In a cold morning of December 30th (2009), we set our blinds on the riverside at Fang Hotsprings in the try for a couple of little diamonds that are pretty jumpy and skittish, flying around and flashing some amazing beauty… a couple of tiny members of the Muscicapidae family (old world flycatchers).

The first one coming was the Plumbeous Water-Redstart, which with its funny – chubby look, stayed long times in one site, permitting some nice shots without flash, to remark those simple and perfect colors…

It was a grey morning and light was poor, inviting to use flash in every shot… However, thanks to the paused behavior of this tiny fluffy ball of feathers, I was able to shot without flash, in really slow speeds (this one -for example 1/13!!!) and still get crystal sharp frames!

More difficult, more reluctant was our second target on the river… The White-capped Water-Redstart (also known as River Chat)… but came later as well.

Once our two major targets got accomplished in Fang, we decided to take an steep climb to visit Doi Pahompok (the peak itself that gives name to the national park) and off we went.

On the way, we found an Asian Barred Owlet on the roadside… a bit too far, but in good light.

Again, lots of people camping at the summit was a problem and some birds (like Large Niltava) did never approached, even when it obviously wanted to… The spot was located behind some busy toilets for the campers and we only had "moments" to shoot some shy birds coming and going persistently…

The most common bird enjoying our worms, was a Grey Bushchat that -later- brought along his lady…

We could see -on the back- the female of our main target in this location… the Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush and when she finally approached, we dreamed of the colorful male somewhere…
We waited and waited… hope and hope… and when we were about to give up… he came and made us a perfect display -of seconds- to finish another wonderful day in paradise!!!

On the way back to Fang and before starting the way down the mount, an amazing sunset said bye…

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NOTE : on December 31st, while packing and preparing the drive back to Bangkok, a group of Spot-winged Grosbeaks came above our heads to complete a wonderful lifers list!!!

THANKS FOR FOLLOWING THESE SERIES… MORE TO COME SOON...   Alex 

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This was our last -half- day in Doi Lang and by no means we were going down the mountain without a fair and decent try to the little birds on a thighed place with space for two blinds and a lot of people fighting for it… Some of this people had already been there and wanted more… So, we had to go and make it happen…

Even when some guys did not like it much, we opened a new hole in a side and set 4 blinds… which evidently worked beautiful and the birds did not cared at all and kept coming and coming to make us happy and complete our expectations with a wonderful list of birds.

The first one coming and putting a big smile on my face… our second target: the tiny and restless Chestnut-headed Tesia one more lifer for me and such a hard-to-get target… super fast and in poor light…

Even when I got a few shots without flash and they look decent, all my keepers were shot with not one, but three flashes… Dark place + quick -hipper-active- bird… so…

And that’s not all…! another jewel was showing up on the same spot that became my fifth lifer at Doi Lang and that even when little and quick as well, gave me a couple of wonderful chances…

This tiny and gorgeous White-gorgeted Flycatcher is a hard to find target normally and made such an amazing combo with the Tesia… The dream sight of a birder in Asia.!

To complete the trio and bring color to the dark spot, a colorful male Red-flanked Bluetail came to take part on the worms party and stayed a bit in better light and surely longer times at one spot, making possible a few shots without flash…

Around noon, the guys came and lifted me out of my happy shooting hole and got me back into reality!!!… Everything packed, we started the way down from Doi Lang, with the aim of getting to Fang with light enough to find, lure and -hopefully- shoot some water redstarts.

We got to Fang Hotsprings -on the lowlands of Doi Pahompok National Park- around 4pm and got the unpleasant surprise of finding the site full of people and tent camps all over!!!… Hundreds of campers ready to celebrate the New Year with the steam and the hot water of this cool site.

The good news… both redstarts were seen this afternoon, pointing to a good morning next day with our blinds and lenses on the river!

PART 5 COMING SOON… THANKS FOR VISITING THIS BLOG!…

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After a cold morning – warm breakfast, we set the blinds at the entrance of a trail, where people got -days before- the unexpected visit of our main target… the Chestnut Thrush…

I first saw this bird in Doi Lang in 2007 and again in 2008, but both winters, far away and getting even further… This year into the blind, the cold was strong but -just after 30 minutes of waiting- a colorful and proud bird showed up and warmed us with its beauty.

What a wonderful emotion… that’s what I love the most of birding!!!… a real accomplishment!!!… after years hoping, finally this awesome Chestnut Thrush was right there, a few meters away, enjoying our mealworms and moving around to give us all kinds of poses and looks for our lenses… simply fantastic!!!

With the incredible accomplishment of the major target, we rolled our blinds without knowing what to go for next… We knew that we wanted some cool little birds on a busy spot -including the second target of our trip-, but there was space for 2 blinds and 3 blinds set from early morning… so, it was obvious we needed to wait and fight for our place next day, early next morning…

My group decided to go up the hills on the pursue of the Black-throated Tit, but I decided to stay and give it a second try for the Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, using the chance for sharing as well with my good friend Gun (from Ban Maka) that was stationed on the hill with a group of friends too.

It wasn’t long before nice birds starting to show, like the good looking Red-faced Liocichlas, that in quick visits, jumping all over got some messy bites of our worms…

I really enjoyed those Liocichlas that normally are hard even to spot…

Another bird present at all times in this spot, was a female Red-flanked Bluetail (known til a bit ago as the Chestnut-flanked Bush-Robin)… she kept coming around in short but showy visits.

The guys came back with stories of the second target of the trip… the Chestnut-headed Tesia showing very well and how the spot was busy for real!!!

Khun Ood decided to set his blind next to mine while the rest of our group when up for a second round with the Chestnut Thrush -yes!… they wanted MORE… a very addictive bird indeed!-…

After a few minutes we stayed quite again, Ood proved to bring us luck and he whispered exited: "flycatcher, flycatcher!!!"… and there he was… a beautiful little fluff of feathers jumping in and out so shy and skittish, making so difficult to catch him on a frame…

While that awesome Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher was coming on flashy flights, the female Bluetail was chasing him away every single time and the afternoon light started to make us wonder if we were ever going to catch anything of the tiny bird… Then, a Sibia ran away the Bluetail and our door got open!

It was already late and light was already poor, but such a beautiful jewel makes everything seem fine and you can only shoot and keep shooting… something for sure will be kept!!!

Another great day in paradise was gone, but the hope of that Tesia, made us dreaming with more of the best to come next morning…

FOURTH PART WILL COME SOON…

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After a short night of sleep in Bang Thaton, our second day in the Northern Sierras started pretty early with a straight up drive to the summit of Doi Lang, one of several high peaks at the Northern National Park called Doi Pahompok (Doi means peak in Thai).

Doi Lang is considered one of the best amongst the best spots for birding in Thailand and although there is only a humble military station -no accommodation at all!-, only two toilets -used as showers as well- and temperatures range between 4 and 0 centigrades during the winter nights, birds lure tons of birders to camp up there… to do and take whatever is necessary for those unique shots!

To me, it looks like a road on the hill and nothing else… but birds are great and all over!

Particularly, this winter (dec 09) birds that are usually pretty hard to find, were all over and responding amazingly well in exchange of a few worms in the northernmost regions… that’s why we came!!!

Loads of people that stayed the night before at the cold camping area (a roadside) had the right over us and we had to go ahead and take whatever we could… no complains though… Setting our blinds behind the military buildings, we tried that day for some flycatchers and although the most wanted Rufous-gorgeted  Flycatcher did not showed up, some other birds kept us entertained…

The Black-backed Sibia is the most common bird to show in big numbers and finish your worms several times a day… but they are cool looking anyway…

The Spectacled Barwing it’s also a common – regular visitor… but those -for real- I love and it was my first time ever to have them so close and clear!!!

Every time the magnificent Blue Whistling Thrush (the largest thrush in the world!) comes for some delicious worms, takes everything and scares away all other species… that’s why Thai birders and specially photographers hate him deeply…

I still find this huge and colorful bird simply astonishing and probably you could hear only my shooter firing and firing in the hunt for the fantastic contrast of color he shows up…

What do you think?… beautiful… isn’t it?
If you say yes, the highest probability says your a foreigner… just like me… the Farang!

PART TREE WILL COME SOON… THANKS FOR VISITING!    

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During the last week of 2009, my good friend and forum member, Khun Prin and I went up North to find and photograph some really good specialties of the highlands, including some species that in the past -even last year- where difficult to find and nearly impossible to approach enough for a picture and that -amazingly- this winter where showing well and easy!!!

Along with us came the sweet Khun A, Khun Ood and Khun Sak, who contribute to make this long ride (hours and hours of fast driving) more entertained and diverse!

We arrived Doi Inthanon around 2pm and right away set blinds, put worms and hoped for a Daurian Redstart at a location known by Prin (our wizard!)… we were afraid due to a strong wind blowing!!!

After 15 minutes, a beautiful male came alone to make the perfect start for our bird-photo adventures in Norther Thailand!
Last two winters (2007-2008) I tried so hard for this bird and was so happy in january 2009 when finally had a glimpse to a male on the roadside in Doi Angkhan… that now seemed incredible to have him a few meters outside my blind… eating and calling…

Ones we got some of the Redstart -perhaps not enough- we rushed down to the camping area and set blinds on a swampy area covered by tall grass… our target: a friendly family of Black-tailed Crakes that are used to the worms offered by birders on this unlikely spot… just steps behind a busy and noisy camp-ground!
They come and keep coming in pairs to enjoy those mealworms and you just sit like in a show… camera in hand…  Even when it was a bit too late and light pretty poor, I had so many chances (fired 700 frames in 40 minutes) and so many chances to play with all kinds of settings that getting some satisfactory keepers by the end of a fantastic first day was accomplished wide well.

What a fantastic first day had been… still on the way (4 hours away) to our major and most desired destination and already with two species that are -nearly- impossible anywhere…

The great feeling of an accomplished day… but even more, the magic feeling of better days to come!…

SECOND PART RIGHT NEXT…