Daytrip to Kaengkrachan 25th May, 2012


Simon Edelstein, a business man from London wanted to sample some of Thai birding and get some time away from conferences.

We met at Simon’s hotel at 5 am. Originally Simon had booked a 2 day trip but told me he could only do 1 day. After some discussion we still decided to go on to Kaengkrachan National Park in spite of the distance.

The landscape at the Province of Petchaburi is lush and green this time of year after some rain and gone are the dust covered and sometimes barren trees.

Instead of pushing hard to get to the park we stopped at some paddies and reed beds along the way. Excellent views of Asian Golden and Baya Weaver were obtained. The former a less commonly found bird these days.

The Java Pond Herons were basically all in breeding plumage and a lovely sight. Chinese Pond Heron were gone from the area.

Yellow Bitterns showed very well as did lots of Asian Openbills.

We arrived at the park around 9 and coasted along slowly towards the main birding spot around the 3 streams beyond Bahn Krahng campsite.

A pair of Large-billed Scimitar Babblers were vocal next to the road and these special birds are normally very hard to see. After some taping we had good views of the pair.

A Blue-winged Pitta was calling and quickly responded to playback.
No other pittas were seen or heard throughout the day. Perhaps already breeding?

Most of the day was spent walking along the stream areas in a more closed forest.
We were hoping for some good birds in there. Well, White-faced Scops Owl, Brown Hawk Owl, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Sultan’s Tit, Rusty-cheeked and Great Hornbill, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Dusky Broadbill, Green Magpie and Large Woodshrike sure could be counted as such.

There are loads and loads of butterflies in the park this year. Simply overwhelming numbers seen.

Less birds now that the migrants are gone but a good time for resident birds.

I dropped off a satisfied Simon at the airport for his flight back home.

Something tells me, he will be back!

Peter

1. Scaly-breasted Partridge - heard
2. Bamboo Woodpecker – heard
3. Greater Yellownape – 2
4. Streak-breasted Woodpecker – 1 female
5. Stripe-throated Woodpecker – 1 female, only my 2nd sighting of this bird
6. Greater Flameback – several
7. Common Flameback – 2 in flight
8. Great Slaty Woodpecker – heard
9. Green-eared Barbet – 1
10. Coppersmith Barbet – heard
11. Blue-eared Barbet – heard
12. Asian Pied Hornbill – many seen
13. Great Hornbill – 2
14. Rusty-cheeked Hornbill – 20
15. White-throated Kingfisher – several
16. Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher – heard often, 1 seen in fly by flight
17. Blue-bearded Bee-eater – a pair displaying well, heard elsewhere
18. Green Bee-eater – a few
19. Moustached Hawk Cuckoo - heard
20. Banded Bay Cuckoo – heard
21. Greater Coucal – a few
22. Asian Koel – 2
23. Drongo Cuckoo – 1 seen, several heard
24. Green-billed Malkoha – 2
25. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha – 1 seen well
26. Indian Roller –a few
27. Dollarbird – 1
28. Asian Palm Swift – many
29. White-fronted Scops Owl – a pair on day roost
30. Asian Barred Owlet – 1 seen
31. Brown Hawk Owl – 1 seen
32. Rock Pigeon
33. Spotted Dove – many
34. Red Collared Dove – many
35. Emerald Dove – 2
36. White-breasted Waterhen – a few
37. Red-wattled Lapwing – many
38. Little Cormorant – many
39. Little Egret – many
40. Great Egret – 1
41. Cattle Egret – many
42. Javan Pond Heron – many
43. Black-crowned Night Heron – many enroute
44. Yellow Bittern – 2
45. Black Bittern – 2
46. Asian Openbill – many
47. Blue-winged Pitta – many calling, 1 seen
48. Black-red Broadbill – 1 seen
49. Silver-breasted Broadbill – 3 seen
50. Banded Broadbill – heard
51. Dusky Broadbill – 3 seen
52. Asian Fairy Bluebird – a few
53. Eastern Jungle Crow (large-billed) – a few
54. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo – several
55. Black Drongo – a few
56. Bronzed Drongo – 2
57. Racket-tailed Treepie – 2 flocks of 4 each
58. Green Magpie – a few seen well
59. Pied Fantail – 2
60. Common Iora – heard
61. Large Woodshrike – 4 seen
62. Black-naped Monarch – 2 seen
63. Oriental Magpie Robin – a few
64. White-rumped Shama – 4
65. Ashy Woodswallow – many
66. Asian Pied Starling – several
67. Vinous-breasted Starling – a pair with nesting material en route
68. Common Myna – common
69. White-vented Myna – common
70. Sultan Tit – one group
71. Buff-vented Bulbul – heard
72. Ochraceous Bulbul – a few seen
73. Black-crested Bulbul - a few seen
74. Sooty-headed Bulbul – a few seen
75. Streak-eared Bulbul – a few seen
76. Black-headed Bulbul – 1
77. Common Tailorbird – heard
78. Dark-necked Tailorbird – heard
79. Plain Prinia – a few seen
80. Greater necklaced Laughingthrush - heard many, 2 seen briefly
81. Large Scimitar Babbler – a pair taped out next to the road, good views
82. Eye-browed Scimitar Babbler – heard
83. Rufous-fronted Babbler – 1 seen
84. Striped Tit Babbler – commonly heard, seen once
85. Puff-throated Babbler – heard
86. Indonchinese Bushlark – heard
87. House Sparrow – 2 seen
88. Eurasian Tree Sparrow – common
89. Plain-backed Sparrow – 1 male seen well
90. Baya Weaver – many
91. Asian Golden Weaver – a dozen seen
92. Scaly-breasted Munia – 3