Dates:
Weather:
Locality:

29 October - 2 November 2012.
Variable cloud cover with some rain. Hot and humid.
Chumphon, Khao Dinsor, Sri Phang-nga National Park and Laem Pakarang.

Western Osprey

Shikra

Oriental Honey Buzzard

Forest Wagtail

A couple of distant fly over Pale-capped Pigeon seen. After three hours in the boat we managed about 15 pigeons flying to and fro across the mangroves, 2 Ruddy Kingfisher, 2 Pied Harrier, several Japanese Sparrowhawk and Sakhalin Leaf Warbler. Drove to Thung Wua Laen and checked into a small guesthouse. Lunch on beach and then drove up to Khao Dinsor where we ran into Robert and Deborah de Candido as expected. Despite the whole afternoon watching, very little seen, with the main passage seemingly already occurred in the morning. From 13:00 - 17:00 we had a Peregrine, 1 Eastern Buzzard and a few groups of Black Baza. A quick stock up at a local convenience store for tomorrow's breakfast, followed by dinner on the beach.

31 Oct. Some heavy early morning rain petering out by 06:00. Out early and up the the Khao Dinsor car park for breakfast and some raptor watching. However, decidedly more breakfast than raptors as it was not until 08:15 that any raptor appeared - two Thick-billed Pigeon and four Black-naped Oriole being the early morning highlight. We started up hill around 08:00 with the first waves of raptors starting around 08:45, being mainly Black Baza. We hung out around the second shelter all morning with Jerdon's Baza, thousands of Black Baza, Booted Eagle, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Chinese Sparrowhawk , Peregrine and Eastern Buzzard. As yesterday, by 13:00 activity had died down significantly and by 15:00 all other watchers had left. The remaining two hours till 17:00 held nothing in the way of raptors at all. Dinner on the beach and met up with Games Punjapa Phetsri and group.

1 Nov. A later start up Khao Dinsor due to further overnight rain, cloud and wind. Today we split up to cover both western and eastern sides of the mountain. Raptor migration today way down due to the windy and cloudy conditions with only a a tenth of the raptors of yesterday passing. Best birds throughout the morning were Peregrine, a single Greater Spotted Eagle, Rufous-winged Buzzard and a couple of Brown-backed Needletail. Left the area after midday to drive to Kuraburi where we stopped late afternoon near Sri Phang-nga National Park.

2 Nov. All morning in Sri Phang-nga National Park, walking the waterfall trail and the forest road. Helmeted Hornbill calling and a couple of Great Hornbill flying over. Other species of note included Forest Wagtail, Radde's Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher and Chestnut-winged Babbler. We then drove to Laem Pakarang, where in the heat of the day walked the coral spit seeing a single White-faced Plover and four Great Knot amongst hoards of Tibetan Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Red-necked Stint and Ruddy Turnstone. A few Little Tern feeding in the bay and single Black-capped Kingfisher and Common Kingfisher. Drove back to Phuket.

3-5 Nov. A couple of days on Phuket unwinding. Still a noticeable migration of Oriental Honey Buzzard with a few of the resident Shikra, Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle in the raptor line. One evening met up with Paul Carter for a night bird session successfully finding Oriental Bay Owl and Collared Scops Owl.

Oriental Bay Owl

Scarce Blue Tiger