bar-backed Partridges came out several times.
The pair of Scaly-breasted Partridges were more nervous and mostly lurked along one edge before disappearing.
As a grand finale, a pair of Ferruginous Partridges walked out of the bushes and out into the middle right in front of the hide.
We had to go back to Baan Maka to pick up the minibus, and then Nai drove us up to Samarn Nature Lodge on the edge of the Park. For some reason, we found we were not all booked in the same place this year (it was very busy and everywhere was full). Three of us were staying in the neighbouring accommodation and we arrived to find several problems with the rooms there. We had no real chance to sort anything out tonight, as it was already too late, so we were rather preoccupied over dinner. Everyone was tired after another long day, so after a quick run through the list, we turned in.
Monday 17th February
With Games still in hospital, her husband Ian had arranged for us to go out with a local guide, Mr Biak today, accompanied by Beckham. After breakfast at 5.30am, it was still dark as we drove up into the National Park in two 4x4s. Several Large-tailed Nightjars flew up from the road ahead of us. We were heading for the top today, but on the way we had a quick stop at km 9 as it was just starting to get light. Mr Biak had seen a Great Hornbill in a distant fruiting tree and as we watched, lots of Oriental Pied Hornbills flew in too, at least a dozen. We got the scopes on it and found there were already, two Tickell’s Brown Hornbills in there as well. Quite a sight, a tree full of hornbills!
We drove on, straight through the campsite and on uphill. There are timed slots on the road for driving up or down, and we needed to make the most of the uphill slot before 9am, when it switched to downhill traffic only. We did have a quick stop at a regular stake-out for Blue Pitta along the road. We could hear it calling deep in the forest, but it was showing no inclination to come out onto the side of the track.
Mr Biak was keen to try to show us a couple of scarcer birds higher up in the Park, White-crowned Hornbill and Olive-backed Woodpecker, so we pressed on. At our next stop, there was no sign of either of our targets but we could hear a Raffle’s Malkoha calling. Eventually the male appeared, feeding in tangle vegetation just up the slope above us. When it eventually flew across the road, it was followed by a female. A Dark-necked Tailorbird appeared in the tangle too.
There were several birds in the fruiting trees above the track here too, including a smart male Asian Fairy Bluebird, and both Blue-winged and Greater Green Leafbirds. A Greater Flameback flew in and landed briefly on a tree – not the woodpecker we were hoping for. A couple of Vernal Hanging Parrots typically shot through calling. We could hear the haunting calls of Lar Gibbons above us (sounding not a little unlike The Clangers!).
A little further up, we stopped again. Here, Mr Biak finally heard the White-crowned Hornbills and managed to call them in. The male landed in the trees above us – great views, impressive birds. At the northern edge of their range here, this pair have only been around this year, so a nice one to catch up with.
We pressed on higher and started to listen out for Ratchet-tailed Treepie. At the first place we tried, we could just hear a Common Green Magpie, rather similar to the Treepie but not quite. More Lar Gibbons were calling above the road below us and we could see one in the trees now. It swung off through the branches using its improbably long arms – a funky Gibbon indeed.
We stopped again a little further up still and we hadn’t walked far before we heard a Ratchet-tailed Treepie calling. Unfortunately it disappeared in quickly through the trees before we could get onto it and went quiet. Walking up the road now, we found some Olive Bulbuls in the trees (the bulbul formerly known variously as Baker’s, Cinnamon-vented or considered a race of Grey-eyed, just to really confuse people!). A small group of Collared Babblers came up through the bushes and flew quickly across the road ahead of us.
It was quiet further on, it can be here unless you find a big mixed flock of birds, so Mr Biak and Beckham went down to get the trucks. We were surprised to see Mr Biak drive up alone and start to turn around, but he called for us to get in quickly. The Treepie had reappeared, but even though Beckham had stayed with it, by the time we got back it was frustratingly lost. Something flew across the road over our heads, but only a few of the group were in the right place to see it and no one was sure whether it was the Treepie or not. Then it went quiet again.
There has been a Silver Oriole here this winter, a very scarce winter visitor here. Mr Biak had seen it in a fruiting tree by the road yesterday afternoon, so we drove up to that spot next. A couple of local photographers were waiting nearby, but apparently there had been no sign of it this morning. We walked up the road a short way, listening. A male Black-throated Sunbird was in the bushes, a Blue-throated Barbet was singing high in a tall tree up the slope. We could hear Great Hornbills calling above and when they took off we could hear their wings whooshing before we saw them, flying over the trees.
Back to the oriole tree, we could see a couple of Blue-throated Barbets and Mountain Bulbuls in here now, but no oriole. A Plain Flowerpecker made a very brief appearance before flying off. We tried walking on down the road a short way now. There were lots of birds in the trees here, a nice mixed flock – several Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers and a Claudia’s Leaf Warbler, Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher, one or two Pin-striped Tit-Babblers and a couple of Scarlet Minivets. Two Black Bazas circled over high.
We drove on, with a brief stop when Mr Biak heard an Orange-breasted Trogon. We could see movement in the trees up the slope above us, but it just wouldn’t come out. It was slightly before midday when we finally got to the summit. Lunch was ordered, while we waited looked at trees behind restaurant. There were several Flavescent Bulbuls, a Dark-sided Flycatcher making sallies out from top of dead bamboo and an Arctic Warbler in the bushes below us.
Mr Biak heard it from back out by the car park, but the Red-bearded Bee-eater which has been seen here regularly recently refused to put in an appearance for us. It seemed likely the photographers which had been feeding it crickets had finished with it, and the bees’ nest it had been feeding on was eaten out too. After lunch, a small group of Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters landed in the trees by the parking area briefly. A Great Hornbill flew in and gave ridiculously close views in the trees around the restaurant terrace, perched right above our heads, looking down presumably for food on the tables.
As we drove out past the entrance gate, a Dusky Langur posed nicely in a tree.
We drove back down a short way and stopped. There was what Mr Biak told us was a freshly excavated Red-bearded Bee-eater hole in the bank, but no sign of the birds unfortunately. As we walked past and down the hill, an Alström’s Warbler was flitting around in the bushes on the verge and a troop of Robinson’s Banded Langurs was in the trees high above. We walked down as far as the Oriole tree again but there was nothing in there now.
Continuing past, we heard the Silver Oriole call just beyond. It was quite close and as we looked around it flew out from behind us and across the road. It landed in a tree above our heads where we had a good view of it now. Another good one to see here, it breeds in southern China but appears to have declined substantially there in recent years, such that it is now classed as Endangered. Records of wintering birds in Thailand have dropped significantly since the 1990s and are now few and far between.
Next we drove down to where we had heard the Treepie earlier. The small pool by the road had several dark brown frogs in it, but the path beyond was quiet. Walking up the road, Mr Biak heard a distant Red-headed Trogon calling, but again it wouldn’t come in.
We did find the mixed flock here, presumably the same one we had seen more briefly earlier. Now we had more time to stop and watch it. A group of Ochraceous Bulbuls moved through the trees. There were several Sulphur-bellied and the Claudia’s Leaf Warbler still and Grey-chinned Minivets with the Scarlet Minivets now. We managed to get good views of a Black-winged Cuckooshrike and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, but the Black-naped Monarch and female Oriental Paradise Flycatcher were much harder to see in all the branches and leaves.
We drove back up to the summit again, to see if any more birds had appeared than there had been in the heat of midday. It was slightly cooler now, having also clouded over. A Green-billed Malkoha showed well in the bushes opposite the entrance gate and there were lots of White-rumped Munias in the seeding bamboo. Mr Biak walked round to the restaurant with Beckham, who came back to say there were two Striated Yuhinas there. When we arrived, they seemed to have disappeared but thankfully they came back through the trees above our heads.
As we walked back to where we had parked, we could hear something tapping in a tree and eventually found a Blue-eared Barbet excavating a nesthole on the underside of a dead branch. One of the group spotted a Vernal Hanging Parrot in the bamboo and we eventually had good views of a pair. Nice to see them perched, rather than just flying over at high speed.
A couple of Yellow-browed Warblers showed well in here too and a Yellow-bellied Warbler moved through. We were just about to leave and most of the group were climbing into the trucks when a couple of Rufous-fronted Babblers appeared in the bamboo, so everyone disembarked again. While we were looking at those, Mr Biak noticed a Pin-tailed Parrotfinch feeding in with the munias higher up. Sadly it was a rather dull female, possibly an immature, and the views were not great, looking into the light through all the branches. It then flew out when all the munias spooked and didn’t come back in.
Mr Biak was very keen to leave, as we had to be out beyond the campsite by 6pm. We made it back down by 5.45pm. Driving through the lower reaches of the park, we stopped to check an area for Black-thighed Falconet. There was no sign of any in the tops of the trees, so we checked a tree hole they have been using and found the face of one looking out. It flew out but landed in the top of a nearby tree, where we were able to get it in the scopes from a little further back along the road. A second Black-thighed Falconet flew in and landed with it, the pair together.
A nice way to end the day, we headed back to Samarn Bird Camp. After a break to freshen up, and some time to try to sort out some of the problems with the rooms and showers next door, we met for dinner again.
Tuesday 18th February
None of the local guides were available today, so Ian kindly agreed to come out with us, along with Beckham and Nai again. Games was still in hospital. It was still dark as we got up into the Park, and several Large-tailed Nightjars flushed from the road ahead of us again.
When we got to km 9, it was only just starting to get light. As we got out, two Brown Boobooks were in a nearby tree, flying up and back in repeatedly, silhouetted against the first light. The hornbills were just making their way to the same tree as we had seen them in yesterday. We counted at least 25 Oriental Pied Hornbills fly in and then looking through the scopes, we found a single Tickell’s Brown Hornbill in the tree already. A Great Hornbill flew into another fruiting tree much closer. A pair of Common Hill Mynas were nest building in a tree above the road and several Hair-crested Drongos flew in to the tops again.
Km 9 is a well-known place to watch the comings and goings of the early morning in the lower reaches of the Park, but it can get busy at first thing. After a while several more groups arrived, including Mr Biak who was guiding someone else today. Beckham had walked back along the road and now called to us, to say he had heard a Black-and-Red Broadbill. We all walked over and, despite there being quite a few people there now, several of whom were trying to tempt it out with calls, eventually we got good views of a pair in the trees.
By this time, Beckham had walked back to the corner, where we had been waiting earlier, and now he heard a Great Slaty Woodpecker. Mr Biak had walked ahead, and shouted for everyone to hurry, presumably as the bird was in a tree. But by the time anyone else arrived it seemed to have gone.
Scanning the trees, a Green Pigeon was in the top of one, which we got in the scope. It was back on and one of the other guides called Wedge-tailed Pigeon, but when it turned round it was clearly a Thick-billed Pigeon. We looked round and realised there was a Wedge-tailed Pigeon in the same tree too, which was quickly joined by a second. After they had flown off, a Black-winged Cuckooshrike appeared in the same tree. Then quickly the other groups moved on further into the Park and we were left largely to ourselves.
Now we had a brief view of a Sultan Tit in the trees the other side of the road, a bit further up. Before we could get to it, a pair flew up into view and then across the road. We could see them feeding in the tops of the bare trees now, a little distant but good views in the scopes. Ian had got two Asian Barred Owlets in his scope too, so once we had done with the Sultan Tits we walked back for a better look at them now too.
As we hurried along the road to look for the woodpecker earlier, we had heard a Radde’s Warbler calling in the overgrown vegetation by a small dry pool on the verge. We walked back now and quickly found it again, flicking around in the low vegetation nearby. Eventually, it came out into the open and we had some nice views of what is usually a very skulking species.
A pair of Oriental Dollarbirds appeared in the top of a tall tree the other side of road now. While we were watching them, we could hear Green-eared Barbets calling, and four flew up into the top of another bare tree nearby. Several different bulbuls were feeding in the tangled vegetation behind us, and two or three Black-headed Bulbuls flew in, the first we have had proper looks at. A pair of Great Ioras worked their way through the same bushes, then flew across the road to a tree the other side and disappeared in.
While we waited for them to come back out, a Ruby-cheeked Sunbird appeared in the same tree briefly. When the Ioras didn’t emerge, we looked round the back of the tree from the other side and found them again along with a Dark-necked Tailorbird too. A tall flowering tree nearby had attracted a pair of Blue-winged Leafbirds and an Oriental Honey Buzzard circled distantly over the hillside beyond.
Things seemed to be quietening down a little so we decided to move on. As we drove further into the Park, a Crested Serpent Eagle was perched in a tree by the road, exactly the same place we had seen one last year. Presumably it had moved since!
We stopped next at a site where Beckham had seen Banded Broadbill recently. We scanned the trees and found an Asian Brown Flycatcher and a couple of Black Giant Squirrels feeding in the tops above the road.
When we spotted some movement lower down, we realised that the Banded Broadbill had come in silently and was now feeding quietly close by. It was hard to see at first, in all the tangled vegetation, but we followed it and eventually got great views.
On to the campsite, we had a quick stop to use the facilities. There were lots of bulbuls in the low tree behind the toilet block, calling loudly. Lots of other birds appeared and joined it, a male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, a pair of Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds and a male Olive-backed Sunbird, even an Arctic Warbler and another Radde’s Warbler. They were clearly mobbing something but despite staring into the tree from all different angles below, we couldn’t see what it was. When everyone was ready, we walked down into the campsite and round by the stream behind the tents. It was surprisingly quiet here this morning, so after a quick circuit we decided to move on to the stream crossings.
A large troop of Stump-tailed Macaques walked across the road in front of us. We stopped and got out, but not for the Macaques which had disappeared in. Beckham walked into the bamboo beside the pull-in and pointed up, where two White-fronted Scops Owls were looking back down at us.
Beckham also knew where a Heart-spotted Woodpecker had been excavating a nest site in a tree directly above, so we trained the scopes on the hole. A Coppersmith Barbet had made its nest hole in the same branch just a few inches away, and we could see its head sticking out. Then we saw the female Heart-spotted Woodpecker’s head appear at the entrance to her hole too, though she showed no inclination to come out.
We drove on a little further, across the first stream crossing, and parked just the other side by the start of the Nature Trail. Spot-bellied Eagle Owls had bred here this year, somewhere in the trees above. Scanning from different places, moving round, Ian quickly found the juvenile in the same tree it has been in recently, but moving higher up now. Patterned white, we could make it out lying on a bough above us.
Then Beckham found the female Spot-bellied Eagle Owl nearby. She was very hard to see at first, through the leaves and branches, but we tried at least three different angles and eventually got a good composite view. From one side, we could see most of her head and bill, one eye and one ear tuft visible through leaves.
As we walked back down towards the road, an Orange-breasted Trogon started calling. Nai went down into the edge of the stream bed and could see it in the bamboo. As we followed, we realised there was a pair there.
Four species of owls in the morning, not a bad return. It was time for lunch now so we drove back to the campsite. The car park was full of minibuses and we found a large children’s activity group gathered outside the café. Thankfully, they were being served separately outside and we could still get served inside.
After lunch, we drove back across the first stream and walked along the track. Several Ochraecous Bulbuls came through the bamboo, better views than we had yesterday. We could hear Silver-breasted Broadbills calling, and one eventually came out in the branches high above us. A little further on, Beckham heard Great Slaty Woodpecker and found it through a gap high in a tree behind. We got it in the scopes – an impressive beast, the largest extant woodpecker in the world. Nice to see here, after we had just missed the one earlier this morning.
We could hear Lar Gibbons calling on and off all morning and now we found a couple in the trees close to track. We stopped to watch and one put on a good display, hanging star-shaped on a branch looking down at us before swinging off through the trees.
We managed to walk across the second stream, where a cloud of butterflies was coming down to drink on the other side. An impressive sight, we could see why there were signs by the road telling drivers to slow down for butterflies. Still one or two were squashed. Several Common Forest Skinks scuttled around in the leaves on the verge.
Ian and Beckham brought the vehicles over and parked again. As we walked on, we could hear the sound of wings beating, approaching large hornbills. Unfortunately it was hard to see them through the branches above, two Wreathed Hornbills. We stopped by a gap in the trees to scan hillside beyond but there was no sign. A Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo popped up briefly, but dropped down again before anyone could get onto it.
A Verditer Flycatcher perched in the top of the tallest bamboo on the skyline. It had clouded over this afternoon and now started to spit with rain. Only light and quite refreshing, taking the humidity down a notch. We came across a mixed flock in the bamboo now – Pin-striped Tit-Babblers, Rufous-fronted Babblers, Ochraceous Bulbuls and a Dark-necked Tailorbird – although it quickly moved deeper in.
Further on, we found another Orange-breasted Trogon, then another Wreathed Hornbill flew back the other way, more glimpses looking up through the trees. Scanning the hillside beyond again, through a gap, we noticed a couple of Brown-backed Needletails which shot round low over the trees at the top, then five or six came back the other way. They seemed to gain height, along with lots of Swiftlets and a few Barn Swallows, presumably all brought down by the rain.
As we crossed the last stream, yet another Orange-breasted Trogon was in the bamboo here. A bit like buses now! A little further on, there were more Silver-breasted Broadbills calling, so we stopped to see if they would come in.
We could hear the rain starting to fall more heavily in the trees behind us now, and Beckham and Nai arrived in the trucks just in time. Everyone was tired after several very early starts the last few days, so we decided to finish a little early. The rain had stopped as we drove out of the Park, back to Samarn Bird Camp for tea and cake, biscuits and bananas. Then we had a chance to sort through photos, catch up on emails or just have a siesta before dinner. We could hear a Tokay Gecko and a Large-tailed Nightjar calling outside as got dark.
Wednesday 19th February
Ian met us again after breakfast and, with Nai driving the other 4×4, we headed into the park. Once past the entrance gate, there were several Large-tailed Nightjars in the road as before, a couple of which almost required evasive action. Our destination was the top again, and we would only have the morning here, so we motored straight on past the campsite and the streams and up the hill.
Half way up, Ian saw a Grey Peacock-Pheasant on the side of the track just as he rounded a sharp bend. Sadly only one of the group in his vehicle saw it before it dropped down into the trees. We parked both the trucks in the pull-in and got out. A Blue Pitta was calling not far below us but as is typical, showed no inclination to come out.
There were various Bulbuls, several Hair-crested Drongos and at least three Greater Green Leafbirds in and out of a large flowering tree above the road. A Raffle’s Malkoha called in the trees, as did a Banded Kingfisher. The latter, a female, eventually showed itself right above our heads. Another Grey Peacock-Pheasant was still calling from the trees above us, very close now. We thought it might just come out, crossing the road lower down, as it had last year, but as we got ourselves in position we must have spooked it and it went quiet.
Moving on, we headed straight on up to the summit. Some fruiting trees by the campsite car park were surrounded by photographers, so we walked over to see what was there. Two Blue-throated Barbets were feeding in some fruiting trees, not what we would have expected to draw such a crowd. Nice views though, before they flew off.
Walking down to the edge of the campground itself, there were lots of small birds in the trees around the edge, in the early sunshine. Most of the ones we saw where either Yellow-browed Warblers or White-eyes, and looking at the latter they were all Hume’s White-eyes. With a bit of perseverance, we could all see the yellow line on the belly which runs between the yellow vent and throat.
The hillside behind the restaurant kitchen was quiet this morning, apart from a brief Radde’s Warbler. Two Pacific Swifts shot over. There was surprisingly little activity in the trees opposite either and the seeding bamboo by the entrance gate was yet to warm up. Lots of Germain’s Swiftlets were hawking low back and forth over the trees above the road, accompanied by one or two Asian House Martins.
We walked back down to the terrace and ordered a coffee. There were a few birds flitting around in the trees here, more Yellow-browed Warblers plus a couple of sunbirds, including a smart male Black-throated Sunbird.
Looking over towards the hillside opposite, six distant Eye-browed Thrushes flew across and disappeared into the trees. There were lots of swiftlets above, mostly fluttering back and forth. One or two Pacific Swifts were seen with the swiftlets too, but six bulkier birds circling together without a single flap of their wings stood out. Through the scope, we could see they were Brown-backed Needletails, possibly the same birds as we had seen yesterday. As they turned, you could see the slightly paler patches on their backs catching the sun and just make out the white ‘v’ on the flanks and undertail.
There were a few swiftlets and Asian House Martins closer on our side of the valley too. We picked up a couple of Asian Red-rumped Swallows with them and then a House Martin flew across below us with a much more obvious, longer white rump, rectangular rather than square, a Siberian House Martin. It seems to be a good winter for them here.
At 9am, the top of the road switched to downhill traffic and after the initial rush from the campsite had subsided, we set off down ourselves. We stopped after a couple of kilometres and walked down the next stretch. There were a few Barbets calling overhead and a couple of times we heard the whoosh of hornbill wings but couldn’t get more than a brief glimpse through the dense canopy. Some noisy Ochraceous Bulbuls were in the undergrowth but we couldn’t see anything else with them and we didn’t run into a mixed flock. There were several people waiting by the tree where the Silver Oriole has been showing, but having seen it well two days ago we continued on past.
Further down, there were more vehicles along the road again. A Red-bearded Bee-eater had apparently been feeding here earlier. One of the people there pointed up into a tree as we arrived but we couldn’t see anything there. A Grey Nightjar was roosting on a branch high over the road a little further up, so we set the scope up on that for a closer look, while we waited.
There was still no sign of the Bee-eater but as we scanned the tree it had been in again, the Ratchet-tailed Treepie now hopped up into view. It disappeared back into a dense tangle of branches, then came out again into full view in the sunshine, so we could get a clear view of its ratchet tail. Unfortunately, it was only there for a couple of seconds. Several photographers were sat on camp chairs by their vehicles a little further down and had left a speaker playing Ratchet-tailed Treepie calls loudly on a loop on the roof of one of the trucks. Whether that had attracted the bird in or not was unclear, but when the speaker gave a particularly loud burst of calls, the Treepie dropped down out of view and disappeared.
Down at the small pool by the road a little lower down, the rain yesterday had brought out several bright green White-lipped Treefrogs. We walked down for a look. Ian then got a lift back up to pick up our vehicles and we returned to scan the trees. There was no further sign of either the Treepie or the Bee-eater by the time he returned and we then had to start descending so we could get out through the bottom gate before the road switched to uphill traffic only again.
We hadn’t gone far when a bird flashed out between the two trucks and landed on a bunch of dead leaves at the bottom of string of creeper which was dangling right over the middle of the road. The canopy of the second vehicle would have hit it but we looked and saw it was a Long-tailed Broadbill and Nai managed to stop quickly.
The bird flew back into the trees on the verge when it saw us but didn’t seem to have gone far. We got out very quietly and could see it perched in the shade in the bamboo. It then flew back out landed on the dead leaves again just a couple of metres from us. It was collecting nest material. We watched it fly off with some into the trees, then come straight back out with nothing in its bill now. The Long-tailed Broadbill seemed to have seen us now and didn’t want to come back out. We had to be moving on as we had very little time to get down the hill now, so we left it in peace.
Out of the park, we headed straight over to Baan Maka for lunch. Ian led us round to a stand of bamboo by the offices where two Brown Boobooks were staring back down at us from their roost site. Apparently we were very lucky and they were much more out in the open than they had been before. A much better view than the two we had seen in the half light yesterday morning.
Eating lunch in the restaurant, the bunch of bananas put out for the birds to feed on looked to have pretty much run out, so there were fewer birds coming in and out. However, there was a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler feeding down characteristically on the ground, in the dry leaves, for most of the time we were eating. The fish with cracked black pepper was particularly delicious and the fresh mango shakes were a very popular accompaniment (head freeze risk notwithstanding!).
After lunch, we had some time to relax before we left at 2pm to drive over to Lung Sin hide. It was hot in the hide when we arrived and a Racket-tailed Treepie came down to drink. A White-rumped Shama was perched on one of the branches behind and the usual Greater and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes, bulbuls, squirrels and Northern Treeshrews appeared. All seemed to be progressing as we might have expected.
Two White-bellied Erpornis flew in to bathe, an Indochinese Blue Flycatcher came in for a drink, followed by a female Black-naped Monarch. A female Siberian Blue Robin was hopping around in the leaves, as was a Puff-throated Babbler. Then it all seemed to go rather quiet.
Watching and waiting, a large snake appeared out of the trees on the right hand side. It slithered through the leaves right towards us, closer and closer, until it was less than a metre from the front of the hide. If it continued the way it was heading, it looked like it would come straight in under the mesh on the front. We tapped the camera lens on the bottom of the opening and moved it up and down so it would be clearly seen. The snake stopped and looked straight at us, tasting the air with its tongue. Then it started shaking its tail as it switched to reverse gear.
Having backed off a short distance still watching us, it turned and slithered off into the trees. Reviewing the photos later, Ian confirmed it was a Monocled Cobra. We were now very happy it hadn’t come into the hide! The Laughingthrushes and bulbuls quickly resumed business as usual but nothing else was coming in now. The snake must have gone round behind the hide because after about fifteen minutes, it slithered off back down away from us under the trees on the left.
Whether it was the effect of the snake or not, nothing was doing now, so we decided to leave. When we got back out to the road, there was no sign of Nai or the minibus and we didn’t have a phone signal either. We walked a short distance down the road and round the corner to see if there was any birding to be done there, but all we could see were a few Bronzed Drongos on the wires and distant Oriental Pied Hornbill in the trees beyond.
Turning round, we figured we would at least be heading in the direction Nai should be coming from so we walked back up the road and up to the top of the next hill to see if we could get a phone signal. We could, but of course no sooner had we messaged Ian to see if he could ask Nai to return, the minibus appeared driving towards us. It was about 5.30pm when we got back to Samarn, perfect time for a cup of tea and biscuits again. Then we had a chance for a break and freshen up before our last dinner here.
Thursday 20th February
Ian met us again this morning after breakfast and he drove one of the 4x4s and we rode in the minibus with Nai up into the park. We left 15 minutes later as we would be starting lower down again and there were no nightjars on the road this morning, although Ian did almost run over an Asian Palm Civet, which stopped in the middle of the road, but he pulled up in time and it scuttled off into the undergrowth.
There were already quite a few people waiting at km 9, but we continued on past and stopped by the small pools just beyond first today. A Collared Owlet was calling in the trees – at least, we assume it was actually a Collared Owlet rather than Nick come south to whistle like one!
There were a few birds around the pools, including a pair of Red-wattled Lapwings, an Asian Emerald Dove on the ground behind and two White-breasted Waterhens which walked out of the undergrowth. A small flock of Little Egrets headed up into the park and two dropped down onto the pool behind us, then a Chinese Pond Heron flew out.
A Taiga Flycatcher flicked in and out of a fallen tree and two Dark-necked Tailorbirds made their way through the tangled branches. The sun was slow to show itself today, with some hazy cloud on the horizon, and there was no real sign of anything perching up in the trees apart from a few Hair-crested Drongos and a couple of Greater Flamebacks which flew in and out.
Walking along the road, we quickly came upon a group of Pin-striped Tit-Babblers feeding in the bushes, so we stopped to see if anything was with them. We did pick up the usual bulbuls, plus two Great Ioras and a family of Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds which showed very well on the side of the road.
Just beyond is a fruiting tree, and at first it looked quite quiet. We could see one Wedge-tailed Pigeon in there at first, then a second, then several more flew out and landed in the bare tree behind. Two Green-eared Barbets flew in and posed nicely in the top as the sun started to come through. A succession of Black-naped Orioles arrived too, we lost count. As we set off again, first a Plain Flowerpecker appeared and then a Besra landed in a big bare tree just beyond briefly. It was starting to warm up and there were more bulbuls feeding by the road now, including a couple of Ochraceous, a few Black-headed and an Olive Bulbul.
A troop of Stump-tailed Macaques was loafing in the limbs of a large tree in the morning sun, with several grooming each other. We could see a Blue-winged Leafbird and an Asian Brown Flycatcher in there too. Just beyond, we found a sunbird nest hanging from a branch and a male Olive-backed Sunbird singing nearby. Ian went back to get the truck and Nai appeared with the minibus and we drove on to the campsite.
After a stop to use the facilities, we all climbed into the 4×4 and Ian drove us across the stream crossings. Two Grey Wagtails were by the road, one by the campsite and the second by one of the streams. We stopped at the turning area by the dam, where lots of butterflies were coming down to the ground. A rather spectacular False Tiger Moth was with them. Several locals had stopped to photograph the butterflies and one Thai woman in particular had come out in her best clothes, and more surprisingly her best Crocs, to be snapped in the middle of them. We walked over to the dam and scanned the seeding bamboo on the hillside beyond but there was nothing in there yet this morning. An Asian Fairy Bluebird perched up in the top of a tree briefly.
Then we set off to walk back slowly along the road. It had been quiet along here in the afternoon the other day, but almost immediately we came across a large mixed flock this morning. So many birds, we didn’t know where to look, particularly as a Black Eagle circled up with a young Changeable Hawk-Eagle over the hillside behind just at that moment too. We could just see them through the canopy of the trees above us.
The flock was full of birds, a Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, a pair each of Scarlet and Rosy Minivets, a female Asian Fairy Bluebird and a Green-billed Malkoha all higher up in the trees, along with both Greater Green and Blue-winged Leafbirds. Several Pin-striped Tit-Babblers were picking around in the tangled vegetation lower down where there were also lots of leaf warblers, notably a good number of Sulphur-breasted Warblers again and several Eastern Crowned Warblers (where had they all been hiding up until now?!).
We watched an Oriental Paradise Flycatcher, a Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike and a couple of Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers flycatching from the branches. A Great Hornbill arrived with a whoosh of wings and landed high above our heads. But the highlight here was the flock of at least a dozen Silver-breasted Broadbills. They came closer and closer until they were feeding from the trees right by the road, almost directly above us at times, several to a branch.
We followed them back along the road and the rest of the flock seemed to be roughly moving with them. Almost back to where we had parked, we found a Large Woodshrike high up in the trees too. It was so good here now, we could have stayed all morning but sadly we were out of time. We still had to check out. As Ian drove us back towards the campsite, a Red Junglefowl was calling in the bushes. Nai was waiting there and we transferred into the minibus for the journey on the road.
We got back to Samarn Bird Camp just before 11am and packed our bags before the car arrived to take them to the airport hotel in Bangkok. Nai then drove us over to Baan Maka for lunch. As usual several birds were coming in and out from the water to drink and bathe, most notably today a female Orange-headed Thrush and a Verditer Flycatcher.
After lunch, we said goodbye to Ian and thanked him for all his help. We also sent our best wishes to Games who was still recovering in hospital. Setting off just after 1pm, we had time for a couple of stops on the way. Not far down the road, a Greater Coucal lolloped across the tarmac in front of us. The first we had seen for a few days, now we were heading back into the lowlands and cultivations.
After about half an hour, we pulled up on the side of the road by a small lake. Looking across to the island in the middle, we could immediately see at least four Indian Thick-knees sheltering from the sun under the bushes. Looking more closely, we could see there were several more under another bush nearby and by the time had scanned properly with the scopes we had counted a total of 19. An Asian Green Bee-eater was making sallies out from the top of one of the trees and a Pied Fantail was feeding in the shady vegetation on the bank nearby.
It took about fifty minutes to get from there to the lake at Bang Tabun Ok, our last stop. As we drove down through the small patch of mangroves, several Black-headed Ibis were feeding on the mud in between the trees, along with the Little Egrets and Pond Herons. Scanning the lake beyond, we could see lots of gulls, terns, waders and ducks on the islands beyond the first bank and a Spot-billed Pelican on a concrete wall with several Little Cormorants way off in the distance. It was little more than a shimmering, dirty grey lump though at this range in the heat haze.
From up on the bridge we had just driven over, we had a clearer view of the birds beyond the bank. There were lots of Pintail, mostly asleep on the island along with smaller numbers of Garganey, Shoveler and Wigeon. The waders included lots of Black-winged Stilts, several feeding groups of Black-tailed Godwits, a scattering of Marsh Sandpiper and Greenshank, a single Wood Sandpiper and a couple of Pacific Golden Plover. The gulls loafing on the island were all Brown-headed and there were several Caspian Terns with them. A couple of Whiskered Terns and Little Terns flew round over the water.
We had a look in the mangroves, but the Ibis had all flown off as we drove in. Several Olive-backed Sunbirds were calling in the trees. As we walked back, we heard a kingfisher and looked across to see a large flash of electric blue disappearing through the trees away from us. Unfortunately, it kept on going and we couldn’t find it again. We would have liked a better look as it was a Stork-billed Kingfisher, but unfortunately we were running out of time again.
Back in the minibus, we drove round for a quick look from the other side of the lake. The views of the Spot-billed Pelican were much better from this side – you could actually see it was a Pelican! There were several Painted Storks feeding in the water.
A Brown Shrike was perched on a concrete post the other side of the road and two Scaly-breasted Munias landed on the wires.
It was about two and a half hours from here to our hotel by the airport in Bangkok. Nai drove us there as smoothly and efficiently as he had done for the last few days. When he had a phone call from the hotel for us, it was only to check our booking reference number as our bags had just been delivered there. We had time to have a shower, change out of the birding clothes and get sorted out before we met for our last dinner in the hotel restaurant. The food was not bad for an airport hotel, though perhaps not quite to the standard of some of the excellent Thai food we had enjoyed over the last couple of weeks. Then with everyone pretty tired after some long days in the last week or so, we headed to bed.
Friday 21st February
We had the opportunity for a lie in this morning, as our shuttle to the airport wasn’t leaving until 10am. Most of the group still came down to breakfast early, probably a hard habit to break after all those early starts. One was leaving early, heading back separately to Manchester via Paris on a different flight, so we bid farewell to him over breakfast.
Some of the group went out to explore, or visit the market out on the main street. There were the usual sparrows, mynas and doves around the hotel and a Coppersmith Barbet called for a couple of minutes from the top of a tree right outside our accommodation block. Then we gathered in the foyer to head to the airport. On the way, a couple of House Swifts were swooping round outside the terminal.
All went smoothly, we checked in (making sure our bags made it down the conveyor, which seemed to be having problems), breezed through security and then had time to kill in the airport. Walking past all the luxury goods outlets, we eventually found somewhere to sit down at the far end. It was similar to where we had sat on our first morning, waiting for the flight to Chiang Mai, looking out across the taxiways and runway, trying to see the first birds for the trip list. It seemed like an age ago now. Unsurprisingly, there was not quite the same level of interest this time.
Our flight to London Heathrow left on time at 1.20pm and we settled in for the long haul. We were somewhere over India when the pilot put out a call for any doctor’s on board. Then a short while later, he announced that we were going to have to divert to Delhi for a medical emergency. We had to wait a while dumping fuel so the plane was light enough to land, but after half an hour or so we were on the ground.
Full marks to Thai Air who were very efficient. The patient’s bag was taken off, we were quickly refueled without having to disembark and back in the air in just over 1h10. By the time we made it on to London Heathrow, we were only around 1h45 behind schedule. Our bags all made it to the carousel quickly and we said our goodbyes there before heading out into the wet and chilly London night.
