jack2964

White-bellied WP with Jungle fowl. Nam Nao NP

Some great pics from Nam Nao NP. I don't live too far away and have been meaning to go for a while, any advice on time to go and places to visit? For example do you stay over at the forestry lodge? Where the photos taken on any of the walkways? Were your photos taken from a hide?

Thanks for your indulgence

The White-bellied pics were taken using a 400mm prime without IS, hand held. The yellow-naped and grey-headed were with a 500mm with 1.4X TC attached and tripod mounted. No hide this time. I merely walked around the grounds and stalk anything of interest.

Nam Nao is a great spot for birds especially early morning. There are several trails and many interesting birds can be found, e.g Red-billed scimitar babbler and White-hooded babbler which are often seen together foraging in bamboo clumps. My best bird to date is a much sought after Green Cochoa along one of the longer trails. Lots of commoner species like Minivets, Trogons, Flycatchers, Bulbuls, Leaf Warblers plus resident and wintering Thrushes are now present. Even Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo has been sighted and photographed around the camp grounds but I have not seen one myself.

Best time to go is during weekdays. Avoid holidays and weekends but if you do the trails you are pretty much alone as I hardly bump into anyone else along any trail. My biggest fear is still the elephants and Nam Nao has a healthy population much like Kaeng Krachan but thankfully I've been lucky thus far.

You can choose to camp or opt for one of many bungalows available. Nam Nao is perhaps one of the best managed NPs. Rooms come with gas hot water shower, fridge, TV, complimentary coffee and drinking water. Smallest bungalow sleeps 4 adults and cost 700Baht weekdays and maybe 800B weekends.

Once I had to camp as all bungalows were taken by a large team of govt officials. Facilities for campers are above average vs other NPs. Large camp grounds and adequate toilets but the water is very cold especially now.

Sure worth a visit. Good luck.

This won't earn me a tick but still a lifer for me; Giant Nuthatch from Doi Lang shot from about 200m away.

Got 1 of 2 target birds, dipped on Hume's Pheasant. But I'll be back.

Outstanding shot.

I am out of the country at the moment. How is the season progressing? Earlier and other reports are that things are slow (migratory spp). Are bird numbers down?

Can't comment about other places but where I am, there definitely is a lot less migrants this time round.

I can't believe I haven't see a single leaf warbler to date. Best bird to date is still a Black-capped KF.

Not sure where to post this but I'll try here. Mod please move as necessary.

I made an online purchase from China which I often do and 99% of the time items arrive without hassle: no tax nor VAT.

This time the item was sent via a big name courier and I am up for taxes and VAT which I am quite prepared to pay.

The VAT/tax collection method however seem a bit dubious to me although I think it is legit. The courier company has contacted me via

cell phone SMS giving me a bank account number to pay the fees due and then to fax the receipt to them as proof of payment.

I am not exactly comfortable with this as anyone with access to my shopping account and activity could simply send me a payment request.

I have replied to this SMS asking for official documents to be sent to my email account before I pay. I have heard nothing from them since.

I would have thought I'd pay the fees direct to the delivery man when he appears with my item at my doorstep.

Those of you who have gone through this, how did you pay yours?

Thanks.

I can't be 100% sure it is B Rock. I do not have sufficient knowledge about the subtleties in both these species.

I merely picked rock simply from its rather slender build as opposed to Whistling which is comparatively bulkier.

It could well be Whistling.

Sorry AN didn't mean to doubt your ID.

I am sure you meant Rock thrush AN.

Warblers, too many to choose from, which ones?

Locustella... but that pretty much gives up the ID game. Bird 1 is a Lanceolated and bird 2 is a Pallas's Grasshopper (Rusty-rumped). Not so hard to locate by call but incredibly hard to see much less get a snap of.

AjarnNorth, didn't have any problem seeing the bird above or taking a picture of it

TP1, yours is an Emu, right?

AjarnNorth, your Warblers were waaay too hard to ID...

Leaf warblers, waders and accipters...tough nuts for me!

Jungle fowl chick. Its mom is outside the frame on the right.

Taken from Kaeng Krachan NP.

7D; ISO400; F4; 1/100sec; F/L:500; Tv mode; Flash fired; Subj dist: 10.1m

Nice work - those TV members in the Eastern part of the country might see the white ear spot sub species: not seen by me I'm afraid. Yet!

I wasn't aware of the various sub-species, thanks for pointing it out. Gives me good reason to pay more attention to this very common bird.