Bamboo Woodpecker

Just after first light I headed up the road to the nearby temple, just off the steps in some bamboo a woodpecker was drumming loudly and persistently, after around 20 minutes I managed brief views of a Bamboo Woodpecker, a species not that uncommon around Chiang Dao but is often difficult to get views of. In trees around the car park an adult Oriental Cuckoo showed well, as did several Violet Cuckoo. There was a constant stream of birds in and out of a small fruiting tree, which included Blue-throated and Blue-eared Barbet, six species of bulbul, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Thick-billed and Yellow-vented Flowerpecker and a male Black-throated Sunbird.

Blue-throated Barbet

Other species recorded around the temple included calling Green-legged Partridge and Red Junglefowl, Great Barbet, at least 10 Black-hooded Oriole, Plaintive Cuckoo and Purple-naped Sunbird.  In tall trees back along the road just outside the entrance to Malee's a pair of Blue-bearded Bee-eater showed well, the tall trees along the road to the temple seems to be a fairly reliable site for this species. 

From mid morning until mid afternoon time was once again spent looking upwards for raptors, there was nothing on the move until early afternoon when 3 Oriental Honey Buzzard, 3 Black Baza and single Eastern Buzzard and Grey-faced Buzzard headed south. A pair of Oriental Hobby were also around for much of the afternoon. 

Late afternoon I headed into town and the market, taking small back roads I added several new species to the list, such as Pied Bushchat, Little Green Bee-eater and best of all 40 Open-billed Stork which was a new species for myself at Chiang Dao. 

Open-billed Stork
photo by Fred Rowe

At dusk an Oriental Scops Owl was calling near the resort and moved the list onto 94 species.