Return to trip reports.Phuket: Nov. 8-9, 22; Ko Phi Phi: Nov. 9-10; Krabi: Nov. 10-14, 17-22; Khao Pra-Bang Khram: Nov. 14-17.
Cecilie Jacobsen and I left Tønsberg, Norway, at 15.23 and headed for Gardemoen Airport, Oslo by train. We were airborne at 19.35. Landed in Stockholm an hour later and had to wait 3 h 30 min for Novair to take us to Phuket. At 23.55 the speaker told us that technical problems were at hand, and we had to wait three hours in addition to the previous three and a half. Hence, Novair sucks... NB All prices mentioned in the report counts for one person.
Landed at Phuket Airport at 20.40. Had to wait an hour for passport control and luggage. A minivan to Phuket town costed 120 B, and we checked in at the dodgy Hotel Tharvan for 140 B. After listening to a Heavy/Thai concert and consuming some beer at a local pub, we retired and incidentally, we heard a Barn Owl in the backyard of our hotel.
Bought a boat-ticket to Ko Phi Phi for 200 B. Looked at some birds in the
eastern harbour, while we waited for the boat to set sail at 08.30:
1 Chinese Pond Heron, 1 Pacific Reef Egret (white), 4 Pacific Golden
Plover, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Brahminy Kite, 1 Crested Goshawk, 3
Edible-nest Swiftlet, 4 Barn Swallow (tytleri), 2 Pacific Swallow, 6 Spotted
Dove, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Black Drongo, 1 Brown Shrike, 1 Tree Sparrow,
10 Purple-backed Starling, 20 Common Myna, 15 White-vented Myna, 1
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker.
At the boat-trip to Ko Phi Phi it rained continously, but still:
10 Christmas Frigatebird, 1 Brahminy Kite, 1 White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 1
Oriental Hobby, 5 Pomarine Skua, 2 Roseate Tern, 20 Black-naped Tern, 1
Whiskered Tern, 1 Pied Imperial Pigeon, 1 Drongo Cuckoo, 2 Sand Martin,
10 Pacific Swallow
A short walk at the coastal trail resulted in:
50 Christmas Frigatebird, 2 Lesser Frigatebird, 200 frigate sp., 5 Pacific
Reef-Egret (dark), 4 Brahminy Kite, 3 Shikra, 2 White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 2
Greater Sand-Plover, 15 Pied Imperial Pigeon, 10 Spotted Dove, 4 Common
Koel, 2 Greater Coucal, 1 Dollarbird, 50 Pacific Swallow, 1 Asian Brown
Flycatcher, 1 Brown Shrike, 150 Common Myna, 2 Brown-throated
Sunbird, 15 Olive-backed Sunbird, 1 Tree Sparrow, 2 Scarlet-backed
Flowerpecker.
Did some birding from our Hotel Cabana veranda (1300 B is expensive,
right?):
100 frigate sp., 6 Brahminy Kite, 5 Shikra, 10 Crested Honey-Buzzard, 2
White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 25 Black-naped Tern, 10 Spotted Dove, 10
Dollardbird, 50 Pacific Swallow, 1 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, 10
Olive-backed Sunbird, 100 Common Myna
Went to Krabi in the early afternoon and saw:
2 Little Egret, 2 Little Heron, 5 Brahminy Kite, 1 White-bellied Sea-Eagle,
100 Lesser Sand-Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 3 Curlew, 20 Common Sandpiper,
4 Spotted Dove, 4 Common Kingfisher, 1 Brown-winged Kingfisher, 3
Black-capped Kingfisher, 10 Edible-nest Swiftlet, 5 Black-nest/Himalayan
Swiftlet, 300 House Swift, 100 Red-rumped Swallow, 7 Richards Pipit
(rufulus/malayensis), 2 Yellow-vented Bulbul, 1 Olive-winged Bulbul, 8
Ashy Drongo, 3 Large-billed Crow, 1 Puff-throated Babbler, 1 Black-
throated Babbler, 1 Coppersmith Barbet, Tree Sparrow, Common Myna
Went to Ao Nang Beach to combine birding with other summer activities:
1 Chinese Pond Heron, 4 Brahminy Kite, 1 Crested Honey-Buzzard, 1
White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 1 Oriental Hobby, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Zebra
Dove, 2 Spotted Dove, 1 Drongo Cuckoo, 2 Green-billed Malkoha, 1
White-throated Kingfisher, 2 Black-capped Kingfisher, 5 Asian Palm Swift,
100 Swiftlet sp., 5 Dusky Crag Martin, 100 Pacific Swallow, 6 Bar-winged
Flycatcher-Shrike, 1 Great Iora, 3 Lesser Green Leafbird, 1 Blue-winged
Leafbird, 1 Stripe-throated Bulbul, 5 Arctic Warbler, 2 Common Tailorbird,
1 Blue Rock Thrush (madoci), 1 Blue Whistling Thrush, 1 Phillipine
Glossy Starling, 50 Common Myna, 10 Olive-backed Sunbird, 2 Crimson
Sunbird, 4 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, 1 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker,
Tree Sparrow.
Before sunset, large amounts of swifts gathered to feed on insects above
Krabi:
4 Large-billed Crow, 1 Dollarbird, 500 Asian Palm Swift, 200 Swiftlet sp., 1
Edible-nest Swiftlet, 1 Silver-rumped Swift.
Went out with Mr. Dai. First to the bay, then to the mangrove swamp
(payed 150 B per hour):
40 Chinese Pond Heron, 3 Chinese Egret, 100 Little Egret, 8 Brahminy
Kite, 2 White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 1 Shikra, 10 Grey Plover, 20 Pacific Golden
Plover, 50 Lesser Sand-Plover, 4 Greater Sand-Plover, 100 Common
Sandpiper, 20 Whimbrel, 10 Curlew, 20 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Common
Redshank, 1 Common Greenshank, 3 Marsh Sandpiper, 5 Terek Sandpiper,
1 Lesser Crested Tern, 5 Black-naped Tern, 5 Little Tern, 1
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, 6 Common Kingfisher, 8 Collared Kingfisher, 14
Black-capped Kingfisher, 4 Brown-winged Kingfisher, 10 Chestnut-headed
Bee-eater, 1 Common Flameback, 50 Pacific Swallow, 2 Common Iora, 20 Black
Drongo, 20 Large-billed Crow, 1 Pale-legged Leaf-Warbler, 10 Arctic
Warbler, 1 Eastern Crowned Warbler, 15 Common Tailorbird, 3 Ashy
Tailorbird, 1 Rufous-tailed Tailorbird, 2 Asian Brown Flycatcher, 1
Black-naped Monarch, 1 Pied Fantail, 2 Mangrove Whistler, 2 Ruby-cheeked
Sunbird, 10 Olive-backed Sunbird, 20 Ashy Minivet.
Later on, we went to Ao Nang Beach:
1 Chinese Pond Heron, 2 Brahminy Kite, 1 Greater Coucal, 2 White-throated
Kingfisher, 6 Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, 10 Asian Palm Swift, 2
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, 1 Pied Triller, 1 Ashy Minivet, 1 Greater
Iora, 2 Greater Green Leafbird, 1 Eastern Crowned Warbler, 1 Asian Brown
Flycatcher, 100 Common Myna, 10 Olive-backed Sunbird, 5 Orange-bellied
Flowerpecker, Tree Sparrow
Went to the beach all day:
2 Shikra, 3 Brahminy Kite, 1 White-breasted Waterhen, 4 Zebra Dove, 1
Green-billed Malkoha, 2 White-breasted Kingfisher, 2 Indian Roller, 1
Coppersmith Barbet, 10 Asian Palm Swift, 2 Pacific Swift, 10 Pacific
Swallow, 20 Ashy Minivet, 5 Lesser Green Leafbird, 3 Black-headed
Bulbul, 3 Stripe-throated Bulbul, 1 Olive-winged Bulbul, 1 Black Drongo, 1
Large-billed Crow, 1 Arctic Warbler, 6 Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, 3 Asian
Brown Flycatcher, 2 Common Tailorbird, 2 Brown Shrike, 70 Common
Myna, 30 Olive-backed Sunbird, 2 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, 2
White-rumped Munia, Tree Sparrow
Kwan's restaurant had the best food, cheapest beer (65 B for 0,65 litres) and they played Jazz music there.
Went to Khao Nor Cuchi (Khao Pra-Bang Khram) by 4x4 (we certainly
needed it, many locals were stuck in the mud along the road). Arranged by
the same as did Mr. Dai for us. The ride costed 150 B. Stayed at a brand
new bungalow resort. It was quite OK, but creepy with a lot of bugs on the
floor, geckos in the ceiling and two mice behind the wardrobe. The locals
cooked excellent food and had an impressive Varan bengalensis as a daily
dinner-guest. It was pretty tame, and we could handfeed it every day with
fish and chicken after it appeared from the forest. We stayed there for three
nights:
(Krabi: 1 Japanese Sparrowhawk, 3 Purple-throated Sunbird)
1 Cinnamon Bittern, 2 Shikra, 2 Crested Serpent-Eagle, 1 Wallace's Hawk
Eagle, 2 Brown Wood-Owl, 4 Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, 1 Grey-and-buff
Woodpecker, 50 Asian Palm Swift, 1 Black-crested Bulbul, 5 Stripe-throated
Bulbul, 2 Yellow-vented Bulbul, 1 Olive-winged Bulbul, 3 Hairy-backed
Bulbul, 1 Ashy Bulbul, 1 Streaked Bulbul, 1 Black Drongo, 1
Abbot's Babbler, 1 Black-naped Monarch, 1 Brown Shrike, 1 Little
Spiderhunter, 1 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker.
Heavy rain ruined most of the day, but still:
2 Crested Honey-Buzzard, 1 Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, 1 Wallace's Hawk-Eagle,
1 Black-thighed Falconet, 1 Barred Eagle-Owl, 3 Hooded Pitta, 1
Banded Pitta, 5 swiftlet sp., 100 Asian Palm Swift, 4 Grey Wagtail, 4 Ashy
Minivet, 3 Black-headed Bulbul, 1 Stripe-throated Bulbul, 1 Yellow-vented
Bulbul, 1 Red-eyed Bulbul, 1 Ochraceous Bulbul, 1 Black Drongo, 1
Bronzed Drongo, 1 Buff-breasted Babbler, 1 Moustached Babbler, 1 Brown
Fulvetta, 2 Black-naped Monarch, 1 Little Spiderhunter, 10 Scarlet-backed
Flowerpecker, 1 Pin-tailed Parrotfinch
We were very satisfied with the two hawk-eagles, the owl and the pittas, but we were getting frustrated not to have recorded the Guerney's Pitta yet.
Up at 05.30. This turned out to be the best day during the entire trip:
2 Black Baza, 7 Japanese Sparrowhawk, 1 Crested Serpent-Eagle, 1
Wallace's Hawk-Eagle, 1 Shikra, 2 Chinese Goshawk, 2 Pink-necked
Pigeon, 1 Vernal Hanging Parrot, 1 White-throated Kingfisher, 10
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, 2 Guerney's Pitta (finally, at U.22: 1 female seen.
Another heard calling along trail A.) 10 Himalayan Swiftlet, 10 Edible-nest
Swiftlet, 50 Asian Palm Swiftlet, 5 Silver-rumped Swift, 20 Barn Swallow,
5 Red-rumped Swallow, 1 Forest Wagtail, 10 Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike,
30 Ashy Minivet, 1 Rosy Minivet (cantonensis), 1 Scarlet Minivet, 1
White-rumped Shama, 1 Common Iora, 10 Blue-winged Leafbird, 1
Yellow-vented Bulbul, 4 Stripe-throated Bulbul, 2 Cream-vented Bulbul, 1
Red-eyed Bulbul, 1 Grey-cheeked Bulbul, 1 Black Drongo, 6 Eastern Crowned
Warbler, 1 Arctic Warbler, 2 Common Tailorbird, 1 Eyebrowed Thrush, 2
Dark-sided Flycatcher, 1 Asian Brown Flycatcher, 2 Asian Paradise
Flycatcher, 2 Common Myna, 4 Hill Myna, 4 Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, 1
Black-throated Sunbird, 5 Little Spiderhunter, 1 Thick-billed Spiderhunter,
10 Scarlet-backed Sunbird, 5 White-bellied Munia.
Up at 05.30 hoping to get another glimpse of the pitta. Another brilliant
day in the forest:
1 Chinese Goshawk, 2 Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, 2 Dollarbird, 1 Red-crowned
Barbet, 1 Guerney's Pitta (only heard 06.30-07.30 at trail A), 10
Edible-nest Swiftlet, 5 Silver-rumped Swift, 30 Barn Swallow, 2
Red-rumped Swallow, 20 Ashy Minivet, 2 Lesser Green Leafbird, 2
Streak-eared Bulbul, 1 Stripe-throated Bulbul, 5 Yellow-bellied Bulbul, 1
Buff-vented Bulbul, 1 Black Drongo, 2 Bronzed Drongo, 1 Brown Fulvetta, 1
Flyeater, 1 Arctic Warbler, 2 Eastern Crowned Warbler, 1 Lanceloated
Warbler, 2 Common Tailorbird, 1 Oriental Magpie-Robin, 1 Eyebrowed
Thrush, 1 Blue-and-white Flycatcher, 3 Black-naped Monarch, 4
Rufous-winged Flycatcher, 3 Asian Paradise Flycatcher, 2 Common Myna, 1
Grey-breasted Spiderhunter, 5 Little Spiderhunter, 3 Yellow-breasted
Flowerpecker.
The locals drove us back to Krabi for 400 B. Payed 175 B for the
bungalow pr. day:
1 Great Egret, 1 Little Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Pied Harrier, 1 Oriental
Hobby
Basically took a day off from birding, but still:
Ao Nang Beach: 1 Purple-throated Sunbird, 10 Dusky Crag-Martin, 50
Red-rumped Swallow.
Krabi River: 1 Little Cormorant, 2 Lesser Crested Tren, 10 Richard's Pipit
(r/f)
Went for a long walk to Tae Loi (a swamp W of Krabi):
20 Chinese Pond Heron, 1 Pacific Reef-Egret (dark), 4 Chinese Egret, 1
Intermediate Egret, 50 Little Egret, 3 Little Heron, 1 Yellow Bittern, 20
Brahminy Kite, 23 (18+5) Black Baza, 5 Shikra, 3 Japanese Sparrowhawk,
5 Crested Honey-Buzzard, 5 White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 1 Slaty-breasted Rail,
3 Grey Plover, 50 Lesser Sand-Plover, 5 Greater Sand-Plover, 10 Curlew, 5
Whimbrel, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Common Redshank, 10 Common
Greenshank, 10 Terek Sandpiper, 100 Common Sandpiper, 10 Lesser
Crested Tern, 2 Greater Crested Tern, 20 Little Tern, 50 Black-naped Tern,
1 Spotted Dove, 1 Greater Coucal, 2 Common Kingfisher, 1 White-throated
Kingfisher, 2 Black-capped Kingfisher, 2 Indian Roller, 10 Edible-nest
Swiftlet, 5 Black-nest/Himalayan Swiftlet, 20 Asian Palm Swift, 2 House
Swift, 1 Brown Needletail, 20 Dusky Crag-Martin, 10 Barn Swallow, 50
Pacific Swallow, 5 Grey Wagtail, 3 Yellow-vented Bulbul, 10 Black
Drongo, 1 Ashy Drongo, 1 Crow-billed Drongo, 3 Black-naped Oriole, 5
Brown Shrike, 10 Phillipine Glossy Starling, 1 White-shouldered Starling,
Common Myna, Olive-backed Sunbird, Tree Sparrow.
Got really drunk early at Rai Leh Beach and didnt see much, only 3 Blue Whistling Thrush and a Peregrine Falcon (peregrinator)
Went to Tae Loi. Last chance of getting Nordmanns' Greenshank, but it
was obviuosly too early for the Krabi speciality.
10 Chinese Pond Heron, 3 Pacific Reef-Egret, 20 Little Egret, 1 Black
Bittern, 10 Brahminy Kite, 1 Shikra, 3 Japanese Sparrowhawk, 100
Shikra/Japanese, 10 Crested Honey-Buzzard, 1 Spotted Eagle ad., 3
White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 1 Lesser Crested Tern, 10 Zebra Dove, 5 Spotted Dove, 1
Common Koel, 1 Collared Kingfisher, 2 White-breasted Kingfisher, 10
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, 1 Indian Roller, 500 Asian Palm Swift, 500
swiftlet sp., 100 Red-rumped Swallow, 100 Pacific Swallow, 10 Richards
Pipit (r/f), 10 Ashy Minivet, 10 Yellow-vented Bulbul, 10 Streak-eared
Bulbul, 2 Black Drongo, 3 Bronzed Drongo, 30 Large-billed Crow, 1 Ashy
Tailorbird, 10 Common Tailorbird, 10 Brown Shrike, 500 Common Myna,
2 Brown-throated Sunbird, 10 Olive-backed Sunbird, 5 Scarlet-backed
Flowerpecker, 2 Scaly-breasted Munia
Took the air-con bus back to Phuket Airport. It costed 101 B. Travelled
for 2 h 30 min and did some birding in and around the airport before
take-off:
100 Lesser Golden Plover, 1 Osprey, 1 Black-shouldered Kite, 1
Grey-faced Buzzard, 10 Crested Honey-Buzzard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Egret, 5
Cattle Egret and 10 Plain-backed Sparrow is worth mentioning.