Nam Nao

Sometimes it's great being a teacher. It's nice to be able to travel without the usual weekend/holiday masses..
Well after a trip up to Udon to see the in-laws I couldn't resist a few days camping at Nam Nao on the way back. Well, the two days turned out just great with at least 6 or 7 first time sightings for me. Amongst those were Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch, Grey Treepie, Velvet Fronted Nuthatch, White Crowned Forktail and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush.

Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch

Grey Treepie

Velvet Fronted Nuthatch

White Crowned Forktail

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

On the second day a Red Headed Trogon and a Greater Yellownape posed obligingly for some great shots.

Red Headed Trogon

Greater Yellownape

Amongst the best of the rest were Eurasian Jay, Green Magpie, Orange Bellied Leafbird, White Crested Laughingthrush and Blue Throated Barbet

Eurasian Jay

Green Magpie

Orange Bellied Leafbird

White Crested Laughingthrush

Blue Throated Barbet

Kaeng Krachan

  After a stressful last term at school, it's so nice the holidays are finally here. First trip out was to Kaeng  
  Krachan for a few days camping and to give test to the new (old) 300mm F4. Great to get out, but the
  weather was pretty unbearable. The heat was absolutely stifling !!!
  Day 1 was spent mainly around Bang Kran  and the streams. Amongst the finds were Green Billed
  Malkohas, Dollarbirds, White Rumped Shamas, Green Magpies, Leafbirds, Red Throated 
  Flycatchers,Grey Wagtails  and many various Bulbuls. I can also confirm the Scops Owls at stream 2
  have moved onto somewhere unknown.

Dollarbird

Green Billed Malkoha.

 





Day 2 began with a drive up to Panoen Tuang (spelling??) At the top we turned up Blue Eared, Blue Throated and Great Barbets, Blue Rockthrush and Orange Bellied Leafbird amongst others.

Blue Eared Barbet.

Orange Bellied Leafbird.

Blue Throated Barbet.....

Blue Rockthrush

The road back down tuned up the usual Long Tailed  Broadbills around km 27, plus a nesting pair of Banded Kingfishers. Down between stream 3 - 2 we saw the Brown Hornbills feeding their young.

Banded Kingfisher

Banded Kingfisher

Brown Hornbill

Day 3  around 1am we were awoken by a herd of wild elephants making their way through the jungle
 and up into the camping area. Also that night we saw civets and porcupines. At lunch time we had a drive
 out of the park to have lunch at Samarn's. A beer or two were definitely in order too!! After lunch, an hour

 at his blind turned up Abbot's Babblers, Striped Tit Babblers and a Racket Tailed Treepie amongst others.

Abbot's Babbler

Striped Tit Babbler.

Racket Tailed Treepie

 The last day was spent around Bang Kran and the streams again, Black and Red Broadbills, Common 
 Goldenbacks, Silver Breasted Broadbills and a Great Hornbill were all recorded.

Black and Red Broadbill

Common Goldenback.

Silver Breasted Broadbill

Great Hornbill

The drive out of the park produced sightings of a Yellow Wagtail and a Crested Serpant Eagle.

Yellow Wagtail

 



 

Crested Serpent Eagle.

Overall a good few days. I'm happy with the new lens, but some images still a little soft with the D7000. I would welcome any suggestions on settings to sharpen the images....