I took my father for a drive to a very scenic waterfall about half an hours drive from the town of Pangnga. We arrived as the birds went to rest and what was left was the breathtaking green covered mountains and lower hills covered in palm and rubber plantations. The road winds its way near a stream and we kept passing many an elephant and mahouts. The area has elephant trekking and river rafting.

Birding can often be predictable and in response to natural expectations. However, there is often room for the unexpected, the unplanned for, what I call the 'God factor'. I believe this is one of the drawing magnets to the thrill of birding as we all need that 'rush' of excitement the unexpected provides.

Out of no where a pair of White-crowned Hornbills flew across the road. We saw them briefly and I excitedly explained for my father what we had seen. I drove on slowly and then saw one of the birds crossing the road again. I got out, pulled out my camera and in a moment the second bird came. Just enough for me to get one flight shot and a couple of shots while it perched before taking off again.

My first shots of this species that belong to Peninsular Thailand but on a rare occasion can be seen at Kaengkrachan National Park as well.