VIETNAM April 2009: Da Lat

Saturday 11 April (continued).  Picked up from Cat Ttien after breakfast and drove towards Da Lat plateau stopping to bird the road at Deo Nui San for 2-3 hours on the way.  Highlights there were Annan Barbet 4 (later to prove very common), White-cheeked Laughingthrush 1, Grey-crowned Tit 3 and Eyebrowed Thrush 25 flying over.

view from Da Lat hotel window

Sunday 12 April.  Driven to Ta Nung for dawn.  All day there concentrating mainly on the flowering trees in the more open areas.  A fairly quiet day, not helped by only Nick seeing Grey-crowned Crocias and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush although I heard the latter.  Highlights for me were Leopard Cat 1, White-cheeked Laughingthrush 8, Black-headed Sibia 2, Black-crowned Parrotbill 2, Lesser Shortwing 2, Slaty-backed Forktail 1 and Vietnamese Greenfinch 1 male.

Leopard Cat

Black-headed Sibia

Monday 13 April.  Driven to Mount Lang Bian for dawn and spent all day there.  We were not able to drive up the mountain and no taxis around to take us so we walked up to the start of the trail.  A superb day despite some heavy rain in the afternoon.  Highlights were Silver Pheasant 1 female, Grey-headed Parakeet 12, Jay 6, Grey-crowned Tit 15, Grey-bellied Tesia 1, Pigmy Wren-Babler 1, Vietnamese Cutia 2, Collared Laughingthrush 2, Black-crowned Fulvetta 5, Eyebrowed Thrush 1, White-tailed Robin 4, White-throated Rock Thrush 1 male and Blue & White Flycatcher 1 cumatili.

White-tailed Robin

Blue and White Flycatcher

Grey-crowned Tit

Vietnamese Cutias

Tuesday 14 April.  Driven to Ho Tuyen Lam for dawn and spent all day there concentrating on the far ridge trail.  Highlights were Silver Pheasant 1 male, Blue Pitta 1 male, Slender-billed Oriole 4, Grey-crowned Tit 5, Lanceolated Warbler 1, Black-hooded Laughingthrush 1, Orange-breasted Laughingthrush 2, Yellow-billed Nuthatch 2 (on the ridge trail) and White's Thrush 3.


Wednesday 15 April. Driven again to Ho Tuyen Lan for dawn and spent all day there although didn;t go so far up the far ridge trail.  spent more time in the pines above the lodge complex.  Highlights were Chinese Francolin 1, Crested Goshawk 1 displaying, Burmese Shrike 7, Slender-billed Oriole (1), Grey-crowned Tit 10, Eyebrowed Wren-Babbler 2, White-cheeked Laughingthrush 1, Vietnamese Cutia 3 (1 male, 2 females), Velvet-fronted Nuthatch 2 ( in open forest), Vietnamese Greenfinch 1 male and Vietnamese Crossbill 8.


Thursday 16 April.  Driven to Ta Nung for the morning where highlights were White-cheeked Laughingthrush 2, Grey-crowned Crocias 4 and Slaty-backed Forktail 2.  Then back to Deo Nui San where two Long-tailed Broadbills and a White-browed Shrike-Babbler were seen.

Grey-crowned Crocias

Friday 17 April.  All day on he forest trails at Deo Nui San.  Several times we heard what we tought was Green Cochoa but never managed to track it down.  Frustrating.  Highlights were Long-tailed Broadbill 1, Orange-breasted Laughingthrush 2, White-browed Shrike-Babbler 3, Black-headed Sibia 4, Black-crowned Parrotbill 8, Large Niltava 2.

Black-crowned Parrotbill

Large Niltava

Saturday 18 April.  A final morning attempt on Green Cochoa at Deo Nui San was unsuccessful before we were driven back to Ho Chi Minh City for our flights home.  Highlights were Spot-throated Babbler 2, White-cheeked Laughingthrush 3, Black-headed Sibia 2 and Black-crowned Parrotbill 3.