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Previous tours have never had a Mangrove Pitta quite so confiding as the one we saw at Phang Nga! (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
We left the cooler, drier climes of the mountains of northwestern Thailand after the main tour and transported ourselves to the warm and steamy peninsula for this post-tour extension, landing at Nakhon Si Thammarat on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula before driving to our first nearby venue -- the Krung Ching sector of expansive Khao Luang NP. We actually ran into a bit of rain on that first day, but it didn't stick around for long. We were greeted by a new avifauna here, and we jumped into it enthusiastically!
There was certainly no shortage of new birds, and we soon tallied the likes of Wallace's Hawk-Eagle, Black-bellied and Raffle's malkohas, Silver-rumped Needletail, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Banded and Rufous-collared kingfishers, Brown, Gold-whiskered, and Red-throated barbets, Banded Woodpecker, Black-thighed Falconet, Green Broadbill, Green Iora, Lesser Cuckooshrike, Dark-throated Oriole, Scaly-breasted Bulbul, Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler, Gray-headed Babbler, Greater Green and Lesser Green leafbirds, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker, and Spectacled and Gray-breasted spiderhunters. We even found, with a bit of help from the park guard, a nesting Javan Frogmouth near the park entrance! This was, by far, the best forest habitat that we birded on this short extension, and I was a little sad that we had to leave this beautiful site after a couple of days of birding.
But more awaited us at our next venues. The Krabi mangroves produced, as usual, great views of Brown-winged Kingfisher and the Malay Peninsula endemic Rufous-bellied Swallow, but our best birds awaited us at Khao Nor Chuchi. How could we go wrong by starting out our stay here with a close female Malayan Banded-Pitta? Our day with local expert guide Yotin was only getting started, and we added many more great birds to our list as we went along the many side roads and trails: Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, Red-crowned Barbet, Rufous-winged Philentoma, Puff-backed, Cream-vented, Red-eyed, Spectacled, and Hairy-backed bulbuls, Eastern Crowned Leaf-Warbler, Chestnut-winged, Black-throated, Chestnut-rumped, Moustached, and Rufous-crowned babblers, and Plain and Van Hasselt's sunbirds were among those recorded on our full day at this site. But it was the nightbirds that stole the show during our short stay! Daytime views of spectaculars like Barred Eagle-Owl, both Spotted and Brown wood-owls, and even a day-roosting Gould's Frogmouth were absolutely thrilling. And after the sun fell, we added to our tally with Oriental Bay-Owl and a close Large-tailed Nightjar.
While our boat trip to the Similans didn't produce the Nicobar Pigeon as we had hoped (they were apparently off on another island nesting in late March), we did find some very exciting birds there at the start of the spring migration. A few Korean (Yellow-rumped) Flycatchers, including at least two stunning males, were a surprise, but not as surprising as the adult male Siberian Thrush we saw! I've only seen a few of these ever in Asia, and this one was my first for Thailand. Other migrants included both Arctic Warbler and Pale-legged Leaf-Warbler, and several dapper Blue-and-white Flycatchers. Add those to the "regulars" like Green and Pied imperial-pigeons and White-bellied Sea-Eagle, and our visit was certainly worth the effort. And let's not forget that incredible Mangrove Pitta that we enjoyed on our way to the boat dock from Krabi -- UNBELIEVABLE!
Thanks to Wat and crew, our short trip to the south was quite comfortable and ran like clockwork. I can't imaging trying to pull off a Thailand trip without them! And thanks to you for joining me on this short sojourn to the Peninsula. I hope we can do it again somewhere else some time soon!
--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
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
Owls played a very prominent role on this extension this year. This adult Barred Eagle-Owl stood guard while a recently fledged juvenile roosted nearby. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
LITTLE CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax niger) Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
INTERMEDIATE EGRET (Mesophoyx intermedia)
LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)
PACIFIC REEF-HERON (Egretta sacra)
CATTLE EGRET (ASIAN) (Bubulcus ibis coromandus)
CHINESE POND-HERON (Ardeola bacchus)
JAVAN POND-HERON (Ardeola speciosa)
STRIATED HERON (Butorides striata)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
ORIENTAL HONEY-BUZZARD (Pernis ptilorhynchus)
CRESTED SERPENT-EAGLE (Spilornis cheela)
BLYTH'S HAWK-EAGLE (Nisaetus alboniger)
WALLACE'S HAWK-EAGLE (Nisaetus nanus)
CRESTED GOSHAWK (Accipiter trivirgatus)
BRAHMINY KITE (Haliastur indus)
WHITE-BELLIED SEA-EAGLE (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN (Amaurornis phoenicurus) [*]
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)
PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER (Pluvialis fulva)
RIVER LAPWING (Vanellus duvaucelii)
LESSER SAND-PLOVER (Charadrius mongolus)
GREATER SAND-PLOVER (Charadrius leschenaultii)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
TEREK SANDPIPER (Xenus cinereus)
COMMON SANDPIPER (Actitis hypoleucos)
GREEN SANDPIPER (Tringa ochropus)
One of the big draws at Krabi on the peninsula is this huge Brown-winged Kingfisher, who makes his home among the mangroves right in town. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
GRAY-TAILED TATTLER (Tringa brevipes) COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)
WOOD SANDPIPER (Tringa glareola)
WHIMBREL (SIBERIAN) (Numenius phaeopus variegatus)
BAR-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa lapponica)
RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)
RED-NECKED STINT (Calidris ruficollis)
SANDERLING (Calidris alba)
Glareolidae (Pratincoles and Coursers)
ORIENTAL PRATINCOLE (Glareola maldivarum)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LITTLE TERN (Sternula albifrons)
COMMON TERN (Sterna hirundo)
LESSER CRESTED TERN (Thalasseus bengalensis)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
SPOTTED DOVE (Streptopelia chinensis)
EMERALD DOVE (Chalcophaps indica)
ZEBRA DOVE (Geopelia striata)
THICK-BILLED PIGEON (Treron curvirostra)
GREEN IMPERIAL-PIGEON (Ducula aenea)
PIED IMPERIAL-PIGEON (Ducula bicolor)
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
INDIAN CUCKOO (Cuculus micropterus) [*]
BANDED BAY CUCKOO (Cacomantis sonneratii) [*]
PLAINTIVE CUCKOO (Cacomantis merulinus) [*]
VIOLET CUCKOO (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus)
SQUARE-TAILED DRONGO-CUCKOO (Surniculus lugubris)
ASIAN KOEL (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
BLACK-BELLIED MALKOHA (Phaenicophaeus diardi)
RAFFLES'S MALKOHA (Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus)
CHESTNUT-BREASTED MALKOHA (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris)
Red-crowned Barbet is quickly losing ground to the rapid clearing of lowland forest in S.E. Asia, but a few, like this one, are hanging for now on at Khao Nor Chuchi. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
GREATER COUCAL (Centropus sinensis) Tytonidae (Barn-Owls)
ORIENTAL BAY-OWL (Phodilus badius)
Strigidae (Owls)
BARRED EAGLE-OWL (Bubo sumatranus)
SPOTTED WOOD-OWL (Strix seloputo)
BROWN WOOD-OWL (Strix leptogrammica)
BROWN BOOBOOK (Ninox scutulata) [*]
Podargidae (Frogmouths)
GOULD'S FROGMOUTH (Batrachostomus stellatus)
JAVAN FROGMOUTH (BLYTH'S) (Batrachostomus javensis continentalis) [N]
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
LARGE-TAILED NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus macrurus)
Apodidae (Swifts)
SILVER-RUMPED NEEDLETAIL (Rhaphidura leucopygialis)
GERMAIN'S SWIFTLET (Aerodramus germani)
HOUSE SWIFT (Apus nipalensis)
ASIAN PALM-SWIFT (Cypsiurus balasiensis)
Hemiprocnidae (Treeswifts)
GRAY-RUMPED TREESWIFT (Hemiprocne longipennis)
Trogonidae (Trogons)
SCARLET-RUMPED TROGON (Harpactes duvaucelii)
ORANGE-BREASTED TROGON (Harpactes oreskios)
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
COMMON KINGFISHER (Alcedo atthis)
BANDED KINGFISHER (Lacedo pulchella)
BROWN-WINGED KINGFISHER (Pelargopsis amauroptera)
RUDDY KINGFISHER (Halcyon coromanda) [*]
This juvenile Spotted Wood-Owl sports the distinctive buffy facial disk characteristic of this species. Few birds indeed occupy the extensive oil palm plantations in the Khao Nor Chuchi area, but the big owls are finding plenty of rodent food to make a living. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER (Halcyon smyrnensis) BLACK-CAPPED KINGFISHER (Halcyon pileata)
COLLARED KINGFISHER (Todiramphus chloris)
RUFOUS-COLLARED KINGFISHER (Actenoides concretus)
Meropidae (Bee-eaters)
RED-BEARDED BEE-EATER (Nyctyornis amictus)
Coraciidae (Rollers)
DOLLARBIRD (Eurystomus orientalis)
Bucerotidae (Hornbills)
BLACK HORNBILL (Anthracoceros malayanus) [*]
WHITE-CROWNED HORNBILL (Aceros comatus) [*]
WREATHED HORNBILL (Aceros undulatus)
Megalaimidae (Asian Barbets)
BROWN BARBET (Calorhamphus fuliginosus)
GOLD-WHISKERED BARBET (Megalaima chrysopogon)
RED-CROWNED BARBET (Megalaima rafflesii)
RED-THROATED BARBET (Megalaima mystacophanos)
BLUE-EARED BARBET (Megalaima australis)
COPPERSMITH BARBET (Megalaima haemacephala) [*]
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
BANDED WOODPECKER (Picus miniaceus)
BUFF-RUMPED WOODPECKER (Meiglyptes tristis)
GRAY-AND-BUFF WOODPECKER (Hemicircus concretus)
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
BLACK-THIGHED FALCONET (Microhierax fringillarius)
Psittacidae (Parrots)
VERNAL HANGING-PARROT (Loriculus vernalis)
Calyptomenidae (African and Green Broadbills)
GREEN BROADBILL (Calyptomena viridis)
Eurylaimidae (Asian and Grauer's Broadbills)
BANDED BROADBILL (Eurylaimus javanicus) [*]
This was a terrific trip for frogmouths, with Hodgson's on the main tour and both Gould's and this Javan (Blyth's) Frogmouth -- on a nest no less -- on the extension. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
BLACK-AND-YELLOW BROADBILL (Eurylaimus ochromalus) Pittidae (Pittas)
MALAYAN BANDED-PITTA (Pitta irena)
MANGROVE PITTA (Pitta megarhyncha)
Vangidae (Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies)
BAR-WINGED FLYCATCHER-SHRIKE (Hemipus picatus)
RUFOUS-WINGED PHILENTOMA (Philentoma pyrhoptera)
Aegithinidae (Ioras)
COMMON IORA (Aegithina tiphia)
GREEN IORA (Aegithina viridissima)
GREAT IORA (Aegithina lafresnayei)
Campephagidae (Cuckooshrikes)
SCARLET MINIVET (Pericrocotus speciosus)
LESSER CUCKOOSHRIKE (Lalage fimbriata)
Laniidae (Shrikes)
BROWN SHRIKE (Lanius cristatus)
Oriolidae (Old World Orioles)
DARK-THROATED ORIOLE (Oriolus xanthonotus)
Dicruridae (Drongos)
ASHY DRONGO (Dicrurus leucophaeus)
CROW-BILLED DRONGO (Dicrurus annectans) [*]
BRONZED DRONGO (Dicrurus aeneus)
GREATER RACKET-TAILED DRONGO (Dicrurus paradiseus)
Monarchidae (Monarch Flycatchers)
BLACK-NAPED MONARCH (Hypothymis azurea)
ASIAN PARADISE-FLYCATCHER (Terpsiphone paradisi)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
CRESTED JAY (Platylophus galericulatus)
LARGE-BILLED CROW (LARGE-BILLED) (Corvus macrorhynchos macrorhynchos)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
PACIFIC SWALLOW (Hirundo tahitica javanica)
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW (Cecropis daurica)
We had quite the close encounter with this Rufous-collared Kingfisher at Krung Ching! This site seems to be quite reliable for this shy and retiring forest species. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
RUFOUS-BELLIED SWALLOW (Cecropis badia) Sittidae (Nuthatches)
VELVET-FRONTED NUTHATCH (Sitta frontalis)
Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls)
PUFF-BACKED BULBUL (Pycnonotus eutilotus)
BLACK-HEADED BULBUL (Pycnonotus atriceps)
BLACK-CRESTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus flaviventris)
SCALY-BREASTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus squamatus)
STRIPE-THROATED BULBUL (Pycnonotus finlaysoni)
OLIVE-WINGED BULBUL (Pycnonotus plumosus)
CREAM-VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus simplex)
RED-EYED BULBUL (Pycnonotus brunneus)
SPECTACLED BULBUL (Pycnonotus erythropthalmos)
HAIRY-BACKED BULBUL (Tricholestes criniger)
OCHRACEOUS BULBUL (Alophoixus ochraceus)
GRAY-CHEEKED BULBUL (Alophoixus bres)
BUFF-VENTED BULBUL (Iole olivacea)
STREAKED BULBUL (Ixos malaccensis)
Cettiidae (Bush-Warblers and Allies)
YELLOW-BELLIED WARBLER (Abroscopus superciliaris)
Phylloscopidae (Leaf-Warblers)
YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER (Phylloscopus inornatus) [*]
ARCTIC WARBLER (Phylloscopus borealis)
PALE-LEGGED LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus tenellipes)
EASTERN CROWNED LEAF-WARBLER (Phylloscopus coronatus)
Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and Allies)
COMMON TAILORBIRD (Orthotomus sutorius) [*]
DARK-NECKED TAILORBIRD (Orthotomus atrogularis)
RUFOUS-TAILED TAILORBIRD (Orthotomus sericeus)
Timaliidae (Tree-Babblers, Scimitar-Babblers, and Allies)
Babblers area one of my favorite families (well, multiple families now), and there are none fancier on this extension than this lovely Black-throated Babbler at Khao Nor Chuchi. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
PIN-STRIPED TIT-BABBLER (Mixornis gularis) FLUFFY-BACKED TIT-BABBLER (Macronus ptilosus)
CHESTNUT-WINGED BABBLER (Cyanoderma erythropterum)
BLACK-THROATED BABBLER (Stachyris nigricollis)
CHESTNUT-RUMPED BABBLER (Stachyris maculata)
GRAY-THROATED BABBLER (Stachyris nigriceps)
GRAY-HEADED BABBLER (Stachyris poliocephala)
Pellorneidae (Ground Babblers and Allies)
MOUSTACHED BABBLER (Malacopteron magnirostre)
RUFOUS-CROWNED BABBLER (Malacopteron magnum)
PUFF-THROATED BABBLER (Pellorneum ruficeps)
BLACK-CAPPED BABBLER (Pellorneum capistratum) [*]
WHITE-CHESTED BABBLER (Pellorneum rostratum) [*]
ABBOTT'S BABBLER (Turdinus abbotti) [*]
Irenidae (Fairy-bluebirds)
ASIAN FAIRY-BLUEBIRD (Irena puella)
Muscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers)
ASIAN BROWN FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa latirostris)
ORIENTAL MAGPIE-ROBIN (Copsychus saularis)
WHITE-RUMPED SHAMA (Copsychus malabaricus)
BLUE-THROATED FLYCATCHER (CHINESE) (Cyornis rubeculoides glaucicomans)
TICKELL'S BLUE-FLYCATCHER (Cyornis tickelliae) [*]
FULVOUS-CHESTED JUNGLE-FLYCATCHER (Cyornis olivaceus) [*]
BLUE-AND-WHITE FLYCATCHER (Cyanoptila cyanomelana)
SIBERIAN BLUE ROBIN (Larvivora cyane)
KOREAN FLYCATCHER (Ficedula zanthopygia)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
SIBERIAN THRUSH (Geokichla sibirica)
SCALY THRUSH (SCALY) (Zoothera dauma hancii)
Sturnidae (Starlings)
Yet another daytime owl experience involved this curious adult Brown Wood-Owl in the shrinking forest habitat at Khao Nor Chuchi. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)
ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING (Aplonis panayensis) COMMON HILL MYNA (Gracula religiosa)
COMMON MYNA (Acridotheres tristis)
Chloropseidae (Leafbirds)
GREATER GREEN LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis sonnerati)
LESSER GREEN LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis cyanopogon)
BLUE-WINGED LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis cochinchinensis)
Dicaeidae (Flowerpeckers)
YELLOW-BREASTED FLOWERPECKER (Prionochilus maculatus) [*]
CRIMSON-BREASTED FLOWERPECKER (Prionochilus percussus)
THICK-BILLED FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum agile)
YELLOW-VENTED FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum chrysorrheum)
ORANGE-BELLIED FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum trigonostigma)
SCARLET-BACKED FLOWERPECKER (Dicaeum cruentatum)
Nectariniidae (Sunbirds and Spiderhunters)
PLAIN SUNBIRD (Anthreptes simplex) [N]
PLAIN-THROATED SUNBIRD (Anthreptes malacensis)
VAN HASSELT'S SUNBIRD (Leptocoma brasiliana)
CRIMSON SUNBIRD (Aethopyga siparaja)
LITTLE SPIDERHUNTER (Arachnothera longirostra)
PURPLE-NAPED SPIDERHUNTER (Arachnothera hypogrammicum)
SPECTACLED SPIDERHUNTER (Arachnothera flavigaster)
GRAY-BREASTED SPIDERHUNTER (Arachnothera modesta)
Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
ORIENTAL PIPIT (Anthus rufulus)
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus)
Estrildidae (Waxbills and Allies)
NUTMEG MANNIKIN (Lonchura punctulata)
VARIABLE FLYING FOX (Pteropus hypomelanus)
COMMON TREESHREW (Tupaia glis)
SLOW LORIS (Nycticebus cougang)
CRAB-EATING MACAQUE (Macaca fascigularis)
WHITE-HANDED GIBBON (Hylobates lar) [*]
BLACK GIANT SQUIRREL (Ratufa bicolor)
GRAY-BELLIED SQUIRREL (Callosciurus caniceps)
PLANTAIN SQUIRREL (Callosciurus notatus)
LOWE'S SQUIRREL (Sundasciurus lowii)
HIMALAYAN STRIPED SQUIRREL (Tamiops macclellandi) [*]
INDOCHINESE GROUND SQUIRREL (Menetes berdmorei)
MASKED PALM CIVET (Paguma larvata)
Totals for the tour: 190 bird taxa and 12 mammal taxa