30 years ago: 19-22 February 1982, Doi Pui & Doi Inthanon

Friday 19th February 1982:  drive N, Doi Pui and Doi Suthep, Thailand

Steve drove through the night as far at Tak, arriving at 05:00 with us perilously low on petrol.  The garage there opened soon after 06:00 and we then continued to Chiang Mai for another fill up.  We arrived at Doi Pui by 10:00 and spent the rest of the day birding there and at nearby Doi Suthep.  Colin found a Yellow-faced Warbler but its all important head was partly obscured for me and then it dropped a long way down the hillside - bummer as I’d not seen one before.  We returned to Chiang Mai after dark where we bought food to take to Doi Inthanon.  On arrival at the entrance to Doi Inthanon we couldn’t bluff our way past the park guard so spent the night sleeping out by the Park HQ.

Birds seen included:  Crested Serpent Eagle 1, Crested Goshawk 1, *Red-thighed Falconet 1, White-vented Needletail 6, Stripe-breasted Woodpecker 1, Long-tailed Broadbill 3, Olive-backed Pipit 20, Mountain Minivet 10, Red-flanked Bluetail 1 female, Daurian Redstart 1 male, Grey Bushchat 10, Yellow-faced Warbler 1 briefly, White-tailed Leaf Warbler 10, Blyth’s Crowned Leaf Warbler 5, Hill Blue Flycatcher 7, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher 1, Little Pied Flycatcher 3, *Spot-throated Babbler 2, White-browed Scimitar Babbler 2, Silver-eared Mesia 2, White-browed Shrike Babbler 4, Chestnut-fronted Shrike Babbler 4, Rufous-backed Sibia 1, Black-backed Sibia 3, Chestnut-flanked White-eye 1.

Saturday 20th February 1982:  Doi Inthanon, Thailand

We were up at 07:00 and drove straight up to the summit of Doi Inthanon, arriving an hour later.  It felt quite cold – a very nice change after the heat of the lowlands.  Birding was excellent around the summit all day.  We had superb views of the ‘twitched’ 50+ Dusky and 6 Red-throated Thrushes.  My only disappointment was my failure to see a Grey-sided Thrush in amongst the 50 or so Eye-broweds that were present around the summit 'marsh'.  Maybe I need glasses as I feel that I’m nowhere near as sharp as the others, who all saw it at one time or another.  We drove back down as far as km 31 after dark and crashed out there.

Birds seen included:  Woodcock 4, *Speckled Wood Pigeon 75, *Large Hawk Cuckoo 1, White-breasted Kingfisher 1, Olive-backed Pipit 2, White-browed Shortwing 2, Red-flanked Bluetail 2 females, Grey Bushchat 4, River Chat 1, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush 1, Blue Rock Thrush 1, Blue Whistling Thrush 1, Dark-sided Thrush 1, Chestnut Thrush 15, Eye-browed Thrush c50, *Dusky Thrush 50+, Red-throated Thrush 6, Orange-barred Leaf Warbler 10, Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler 20, Slaty-bellied Tesia 2, Slaty-backed Flycatcher 3, Snowy-browed Flycatcher 8, Yellow-bellied Fantail 10, Pigmy Wren Babbler 2, Red-headed Laughingthrush 8, Chestnut-tailed Minla 20, Rufous-winged Fulvetta 10, Green-tailed Sunbird 6, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker 2, Dark-breasted Rosefinch 3, Scarlet Rosefinch 2, Little Bunting 40.

Yellow-bellied Fantail on Doi Inthanon

Chestnut Thrush on Doi Inthanon

Sunday 21st February 1982:  Doi Inthanon, Thailand

All day birding around the second check post (km 37-38) was a little disappointing despite my seeing both Shortwings (one new).  Failed to find White-gorgetted Flycatcher in the ravines, recent collecting at this site probably not helping.  Crashed out at km 31 again.

Birds seen included:  Mountain Imperial Pigeon 13, Large Hawk Cuckoo 1, Violet Cuckoo 1 male, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 6, Golden-throated Barbet 1, Speckled Piculet 1, Stripe-breasted Woodpecker 2, White-browed Shortwing 2, *Lesser Shortwing 1, Blue Whistling Thrush 1, Eye-browed Thrush 1, White-tailed Leaf Warbler 1, Blyth’s Crowned Leaf Warbler 2, *Milne-Edward’s Warbler 1, Slaty-bellied Tesia 2, Large Niltava 4, Beautiful Niltava 1, Vivid Niltava 1 male, Slaty-backed Flycatcher 1, Snowy-browed Flycatcher 3, Red-breasted Flycatcher 1, Little Pied Flycatcher 2, White-browed Scimitar Babbler 1, Eye-browed Wren Babbler 1, Grey-throated Babbler 1, Silver-eared Mesia 2, White-browed Shrike Babbler 1, Chestnut-fronted Shrike Babbler 1, Spectacled Barwing 7, Blue-winged Minla 4, Rufous-winged Fulvetta 4, Rufous-backed Sibia 3, Black-backed Sibia 9, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch 2, Maroon Oriole 6, Grey-backed Shrike 2, Black-collared Starling 2, Scarlet Rosefinch 1.

Monday 22nd February 1982:  Doi Inthanon, Thailand

We drove up to the summit after a half-hearted look around km 31 first thing.  A Rufous-throated Hill Partridge around the summit 'marsh' was excellent but there were fewer thrushes in evidence and I again failed to find the Grey-sided amongst a similar number of Eye-broweds.   We had a few roadside stops on way down.  We wandered around behind the Meo village at km 31 and in dry woodland at km 13.  Steve and I missed Black-capped Woodpecker at the last site despite flushing one which then landed in front of Colin and Dave where it gave excellent views, flying off just as we arrived!  During three hours searching we only had two more ‘totally useless’ flight views.  Being a lot lower the area is probably much better early morning when it is cooler.  We left the national park and filled up with petrol in Chom Thong at 17:30 and drove to Chaing Mai where we found an excellent eating place.  We drove north to Taffon, passing Doi Chang Dao seemingly in flames.

Birds seen included:  Rufous-winged Buzzard 2, Red-thighed Falconet 2, Rufous-throated Hill Partridge 1, Green-billed Malkoha 2, Jungle Nightjar 1, Crested Treeswift 1, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 2, Lineated Barbet 1, Wryneck 1, Grey-capped Pigmy Woodpecker 2, Olive-backed Pipit 10, Rosy Minivet 6, White-browed Shortwing 2, Red-flanked Bluetail 1 female, Daurian Redstart 1 male, Grey Bushchat 4, River Chat 1, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush 1, Chestnut Thrush 10+, Eye-browed Thrush 50+, Dusky Thrush 4, Orange-barred Leaf Warbler 4, Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler 1, Yellow-browed Warbler 1, Milne-Edward’s Warbler 2, *Buff-bellied Warbler 1 Snowy-browed Flycatcher 1, Red-breasted Flycatcher 1, White-crested Laughingthrush 2, Black-backed Sibia 1, Brown Shrike 1, Long-tailed Shrike 3, Jay 4, Scarlet Rosefinch 6, Little Bunting 20.