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19 - 29 December 2012.
Clear, cool and dry with mountain temperatures down to 6°C at Doi Inthanon, but temperatures above normal on Doi Lang and Doi Ang Khang.
Doi Inthanon, Doi Kham Fa, Chiang Dao, Doi Ang Khang and Doi Lang.

Bar-throated Minla

Mrs. Gould's Sunbird

20 Dec. Early morning to the summit of Doi Inthanon. We started with a walk down the road from which we had a number of flyover Ashy Wood Pigeon as well as Green-tailed Sunbird and Mrs. Gould's Sunbird. As rather windy, with many species keeping low, we retreated to the summit boardwalk which almost immediately produced Dark-sided Thrush, and over the next couple of hours more sunbirds, Buff-barred Warbler, Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Yellow-browed Tit and Ashy-throated Warbler. Late morning along the Km 37.5 track with Maroon Oriole, Rufous-backed Sibia and Chestnut-crowned Warbler. After a lunch at Mr. Daeng's spent the afternoon along the Km 34.5 track, following the ridge trail for a couple of kilometres. Best birds were White-necked Laughingthrush, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Hume's Treecreeper, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Oriental Turtle Dove, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker and Grey Treepie. Finished the day at the campsite, looking for Black-tailed Crake, but no luck.

21 Dec. Just after dawn to the Parakeet Conservation Area outside the park. The owners have done a great job in now erecting an observation platform, the design of which leaves a heap to be desired - basically the roof blocks the view and only one person at a time can obtain a decent view. Horrible design. Still 20 plus Blossom-headed Parakeet were very welcome, with some perched quite close.

24 Dec. Surprisingly warm at dawn at 12°C, due to cloud and mist. Started at the cemetery, where species encountered included White-browed Laughingthrush, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, and Aberrant Bush Warbler. As still foggy we descended down to about Km 32 along the Arunothai road. Rather slow going and in an hour the best find was a group of Silver-eared Mesia. Returned to higher elevation which produced Chinese Leaf Warbler and Sapphire Flycatcher, and a group of Hume's Pheasant that were seen fleetingly. Lunch at Ban Luang, where in the garden at least 50 White-headed Bulbul were gorging themselves on papaya. Off to Km 21 where at least 20 shady-looking locals were hacking the forest. Around here now, a fair number of the larger pines have been removed, trees ring-barked, scrub cleared and smaller trees taken out. The whole area is heading downhill fast. A couple of hours were good for Spectacled Barwing, Rufous-throated Niltava and Himalayan Bluetail.

We finished the day along the Mae Phu Valley, walking the full length of it after dark hoping for Hodgson's Frogmouth. Alas, the only nightbird was a single distant Mountain Scops Owl.

25 Dec. As no presents at the end of the bed out into the field with fog and low cloud. Ignoring the poor birding conditions we started at the cemetery, which now seems to have been turned into a dump - car tyres, rubbish and further tree chopping continue to deteriorate the environment. An hour walk around here produced White-browed Laughingthrush, brief views of a disappearing Chestnut Bunting, Aberrant Bush Warbler and Brown-breasted Bulbul. From here we headed down the Arunothai Road a little, but very quiet so descended to Km 32 which didn't improve the birding other than Black-winged Cuckooshrike. A sad sight of a Leopard Cat as a road casualty.

Early afternoon in the King's Project was quite productive, not least because the flood of photographers from yesterday had left. Birds, now hungry from not being fed today, included Black-throated Thrush, Japanese Thrush, four White-tailed Robin, White-rumped Shama and a Rufous-bellied Niltava. A late afternoon visit to the Ang Khang Pagoda and a walk along the No Lae road, followed by return to the accommodation and some late afternoon Asian House Martin passing over.

White-headed Bulbul

Rufous-bellied Niltava

Japanese Thrush

Rusty-naped Pitta

Spot-breasted Laughingthrush

26 Dec. Deciding to try something different, we headed to the Km 21 trail. Cloud not as bad today as previously and in a couple of hours along the trail here we encountered a number of usual suspects such as White-browed Shrike-babbler, Martens's Warbler, Long-tailed Minivet and Chinese Leaf Warbler. Highlight of the morning was a Spot-breasted Parrotbill which allowed close approach.

With the recent opening up of the western side of Doi Lang we thought we'd try some exploration as others had been finding good birds here.

Large Niltava

Spot-breasted Parrotbill

White-gorgeted Flycatcher

Red-billed Scimitar Babbler

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

White-bellied Redstart

27 Dec. Set off pre-dawn up the eastern side of Doi Lang. A planned first stop didn't materialise due to low cloud and fog, so we stopped higher up where in a burst of activity we found Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Collared Babbler, White-necked Laughingthrush, Mountain Bamboo Partridge and Pale-billed Parrotbill. Good numbers of Mountain Imperial Pigeon active early on. A longer walk in forest below the upper army camp gave few new birds, so we pushed on to the the camp itself which held Dark-backed Sibia and Whiskered Yuhina. A lunch stop at the Km 37 viewpoint, then across the summit to the drier, western side, where we started at the photo-shoot. Surprisingly very different to yesterday with no Spot-breasted Laughingthrush nor Rusty-naped Pitta, present, though new from yesterday were a female Siberian Rubythroat and a small party of Silver-eared Laughingthrush. A walk along the road late afternoon held the much wanted, Giant Nuthatch, plus two groups of White-browed Laughingthrush. Ran into a couple of other, local, birders who kindly put us on to Spot-breasted Parrotbill and White-bellied Redstart. Finished the day with a small group of Pallas's Leaf Warbler, then an hour's drive to Thaton via Fang.

28 Dec. Up the western side of Doi Lang at first light. As expected, a number of birders and photographers were already out and about, with some even setting up hides in the road. Looked like the New Year holiday was already starting, and likely extremely busy over the next few days. As all the other photographers were trying to get themselves run over we were the only ones at the laughingthrush photo-shoot, so set up our hide and within seconds had a pair of Spot-breasted Laughingthrush. Over the next hour a single Rusty-naped Pitta, Siberian Rubythroat and a troupe of Silver-eared Laughingthrush. A walk along the road produced a couple of groups of White-browed Laughingthrush, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Pallas's Warbler and a Scarlet Finch. Following a pleasant breakfast on the Burma side, we headed up and over the top to join some more photographers at the viewpoint, with some brief views of a Fire-tailed Sunbird keeping low in the wind. Down the eastern side of the mountain to the long track which we walked for a good couple of kilometres finding several Hume's Treecreeper. Left around 17:00 to drive to Thaton.

29 Dec. Drove to Chiang Saen where early fog across the lake prevented any scanning for ducks, so had to content ourselves with birding around the edge, with Burmese Shrike, Ruddy-breasted Crake heard and Chestnut-tailed Starling. After 08:00 the fog cleared and scanning from a couple of vantage points gave us Ferruginous Duck, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck and at least 50 Northern Pintail and Garganey. Returned to Chiang Mai, via Huay Hong Khrai where we had a couple of Green Peafowl. Driving on the roads fairly slow due to holiday traffic. Drop off at airport.