Dates:
Weather:

Localities:

7 - 12 Jan 2025.
Variable cloud cover. Mostly bright and clear with some afternoon cloud. Cold, clear nights. Temperatures ranged from 10°C to 25°C.
Ban Thi, Doi Lo, Doi Inthanon National Park, Ob Khan, Doi Ang Khang, Doi Lang, Mueang Khong and Mae Taeng Irrigation Project.

White-eyed Buzzard

Spectacles Swordtail

Chrysocraspeda abhadraca

Black-headed Greenfinch

Crested Kingfisher

Long-billed Plover

7 Jan. With Ian driving up through the east of Thailand, we initially met at Ban Thi for the second Thai record of White-eyed Buzzard. The bird had already been present for several days, and this morning had already drawn a fair few Thai birders and photographers, which helped in locating the bird. An overnight near Chiang Mai.

8 Jan. We started at Doi Lo searching for the recently reported Common Starling and Black-faced Bunting, neither of which we could find. In a couple of hours of searching we did locate singles of Wire-tailed Swallow and Small Pratincole, but little else of note.

Moving on to Doi Inthanon, and noting the clear, sunny, weather we tried our luck at altitude for Spectacles Swordtail - a very seasonal rarity here. This was spectacularly successful with a couple photographed at close range. This was followed by a walk, accompanied by the compulsory guide, along the three kilometre Kew Mae Pan Trail. Our target was Chinese Goral, which according to the locals you can luck into any time of day. And today our luck was in, as after 30 minutes of scanning distant rock faces from the viewpoint we saw one distant individual for several minutes. Two targets down in one day - a nice start. However, a search of the area where Brown Bush Warbler had recently been seen was unsuccessful. Overnight at lower elevation on Inthanon.

9 Jan. An early start to check the handful of moths around the accommodation. After, we stopped similarly for any moths around the second checkpoint and summit. Given the very cool temperatures only a couple of species were present. Once the sun had warmed the slopes we made a final, unsuccessful, attempt for Brown Bush Warbler, before driving the couple of hours to Ob Khan. Recent sightings here had included Chinese Bush Warbler and Siberian House Martin, neither of which we could find. Several Oriental Honey Buzzard were overhead, plus a good number of Asian House Martin and Eastern Red-rumped Swallow. Most of the afternoon was taken up driving toward Doi Ang Khang, opting not to stop at Mae Taeng as no recent records of Long-billed Plover had been reported. Overnight at some random accommodation we found below Doi Ang Khang, where we were informed that we'd just driven past the first sighting this year of Long-billed Plover at Mae Taeng. Hmm.

10 Jan. We started at the alleged Black-headed Greenfinch stakeout at Doi Ang Khang, where we spent a couple of hours scanning from the viewpoint, seeing a very distant flock disappear downslope. Eventually, as we'd seen none around the viewpoint we walked the road scanning fields and edges. This proved rewarding as we discovered a small group of Black-headed Greenfinch feeding in some dense trees adjacent to the roadside. Other species recorded included Mountain Bamboo Partridge, Greenish Warbler, Buff-throated Warbler, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Maroon Oriole and Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher. Flushed with success we headed to Doi Lang to try our luck at two further targets - White-spectacled Warbler and Scarlet Finch. No sooner had we arrived than a sizeable feeding flock appeared right next to where we'd parked, which fortuitously contained the White-spectacled Warbler, though it took some finding, with Martens's Warbler also present just to add some confusion. The remainder of the afternoon was spent birding any open areas, scanning for finches, but without success. Overnight near Fang.

11 Jan. A return visit to Doi Lang. As we knew finding Scarlet Finch would be pure chance we simply birded the morning here hoping. No Scarlet Finch, but other species included Crested Finchbill, Black Bulbul, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Giant Nuthatch, Ashy Bulbul and Rufous-bellied Niltava. Mid morning we drove the three plus hours to Mueang Khong to try for Crested Kingfisher. Late afternoon was spent scanning the river, but Being a Saturday afternoon disturbance, in the form of bamboo rafting, kids swimming and riverside parties, proved too much for any self-respecting kingfisher. Overnight in Mueang Khong.

12 Jan. An early start, back to the river, where a pair of Crested Kingfisher were easily found, especially as they were now in the process of nest construction in one of the riverside banks. From here we headed back to Mae Taeng for the Long-billed Plover we'd bypassed on our way north, finding four birds now present.