Dates:
Weather:
Locality:

9-10 June 2012.
Cool and wet with low cloud. Rain showers, some heavy.
Doi Lang.

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler

9 June. A rather early start, hoping to get into the field and score some early birds, was somewhat unsuccessful as low cloud and rain showers combined to frustrate the birding. We worked our way up the mountain, but were unable to stop anywhere lower down due to the poor weather.

Common Sailor

Large Niltava

Scarlet-faced Liocichla

Silver-eared Laughingthrush

Moving a little higher, a walk in the forest produced almost nothing. Continuing to dodge showers, we moved to the upper army camp, where we off-loaded some bananas for the guys to feed the birds behind the camp, for which they were very grateful - both the birds and the army guys. For the rest of the morning we birded various spots between the camp and summit finding Whiskered Yuhina and Necklaced Woodpecker. At one point we had to clear a tree fall completely blocking the road, which required a fair amount of work with the machete. Up at the Km 39 viewpoint we tried for various open area species, usually present, without any success. A distinct lack of bulbuls in the wet season. Up at the summit, no sooner had we arrived than rain started which forced us to retreat lower where the weather was decidedly better by midday. Spent most of afternoon working spots on the way down, with Black-throated Bushtit, Lesser Shortwing, Pygmy Cupwing, Slaty-bellied Tesia and Spectacled Barwing. During the afternoon rain descended progressively lower, following us back to Thaton around 18:30.

10 Jun. A slightly later start at 05:30. Damp, drizzle and low cloud did not look promising. Headed up the hill with fog and visibility getting worse and visibility below the camp site no more than 50 metres. We'd planned some earlier stops but nothing possible until we encountered the first clear weather above the upper army camp, so decided to try the top and work down. However, we arrived at the viewpoint at Km 39 to strong wind, cloud, rain and a temperature of only 17 degrees - so gave up that idea and headed downward again. For most of the morning worked several stretches back to the army camp but birding slow with only a couple new species added; White-tailed Robin and Yellow-browed Tit. At the army camp stopped to investigate what our bananas were attracting, and found them popular with Scarlet-faced Liocichla, Spectacled Barwing and Silver-eared Laughingthrush. A pair of Large Niltava provided good photo opportunities.

Spectacled Barwing

Birds generally thin on ground so descended to lower levels where we were surprised to find the lower slopes still in cloud but at least clear when we arrived at the large bridge, where we spent the final half hour, which included a group of close-up Buff-chested Babbler. At midday left for Chiang Mai.

Buff-chested Babbler