Dates:
Weather:
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19 Feb - 1 Mar 2017
Dry, with variable cloud cover. Hot for the time of year.
Doi Lo, Doi Inthanon National Park, Mae Hia Agricultural Research Station, Chiang Dao, Doi Ang Khang, Fang, Doi Lang, Thaton, Chiang Saen and Huay Hong Khrai.

19 Feb. We left Chiang Mai early, taking the traditional 7-Eleven breakfast en route to arrive at Doi Lo by sunrise. Although most of the paddies had been replanted and sprayed to death with pesticides, we still managed to record some good species - with Eurasian Wryneck, Pied Harrier, Bluethroat, Asian Golden Weaver and two Rosy Pipit the main highlights. Back on the road by 10:30 and headed to Doi Inthanon, where we hit considerable traffic on the mountain participating in the Doi Inthanon Challenge cycle event. With around 5,000 bikers it was slow going with frequent traffic halts. Lunch at Mr. Daeng's with us staring into the gully below the restaurant hoping for a Lesser Shortwing, that didn't happen.

Next decided to try Km 34, but due to the solid traffic we were forced to change plan and headed to the Doi Pha Tang area instead. Rather hot, with the birding slow, though we did manage Little Pied Flycatcher and Long-tailed Broadbill. By 16:00 we figured the cyclists would be well down the mountain so visited the summit boardwalk where we lucked into the Slaty-legged Crake that had been seen on and off recently, as well as at least four Dark-sided Thrush and a single Snowy-browed Flycatcher. During our return to lower elevations a couple of Silver Pheasant and Speckled Wood Pigeon. A very nice haul for our first day.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Slaty-legged Crake

Green-tailed Sunbird

After a couple of hours we again tried the summit, where in improving conditions we managed the usual collection of sunbirds and warblers as well as unsatisfactory views of a disappearing Yellow-browed Tit. Back down to Km 34 by mid morning, but only a singing Russet Bush Warbler of note. Another lunch at Mr. Daeng's but still no showing of the Lesser Shortwing. In the heat of the day we tried the Km 37 trail, that was similarly quiet but did produce a pair of the scarce Eyebrowed Wren-Babbler. A return to Doi Pha Tang for the remainder of the day produced Long-tailed Minivet and, finally, Chestnut-crowned Warbler.

Arrived Chiang Dao late afternoon and tried unsuccessfully for Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, though a tree full of 70 Pin-tailed Green Pigeon was a major bonus, and Jeff's number 700 Thai species. Guess who bought the beers that night?

22 Feb. A pre dawn start at the temple area, where shortly after sunrise the Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl was calling well from dense cover, but in no way wanted to show itself. A couple of hours around the temple produced more Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Banded Kingfisher heard, Speckled Piculet, Long-tailed Broadbill, Rusty-naped Pitta heard, Great Iora, Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, at least four Streaked Wren-Babbler, Striated Yuhina and a single Siberian Blue Robin. Subsequently we visited the checkpoint area, where an excellent collection of butterflies were puddling, as well as latching on to Black-backed Forktail after some perseverance.

We then drove to Doi Ang Khang, starting at the Kings Project, where we discovered the usual photographers' feeding area was a building site under construction. However, a number of the usual suspects were around, including White-tailed Robin, Silver-eared Mesia and Hill Blue Flycatcher, but surprisingly not Black-breasted Thrush. Lastly we checked the Chinese cemetery area, but seemed unusually dead - no pun intended.

Great Nawab

Common Birdwing

White-bellied Redstart

White-gorgeted Flycatcher

24 Feb. The whole day spent on the Fang, western side, of Doi Lang. On the way in we were stopped by a military patrol and had the car searched. Started the day parked lower on the mountain, with Ultramarine Flycatcher and Giant Nuthatch. Then sat behind a group of photographers at the Mrs. Hume's Pheasant stakeout, though disappointingly it failed to appear by 09:30 when they packed up. A couple of Mountain Bamboo Partridge did put in an appearance however. Next, up to the most productive area, adjacent to the feeding stations, finding White-bellied Redstart, Rufous-bellied Niltava, White-gorgeted Flycatcher and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler. By some chance we heard that a nest of Hodgson's Frogmouth had been discovered near the upper checkpoint, and indeed proved to be the highlight of the day. A hot mid day, cooling down late afternoon when we tried the Mrs. Hume's Pheasant again. However, only Mountain Bamboo Partridge again put in an appearance, so we took a very slow ride down the mountain scanning for Mrs. Hume's Pheasant en route - unsuccessfully.

25 Feb. All day spent birding the Thaton, eastern side, of Doi Lang. Access time restrictions on this side of the mountain mean no entry before 07:00, and given the hour's drive to the top means leaving by 16:00. Still, on this wetter side, different species are on offer.

Scarlet-faced Liocichla

We found the birding slow-going at lower altitudes, with things only getting interesting over 2,000 metres, with Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, at least six Collared Owlet, Greater Yellownape, Black-eared Shrike-babbler, Clicking Shrike-babbler, Yellow-browed Tit,

Eastern Buzzard

Crested Finchbill. Black-throated Bushtit, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Bianchi's Warbler, White-necked Laughingthrush and Whiskered Yuhina. With us being off the mountain by 17:00 meant we had the last hour of light to spare, so a quick dash to Thaton paddies where buntings were starting to gather pre-roost, with at least 50 Yellow-breasted Bunting and a single Black-headed Bunting

26 Feb. Anticipating that by this stage of the trip we might have missed a few targets, we'd earmarked today spare for catch-ups. Without doubt the biggest miss so far was Mrs. Hume's Pheasant, so we opted for a return to the western side of Doi Lang. Arriving again shortly before 07:00 we again parked behind a few photographers already set up. However, at 07:20 they gave up, by reason that the pheasant had come at 07:00 yesterday, so now likely not coming. We considered this decision somewhat premature and decided to wait a while longer, which turned out to be rather successful, as three Mrs. Hume's Pheasant wandered up the road 20 minutes later, then proceeding to hang out on the road edges for the next hour, giving us spectacular views. Quite a struggle finding anything new during the heat of the day, other than flyover Chestnut Bunting and a late Chinese Leaf Warbler. A late afternoon return to Thaton to try for better shots of the buntings, that didn't really happen, but further explorations of the area revealed Chestnut-capped Babbler, Yellow-eyed Babbler and Striated Grassbird.

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Mrs. Hume's Pheasant

Pied Harrier

As half expected this was totally unsuccessful due to the rampant construction and concreting of the Mekong, so headed more than 20 kilometres downstream in order to try quieter locales. Much better, with more than 20 Grey-throated Martin, but little else in the heat. Made our way back to Chiang Saen lake and spent the following three hours trying viewpoints across the lake in a unsuccessful attempt to pin down the Mandarin Duck that had been seen several times in the last month. The usual Indian Spot-billed Duck plus a good number of Garganey, Ferruginous Duck and Northern Pintail. The last hour at the harrier roost, with 250 Pied Harrier and 60 Eastern Marsh Harrier, mainly arriving after sunset.

Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler

28 Feb. A pleasant, cool, morning, so straight to the hides; or at least via 7-Eleven for the umpteenth breakfast on the go. Between 07:00 and 09:00 not a single bird came to bathe, but around 09:20 Baikal Bush Warbler put in an appearance, hotly followed by Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler and then Firethroat - stunning.

Firethroat

Flushed with success we tried two other hides without success, so left around midday. After lunch and coffee along the riverfront we headed inland to check for paddies that might be good for the early morning. Then by 15:00 back to scanning from the lake shore for mythical Mandarin Duck. Finally a Chinese Francolin search late afternoon, with a couple of birds eventually seen.

1 Mar. An earlier start at 06:00 to return to paddies outside town. Four hours of birding was very profitable, with several Black-faced Bunting, Brown-cheeked Rail, Spotted Owlet, Temminck's Stint, Singing Bush Lark, Lanceolated Warbler and Red Avadavat. On our return to Chiang Mai we tried Huay Hong Khrai where, despite the heat of the day, a single Green Peafowl found.

Eurasian Wryneck