Temple Birding

I spent the first four hours of the morning birding around Wat Tham Pha Plong Chiang Dao and saw an excellent selection of species. Feeding in the many flowering trees in forest along the approach road were dozens Spangled and Greater Racket-tailed Drongos and a small flock of Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush.

Numerous Blue-throated and Blue-eared Barbets, Black-hooded Orioles and Black Bulbuls called from tall trees around the car park and several White-rumped Shama sang from scrub near the temple gates. At the start of the temple steps two Streaked Wren Babblers showed well on limestone outcrops and the deep booming call of several Mountain Imperial Pigeon and the more subtle calls of Emerald Ground Doves could be heard. Further along the steps a restless party of around 30 Striated Yuhina quickly moved through, whilst from within the forest the first of several Drongo Cuckoo's sang and in trees just above the steps a stunning Red-headed Trogon sat motionless.

Just behind the main accommodation block in the temple a huge fruiting tree saw an endless succession of birds flying in and out to feed, amongst these were nine Mountain Imperial, four Pin-tailed and three Wedge-tailed Green Pigeons, many Great, Blue-throated and Blue-eared Barbets, Asian Fairy Bluebirds and at least five species of Bulbul. In a smaller flowering tree nearby a male and female Black-throated Sunbird fed amongst the flowers along with several Oriental White-eyes, Yellow-browed and Two-barred Greenish Warblers and at least 40 Chestnut-tailed Starlings.

After an hour watching the fruiting tree I slowly wandered back down the steps, adding Banded Bay Cuckoo, Scarlet Minivet and Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike to the morning list. Once again I walked around the temple car park, a Shikra displayed overhead, a Violet Cuckoo called as it flew between trees and a Grey-backed Shrike caught a large beetle nearby. Nearly back at the resort a Bay Woodpecker flew across the road and a pair of Verditers Flycatchers were in trees in the garden.

Also noted this morning were several vocal Scaly-breasted Partridge, Red Junglefowl, a drumming Rufous Woodpecker, a calling Collared Owlet, many Crested Treeswifts, White-throated Fantail, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Buff-breasted Babbler, Streaked and Little Spiderhunter.