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Weather:
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11 - 14 Jul 2023.
Variable cloud cover with some light rain. Temperatures ranged from 21°C to 28°C.
Omkoi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Bifid Plushblue

Brahmaea hearseyi

Stejneger's Paddy Frog

It must be said that our bird list was the worst for Omkoi that we have recorded - less than 40 species. Hunting pressures and environmental degradation by locals are immense here.

11 Jul. We left Chiang Mai early and headed to the forests on the northern side of Omkoi. At around 1,000 metres, the weather was warm and overcast with some rain from 15:00 - 16:00. Birding very poor with less than ten species recorded during the day, though a pair of Black-throated Laughingthrush was unexpected. Butterfly activity quite good.

12 Jul. Light overnight rain providing an overcast and dull start to the day, though good from 10:00 - 15.00. Today we worked mainly the trails on the northern side of the pass before Doi Muser.

Fulvous Dawnfly

Great Imperial

Eastern Fivering

13 Jul. Higher elevations around the pass visited today, with a few notable raptors, including three Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Rufous-winged Buzzard and Black Baza. An Orange-breasted Trogon at 1,200 meters was an odd record. During the evening we were amazed to find a new eating establishment in town, which even had cold beer. To-date culinary options in Omkoi had been dire, with nowhere open in the evening. Rumour has it that our new finding will be open until 19:00 in future. Progress indeed.

14 Jul. Further light overnight rain. A return to the forests we'd looked at on the journey in. Little different found, but again some reasonable butterflies, with us managing a total of about 120 species on the trip. Afternoon return to Chiang Mai.

Mangina argus