We had no problem driving into Khao Yai National Park just before 6am being dawn to another fine and calm day. We drove to the radar station road that was unfortunately closed to vehicles due to soil erosion effectively ending our chance to look for Kloss's Leaf Warbler near the summit. We walked the first few kilometres of the road, that was unfortunately quite busy with roadworker's traffic, birding against the backdrop of singing White-handed Gibbons eventually seeing a family group. Birds seen included a pair of Wreathed Hornbills flying over, a male Siamese Fireback on the road, a Sultan Tit, a couple of superb Phylloscs being a Sulphur-breasted Warbler and a branch-clinging Claudia's Warbler and an Alstrom's Plain-tailed Warbler formerly part of the Golden-spectacled Warbler complex. A look at the clearing at the start of the road revealed the presence of a few more winterers most notably including a Grey-backed Shrike. We then again tried the Pa Gluay Mai campsite where we walked some of Trail A where a leech bite on my stomach made a mess of my shirt! After a quick look at the nearby Haew Suwat waterfall we returned to Km33 where a tall fruiting tree held 3 Great Hornbills and at least 6 Oriental Pied Hornbills before taking a walk down memory lane along what will forever be Trail 6 (now renamed Trail B). Whilst today I failed to see a single species along it, back in 1999, we saw both Blue and Eared Pittas, Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoos, Silver Pheasants, a Malayan Night Heron and even the legendary huge King Cobra, and with the trail and habitat looking exactly the same, it all came flooding back! Again no other birders were seen. We returned to the 'Cowboy' restaurant for another decent meal.
Siamese Fireback 1 male
Chinese Pond Heron 3
Red-wattled Lapwing 2
Thick-billed Green Pigeon c.35 fvo
Mountain Imperial Pigeon c.5 fvo
Asian Palm Swift c.12
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 1
Oriental Pied Hornbill c.6
Great Hornbill 3
Wreathed Hornbill 2
Black-winged Cuckooshrike 1
Swinhoe's Minivet 3
Scarlet Minivet 4
Swinhoe's Minivet 3
Scarlet Minivet 4
White-bellied Erpornis 1
Grey-backed Shrike 1
Grey-backed Shrike 1
Ashy Drongo 1
Hair-crested Drongo 6
Black-naped Monarch 6
Large-billed Crow 4
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher 6
Sultan Tit 1 male
Black-crested Bulbul 1 male johnsoni
Stripe-throated Bulbul 1
Puff-throated Bulbul 20
Barn Swallow 30
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Claudia's Leaf Warbler 1
Sulphur-breasted Leaf Warbler 1
Alstrom's Plain-tailed Warbler 1
Dark-necked Tailorbird 1
Dark-necked Tailorbird 1
Pin-striped Tit-Babbler 3
Abbott's Babbler 1
Abbott's Babbler 1
White-rumped Shama 2
Taiga Flycatcher 1
Taiga Flycatcher 1
Blue Rock Thrush 1
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker 2
Grey Wagtail 2
Male Siamese Fireback along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
My only previous encounter with this species was along the same road in 1999
My only previous encounter with this species was along the same road in 1999
Sulphur-breasted Warbler along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
if it wasn't for some duff camera settings I'd have some great shots that would look nearly as good as Clive Byer's excellent portrayal of the species here:
Sulphur-breasted Warbler (Clive Byers)
Hair-crested Drongo along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
White-handed Gibbon singing along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
Alstrom's Plain-tailed Warbler along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
its call was a thin double note 'tu-tit'
Puff-throated Bulbul along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
Black-crested Bulbul along the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
In Thailand the red-throated form P.a. johnsoni is restricted to the eastern provinces
In Thailand the red-throated form P.a. johnsoni is restricted to the eastern provinces
Grey-backed Shrike in the clearing at the start of the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
Described as an uncommon winter visitor Khao Yai would appear to be about as far south as the species is recorded in Thailand perhaps reinforced by DS not having recorded it at Khao Yai despite 10 visits covering 31 days.
Ashy Drongo in the clearing at the start of the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
Being a shade darker and having mostly grey ear-coverts this individual was far less eye-catching than the D.l. leucogenis seen yesterday and is therefore presumably of the form D.l. salangensis
Male Black-winged Cuckooshrike in the clearing at the start of the radar station road at Khao Yai National Park
Another winter visitor to Khao Yai
Pig-tailed Macaques at the Pa Gluay Mai campsite in Khao Yai National Park
Water Monitor at the Pa Gluay Mai campsite in Khao Yai National Park
Commons Bluebottle and White Dragontails at the Pa Gluay Mai campsite in Khao Yai National Park
Common Bluebottle at the Pa Gluay Mai campsite in Khao Yai National Park
White Dragontail Butterflies at the Pa Gluay Mai campsite in Khao Yai National Park
their outer wings were largely translucent
Chocolate Albatross and a Grass Yellow at the Pa Gluay Mai campsite in Khao Yai National Park
Haew Suwat Waterfall in Khao Yai National Park
Sambar Deer at Khao Yai National Park
Sambar Deer at Khao Yai National Park
The Km33 marker marking the start of the aptly named Km33 trail in Khao Yai National Park
Great Hornbill at the Km33 trail in KhaoYai National Park
the black on the casque reveals that this is a male and its dark eye is presumably a sign of immaturity
