So, with two weeks break approaching and the truck just
about finished, I had made it my plan to have as many trips out as possible..
My first day off was Monday, but still had to work in the evening, so I left a
couple of hours early to check out my local patch. Sadly nothing much to
report. Tuesday morning, 3:30am and I was off to Mae Wong. I arrived at around
7:30 to be greeted by the usual Red-billed Blue Magpies at the Ranger station.
As much as I tried, I just couldn’t get that shot that I wanted. I have seen so
many great shots of these awesome looking birds, but they will just never stay
still for me.
Red-billed Blue Magpie |
Up to Chong Yen, the road was under construction and looks
to be re-surfaced soon. About half way up, I saw my first Kestrel and got a few
shots. As I took a look in at Khun Namyen, a flock of Rufous-necked Hornbills
passed over in the distance. No chance of any pictures, but things were looking
promising… A single Blue Rockthrush posed nicely for a few shots. I stopped to
take a quick look at the hide just before Chong Yen, but it had been removed
and the area is now really overgrown, although there is still room to put your
own personal hide.
Kestrel |
Blue Rockthrush |
Up at Chong Yen, I headed straight to the ledge behind the
Ranger station for the Grey Peacock Pheasant. First out was a Buff-breasted
Babbler and then after about 30 minutes a female Peacock-Pheasant appeared. She didn’t stay around for long, and soon
disappeared back into the undergrowth.
Rain had been threatening all morning, so I opted for a
drive back to Khun Namyen and do some birding along the road. Pretty much as
soon as I got down there, the heavens opened!! This was really no fun. I tried
birding from the car, but it was really a complete washout..
Grey Peacock-Pheasant |
I headed back to Chong Yen, where surprisingly it was still
fairly dry and spent the rest of the afternoon in my hide on the ledge. Black-throated
and White-necked Laughing thrushes were the only birds to show up, but I
managed to get some cracking close range shots. A Green Magpie was calling and
I caught a quick glimpse, but he wouldn’t play ball to show himself. As evening
drew in, I decided to head back down to the Headquarters campsite for the
Crested Kingfisher in the morning. Also the Kun flies were having fun biting
me!!
Black-throated Laughingthrush |
Black-throated Laughingthrush |
White-necked Laughingthrush |
I set up at the campsite, cooked some curry up and settled
in for the night in the back of the truck. It turned out it was really more
comfortable than I had expected, until about 1am, when the rain blasted me in
the face through the window, so I had to close it, which made it a little
uncomfortable with the humidity.
Up before sunrise, a coffee and a bite to eat, then off in
search of the Crested Kingfisher. The river was flowing really fast and was
difficult to get to the places I had seen them before as the rapids were very
strong. I spent a couple of hours sitting it out and looking, but nothing
showed.
I decided to head back home and call in at Huay Kha Kaeng
Wildlife Sanctuary on the way back. I arrived there at about 10:30am and got
straight to work looking for Black-headed Woodpeckers. There were many Rufous
Treepies and Flameback Woodpeckers, but again my targets were not playing ball.
I saw and heard many Black-headed, but they were always distant and wouldn’t
allow me to get close. I left the park around 2pm. On the way out a Hoopoe
landed right in front of me, crest up, but again he saw me before I even had
the chance to pick up the camera. I arrived back around 6pm and finished the
trip off nicely with a few Leos!!
Rufous Treepie |
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