Overview

Dates: Weather: Locality:

15-19 August 2011. Cool, mostly overcast with a few sunny intervals. Heavy rain most afternoons. Doi Lang.

15 August. With Mick Davies. Still very heavy rains across northern Thailand this month, so we were tempting fate a little to try a trip into the mountains. Arrived at Thaton and met up late morning. Immediately headed up Doi Lang, half expecting at the military checkpoint to be told the road had washed out or was closed. Surprisingly, despite the exceptional rain the past few months, we were informed the road was OK, so proceeded to drive to the higher reaches of the road. Certainly the road continues to deteriorate, and is no longer passable to a saloon car. Even with the high clearance 4x4 the bottom was crunched once. In the wet a 4x4 highly preferable. The weather remained fine all day, and we were able to work different altitudes up to the top. Past the military camp at the top it was necessary to clear fallen branches with a machete in a few places. Not much traffic up here at this time of year! A couple of good bird waves provided the most interesting species, but star of the list must surely have been Pin-tailed Parrotfinch at mid elevations. A new species for Doi Lang? Other good species for the day included Forest Wagtail, Black-eared Shrike-babbler and Black-throated Bushtit. Back in Thaton before dark to find accommodation at the Chankasem Guesthouse by the river, which continues to be suspect in quality, but food fine. As usual at night, several owl species calling around town, with Eastern Barn Owl, Asian Barred Owlet and Collared Scops Owl.

Doi Lang cloud

16 August. First bird of the day was a rather unexpected Crimson Sunbird in the garden. With the fine weather all day we worked many altitudes, mostly concentrating on the top section. Some early migrants included Forest Wagtail and Dark-sided Flycatcher.

Large-eyed False Cobra

Being the wet season, many of the forest skulkers are much easier to encounter, with Rusty-naped Pitta, Pygmy Cupwing, Lesser Shortwing, Chestnut-headed Tesia and White-tailed Robin vocalising. At mid elevations a small group of Grey-headed Parakeet was notable. With the sun out a few interesting butterflies were encountered such as Striped Judy, Western Red Lacewing, and the common, at these altitudes, Golden Sapphire.

Golden Sapphire

17 August. The first bird encountered on the road, just after the checkpoint was a stunning male Silver Pheasant. Further up, the usual collection of Mountain Bamboo Partridge. With the cloudy weather and cool temperatures, birding was slow, and by the time we arrived at top rain had started, so headed downhill but the progressively heavier rain forced us to the lowlands almost back at Thaton. In the last hour, with the rain finally receding, worked lower areas but saw little. Clearing skies and a starry night.

18 August. Pretty much a repeat of yesterday with heavy afternoon rain.

19 August. Primarily worked mid elevations. In open forest, in an area not generally looked at, encountered good numbers of White-necked Laughingthrush and a few Spot-throated Babbler. With heavy rain starting around 11:00 left the area and drove back to Chiang Mai.

Species List

	Common Name	Count
	Chinese Francolin	2
	Rufous-throated Partridge	10
	Mountain Bamboo Partridge	30
	Red Junglefowl	8
	Silver Pheasant	1
	Crested Serpent Eagle	2
	Mountain Hawk-Eagle	2
	Oriental Turtle Dove	5
	Spotted Dove	10
	Mountain Imperial Pigeon	20
	Vernal Hanging Parrot	1
	Grey-headed Parakeet	6
	Greater Coucal	2
	Green-billed Malkoha	2
	Large Hawk-Cuckoo	3
	Collared Owlet	7
	Himalayan Swiftlet	6
	Cook's Swift	200
	Great Barbet	10
	Golden-throated Barbet	10
	Blue-throated Barbet	10
	Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker	5
	Stripe-breasted Woodpecker	5
	Necklaced Woodpecker	1
	Bay Woodpecker	10
	Rusty-naped Pitta	3
	Large Cuckooshrike	15
	Black-winged Cuckooshrike	2
	Grey-chinned Minivet	30
	Short-billed Minivet	4
	Scarlet Minivet	10
	Burmese Shrike	1
	Long-tailed Shrike	4
	Black-eared Shrike-babbler	4
	Maroon Oriole	3
	Ashy Drongo	12
	Bronzed Drongo	2
	Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo	1
	White-throated Fantail	10
	Grey Treepie	30
	Yellow-bellied Fantail	20
	Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher	4
	Yellow-cheeked Tit	5
	Yellow-browed Tit	4
	Crested Finchbill	40
	Red-whiskered Bulbul	60
	Brown-breasted Bulbul	2
	Sooty-headed Bulbul	60
	Flavescent Bulbul	50
	Mountain Bulbul	20
	Black Bulbul	4
	Barn Swallow	10
	Pygmy Cupwing	12
	Chestnut-headed Tesia	4
	Yellow-bellied Warbler	6
	Mountain Tailorbird	4
	Black-throated Bushtit	20
	Davison's Leaf Warbler	100
	Chestnut-crowned Warbler	4
	Hill Prinia	20
	Rufescent Prinia	10
	Common Tailorbird	1
	Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler	3
	White-browed Scimitar Babbler	12
	Grey-throated Babbler	4
	Golden Babbler	20
	Pin-striped Tit-Babbler	15
	Rufous-winged Fulvetta	30
	Yunnan Fulvetta	100
	Spot-throated Babbler	3
	White-necked Laughingthrush	20
	Silver-eared Laughingthrush	30
	Blue-winged Minla	30
	Scarlet-faced Liocichla	10
	Spectacled Barwing	10
	Silver-eared Mesia	14
	Rufous-backed Sibia	10
	Dark-backed Sibia	20
	Grey-headed Parrotbill	60
	Whiskered Yuhina	30
	Indian White-eye	30
	Chestnut-vented Nuthatch	12
	Velvet-fronted Nuthatch	5
	Lesser Shortwing	3
	Oriental Magpie-Robin	3
	White-tailed Robin	1
	Slaty-backed Forktail	1
	Northern White-crowned Forktail	3
	Pied Bush Chat	1
	Grey Bush Chat	2
	Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush	2
	Dark-sided Flycatcher	3
	Asian Brown Flycatcher	1
	Little Pied Flycatcher	3
	Hill Blue Flycatcher	10
	Large Niltava	1
	Orange-bellied Leafbird	15
	Plain Flowerpecker	25
	Mrs. Gould's Sunbird	10
	Black-throated Sunbird	6
	Streaked Spiderhunter	4
	Pin-tailed Parrotfinch	6
	White-rumped Munia	30
	Forest Wagtail	1
	Grey Wagtail	4
	Olive-backed Pipit	2