June in Panti Bird Sanctuary, Johor

We made a number of visits to the Panti Bird Sanctuary in June and there were still some birds nesting and we saw many active young birds.

Rufous-backed Kingfisher

Banded Kingfisher

The weather has been dry recently and there was some dust kicked up from passing vehicles, but not as much as in some previous years, given that the  logging is no longer underway.

Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike

Scarlet Minivet

We were lucky to see a number of birds that are not commonly seen outside the forests and saw many young, Black-naped Monarchs chasing each other in the trees.

Black-naped Monarch 

Asian Fairy-bluebird

We also came across a group of 5 Dusky Broadbills all helping to build a really huge nest. This communal nest building is evidently common.

Dusky Broadbill 

Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker 

Early one morning we saw a pair of Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeons which was a lifer for us and an unexpected bonus.

Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon

Common Tailorbird 

  

Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler

Considering the pace of development in the area, it was good to see that most of the species are still managing to survive and many are flourishing.

Fraser's Hill Bird Race 2014

The Fraser's Hill Bird Race is held annually in June. We decided to give it a try this year, and we had a really fun weekend. There was a good crowd, probably the most people we had ever seen, in Fraser's. Each team consists of three persons and this year there were 25 entries, half the number of last year. Evidently this is a World Cup phenomenon that has been noticed previously.

Common Green Magpie (Cissa chinensis)

At 1 pm on Saturday 21st June the race kicked off, and finished 24 hours later, when the log-books need to be submitted before 1 pm on Sunday. During the race, each log-book also had to be stamped by marshals at 4 checkpoints, to ensure you were in the locations where the species are seen at the time you recorded them.

Our team consisted of myself, my wife and her brother Tat. Our "race" was definitely laid-back and it really helped that we had a car to drive to the further locations.We were happy with 41 birds logged (and a White-thighed Leaf Monkey). Some "little brown jobs" were unidentifiable and missed getting into the count.

Large Niltava (Niltava grandis)-Juv

After lunch on Sunday we attended the closing ceremony and could not  believe it when our team  "Funseekers" was announced as, the 2nd Runner-up in the Novice category. A bonus to our fun trip. This is an incentive to return for next year's Bird Race.

There were a number of exhibitors on hand, including Minox, Steiner and Swarovski, where you could get your hands on the latest Binos, Scopes ans other gadgets as well as  information on other birding and nature locations in Malaysia. 

Rufous-browed Flycatcher (Anthipes solitaris)

                                              FH Bird Race 2014

Golden Babbler (Stachyridopsis chrysaea)

Birding Chiang Dao and Doi Lang with Friends - March 2014

Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera)

An invitation from, our friend Lioe, to join their trip saw us back again in Doi Lang/Doi Angkhang. We had been here last September, but the chance of new birds was enough for us. We flew Tiger Airways on the 15th directly to Chiangmai from Singapore and stayed the night in the Old City.

Sunday morning at 5 am Uthai collected us from our guesthouse and we were soon on our way to the Chiangdao temple.   

Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera)

At the top of the temple forest we were very lucky to see the beautiful Silver Pheasant strutting its stuff. There were other birds, of course, but this was definitely the standout of the morning.

After an excellent American breakfast at the nearby Nest resort, we were heading for Angkhang and the Ban Luang Resort, where we had stayed 2 years ago. 

Siberian Blue Robin (Luscinia cyane)-F

Ban Luang is a great place to see birds and a favourite with local birders.

The garden has plenty fruit trees and there is a waterfall and stream only metres away.

White-browed Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus schisticeps)

Some of the winter migrants had already left on their way home but there was still much to see. There were White-browed Scimitar Babblers nesting not far from our room.

Taiga Flycatcher (Ficedula albicilla)

We visited the King's Project and had good views of the Hill Blue Flycatcher, White-tailed Robin, Rufous-bellied Niltava, White-capped Redstart, Taiga Flycatcher and a pair of Silver-eared Mesia.

White-tailed Robin (Myiomela leucura)

White-tailed Robin (Myiomela leucura)

Hill Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis banyumas)

Rufous-bellied Niltava (Niltava sundara)

White-capped Redstart (Chaimarrornis leucocephalus)

Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris)

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush (Monticola rufiventris) -F

Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)

We drove to the  Thai-Burma Border at Nor-Lae lookout; enjoyed the view and saw the Daurian Redstart very clearly. Later we visited Doi Pha Hom Pok Nat'l Park and got the Eurasian Kestrel, Asian Barred Owlet and Olive-backed Pipit among or sightings.

We then drove to Fang and checked in at the Vieng Kaew Resort for a good nights rest before hitting Doi Lang next morning.

Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus)

Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides)

Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni)

At 6 am we were on our way and spotted a Yellow-throated Marten crossing the road, followed soon after by a pair of Mountain Bamboo Partridges, one of our target birds. unfortunately no Mrs Hume's Pheasant!

Mountain Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola fytchii)

Rufous-bellied Niltava (Niltava sundara)-F

Along the way, with the help of Uthai, we lured the Ultramarine Flycatcher out for some very good views.

Ultramarine Flycatcher (Ficedula superciliaris)

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus erythrogenys)

Later we saw the White-browed Laughingthrush, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler and feeding above in some red flowers were the Grey-headed Parrotbill, Spot-breasted Parrotbill and one Eyebrowed Thrush. On a low branch near to our hide was a nesting Hodgson's Frogmouth, which we tried not to disturb.

Siberian Rubythroat

Hodgson's Frogmouth

The following morning we tried again for Mrs Hume's with no luck, but we did see the the Siberian Rubythroat before she headed North.
In the afternoon we headed back to Chiangmai and stayed, again, in the Old City for our last night.
We enjoyed the trip, even though we missed some of the migrants, and still managed 7 lifers.
Link to Chiang Dao Photos Doi Angkhang Photos Doi Lang Photos

Baan Songnok, Kaeng Krachan December 2013

Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)-F

This was our third visit to Kaeng Krachan and this time we stayed at Baan Songnok (GPS 12.84689 deg N 19.57989 deg E), Auntie Aek runs this homestay with her daughter, "X". As it was a short stay we thought we would just take advantage of the waterhole and hides in their gardens.

Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)

Scaly-breasted Partridge (Arborophila chloropus)

The first morning at the blind we were in luck and saw the Kilaj Pheasant, male and female, the Scaly-breasted Partridge, Taiga Flycatcher and Black-naped Monarch and big flocks of Red Junglefowls. After lunch the smaller birds came, the Siberian Blue Robin, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Babblers with the highlight of the Slaty-legged Crake being the last visitor of the day for their evening bath.

Black-naped Monarch  (Hypothymis azurea)

Slaty-legged Crake (Rallina eurizonoides)

It was good easy birding at Baan Songnok and in addition to having good views of some hard to see babblers we could take  coffee breaks when it was quiet.  We enjoyed their hospitality and the good Thai food that X cooked, she also gave us a complimentary ride to Lung Sin's waterhole and blind for a morning stakeout where we found the visiting birds were similar species found at Baan Songnok.  In between our visits to the hides, we took walks in the gardens and the surrounding area.  Our short stay produced 38 species with 4 lifers.  Auntie Aek recommended that the mountain in April will have more interesting birds as they will be breeding so another trip at that time?

Hill Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis banyumas)-F

Hill Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis banyumas)

More Photos from Baan Songnok

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.

Grey-throated Babbler

Rufous-bellied Niltava

Eurasian Woodcock

Small Niltava

Plumbeous Redstart

More Inthanon Photos