Urchin's Birding: Doi Inthanon re-visited November 2013

Friday, December 27, 2013

Doi Inthanon re-visited November 2013

Rufous-throated Partridge

This was our second visit to Doi Inthanon and as the first visit had been in April it was to check the birds in a different season this time.

As before, our guide Uthai, from Chiang Mai Birding picked us from the hotel in Chiang mai early in the morning and headed for the Mae Hia ricefields where some migrant Red Avadavats had been seen there but we only managed several very fleeting views. We did see many others including Pied Bushchats, EasternStonechat, Indochinese Bush Lark, White Wagtail and many Munias and Black-collared Starlings.

Our next stop was Ob Khan National Park which is still in the process of being established. We stayed only a couple of hours and saw Rosy Minivet, Ashy Drongo, Black-hooded Oriole and both Grey and White Wagtails.

We continued to Li town and checked into our guesthouse, had lunch and headed straight to Mae Ping to look for the woodpeckers. Unfortunately it was not our day, although we did hear many, we only managed a very poor view of a Black-headed Woodpecker. We tried again the following morning before going to Inthanon but again, it was not to be.

Ashy-throated Warbler

Arriving at Inthanon, within 1 hour or so we had excellent views of a Plumbeous Redstart, a White-capped Redstart and a Slaty-backed Forktail. So it was off to dinner feeling very satisfied with our day. For the next 2 ½ days we enjoyed the cool weather and saw many birds, the highlights being the Rufous-bellied Niltava, Small Niltava, Grey-throated Babbler, Mrs Gould's Sunbird, Rufous-throated Partridge, Eurasian Woodcock, Ashy-throated Warbler and White-headed Bulbul.

All too soon it was time to leave and head back to Chiang mai, with a quick stop at Mae Hia, and again, apart from some glimpses of the Red Avadavats it was very quiet.

After a relaxing night in our hotel it was on the plane home. We saw 84 species with 12 lifers.