Khao Yai National Park. Day 1.

After breakfast we set off for Khao Yai National park and as we were on the approach road Jay suddenly spotted a pair of Long-tailed Broadbills on wires alongside the road so we stopped and all piled out the mini-vans to obtain better views.

A great start to the day and we weren't done yet. A bit further down the road we stopped again and picked up Cambodian Flowerpecker, a near endemic species, along with Red-headed and Orange-breasted Trogons. Jay picked up a Banded Kingfisher on call and after a bit of searching found it perched up in deep cover. This was another species we'd hoped to catch up with and it can be quite difficult to see.

To far for the camera but I managed this photo through jay's 'scope with my phone.

Arriving at Khao Yai National Park our 1st port of call was the visitors centre to use the toilet facilities! Sone of our group were lucky enough to see Asian Elephants but this was as close as I got to any! This park is the biggest in Thailand and  covers an area of 2000 km2 with over 300 bird species being recorded in the forested and mountain areas.

Once we'd checked in and completed the toilet formalities it was down to more serious birding. There are several campsite in Khao Yai and we explored these adding new species as we walked around. Sambar Deer walked around unconcerned by the people around them but the Pig-tailed macaques saw the camp site as a raiding opportunity and we several of these audacious primates entering tents or the back of trucks to rob whatever food they could find.

Other highlights were a rather showy Water Monitor and Red Jungle fowl. The latter proved their wild credentials by flying across the river! Although I'd seen Red Jungle fowl in Malaysia (see here) these were a definite upgrade as the ones I'd seen were from a re-introduction programme.

We paid a visit to the famous Haew Suwat Waterfall that starred in the film 'The Beach' when a youthful  Learnardo Di' Caprio jumped off into the pool below. A real tourist hotspot and we soon moved on after the obligatory photos.

Pileated Gibbons called around us but proved to be frustratingly difficult to see despite being only a few metres away in the dense undergrowth. An incredible sound.

A Greater Flameback (woodpecker) was heard calling and eventually gave brief but good views whilst a new species of babbler for the trip - Puff-throated babbler proved to be more obliging. a

Puff-throated Babbler

Black-crested Bulbul

A real surprise was Blue-rock Thrush. Totally unlike the Blue- rock Thrush we're used to seeing in Europe and more like a Rock Thrush. This was the race philippensis and is a winter visitor to the area.

Blue -rock Thrush (race philipensis)

Crested Serpent Eagle

We took the mini-vans up to the Pha Diew Dai viewpoint 1000 metres above sea level.  A displaying Black Eagle was a fantastic sight and the undergrowth was full of Alstroms, Martens and Claudia's Leaf warbler - all phylloscopus warblers that I'd only read about in books. Star bird for me though was the stunning male Hill Blue Flycatcher that posed a storm for the camera.

There was a treat in store for us as dusk descended. On the way out of the park we stopped by a large lake where Brown-backed Needletails came down to drink before going to roost. Whilst we were waiting for these to appear a Northern Red Muntjac Deer appeared and, unbelievably, three Crested Porcupines chose that moment to appear on the edge of the forest and run along the edge of the car park before disappearing back into the forest

Brown-backed Needletail

Jay hoped we'd see Great-eared Nightjar and a shout from Jaeb had us looking to the skies where we eventually saw three of these fabulous birds.

As darkness fell we left the park for our hotel and a well deserved dinner. As we drove along in darkness our headlights picked up one last mammal to add to what was already an impressive list - Golden Jackal! We were slightly deflated when we got back to find the other mini-van group had trumped us with an Asian Elephant!