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Carl-Johan Svensson | profile | all galleries >> Birds >> ::Trips:: >> Kaeng Krachan, 23rd to 27th March, 2009 >> Day 2 - Little miracle of colors tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Day 2 - Little miracle of colors

Starting again at 6am we went up to Panoeng Thung. At the parking a Great Barbet was eating figs from a tree nearby and we could observe him quite close. One of the most beautiful barbets in my opinion. Also a Blue-throated Barbets displayed nicely in the same tree. We continued to the viewpoint, a wonderful place in the morning with cold fresh air and a spectacular view with the "sea of fog". An Oriental Honey Buzzard came flying close right above us, but in an awkward angle for taking photos. Not much here, just the Flavescent Bulbuls keeping us company. Walking around at the viewpoint we found a nest of a Great Barbet, but too far away for any pictures though.

Next we moved to the fruiting fig tree behind the campsite and a female Blue Rock Thrush was out on the campsite itself looking for food and then went up in a tree. First time I see the female of this species.

At the fig tree we saw some Short-billed Minivets. Always nice birds to have around you. Soon I caught a glimpse of a Siberian Thrush, an adult male, but he moved away before I could get any pictures. Other bird watchers also reported Eye-browed Thrush in the same tree. Thick-billed and Yellow-vented Pigeons, Great and Blue-throated Barbets and Orange-headed Thrush regulary visited as well. I also caught a glimpse of a barbet with a red and yellow head which looked like a Red-throated Barbet but I'm not 100% sure. I went down under the building and there were some White-browed Scimitar Babblers, one of them groooming himself. He wasn't shy and I put up the camera and got one of the most funny videos where this bird is grooming his feathers at amazing speed (link to video coming soon). A Radde's Warbler displayed nicely and was regulary seen later as well.

When the activity in the fig tree slowed down we went to the end of the road to look for the Olive-backed Woodpecker which had been seen and photographed here. Only a Forest Wagtail and some bulbuls to be seen but after 1 1/2 hour I saw a woodpecker flying by which looked like a dark Flameback but I cannot say if it was the Olive-backed or a Flameback. To see this woodpecker you might have to invest a lot of time. Perhaps morning will be a better time.

Back at the fig tree at the campsite and now we had some more activity with many some pigeons coming in for a meal. Many White-rumped Munias here eating bamboo seeds. When scanning the bamboos for birds a colorful bird stands out, could it be the Pintailed Parrotfinch? Yes it was, a bird I've wanted to see for some time now. I was stunned by its colors, bright blue, red and green. It was a pair feeding of the bamboo but they didn't stay for long and I didn't got any good pictures. This should however be the best place to photograph them because you can go quite close to the bamboo. Anyway I was very happy with this sigthing but my wife was heart-broken not to have seen them. This is her most wanted. A little later a Rufous-fronted Babbler came through looking for insects. This is a very active bird but I managed to get some pictures and a video. The good thing about video is that you can shoot it even in low light and capture the behaviour of the birds.

Now the daily rain was coming and we drove back the mountain to the Bang Krang campsite. On the way a male Kalij Pheasant run over the road. This was the small one, not the big one seen a Baan Song Nok. Several Orange-headed Thrushes, Forest Wagtails and Emerald Doves seen on the road as well.
Great Barbet
Great Barbet
Great Barbet
Great Barbet
Radde's Warbler (?)
Radde's Warbler (?)
White-browed Scimitar Babbler
White-browed Scimitar Babbler
Pintailed Parrotfinch (male)
Pintailed Parrotfinch (male)
Blue-throated Barbet
Blue-throated Barbet
Blue Rock Thrush (female)
Blue Rock Thrush (female)
Blue Rock Thrush (female)
Blue Rock Thrush (female)
Blue-throated Barbet
Blue-throated Barbet
Mountain Imperial Pigeon
Mountain Imperial Pigeon
Flavescent Bulbul
Flavescent Bulbul
Flavescent Bulbul
Flavescent Bulbul
Rufous-fronted Babbler
Rufous-fronted Babbler