Dates:
Weather:
Localities:

5-6 March 2012.
Sunny and warm, cloudless sky and cool overnight. Smoke pollution from seasonal burning.
Mae Taeng Irrigation Project, Chiang Dao and Doi Kham Fa.

Doi Chiang Dao lost in smoke

Puddling butterflies

Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl

Although not early morning the temperature was still fine with reasonable bird activity, so we birded the taller trees along the check point road as well as walking up the gully behind the check point. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo was singing well. Following lunch and some butterfly photography in the parking area we though it a good idea to walk the road steeply uphill from the check point. Extensive burning recently in this area, much of it still smoldering, and in a couple of hours slog we'd seen virtually nothing, so returned to the check point area and again worked the road, and again seeing little. After dinner walked the road to the temple for night birds, with a good selection calling - Mountain Scops Owl, Brown Boobook, Blyth's Frogmouth, Collared Scops Owl, Large-tailed Nightjar and Eastern Barn Owl. Unfortunately neither Oriental Bay Owl nor Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, our two hoped for targets.

6 Mar. At first light around the check point of the Muang Khong road, but again no luck with Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo, although both Orange-breasted Trogon and Red-headed Trogon heard. A hour or so here gained few new species since yesterday, so after a quick breakfast we headed up toward Doi Kham Fa, about an hour's drive from Chiang Dao. Progress was fine until we hit a burning tree fall about four kilometres up the dirt track to the viewpoint, which necessitated parking the car and continuing on foot. Although weather good the birds were not particularly active, although we found a couple of Long-tailed Broadbill and Bianchi's Warbler, Hume's Warbler and a single Pallas's Leaf Warbler. Left the area mid afternoon and returned to the Chiang Dao area for a final attempt for Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo but no luck. A Hainan Blue Flycatcher was a nice bonus. Toward dusk headed to the temple access road and waited for night bird activity. Very surprised and delighted when a Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl came drifting into tall trees before the temple gat, and well before dark. Very fitting end to the couple of days.