Another 2 day trip to Kaeng Krachan NP got underway Saturday
morning. After picking up Glen at 4am, we headed straight to the park. On
arrival we birded the access road to Bang Kran campsite and bagged a fair few
species, including Blue-Bearded Bee-Eaters, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey-Rumped
Treeswifts, Black-Capped Kingfisher, Black and Red Broadbills, Dollarbirds and a
Banded Broadbill.
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Blue-Bearded Bee-Eater |
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Grey-Rumped Treeswift |
After a spot of breakfast, we headed to the streams. Starting at stream 1 we saw Silver-Breasted Broadbills, Sultan Tits, Puff-Throated Babblers, Greater Flameback and Greater Yellownape Woodpeckers. Across to stream 2 and an Orange-Breasted Trogan sat in the open, just a few feet away giving some great photographic opportunities. Asian Fairy Bluebirds, a Buff-Rumped Woodpecker, Forest and Grey Wagtails and Ochraceous Bulbuls were also seen among others. We waited for a while for the Dusky Broadbills but it was a no show, so we decided to head to Km 18 to see if we could get the Blue Pitta. Sadly the Pitta didn’t show either, but there were some nice views of more babblers and White-Rumped Shamas to be had.
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Orange-Breasted Trogan |
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Orange-Breasted Trogan |
After a spot of lunch, we headed back to the streams and began
birding between the dam and stream 3. Black and Yellow Broadbills soon showed, followed
up with a pair of Velvet-Fronted Nuthatches, a Bar-Winged Flycatcher-shrike and
Sultan Tits added to an ever growing list. We were staying in the park for the
night, so we headed back for another bite to eat and to set up camp. As Glen
walked back from the shower block, he had the lucky experience to observe an
Oriental Pied Hornbill raiding the nest of an unlucky Bulbul. One by one the
hornbill plucked 4 chicks from the nest and duly swallowed them whole…. Chicken
Tikka Masala and Chicken Madras were our specials of the evening… A welcome
rain storm cleared the air and cooled things down a little which made for a
more comfortable night. During the night we managed to get some great views of
Malayan Porcupines and the Malayan Sun Bear.
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Greater Flameback Woodpecker |
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Ochraceous Bulbul |
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Black and Yellow Broadbill |
For the final morning, we decided to head back to the streams in hope of the Dusky Broadbill. The Duskys soon put in a show, ticking all the boxes to complete the set of all the lower level broadbills. The rest of the morning turned up plenty more nice birds including, Blue-Winged Leafbirds, Black-Naped Monarch, Kalij Pheasant, Chestnut-Breasted Malkoha, Grey-Headed Woodpecker, Oriental-Honey Buzzard and not forgetting Glen’s fantastic up close, eye level views of another Banded Broadbill.
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Black-Naped Monarch |
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Grey-Headed Woodpecker |
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Silver-Breasted Broadbill |
The Drive out of the park gave us some nice views of a
Crested Goshawk and Black-Thighed Falconets. A hugely successful couple of days had
turned up over forty lifers for Glen. Quite rightly, a very happy chap he was…..
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Black-Thighed Falconet |
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Malayan Sun Bear |
If anyone else would like to experience the beauty of Kaeng
Krachan National Park, drop me a line at thaibirdspot66@gmail.com
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