Staying at the Nana Resort hotel Marc and I got into the habit of getting up before it was light and going out with Jay, the thermal imager and a torch, looking for owls and any other nocturnal creatures we could find before breakfast. We'd heard a Collared Scops Owl in the hotel grounds but hadn't seen it until we picked it up in the thermal. Again it stayed long enough for me to run back and get my camera from the room!
This was to be the 1st species of Scops Owl we'd see on our trip with the 2nd being a partially visible roosting White-fronted Scops Owl.
Birding in the hotel grounds before breakfast also paid dividends with good views of Coppersmith Barbet, Hoopoe, White-breasted Kingfisher and Green-billed Malkhoa. Birds we'd see often on our travels but these were more approachable and photographable.
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| Coppersmith Barbet |
Kaeng Krachan gave us our 1st introduction to the hazard of 'birders neck' as we craned our heads upwards looking for birds in the canopies of tall trees alongside the tracks. We spent two days here exploring different areas of the park.
The hide was amazing. We spent 3 hours there and the birds were coming thick and fast. At times it was hard to know where to look as Jay was whispering the names of new species as they came in to either feed or drink. I gave up after a while and photographed everything I could to try and identify it, with Jays help, after we'd left the hide. At times I just sat and took in the dazzling spectacle trying to take it all in and imprint it on my memory.
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| Black-naped Monarch |
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| Green-winged Leafbird |
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| Brown-cheeked Fulvetta |
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| Chinese Blueflycatcher |
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| White-crested Laughing Thrush |
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| White-rumped Sharma |
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| Racket-tailed Treepie |
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| Puff-throated Babbler |
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| Pin-striped Tit Babbler |
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| Lesser-necklaced Laughing Thrush |
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| Greater-necklaced Laughing Thrush |
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| Emerald Dove |
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| Common Flameback |
Another species I'd hoped to see in Thailand was another one I hope to catch up with in the UK at some point. Siberian Blue Robin. The hide came up trumps with a female but I'd have to wait until later in the trip for an adult male.
It was in Kang Krachan that we caught up with another of the Worlds rarest birds. Silver Oriole! This species breeds in southern China and has an estimated population of between 1-10,000 (Birdlife DataZone) and the last recorded individual in Kaeng Krachan was in 2015 until this winter! We knew one had been sighted but it was still a thrill when Jay softly announced its presence. He managed to get a sound recording of it but we failed to get any photos.
One of the locals told us about a fruiting tree that was attracting large numbers of Hornbills near the 19km marker so we checked it out and were amazed to find Great, Rusty-cheeked, Oriental Pied and Wreathed Hornbills all utilising the same food source.
What a day and what a fantastic place.
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