Dates:
Weather:

Localities:

20 - 30 Mar 2016
Hot to very hot, though cooler at altitude at Phu Suan Sai. Dry. Variable cloud cover. Terrible air quality throughout the northeast due to usual forest fires at this time.
Khlong Hok, Wat Phra Phutthabat Noi, Khao Yai National Park, Pak Chong, Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Thap Lan National Park, Huay Talad Reservoir, Sanambin Non-hunting Area, Had Wijitra, Kaeng Hin Khun, Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park and Phu Suan Sai National Park.

Asian Elephant

Brown-backed Needletail

On to Khao Yai, where we tried several spots. The hoped for wintering White-throated Rock Thrush and Mugimaki Flycatcher were not in evidence, and during the hot afternoon the best we managed was Long-tailed Broadbill and Hainan Blue Flycatcher. Around 17:00 visited the small lake where the daily spectacle of needletails coming to drink had just commenced. The collection of usual Brown-backed Needletail contained at least five of the highly sought after Silver-backed Needletail. On leaving the park toward dusk a group of Asian Elephant were dust bathing close to the road.

Orange-headed Thrush

White's Thrush

Oriental Pratincole

Nevertheless, with no other practical options, we parked and headed out over the only semi-untouched remnants of habitat. After an hour of traipsing we finally found a couple of Rain Quail, our main target. Other species included Greater Painted-snipe, Richard's Pipit and at least 40 Oriental Pratincole - the later evidently enjoying the barren open sandy habitat. We then tried another area randomly and in a recently planted field lucked in to a single Common Buttonquail running across a track - a major bonus.

A mid morning return to Khao Yai where we worked several areas including the loop Nature Trail - where we heard but could not approach Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo, the campsite and the Khao Khieo radar station road. Best birds of the afternoon were White's Thrush, Orange-headed Thrush, Alstrom's Warbler, Large Scimitar Babbler, Silver Pheasant, Eyebrowed Thrush, Hainan Blue Flycatcher and Siberian Blue Robin. Late afternoon we waited along lower sections of Khao Khieo, but no Siamese Fireback. One major surprise along the river during the afternoon was an Indochinese Water Dragon, a species now extremely rare in Thailand due to collecting.

22 Mar. Opting against another session in Khao Yai we drove to Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve where, after securing permission to enter, birded the main track with at least seven Siamese Fireback seen - another target down. Habitat extremely dry, so bird activity low, plus the grassland and forest along the entrance road had been burned so no chance of any Brown Prinia and only Red-breasted Parakeet of note. Drove to Khonburi where we took a siesta from the heat before venturing out to Thap Lan, where the temperature was still around 40°C at 15:00. It was depressing to find yet another damaged site, with extensive fires having destroyed most of the undergrowth. Still we persevered with surprisingly good results, including Common Woodshrike, Blossom-headed Parakeet, Vinous-breasted Myna, Brown Prinia, Small Minivet and a single Ashy Minivet flying over.

23 Mar. A return to Tap Lan to try for White-browed Fantail, our outstanding target. Despite much effort and walking, no luck so drove to Sanambin Non-hunting Area, home of the Sarus Crane reintroduction programme. Our hottest day to date. This small reserve simply oozes with potential due to its permanent, small wetland surrounded by acres of dry agricultural land. No cranes were present early afternoon, so we decided to check out Huay Talad Reservoir, about 30 kilometres to the north, that in even in the heat of the day looked rather promising. A single Red-necked Stint was present. Returned to Sanambin where we spoke with one of the rangers who very kindly led us to some fields just outside the reserve where a pair of Sarus Crane were feeding. En route also discovered Forest Wagtail and a single Knob-billed Duck - a major rarity in Thailand.

24 Mar. Another baking hot day, which we started with a walk around Sanambin, eventually locating six Sarus Crane and a migrant Greater Spotted Eagle drifting over. Additionally, better views of the Knob-billed Duck. Mid morning we succumbed to temptation, and went for a full English breakfast cum fry-up at local bar/coffee shop discovered on a previous trip - seemingly very out of place, but a very pleasant change from 7-Eleven. Ignoring the heat, we returned to Huay Talad and birded a complete circuit around the lake, eventually locating Glossy Ibis - a long outstanding target. Returned to Sanambin and passed the rest of the afternoon scanning from the shelters and towers. Despite its potential the only migrants we could uncover were Forest Wagtail, Himalayan Cuckoo and Asian Brown Flycatcher.

Siamese Fireback

Eurasian Hoopoe

Knob-billed Duck

Sarus Crane

Small Pratincole

Mekong Wagtail

Jerdon's Bush Chat

25 Mar. A five hour drive to Had Wijitra at the Mekong River on the Laos border. Surprisingly, or maybe not given we were in Thailand, another environmental disaster in the making with this formerly peaceful stretch of beautiful river being massacred by heavy trucks and bulldozers constructing a 20 metre high rock bank along the Thai side. Where do these people get their ideas? Having climbed down the newly constructed bank we walked across the rocks covering a large area of river and scanned. Despite the disturbance and noise we were able to find a couple of Mekong Wagtail. However, no such luck with our second target - Great Stone-curlew - that we failed to locate. Fortunately a relatively cool day with cloud, so not to be deterred we headed north and south along the river scanning wherever access was possible. However, by dusk, still no stone-curlew so we checked into a local resort. Even an evening scan and listen for this largely nocturnal bird were unsuccessful.

26 Mar. Out pre-dawn for an early perusal of all areas of the river once again, with a couple of Mekong Wagtail, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Chinese Francolin heard. Evidently for the stone-curlew a change of strategy was required, so we headed north 100 kilometres to try the river north of Khemarat. Of the four areas we found, only Kaeng Hin Khun looked to have any potential, and did at least have Mekong Wagtail. Returned to Had Wijitra for a final attempt, and after an hour scanning we located a single Great Stone-curlew at the 11th hour. What a relief. A late drive to Ubon Ratchathani where we checked into a simple hotel in town.

27 Mar. Left early for the long drive to Lom Sak, that we reached around 14:30, checked in to a hotel in town and then immediately headed up the mountain to Phu Hin Rong Kla. The air quality here from burning forest fires was terrible with visibility poor. For a change the birding was fairly straightforward, with good views of Jerdon's Bush Chat, Nepal House Martin, Dusky Crag Martin and, surprisingly, a Baikal Bush Warbler.

Following lunch in the park restaurant, a grand term for a kitchen producing fried rice, we walked the Birdwatching Trail, that turned out to be more of the same noisy, dry bamboo understorey, so little found other than another group of Rufous-throated Fulvetta and a White-browed Shrike-babbler. On exiting the forest we definitely didn't intend to try that again due to the noise plus the steep slopes of dry bamboo leaves being incredibly slippery. Again, along the road we heard the Blue-naped Pitta but again it disappeared when we tried to enter the forest. Determined to make a concerted effort for this bird we took stools from the vehicle, then clambered down into the ravine - making a lot of noise and scaring it away in the process. We then simple sat quietly amid hoards of mosquitos and waited. After about 30 minutes we heard the bird moving through the bamboo but couldn't see it. Then, again at the 11th hour, it appeared - feeding quietly at a water patch in the gulley bottom. Despite the late hour, past sunset, and non-existent light, we were able to grab what proved to be the first photograph of this near mythical bird in Thailand.

29 Mar. An early start along the road looking for our remaining targets; Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Indochinese Yuhina and Short-tailed Parrotbill, all without success. At 09:00 we joined with Khun Samit, the ranger knowledgeable of the birds in the area, and repeated the same walk, similarly without success. After lunch, we spent the whole afternoon in the hide overlooking the water pool. An amazing collection of at least thirty species came to drink, including Collared Babbler, but alas the usually reliable Short-tailed Parrotbill failed to appear. A major blow as Phu Suan Sai is the only relaible site for this species.

30 Mar. Our last attempt for the parrotbill, again exploring the bamboo along the road, but again with no sighting. A tough bird indeed. The only consolation was a Himalayan Cuckoo and a fly over group of minivets that were probably Long-tailed Minivet. En route back to Chiang Mai airport we successfully detoured for Crested Treeswift, bringing the trip total of targets seen to 32, and Jeff's list up to 676.

Rufous-throated Fulvetta

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Blue-naped Pitta