Ban Krang of Kaeng Krachan Park

23rd February 2010

Before reaching Kaeng Krachan my impression of a National Park is that it is an designated area of conservation filled with pristine forest. That idea was thrown out when we saw the Visitor's Center. We were told to purchase the park entrance fee in advance as we would be entering the Park at about 7.00 am - well before the opening time of 9.00 am. Odd -We did. The next morning, we passed the visitor centre and continued our journey following the edge of the lake. Then an improper scene struck us, the terrain changed from forest to farm and then wasteland. After 15 kilometers later, we came to "T" junction, meeting a principal road. From there another 10 kilometers through farms and settlements, we reached a guard house. There we produced our tickets for entry. This time, after the gate, the terrain on both sides were hilly slopes of authentic jungle, very dry. There were elephant dungs and water holes on the road side. We could not get oursleves away from these birds.

 It was then we understood that the Kaeng Krachan Park could be divided into 2 special zones.

The first zone, a scenic Lake with tourist and camping facilities. The Park office was one of the many facilities along its shores. Then there were jungle walks on the islands opposite the office. Beyond the shores, the land returned to that of waste lands and orchards.

That morning's ride was into the second zone, the conserved forest. In it, were the important Ban krang Campsite area on the 16th kilometers marker and the Thanon Thung Campsite on the 29th kilometers marker.

We taken by surprise. On entry by a pair of Silver Pheasants peacefully, scavenging in another one of such "pond". We were too slow and we continued. After a short ride, the surrounding turned green and around a bend, we were in an open compound of Ban Krang. Very new with modern ammenities a visitors centre, canteen and resorts. On the vacant field, plenty of space for camps. The altitude of the place was approximately 850 feet.

We had Pond-Heron on the ground, Flycatchers and Barbets on the tree.

 
Then this parent feeding this juvenile Blue-eared put up quite a show for us.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Though rather high and far away, the good weather and bright sunshine helped in getting fairly decent images.


 
 
 
 
There was this inescapable Asian-brown who was every where that we went.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
On a tree across the valley, we caught one section of a tree that was filled with birds. Hill Mynas and Barbets. Reminding me of our trees that was with Starlings.
 
 

  Then this bird that I cannot ID. Looks like a female Flycatcher with a mystic tinge of blue on its breast. The speckles on its face show that it was still a juvenile or almost a sub-adult.

 
 
Bird life at the Ban Krang Campsite was interesting, but it was best that we spend most of our time at "the spot."
 
The famed birding zone is between the stretch of road labeled as 16.5-18 kilometers. A birding stretch marked by the crossing of 3 streams. In this stretch, the track paved, shaded by canopy and running parallel to a stream. Very conducive indeed. The common montane birds that we see back home.
 

The tall ficus tree over 100 feet with a crown wide enough to allow 4 Brown Hornbills and one Great Hornbill feeding simultaneously.

That was a good half hour of excitement for us.

 
Stephen who wandered away, on meeting up, we found out that he drawn there by the Babblers in the Bamboo bush after parting company at the Trogon shoot. Not sure whether we met the same Trogon but it was on 3 occasions along the stretch that we met up with the bird. Trogon normally glide away but cannot say that they went ahead of us to re-appear.
 

 
We grabbed a picture of Silver-breasted as souvenir confirming that we did encounter Broadbill.

Cannot miss out the more common birds, but just a photographic record of what we met and caught on camera.
 
Malkohas were often seen in many places. Rather longish bird, but this one we caught is a Green-billed.
 

Not our choice, the pair of mating birds stopped us in our track.

For Gilbert who was doing Video, he was rewarded with the courting dance sequel.

Many articles were written on the net about Kaeng Krachan Park filled with Butterflies in the month of February.

We were there just after mid-February. The meaning of the word "filled" lived up to expectation. I have never seen a whole stretch of road having so many Butterflies at the same time. On both sides of the road, on and on as we walked our birding pace.

Then near the river banks there groups of congregations. Not an expert on Butterlies but can tell of different species from their patterns.

The experiences of having bird in Ban Krang? A definite thumbs-up. Much better than many forest trails that we had been. Although many of the rare ground birds were not sighted, we were more interested in birding rather than seeking out rare birds.

Hell Fire Pass

23rd February, 2010

This is an old tourist spot within an army camp and the entrance, needed to get through the camp compound to reach it. The place, I had seen it now with the new tidy looks. I would rate the place as the best organized destination should top the list of destination for Kanchanaburi i.e. for those seeking unusual places to visit and do not mind hiking.

From the writing I read in the internet, we were prepared for mosquitoes bite and contended with low birds life. Once there, what struck us as a surprise - far from what we had in mind, a first class walkways and stairs. The place absolutely clean and tidy. The forest was dry and there were plenty of trees but with little leaves, interspersed with Bamboo clumps. The trail started behind Park museum which situated at the top of the Pass. For the leg of the path, where we walked, we were virtually looking at the canopy of trees growing on the slopes. Birds were seen flying everywhere.

There were lots of Drongos, Ashy as well as Black Drongo. Then one larger one flew in, we shouted that it looked like a Crested Jay. The gloss from the bird's colours played tricks to our eyes.

On a flowering bamboo clump, the few birds were busy picking out the flowers. Against the sunlight could not ID them. Only the camera could.
 
 
 
It was a good 7 kilometers walk, a loop that led down into the valley with steep slope and up again. In the hot blazing sun,
 
 

 
 
The first Bulbul, that didn't look familiar since we left the National Park. Brown-breasted.
 
 
 
 
Though the surrounding was very dry, there was no shortage of birds. Only the heat slowed us down and stopped us from doing any enthusiastic hunt.

 
 
There were those Flycatchers that I am familiar with and also this one that I cannot make out. Very prominent white crescent band on its breast.
 
 
This one behaved exactly like Flycatcher, while Gilbert & Stephen got what appeared like a Hill-blue, I won't rule out this to be Niltava. But I know it is not.
 

 
The features are very clear. Pity we do not have a local to help us in a quick ID. Until some one tells me I am quite contended to have it named as the female of White-tailed Flycatcher.
 
 
The special attraction here was suppose to be the Limestone Wren-Babbler. We saw the limestone hills but the place and the walk was terribly hot without the shade. Unlikely that this bird would show itself. Also missed was the Spangled Drongo. We could have met up with one without knowing as there were so many of them flying in and out.

Kaeng Krachan Visitors Center

22nd February 2010


Up till now I am still trying to get clarification as to which location is the Park HQ and whether the one we landed in as Visitor Center is another name for it.

The Visitor's Center is a complex on an open ground by the shore of the Lake. There were well manned information counters and inside maps, details as the places visitors can go birding. The principal spots, the Ban Krang camps and Thannon Thung camps. Then there was a separate counter for booking of tours and accommodations. Well, Thai style, every details well organized for tourism.

We were there at the Center, too late to make a run into the far way part of Park, so had time to kill and to avoid paying the day's park entrance fee. As recommended, we could bird around the visitor center. Here was - a complex of 2 buildings, toilet an annex some 50 meters away. Lavish car park with provision for buses too. The compound ornamented with a few tall trees in front and a couple more lower trees around the building. There was a small hill opposite the building, on top of which I could see some buildings. I suspect that would be the HQ but the reception told me "no hiking as that is a military complex". The hinterland otherwise, all bare and parched. While I was still trying to get my orientation, I saw Stephen & Gilbert chasing after Crested Bulbuls, Coppersmith and a couple more fair size birds. I went on my own to the low trees on the left of the building that was continuously filled with signs of birds creeping. There was calls. No no! I was not looking for exotic birds to fill our list but rather curious as to what we could get as common birds. Remembering that saying we heard in Malaysia that in Thailand we could get Red-whiskered flowing out of our ears! Let's see what I have collected.

Streaked-eared Bulbul, most common Bulbul as well as most common bird. Then Sunbird - the same Olive-backed. Must be a prolific bird who survived anywhere easily.
 
 
 
 
 
There was a cluster of a few fruit trees, lots of twigs and little leaves. Could see the birds among the maze of twigs but not in full exposed views.

 
 
 
This is suppose to be a Dark-sided Flycatcher but with strangely marked breast.
 
 
 

There must be 10-12 birds on the trees most of the time, during the period I was watching.
 

One of my shot have this Black-throated, usually a sub-montane bird in our country.

Monarch here were very much part of the pack. First time I see Sunbird, Monarch, Flycatchers and Flowerpeckers all together.
 
 
Time passed very quickly and just at dusk, more birds came to this sanctuary of trees. They did not gather at the fruiting trees but find perches on branches of the taller trees next to this group of lower trees.

 
 
The Asian-brown Flycatcher came out and showed itself prominently.
 
 
 
 

 
 
Common Iora which was also not among the group of small birds seen earlier, made its appearances at dusk.
 
 

Unlike the batch of birds seen in the afternoon who were foraging for food, the birds seen at this time were those ready to retire for the night. Little "jumping" about and perched for a while.

The Lesser-racquet-tailed led the way, followed by the Ashy Drongo.

So was the larger Black Drongo

Another Sunbird with very bright yellow underpart that I would not speculate which species it would be.

The highlight for the afternoon was watching the Streaked-eared in its nest. There were 2 nests on the tree.


The level of bird life seen in the visitor's center was impressive. Under identical forested environment when compared to travel in Malaysia, we saw less birds along the Thai roads. But in this park area, the level of bird life was remarkable. Perhaps that happening could have resulted from the fact the whole district do not have much trees or forest. The wooded area will attracts birds of the area to concentrate and gather. More over there could be linkage to the type of trees specially planted here, that drew the crowd.

Ban Aobfha Resort- Kaeng Krachan

22nd February 2010


The Ban Aobfha Resort (Baan Fah Resort embrace).

633 Moo1, Tambon Kaeng Krachan, Phetchaburi 76130

We tried our best to learn as much as possible all about the Kaeng Krachan Park before our arrival but with little success. Faint impression that the park was in deep jungle far away from civilization. The driver we had, he too was unfamiliar with the park. Could gauge this fact when he took a traditional route in the direction to the Park, This old way, the only from the start, began the route from a point south of Petchaburi. New experiences for us, the way passed through irrigated rice fields and barren waste land. The journey after 35 kilometers ended with what appeared to be a small market square and a gate way. We thought that was the entrance to the park. So that's it, the hinterland to the park was not an area of deep forest but agriculture land scattered with wasteland. At the time of visit, the whole area was parched and looked desolate.

So we picked this resort at the park boundary and near "a" gateway of the park. After familiarizing ourselves with the "park". Big shock! There were much more resorts and restaurants inside the park compound itself. The Park as it is, a water retention lake for irrigation and drinking. The south-east shore with its HQ and visitor center has camping grounds and high end restaurants. A playground for the urban folks of Bangkok.

Then the resort that we chose. Rooms were not cheap at Rgt 100-120 per room. New to the place and little time to vet, we settled down. The decision when view with hind sight was good. The compound of this resort was in a spot most forested, it had a rapid flowing river used for white water and lots of green surroundings. More details of the resort would appear in the write-up on Multiply. In this blog, I highlight the birds that I photographed.

 
Bamboo forest lined the river banks. Myriads little birds filled the bushes and bamboo clumps, among those, this Flycatcher.
 
 

 
 
 
The bird that we are most familiar with was common in that area as well.
 

 
 
 
 
So was this species of Shama.
 
 

 
 
The Bee-eater that we could only see in northern Peninsula was a lifer for Stephen & Gilbert.
 

 
 
Drongos [ all types] over took from the Mynas in number 1 position as the most common birds in Kaeng Krachan. And as for Myna, they were sighted. Only 1species - Common Myna.
 
 

 
A large bird flew in. Looked like a raptor. Back home with plenty of "photoshoped" -A Green Imperial Pigeon.
 
 

 
 
 
The dense mango tree just beside our room? In daylight hours, we saw it had 3 bird nests. No wonder we even had this guy snoozing there at night.
 
 
 

 
 
Across the river there was the barren field. The whole day long, there were calls from the Lapwings.
 
 
 
 
We took time to explore the potentials of this place. By the end of the second day, we began to appreciate the vast amount of birds stopping by here. That was also the time that we have to leave this place. There you are, from the little amount of pictures that we harvested in a short time, the actual number spotted far exceeded that number.

Jeram -for the Black-capped

19th February, 2010

After the last trip, I was reminded I had not got my fill of Black-capped for 2010. So this visit was more or less one trip to fill up the void in the schedule for the year.


This morning, no breakfast and no time for fellowship with Ah Tee but headed straight for the mangrove forest. I knew that in the early hours, many rare birds including Nightjars would be out sun basking. First "scenic" sight, I reached the beach by 7.30am. Happy to note that there were no Dollarbirds or Common Kingfisher to disrupt my continuation. But still, I must make a cursory visit to check on the mudflats. Beautiful morning, the water just started receding with the water line just 50 meters off shore. But there was no waders other than the few Little Herons. Suited me fine, I could focus on my run into the mangrove forest as I planned.

Now that's the intro for this trip. Next, right at the start of the Mangrove forest trail, I encountered a scene that influenced me to narrate the going-on as if I was came from Bagan Sungei Buloh!

The Brahminy was hunting in the morning. I needed a shot of the bird. Taking no chances, as soon as the Brahminy came to a rest, got this shot from a distance.
 
 
The bird watching ride from the car went on. No surprises, the usual birds that we had seen in the last trip, reappeared.

High on the wanted list, was this White-headed that I missed in the last trip.
 
 
 


Others on the wanted list, the efforts put in did not go well for me. For example - spent time waiting for the Prina that appeared briefly and there was this Great Tit which calling but just would not show.

 
 
A consolation was this Zitting Cisticola who was oblivious to my intention. A shy bird but stood there stunted.
 
One Black-capped was basking in the sun some distance away. Got my shot for the day even though the quality of pictures were below par. Then, while I on the verge of giving up hope of getting another good model, this good guy came to my rescue. Perched there for a good 10 minutes until I left.

Lastly, the highlight for the day.


As I entered the forest, I was alerted by lot of calls from large birds -crows! Then spotted this pair of huge bird, immediately I could ID them as Sea-Eagles. One flew and chased by a whole flock of Crows. It returned to its perched where I got a few shots of their presence.

Watch them moved and turned about. Typical and confirming my ID. At last uncomfortable with my presence, both birds took off. One after another, trailed closely with the Crows.


Back home, I looked at the pictures, they had brown wings instead of the grey for the White-bellied.

The pair displayed all the habits of Sea-Eagles and the action of the Crows showed that the birds were not local. I consider these pixs as an important record. Unable to ID the birds positively, I will archived this batch of pixs for future reference.

Kemensah - Outran by 2 Kingfishers

18th February, 2010

The Barbet were making their nest and also a pair of Grey faced Fish-Eagles spotted - such news enticed me to be in Kemensah. I made a special attempt to be there early. Arriving on the main road before 8.00 am. The place was very quiet and the weather the dullest. No other option but sat in the car and was a look out for signals. What signals?


Signs of birds flying about, then gauging from the level of birds activities, I could plan my moves for the morning. Fat hopes! An hour ticked by, not a single bird, very unusual indeed. No point searching other place beside that where I had parked, as "that" would be the mood for the area for that time. It was not until 9.30 am when the first bird, a pair of Striped throated flew across the "valley".

The day had begun. After such a poor start, cannot blame me for having no confidence to hike, I drove in towards the end of the road. Passing by the fish pond, this fellow momentarily stood at the fencing. I moved in for my first shot for the day -at the dried bed of the pond.
Continued my hunt till the road ended, Bulbuls and Robin magpies and Flowerpeckers. Time to hike! Once at the bend, there were bird waves, made up of little tiny fellows at the canopy level. Jumping about and not wanting to be recognized. I waited for some to get lower but they won't, sensing a human present down on the ground level.

Not exactly true, one among the pair was wondering, thought I was not watching, emerged momentarily from the bush. Ah ha! I was ready. Fired 3 shots and harvested one respectable view. Time was getting late nearing 11.00 am, the weather turning brighter. Went down the slope for my patrol. This time, while driving passed the other pond, a Black-capped stood. Not to miss this unique chance, proceeded that spot as a normal passer-by. Got my camera mounted inside the car and drove back on the return leg. The bird left! Disappointed, I continued, then turn around, back trekked for another round.

Hey! How did I missed this little guy on the way out? On the way in, saw the little Blue-eared about 100 meters away. This time, with the camera still in position I would shot without creeping there. But first I must stop the car. Yes, I stop and it flew! He! He! He! So 2 Kingfishers in one day.

That the story of my life! Time for me to lie low, wait for my luck to change for the better. I waited in the area towards the end of the road for about 30 minutes, hoping and giving time for the birds to return to their perch.

I came back and sure enough, there was a huge bird. From a distance of 200 meters through my front windscreen I shot for my insurance.

Then forward the car to a spot nearer for the real shot. I didn't even have the chance to bring my car to a halt, the bird flew when the car came uncomfortably close, meaning some 50 meters away. Not a sign of being frightened off by me but a safer distance and up in the Coconut tree.

No false move, shot free hand from the car and luckily a couple of those hit the target before our friend left the scene.

Still looking for my Mangrove-blue Flycatcher

16th February 2010


For this trip north, I have ample time to spare, fitted in my driving schedule handy and just nice for me to check out whether I could have my pictures for the Mangrove-blue Flycatcher and the Greater Flameback. So into this Sepetang Boardwalk I came.

Was about 8.15 am when I walked into a bird wave at the first platform. Rather strange to have bird wave scenario in this place as I cannot remember meeting up with one during my other visit . The pack was led by a lone Drongo. It perched - with the bright morning sun as background.
 
No matter how I tried cannot say for sure that it's a Black Drongo even though looks like one. The rest of the birds that made up the packs were Flycatchers, Tailorbirds, Flowerpeckers, Sunbirds etc.
 

All of a sudden, my wife pointed out that quietly perched less than 2 meters away from where I stood.
 
What a gift in the morning, can see from the picture that I have to look downwards to the bird. A short while later it flew and I followed in hot pursuit to get it in other angles
 

 
I was granted that privilege and here one of the angles.
 


The bird kept its position well hindered with twigs and leaves. I could not harvest that many clear shot as I had wished to but here is one. After that following through with the Flycatcher was over and it moved away from me, the whole place just quiet down.

The Woody that I wanted was calling from some distance away. To kill my time waiting, recorded this Kite. They, a pair, were busy collecting nesting materials.
 
 

 
Among the many little birds that I met up with earlier, found this half hidden juvenile Flycatcher-shrike.
 
 
 
A visit to the mangrove forest would never be complete without getting this fellow into the picture.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It was a short but satisfying trip in getting enough pictures for the Mangrove-blue. Have to wait for another opportunity for the Woody