We walked out to meet Mr. Chat at his boat at 4am seeing a Collared Scops Owl along the way. Mr. Chat took us back to the same inlet as we had visited yesterday evening where we waited in the dark. During the next hour three 'fishing' boats appeared spotlighting the banks that looked as if we weren't the only ones hoping to see White-eared Night-Heron although perhaps the others had other intentions? At 5.45am, still dark, for reasons we don't understand Mr. Chat decided to call it a morning and we headed back to shore despite it still being dark. He then seemed a little surprised that we didn't want to stay to try again in the evening. We were soon on our way and a couple of stops in the National Park before leaving produced three noisy pairs of White-winged Magpies. The logistics of the day seemed a little unclear with Thang suggesting we would change car midway to Tam Dao NP at a motorway junction as he had another group to meet at Hanoi airport. However, we found ourselves at Hanoi airport where Thang left us and Tony drove us back to Tam Dao NP. We requested to go straight to the Water Tank Trail where the weather was clear and calm. Not far along the trail we saw a Bianchi's Warbler and a nearby mixed-species flock contained at least 2 Short-tailed Parrotbills - brilliant! We had a quick look for the Pitta but left empty-handed.
Eastern Cattle Egret 10
Collared Scops Owl 1
Golden-throated Barbet 1
Scarlet Minivet 6
WHITE-WINGED MAGPIE 6
Pin-striped Tit-Babbler 4
Grey Laughingthrush 12
David's Fulvetta 10
SHORT-TAILED PARROTBILL 2+
Stejneger's Stonechat 2
Blue Rock Thrush 1
BIANCHI'S WARBLER 1
Amur Wagtail 1
Streaked Spiderhunter 1
Collared Scops Owl at Ba Be NP
clearly camera shy albeit then showing its collar!
Blue Rock Thrush at Ba Be NP
White-winged Magpie at Ba Be NP
Clearly most visitors to Ba Be NP take a boat trip on the lake!
One last try for Fujian Niltava at Ba Be NP!
Why just carry a spare tyre!
street scenes on the drive back to Tam Dao NP
Tam Dao
Water Tank Trail at Tam Dao NP
David's Fulvetta at Tam Dao NP
Golden-throated Barbet at Tam Dao NP
Bianchi's Warbler at Tam Dao NP
Not the best day for photography but does just about show the extensive broad lateral crown stripes, the wingbar and the extensive white in the tail.
Butterfly sp. at Tam Dao NP
Sunset at the Water Tank Trail, Tam Dao NP
