For our tour description, itinerary, past triplists, dates, fees, and more, please VISIT OUR TOUR PAGE.
See this triplist in printable PDF format with media only on page 1.
This superb
Long-tailed Broadbill, one of 5 gorgeous broadbill species
we saw on this tour, gave us incredible close views at Kaeng
Krachan National Park. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
What a fabulous trip! This year's Thailand tour again went off without a hitch, in spite of the devastating flooding throughout the country back in the fall and early winter, just before this tour. We saw little physical evidence of the floods, but we sure heard some stories from Wat, Jeed, and Uthai about how it affected them. The domestic airport near our Bangkok hotel remained closed because of the flooding, necessitating a bit more driving in town to catch our flight to Chiang Mai, but that was the only weather-related inconvenience that I can recall. Weather was typically very good with a bit of seasonally unusual rain just before the tour and during the tour in the Bangkok area. None of this really affected us, though, except for a delay in our flight getting back to Bangkok from Chiang Mai (thunderstorm delays in Bangkok).
This year's tour again took us to some of Thailand's and Southeast Asia's best sites for birding, and each produced a number of spectacular sightings not repeated elsewhere along our route. The vast littoral habitats along the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand produced a wealth of waterbirds, the rarest of which was undoubtedly our lone Spoon-billed Sandpiper among dozens of more common species. I'm not sure how long we'll be able to produce this critically endangered shorebird given that there are probably fewer than 200 birds remaining in the wild.
Khao Yai NP to the north of Bangkok was our first forested venue of the trip and introduced us to many of the common species of the remaining mixed broadleaf forest in the middle of the country. We also enjoyed a few decidedly uncommon species in the area, including both Silver Pheasant and Siamese Fireback, and the secretive Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo, among others. Kaeng Krachan NP, our other forested site to the southwest of Bangkok, gave us a taste of an avifauna more typical of the Malay Peninsula with the likes of Crested Jay, Black-and-red Broadbill, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Greater Green Leafbird, plus many others. That Ratchet-tailed Treepie, isolated from the nearest population to the east by 100's of kilometers, was quite something, too!
In the northwest of the country, we visited several productive mountain ranges, namely Doi Inthanon, Doi Chiang Dao, Doi Angkhang, and, finally, Doi Lang. Habitats at each are slightly different and all are worthy of a visit, as we found out along our journey together. Highlights at each are hard to pick (there were so many to choose from!), but the ones that stick out in my mind are the White-rumped Falcon, Slaty-backed Forktail, Black-tailed Crake, and just the general birding scene at the summit of Doi Inthanon, the Giant Nuthatch on Doi Chiang Dao, the Hume's Pheasant and Red-faced Liocichlas on Doi Angkhang, and the confiding White-gorgeted Flycatchers and the skulking Coral-billed Scimitar-Babblers on Doi Lang. There are certainly others to choose from!
Thanks to Wat and his crew on this tour, we all enjoyed about as carefree a tour experience as you could hope for on a trip like this. They anticipated our every need, fed us like kings, and their cheeriness and desire to help never wavered for a moment. I think this tour would be quite different without them and I am forever grateful and appreciative. Thanks also to my co-leader Uthai Treesucon who never ceases to amaze me with his knowledge and skill. And thanks to all of you for joining me for this wonderful adventure to the heart of Southeast Asia. You were all wonderful travel and birding companions and I hope we all have a chance to travel together again. All the best in 2012!
--Dave
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for
individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I =
introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b =
boreal migrant
BIRDS
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
LESSER WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna javanica) – We normally see many more of these in the
Bangkok/Rangsit area but I suppose that the widespread
flooding has made these birds disperse. COTTON PYGMY-GOOSE
(Nettapus coromandelianus) – Only about half of the group got to see
these in Rangsit before they disappeared behind the reeds.
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and
Allies)
RUFOUS-THROATED PARTRIDGE (Arborophila rufogularis) – Nicely for most just above the buildings
at the summit of Doi Inthanon. BAR-BACKED
PARTRIDGE (Arborophila
brunneopectus) – These were a
bit of a surprise when we visited the park headquarters at
Kaeng Krachan.
SCALY-BREASTED
PARTRIDGE (Arborophila
chloropus) [*]
MOUNTAIN
BAMBOO-PARTRIDGE (Bambusicola
fytchii) – We had to flush
these to get a look on Doi Chiang Dao.
RED JUNGLEFOWL
(Gallus gallus) – If you saw it, that big flock on the road
at Kaeng Krachan was really impressive.
SILVER PHEASANT
(Lophura nycthemera) – Bill spotted this beautiful bird for us
along he roadside high in Khao Yai NP.
SIAMESE FIREBACK
(Lophura diardi) – A very reliable bird for us at this spot.
HUME'S PHEASANT
(Syrmaticus humiae) – YESSS!!! It took us two attempts (the
first yielded a "Hume's" house cat!) but what an incredible
experience! We see this one on <20% of our trips here.
GRAY
PEACOCK-PHEASANT (Polyplectron
bicalcaratum) [*]
Asian Openbills
are a common sight, even right in Bangkok, where we saw
them nesting at one of the temples. (Photo by guide Dave
Stejskal)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
LITTLE GREBE (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Ciconiidae (Storks)
ASIAN OPENBILL (Anastomus oscitans) – Always easy to find in the Bangkok area.
It was interesting to see them nesting again at the temple
on the first afternoon. Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
INDIAN CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) – We had nice looks of a bird in flight
over the salt pans s. of Bangkok. Not a bird that we see
here every year. LITTLE CORMORANT
(Phalacrocorax niger)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
YELLOW BITTERN (Ixobrychus sinensis) – Very few this year. BLACK BITTERN
(Ixobrychus flavicollis) – That bird flushed near Rangsit was a
lucky find.
GRAY HERON
(Ardea cinerea)
PURPLE HERON
(Ardea purpurea)
GREAT EGRET
(Ardea alba)
INTERMEDIATE EGRET
(Mesophoyx intermedia) – We never see that many of these.
CHINESE EGRET
(Egretta eulophotes) – The lucky folks in the back got a look at
this rare bird in the mangroves near Laem Pak Bia.
LITTLE EGRET
(Egretta garzetta)
CATTLE EGRET
(ASIAN) (Bubulcus ibis
coromandus)
CHINESE POND-HERON
(Ardeola bacchus) – Some of the pond-herons that we saw in
the Bangkok area were certainly the very similar Javan
Pond-Heron, but these two are indistinguishable in basic
plumage.
STRIATED HERON
(Butorides striata)
BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax
nycticorax)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
JERDON'S BAZA (Aviceda jerdoni) – A pair of birds flushed from the side of
the road one morning at Kaeng Krachan NP, but not everyone
got the look they wanted. BLACK BAZA
(Aviceda leuphotes) – We don't usually get it here at this
season, but all three of our birds were seen at Kaeng
Krachan this year.
ORIENTAL
HONEY-BUZZARD (Pernis
ptilorhynchus) – A single
bird overhead at Kaeng Krachan NP was our only sighting.
BLACK-SHOULDERED
KITE (Elanus caeruleus)
BLACK KITE
(Milvus migrans)
BRAHMINY KITE
(Haliastur indus)
CRESTED
SERPENT-EAGLE (Spilornis
cheela) – Great looks both
perched and in flight. Usually the most common large raptor
on this tour.
PIED HARRIER
(Circus melanoleucos) – That adult male n. of Chiang Mai was
simply spectacular!
CRESTED GOSHAWK
(Accipiter trivirgatus) – A single bird in flight at Kaeng Krachan
was surprising in that it was our only one of the tour!
SHIKRA (Accipiter badius) – It was fun watching these birds catch the
emerging Wrinkle-lipped Bats near Khao Yai NP.
RUFOUS-WINGED
BUZZARD (Butastur liventer)
– We ended up seeing a few of these
attractive raptors in the north, but the most amazing
sighting was Uthai's on the lower slopes of Doi Inthanon NP.
GRAY-FACED BUZZARD
(Butastur indicus) – Our best was the young bird on the
grounds of the Kaeng Krachan HQ. The overall numbers of this
migrant species have really plummeted in recent decades.
COMMON BUZZARD
(JAPONICUS) (Buteo buteo
japonicus) – There's been
some splitting of this one in recent years by the Europeans,
so watch for Clements to follow suit in the coming updates.
RUFOUS-BELLIED
EAGLE (Lophotriorchis
kienerii) – That last look of
the adult at Kaeng Krachan was really great!
MOUNTAIN
HAWK-EAGLE (Nisaetus
nipalensis) – A couple of
distant soaring birds this year.
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
WHITE-RUMPED FALCON (Polihierax insignis) – WOWWW!!! We couldn't have asked for any
better looks of that responsive male bird in the dry forest
of Doi Inthanon NP. We only see this species on about a
quarter of the tours here, so you all were lucky! COLLARED FALCONET
(Microhierax caerulescens) – The single bird on Doi Angkhang was the
closest of the the two sightings on the tour. This one isn't
much bigger than the insects that it eats.
A common species
in its mangrove habitat, a Collared Kingfisher gets ready
to chow down on a crab dinner. (Photo by guide Dave
Stejskal)
EURASIAN KESTREL
(Falco tinnunculus) – Thaton is usually the place where we end
up seeing this one.
PEREGRINE FALCON
(Falco peregrinus)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
SLATY-BREASTED RAIL (Gallirallus striatus) – One darted across the trail at Rangsit
for some. WHITE-BREASTED
WATERHEN (Amaurornis
phoenicurus) – The Bangkok
area is usually the place where we see this widespread
species best.
BLACK-TAILED CRAKE
(Amaurornis bicolor) – He was out and waiting for us this year
up on Doi Inthanon. It wasn't long ago when this local
species had near-mythical status.
BAILLON'S CRAKE
(Porzana pusilla) – A surprise to see it so well in Rangsit
this year.
RUDDY-BREASTED
CRAKE (Porzana fusca) – I was hoping that the first bedraggled
bird at Rangsit wouldn't be our only sighting of the tour!
WATERCOCK (Gallicrex cinerea) – We were really lucky to spot this one
climbing up in that distant line of shrubs out in the marsh
at Rangsit.
PURPLE SWAMPHEN
(BLACK-BACKED) (Porphyrio
porphyrio viridis) – Watch
for this widespread Old World species to be split into a few
species, at least.
EURASIAN MOORHEN
(Gallinula chloropus) – This one was recently split from the New
World birds.
Burhinidae (Thick-knees)
INDIAN THICK-KNEE (Burhinus indicus) – Another result of a recent split, we had
this one listed as Eurasian Thick-knee on the checklist, but
the s. Asian birds are now separate from the birds to the
west in Europe & n. Africa. Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
GRAY-HEADED LAPWING (Vanellus cinereus) – Not as common as most years, but we did
end up with a couple of small flocks in the n.w. RED-WATTLED
LAPWING (Vanellus indicus)
– Great looks in the south. There's
been recent work done on this species and it looks like this
eastern form (V.i. atronuchalis) is deserving of species
rank, so watch for that change to be adopted by Clements.
BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)
PACIFIC
GOLDEN-PLOVER (Pluvialis
fulva)
LESSER SAND-PLOVER
(Charadrius mongolus) – There's also talk of splitting this one
into two, and both forms winter in Thailand. Unfortunately,
I don't think that they're identifiable in basic plumage.
GREATER
SAND-PLOVER (Charadrius
leschenaultii) – When the two
sand-plover species are together, this one is easy to pick
out.
MALAYSIAN PLOVER
(Charadrius peronii) – We had a couple of pairs of this
threatened plover at Laem Pak Bia.
KENTISH PLOVER
(KENTISH) (Charadrius
alexandrinus alexandrinus) –
Now split from our Snowy Plover in the New World.
LITTLE RINGED
PLOVER (Charadrius dubius)
– We probably had two subspecies on the
tour, with the migrant C.d. curonicus on the coast s. of
Bangkok, and the resident C.d. jerdoni near Chiang Mai.
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus) Jacanidae (Jacanas)
PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) – We were lucky to get one of these to
flush at Rangsit this year, given the conditions there.
BRONZE-WINGED
JACANA (Metopidius indicus)
– Always the more common of the two
jacana species on this tour. [N]
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
COMMON SANDPIPER (Actitis hypoleucos) GREEN SANDPIPER
(Tringa ochropus) – Some good comparisons with the above near
Chiang Mai.
The Pin-striped
Tit-Babbler is the mainland form of the former Striped
Tit-Babbler, recently split into this species and
Bold-striped Tit-Babbler of Borneo. (Photo by guide Dave
Stejskal)
COMMON GREENSHANK
(Tringa nebularia)
MARSH SANDPIPER
(Tringa stagnatilis)
WOOD SANDPIPER
(Tringa glareola)
COMMON REDSHANK
(Tringa totanus)
WHIMBREL
(SIBERIAN) (Numenius phaeopus
variegatus) – Keep track of
your Whimbrels – all 3 distinctive forms might get split
out.
FAR EASTERN CURLEW
(Numenius madagascariensis) – A real rarity in Thailand, we saw at
least a few of these big curlews mixed in with a huge flock
of Eurasian Curlews near Pak Thale.
EURASIAN CURLEW
(Numenius arquata)
BLACK-TAILED
GODWIT (Limosa limosa)
– There's some recent evidence to
suggest that this and the next species should be split into
a couple of different species each. Both of ours were the
Siberian breeding forms.
BAR-TAILED GODWIT
(Limosa lapponica)
GREAT KNOT
(Calidris tenuirostris) – I've never seen numbers like that out on
the Laem Pak Bia spit before!
SANDERLING
(Calidris alba)
RED-NECKED STINT
(Calidris ruficollis)
TEMMINCK'S STINT
(Calidris temminckii) – A single bird near Laem Pak Bia for some.
LONG-TOED STINT
(Calidris subminuta)
DUNLIN (Calidris alpina) – This one is a little humdrum for us, but
it's a rarity in Thailand.
CURLEW SANDPIPER
(Calidris ferruginea)
SPOON-BILLED
SANDPIPER (Eurynorhynchus
pygmeus) – YESSSS!!!! It was
discouraging to hear that only one bird was being seen here
in recent weeks, and even more discouraging that it hadn't
been seen yet that morning, but we ended up finding one bird
among the throngs of wintering shorebirds at Pak Thale! I
really hope that conservation efforts end up helping this
critically endangered species.
BROAD-BILLED
SANDPIPER (Limicola
falcinellus) – Great studies
of this uncommon shorebird.
COMMON SNIPE
(Gallinago gallinago) – We saw this and the next about as well as
you can see them near the coast at Laem Pak Bia.
PIN-TAILED SNIPE
(Gallinago stenura)
EURASIAN WOODCOCK
(Scolopax rusticola) – Barbara spotted this big guy skulking in
the shadows up at the Doi Inthanon summit bog, giving all
great views before it disappeared.
RED-NECKED
PHALAROPE (Phalaropus lobatus)
– Another local rarity in Thailand, we
were lucky to see four of these put down in a pond at Pak
Thale.
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
BROWN-HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus) – The default gull along the Thai coast.
LITTLE TERN
(Sternula albifrons) – Loads of these this year along the coast.
GULL-BILLED TERN
(Gelochelidon nilotica)
CASPIAN TERN
(Hydroprogne caspia)
WHISKERED TERN
(Chlidonias hybrida)
COMMON TERN
(Sterna hirundo)
GREAT CRESTED TERN
(Thalasseus bergii) – It was nice to see both of these mostly
pelagic species roosting out at the Laem Pak Bia spit.
LESSER CRESTED
TERN (Thalasseus bengalensis)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I] SPECKLED
WOOD-PIGEON (Columba
hodgsonii) – These birds came
out with the rising sun near the Doi Inthanon summit.
ORIENTAL
TURTLE-DOVE (Streptopelia
orientalis) – These have
proven to be predictable on the lower slopes of Doi Lang.
RED COLLARED-DOVE
(Streptopelia tranquebarica)
SPOTTED DOVE
(Streptopelia chinensis)
BARRED CUCKOO-DOVE
(Macropygia unchall) – A couple of singing birds at the Silver
Pheasant spot at Khao Yai that first morning there were our
only ones.
EMERALD DOVE
(Chalcophaps indica)
ZEBRA DOVE
(Geopelia striata) – All of the birds in Thailand n. of the
Malay Peninsula are thought to be derived from introduced
birds. [I]
A magnificent
Crested Serpent-Eagle surveys his kingdom from a lofty
perch. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
PIN-TAILED PIGEON
(Treron apicauda) – We had to climb to the top of the temple
steps to get a look at these birds perched in a distant
tree. This site has been very reliable for this species in
recent years.
WEDGE-TAILED
PIGEON (Treron sphenurus)
– We never really got the looks we
wanted on Doi Chiang Dao.
MOUNTAIN
IMPERIAL-PIGEON (Ducula badia)
– Only at Khao Yai NP this year.
Psittacidae (Parrots)
ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET (Psittacula eupatria) – This big parakeet is still hanging on at
the temple in Bangkok, despite the habitat being degraded
every year. GRAY-HEADED
PARAKEET (Psittacula finschii)
– This one has become incredibly tough
to see on this tour recently. We really lucked out this
year.
BLOSSOM-HEADED
PARAKEET (Psittacula roseata)
– A short walk up the hill really
improved our looks at this local parakeet near Doi Inthanon.
RED-BREASTED
PARAKEET (Psittacula
alexandri) – Always the most
common and widespread of the the four possible Psittacula
parakeets on this tour.
VERNAL
HANGING-PARROT (Loriculus
vernalis) – Perched views of
of this common bird are uncommon; we were lucky to see it so
well so many times.
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
BANDED BAY CUCKOO (Cacomantis sonneratii) – A really common voice in some areas on
this tour, but not an easy one to see at all. 
An armchair tick
waiting to happen: this eastern subspecies of Red-wattled
Lapwing is a good candidate to be split, as it differs
considerably from the 3 other western subspecies. (Photo
by guide Dave Stejskal)
ASIAN EMERALD
CUCKOO (Chrysococcyx
maculatus) – A couple of
males on the tour never really stuck around for the looks
that we all wanted
ASIAN KOEL
(Eudynamys scolopaceus)
BLACK-BELLIED
MALKOHA (Phaenicophaeus
diardi) – One bird with the
flock that held the pair of Ratchet-tailed Treepies at Kaeng
Krachan. This malkoha is a species that we rarely see on
this tour.
GREEN-BILLED
MALKOHA (Phaenicophaeus
tristis) – I've never had a
Thailand tour that has encountered so few of these normally
easy birds.
RED-BILLED MALKOHA
(Phaenicophaeus javanicus) – Great looks high in the canopy at Kaeng
Krachan NP. Another malkoha that we rarely see on this tour.
CORAL-BILLED
GROUND-CUCKOO (Carpococcyx
renauldi) – WOWWW!!!! To
think that you can now "expect" to see this near-mythical
bird is pretty outrageous. Of course, having said that,
we'll probably start missing it on future tours!
GREATER COUCAL
(Centropus sinensis)
LESSER COUCAL
(Centropus bengalensis) [*]
Strigidae (Owls)
MOUNTAIN SCOPS-OWL (Otus spilocephalus) – Thank goodness this little owl stuck
around so long and called for us, allowing all to get a good
look in the light. COLLARED SCOPS-OWL
(Otus lettia) – I've never had such a shy Collared
Scops-Owl in all of my years of guiding this tour.
ORIENTAL SCOPS-OWL
(Otus sunia) [*]
COLLARED OWLET
(Glaucidium brodiei) – Finally!! It took us twelve days of
hearing it almost daily before we laid eyes on this little
guy on Doi Chiang Dao!
ASIAN BARRED OWLET
(Glaucidium cuculoides) – A little easier to see than the above
species, but not by much.
SPOTTED OWLET
(Athene brama) – Ah, had they all been like this one!
BROWN HAWK-OWL
(Ninox scutulata) – Or this one!
Podargidae (Frogmouths)
HODGSON'S FROGMOUTH (Batrachostomus hodgsoni) [*] Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
LARGE-TAILED NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus macrurus) – Nice views in the lights on the grounds
of our resort near Kaeng Krachan. SAVANNA NIGHTJAR
(Caprimulgus affinis) – This was the only nightbird that
cooperated at all for us near Doi Inthanon.
Apodidae (Swifts)
BROWN-BACKED NEEDLETAIL (Hirundapus giganteus) – Briefly for some folks at Khao Yai NP on
our first full day there. 
The showy
Yellow-cheeked Tit is a real knockout, and we saw it
incredibly well at Doi Inthanon. (Photo by guide Dave
Stejskal)
GERMAN'S SWIFTLET
(Aerodramus germani) – For most folks in the coastal lowlands
south of Bangkok.
PACIFIC SWIFT
(Apus pacificus) – I'm guessing that all of the birds that
we saw were this migrant species from the north, and not the
local resident population that was just recently split from
Pacific Swift (Cook's Swift, A. cooki).
HOUSE SWIFT
(Apus nipalensis) – Nesting under the stairs at the temple
near Chiang Dao (the temple with all of those steps).
ASIAN PALM-SWIFT
(Cypsiurus balasiensis) – Almost daily on this tour.
Hemiprocnidae (Treeswifts)
CRESTED TREESWIFT (Hemiprocne coronata) – Our only birds this year were on the
power lines at the Chiang Mai airport. GRAY-RUMPED
TREESWIFT (Hemiprocne
longipennis) – A single
high-flying bird late in the afternoon at Kaeng Krachan NP.
Trogonidae (Trogons)
RED-HEADED TROGON (Harpactes erythrocephalus) – The whole group never scored on this one.
ORANGE-BREASTED
TROGON (Harpactes oreskios)
– This exquisite trogon was seen very
well at close range in Kaeng Krachan NP.
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
COMMON KINGFISHER (Alcedo atthis) BANDED KINGFISHER
(Lacedo pulchella) – It took a lot more work than usual, but
we all finally nailed this stunning kingfisher at Khao Yai
NP.
WHITE-THROATED
KINGFISHER (Halcyon
smyrnensis)
BLACK-CAPPED
KINGFISHER (Halcyon pileata)
COLLARED
KINGFISHER (Todiramphus
chloris) – We had some really
memorable looks at this beautiful, widespread species.
Meropidae (Bee-eaters)
RED-BEARDED BEE-EATER (Nyctyornis amictus) – Man, what a bird!! BLUE-BEARDED
BEE-EATER (Nyctyornis
athertoni) – Not as gaudy as
his close relative above, but still pretty darned nice!
GREEN BEE-EATER
(Merops orientalis)
BLUE-TAILED
BEE-EATER (Merops philippinus)
CHESTNUT-HEADED
BEE-EATER (Merops
leschenaulti) – The most
common and widespread bee-eater of the trip.
Coraciidae (Rollers)
INDIAN ROLLER (Coracias benghalensis) – Throughout this trip along the roadsides.
DOLLARBIRD
(Eurystomus orientalis) – A single bird only at Kaeng Krachan.
Upupidae (Hoopoes)
EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops) –
As usual, on the grounds of the resort at Kaeng Krachan.
Bucerotidae (Hornbills)
ORIENTAL PIED-HORNBILL (Anthracoceros albirostris) – The most common hornbill on the tour, but
even these were down in numbers this year. GREAT HORNBILL
(Buceros bicornis) – That first sighting in Kaeng Krachan when
that bird flew right over our heads will stick in my memory
forever!
RUSTY-CHEEKED
HORNBILL (Anorrhinus tickelli)
– A split from what used to be known as
Brown Hornbill, we had quite a few of these in the tall
forest along the stream at Kaeng Krachan NP.
WREATHED HORNBILL
(Aceros undulatus) – Just a couple of birds this year, which
is about average.
Megalaimidae (Asian Barbets)
GREAT BARBET (Megalaima virens) – An ever-present voice in the highlands of
the northwest. We enjoyed a few great looks along the way.
LINEATED BARBET
(Megalaima lineata) – The first barbet that we saw away from
Bangkok.
GREEN-EARED BARBET
(Megalaima faiostricta) – Just in the south this year.
However the
Mugimaki Flycatcher came by its name (Mugimaki is Japanese
for 'wheat-sower"?!?) it is one heck of a handsome bird!
(Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
GOLDEN-THROATED
BARBET (Megalaima franklinii)
– The last of our barbet species, and
remarkably difficult to see this year.
BLUE-THROATED
BARBET (Megalaima asiatica)
– Very common at the middle elevations
in Kaeng Krachan and up in the northwest.
MOUSTACHED BARBET
(Megalaima incognita) – Fabulous looks of this one on our first
full morning at Khao Yai.
BLUE-EARED BARBET
(Megalaima australis) – Tiny, like the next species.
COPPERSMITH BARBET
(Megalaima haemacephala) – Almost everywhere in the disturbed
lowlands.
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
SPECKLED PICULET (Picumnus innominatus) – Finally, a good look near Doi Angkhang.
It's hard to believe that this genus is actually
pan-tropical. WHITE-BROWED
PICULET (Sasia ochracea)
– A couple of these tiny woodpeckers
presented themselves for some good looks.
GRAY-CAPPED
WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos
canicapillus) – Not much
bigger than the piculets, this one used to be called the
Gray-capped Pygmy-Woodpecker.
STRIPE-BREASTED
WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos
atratus) – Almost always in
pine or mixed pine/broadleaf.
RUFOUS WOODPECKER
(Celeus brachyurus) [*]
LESSER YELLOWNAPE
(Picus chlorolophus) – We found a very cooperative bird at the
end of the road on Doi Chiang Dao, but it stuck to the tip
top of the pines.
CRIMSON-WINGED
WOODPECKER (Picus puniceus)
– This incredibly beautiful woodpecker
could have given us a little better view at Kaeng Krachan -
it was tough to really appreciate it up in its lofty perch
above the road.
GREATER YELLOWNAPE
(Picus flavinucha) – Great looks in the scope of a couple of
birds on the lower section of the Kaeng Krachan NP road.
LACED WOODPECKER
(Picus vittatus) – If you were in the right spot on the
trail at the right time, you scored a great view of this
responsive, but shy bird at Khao Yai. Why the heck are these
Asian woodpeckers so darned shy?!
BLACK-HEADED
WOODPECKER (Picus
erythropygius) – How lucky
was that to get one of these beautiful woodpeckers up in the
same tree with the Collared Falconets?
GRAY-FACED
WOODPECKER (Picus canus
hessei) – Great views in the
scopes of a couple of birds along the lower road at Kaeng
Krachan NP.
COMMON FLAMEBACK
(Dinopium javanense) – That first stop in the dry forest in
Kaeng Krachan on our second day in the park was a real
woodpecker bonanza! We had this one, the pair of Greater
Yellownapes, and a trio of Gray-faced Woodpeckers.
GREATER FLAMEBACK
(Chrysocolaptes lucidus) – Surprisingly few of this normally common
woodpecker.
BAMBOO WOODPECKER
(Gecinulus viridis) [*]
BAY WOODPECKER
(Blythipicus pyrrhotis) – Some folks may have gotten a very brief
perched view of this one (another shy Asian woodpecker!),
but most of us had to be satisfied with flight views.
BLACK-AND-BUFF
WOODPECKER (Meiglyptes
jugularis) – Here's a
woodpecker that really behaved for us, giving everyone fab
looks in the scopes.
HEART-SPOTTED
WOODPECKER (Hemicircus
canente) – Very
strange-looking, but incredibly endearing at the same time.
Eurylaimidae (Asian and Grauer's
Broadbills)
BLACK-AND-RED BROADBILL (Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos) – This bizarre bird seems to be highly tied
to forest streams. LONG-TAILED
BROADBILL (Psarisomus
dalhousiae) – Unbelievable
looks at a couple of close birds along the road in Kaeng
Krachan NP.
SILVER-BREASTED
BROADBILL (Serilophus lunatus)
– We waited until the last day to see
this one, and, even then, we just barely got it! Definitely
on the decline in the past ten years or so.
BANDED BROADBILL
(Eurylaimus javanicus) – Our first of the five strange broadbills
that we saw on the tour.
BLACK-AND-YELLOW
BROADBILL (Eurylaimus
ochromalus) – One of the most
exquisite birds in S.E. Asia as far as I'm concerned!
Pittidae (Pittas)
RUSTY-NAPED PITTA (Pitta oatesi) [*] BLUE PITTA
(Pitta cyanea) – Some got great looks, others not at all.
You really had to be looking through just the right hole to
see this skulker.
Acanthizidae (Thornbills and Allies)
GOLDEN-BELLIED GERYGONE (Gerygone sulphurea) – On our second run along the coast as we
headed to Bangkok. Prionopidae (Helmetshrikes and Allies)
LARGE WOODSHRIKE (Tephrodornis gularis) – Just a couple of these in the pines on
Doi Inthanon. Artamidae (Woodswallows)
ASHY WOODSWALLOW (Artamus fuscus) Aegithinidae (Ioras)
COMMON IORA (Aegithina tiphia) GREAT IORA
(Aegithina lafresnayei) – The larger of the two regular ioras on
this tour, we got a couple of good looks during the first
half of the trip.
Campephagidae (Cuckoo-shrikes)
LARGE CUCKOO-SHRIKE (Coracina macei) – Great looks right on the Myanmar border.
BLACK-WINGED
CUCKOO-SHRIKE (Coracina
melaschistos)
ROSY MINIVET
(Pericrocotus roseus) – A few female-plumaged birds showed
themselves well in the dry forest on the lower slopes of Doi
Inthanon. These winter visitors are usually in the company
of the next two species.
BROWN-RUMPED
MINIVET (Pericrocotus
cantonensis) – Just a couple
of these at Khao Yai very early on. Also called the
Swinhoe's Minivet.
ASHY MINIVET
(Pericrocotus divaricatus) – It was really a poor year for wintering
minivets, including this species.
SMALL MINIVET
(Pericrocotus cinnamomeus) – Great scope looks just before we saw our
only Savanna Nightjar near Doi Inthanon.
LONG-TAILED
MINIVET (Pericrocotus
ethologus) – It was
fascinating watching a pair of these building a nest in a
pine on Doi Chiang Dao. [N]
SHORT-BILLED
MINIVET (Pericrocotus
brevirostris) – More of a
broadleaf forest bird in the mountains than the Long-tailed
Minivet, which prefers the pine forest.
SCARLET MINIVET
(Pericrocotus flammeus) – The most widespread and common of the
many minivet species on this tour.
GRAY-CHINNED
MINIVET (Pericrocotus solaris)
– I'd never seen any of the minivets
nesting on this tour before, so seeing two species busy
constructing nests was a real thrill for me. [N]
BAR-WINGED
FLYCATCHER-SHRIKE (Hemipus
picatus) – At all of our
venues on this trip.
Pachycephalidae (Whistlers and Allies)
MANGROVE WHISTLER (Pachycephala cinerea) [*] Laniidae (Shrikes)
BROWN SHRIKE (Lanius cristatus) – Very widespread on this trip. BURMESE SHRIKE
(Lanius collurioides) – That immature bird near Khao Yai was
really an unexpected find and was the farthest south that
I've ever seen it.
LONG-TAILED SHRIKE
(Lanius schach)
GRAY-BACKED SHRIKE
(Lanius tephronotus) – More common than usual this year.
Vireonidae (Vireos)
BLYTH'S SHRIKE-BABBLER (Pteruthius aeralatus) – White-browed Shrike-Babbler was just
recently split into four and this one is the most widespread
of the four. BLACK-EARED
SHRIKE-BABBLER (Pteruthius
melanotis) – Just glimpsed by
a few folks on Doi Lang.
CLICKING
SHRIKE-BABBLER (Pteruthius
intermedius) – Another result
of a split. This is the mainland species and the other is
restricted to Java.
WHITE-BELLIED
ERPORNIS (Erpornis
zantholeuca) – This one went
on quite a taxonomic journey, going from it's traditional
spot among the yuhinas in the babbler family (it used to be
the White-bellied Yuhina) to the vireo family with the
recently moved shrike-babblers.
Oriolidae (Old World Orioles)
BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE (Oriolus chinensis) – Just in the south this year. This bird
might get split up sometime in the next couple of years, so
keep track of where you see them. SLENDER-BILLED
ORIOLE (Oriolus tenuirostris)
– A pine specialist, we had a few of
these orioles in the mountains of the northwest.
BLACK-HOODED
ORIOLE (Oriolus xanthornus)
– One of these widespread orioles
finally gave us a good look as we headed back to the vans.
MAROON ORIOLE
(Oriolus traillii) – Our best was on Doi Chiang Dao this year.
Dicruridae (Drongos)
BLACK DRONGO (Dicrurus macrocercus) ASHY DRONGO
(Dicrurus leucophaeus) – Including a few of the white-faced
migrant race D. l. leucogenis from China.
BRONZED DRONGO
(Dicrurus aeneus) – Mostly in the north this year.
LESSER
RACKET-TAILED DRONGO (Dicrurus
remifer) – This one is the
toughest drongo on the tour to get a look at.
HAIR-CRESTED
DRONGO (Dicrurus hottentottus)
– At all of the flowering trees -
nectar is a major food source at this season.
GREATER
RACKET-TAILED DRONGO (Dicrurus
paradiseus) – Common and
spectacular.
Rhipiduridae (Fantails)
WHITE-THROATED FANTAIL (Rhipidura albicollis) – Only in the north this year. PIED FANTAIL
(Rhipidura javanica)
Monarchidae (Monarch Flycatchers)
BLACK-NAPED MONARCH (Hypothymis azurea) – With nearly every small flock of forest
birds that we encountered. ASIAN
PARADISE-FLYCATCHER (Terpsiphone
paradisi) – Some in the group
got a very brief view of one bird with a mixed flock at
Kaeng Krachan. A much easier bird to see on the extension to
this tour.
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
CRESTED JAY (Platylophus galericulatus) – YESSS!!! I hadn't seen this stunning
corvid in many years at Kaeng Krachan, so it was a real
thrill to encounter a curious pair on a little side trail
one afternoon. I'm really glad to see that they're still
here! EURASIAN JAY
(Garrulus glandarius leucotis)
BLUE MAGPIE
(Urocissa erythrorhyncha) – A few folks in the group got a
tantalizing view of a small flock that flew across the
highway on our way back to Chiang Mai at the end of the
tour.
GREEN MAGPIE
(Cissa chinensis) – This shy bird put on a decent show along
the roadside in Khao Yai one morning, but not everyone got
on these striking corvids, unfortunately.
RUFOUS TREEPIE
(Dendrocitta vagabunda) – Easily seen this year on the grounds of
our Kaeng Krachan resort.
GRAY TREEPIE
(Dendrocitta formosae) – Those flowering Erythrina trees at
Angkhang really lured these corvids in for some good looks.
RACKET-TAILED
TREEPIE (Crypsirina temia)
– I'm glad everyone got a chance to see
the blue eyes!
RATCHET-TAILED
TREEPIE (Temnurus temnurus)
– YESSS!!! We found the right flock
that held a couple of these unique corvids, and we all came
away with great views! Someday, someone will have to collect
a couple of these birds on the Thai/Myanmar border and
describe what is undoubtedly a new subspecies.
LARGE-BILLED CROW
(Corvus macrorhynchos) – This crow is likely to be split up into
at least a few species sometime soon and, as far as I can
tell from the range descriptions, all of our birds were the
nominate C. m. macrorhynchos subspecies.
Alaudidae (Larks)
INDOCHINESE BUSHLARK (Mirafra erythrocephala) – Great views of a singing bird at our
resort grounds at Kaeng Krachan. ORIENTAL SKYLARK
(Alauda gulgula) – We lured one of these in for fantastic
looks near Chiang Mai.
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
BANK SWALLOW (Riparia riparia) BARN SWALLOW
(Hirundo rustica)
WIRE-TAILED
SWALLOW (Hirundo smithii)
– Great scope looks of this widespread
but local species near Chiang Mai.
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW
(Cecropis daurica) – The vast majority of the 'red-rumped'
swallows that we saw on this tour were this species.
STRIATED SWALLOW
(Cecropis striolata) – We found a few of these perched on the
wires on Doi Inthanon, giving us some great looks at some
key i.d. features.
ASIAN HOUSE-MARTIN
(Delichon dasypus) – Briefly for some at Kaeng Krachan. These
are usually much more common on this tour.
Stenostiridae (Fairy Flycatchers)
YELLOW-BELLIED FAIRY-FANTAIL (Chelidorhynx hypoxantha) – Extremely cute! This one was taken out of
the fantail family, where it had resided forever, and was
placed into a newly resurrected family called the Fairy
Flycatchers. GRAY-HEADED
CANARY-FLYCATCHER (Culicicapa
ceylonensis) – Very common
and widespread, if you know what to listen for.
Paridae (Chickadees and Tits)
GREAT TIT (JAPANESE) (Parus major nubicolus) – This is another species that will likely
soon be split into two or more species. Ours belongs to the
eastern "Japanese" (P. m. minor) sub-group. YELLOW-CHEEKED TIT
(Parus spilonotus) – We had some absolutely stunning views of
this gaudy species, especially up in the parking lot at the
Doi Inthanon summit.
YELLOW-BROWED TIT
(Sylviparus modestus) – Doi Lang is a great place to see this
aberrant tit.
SULTAN TIT
(Melanochlora sultanea) – Another stunner, we all had multiple
great views in both Khao Yai and at Kaeng Krachan.
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
CHESTNUT-BELLIED NUTHATCH (BURMESE)
(Sitta castanea neglecta) – There's been some serious talk of
splitting this polytypic species up into at least a couple
of birds. Two forms occur in Thailand, but their ranges in
the country are disjunct. Ours was this dry dipterocarp
forest type (I mistakenly had the other form on the
checklist). Great views! CHESTNUT-VENTED
NUTHATCH (Sitta nagaensis)
– Superficially similar to the Giant
Nuthatch, but this one is much smaller and sounds quite
different.
VELVET-FRONTED
NUTHATCH (Sitta frontalis)
– Great looks at this very
different-looking (for N. American birders) nuthatch.
GIANT NUTHATCH
(Sitta magna) – WOWWW!!! Fantastic looks on THREE
different days on this tour! I've never done that before!
Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
BROWN-THROATED TREECREEPER (HUME'S)
(Certhia discolor shanensis) – Another split in the works, so keep track
of 'em. Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls)
CRESTED FINCHBILL (Spizixos canifrons) – That single bird on Doi Lang was seen
incredibly well along the roadside. BLACK-HEADED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus atriceps)
STRIATED BULBUL
(Pycnonotus striatus) – Stunning scope views on Doi Angkhang at
very close range.
BLACK-CRESTED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus
flaviventris) – This species
was split into three, with the mainland s.e. Asian birds
retaining the name Black-crested Bulbul. The other two are
now island endemics in the Greater Sundas.
RED-WHISKERED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus jocosus)
– Essentially extirpated now in s.
Thailand due to the cage bird trade.
BROWN-BREASTED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus
xanthorrhous) – Sort of a
cross between the Red-whiskered and Sooty-headed bulbuls.
Easy on Doi Angkhang.
SOOTY-HEADED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus aurigaster)
STRIPE-THROATED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus finlaysoni)
– A couple of memorable looks in the
south.
FLAVESCENT BULBUL
(Pycnonotus flavescens) – Very common in the highlands of the n.w.
YELLOW-VENTED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus goiavier)
– In the Bangkok area only this year.
STREAK-EARED
BULBUL (Pycnonotus blanfordi)
– The common bulbul in the Bangkok
area.
PUFF-THROATED
BULBUL (Alophoixus pallidus)
– At Khao Yai NP and then again in the
n.w. in the foothill forest.
OCHRACEOUS BULBUL
(Alophoixus ochraceus) – This look-alike replaces the above
species in Kaeng Krachan and again on the extension.
GRAY-EYED BULBUL
(Iole propinqua) – The range of this one is essentially that
of the Puff-throated Bulbul.
BUFF-VENTED BULBUL
(Iole olivacea) – And the range of this one parallels that
of the Ochraceous Bulbul.
BLACK BULBUL
(Hypsipetes leucocephalus) – All of our birds this year were the
all-black form.
ASHY BULBUL
(Hemixos flavala) – We had at least three races of this
widespread bulbul on the tour – one in Khao Yai NP, one in
Kaeng Krachan NP, and another in the n.w. The birds in Khao
Yai and in the n.w. belong to the H. f. flavala subspecies
group, and the Kaeng Krachan birds to the H. f. cinereus
subspecies group.
ASHY BULBUL
(CINEREOUS) (Hemixos flavala
cinereus) – These birds that
we saw in Kaeng Krachan NP will likely be split out as
Cinereous Bulbul sometime soon.
MOUNTAIN BULBUL
(Ixos mcclellandii) – A common bird in the mountains of the
n.w., but not always that easy to see.
Pnoepygidae (Cupwings)
PYGMY CUPWING (Pnoepyga pusilla) – Formerly known as Pygmy Wren-Babbler and
now in a separate family altogether, along with the other
Pnoepygas. We enjoyed a fabulous looks at a responsive bird
on Doi Inthanon. Cettiidae (Bush-Warblers and Allies)
SLATY-BELLIED TESIA (Tesia olivea) – This furtive little thing is always a
pain to try and see, but we all came away with something
this year. YELLOW-BELLIED
WARBLER (Abroscopus
superciliaris) – Always in
the bamboo.
MOUNTAIN
TAILORBIRD (Phyllergates
cucullatus) – That bird up on
Doi Inthanon gave us uncharacteristically great views. It
was found fairly recently that this 'tailorbird' isn't
closely related at all to the other tailorbirds and that
it's much closer to the above Yellow-bellied Warbler than it
is to the Orthotomus tailorbirds.
ABERRANT
BUSH-WARBLER (Cettia
flavolivacea) – Tough to see
this shy bird working through the weeds up on Doi Angkhang.
Phylloscopidae (Leaf-Warblers)
DUSKY WARBLER (Phylloscopus fuscatus) – Unlike most of the other Phylloscopus
warblers that we saw, this species prefers to skulk in the
understory rather than work the foliage in the trees.
BUFF-THROATED
WARBLER (Phylloscopus
subaffinis) – Another
wintering Phylloscopus that shuns the trees for the weeds.
YELLOW-STREAKED
WARBLER (Phylloscopus
armandii) [*]
RADDE'S WARBLER
(Phylloscopus schwarzi) – A few of these wintering birds gave us
great views at Khao Yai NP.
BUFF-BARRED
WARBLER (Phylloscopus pulcher)
– These dull little leaf-warblers were
around in much reduced numbers this year up on the higher
mountains of the n.w.
ASHY-THROATED
WARBLER (Phylloscopus
maculipennis) – The summit of
Doi Inthanon is the only site for this tiny leaf-warbler on
this tour.
PALLAS'S
LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus
proregulus) – A few folks got
on this crisply-patterned wintering leaf-warbler along the
roadside on Doi Lang.
CHINESE
LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus
yunnanensis) – Further
scrutiny of the same little flock that held the above
Pallas's revealed one or two of these scarce wintering
leaf-warblers as well.
YELLOW-BROWED
WARBLER (Phylloscopus
inornatus) – Recorded
essentially every day of the tour. Easily the most common
and widespread of these confusing Phylloscopus warblers in
Thailand at this season.
HUME'S WARBLER
(Phylloscopus humei) – Very similar to the above Yellow-browed,
but that call is quite distinctive.
ARCTIC WARBLER
(Phylloscopus borealis) – One bird at Khao Yai was seen by most.
There's likely to be some splitting of Arctic Warbler
sometime soon, and I suspect that the bird we saw was the
nominate P. b. borealis subspecies group.
GREENISH WARBLER
(Phylloscopus trochiloides) – Only one of these was seen moderately
well along the lower road on Doi Lang on our last day in the
far north. There's a renewed call to split this from the
next form.
GREENISH WARBLER
(TWO-BARRED) (Phylloscopus
trochiloides plumbeitarsus) –
This was the common form that we saw and heard throughout
much of the tour until we got to the far n.w. near the end
of the trip.
PALE-LEGGED
LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus
tenellipes) – I think that
Gary was the only one with me when this one made an
appearance at Khao Yai. We sure did hear a bunch of them,
though.
BLYTH'S
LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus
reguloides assamensis) – This
was the singing bird that we found in the mountains of the
n.w. Blyth's was just recently split into three, and this is
the only one of the three that breeds in the country.
CLAUDIA'S
LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus
claudiae) – We spotted a few
of these wintering birds in with a few of the mixed flocks
that we found in the south.
DAVISON'S
LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus
davisoni) – This is what we
used to call the White-tailed Leaf-Warbler on this tour.
SULPHUR-BREASTED
WARBLER (Phylloscopus
ricketti) – We found a few
wintering birds with the insectivore flocks in Kaeng Krachan
NP.
PLAIN-TAILED
WARBLER (Seicercus soror)
– One along the roadside high in Kaeng
Krachan finally gave us a look after we had heard many more
earlier
MARTENS'S WARBLER
(Seicercus omeiensis) – I think that the stated distribution for
this one in the latest Clements update is wrong for this
one. I believe that this bird, which we called Omei
Spectacled Warbler for a while, is the one that sounds very
Wilson's Warbler-like and winters nearly throughout the
forested areas of Thailand south, at least, to the northern
peninsula (Kaeng Krachan NP). Most saw this one at our last
picnic lunch atop Doi Suthep outside of Chiang Mai.
BIANCHI'S WARBLER
(Seicercus valentini) [*]
CHESTNUT-CROWNED
WARBLER (Seicercus
castaniceps) – We enjoyed a
few really nice looks at this furtive species in the n.w.
Acrocephalidae (Reed-Warblers and Allies)
BLACK-BROWED REED-WARBLER (Acrocephalus bistrigiceps) – The Bangkok area is best for this one, it
seems. ORIENTAL
REED-WARBLER (Acrocephalus
orientalis) – Good looks on
our first afternoon of the tour.
THICK-BILLED
WARBLER (Acrocephalus aedon)
– Not much to look at, but we did
detect more than usual this year.
Locustellidae (Grassbirds and Allies)
LANCEOLATED WARBLER (Locustella lanceolata) – Man, I've never had a look at this one
like I did this year at our resort near Kaeng Krachan!
PALLAS'S
GRASSHOPPER-WARBLER (Locustella
certhiola) – Called
Rusty-rumped Warbler in the field guide.
STRIATED GRASSBIRD
(Megalurus palustris) – We've never had this species in the
marshes around Bangkok, so finding one at Rangsit was a big
surprise.
Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and Allies)
ZITTING CISTICOLA (Cisticola juncidis) GOLDEN-HEADED
CISTICOLA (Cisticola exilis)
COMMON TAILORBIRD
(Orthotomus sutorius)
DARK-NECKED
TAILORBIRD (Orthotomus
atrogularis) – A very common
forest bird in the south.
BROWN PRINIA
(Prinia polychroa) – This very local prinia gave us some great
looks along the roadside on our way to the fireback spot.
HILL PRINIA
(Prinia superciliaris) – Now split from the Black-throated Prinia
to the west.
RUFESCENT PRINIA
(Prinia rufescens) – In view at the same time as the Brown
Prinia above.
GRAY-BREASTED
PRINIA (Prinia hodgsonii)
– The best were near the bat cave near
Khao Yai NP.
YELLOW-BELLIED
PRINIA (Prinia flaviventris)
– Very common in the marshy habitats
around Bangkok.
PLAIN PRINIA
(Prinia inornata)
Sylviidae (Old World Warblers)
YELLOW-EYED BABBLER (Chrysomma sinense) – Formerly placed among the babblers in
Timaliidae, this and the parrotbills have all been merged
with the Sylviidae of the Old World – not very intuitive,
but I guess the molecular studies support the move. GRAY-HEADED
PARROTBILL (Paradoxornis
gularis) – We had no problem
with this one this year on Doi Inthanon.
SPOT-BREASTED
PARROTBILL (Paradoxornis
guttaticollis) – Getting this
one out into view for the group was like pulling teeth!
Zosteropidae (Yuhinas, White-eyes, and
Allies)
STRIATED YUHINA (Yuhina castaniceps) – I never would have thought that the
yuhinas and the white-eyes were that close, but I guess the
molecular studies say otherwise. Formerly placed among the
babblers. WHISKERED YUHINA
(Yuhina flavicollis) – This beautiful little yuhina gave us
great looks on Doi Lang.
CHESTNUT-FLANKED
WHITE-EYE (Zosterops
erythropleurus) – The most
abundant white-eye of the tour this year.
ORIENTAL WHITE-EYE
(Zosterops palpebrosus)
JAPANESE WHITE-EYE
(Zosterops japonicus)
EVERETT'S
WHITE-EYE (Zosterops everetti)
– A few of these were mixed in with the
insectivore flocks that we found high in Kaeng Krachan NP.
Pellorneidae (Fulvettas and Ground
Babblers)
BROWN-CHEEKED FULVETTA (Alcippe poioicephala) – Great views of this one at Kaeng Krachan
NP. GRAY-CHEEKED
FULVETTA (Alcippe morrisonia)
– Plentiful in all of the high
mountains of the n.w. It'll be hard to think of this bird
being in a family other than the babblers (Timaliidae).
COLLARED BABBLER
(Gampsorhynchus torquatus) – A very recent split from the White-hooded
Babbler (the name used in the field guide), but that one now
is restricted to the north and west of this one.
RUFOUS-WINGED
FULVETTA (Schoeniparus
castaneceps) – Some folks saw
this one bringing material to a nest under construction on
Doi Inthanon. [N]
ABBOTT'S BABBLER
(Malacocincla abbotti) – This nondescript babbler (or now
ground-babbler) was seen well at one of the campgrounds at
Khao Yai early in the trip.
BUFF-BREASTED
BABBLER (Pellorneum tickelli)
– This shy bird got up and out into
view for all of us, which is a little uncharacteristic.
SPOT-THROATED
BABBLER (Pellorneum
albiventre) – It was tough
trying to pin down that beautiful song in the dense
understory on the hillside above the road on Doi Angkhang.
PUFF-THROATED
BABBLER (Pellorneum ruficeps)
– We finally got a look of this one at
Kaeng Krachan NP after hearing many prior to that.
STREAKED
WREN-BABBLER (Napothera
brevicaudata) – It took some
work to try to see this skulker among the vine-covered
boulders outside our rooms on Doi Angkhang.
EYEBROWED
WREN-BABBLER (Napothera
epilepidota) – That was one
of the easiest Eyebrowed Wren-Babblers that I've ever gotten
on this tour!
LIMESTONE
WREN-BABBLER (Gypsophila
crispifrons calcicola) – This
was our first "babbler" of the tour just before our arrival
at Khao Yai. This race is endemic to a few locales in c.
Thailand and there's talk of splitting this one into three,
so keep track of 'em.
Leiothrichidae (Laughingthrushes)
WHITE-CRESTED LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax leucolophus) – Great looks at this handsome species
along the roadside at Khao Yai NP. LESSER NECKLACED
LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax
monileger) – We worked way
too hard for this one! They were easy again at the Kaeng
Krachan HQ grounds on our last morning in the south after an
absence there of a few years.
GREATER NECKLACED
LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax
pectoralis) – A few of these
very similar laughingthrushes were with the above Lessers at
the park headquarters.
WHITE-NECKED
LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax
strepitans) – Glimpsed at Doi
Inthanon only.
BLACK-THROATED
LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax
chinensis) – Nicely for most
folks at Khao Yai NP near the Silver Pheasant spot.
WHITE-BROWED
LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax
sannio) – Very good looks at
this shy species on Doi Angkhang. Not many of them around
this year, for some reason.
SILVER-EARED
LAUGHINGTHRUSH (Garrulax
melanostigma) – A recent
split from the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (the name in
the field guide). Great views on Doi Inthanon.
SILVER-EARED MESIA
(Leiothrix argentauris) – That big flock on Doi Angkhang was the
largest flock that I'd seen in Thailand in several years.
RUFOUS-BACKED
SIBIA (Heterophasia annectens)
– Not nearly as common as the next. I'm
not that sure many folks ever really 'nailed' this one on
the tour.
BLACK-BACKED SIBIA
(Heterophasia melanoleuca) – The better name for this one is probably
Dark-backed Sibia since the back is actually dark brown, and
not black. Great views on Doi Inthanon.
RED-FACED
LIOCICHLA (SCARLET-FACED) (Liocichla
phoenicea ripponi) –
Gorgeous!! We found a very responsive flock along the road
on Doi Angkhang and a little work gave us all memorable
looks.
SPECTACLED BARWING
(Actinodura ramsayi) – A couple of great encounters with this
snazzy species.
BLUE-WINGED MINLA
(Minla cyanouroptera) – We finally caught up with this one on Doi
Angkhang.
CHESTNUT-TAILED
MINLA (Minla strigula)
– Few of the 'babblers' on this tour
are as handsome, or confiding, as this species. Great views
on Doi Inthaon's summit.
Timaliidae (Babblers)
RUFOUS-FRONTED BABBLER (Stachyridopsis rufifrons) – We had an unusually good look at Kaeng
Krachan NP. GOLDEN BABBLER
(Stachyridopsis chrysaea) – This and the above sound almost identical
– but they sure look different.
PIN-STRIPED
TIT-BABBLER (Macronous
gularis) – The old Striped
Tit-Babbler (the name in the field guide) was just recently
split into two, with this one being the only form found on
the mainland.
CHESTNUT-CAPPED
BABBLER (Timalia pileata)
– We heard a lot more of these than we
saw.
GRAY-THROATED
BABBLER (Stachyris nigriceps)
– Great views on Doi Inthanon a couple
of times.
SPOT-NECKED
BABBLER (Stachyris striolata)
– A pair of these shy babblers
performed about as well as one could expect at Kaeng
Krachan. Beautiful!
RUSTY-CHEEKED
SCIMITAR-BABBLER (Pomatorhinus
erythrogenys) – Most got a
look at this one before it retreated to the weeds on Doi
Chiang Dao.
WHITE-BROWED
SCIMITAR-BABBLER (Pomatorhinus
schisticeps) – Wonderful
looks at Kaeng Krachan near the upper campground.
CORAL-BILLED
SCIMITAR-BABBLER (Pomatorhinus
ferruginosus) – A party of
these played hide-and-seek with us on Doi Lang near the army
checkpoint. This seems to be a really reliable site for
them.
Irenidae (Fairy-bluebirds)
ASIAN FAIRY-BLUEBIRD (Irena puella) – That blue color really looks fake, like
it's made out of plastic. Muscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers)
DARK-SIDED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa sibirica) – Also called the Siberian Flycatcher.
ASIAN BROWN
FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa
dauurica)
ORIENTAL
MAGPIE-ROBIN (Copsychus
saularis)
WHITE-RUMPED SHAMA
(Copsychus malabaricus) – Several good looks in the south at this
wonderful songster.
WHITE-GORGETED
FLYCATCHER (Anthipes
monileger) – How could you
see it any better than we did?
RUFOUS-BROWED
FLYCATCHER (Anthipes
solitaris) – A few people got
on one of these in the bamboo understory at Kaeng Krachan.
HAINAN
BLUE-FLYCATCHER (Cyornis
hainanus) – One of the more
common voices in the forest understory of Khao Yai &
Kaeng Krachan. We had a few really good looks, too.
PALE
BLUE-FLYCATCHER (Cyornis
unicolor) – We almost broke
our necks trying to get a look at this one over the road on
Doi Inthanon.
BLUE-THROATED
FLYCATCHER (BLUE-THROATED) (Cyornis
rubeculoides dialilaemus) –
Most folks got a gorgeous male next to the road in Kaeng
Krachan.
BLUE-THROATED
FLYCATCHER (CHINESE) (Cyornis
rubeculoides glaucicomans) –
I think everybody got this distinctive race of Blue-throated
Flycatcher (Chinese Blue-Flycatcher) along the stream at
Kaeng Krachan.
HILL
BLUE-FLYCATCHER (Cyornis
banyumas) – Certainly the
most widespread of the blue-flycatchers on the tour.
TICKELL'S
BLUE-FLYCATCHER (Cyornis
tickelliae) – We just barely
squeaked by with this one on the final morning of the tour.
LARGE NILTAVA
(Niltava grandis) – This was the ethereal 'three blind mice'
call in the highland broadleaf forests in the n.w.
mountains.
SMALL NILTAVA
(Niltava macgrigoriae) – It looks just like the above species, but
it's about half the size.
RUFOUS-BELLIED
NILTAVA (Niltava sundara)
– A female right where the Hume's
Pheasant had been was a lucky find.
VIVID NILTAVA
(Niltava vivida) – A male up on Doi Lang was a very
fortunate find. I'd thought that we'd miss it altogether
this year.
VERDITER
FLYCATCHER (Eumyias
thalassinus) – Very
widespread.
LESSER SHORTWING
(Brachypteryx leucophrys) – That single bird at Mr. Daeng's place on
Doi Inthanon obliged us on our second visit there. A very
difficult bird to detect if it's not singing.
WHITE-BROWED
SHORTWING (Brachypteryx
montana) – A male just under
the boardwalk in the bog behaved very nicely for us. It
seems like this widespread and variable species is ripe for
some splitting.
SIBERIAN BLUE
ROBIN (Larvivora cyane)
[*]
WHITE-BELLIED
REDSTART (Luscinia
phaenicuroides) [*]
BLUETHROAT
(Luscinia svecica)
BLUE
WHISTLING-THRUSH (Myophonus
caeruleus eugenei) – This one
is the yellow-billed breeding race.
BLUE
WHISTLING-THRUSH (Myophonus
caeruleus caeruleus) – This
is the black-billed wintering race breeding in China.
Another species that seems ripe for some splitting.
WHITE-CROWNED
FORKTAIL (Enicurus
leschenaulti) – Not the best
of looks at this one, but a few of us may have seen it
perched before it flew off into the forest.
BLACK-BACKED
FORKTAIL (Enicurus
immaculatus) – A second look
at the bridge got us the look we wanted. This pair was
absent from this stretch of river for several years before
they magically reappeared about six years ago.
SLATY-BACKED
FORKTAIL (Enicurus
schistaceus) – Fabulous looks
at the big waterfall in Doi Inthanon NP. If you've never
seen a forktail before this trip, you're now likely hooked
on them!
SIBERIAN
RUBYTHROAT (Calliope calliope)
– Nearly everyone got a look at this
one, but I think that Laura may have had the most memorable
encounter near Chiang Dao.
RED-FLANKED
BLUETAIL (Tarsiger cyanurus)
– Especially memorable was that close
female at the White-gorgeted Flycatcher spot on Doi Lang.
I'm assuming that the females that we saw were this species
and not the recently split Himalayan Bluetail - I don't
think that the female i.d. has been worked out yet.
LITTLE PIED
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula
westermanni) – Several fine
looks in the n.w. of this dapper little flycatcher.
TAIGA FLYCATCHER
(Ficedula albicilla) – A split from Red-throated Flycatcher,
replacing it to the east.
ULTRAMARINE
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula
superciliaris) – This was
likely the same female that we had here the year before.
RUFOUS-GORGETED
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula
strophiata) – One of the last
'lifers' before we headed off to the airport.
MUGIMAKI
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula mugimaki)
– That male at Khao Yai was absolutely
stunning!
SLATY-BACKED
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula
hodgsonii) – A male at our
final picnic on Doi Suthep was the first adult male of the
tour for most folks.
SLATY-BLUE
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula tricolor)
[*]
SAPPHIRE
FLYCATCHER (Ficedula sapphira)
– A single female bird gave us fits on
that narrow trail on the steep hillside on Doi Chiang Dao.
PLUMBEOUS REDSTART
(Phoenicurus fuliginosus) – Great views of this water-loving species
at Doi Inthanon NP.
WHITE-CAPPED
REDSTART (Phoenicurus
leucocephalus) – I thought
that we'd get this one at the same waterfall as the above
species, but we got it at a waterfall on the other side of
the mountain. Formerly called the River Chat.
DAURIAN REDSTART
(Phoenicurus auroreus) – A couple of these in the n.w. was two
more than we usually get on this trip.
CHESTNUT-BELLIED
ROCK-THRUSH (Monticola
rufiventris) – Neither of the
males on Doi Angkhang stuck around for good looks before
they split.
WHITE-THROATED
ROCK-THRUSH (Monticola
gularis) – This bird was far
more cooperative than the above species at Khao Yai.
BLUE ROCK-THRUSH
(Monticola solitarius) – A female in the flowering Erythrina at
the Limestone Wren-Babbler spot at the start of the tour was
the only one that we saw well.
STONECHAT
(SIBERIAN) (Saxicola torquatus
maurus) – A common open
country species on this tour.
PIED BUSHCHAT
(Saxicola caprata) – Ditto for this one, at least in the n.w.
GRAY BUSHCHAT
(Saxicola ferreus) – A pretty common edge bird on Doi Chiang
Dao and Doi Angkhang. Very shrike-like in appearance.
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
ORANGE-HEADED THRUSH (Zoothera citrina) – This was one of the bonus birds at the
Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo spot in Khao Yai NP. DARK-SIDED THRUSH
(Zoothera marginata) – One at the summit bog and another at Mr.
Daeng's gave everyone two chances to see this skulker.
GRAY-SIDED THRUSH
(Turdus feae) – We had the briefest of looks at the
summit bog on Doi Inthanon. This one has a pretty tiny world
range.
EYEBROWED THRUSH
(Turdus obscurus) – Good scope views at the end of the tour
on Doi Angkhang.
Sturnidae (Starlings)
GOLDEN-CRESTED MYNA (Ampeliceps coronatus) – They were a long way off, but they were
still quite distinctive in the scopes. COMMON HILL MYNA
(Gracula religiosa) – Most of our looks were at Khao Yai NP, as
is usual.
GREAT MYNA
(Acridotheres grandis) – I'll never get used to calling
White-vented Myna the Great Myna.
COMMON MYNA
(Acridotheres tristis)
VINOUS-BREASTED
STARLING (Acridotheres
burmannicus) – We saw the
same two birds fly by three separate times on the grounds of
our resort, but they never sat for us, darn it.
BLACK-COLLARED
STARLING (Gracupica
nigricollis) – The largest of
the starlings on this tour.
ASIAN PIED
STARLING (Gracupica contra)
CHESTNUT-TAILED
STARLING (Sturnia malabarica)
– That big flowering Bombax tree near
Mae Taeng usually hosts more of these birds than what we saw
there this year.
Chloropseidae (Leafbirds)
GREATER GREEN LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis sonnerati) – Nicely in Kaeng Krachan NP. This is close
to the n. limit for this species. BLUE-WINGED
LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis
cochinchinensis) – The most
widespread of our four leafbird species.
GOLDEN-FRONTED
LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis
aurifrons) – This was our
first leafbird of the trip at the Limestone Wren-Babbler
spot.
ORANGE-BELLIED
LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis
hardwickii) – This one
usually occurs at much higher elevations than the others in
Thailand.
Dicaeidae (Flowerpeckers)
THICK-BILLED FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum agile) – Most folks caught up with this one on Doi
Chiang Dao. YELLOW-VENTED
FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum
chrysorrheum) – One of these
near our rooms at Doi Inthanon delayed our last lunch there
a little, but most folks finally caught up with it.
PLAIN FLOWERPECKER
(Dicaeum minullum) – Split from the Nilgiri Flowerpecker in
India.
FIRE-BREASTED
FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum
ignipectum ignipectum) – This
nominate race on Doi Inthanon really does have that 'fire'
on the breast, unlike the birds in Khao Yai.
FIRE-BREASTED
FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum
ignipectum cambodianum) –
Sometimes split out and called Buff-bellied Flowerpecker.
SCARLET-BACKED
FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum
cruentatum)
Nectariniidae (Sunbirds and Spiderhunters)
RUBY-CHEEKED SUNBIRD (Chalcoparia singalensis) – This warbler-like sunbird was seen a
couple of times in the parks of the south, but maybe not to
everyone's satisfaction. PLAIN-THROATED
SUNBIRD (Anthreptes
malacensis) – Also called the
Brown-throated Sunbird, the best was probably at the Kaeng
Krachan HQ rounds.
PURPLE SUNBIRD
(Cinnyris asiaticus) – Plenty of these in the flowering trees
near our accommodations at Doi Inthanon.
OLIVE-BACKED
SUNBIRD (Cinnyris jugularis)
GOULD'S SUNBIRD
(Aethopyga gouldiae) – Plenty of these stunners up in the
mountains of the n.w., but, oddly, very few this year on Doi
Lang where we typically see dozens of them.
GREEN-TAILED
SUNBIRD (Aethopyga nipalensis)
– There were only a couple of full
adult males on Doi Inthanon this year. We typically see many
more than that.
BLACK-THROATED
SUNBIRD (Aethopyga saturata)
– This was the most common and
widespread of the Aethopyga sunbirds that we saw this year.
EASTERN CRIMSON
SUNBIRD (Aethopyga siparaja)
– Only one pair? A surprisingly low
number this year, for some unknown reason.
LITTLE
SPIDERHUNTER (Arachnothera
longirostra) – Recent work
shows that this species will almost certainly be split into
several species. Ours was the nominate subspecies and most
of the split candidates are insular forms.
STREAKED
SPIDERHUNTER (Arachnothera
magna) – Really a handsome
species if seen well.
Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla tschutschensis) – All of our birds appeared to be the
gray-crowned subspecies M. t. macronyx, though I thought
that I did see a dull-colored M. t. taivana at Rangsit
(Clements assigns that race to Western Yellow Wagtail, but
other authors don't). CITRINE WAGTAIL
(Motacilla citreola) – Hardly worth looking in the scope at this
one since it was so darned far away near Tha Ton.
GRAY WAGTAIL
(Motacilla cinerea) – This is usually the only one that you see
on mountain/forest roads and along streams inside forest. A
much longer-tailed bird that the Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
WHITE WAGTAIL
(OCULARIS) (Motacilla alba
ocularis) – At least one of
these was seen well at the little dam at Mae Taeng.
WHITE WAGTAIL
(CHINESE) (Motacilla alba
leucopsis) – All of the rest
of our White Wagtails were this black-backed race.
RICHARD'S PIPIT
(Anthus richardi) – Nicely right on the shoulder of the road
in Khao Yai NP.
ORIENTAL PIPIT
(Anthus rufulus) – Also called the Paddyfield Pipit.
OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT
(Anthus hodgsoni) – I always see this one at the edge of
light forest or just walking around on the ground beneath
pine trees. When they flush, they invariably fly up into the
trees. I have never seen them in fields with other pipits.
FOREST WAGTAIL
(Dendronanthus indicus) – A couple of these near the Kaeng Krachan
HQ grounds were a surprise.
Emberizidae (Buntings, Sparrows and
Allies)
LITTLE BUNTING (Emberiza pusilla) – Good looks in the weedy growth on Doi
Angkhang. CHESTNUT BUNTING
(Emberiza rutila) – Most of us had very good looks of a
couple of female-plumaged birds in the weedy growth on Doi
Chiang Dao.
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and
Allies)
COMMON ROSEFINCH (Carpodacus erythrinus) – When you find these wintering in
Thailand, they're usually found in some flowering tree like
an Erythrina. BLACK-HEADED
GREENFINCH (Chloris ambigua)
[*]
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus indicus) – At our lunch spot along the coast. No
one's really sure where these coastal birds came from.
PLAIN-BACKED
SPARROW (Passer flaveolus)
– Good views on that first afternoon in
Bangkok.
EURASIAN TREE
SPARROW (Passer montanus)
Ploceidae (Weavers and Allies)
BAYA WEAVER (Ploceus philippinus) – These aren't much to look at at this
season, looking more like a female House Sparrow than
anything else. ASIAN GOLDEN
WEAVER (Ploceus hypoxanthus)
– Our best looks at this uncommon
species were at Rangsit.
Estrildidae (Waxbills and Allies)
RED AVADAVAT (Amandava amandava) – I rarely get to see any adult males, so
the bird with all of the female-plumaged birds at Rangsit
was quite a treat. PIN-TAILED
PARROTFINCH (Erythrura
prasina) – One of these
rocketed out of the bamboo near the upper campground at
Kaeng Krachan NP, but it wasn't much of a look.
WHITE-RUMPED MUNIA
(Lonchura striata) – A few flocks here and there. Never as
common as the next species on this tour.
NUTMEG MANNIKIN
(Lonchura punctulata) – Also called the Scaly-breasted Munia.
CHESTNUT MUNIA
(Lonchura atricapilla) – Nice views for most at Rangsit.
MAMMALS
WRINKLE-LIPPED BAT
(Tadarida [Chaerephon] plicata) – What a thrill to see these stream out of
the cave at sundown!
COMMON TREESHREW
(Tupaia glis) – The individual that some saw at Doi
Inthanon NP is sometimes split by mammal taxonomists as the
Northern Treeshrew. The one that we heard near Khao Yai on
Day 3 was the southern form that would be know as Common
Treeshrew. Both are very squirrel-like in appearance, except
for that long snout.
CRAB-EATING
MACAQUE (Macaca fascigularis)
– Also know as the Long-tailed Macaque.
Lots on the streets of Phetchaburi and a few elsewhere.
PIGTAIL MACAQUE
(Macaca nemestrina) – Very common and a real nuisance at Khao
Yai NP, thanks to all of the visitors who feed them.
BANDED LEAF MONKEY
(Presbytis melalophos) [*]
DUSKY LEAF MONKEY
(Presbytis obscura) – Great looks at Kaeng Krachan NP,
including a bright orange newborn at the lower campground.
PILEATED GIBBON
(Hylobates pileatus) [*]
WHITE-HANDED
GIBBON (Hylobates lar)
– We often have to really work to get a
look at these, but we had no trouble this year in Khao Yai
and at Kaeng Krachan.
BLACK GIANT
SQUIRREL (Ratufa bicolor)
– Your first impression is that you've
seen a medium-sized black and white monkey climbing up in a
tree. Then you realize your mistake when you get a better
look at it and see that it's the biggest squirrel that
you've ever seen!
FINLAYSON'S
SQUIRREL (Callosciurus
finlaysoni) – This is what
Uthai and I were calling the Variable Squirrel.
GRAY-BELLIED
SQUIRREL (Callosciurus
caniceps) – Very widespread
and highly variable, but always with a gray belly and a
black tail tip.
HIMALAYAN STRIPED
SQUIRREL (Tamiops
macclellandi) – Some split
this one and call it the Western Striped Squirrel. Very
chipmunk-like in its appearance.
INDOCHINESE GROUND
SQUIRREL (Menetes berdmorei)
– I think that the old mammal lists
called this one Berdmore's Palm Squirrel.
ASIAN RED-CHEEKED
SQUIRREL (Dremomys rufigenis)
[*]
YELLOW-THROATED
MARTEN (Martes flavigula)
– Great views of a pair of these
mustelids at the checkpoint high in Khao Yai NP.
BINTURONG (Arctictis binturong) – WOWWWW!!!! Not one of these strange,
scarce arboreal civet relatives, but TWO! The 2nd animal
that we saw at Kaeng Krachan was, I guess, a more typical
sighting where it's spotted in a fig tree with ripe fruit up
in the canopy.
SMALL ASIAN
MONGOOSE (Herpestes javanicus)
– A single animal out in the
agricultural fields at Tha Ton was right where we saw one
the year before. Also called Javan Mongoose.
INDIAN ELEPHANT
(Elephas maximus) – I've only seen elephants a couple of
times in my 16 years of doing this tour, so getting great
looks at two different animals in two different parks (Khao
Yai & Kaeng Krachan) was really a thrill!
MUNTJAC (BARKING
DEER) (Muntiacus muntjak)
– Excellent views of this small deer at
Khao Yai.
SAMBAR (Cervus unicolor) – Much larger than the above, and the looks
were great as well at Khao Yai.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Totals for the tour: 473 bird taxa and 20 mammal taxa