Wildlife watching in Central Thailand

Bar-backed Partridge

This trip was a couple of years in the making, and by the time it came around, I had a good idea of exactly where I wanted to go, and what to hopefully see. My plan was to fly into Bangkok, and head straight for Phetchaburi region. Spending a day or so looking for Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other waders, then moving inland to Kaeng Krachen for the forest birds. With a day and a half to return to Bangkok, I could focus on some birds I have missed.

Apart from Bangkok, the roads / driving was very relaxed, and distances weren't that great. Ebird has revolutionised birding trips, and it was quite easy to find hotspots along the way to check out. Similarly, AirBnb has made it very straightforward to find cheap, safe, convenient accommodation at short notice.

The birding throughout the time was very enjoyable, with a mix of:

1. Many new species, including Broadbills, Pitta, Crake, and Bitterns. plus the rare waders around Pak Thale.

2. Species that had eluded me on previous trips such as Oriental Skylark, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Taiga Flycatcher, and Rufous Treepie; 

3. A number of UK vagrants/rarities that I have never chased after in the UK, hoping that one day I'd be watching them from a distant country. Species such as Dusky Warbler, Pacific Golden Plover, and Oriental Pratincol. 

It was this last category that much of what I missed on the trip fell into. Species such as Pallas Grasshopper Warbler, Siberian Rubythroat and Lanceolated Warbler, I didn't have a sniff of.

Pak Thale was an excellent start with thousands of Waders all showing well. The Spoon-billed Sandpiper was the closest bird to the shed that I sheltered under, and I got a few pics before it moved on. Great Knot, Pacific Golden Plover, Asian Dowitcher, Red necked Stint, and Nordmann's Greenshank all put in an appearance, along with a number of other waders including Marsh Sandpiper and Broad Billed Sandpiper.

Far Eastern Curlew eluded me here, and there weren't that many Curlews to sift thru during my visit.

The next day was spent in the "farmland" between coast and Kaeng Kracken, some sites better than others, all under extremely hot conditions. All very enjoyable with new species such as Indochinese Bushlark, Indian Thick Knee, Pied Starling, Cinnamon Bittern, being seen along with Bluethroats, and Wryneck, to disorientate me slightly!

Then the bulk of the trip was based at Baan Maka, a superb base with stacks of wildlife, and a feeling that no two days were the same here. I hired a guide and spent 3 days in the Kaeng Krachen park proper, plus a further 2 days in private hides that had an abundance of birds and mammals visiting.

A kayak on the Baan Maka lake, on my final morning, was the pinnacle of relaxation for me, and also included my first Black Bittern and Yellow Bitterns.

Then the "mop up" job on the route back to Bangkok airport was surprisingly successful with new birds including White-browed Crake, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, and Cotton Pygmy Goose (all on the same pond!), Greater Painted Snipe about 200 yards away, and Yellow bellied Prina, somewhere in between! My final morning I visited rice fields near the airport and saw a very smart male Pied Harrier, before the heavens opened and a full scale thunderstorm and flooding finished the trip.

Link to trip report:   https://ebird.org/tripreport/108735?welcome=true

Photo Album:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/PJfdDnrwPN5hHKS19

Youtube video playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYCxK_8daxA&list=PLu3NpdzVwJ9lItFtQHZNhktKKAeg_BifP