18 May 2009

     Trip to Phang-Nga, Nhakornsrithamarat and Krabi 8 days 7 night with Mr. Dave Sargeant, a very experienced world birder.

Dave had traveled down from Pai in Northern Thailand for a week’s birding with myself and Ian in our favorites Southern locations.

Day 1 : 26 June 2009 in Phang-Nga

     We left Phuket in Dave’s car for Sri Phang-Nga National Park, getting there around midday. We started birding straight away and heard Black-and-Yellow Broadbills even as we were getting out of the car, on the way to the HQ for lunch we also picked up Hooded Pitta and Green Broadbill.

     We met a Thai birder we had bumped into a couple of weeks before in Krung Ching NP so he joined us for the rest of the day. Along the trail to the waterfall we got Checker-throated Woodpecker and Black-capped Babbler. On the way back we saw a Reticulated Python and a Clouded Monitor Lizard.

     We stayed around at dusk to look for Frogmouths, we didn’t have any luck but we did get to see a beautiful Slender Toed Gecko on the road. We then headed off to the Baan Khun Ta Resort not far from the Park. A basic but clean hotel but with no restaurant. We had to drive about 20 km to find a restaurant with food and beer.

Day 2 : 27 June 2009 in Phang-Nga

     We left the resort at 6 am to breakfast at the open area at the HQ in the hope of seeing some hornbills. Soon after arriving we heard some Great Hornbills and while looking for them spotted three Wreathed Hornbills on the same hillside.

     It was a day of patchy rain and few birds. After a quiet morning we went to Laem Pakarang to see what shore birds were around this time of year. Very few, we only saw Pacific Reef Egret, Little Tern and Whimbrel.

     The afternoon session back at Sri Phang-Nga was a little better with sightings of Rufous-bellied Eagle, Grey-and-Buff Woodpecker, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Plain Sunbird and Violet Cuckoo.

Day 3 : 28 June 2009 in Phang-Nga and Krung Ching National Park

     Another very quiet morning at Sri Phang-Nga, Grey-bellied Bulbul being the only bird of note. The weather was still bad as we headed of to Khao Luang Krung Ching NP, a four hour drive. On our way in we picked up some mealworms to bait the forktails with.

     Dave and Ian went birding on the main trail to Krung Ching Waterfall but I decided to sit in the hide and try to get some photos of White-crowned Foktails but had no luck, only getting good views of a Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel.

     The guys came back with good news, they’d seen White-crowned Forktail, Black Hornbill and a flock of Sultan Tits.

    We’d also seen some good mammals today including Dusky Langur, Malaysian Weasel and Plantian Squirrel.

     As usual we stayed at the basic but very friendly Krung Ching Garden Resort.

Day 4 : 29 June 2009 KRC

     After an early rise we walked the main waterfall trail again today. What a change from Sri Phang-Nga NP, interesting birds at every turn. We started off with Grey-throated Babbler, next up was Streaked Wren-Babbler. A Trogon fest was started by tracking Diard’s down a hundred metres off the trail followed by Scarlet-rumped and Orange-breasted. The morning was capped off by a Rail Babbler.

     I wanted to try and photograph the Rail-Babbler so Dave and I went back to the car to get the hide while Ian stayed at the Loom Por Yak area to get some pictures of the Diard’s Trogon.

     I had a good afternoon with the camera getting good shots of both the Rail Babbler and the White-crowned Forktail.

     We hung around at dusk to look for night birds in the “Bus Stop” area. We found Brown Hawk-Owl and were lucky enough to see a Giant Flying-Squirrel gliding from tree to tree near the entrance gate.

Day 5 : 30 June 2009 KRC

     Today we walked the birding trail from the “bus stop” area. This trail makes it’s way under a ridge and moves in and out of the forest. We got some different birds from the trail to the waterfall, we picked up Green Broadbill, Great Iora, Grey-and-Buff Woodpecker and Banded Woodpecker. On the way back to the car we found a beautiful and lethal Kanburi Viper right next to the trail. We had probably walked within inches of it on our way through.

     In the afternoon I staked out Banded Pitta from the hide but they didn’t come out today. The guys went for another walk on the waterfall trail and picked up many good birds including White-crowned Hornbill, Olive-backed Woodpecker, Buff-necked Woodpecker and Black-throated Babbler. As we got back to the HQ area the wardens showed us a flock of Sultan Tits moving through the trees.

     That evening the wardens also helped us find Blyth’s Frogmouth high in a tree near the restaurant.

Day 6 : 01 July 2009 KRC and KNC

     This morning we just birded the open areas around the HQ for a couple of hours before driving to KNC. A fruiting tree brought in a variety of Bulbuls and a pair of Green Broadbills.

     At KNC we headed straight to our White-bellied Munia stake-out and saw them within minutes. Dave was keen to go and look for the Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers but the road was so bad we couldn’t get through.

     We birded the dirt road until dusk picking up Puff-backed Bulbul and Large-wren Babbler, a lifer for Dave.

Day 7 : 02 July 2009 KNC

     Today we concentrated on the road and trail “E” to try and find a couple of the more elusive Babblers. A couple of hundred metres along the trail we found two Green Broadbill chicks being fed by their parents. While we were watching them an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (red backed) flew in followed by a group of Chestnut-rumped Babblers. I tried photographing them while Dave got some great recordings. Also seen were Scaly-crowned Babbler and Chestnut-bellied Malkoha.

     After lunch we returned to the same trail to try to get some better photos of the Babblers. We found them but they kept their distance and called from cover. On our way to the Blue Pool we also had great views of a male Banded Pitta and a pair of Ferruginous Babblers.

     In the evening we went to the Hot Springs to look for night birds. After only a couple of minutes Dave spotted a Blyth’s Frogmouth on a branch just a couple of metres away. We trained our spotlight on it and got some great photos.

Day 8 : 03 July 2009 KNC and Phang-Nga

     A quick walk along the road before we left gave us a good look at a Red-crowned Barbet and a Large Wren-Babbler.

     On the way back to Phuket we stopped at Ao Phang-Nga National Park for lunch and managed to call out a pair of Black-and-Red Broadbills.

     We’d had an excellent trip and after a slow start at Sri Phang-Nga Dave had had a couple of lifers and added many to his Thai list. We had also photographed eight new species. Thanks to Dave for driving us everywhere and tempting the birds out of the forest with his recordings.

     Hope to see you again when you come down to Phuket next time.