Dates:
Weather:
Localities:

19 - 27 April 2016
Very hot. Dry with scattered cloud cover.
Ko Man Nai, Rayong Botanical Garden, Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary and Pang Sida National Park.

Black-naped Tern

Ferruginous Flycatcher

20 Apr. Joined by Matti at the pier, and took our pre-arranged boat the four kilometres to Ko Man Nai. A few Bridled Tern and Black-naped Tern observed during the crossing. We then spent the whole day birding and wandering this small island, and by splitting up covered it pretty thoroughly. Numbers of both migrant species and individuals were noticeably down on previous years, no doubt exacerbated by a total absence of water this year, as Thailand undergoes a prolonged drought. Species recorded included Oriental Dollarbird, Western Hooded Pitta, Fairy Pitta, Blue-winged Pitta, Mangrove Whistler, Tiger Shrike, Crow-billed Drongo, Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Black Paradise Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Lanceolated Warbler, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher and Mugimaki Flycatcher. A late afternoon return to the mainland, there being no possibility to overnight on the island which is protected as a turtle breeding sanctuary.

21 Apr. A repeat of yesterday, with a few additional species added to the list - Ruddy Kingfisher, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Ferruginous Flycatcher, Pacific Swift and Grey-tailed Tattler.

Finished the drive to Khao Soi Dao and during the afternoon explored the new Nature Trail. The forest was extremely dry with barely a few pools along the river. On the plus side, not a leech in sight. We located a bird-bath that was watched for a couple of hours hoping for Black-browed Fulvetta, but only Black-crested Bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Black-naped Monarch and Little Spiderhunter visited. A male Black Paradise Flycatcher was a surprise. Late afternoon we erected tents at the campsite hoping the temperature would drop to something comfortable overnight. After dark, walked the road past the HQ and offices. Several Brown Boobook, Asian Barred Owlet and Collared Scops Owl were vocal as well as hawking Great Eared Nightjar, plus several Common Palm Civet were visiting a fruiting tree. A pleasant night; the first of three nights with the campsite to ourselves.

23 Apr. An early start and headed back along the new Nature Trail, but this time forking off and following a river with GPS. Easy going as the gradient was shallow and the river contained little water. Much elephant activity in evidence, but little of it fresh thankfully. We'd hoped by walking off trail we'd run into something interesting, that we did in the form of two female White-bellied Green Pigeon, a rarely recorded species in Thailand. Otherwise, a migrant Mugimaki Flycatcher and a pair of Dusky Broadbill.

White-bellied Green Pigeon

Dusky Broadbill

Davison's Bridled Snake

Black-browed Fulvetta

Siamese Junglequeen

24 Apr. The morning spent walking the 2.5 kilometre road to the start of the waterfall trail. By 09:00, having again found nothing of note, we walked the Waterfall Trail but little seen. Afternoon we split up, covering scrub areas just beyond the HQ and around the far end of the new Nature Trail as well as pools along the river. New species added to the list included Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Crimson Sunbird and Blue-eared Kingfisher. A night session found Davison's Bridled Snake.

25 Apr. Back along the road to the Waterfall Trail, where we'd planned to start early at the river and follow it. However, today, not being a weekend, the checkpoint gate was locked. Although officially open at 06:00 it took the rangers until almost 09:00 to arrive and open it, so a delayed start on the trail. After a short siesta mid day we tried climbing higher on the mountain. New species for the list today included Common Emerald Dove, Black-headed Bulbul, White-browed Piculet and, finally, Black-browed Fulvetta. After three nights camping moved to the air-conditioned comfort of a local resort.

26 Apr. All day spent looking at other possible accesses to forest, trying road and tracks running higher on the edge of the mountain. Hot work, so a few beers too many to rehydrate after our heavy days at Khao Soi Dao.

27 Apr. A relatively lazy day with an 08:00 start to drive the 140 kilometres to Pang Sida, where we'd hoped that the dry weather would be attracting the usual clouds of butterflies. However, on arrival at the park gate we were informed that due to the total lack of water no accommodation was available, so we'd have to cancel any night-walk plans. We entered the park anyway but the extreme drought meant almost no flying butterflies. We tried the Nature Trail, but in true Thai national park fashion we found it impossible to follow, the signs all decayed and after a kilometre or so had to return the way we'd come as the trail had disappeared. At this point we decided to cut our losses and head for home.