Overview
Date: |
19 June 2010. |
Despite being reasonably close - well 150 km - to Chiang Mai this was the a first visit to Mae Ping. Previous visitors had reported good dry Dipterocarp forest, and that it was good for woodpeckers in general. Additionally, according to the Birds of Mae Ping National Park booklet, good numbers of Grey-headed Parakeet were to be found in the park. Unfortunately being only a day trip the best birding hours were not spent in the park, but on reflection it certainly has potential and further trips will be upcoming. The drive from Chiang Mai took much longer than expected as the Lamphun to Thoen road is only single carriageway at its northern end and it took over two hours to reach Mae Ping. Getting lost in Lamphun town, due to poor signing didn't help either.
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Once in the park it is clear that the best dry forest is along the quiet paved road to Thung Kik ranger station and all morning was spent driving, stopping and walking along the road. The best find was Great Slaty Woodpecker, but five other species of woodpecker were also recorded. The supposed Nature Trail at Thung Kik was disappointing, but maybe that was due to the heat of the day. The late afternoon was spent hanging about in the clearer areas near Thung Kik hoping for Slaty-headed Parakeet to fly over, but no luck. On the way out Blue-winged Pitta was very vocal and easily lured in near the HQ. All in all a good park and definitely worth a longer visit. |
Species List
| Species | Count | |
| Chinese Francolin | 10 | |
| Crested Serpent Eagle | 3 | |
| Rufous-winged Buzzard | 1 | |
| Greater Coucal | 1 | |
| Indochinese Roller | 1 | |
| Large Hawk-Cuckoo | 2 | |
| Lineated Barbet | 5 | |
| Coppersmith Barbet | 2 | |
| White-browed Piculet | 1 | |
| Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker | 6 | |
| Black-headed Woodpecker | 12 | |
| Grey-headed Woodpecker | 1 | |
| Common Flameback | 4 | |
| Great Slaty Woodpecker | 4 | |
| Blue-winged Pitta | 2 | |
| Scarlet Minivet | 2 | |
| Bronzed Drongo | 4 | |
| Hair-crested Drongo | 10 | |
| Greater Racket-tailed Drongo | 4 | |
| Black-naped Monarch | 3 | |
| Red-billed Blue Magpie | 4 | |
| Rufous Treepie | 3 | |
| Black-crested Bulbul | 6 | |
| Sooty-headed Bulbul | 20 | |
| Rufescent Prinia | 6 | |
| Common Tailorbird | 2 | |
| White-crested Laughingthrush | 6 | |
| Burmese Nuthatch | 6 | |
| Velvet-fronted Nuthatch | 4 | |
| Oriental Magpie-Robin | 2 | |
| Golden-fronted Leafbird | 4 | |
| Ruby-cheeked Sunbird | 4 | |
| Paddyfield Pipit | 5 |