I was in Thailand from January 23rd to February 5th to do some birding and photography.
Brief itinerary:
Bangkok: January 23rd-25th
Day trip by car to Ayuatthaya with Thai friends: January 24
Pak Chong to Greenleaf Guesthouse and Bat Tour: Janaury 25
Khai Yai National Park Birding Tour tour with Birdman Nine (guide): January 26
Greenleaf Tours One Day Tour to Khao Yai National Park: Janaury 27
Nam Nao National Park with Thai friends: January 29-30
Bung Bora Phet boat tour and Ping River in Nakhon Sawan: January 31
Rented a motorcycle at Ayutthaya to go birding in farmland north: February 2
Petchaburi Coast; Pak Thale Shorebird Site, Petchaburi Sewage farm and salt farms: February 4
Sarmarn Bird camp; Baan Song Nok Hide and Bolong Sin Hide: February 5
In Bangkok I was mostly birding from the upstairs room of my Thai friend's house.
Ayutthaya is surrounded by large areas of rice farms. Farms produce 2 crops of rice a year and there are farms at various stages of rice production at all time. By driving around in the farmland you can find freshly tilled and flooded rice field with waterbirds and shorebirds. Asian Openbill (Storks) are common and easily seen, usually looking for snails to eat in wetlands vegetation.
I took the train to Pak Chong and was picked up by Greenleaf Guesthouse staff. In the afternoon they take a tour to see a large freshwater spring, some fruiting fig trees and millions of Wrinkled-lipped Bats emerging from a cave at dusk. Raptors prey on the bats, including Shikra, falcons, buzzards and Barn Owls.
Khao Yai National Park is covered in a range of habitats including rainforest, woodland and grassland. It's a great place to see Great Hornbills and other hornbills, many rainforest birds and other wildlife, including gibbons and wild elephants. Bird tours can be arranged on request. Regular tours and guesthouse accomodation are very affordable and the guides are very skilled at finding wildlife. I saw trogons, bulbuls, forktail, laughingthrushes and many other birds. Camping and bungalow accomodation is available in the park. Basic foods are available near the visitor centre.
Birdman Nine works from Greenleaf Guesthouse, contact (info@greenleaftour.com). Mr Nine knows the birds in Khao Yai National Park very well and may guide to other parts of Thailand.
Nam Nao National Park is higher altitude forest and has many woodpeckers, along with Silver Pheasants, Bar-backed Partridges, barbets and bubuls. There are camping facitilies as well as bungalows. Bungalows should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment. There are Thai restaurants near the visitor centre.
Bung Bora Phet bird reserve is a large natural wetland, listed as an IBA. The large shallow wetland hosts large numbers of watbirds especially Egrets, Cotton Pygmy Geese and Garganey in winter. A scorpion-tailed boat can be hired for 400 Baht an hour to take a group out onto the wetland. There is also a nature trail well worth your time. Bung Bora Phet is near Nakhon Sawan. An afternoon stroll along the Ping river turned up 3 different kingfishers and several other birds.
It's possible to watch birds on the local trains that travel north and south between Chiangmai and Bangkok. The trains are very cheap and can be slow. Expect to see drongos, egrets, herons and kingfishers.
Southwest of Bangkok is Petchaburi Province. Along the coast east of Petchaburi there are many salt evaporation ponds. Pak Thale Shorebird Site is part of these salt evaporation ponds. We saw many shorebirds here including sandpipers, plovers, godwits and curlews. Notable species were Spoonbilled Sandpipers, Nordmann's Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks and Malaysian Plover. To the south of Pak Thale is the Petchaburi Sewage Farm where we drove and walked around to see more shorebirds and other birds, particularly some Ruffs.
We stayed at Sarmarn Bird Camp overnight and spent the last day in the hides. The hides were originally built to hunt game for food, but these days the owners rent the hides to wildlife enthusiasts and nature photographers. The hide owners provide food and water for the wildlife. The wildlife are now safe from hunting, the owners have a source of income and visitors get to enjoy the wildlife with minimal impact. We saw Scaly-breasted and Bar-backed Partridges, Kalij Pheasants, Red Junglefowl, laughingthrushes, bulbuls, flycatchers, babblers and some mammals from the hides.
I went to Petchaburi with Amorn Liukeeratiyuktul, a professional guide (amorn_liu@yahoo.com). He can guide throughout Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia. He arranged car hire, accomodation and use of hides. I was very satisfied with his services.
Total of 212 birds
Bar-backed Partridge Arborophila brunneopectus
Scaly-breasted Partridge Arborophila chloropus
Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus
Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera nyctemera
Kalij Pheasant Lophura nycthemera lineata
Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica
Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus
Garganey Anas querquedula
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicicus canente
Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus
Common Flameback Dinopium javanense
Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus
Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus
Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata
Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica
Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima henricii
Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris
Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis
Wreathed Hornbill Aceros undulatus
Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios
Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smynensis
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
Green Beee-eater Merops orientalis
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti
Hodgon's Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis
Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
Green-billed Malkoha Phaeicophaeus tritis
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
Vernal Hanging Parrot Loriculus galgulus
Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri
Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris
Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Great Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus macrotis
Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica
Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphtrio
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophansianus chirurgus
Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Common Redshank Tringa Totanus
Marsh Sandppiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Nordmann's Grenshank Tringa guttifer
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Sanderling Calidris alba
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pymmeus
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
Long-toed stint Calidris subminuta
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Broad-billed sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Oriental Praticole Glareola maldivarum
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii
Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulvba
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
Little Tern Sterna albifrons
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Shikra Accipiter badius
Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Darter Anhinger melanogaster
Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
Little Egret Egretta garzetta garzetta
Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta (Casmerodius alba modestus)
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
Cattle Egret Bulbulcus ibis
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus
Javan Pond Heron Ardeola speciosa
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinesis
Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis
Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis
Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons
Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus confusus
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
Ashy Drongo Dicruruss leucophaeus
Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus
Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Large-billed Crow Corvus marcrorhynchos
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis
Racket-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus
Indochinese Cuckooshrike Coracina polioptera
Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos
Swinhoe's Minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis
Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis gularis
White-throated Rock Thrush Monticola gularis
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius pandoo
Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus
Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa daurica
Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula parva
Hainan Blue Flycatcher Cyornis hainanus
Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas
Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae
Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane
Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata
Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus
Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra
Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnus malabaricus
White-shouldered Starling Sturnus sinensis
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
White-vented Myna Acridotheres grandis
Golden-crested Myna Ampeliceps coronatus
Hill Myna Gracula religiosa
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta castanea
Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps
Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotis melanicterus
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster klossi
Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni
Flavescent Bulbul Pycnonotus flavescens
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus
Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens
Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps
Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis
Rusty-rumped Warbler Locustella certhiola
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti
Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus
Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger
Greater Necklaced laughingthrush Garrulax pectoralis
Black-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax chinensis
Abbott's Babbler Malacocinla abbotti
Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps
Large Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus hypoleucos
White-browed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps
Striped Tit Babbler Macronous gularis
Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poioicephala
White-bellied Yuhina Yuhina zantholeuca
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis flamaxillaris
Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
Indochinese Bushlark Mirafra marionae
White-Wagtail Motacilla alba leucopsis
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus
Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata