Northern Thailand January 2020

After a great couple of weeks birding in Central Thailand I flew up to Northern Thailand for a few weeks really enjoyable birding. The list of highlights was very long, and included Mrs Hume's Pheasant, Giant Nuthatch, a lifer in the form of Mongolian Short-toed Lark (about the 5th Thai record I think), and an exceptional number of thrushes, with highlights including Dusky Thrush (another lifer), Scaly Thrush, Chestnut Thrush, Grey-sided Thrush, Black-breasted Thrush, Grey-winged Blackbird, and lots more... Other quality included Green Peafowl, Rusty-naped Pitta, Pied Harrier, Siberian Rubythroat, Ultramarine Flycatcher, White-crowned Forktail,  and tonnes more....

Trip reports on Cloudbirders soon... Here are some photos of some of the highlights...

Mrs Hume's Pheasant

Ultramarine Flycatcher

Dusky Thrush

Scaly Thrush

Black-breasted Thrush

Siberian Rubythroat

White-crowned Forktail

Blue-eared Barbet

Chestnut Thrush

Collared Owlet

Eastern Marsh Harrier

Green Peafowl

Green-tailed Sunbird

Grey-backed Shrike

Grey-winged Blackbird

Himalayan Shortwing

Long-tailed Shrike

Mongolian Short-toed Lark

Mountain Bulbul

Olive-backed Pipi

Slender-billed Oriole

Striated Bulbul

White-browed Laughingthrush

Thaiscapes

Some landscape pictures from my Thailand trip. Full trip report here.

Doi Chiang Dao from the pools area

Doi Chiang Dao from the scrub

Wat Tamphaplong, Doi Chiang Dao

Sunrise at the base of Doi Inthanon

Sunrise at the base of Doi Inthanon

Sunrise at the base of Doi Inthanon

Sunrise onto Wat at the base of Doi Inthanon

Early morning on Doi Inthanon

Buddhist Monk on Doi Inthanon Summit

Sitrithan Waterfall, Doi Inthanon

Wachirathan Waterfall, Doi Inthanon

Doi Lang looking into Burma

Lake from Baan Maka, Kaeng Krachan

Chiang Saen Lake from a boat

Chiang Saen Lake from the Harrier Roost area

Thailand Trip Report

I've finished my Thailand Birding Trip Report which is available below.

This was an excellent trip. I recorded 460 species with a lot of highlights! I've put a few pages of photos up already - will put some of the non-avian highlights/landscapes etc once I've sorted through those.

Part 1: http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thailand-photos-part-1.html
Part 2: http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thailand-photos-part-2.html
Part 3: http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thailand-photos-part-3-uk-megas.html

  Thailand Birding Trip Report Dec 13-Jan 14

Thailand Photos... Part 3 (the UK Megas...)

One of the highlights of my Thailand birding trip was seeing a range of passerines that would make any UK/WP birder salivate at the lips (not all necessary the best looking of birds but  high value in the rarity stakes). These included birds such as Siberian Blue Robin, Siberian Rubythroat, Pallas's Grasshopper, Lanceolated, Thick-billed, Arctic, Eastern Crowned, Pale-legged Leaf, and Two-barred Greenish Warblers, Red-flanked Bluetail, Brown Shrike, Asian Brown and Taiga Flycatchers, Blue Rock Thrush, Eyebrowed Thrush, Daurian Redstart, Siberian and Stejneger's Stonechats, and Amur and Eastern Yellow Wagtails.

Along with the above there was some more regular passerine fare such as Richard's and Olive-backed Pipits, Little Bunting, Pallas's, Yellow-browed, Hume's, Dusky, Radde's and Greenish Warblers, Common Rosefinch, Bluethroat, Hoopoe, and Wryneck etc...

By now you'll be familiar with my photography prowess and it will come as no surprise that I didn't manage decent pics of most/any of the above (often in low light), though I did get a few record shots (below in no particular order)...

Siberian Blue Robin

Siberian Blue Robin

Siberian Blue Robin

Siberian Rubythroat

Siberian Rubythroat

Red-flanked Bluetail

 Blue Rock Thrush

Daurian Redstart

Taiga Flycatcher

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Little Bunting

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

 Olive-backed Pipit

Amur Wagtail