10/20: Riding the tuk-tuk from the airport to the Two Dragons guesthouse, I saw not much more than Drongos and Common Mynas. Once I got settled in to my room, which was sort of small but very, very clean, I went to the upstairs balcony. I immediately saw Streaked-eared Bulbul, Brown-cheeked Sunbird, and Yellow-vented Bulbul.
Our first visit to the Angkor complex was centered around the main Angkor Wat temple. Dusk was setting in so few birds were still around. I was able to spot Paddyfield Pipit in the field between the moat and the temple. Asian Palm Swifts soared above and Common Mynas and Blue Rock-thrush were the most common species on the temple itself. On the ride back during sunset I saw silohuetes of large fruit-bats flying from their roosting spots to other locales (most likely to feed).
10/21: We went back to Angkor early in the morning to spend some more time at the main temple plus a visit to Tap Ram. Most people know this site as the "Tomb Raider area" in which a couple of scenes were filmed. Several trees have managed to grow out of the walls and drop their roots downward along the wall. These exposed roots are a strange botanical anomaly. At the tops of these trees I spotted a single Alexandrine and several Red-breasted Parakeets. I spotted two of the Red-breasted poking their heads out of knots in the tree trunk indicating possible nesting sites. Lower in the foliage I was able to spot Black-naped Oriole and female Black-naped Monarch. The Monarchs have a peculiar "sneeze" call: whit-chew. Later at another temple (Angkor Thom) I spotted an Oriental Honey-Buzzard soaring over the tree tops.
10/22: Today we took a boat trip to Prek Toal bird observatory across Tonle Sap lake. We started across Tonle Sap at about 4:30 AM and arrived at the other side around 5:45PM. I saw a few unidentified bee-eaters, some Large-billed Crows, Oriental Darters, Indian Cormorants and Whiskered Terns. The last three were the most common birds in the sanctuary at the time. The water was very high so all of the trees looked like large shrubs growing out of the water. On the way into the sanctuary we saw many Darters, Cormorants and Terns. In addition we saw Brahminy Kites, two Spot-billed Pelicans and a White-throated Kingfisher.
We arrived at an observation deck, which a man used as his home during this time of the year. I wonder if the rest of his dwelling is only accessible during the dry season. On top of the observation deck we got to see hundreds of Indian Cormorants nesting. Most of the nests had fledglings with white down and black adult primary and tail feathers. The birds kind of looked like masked boobies. On our way back we saw Greater Coucal Black-capped Kingfisher, 3 or 4 Grey-headed Fish-Eagles, Rufous Woodpecker and several blue-tailed bee-eaters.
10/23: At trip to Bantey Samrei in the eastern section of the Angkor complex produced a band of loud White-crested Laughing-thrush and later a Black-headed Bulbul.
10/24: I met some birders I met at the Osmose office. I met Howie at 5:30AM. He was accompanied by two local Cambodians being trained as bird guides for Angkor tourists. We walked the eastern side of the Angkor Wat temple outside the moat. The sun rose with sightings of Asian-brown and Red-throated Flycatchers and a tree full of Thick-billed Green Pigeons. Once we got to the forest we walked to a fruit tree, which was filled with Black-naped Orioles and Ashy Drongos, Howie pointed out a flock of Hill Mynas. Also added to the mornings list were Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo.
I returned to the Two Dragons met my Mother and we left for the airport. We spent the night in Phnom Penh and left for the US the next day.
Streak-eared Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Black-headed Bulbul
Olive-backed Sunbird
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Brown-throated Sunbird
Ashy Drongo
Black Drongo
Greater Racket-tailed Drong
Common Myna
Hill Myna
Thick-billed Green Pigeon
Hainan Blue Flycatcher
Asian-brown Flycatcher
Red-throated Flycatcher
Black-Naped Monarch
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Grey-headed Fish-eagle
Brahminy Kite
Peregrine Falcon
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Oriental Darter
Indian Cormorant
Whiskered Tern
Common Black-headed Gull
Spot-billed Pelican
Rufous Woodpecker
White-throated Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher
Greater Coucal
Black-naped Oriole
Alexandrine Parakeet
Red-breasted Parakeet
Paddyfield Pipit
Asian Palm Swift
Blue Rock-thrush
Large-billed Crow
Fork-tailed Swift
White-crested Laughing-thrush