The goal of this trip was to see as many species as possible as it was the first time in South-East Asia for Jan, Rudi and Jan. All experienced and passionate birders wanting to bird non stop.
All in all 297 species were recorded which I thought was slightly low. Strangely so, no cyornis (blue flycatchers) were seen and several common Sunbirds were not encountered. Instead we saw some passage migrant flycatchers: Mugimaki, Yellow-rumped and Blue and White, all lovely birds. The King’s project at Lampakbia was closed so we dipped on snipes and a couple of crakes.
We also struggled with Pittas as Eared wasn’t calling and Blue only heard a couple of times at Khao Yai. Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo was only heard. Nevertheless, a good many birds were seen including some iconic birds from the Broadbill, Pheasant, Kingfisher and Trogon families.
The following is a daily account:
Day 1: Headed strait for Bahktaley. Managed to find 1 Spoon-billed Sandpiper but in general there were few shorebirds around. Nordmann’s Greenshank and White-faced Plovers were no longer present in the area. Visited the sand spit and some fields en route.
Day 2: Visited lower levels of Kaengkrachan with a great array of birds showing. Moustached Hawk Cuckoo, Rusty-cheeked Hornbill, Orange-breasted Trogon, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Black-yellow Broadbill, Crested Jay, Banded Kingfisher, Gold-crested Mynas, Kalij Pheasant being some of the better ones.
Day 3: Higher levels of Kaengkrachan was slightly on the slow side but yielded some good birds: Long-tailed Broadbills, Red-bearded Bee-eater, White-collared Babbler, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Red-headed Trogon, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Golden Babbler, Grey Treepie, Blue-throated Barbet, Great and Wreathed Hornbill to name a few.
Day 4: It would have been nice to have spent another day or two at Kaengkrachan but time didn’t allow so in the morning we set off for Khao Lookchang. Our main target was Black-headed Woodperckers and they didn’t let us down. Also Red-breasted Parakeets, Asian Barred Owlet and Lineated Barbets showed well. Late morning was spent at fields of Petburi. All 3 species of Weavers (Streaked, Asian Golden, Baya) in full breeding plumages. A lovely Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker close to the car was a nice treat but no Aquila eagles showed.
The late afternoon saw us trying for Limestone Wren Babbler North of Salaburi but birds didn’t show (morning is so much better).
Day 5-6: Khao Yai saw us trying lots of different locations. A number of birds not seen at KK was added: Grey-eyed Bulbul, Puff-throated Bulbul, Plain and Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Silver Pheasants, Siamese Fireback, Scaly-breasted Partridges, Grey-backed Shrike, Collared Owlet, White-crested Laughingthrushes, Black Eagle, Moustached Barbet, Great Eared Nightjar and more.
Day 7: One last morning at Khao Yai and then off to the fish ponds at Muang Boran. The latter was teeming with birds and we saw several new ones for the trip: Striated Grassbird, White-browed Crake, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Chestnut Munia, Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Long-tailed Shrike, Yellow-bellied Prinia and Yellow, Cinnamon and Black Bitterns plus more.
Birds recorded
1. Little Grebe – abundant at MB
2. Spot-billed Pelican – all together 5 were seen at the Bahktaley and Lampakbia area. These were my first sightings of the birds for this year.
3. Indian Cormorants – BT and MB
4. Little Cormorants – common
5. Grey Heron – pretty common in suitable habitat
6. Purple Heron – Lampakbia, on route and at MB
7. Great Egret – common
8. Intermediate Egret – single birds seen only twice
9. Little Egret – common
10. Chinese Egret – 3 at Lampakbia
11. Pacific Reef Heron – a few at the sand spit
12. Javan Pond Heron – common and easy to ID in full breeding plumage
13. Chinese Pond Heron – as above
14. Striated Heron – a few in mangroves
15. Black-crowned Night Heron – 1 on route
16. Yellow Bittern – 2 at MB
17. Cinnamon Bittern – 1 at MB
18. Black Bittern – 1 at MB
19. Painted Stork – a few at BT
20. Openbill – common
21. Lesser Whistling Duck – MB
22. Cotton Pygmy Goose – 1 at MB
23. Osprey – 1 at KY, 1 at MB
24. Black Baza – seen several times at KK, KLC and KY
25. Oriental Honey-buzzard – commonest raptor in forested areas
26. Black-shouldered Kite – seen twice
27. Black-eared Kite – a few over open fields
28. Brahimy Kite – a few in mangroves
29. Crested Serpent Eagle – showed well at KK and KY
30. Eastern Marsh Harrier – on route
31. Crested Goshawk – 1 displaying at KK
32. Chinese Goshawk – a few fly bys on migration
33. Besra – 1 perched at KK
34. Black Eagle – 1 in display flight at KY
35. Rufous-bellied Eagle – 1 at KK
36. Eurasian Kestrel – 2 on route
37. Scaly-breasted Partridges – seen once at KY
38. Red Junglefowl – common at KK and KY
39. Silver Pheasants – 2 males at different spots at the Radar Road at Khao Yai. Birds were seen right before dusk feeding along the road.
40. Siamese Fireback – 1 female along the road
41. Kalij Pheasant – seen well twice along the road at KK
42. Grey Peacock Pheasnt – sadly only heard
43. Barred Buttonquail – 1 flushed at KY
44. Chinese Francolin – heard only
45. White-breasted Waterhen – common
46. White-browed Crake – common at MB
47. Watercock – a handsome male in breeding plumage showed in paddies at Petburi
48. Common Moorhen – MB
49. Pheasant-tailed Jacana – common at MB
50. Bronze-winged Jacana – common at MB
51. Black-winged Stilt – common
52. Pied Avocets – 17 at LPB
53. Oriental Pratincole – seen on 4 days
54. Red-wattled Lapwing – seen daily
55. Pacific Golden Plover – BT
56. Grey Plover – BT
57. Little Ringed Plover – MB
58. Kentish Plover – BT
59. Malaysian Plover – many at the sand spit LPB
60. Lesser Sandplover – common
61. Greater Sandplover – common
62. Black-tailed Godwit – BT
63. Bar-tailed Godwit – BT
64. Whimbrel – mudflats LPB
65. Eurasian Curlew – BT
66. Common Sandpiper – BT
67. Spotted Redshank – BT
68. Common Greenshank – BT
69. Marsh Sandpiper – BT
70. Wood Sandpiper – BT and paddies
71. Great Knot – a few at BT
72. Sanderling – LPB
73. Red-necked Stint – BT
74. Temminck’s Stint – BT
75. Long-toed Stint – BT
76. Curlew Sandpiper – BT
77. Dunlin – BT
78. Spoon-billed Sandpiper – 1 only at BT
79. Broad-billed Sandpiper – LPB
80. Ruff – BT
81. Red-necked Phalarophe – 7 birds at BT
82. Brown-headed Gull – BT and LPB
83. Little Tern – common
84. Whiskered Tern – common
85. Gull-billed Tern – a few
86. Caspian Tern – a few
87. Common Tern – common
88. Lesser Crested Tern – 1 at sandspit
89. Red-collared Dove – common
90. Spotted Dove – common
91. Zebra Dove – common
92. Emerald Dove – KK, KY
93. Feral Pigeon – common
94. Barred Cuckoo Dove – poor views in flight
95. Thick-billed Pigeon – seen on 4 days
96. Mountain Imperial Pigeon – KY
97. Red-breasted Parakeet – KLC
98. Vernal Hanging Parrot – KK and KY
99. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo – seen twice in flight crossing the road at KK, on migration
100. Moustached Hawk Cuckoo – 1 KK
101. Large Hawk Cuckoo – one seen well at KY
102. Banded Bay Cuckoo – heard only
103. Plaintive Cuckoo – common in suitable habitat
104. Violet cuckoo – one seen well at Khao Yai, a real treat
105. Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo – heard once only
106. Asian Drongo Cuckoo – KK and KY
107. Asian Koel – common
108. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha – 1 seen well at KK
109. Green-billed Malkoha – common
110. Raffles Malkoha – pair seen well at KK
111. Greater Coucal – common
112. Lesser Coucal – once only
113. Mountain Scops Owl – heard at KY
114. Collared Scops Owl – seen at All Season resort KK
115. Collared Owlet – 1 seen at KY
116. Asian Barred Owlet – 1KLC, 1 KY
117. Brown Hawk Owl – 1 at KY
118. Great Eared Nightjar – a few at dusk KY
119. Large-tailed Nightjar – common KK
120. Indian Nightjar – 2 flushed at dry fields of Petburi, 1 en route to KY
121. Indochinese Swiftlet – KY
122. Germain’s Swiftlet – common at Petburi
123. Brown-backed Needletail – KK and KY
124. Asian Palm Swift – common
125. Fork-tailed Swift – rather common this time of year
126. House Swift – KY and MB
127. Red-headed Trogon – 2 KK, 1 KY
128. Orange-breasted Trogon – 2 KK
129. Common Kingfisher – seen twice
130. Banded Kingfisher – 4 at KK, heard at KY
131. White-throated Kingfisher – en route
132. Black-capped Kingfisher – a few
133. Collared Kingfisher – a few in mangroves
134. Pied Kingfisher – LPB and KLC
135. Red-bearded Bee-eater – a pair nesting at KK and singly male by the road
136. Blue-bearded Bee-eater – 1 KK, heard KY
137. Green Bee-eater – common
138. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater – a few at KY
139. Blue-tailed Bee-eater – a few
140. Indian Roller – common
141. Dollarbird – a pair in the mangroves of LPB was an unusual sighting, several at KK
and KY
142. Eurasian Hoopoe – 2 at KLC
143. Oriental Pied Hornbill – common at KK and KY
144. Great Hornbill – KK and KY
145. Wreathed Hornbill – 1 pair at KK
146. Rusty-cheeked Hornbill – a few in fruiting tree at Bankrahng, KK
147. Great Barbet – 1 KK
148. Lineated Barbet – common at KLC
149. Green-eared Barbet – KK, KY
150. Red-throated Barbet – heard at KK
151. Blue-throated Barbet – a few KK
152. Blue-eared Barbet – a few at KK
153. Moustached Barbet – 2 at KY
154. Coppersmith Barbet – KK
155. Eurasian Wryneck – 1 along road at Petburi
156. Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker – 1 along road at Petburi
157. Greater Yellownape – KK, KY
158. Laced Woodpecker - twice at KY
159. Black-headed Woodpecker – 3 at KLC
160. Grey-faced Woodpecker – heard at KK
161. Common Flameback – pair at KY
162. Greater Flameback – KY
163. Bay Woodpecker – heard only, KK
164. Black-buff Woodpecker – 1 seen, KK
165. Great Slaty Woodpecker – 1 in flight, KK
166. Long-tailed Broadbill – several at KK, KY
167. Silver-breasted Broadbill – several at KK
168. Banded Broadbill – 2 at KY
169. Black-yellow Broadbill – 1 at KK
170. Blue Pitta – heard KY
171. Indochinese Bushlark – fields of Petburi
172. Barn Swallow – common
173. Asian Sand Martin – a few
174. House Martin – MB, KY
175. Red-rumped Swallow – a few at KY
176. Yellow Wagtail – Petburi, MB
177. Grey Wagtail – KK
178. Forest Wagtail – common KK
179. Paddyfield Pipit – a few at KY
180. Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike – a few KK, KY
181. Ashy Minivet – 2 KY
182. Scarlet Minivet – twice KY
183. Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike – twice KY
184. Black-headed Bulbul – a few
185. Black-crested Bulbul – common
186. Red-whiskered Bulbul – KY
187. Sooty-headed Bulbul – common
188. Stripe-throated Bulbul – a few
189. Flavescent Bulbul – a few KK
190. Yellow-vented Bulbul – fields of Petburi
191. Streak-eared Bulbul – common
192. Puff-throated Bulbul - KY
193. Ochraceous Bulbul – KK
194. Grey-eyed Bulbul – KY
195. Buff-vented Bulbul – KK
196. Ashy Bulbul – a few at KK
197. Blue-winged Leafbird – KK, KY
198. Golden-fronted Leafbird – KK, KY
199. Common Iora – KY
200. Great Iora – KK
201. White-throated Rock Thrush – 1 KY
202. Blue Rock Thrush – KK, KY
203. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher – several at KK and KY (some fidecula flycatchers were on passage migration which helped to make up for the absence of any cyornis flycatchers) these birds had varying degree of orange on the throat/breast which sometimes was a bit confusing
204. Mugimaki Flycatcher – 3 birds at KY
205. Blue-white Flycatcher – 2 birds at KY
206. Hill Blue Flycatcher – heard only
207. Chinese Blue Flycatcher – heard only
208. Taiga Flycatcher – common
209. Dark-sided Flycatcher – 2 at KK
210. Asian Brown Flycatcher – common
211. Siberian Blue Robin – twice at KY
212. Oriental Magpie Robin – common
213. White-rumped Shama – common
214. Slaty-backed Forktail – heard at KY
215. Siberian Stonechat – a few at KY and in fields on route
216. Pied Fantail – common
217. Black-naped Monarch – a few
218. White-crested Laughingthrush – flocks at KY
219. Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush – seen on two days at KK and KLC
220. Black-throated Laughingthrush – heard KK, seen KY
221. Blue-whistling Thrush – 1 KK, heard KY
222. Blue Rock Thrush – KK, KY
223. Eyebrowed Thrush – flock at KY
224. Zitting Cisticola – common along coast heath
225. Golden-headed Cisticola – in breeding plumage at KY
226. Grey-breasted Prinia – fields by KK
227. Plain Prinia – common
228. Yellow-bellied Prinia – a few at MB
229. Black-browed Reed Warbler – 1 at LPB
230. Oriental Reed Warbler – common in suitable habitat
231. Common Tailorbird – a few
232. Dark-necked Tailorbird – a few
233. Dusky Warbler – heard at MB
234. Radde’s Warbler – KK, KY
235. Yellow-browed Warbler – common
236. Two-barred Greenish Warbler – a few
237. Pale-legged Warbler – commonly heard, seen once at KY
238. Claudia’s Warbler – a few at KY
239. Plain-tailed Warbler – heard only
240. Yellow-bellied Warbler – 1 at KK
241. Striated Grassbird – 3 at MB
242. Abbott’s Babbler – KK, KY
243. Puff-throated Babbler – KK, KY
244. Golden Babbler – a few at KK
245. Large Scimitar Babbler – heard at KK
246. White-browed Scimitar Babbler – KK, KY
247. Rufous-fronted Babbler – KK
248. Grey-throated Babbler – 1 seen well at KK
249. Striped Tit Babbler – common
250. White-browed Shrike Babbler – heard only
251. White-hooded Babbler – several seen well at KK
252. Brown-cheeked Fulvetta – heard only
253. White-bellied Erpornis – KK, KY
254. Golden-bellied Gerygone – mangroves at LPB
255. Sultan Tit – KK
256. Olive-backed Sunbird – common
257. Crimson Sunbird – 2 at KK
258. Streaked Spiderhunter – a few KK
259. Little Spiderhunter – 1 KK
260. Thick-billed Flowerpecker – 1 KY
261. Plain Flowerpecker – 1 KY
262. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker – common
263. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker – KK
264. Buff-breasted Flowerpecker – KY
265. Black-naped Oriole – a few
266. Asian Fairy Bluebird – common KK, KY
267. Brown Shrike – fairly common
268. Long-tailed Shrike – MB
269. Grey-backed Shrike – 2 KY
270. Black Drongo – common
271. Ashy Drongon – common
272. Crow-billed Drongo -1 at KK
273. Bronzed Drongo – a few KK
274. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo – a few KK
275. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo – KK
276. Ashy Woodswallow – common
277. Crested Jay – 2 KK
278. Green Magpie – KK, KY
279. Racket-tailed Treepie – Petburi
280. Ratchet-tailed Treepie – 1 KK
281. Grey Treepie - KK
282. Large-billed Crow – common
283. Golden-crested Myna – KK, KY
284. Hill Myna – KK, KY
285. Common Myna – common
286. White-vented Myna – common
287. Black-collared Starling – Nakorn Nayok
288. Asian Pied Starling - common
289. House Sparrow – a few
290. Eurasian Treesparrow – common
291. Plain-backed Sparrow – Petburi and KY
292. Streaked Weaver – fields of Petburi
293. Asian Golden Weaver – fields of Petburi and MB
294. Baya Weaver – fields of Petburi
295. White-rumped Munia – KK, KY
296. Scaly-breasted Munia – here and there
297. Chestnut Munia - MB