I met up with Paul last week for an overnight trip to Pu
Kieo. We met up at 6:30 and set off for the 3 hour drive. We arrived at about
10am and as we drove along the access road, the day’s first tick turned out to
be a very nice one indeed. A pair of Collared Scops Owls just a few feet away….
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Collared Scops Owl |
Continuing the drive up we stopped a few times where Blue Pittas were heard, but not seen.
As we arrived at HQ, Eurasian Jays and Red-Billed Blue Magpies were easily observed. We checked in and headed straight to our booked hide. The morning was unusually pretty slow, but still enjoyable. We decided to take a drive around at check out some other points. Again, Blue Pittas were heard very close by but managed to stay out of sight. A Large Woodshrike put on a cool aerial display over a lake and an Osprey passed overhead with a huge fish in its talons. A trip back to the hide for a final hour or so proved to be better than the morning stint with Red-Whiskered Bulbuls, Puff-Throated Bulbuls, Sooty-Headed, Black-Headed and Black-Crested Bulbuls, White-Rumped Shama, Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Black-Throated Laughingthrush and Brown-Cheeked Fulvettas topping the bill… We called it a day after that little flurry of activity and headed for the restaurant.
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Black-Crested Bulbul |
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Black-Throated Laughingthrush |
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Brown-Cheeked Fulvetta |
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Hainan Flycatcher |
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Red Whiskered Bulbul |
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Puff-Throated Bulbul |
Day 2, we headed straight for the hide again, but nothing much was around yet, so I decided to take a walk around the HQ area. Then, just as we left the hide, there it was….. A male Siamese Fireback was staring straight at me from about 2 metres away !! We were obviously on “his” track, as he remained staring and grunting at us as if to say ‘Get off of my track !!’
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Siamese Fireback |
The walk around the HQ area and access road proved rewarding with Red-Billed Blue Magpies and White-Crested Laughingthrushes showing everywhere. A Large Hawk Cuckoo perched briefly, but was gone again before I could get any decent shots off. Other bird of note seen around here were Large Cuckoo-Shrike, Ashey Minivet, Greater and Lesser Flameback, Common Iora, Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch, Large Woodshrike and Black-Naped Oriole.
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Large Hawk Cuckoo |
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White-Crested Laughingthrush |
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Red-Billed Blue Magpie |
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Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch |
We headed out of the sanctuary at about lunchtime and took a
slow drive along the access road making a few stops along the way. An Asian
Paradise Flycatcher with full tail was seen but he remained too obscured in the
undergrowth for any shots.
Overall, a great couple of days birding with 50+ species
recorded and a few lifers in the bag for me. It was also great to meet up with
Paul. Paul was a great guy to bird with and he certainly knows his stuff at Pu
Kieo. Hopefully we will meet again soon for a trip to Doi Lang and Doi San-Ju
in Chiang Mai. Watch this space…………
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