This is a sample itinerary. Many variables can be applied such as not flying to the North but driving and thus visit Beung Borapet, a great wetland area, in Nakon Sawan as well as Mae Wong and Mae Ping National Parks before going on to Doi Inthanon and further up North. The participants normally fly back to Bangkok.
NORTHERN THAILAND
DOI INTHANON, DOI ANGKHANG, DOI LANG
The mountains of Northern Thailand hold an avifauna very different from Central Thailand. The mountains are the last ‘off shoots’ of the Himalayas and thus introduce a number of families only found on higher grounds.
This trip focuses on 3 major peaks.
Doi Inthanon at 2565m is the highest mountain in Thailand.
The summit holds a unique high altitude bog with some tame like birds. Chestnut-tailed Minlas, White-browed Shortwings, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Green-tailed Sunbird, Silver-eared Laughingthrushes, Ashy-throated Warbler, Dark-backed Sibias, are the most abundant birds up here but many other are found as well. In January 2011 the trip included a Purple Cochua so one just never can tell!
We’ll bird different areas in search of White-capped Redstart, Dark-sided Thrush, Plumbeous Redstart, Brown Treecreeper, Mountain Tailorbird, Green Cochua, Rufus-throated Partridge, Spectacled Barwing, Ashy Pigeons, Maroon Oriole, Rufous-winged Fulvettas, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, Common Rosefinch, Black-tailed Crake, Japanese Tit, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Short-billed, Grey, Long-tailed Minivets and many more.
Doi Angkhang is not a National Park but has rugged mountains that are inhabited by various hill tribes and ethnic Chinese descendants. It is good for Parrotbills (Spot-breasted, Grey-headed, Lesser Rufous), Orange-bellied Rock Thrush, White-gorgetted Flycatcher,Scaly Thrush, Silver-eared Mesias, White-tailed Robin, Eye-browed, Dark-throated and Grey-sided Thrush, Loads of challenging Phyllosc Leaf Warblers as well as Bush Warblers, and of course the biggest catch: Giant Nuthatch and Hume’s Pheasant (both seen well on last year’s tour)
Doi Lang is a mountain ridge that runs next to Myanmar with absolutely no tourists around.
Up here many rarities can be found. We will look for Whiskered Yuhinnas, White and Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Black-throated Tit, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Cutia, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Red-faced Liochicla, Himalayan Bluetail, Spotted Wren Babbler, Red-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Mountain Bamboo Partridge, Crested Finchbill, Striated Bulbul, Jerdon’s Bushchat etc etc
Day 1. Fly to Chiang Mai drive to Doi Inthanon
Day 2. Doi Inthanon
Day 3. Doi Inthanon morning
Drive to Doi Angkhang mid day, birding DAK late am
Day 4. Doi Angkhang
Day 5. DAK morning
Fields of Thatorn in the afternoon: Siberian Rubythroat, Bluethroat, Jerdon’s Bushchat, White Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Pied Bushchat, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Pied Harrier and Buntings being what we look out for.
Day 6. Doi Lang
Doi 7. Doi Lang morning, Golden Triangle afternoon (Small Pratincole, River Lapwing, Long-billed Plover)
Day 8. Chiang Saen Lake (Baer’s Pochard and other waterfowl)
Fly to Bangkok where trip will end.
This trip normally produce around 200-220 species
Together with the Central trip about 400 some species recorded