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28 Nov - 10 Dec 2011.
Mostly dry. Some rain in the north. Partly cloudy. Cold to hot.
Doi Ang Khang, Doi Lang, Thaton, Chiang Saen, Huai Hong Krai, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chae Son National Park, Khao Yai National Park, Kaeng Krachan National Park, Pak Thale, Laem Phak Bia and Nong Pla Lai.

Blue-throated Barbet

Around midday headed up along the road to the Burma border, parked at the view point and headed steeply uphill. The main target here was Spot-breasted Parrotbill, but despite hard searching none was found. Spent several hours along the ridge, obtaining further poor views of White-browed Laughingthrush, plus a good selection of Phylloscopus warbler including Chinese Leaf Warbler, Buff-throated Warbler and Claudia's Leaf Warbler. Other birds along here included Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush and many Cook's Swift. The day was completed with the late afternoon along the Mae Phu Trail where Lesser Shortwing seen fleetingly.

Red-billed Scimitar Babbler

30 Nov. Started out for Thaton at 06:00, arriving just after 07:40 having stopped for coffee en route. Had a quick breakfast at the Garden Home Resort and drove up Doi Lang, passing the lower checkpoint without being stopped. Good to see some necessary road repairs have been made to the worst sections, but with only temporary repairs having been made, come the next rains conditions will continue to deteriorate. The road remains not recommended to saloon cars. A couple of stops on the way up gave us a small group of Red-billed Scimitar Babbler and a single female Jerdon's Bush Chat.

Green Peafowl

After, returned to the Nong Bong Kai Non-hunting area with the species of note being Grey-crowned Warbler and Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher. Just before lunch we headed back to Chiang Mai, driving through some steady rain, and stopping off at Huai Hong Krai. Due to the long weekend for the King's Birthday holiday we'd expected the area to be packed with visitors. However, it proved to be completely the opposite without a single visitor present. As a result of the peace and quiet, several Green Peafowl were discovered dust bathing around the zoo, but soon took off with our presence. An excellent finish to the day.

Sapphire Flycatcher

White-throated Rock Thrush

Siberian Blue Robin

05 Dec. Early start along the Chae Son National Park access road off Highway 118. We worked the wetter forest along the first 12 or so kilometres finding Small Minivet, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Baikal Bush Warbler, Yellow-bellied Warbler and Slaty-backed Fortktail. Just before midday drove up to the higher elevations and in dryer forest found two Sapphire Flycatcher. Drove back to Chiang Mai for lunch and then proceeded up Doi Pui. The upper stretches of forest here produced White-bellied Redstart, Martens's Warbler, and Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher. At dark we had a run-around with Mountain Scops Owl which was heard, but as usual unseen. It didn't help that several Suzuki Jeep owners turned up at our stopping point to repair their recently crashed vehicle, which involved a lot of shouting and kicking the vehicle vehemently. This completely ruined our attempt at luring out the owl, so gave up and retuned to Chiang Mai.

06 Dec. Most of the day driving to Khao Yai, arriving just after 17:00, in time to see the last of the parakeets passing behind the Juldis Hotel. These included four Blossom-headed Parakeet mixed in with the scores of Red-breasted Parakeet. Overnight at one of the resorts - In Khao Yai - just outside the park.

07 Dec. Brown Boobook in the resort garden before light. Into the park as soon as it opened at 06:00. Took a while for the checkpoint to sort out the tickets. First off, up to the HQ area where around the chalets found wintering male White-throated Rock Thrush; a real stunner. After, we drove up to the radar station. Little at the top as quite windy, so walked down the road back finding only a couple of Siberian Blue Robin. Worked our way down the hill pulling out a strongly singing Black-throated Laughingthrush. Coffee for sustenance and then walked the Loop Trail behind the HQ with a group of at least ten Long-tailed Broadbill putting on a spectacular act. Drove to Cha-am, seeing much devastation and still some flooding en route especially between Saraburi and south toward Bangkok. Arrived 18:00 and found a resort along access road to beach.

Rufous-browed Flycatcher

Freckle-breasted Woodpecker

Lunar Eclipse

After we worked river crossings section, but really quiet and dead. Drove up to km 27 with a couple of stops en route. Best stop was at Km 27 with Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Rufous-browed Flycather, Ashy Minivet and Common Green Magpie. Due to rain, drove back around 15:00 to the hide at Ban Maka, which had Siberian Blue Robin, and distantly heard Large Scimitar Babbler.

09 Dec. We again birded the lower section, and this time were rewarded with a rather skulking Streak-breasted Woodpecker. Straight up to campsite where we spent a couple of hours walking the river section between crossings one and three. Again almost devoid of birds. Best bird seen was probably Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush.

After a couple of hours we gave up this section and drove uphill. Although Kaeng Krachan has a one-way road system with restricted hours up and down, this time no one seemed to care, probably due to the very few visitors. At the very top we stopped for a quick coffee and then continued to the very end of the road at Km 36, walking a few sections but seeing little. An hour at the view point produced a single Wreathed Hornbill and two Black Baza. Late drive back to Cha-am.

10 Dec. To Pak Thale early, stopping en route to successfully search for Freckle-breasted Woodpecker. On our arrival several birders were already searching for Spoon-billed Sandpiper, but our attention was mainly searching through the hundreds of Eurasian Curlew, within which we eventually located several Far Eastern Curlew. Next stop was further toward Laem Phak Bia with Nordmann's Greenshank, Great Knot and Black-faced Spoonbill. By 11:00 we drove to Nong Pla Lai for a cruise around the rice fields in the heat of the day, but other than a few Greater Spotted Eagle, no raptors of note. By mid afternoon returned to Laem Phak Bia to venture out with Mr. Daeng to the sand spit where in a couple of hours we found Heuglin's Gull, Mongolian Gull, Chinese Egret, Malaysian Plover and a passing Arctic Skua. Overnight in Cha-am with a total lunar eclipse to close the trip.

11 Dec. Return to Chiang Mai.