This trip was booked with Birding2asia through Stijn de Win. Our guide ended up being Peter Ericsson (pkknjj@yahoo.com). For a few months, we were led to believe that Stijn would be our guide. Lodging (aside from the first and last night), transfers and food was organized by Peter and included in the price. There was an original deposit of about $780, with the rest (about $1680) to be paid in Thai Baht at arrival. The round trip flight from Portland to Bangkok was about $900.
Itinerary:
11/19: Leave PDX at 9:30am. Stop-over in Seattle and Tokyo (Narita)
11/20: Arrive in Bangkok at midnight 1.5 days later. Transfer to the Plai Garden hotel near the airport (1150 Baht or about $30 including the Shuttle)
11/21: Pick-up at 5am for a day of shorebirds at Pak Thale and Lam Pak Bia with the main target being Spoon-billed Sandpiper. In the early afternoon we took a short boat trip out to look for White-faced Plover. Transfer to All Seasons Resort in Kaeng Krachan (inexpensive and good)
11/22: Spend the day at Bahn Songnok which features a lush garden with a banana feeder and two bird blinds. Overnight at All Seasons Resort in Kaeng Krachan.
11/23: Bird the lowlands of Kaeng Krachan NP including the campground. Overnight at All Seasons Resort in Kaeng Krachan.
11/24: Bird the upper locations of Kaeng Krachan NP from KM 27-36. Overnight at All Seasons Resort in Kaeng Krachan.
11/25: Transfer from Kaeng Krachan to Khao Yai, stopping over at Khao Look (45min from Kaeng Krachan, temple grounds with 2nd or 3rd growth forest and open areas), a raptor spot called Thung Bang Chak, a reservoir good for River Lapwing called Huay Mai Treng and finally a spot for Limestone Wren-Babbler (another temple, called Wat Peabotabaht) near Saraburi. Overnight
at a hotel outside Khao Yai NP just 2mi from the park entrance (not worth getting details about)
11/26: Bird Khao Yai NP. Overnight in Khao Yai
11/27: Bird Khao Yai NP for half a day, then transfer to Bangkok via Military Academy Nakorn Nayok for Black-throated Starling. Overnight in SE Bangkok.
11/28: Spend a few hours at Bang Pra in the morning for Chestnut-capped Babbler, then Bang Boa (a gull site) and end at the Muang Boran fish ponds near the Ancient City. Overnight at the Plai Garden near the airport
11/29: Leave Bangkok at 5:40am again stopping over in Tokyo (Narita). The final leg was a direct flight from Narita to Portland
Details:
11/21:
After a 2-hour drive to Pak Thale, we started the day looking for shorebirds. We instantly had a slew of good birds at the first spot such as Red-necked, Temminck’s and Long-toed Stint, Common Greenshank, Marsh, Common, Broad-billed and Wood Sandpiper, both Sandplovers for comparison and Black-winged Stilt. At the second site we hit paydirt: Nick Upton and company had already picked out 2 Spoon-billed Sandpipers and 4 Nordmamn’s Greenshanks. A couple of Greater Knot and many Bar-tailed Godwits were also present. Peter caught a glimpse of a Black-faced Spoonbill, probably the rarest bird of the trip, which we later relocated not toofar away. Our only Shikra and an Eastern Marsh Harrier were just a bit further on. Several Painted Storks and 3 species of tern, along with many egrets, were also at the spot where we relocated the Spoonbill.
We drove through the Kings Project twice picking up many good species en route. There were White-shouldered Starling, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Pacific Golden-Plover, Ruddy-breasted Crake and many great photo ops for the more common species.
On the White-faced Plover boat trip out of Lam Pak Bia (where we also had a good lunch at home of captain), we got Pacific Reef-Heron and Malaysian Plover, but dipped on the main target, White-faced Plover.
11/22:
Since this day was the only possible day for Bahn Songnok (as the place was booked up for the following three days after), we ended up birding the lush garden and the bird blind for most of the day. Birds kept trickling in slowly but steadily. The highlights at the blind were Siberian Blue Robin, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Kalij Pheasant, a rare Red-legged Crake, a seen (!) Large
Scimitar Babbler and both Necklaced Laughingthrushes. The Banana feeder offered great looks at a pair of Common Flameback and Green-eared Barbet.
A quick drive to a fruit plantation nearly yielded nice looks at a few Vernal Hanging Parakeet and a male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker.
11/23:
Today we spent most of the day in lower elevations of Kaeng Krachan. Birding was mostly very slow. There were some birds calling but it was very difficult to get on them. I spotted 2 Blue-beared Bee-eaters and everyone got to see the second bird. Along the main park road, we briefly had a perched Pied Hornbill but he took off soon after. The campground had a few nice birds:
Forest Wagtail, Verditer and Blue-throated Flycatcher, Asian Fairy-Bluebird and a Sulphurbreasted Warbler.
Mid-afternoon there was a flurry of activity around the three water crossings and we lucked out by catching a few noisy Dusky Broadbills, 2 hard-to-see Rusty-cheeked Hornbills and 3 Sultan Tits.
Late afternoon, we got a ride uphill to KM27 from another birder. A couple of Emerald Doves were along the road on the way. At KM27 I managed to see both piculets which aren’t exactly common up there.
Great looks at a calling Collared Scops-Owl at the hotel made up for the slowness of the day - the worst of the trip.
11/24:
Early morning, while it was still pitch dark, we had a Large-tailed Nightjar sitting on the park road. Finally the upper reaches of Kaeng Krachan … We had good birds twice at a little closed-off area (including a residence where the Queen usually stays) at around KM31/2: Rufous Woodpecker, fly-by Wreathed Hornbill, Blue-throated Barbet, Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrikeand excellent, long looks at a Golden Babbler.
At around KM30 mid-afternoon we found a White-browed Scimitar-Babbler, a rare Red-bearded Bee-eater, Black-and-buff Woodpecker, several minivet species, a Common Woodshrike and a soaring Crested Goshawk.
We didn’t wait long enough to see Pin-tailed Parrowfinches at KM36.
Late afternoon we ended again up at KM27. We again heard Ratched-tailed Treepie, just like the day before, but couldn’t get on them. A large passerine flock contained Sulphur-breasted and Yellow-bellied Warbler and White-bellied Yuhina. Our only trogon of the trip turned out to be the rarer of the two: A Red-headed Trogon.
11/25:
This was the day that we transitioned from Kaeng Krachan to Khao Yai making several stops en route. First was Khao Look - temple grounds with lowlands second/third growth forest.
It was slow yielding only Linneated Barbet, Rufous Treepie and an interesting warbler that I’m willing to call a Greenish (it was relatively high and had just a single faint wingbar).
Then we were off to a raptor spot called Thung Bang Chak where we struggled with three soaring eagles in the mid-day sun. Two were finally id’ed as Greater Spotted Eagles; the third likely was one as well. Here we also picked up a singing Black-browed Reed Warbler that we eventually saw well from just 10ft away. A Black-shouldered Kite was new as was a few Plainbacked Sparrows. We also had another Eastern Marsh Harrier cruise by.
Next we swung by a reservoir called Huay Mai Treng looking for bushlarks (we flushed one), pipits and River Lapwing. The reservoir was flooded which was seriously limiting the habitat. We quickly abandoned our search.
At Wat Peabotabaht, another temple and well-known spot for Limestone Wren-Babbler, we got skunked save for a smoking monk which was a lifer for Mike and I.
Just before dark we heard a Brown Hawk-Owl call in the back the resorts/new mall in Khao Yai town. We were able to get on the bird with the binoculars; it was perched up high.
11/26:
We started the day in the lowlands of Khao Yai hearing a Great Eared-Nightjar at the gate. After that we stopped at a large fruiting fig tree a couple of times and were rewarded with a new set of bulbuls, flyby Wreathed and Great Hornbill, Thick-billed and Mountain Imperial-Pigeon, Moustached and Green-eared Barbet and close ups of Macaques and Gibbons.
The trail near the visitor center was dead up to the very end (except for a few White-crested Laughingthrushes). There finally we ran into a large passerine flock with our only Eastern Crowned Warbler for the trip.The campground was very birdy with several flowerpeckers, sunbirds and a Chestnut-flanked White-eye. It was there that we encountered our first Great Hornbill which made Mike very happy. The Macaques owned the place sneaking into people’s tents and grabbing everything that was remotely edible including pills and other medication.The area around the waterfall just a bit further had some interesting warblers including Blyth’s Leaf and Two-barred Greenish Warbler and a Blue Whistling Thrush. The military gate at the very top was dead, but Mike and I did see a Besra and a Common Kestrel circling around.
A late afternoon walk along a dry trail near the grasslands finally got us great looks at THREE active Great Slaty Woodpeckers, a truly awesome sight.
The day ended at an open area with ponds where a squadron of 16 Brown-backed Needletails repeatedly came in to drink just after sunset. I also had a Laced Woodpecker fly by.
11/27:
Another transition day … We started early near the resorts/new mall where we had nice scope views of the beautiful Red-breasted Parakeets.
The first half of the day we remained at Khao Yai. The fruiting fig tree was again very active. Highlight there was a rare Jerdon’s Baza perched long enough for everyone to get good looks.
Personally, I enjoyed examining the pipits at the ponds. We had four Olive-backed and a few Paddyfield (that I tried to make into something else). Red-whiskered Bulbuls were nearby. Our only Golden Spectacled Warbler, and actual looks at a Puff-throated Babbler, were in the wooded section before you ascend to the very top (I falsely call that mid-level Khao Yai). This is
also the area where Siamese Fireback are sometimes being seen crossing the road – we didn’t see any.
A lucionensis Brown Shrike gave us the fits at the gate near the top. We had a Blue Rock Thrush owning the roof of the guard tower, just like the day before.
Just as it really heated up, we spent a good hour hiking a trail along the creek (the trail leaves from the visitor center). There was a definite problem with leaches near the creek yet that didn’t disturb us in getting a gorgeous White-crowned Forktail, an Abbott’s Babbler and 2 Hill Blue Flycatchers.
At the Nakorn Nayok military academy, we almost immediately found our target Black-collared Starling. At the pond in the back, we were surprised to see both jacanas and Lesser Whistling Duck. A nice (and peaceful) stop!
Then we were on our way to SE Bangkok.
11/28:
On our final day we did Bang Pra early morning. At first we thought we were going to be blocked, as the main road into the area for Chestnut-capped and White-eyed Babbler was flooded, but we did find another way into it. It was very birdy, so we quickly found Chestnutcapped Babbler, Watercock, Red-whiskered, Yellow-vented Bulbul, a few Yellow Bittern and finally saw a Dusky Warbler. It took us a little longer to locate a Lesser Coucal but we eventually did.
A drive through a nearby area yielded our first Blue-tailed Bee-eaters of the trip. After a longish drive, we briefly stopped at Bang Poo to check for gulls in the heat of the day. I swear it must have been close to 100F. Peter picked out a first-cycle Heuglin’s Gull and we quickly found a few Black-headed’s in the mess.
Our final stop was the Muang Boran fish ponds where we ended up with a few nice new birds such as White-browed Crake, Striated Grassbird and Dusky Warbler (for some of us). It also was fun to re-see some of the freshwater shorebirds from the first day. The lowlight of the trip was
seeing a number of mist nets with the purpose of killing any bird that would fly in (nothing more or less). In particular, we had devastating scope looks of a twitching captured Little Ringed Plover. It was awful!
Resources:
-Craig Robson: Birds of Thailand (2002)
-Philip D. Round: A guide to the birds of Thailand (1991)
Misses:
Orange-breasted Trogon
Pittas and broadbills other than Dusky
Pin-tailed Parrotfinch
List of species ( see above for locations; 243 total ):
Little Grebe (Muang Boran)
Indian Cormorant (Pak Thale)
Little Cormorant
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Pacific Reef-Heron (1 off White-faced Plover boat trip, Lam Pak Bia)
Chinese Pond-Heron (Kaeng Krachan)
Javan Pond-Heron
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow Bittern (3 at Bang Pra)
Painted Stork (Pak Thale, Thung Bang Chak)
Asian Openbill
Black-faced Spoonbill (1 at Pak Thale)
Lesser Whistling-Duck (Nakora Nayok)
Osprey (Bang Pra)
Jerdon’s Baza (1 at Khao Yai)
Black-shouldered Kite (1 at Thung Bang Chak)
Black Kite (2 soaring over Kings Project – Lam Pak Bia)
Brahminy Kite (1 adult and 1 juvie over Lam Pak Bia)
Eastern Marsh-Harrier (1 at Pak Thale, 1 at Thung Bang Chak)
Crested Goshawk (1 near top at Kaeng Krachan, KM30)
Shikra (1 at Pak Thale)
Besra (2 near top at Khao Yai)
Greater Spotted Eagle (3 at Thung Bang Chak)
Common Kestrel (1 female at top of Khao Yai)
Red Junglefowl (Kaeng Krachan, Bahn Songnok)
Silver Pheasant (several Kalij ssp at blind at Bahn Songnok)
White-breasted Waterhen (Kings Project – Lam Pak Bia, Muang Boran)
Ruddy-breasted Crake (Kings Project – Lam Pak Bia)
White-browed Crake (6 at Muang Boran)
Red-legged Crake (1 at Bahn Songnok)
Watercock (2 at Bang Pra)
Common Moorhen (Bang Pra, Muang Boran)
Pheasant-tailed Jacana (1 at Nakora Nayok, 2 at Muang Boran)
Bronze-winged Jacana (3 at Nakora Nayok)
Black-winged Stilt
Grey-headed Lapwing (1 at Lam Pak Bia, 14 at Muang Boran)
Red-wattled Lapwing
Pacific Golden-Plover (3 at Pak Thale/Kings Project)
Grey Plover (1 at Pak Thale)
Little Ringed Plover (Pak Thale, Muang Boran)
Kentish Plover (Pak Thale)
Malaysian Plover (~12 off boat ride, Lam Pak Bia)
Lesser Sandplover (Pak Thale)
Greater Sandplover (Pak Thale)
Pintail Snipe (1 at Kings Project)
Common Snipe (several at Kings Project)
Black-tailed Godwit (Pak Thale)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Pak Thale)
Whimbrel (Pak Thale)
Eurasian Curlew (Pak Thale)
Common Sandpiper (Pak Thale, Lam Pak Bia, Muang Boran)
Spotted Redshank (Pak Thale)
Common Greenshank (Pak Thale)
Nordmann’s Greenshank (4 at Pak Thale)
Marsh Sandpiper (Pak Thale)
Wood Sandpiper (Pak Thale, Kings Project, Muang Boran)
Great Knot (2 at Pak Thale)
Sanderling (Pak Thale)
Red-necked Stint (Pak Thale)
Temminck’s Stint (Pak Thale)
Long-toed Stint (Pak Thale, 4 at Muang Boran)
Curlew Sandpiper (Pak Thale)
Dunlin (2 at Pak Thale)
SPOON-BILLED SANDPIPER (3 at Pak Thale)
Broad-billed Sandpiper (Pak Thale)
Ruff (2 at Pak Thale)
Heuglin’s Gull (1 imm at Bang Boa)
Black-headed Gull (2 at Bang Boa)
Brown-headed Gull (1000s at Bang Boa, several at Pak Thale)
Little Tern (Pak Thale)
Gull-billed Tern (Pak Thale)
Caspian Tern (open water off boat ride – Lam Pak Bia, Pak Thale)
Whiskered Tern (Pak Thale, Bang Boa, Muang Boran)
Common Tern (a few at Pak Thale)
Red-Collared Dove
Spotted Dove
Emerald Dove (3 on road in Kaeng Krachan NP)
Zebra Dove
Rock Dove
Thick-billed Pigeon (Khao Yai)
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon (Khao Yai)
Vernal Hanging-Parakeet (near Bahn Songnok, Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai NP)
Red-breasted Parakeet (just outside Khao Yai NP in town)
Banded Bay Cuckoo (1 at Bahn Songnok)
Asian Koel (always heard, seen only 3 times)
Green-billed Malkoha (Bahn Songnok, Khao Yai)
Greater Coucal (lowlands)
Lesser Coucal (1 at Bang Pra)
Collared Scops-Owl (1 at All Seasons Motel in Kaeng Krachan)
Asian Barred Owlet (heard only, Khao Yai motel and lowland Kaeng Krachan)
Brown Hawk-Owl (1 in the back off Khao Yai resorts/new mall)
Great Eared-Nightjar (heard only, Khao Yai NP main gate)
Large-tailed Nightjar (lowlands Kaeng Krachan)
Himalayan Swiftlet (mountains)
Germain’s Swiftlet (lowlands, Pak Thale and Thung Bang Chak)
Brown-backed Needletail (16 over pond at sunset in Khao Yai)
Asian Palm-Swift
Red-headed Trogon (1 at KM27 in Kaeng Krachan)
Common Kingfisher (Pak Thale, Bang Pra)
White-throated Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher (Pak Thale, Thung Bang Chak , Muang Boran)
Collared Kingfisher (1 off boat ride at Lam Pak Bia)
Red-bearded Bee-eater (1 at KM30 near top of Kaeng Krachan)
Blue-bearded Bee-eater (2 at Kaeng Krachan lowlands)
Green Bee-eater (lowlands)
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Bang Pra, Muang Boran)
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater (mountains)
Indian Roller (common in lowlands and foothills)
Oriental Pied Hornbill (Kaeng Krachan lowlands and Khao Yai)
Great Hornbill (3 at Khao Yai)
Rusty-cheeked Hornbill (2 at Kaeng Krachan lowlands)
Wreathed Hornbill (3 at Kaeng Krachan off top and 2 at Khao Yai)
Lineated Barbet (Bang Pra and Khao Look)
Green-eared Barbet (Bahn Songnok, Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai lowlands)
Blue-throated Barbet (near top of Kaeng Krachan)
Moustached Barbet (1 in Khao Yai lowlands)
Coppersmith Barbet (2 at/near Bahn Songnok)
Speckled Piculet (1 at KM27, Kaeng Krachan)
White-browed Piculet (1 at KM27, Kaeng Krachan)
Rufous Woodpecker (1 at KM31, Kaeng Krachan)
Greater Yellownape (Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai lowlands)
Laced Woodpecker (1 flyover at needletail pong Khao Yai)
Common Flameback (2 at Bahn Songnok)
Greater Flameback (3 at Kaeng Krachan lowlands, 1 at Khao Yai)
Black-and-Buff Woodpecker (1 at KM30, Kaeng Krachan)
Great Slaty Woodpecker (3 along trail in Khao Yai)
Dusky Broadbill (a few in Kaeng Krachan lowlands)
Barn Swallow
Paddyfield Pipit (lowlands)
Olive-backed Pipit (4 at Khao Yai needletail pond)
Forest Wagtail (1 at campground in Kaeng Krachan lowlands)
Yellow Wagtail (Pak Thale, many at Muang Boran)
Grey Wagtail (1 at campground in Kaeng Krachan lowlands)
Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike (2 at Kaeng Krachan lowlands, 1 in a big passerine flock at Khao Yai)
Rosy Minivet (KM30 at Kaeng Krachan, 1 in a big passerine flock at Khao Yao)
Swinhoe’s Minivet (2 at Kaeng Krachan lowlands, Khao Yao)
Short-billed Minivet (1 at KM30 at Kaeng Krachan, 1 at KM31 at Kaeng Krachan - restaurant)
Scarlet Minivet (2 at KM31 at Kaeng Krachan – restaurant, 2 at Khao Yai lowlands)
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike (1 at KM31 at Kaeng Krachan, 1 at Khao Yai)
Black-headed Bulbul (Kaeng Krachan lower level)
Black-crested Bulbul (mountains)
Red-whiskered Bulbul (Bang Pra and Khao Yai grasslands)
Sooty-headed Bulbul (Bahn Songnok, Nakora Nayok)
Stripe-throated Bulbul (mountains)
Flavescent Bulbul (Kaeng Krachan near top)
Yellow-vented Bulbul (Bang Pra)
Streak-eared Bulbul (Bahn Songnok, Nakora Nayok, Bang Pra)
Ochraceous Bulbul (upper regions of Kaeng Krachan)
Grey-eyed Bulbul (lowlands at Khao Yai)
Buff-vented Bulbul (Kaeng Krachan near top)
Puff-throated Bulbul (Khao Yai mid-level)
Blue-winged Leafbird (Kaeng Krachan near top, Khao Yai)
Common Iora (Khao Look, Bang Pra)
Blue Rock Thrush (2 at top of Kaeng Krachan, 1 at top of Khao Yai)
Blue Whistling-Thrush (1 near waterfall along creek at Khao Yai)
Grey-breasted Prinia (Bang Pra and Huang Mai Treng)
Plain Prinia (Muang Boran and Thung Bang Chak)
Black-browed Reed-Warbler (1 seen and heard singing at Thung Bang Chak, heard at Muang
Boran)
Oriental Reed-Warbler (1 at Kings Project and 1 at Muang Boran)
Common Tailorbird (Khao Look, Bang Pra)
Dark-necked Tailorbird (Kaeng Krachan, all elevations)
Dusky Warbler (several at Bang Pra; low; single softish chip note)
Radde’s Warbler (1 seen at lowlands in Kaeng Krachan; low, single chip note)
Yellow-browed Warbler (heard and seen in all habitats, diagnostic up-down-up call)
Greenish Warbler (1 at Khao Look; mostly high)
Two-barred Greenish Warbler (a few at Khao Yao near parking lots)
Eastern Crowned Warbler (1 along trail near visitor center in large passerine flock at Khao Yai; mid-level bird)
Blyth’s Leaf-Warbler (1 behind restroom at Khao Yao parking lot where we had lunch; eye-level
or below)
Sulphur-breasted Warbler (1 at campground of lower level and 1 at KM27 at Kaeng Krachan; eye-level bird)
Golden Spectacled Warbler (1 at mid-level Khao Yai; eye-level or below; split from Plain-tailed Warbler)
Yellow-bellied Warbler (1 at KM27 of Kaeng Krachan; eye level)
Taiga Flycatcher (common everywhere with trees; eye level)
Striated Grassbird (2 at Muang Boran)
Dark-sided Flycatcher (2 at Kaeng Krachan near top)
Asian Brown Flycatcher (lower level Kaeng Krachan, Bahn Songnok, Bang Pra; high bird)
Verditer Flycatcher (2 at Kaeng Krachan lowlands campground; 1 at restaurant at KM31)
Blue-throated Flycatcher (2 at lower level, Kaeng Krachan)
Hill-blue Flycatcher (2 along leech trail, Khao Yao; low bird)
Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher (2 at Bahn Songnok blind)
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (lower level at Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai)
Siberian Blue Robin (2 a Bahn Songnok blind)
Oriental Magpie-Robin (most lowland habitats)
White-rumped Shama (Bahn Songnok, lower level Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai)
White-crowned Forktail (1 along creek off leech trail in Khao Yao)
Siberian Stonechat (all open habitats)
Pied Fantail (most lowland habitats)
Black-naped Monarch (a few at Bahn Songnok)
White-crested Laughingthrush (low-level woods at Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai)
Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush (Bahn Songnok only)
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush (Bahn Songnok, lowlands Kaeng Krachan)
Black-throated Laughingthrush (Bang Pra, lowland woods, often with White-crested, but harder to see)
Abbott’s Babbler (1 at Bahn Songnok blind, 1 off leech trail at Khao Yai)
Puff-throated Babbler (1 at mid-level Khao Yai; near ground)
Large Scimitar Babbler (1 at Bahn Songnok blind, 2 heard at Kaeng Krachan near top)
White-browed Scimitar Babbler (1 at KM30 of Kaeng Krachan)
Golden Babbler (1 at KM32 at Kaeng Krachan)
Striped Tit-Babbler (1 at Bahn Songnok blind, 1 at top of Kaeng Krachan)
Chestnut-capped Babbler (3 at Bang Pra)
White-browed Shrike-Babbler (2 at KM31 and 1 at KM32 of Kaeng Krachan)
Brown-cheeked Fulvetta (1 at Bahn Songnok)
White-bellied Yuhina (various wooded areas in passerine flocks)
Golden-bellied Gerygone (3 in mangroves at Kings Project, Lam Pak Bia)
Sultan Tit (3 at lowlands in Kaeng Krachan)
Brown-throated Sunbird (1 in mangroves at restaurant for White-faced Plover boat ride and 1 at restaurant near Bang Pra)
Olive-backed Sunbird (Bahn Songnok, lowlands Kaeng Krachan, end of leech trail in Khao Yai)
Black-throated Sunbird (a few in Khao Yai parking lot campground)
Streaked Spiderhunter (top of Kaeng Krachan)
Thick-billed Flowerpecker (Bahn Songnok)
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker (upper level at Khao Yai)
Buff-bellied Flowerpecker (a few in Khao Yai campground split from Fire-breasted Flowerpecker)
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (1 in plantation near Bahn Songnok; lowlands at Kaeng Krachan)
Oriental/Everett’s White-eye (large flock at KM36 of Kaeng Krachan; 1 at 3 bridges in Khao Yai)
Chestnut-flanked White-eye (1 at Khao Yai campground)
Black-naped Oriole
Asian Fairy-Bluebird (1 at lower level campground at Kaeng Krachan, 1 at lower level at Khao Yai)
Brown Shrike (mostly lowlands: confusus spp; top of Khao Yai: 1 lucionensis spp)
Long-tailed Shrike (1 at Lam Pak Bia, 1 at Muang Boran)
Large Woodshrike (1 at KM30, Kaeng Krachan)
Black Drongo (lowlands)
Ashy Drongo (Kaeng Krachan and Khao Yai woods)
Bronzed Drongo (Kaeng Krachan)
Spangled Drongo (Kaeng Krachan, Khao Look, Khao Yai)
Greater Raquet-tailed Drongo (Kaeng Krachan, Khao Yai, easy at Bang Pra)
Ashy Woodswallow (near Wat Peabotabaht, common in Khao Yai)
Green Magpie (2 at lower level Kaeng Krachan)
Rufous Treepie (1 at Khao Look, 2 at Bang Pra)
Grey Treepie (2 near KM30/1 of Kaeng Krachan)
Large-billed Crow (lowlands)
Common Hill Myna (Khao Yai and Bang Pro area)
Common Myna
White-vented Myna
Vinous-breasted Starling (2 at Bahn Songnok)
Black-collard Starling (1 at Nakorn Nayok)
Asian Pied Starling (lowlands)
White-shouldered Starling (a few in the scope at the King Project)
House Sparrow
Plain-backed Sparrow (Thung Bang Chak, a gas station en route)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (more common than House)
Baya Weaver (1 at Lam Pak Bia)
Scaly-breasted Munia (several at lower level at Kaeng Krachan, Khao Look, Muang Boran)
Other wildlife :
-Monitor Lizard (several off boat ride)
-Tree shrew (at Bahn Songnok feeder)
-Burmese Striped, Varied and Giant Squirrel
-some unid’ed skunk-like critter
-Cobra (10ft long)
-Langur (Kaeng Krachan), White-handed Gibbon and Pig-tailed Macaque (abundant at Khao Yai
only)
-Barking Deer – Muntjac (Khao Yai), Fea’s subspecies (Kaeng Krachan)
-Sambar (small elk) at both parks
-Binturong (resting in a fruiting tree at Khao Yai)
-Fresh elephant dung (yet no elephants)
General Comments:
- The top 5 birds for me were (in order): Spoon-billed Sandpiper, White-throated Kingfisher, White-crowned Forktail, Large Scimitar Babbler, Great Slaty Woodpecker -Bring toilet paper along for your Thailand trip! There usually isn’t any available except for in airports and fancier hotels. Also, bring a hand sanitizer as there are no napkins in the restaurants
-Prepare yourself for leeches (we had many on us during/after a hike at Khao Yai along a muddy creek). Check yourself periodically. Leech socks (which we didn’t have) are available for a small fee at the visitor centers. Also, ticks were a problem in the grassy areas at Khao Yai.
-Peter, knew the local birds extremely well, but we had a hard time id’ing our raptors. He speaks Thai fluently and he’s a great communicator and facilitator. The restaurants he selected for us where excellent and he ordered great meals for us. His driving scared us at times (I’m sure we got to where we had to in record times), he was however a great guy to hang
around. Overall, I can recommend him.
-Only a few birds were singing. If you are interested in Pittas, pick May/June as your season to visit Thailand.
-It is advisable to stay away from Khao Yai on the weekends due to the high volume of visitors and cars. Kaeng Krachan is likely bad too, yet not as bad as Khao Yai.
-Since our main target was Spoon-billed Sandpiper, we selected mid/late fall for the time of our visit. This also means that most birds were not singing. Spring might be a better time frame for that.
-Selected pictures are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/greenfant/ThailandNovember2010
