A birding colleague of mine, Hugh Wright was doing a three month (March – May) study of White shouldered Ibis based at Birdlife International in Siem Pang so this was too good an opportunity to miss. Siem Pang is a remote village by the side of the Sekong River in Stung Treng Province in the northeast of Cambodia. Before I joined Hugh I contacted the Sam Veasna Centre (SVC) www.samveasna.org in Siem Reap requesting they arrange an eight day tour for me to see the major bird rarities of northern Cambodia. This took in all the major birding hotspots of Ang Trapeang Thmor, Tmatboey, the White Wing Duck Site (O’Koki), Chhep Vulture Restaurant in the remote Preah Vihear Province, Kompong Thom and Kratie. Due to time constraints I declined going to Prek Toal which has a huge colony of breeding storks including Greater Adjutant. If you have time it is well worth it but will take an entire day to do. I should add that the ideal time to visit Cambodia is between January and the end of March as this is the late dry season. Temperatures get progressively hotter during this time and by April are getting uncomfortably high before the rains come in June.
The SVC and the Wildlife Conservation Society of Cambodia (WCS) are dedicated to fulfilling the aims of ecotourism defined as long term environmental, socio cultural and economic sustainability. Their efforts work to support local conservation, educational and development projects and provide a means of raising the standard of living in the communities visited by birders on their tours. At Ang Trapaeng Thmor funds go towards supporting local livelihood development initiatives. At the Chi Krai Grasslands near Kompong Thom the contribution supports Bengal Florican nest protection. Villagers are paid for each nest found and an additional amount if the nest is successful. At Tmatboey the amount contributed depends on visitors seeing either Giant Ibis and/or White shouldered Ibis. Fund disbursements are made subject to the villagers abiding by an agreement not to hunt wildlife species and follow land use plans. Detailed logistical information including Travel Times and Transport to these areas can be obtained by contacting the SVC at bookings@samveasna.org or alternatively the WCS at cambodia@wcs.org
The SVC organised my tour itinerary with refreshing efficiency (they answer emails promptly, are highly flexible with last minute requests and are very professional in a country where this is not always the case). I cannot recommend them highly enough. The two ladies I dealt with were Raksa and Karen. The latter is American and is married to a keen birder so understands very well the ways of birders. I should say that if you are on a tight budget then this kind of tour may not be for you but otherwise if you want to see the rarities and many other species in Cambodia then this is the best and most efficient way of doing it. It is also the best way to support the educational programme of awareness and conservation that SVC and WCS are trying to promote amongst the population that share their country with the birds we wish to see. Via the SVC I was linked up with a former UK birder and his wife, Phil and Sue Gregory of Sicklebill Safaris in Australia who were looking at the feasibility of including Cambodia on their future prospectus. This saved on the cost. I would imagine that the more people there are on a particular tour then the less the individual cost would be. Accommodation in Siem Reap can vary to suit all budgets from a minimum to 5 star accommodation. You pays your money and takes your choice. I stayed at the Wats Up Hotel on my first night at Siem Reap for $15.00 a night. The hotel was comfortable, friendly, the staff spoke English and the rooms had air conditioning. There was also internet access if required
08 March 2008 Ang Trapaeng Thmor
At 5am I was collected in a Landcruiser from my Hotel by a driver and our guide/translator Sopheap and collecting the Gregorys on the way we made our way to Ang Trapeang Thmor (ATT) after a night of heavy rain. The road before you turn off to ATT which I am told is the main road to Thailand is a dirt road full of potholes and is the usual chaos of erratic driving, wandering cows, dogs and dust which is par for the course in much of Cambodia at this time of year. We achieved the virtually impossible and slid in a Landcruiser off the rain sodden dirt track to ATT and almost turned the vehicle over. It did not look good until we were rescued by some local villagers who helped pull us out with the most unlikely looking vehicle of their own. Resuming our journey we stopped briefly just beyond the village of Phnom Sarok at the WCS Centre which can accommodate a small number of visitors. Here we met up with a local guide who was to take us to the Milky Stork nest site and also show us the Sarus Cranes. During our short stopover here the highlight for me were three Lanceolated Warblers walking around a sandy bank out in the open. We speculated that after last night’s heavy rain the vegetation was so wet that they opted to remain dry rather than skulk in the wet grass. One bird’s plumage in particular was absolutely waterlogged.
Bird species seen during the stopover at WCS
Common Kingfisher; Plaintive Cuckoo; Lesser Coucal; Blue tailed Bee eater; Asian Palm Swift; Spotted Dove; Bronze winged Jacana; Pheasant tailed Jacana; Pintail Snipe; Common Snipe; Wood Sandpiper; Common Greenshank; Black winged Stilt; Little Egret; Great Egret; Intermediate Egret; Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Siberian Stonechat; Barn Swallow; Yellow bellied Prinia; Lanceolated Warbler; Plain backed Sparrow; Eurasian Tree Sparrow;
ATT is a vast storage and irrigation reservoir built by slave labour on the orders of Pol Pot in 1976 and now comprises a unique wetland associated with grassland, dipterocarp forest and paddy fields. We drove down the left side with the reservoir on our right and an equally large area of dry rice paddies on our left. The raised causeway we drove down had many passerine birds feeding on the banks and would possibly be worth a thorough check but due to time constraints and our earlier delay due to getting stuck in the mud we were only able to make three limited stops to view birds. The first was to check a flock of Lesser Whistling Duck and we found amongst them Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Garganey (including at least 2 males in breeding plumage), Bronze winged and Pheasant tailed Jacana and Purple Swamphen (apparently now split into 6 species of which the examples we saw are now called Grey headed Swamphen); with Oriental Reed Warblers ‘tacking’ away in the lilies; a second to view a small group of Oriental Pratincole with Common and White vented Mynahs feeding on the causeway and finally a third to view a distant flock of Sarus Cranes in the dry rice paddies and two superb male Pied Harriers. Our main priority however was the Milky Stork which was breeding in a colony of Painted Storks. The walk of around 200m to the Milky Stork site produced additional highlights of Cinnamon and Yellow Bittern, Ruddy breasted Crake and White browed Crake and the numbers of waterfowl were truly incredible. We duly found the Milky Stork on its nest amongst a colony of around thirty Painted Stork and it obligingly flew back and fore from its nest to another tree collecting sticks although it appeared to have young. Once we had our fill of this rarity we persuaded our driver and guides to drive onto the paddy fields to get closer to the Sarus Cranes. This truly wonderful species of the race Grus antigone sharpii afforded us good close views of adults and immatures both on the ground and flying and we estimated there were around a hundred present. Eastern Marsh Harrier, Black shouldered Kite and a very distant Spot billed Pelican were added to our species total plus a Small Buttonquail.
Bird species seen at ATT during the day were:
Small Buttonquail; Comb Duck; Lesser Whistling Duck; Cotton Pygmy Goose; Garganey; Little Grebe; Common Kingfisher; Plaintive Cuckoo; Lesser Coucal; Asian Koel; Blue tailed Bee eater; Asian Palm Swift; Spotted Dove; Red Collared Dove; Sarus Crane; Common Moorhen; Purple Swamphen; Bronze winged Jacana; Pheasant tailed Jacana; Ruddy breasted Crake; White browed Crake; Pintail Snipe; Common Snipe; Oriental Pratincole; Wood Sandpiper; Common Greenshank; Black winged Stilt; Black shouldered Kite; Eastern Marsh Harrier; Pied Harrier; Indian Cormorant; Great Cormorant; Little Egret; Great Egret; Intermediate Egret; Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Grey Heron; Purple Heron; Spot billed Pelican; Yellow Bittern; Cinnamon Bittern; Black headed Ibis; Milky Stork; Painted Stork; Asian Openbill; Brown Shrike; Large billed Crow; Black Drongo; Pied Fantail; Bluethroat; Siberian Stonechat; Barn Swallow; Chestnut tailed Starling; Common Myna; White vented Myna; Asian Pied Starling; Black Collared Starling; Yellow vented Bulbul;Yellow bellied Prinia; Scarlet backed Flowerpecker; Yellow Wagtail; Paddyfield Pipit; Red throated Pipit; Plain backed Sparrow; Eurasian Tree Sparrow;
Mammals
Lyle’s Flying Fox
(A distant tree was absolutely laden with them and periodically they would take alarm and fly around the tree in a whirling mass)
09 March 2008
Today was a full days drive (14 hours) from Siem Reap to the White winged Duck Camp Site (O’ Koki) in the northern province of Preah Vihear on roads varying from good to, in the last stages shortly after the provincial town of Tbeng Meanchey, truly abominable. We collected both a Cook and an armed Guard complete with AK47 at the WCS Centre in Tbeng Meanchey. After what seemed an interminable drive mostly at crawling pace due to the appalling state of the dirt road, we finally drove across a dried up river bed and arrived at the Camp Site in darkness. No time was lost and we set about preparing for a 5am start the next day to try and see a White winged Duck. Everything here has to be brought in and we slept in tents with a basic shower and toilets hidden behind straw screens in the woods. I did not sleep that well as the ground was extremely hard and uncomfortable but was entertained by an amazing array of bird calls throughout the night. We identified the calls of Eagle Owl sp; Brown Hawk Owl; Bay Owl; Barred Owlet; Jungle Fowl and Great Eared Nightjar. Although the rest of Cambodia’s birding hotspots can be done independently I doubt anyone could get here without the assistance of SVC and a 4WD vehicle, as it is so remote and difficult to get to, being only 6km from the Laos border.
10 March 2008
At 5am led by a local guide we headed into the darkness of the evergreen forest for a 2km trek to a rudimentary Hide overlooking the pond where it was hoped a White winged Duck would appear. We settled in the Hide and waited for the dawn to break. Nothing much happened once daylight arrived apart from hearing two White winged Ducks fly over calling but not coming down to the pond. Our hearts sank and despondency crept over us. Then some fifteen minutes later the local guide alerted us to another duck calling. We willed it to land on our pond and in a flurry of white wing coverts a superb drake White winged Duck settled on the water before us. It was extremely wary and despite feeding, bathing and preening seemed constantly anxious although still allowing us point blank views as it explored the area both in and out of the water. It remained for twenty to thirty minutes before it departed as suddenly as it had arrived. What a result. The long and arduous journey had been worth it to see this magnificent bird. It was a relief to get out of the cramped Hide and we wandered around the evergreen forest after it had gone. Personally I found it surprisingly difficult to locate the prolific birdlife in the dense evergreen foliage possibly due to lack of sleep but eventually we returned to a second Hide close by the first Hide and which overlooked another pool. Just as we arrived there was what I can only describe as a huge roar, sounding more mammalian than avian and a massive black bird rose and crashed up through the foliage. A Giant Ibis. We debated whether we could truly say we had seen one as I only saw a pair of wings and a bit of body as it fled through the trees. We returned to the Camp Site for breakfast and then birded around the woods before the heat became too intense, finding two roving flocks one of which contained an all yellow warbler which was certainly not illustrated in Robson’s Birds of Southeast Asia. Another highlight for me was to briefly see at least two Pileated Gibbons and to later hear them vocalising with that characteristic whooping call and being answered by others further off in the forest. Another memory is of the prolific butterflies. In the evening we returned to the first Hide but there was no sign of the White winged Duck or Giant Ibis however we were treated to a fifteen minute view of a brilliant male Siamese Fireback feeding at the back of the pool. So ended quite a day. We had one more opportunity to see either the duck and/or ibis early the next morning at the Hides before heading to Chhep but it was not to be. No matter we had seen our target species very well with the bonus of a male Siamese Fireback and a brief view of a Giant Ibis.
Birds species seen on the drive to the WWD site
Chinese Francolin; Grey capped Pygmy Woodpecker; Common Flameback; Indian Roller; Common Hoopoe; Red breasted Parakeet; Crested Tree Swift; Asian Palm Swift; Large tailed Nightjar (in the headlights of the Landcruiser); Green Imperial Pigeon; Spotted Dove; Red Collared Dove; Black Baza; Shikra; Rufous winged Buzzard; Crested Serpent Eagle; Red Wattled Lapwing: Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Brown Shrike; Burmese Shrike; Large billed Crow; Large Cuckooshrike; Black Drongo; Bar winged Flycatcher Shrike; White browed Fantail; Large Woodshrike; Common Woodshrike; Asian Brown Flycatcher; Velvet fronted Nuthatch; Barn Swallow; Sooty headed Bulbul; Dark necked Tailorbird; Plain Prinia; Indochinese Bushlark; Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Bird species seen at WWD site
Siamese Fireback; White winged Duck; Greater Flameback; Crested Tree Swift; White breasted Waterhen; Chinese Pond Heron; Giant Ibis; Large Billed Crow; Black naped Monarch; Hainan Blue Flycatcher; White rumped Shama; Stripe throated Bulbul; Sooty headed Bulbul; Rufescent Prinia; Yellow browed Warbler; White crested Laughing Thrush; Puff throated Babbler; Scaly crowned Babbler;
Plus two bird flocks comprising:
1) Swinhoe’s Minivet /Black naped Monarch/ Puff throated Bulbul/ Grey headed Canary Flycatcher/ Yellow browed Warbler/ Great Iora/ Asian Paradise Flycatcher
2) White bellied Yuhina/ Yellow browed Warbler/ Brown throated Sunbird/ Black naped Monarch/Greater racket tailed Drongo/ Golden fronted Leafbird and an all yellow warbler sp which could not be identified from Robson’s Birds of Southeast Asia
Mammals
Pileated Gibbon
Long tailed Macaque (Crab Eating Macaque)
11 March 2008
Taking our faithful Cook with us we now set off for Chhep, which was another 2-3 hours of driving over the same appalling roads. Indeed as we got near to the site the road became nothing more than a track just wide enough to accommodate our Landcruiser. We broke the agony by making regular stops to go birding along the way.
Species seen on drive to Chhep
Grey capped Pygmy Woodpecker; Yellow crowned Woodpecker; Black Headed Woodpecker; Common Flameback; Indian Roller; Crested Tree Swift; Spotted Dove; Red Collared Dove; Shikra; Rufous winged Buzzard; Black hooded Oriole; Large Cuckooshrike; Small Minivet; Black Drongo; Ashy Drongo; White browed Fantail; Pied Bushchat; Velvet fronted Nuthatch; Red rumped Swallow; Olive backed Pipit; Purple Sunbird;
Chhep Vulture Restaurant
We arrived around noon and taking lunch had a siesta in our hammocks before setting off birding in the late afternoon principally to see the Vultures. A cow had been killed in preparation for our visit and Red Headed, White rumped and Slender billed Vultures were already flying overhead. This site has the attraction of also having a very large expanse of water and marshland adjacent to the woodland which means the range of species is that much greater. The Vulture Restaurant where the dead cow is laid out is about a kilometre walk from the Camp site. On the way there we encountered an immature Grey headed Fish Eagle which obligingly sat in a tree allowing us good views. When we got to the Vulture site we had to make a somewhat perilous climb up into the Hide which is a flimsy, cramped and very unstable affair on stilts. Nevertheless we all made it up to the top with a bit of a struggle. There were thirty three Vultures feeding on the carcase. The majority were White rumped Vulture with just two Red headed Vulture and one Slender billed Vulture. It was fascinating to watch the vultures squabbling and establishing a pecking order amongst themselves. The Red Headed Vultures noticeably kept away from the scrum and seemed content to pick at the old bones of previous carcases. The Slender billed seemed to dominate the more numerous White rumped Vultures. Eventually everyone left the Hide except myself and our guide Sopheap and then just as we were about to descend a large black bird came flying towards us croaking loudly and approaching the vultures. I put my bins on it and could hardly believe my eyes. It was a Giant Ibis. It wheeled round in front of us and perched in a bare tree near to a White rumped Vulture and remained there for fifteen minutes giving us great views before departing again calling loudly. I hoped that Phil and Sue had heard and seen it but sadly on returning to the Camp site I learned they had not. They had however seen a Collared Falconet and Silver backed Needletails on the walk back. We in turn had seven Brown backed Needletails drinking from the lake as we returned.
12 March 2008
The next morning there was no sign of the Giant Ibis but there were now thirty eight Vultures on what was left of the carcase comprising ten Slender billed Vulture, six Red headed Vulture and twenty two White rumped Vulture. Latterly they were joined briefly by an Asiatic Jackal.
Bird species seen at Chhep
Chinese Francolin; Black headed Woodpecker; Great Slaty Woodpecker; Common Hoopoe; Common Kingfisher; Blue eared Kingfisher; Stork billed Kingfisher; Oriental Cuckoo; Asian Koel; Plaintive Cuckoo; Blossom Headed Parakeet; Red breasted Parakeet; Silver backed Needletail; Brown backed Needletail; Spotted Dove; Red Collared Dove; Orange breasted Green Pigeon; Common Snipe; Green Sandpiper; Greater Painted Snipe; Red Wattled Lapwing; Brahminy Kite; Grey headed Fish Eagle; White rumped Vulture; Slender billed Vulture; Red Headed Vulture; Black shouldered Kite; Collared Falconet; Chinese Pond Heron; Little Egret; Cattle Egret; Giant Ibis; Golden fronted Leafbird; Common Iora; Red billed Blue Magpie; Rufous Treepie; Large billed Crow; Swinhoe’s Minivet; White browed Fantail; Oriental Magpie Robin; Siberian Stonechat; Chestnut Tailed Starling; Asian Pied Starling; Vinous Breasted Starling; Black collared Starling; Barn Swallow; Red rumped Swallow; Streak eared Bulbul; White crested laughing Thrush; Scarlet backed Flowerpecker; Purple Sunbird; Brown throated Sunbird;
Mammals
Asiatic Jackal
We packed up Camp mid morning and headed back to Tbeng Meanchey accompanied by our armed Guard who somehow disappeared for long periods only to re-appear at some isolated crossroads to rejoin and accompany us. We noticed that he had acquired two live chickens during one of his absences which he hung by the legs from his bike all the way to TM. On reaching TM we had a break from the appalling roads at the WCS Centre and left our Guard but kept our Cook and Sopheap our guide and translator. Getting a little tired with the endless diet of rice we persuaded Sopheap and the Cook to purchase some small sweet bananas and some Baguettes. We now headed up yet another dirt road, thankfully only with relatively few potholes, to our next stop at the isolated village of Tmatboey where the WCS in co-operation with the village have constructed a purpose built eco-lodge to accommodate the increasing number of birders coming to look principally for the White shouldered Ibis and Giant Ibis. Compared to the sleeping arrangements and privations we had experienced at the WWD site and Chhep this was luxury with private rooms accommodating two people, a fan, mosquito net and a bed with mattress and pillows. There is also a bathroom attached to each room but this is not for the faint hearted as although it does have a conventional toilet, the wash basin has no drain so when you remove the plug the contents of the basin splash down onto your feet! There is a separate cooking and eating area and everything is driven by solar power so batteries for cameras, shavers etc can be re-charged. Remember to bring an adaptor! The Cambodian plugs are round two pin. We arrived at just after nightfall and after a meal (including the Baguettes!) and a beer retired for another 5am start.
13 March 2008 Tmat Boey /Thoeun Krasang Ibis Tourism Site
We joined Sopheap and the two local guides at 5am to go to a Giant Ibis roost site but not before having to push start the Landcruiser which made us late. It was later discovered that no-one had thought to top up the battery levels with water.This was rectified pronto as pushing a Landcruiser around at 5am is not the best start to a day. We arrived at the site to hear the Giant Ibis (two) making a series of extraordinary croaking, throaty vocalisations but got only the briefest of views as they flew off. We then basically followed them or others around on the equivalent of a wild ibis chase visiting a succession of Trapeangs but the ibis always seemed to see us first. In the end through sheer persistence and the knowledge of our local guides we got not only flight views of various Giant Ibis but excellent though brief views of a Giant Ibis perched in a tree fully in the open and later of another perched, partially obscured in another large tree which we had flushed from a Trapeang together with a White shouldered Ibis. We also found another White shouldered Ibis on the ground at yet another Trapeang with some Cattle Egrets. We had good scope views of this bird until it too was flushed by some locals coming to fish for frogs (a local delicacy). In all we estimated we may have seen up to ten Giant Ibis and three White shouldered Ibis on our travels around the forest. Inevitably with all the wandering about we came across many other good birds. The highlights for me were brilliant views through the scope of a Brown Fish Owl getting increasingly frustrated at the mobbing Black Drongos, a male White rumped Falcon perched near its nest site, they are incredibly small, an Imperial Eagle soaring overhead and both Lesser Adjutant and Woolly necked Stork flying around with the Giant Ibis. Sopheap told us that our local guide had fought off a Tiger here some three years ago and had the scars to prove it. Apparently the guide and his dog had encountered a Tiger with a kill which attacked the guide and according to the guide but for his dog aiding him in fighting off the Tiger he would not be here to tell the tale. The dog survived too. A few nervous glimpses over shoulders after this!
We retired in the heat of late morning back to the Camp and had a meal and a siesta before going back out in the late afternoon to see a White shouldered Ibis on its nest. On the way we found a pair of Rufous Woodpecker a strangely charismatic bird with its all over red brown plumage and shaggy crest. According to our guide they had four White shouldered Ibis nests under observation in the area. The nest we were shown was in the top of a distant tree, apparently contained three young and was very well hidden. The views of the parent Ibis on its nest were not brilliant but you could see its bill and head and anyway after seeing this species so well this morning we were not too worried. Our guide then took us across a large area of somewhat boring rice paddies to wait for Savannah Nightjars to appear. While doing this the boredom was instantly allayed as a White shouldered Ibis flew onto a bare tree and perched giving us all great views for twenty minutes before with a call like a toy trumpet it flew off towards the nest site. We eventually saw and heard four Savannah Nightjars as they briefly flew over our heads
The four Trapeangs we visited when looking for the Ibis in the morning were:
Trapeang Bey – 2 Giant Ibis;
Trapeang Achkander – 3 Giant Ibis and 1 Lesser Adjutant;
Trapeang Kanchas – 3 Giant Ibis/ 2 White shouldered Ibis/ 1 Woolly necked Stork; Trapeang Kokohthnal - 1 White shouldered Ibis
Another memorable day. A couple of beers and another rice based meal and it was bed for me. Tomorrow I had the morning birding here and at lunchtime would leave my excellent companions Phil and Sue and with another guide head for Kompong Thom.
14 March 2008
We decided that instead of looking for more Ibis we would try and find Pale Capped Pigeon and our local guide took us to a couple of areas where he had recently seen them but unfortunately they were not there. We did however get brilliant views of two Great Slaty Woodpecker coming to a tape lure and point blank views of a Spotted Wood Owl with its lovely ginger face. At lunchtime I said my farewells to all the very friendly staff and to Phil and Sue Gregory and went with my new guide/translator and driver to Kompong Thom.
Bird species seen at Tmat Boey
Barred Buttonquail; Red Junglefow l(heard only); Fulvous breasted Woodpecker; Streak Throated Woodpecker; Rufous Woodpecker; Greater Flameback; Great Slaty Woodpecker; Lineated Barbet; Oriental Pied Hornbill; Indian Roller; Common Hoopoe; Banded Bay Cuckoo; Green billed Malkoha; Greater Coucal; Lesser Coucal; Green Bee Eater; Blue tailed Bee eater; Blossom Headed Parakeet; Red breasted Parakeet; Crested Tree Swift; Brown Fish Owl; Spotted Wood Owl; Large tailed Nightjar (heard only); Savannah Nightjar; Green Imperial Pigeon; Spotted Dove; Red Collared Dove; Yellow footed Green Pigeon; Red Wattled Lapwing; Brahminy Kite; Rufous winged Buzzard; Crested Serpent Eagle; Imperial Eagle; Changeable Hawk Eagle; White rumped Falcon; Little Egret; Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Black headed Ibis; White shouldered Ibis; Giant Ibis; Lesser Adjutant; Woolly necked Stork; Common Iora; Red billed Blue Magpie; Rufous Treepie; Black headed Oriole; Burmese Shrike; Indochinese Cuckooshrike; Small Minivet; Scarlet Minivet; Black Drongo; Spangled Drongo; Greater Racket tailed Drongo; White browed Fantail; Large Cuckooshrike; Common Woodshrike; Asian Brown Flycatcher; Pied Bushchat; Black collared Starling; Chestnut vented Nuthatch; Velvet fronted Nuthatch; Red rumped Swallow; Stripe throated Bulbul; Sooty headed Bulbul; Grey Breasted Prinia; Common Tailorbird; Yellow browed Warbler; Purple Sunbird; Olive backed Sunbird
Mammals
Finlayson’s (Variable) Squirrel;
Cambodian Striped Squirrel;
Indian Muntjac
Kompong Thom/ afternoon at Chi Krai Grasslands
We eventually turned off a metalled road onto yet another roller coaster dirt track of potholes, dips and subsidence and slowly made our way to the vast wide open area of grassland and rice paddies that is the home of the famed Bengal Florican. It was now around 3pm and very hot but my guide just pointed to the huge expanse and said we walk. So we walked for two hours and did not see any sign of a Bengal Florican. In fact there was little birdlife of note apart from a totally unexpected flock of twelve Oriental Plover which flew past me. Exhausted though I was by two hours of walking in hot sun we returned to the car for more supplies of water and I then instructed the driver to go to another likely looking area. We got out and started walking again. It only took fifteen minutes before a male Bengal Florican, a magnificent combination of black body and snow white wings got up just in front of us with legs trailing and giving a curiously inappropriate squeaking call for so large a bird it headed away from us. I was elated as I was sure we were going to dip on this species as time was rapidly running out. I followed it in the bins and watched as it pitched into some long grass. I saw another flash of white wings where it landed and then four black necks stretched up in the grass. We headed over to the spot and no less than four males rose up out of the grass and flew around us. We watched one as it landed and with a stately walk it headed into more long grass. We decided to disturb it just once more and then leave it. As we approached we watched it crouch down in the grass with just its head raised watching us and then when we were close it rose and flew further off. We then left it in peace. My guide now announced that the late afternoon was the best time to see them. Thanks a lot! It would have helped enormously if he had said that two hours ago but I forgave him. He was genuinely doing his best. Due to the time we had wasted on first arriving we now had no time to look for the Manchurian Warbler but in hindsight it was the Bengal Florican that I really wanted to see so no matter. We also had a couple of Pied Harriers on the walk back to the car. Another bone shaking drive ensued back to the main road but it was a humbling experience to see how the people living beside the road survive with very little as we drove along the rutted road. We arrived at our Hotel, the imposing Arunras in Kompong Thom and I cannot emphasise the joy of an air conditioned room, a shower, a meal and a beer after the long hot day I had encountered. I did not select from the page in the Hotel Restaurant menu that offered Frog with various dishes but Fried Frog with Ginger or alternatively with Bitter Gourd may have tempted me on another day. Then again maybe not!
Bird species seen at KompongThom/Chi Krai Grasslands
Yellow legged Buttonquail; Bengal Florican; Oriental Plover; Oriental Pratincole; Pied Harrier; Common Myna; Black Drongo; Sand Martin; Barn Swallow; Siberian Stonechat; Pied Bushchat; Zitting Cisticola; Australasian Bushlark; Oriental Skylark; Richard’s Pipit; Red throated Pipit;
I retired early and slept being woken at 4.30am by loud blaring music opposite the Hotel and coming from one of the innumerable weddings that occur in Cambodia in the late dry season and seem to go on for days. Good luck to them whoever they were. We visited the nearby garage to fill up with petrol and I saw my one and only House Sparrow of the trip, a male in the company of numerous Tree Sparrows on the forecourt. Something of a contrast to the situation in the UK
15 March 2008
We now set off on another long drive to Kratie. I would have liked another morning at the Florican site as I was sure it would be more productive and the light would have been much better but apparently there was no time. We duly arrived at our Hotel in Kratie, the Oudom Sambath at lunchtime. My room was on the top floor and vast. The balcony was also huge and gave panoramic views over the mighty Mekong River. In the evening I counted no less than 23 House Geckos on the walls of the balcony. Over lunch I arranged with the guide and driver to meet at 2pm and we would go to the nearby village of Kampie to get a boat to see the Mekong Wagtails and Irrawaddy Dolphins. Kampie is about a thirty minute drive North from Kratie. The boat cost USD5.00 to hire and if we wanted to see the wagtails as well it was another USD10.00 according to the boatman. My guide was not happy with this but quite frankly I could not be bothered to argue so we agreed. The boatman to be fair was excellent and knew where the best place to find the wagtails was and unusually understood about noise and how to get the best views i.e cutting the engine and paddling and having the sun behind one, so it was money well spent from my point of view. We almost immediately encountered a female Mekong Wagtail on one of the vegetated islets in the river and it soon became apparent that they were actively breeding. In the end we saw seven birds including a male with two fledged young and a female carrying food to a nest on one of the islets. Our boatman then drifted with the current close into a sand bank and I got very good views of nine Small Pratincole. The Irrawaddy Dolphins were close by and I estimated there were about ten in small groups around us. Two were thrashing the water either in dispute or play but mainly one only saw the pale brown snout, head and blowhole with a distinct noise of exhaling. They are based on my experience, easily viewable from the shore with binoculars and there is some controversy about whether such an endangered species (apparently only 70 left at this location and declining) should be disturbed by the boats encroaching so closely on their feeding areas. As time was drawing on we left as I wished to visit the lake behind Kratie to look for Asian Golden Weaver. After a little confusion we found the lake and virtually the first birds we saw were two cracking male Asian Golden Weavers. The other highlights for me were a male Red spotted Bluethroat in full breeding plumage and a distant view of a Little Heron in a hedge. A few minutes later the hedge erupted in flames as the all too common occurence of setting a fire to clear the vegetation took place. We had to hurry to get round the flames and smoke as the fire raged down the hedgeline.
Bird species seen on Mekong and the Lake behind Kratie
Mekong River
Spot billed Duck; Chestnut headed Bee Eater; Pied Kingfisher; Common Greenshank; Little Ringed Plover; Small Pratincole; Osprey; Oriental Darter; Little Cormorant; Indian Cormorant; Great Cormorant; Mekong Wagtail;
Mammals
Irrawaddy Dolphin
Lake behind Kratie
Lesser Whistling Duck; Common Kingfisher; Greater Coucal; Blue tailed Bee Eater; Fork tailed Swift; House Swift; Pintail Snipe; Common Snipe; Black winged Stilt; Little Egret; Great Egret; Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Little Heron; Brown Shrike; Black Drongo; White throated Fantail; Red Spotted Bluethroat; Siberian Stonechat; Common Mynah; Barn Swallow; Red rumped Swallow; Yellow vented Bulbul; Bright headed Cisticola; Black browed Reed Warbler; Oriental Reed Warbler Yellow Wagtail; Paddyfield Pipit; Asian Golden Weaver;
16-24 March 2008
My tour as arranged by the SVC had now officially finished but I had arranged for the guide and driver to take me on to Stung Treng on the Sekong River where I would get the boat that would take me north to Siem Pang. We duly arrived at Stung Treng at 11am but someone had not done their research and we found that the boat had sailed at 7am. Consequently we had to get the ferry over the Sekong and then make yet another four hour drive over yet more bone shaking rutted roads to Siem Pang. We finally arrived at Siem Pang mid afternoon and I met up with my UK colleague Hugh Wright and made myself at home in the guest quarters of Birdlife International. It was now back to basics again, with no running water and electricity only between 6-9pm. Siem Pang does have a guest house called Theany’s which is the name of the lady who owns it, and who speaks excellent English. She charges USD5.00 per day for accommodation but any visiting birder would probably struggle to find a guide as they are few and far between, do not speak English and currently are mostly working for Birdlife International although this may change once Hugh returns to the UK. The guides are paid USD3.00 per day plus a monthly wage of USD30.00. The best of them (although they are all very knowledgeable) is a man called Mai (the spelling may be wrong). The only way to get to suitable habitat is to get a ride on the back of a moto bike and I do not know how this would be arranged or how one would arrange the services of a guide with a moto in advance.
Hugh as part of his Msc was surveying the surrounding Trapeangs to ascertain the population of White shouldered Ibis. Thus it was that at 6am the next morning I found myself on the back of a moto bike with a local guide heading off into the forest with Hugh on another bike, to survey a series of Trapeangs and this is what we did for the rest of my time there. We had three guides and they were excellent although they spoke no English. However Birdlife Intl. had employed an interpreter so we could communicate. We saw White shouldered Ibis every day we went out either flying, feeding or perched near to a Trapeang. We watched an immature bird for an hour feeding on the forest floor after a night of heavy rain and another that left the tree it was resting on and circling on a thermal rose ever higher until it disappeared into the clouds. We also had a number of sightings of Giant Ibis and watched one feeding at a Trapeang for twenty minutes before it wandered off into the forest. We also found a number of Common Iora’s showing an all white rump. This is not mentioned or illustrated in Robson’s Birds of Southeast Asia. To save time we camped one night in the forest which for me was a not altogether enjoyable experience. It is stiflingly hot slung in a hammock across a dry riverbed with a mosquito net zipped up over you. The nightlife however is entertaining. Bats frequently collided with the mosquito net, some wild pigs visited us during the night, frogs and cicadas kept up a constant racket and a Savannah Nightjar perched directly above us called as far as I could hear all night long. I think I may have got an hour’s sleep but I was so tired I could not remember. However in the morning our guides had prepared fish, pork and rice cooked over an open wood fire and found a honeycomb which we ate with relish. They had boiled water from a pool which although appearing slightly green and opaque was they assured me quite drinkable and it is essential that one drinks as much water as possible. I was downing an incredible 5 litres a day. The water tasted of smoke and was not unpleasant. A bit like Laphroiag whisky but sadly without the after effects. The bird and mammal life in this remote area was fantastic. Notable sightings were two Black Necked Stork, White shouldered Ibis, Giant Ibis, Lesser Adjutant, Indian Spotted Eagle, my one and only White bellied Woodpecker with a possible Spotted Bush Warbler, two Blue and White Flycatcher including a stunning male, Baya Weaver, a Small Buttonquail and Pink necked Pigeon in the bamboo stands and trees around the Camp site. For me however the crowning glory was no less than five sightings of the very elusive Eld’s Deer varying from a group of ten Stags, hinds and calves to a magnificent single Stag by a Trapeang (Veal Kriel) late in the afternoon. In total I spent seven days with Hugh but despite reports that this area was good for White rumped Falcon we had not seen one. On my last day as we went through the forest Hugh’s motorbike broke down. As he got off he looked up and there was a female sat in the tree above him. She moved a little way off and allowed all of us to watch her for twenty minutes before slipping away through the trees. Fantastic.
Birds seen at Siem Pang 17-24 March 2008
Chinese Francolin; Small Buttonquail; Grey capped Pygmy Woodpecker; Fulvous breasted Woodpecker; Laced Woodpecker; Rufous Woodpecker; Black headed Woodpecker; White bellied Woodpecker; Great Slaty Woodpecker; Lineated Barbet; Indian Roller; Common Hoopoe; Indian Cuckoo; Oriental Cuckoo; Asian Koel; Greater Coucal; Lesser Coucal; Blue throated Bee Eater; Green Bee eater; Vernal Hanging Parrot; Alexandrine Parakeet; Blossom Headed Parakeet; Red breasted Parakeet; Crested Tree Swift; Needletail sp.; Asian Palm Swift; Spotted Owlet; Barn Owl; Long tailed Nightjar; Savannah Nightjar; Green Imperial Pigeon; Spotted Dove; Red Collared Dove; Pink necked Green Pigeon; Thick billed Green Pigeon; Green Sandpiper; Red Wattled Lapwing; River Tern; White rumped Vulture; Red headed Vulture; Crested Serpent Eagle;; Rufous winged Buzzard; Indian Spotted Eagle; White rumped Falcon; Peregrine Falcon; Little Egret; Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Grey Heron; White shouldered Ibis; Giant Ibis; Lesser Adjutant; Woolly necked Stork; Black necked Stork; Golden fronted Leafbird; Common Iora; Brown Shrike; Burmese Shrike; Rufous Treepie; Racquet tailed Treepie; Large billed Crow; Black hooded Oriole; Large Cuckooshrike; Indochinese Cuckooshrike; Small Minivet; Ashy Minivet; Black Drongo; Ashy Drongo; Spangled Drongo; White browed Fantail; Black napped Monarch; Common Woodshrike; Asian Brown Flycatcher; Brown streaked Flycatcher; Red throated Flycatcher; Blue and White Flycatcher; Bluethroat; Oriental Magpie Robin; White rumped Shama; Siberian Stonechat; Pied Bushchat; Chestnut tailed Starling; Common Mynah; White vented Mynah; Black collared Starling; Vinous breasted Starling; Chestnut bellied Nuthatch; Great Tit; Barn Swallow; Red rumped Swallow; Stripe throated Bulbul; Streak eared Bulbul; Sooty headed Bulbul; Grey breasted Prinia; Plain Prinia; poss Spotted Bush Warbler; Black browed Reed Warbler; Thick billed Warbler; Dusky Warbler; Yellow browed Warbler; Indochinese Bushlark; Scarlet backed Flowerpecker; Purple Sunbird; Olive backed Sunbird; Richard’s Pipit; Paddyfield Pipit; Olive backed Pipit; Plain backed Sparrow; Eurasian Tree Sparrow; Baya Weaver; Scaly breasted Munia
25 March 2008
I was due to get the boat back to Stung Treng where I would be met by a driver to take me to Siem Reap via a night stopover in Kratie. The twelve hour boat trip would allow me to hopefully see some good birds such as River Lapwing, River Tern, Mekong Wagtail and possibly even Greater Thick Knee. I duly arrived at 7am and joined the locals plus assorted chickens and ducks to wait arrival of the boat. It never turned up (apparently this is not unusual) so after some assistance I got the last seat in the only road taxi in town which was an experience in itself; four in the front and four in the back with the driver sitting on someone’s lap while he drove and talked at high speed! The Cambodian ladies I was crushed in with on the back seat were both understanding and kind, offering me rice cakes and iced coffee. After a very dusty but entertaining taxi ride of 4 hours we eventually reached “civilisation” and I liased with my driver at Stung Treng and we made our way to Kratie, back to the Oudom Sambath Hotel. A long day of dusty uncomfortable travel came to an end with me sitting on my hotel balcony overlooking the Mekong. A huge number of Cormorants were flying down the Mekong to presumably roost. I counted 4200 in about 1.5 hours with two flocks numbering over 1000 each. I identified these as Great Cormorants although others have said they are Little Cormorants. Small Pratincoles were also flying down the river but as they came level with the Hotel rose up and cut over the back of the Hotel and town possibly to roost at the Lake behind Kratie. I counted around twenty three in small groups. The next day we drove to Siem Reap and I checked in to the FCC Angkor, a four star hotel offering two nights of luxury before the long haul back to the UK.
27-28 March 2008 Angkor Wat Siem Reap
No visit to Siem Reap would be complete without visiting the site of this fabulous Temple and others such as Angkor Thom and the strangely eerie Ta Prohm, so it was on the advice of the Hotel’s ‘Tuk Tuk’ driver that I arrived at 6am to view the sunrise over Angkor Wat. I was not alone and sitting myself on the ramparts of the West Gate I was soon joined by a vast throng of sightseers of many nationalities. While waiting for the sunrise I ticked two Blue Rock Thrush bouncing up and down on the walls of the West Gate, alarmed at the throng of people. Once the sun had risen however virtually everyone disappeared back to their respective Hotels for breakfast and I was left with the place almost to myself. The grounds are huge and whilst those tourists that were left kept to the main causeway to the Temple I headed to the woods on the South side and walked the wide rides that regularly intersperse the woods. I then transferred to the North side and repeated the process. It is also wise to check the surrounding Moat for waterbirds and Kingfishers. I found the North side the better side for birds. Highlights were six Black Baza giving close up views as they flew in a group from tree to tree, three Forest Wagtails with a group of Olive backed Pipit, a Lesser Racquet tailed Drongo in amongst the more abundant Greater Racquet tailed Drongos, no less than three Asian Barred Owlets perched openly in the larger trees, a breeding pair of Coppersmith Barbet and a small party of Ashy Minivet. I spent two mornings at Angkor Wat both birding and being a tourist marvelling at the Temple.
Bird species seen over the two mornings:
Lesser Whistling Duck; Cotton Pygmy Goose; Little Grebe; Lineated Barbet; Coppersmith Barbet; Indian Roller; Black capped Kingfisher; Stork billed Kingfisher; Green billed Malkoha; Greater Coucal; Lesser Coucal; Blossom Headed Parakeet; Red breasted Parakeet; Asian Palm Swift; Asian Barred Owlet; Rock Pigeon; Pheasant tailed Jacana; Black Baza; Shikra; Little Egret; Cattle Egret; Chinese Pond Heron; Black naped Oriole; Ashy Minivet; Black Drongo; Greater Racquet tailed Drongo; Lesser Racquet tailed Drongo; Blue Rock Thrush; Asian Brown Flycatcher; Red throated Flycatcher; Common Mynah; Hill Mynah; Barn Swallow; Common Tailorbird; Yellow browed Warbler; Two barred Warbler; Purple Sunbird; Olive backed Sunbird; Forest Wagtail; Olive backed Pipit;
Mammals
Finlayson’s (Variable) Squirrel
Long tailed Macaque (Crab Eating Macaque)
So ended a fabulous three weeks in northern Cambodia. My aim to see all my target species was achieved except for Manchurian Warbler but I am not particularly troubled by this. I saw 240 species of which 6 were heard only and can only say go and see for yourself, you will not be disappointed.