Hanging out to dry!

We had some heavy rain yesterday PM after I spotted this Greater Coucal hanging out(literally) at the top of a tree trying to dry out in the late afternoon sun. These birds are normally ground dwellers but I guess needs must

Is there any possibility this was a Lesser Coucal?

When I have seen them, it is very often when they are sunbathing. The head looks like it is halfway through a moult, perhaps between non-breeding (brownish head) and breeding (blueish black head) plumage.

A photo takes away the concept of size unless a comparable object is also in the shot.

I find it very difficult to tell difference between the various Coucals so you could well be right.

I totally agree about perspective, the bird was about 200 yards away and it was shot at 500mm from my rear terrace. I had to crop it considerably. The full frame has a big tree and a relatively small bird!!

The shot was taken in late afternoon with the sun shining on the bird(to my back) so I am unsure about the true colour of head plumage.

I have however seen several Coucals recently in their breeding plumage.

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

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.

Scarlet-faced Liocichla from Doi Lang NP.

Spectacled Barwing. Doi Lang NP.

Thanks so much for info on Nam Nao. I shall be up there asap.

same here, just emptied my calendar for a week in march :-)

Thanks so much for info on Nam Nao. I shall be up there asap.

Scarlet Minivet and Grey-backed Shrike. Nam Nao NP

Green-tailed Sunbird. Common at the summit of Doi Inthanon.

Bird was seen preening along the Boardwalk in shade and overcast conditions.

Forced to use ISO 3200 to get higher shutter speeds but still a soft pic.

The original Angry Bird.

Cute little Yellow-bellied Fantail. Too bad poor light and shaky hands make crappy pics.

What camera are you using? Those fantails are like bottle rockets. By the time i get a bead on one they are gone.

Lol yeah they're hyper.

I was with my walkabout 400mm without IS late afternoon.

Here is a few from Bueng Broaphet, took the boat ride out around the lake. Very good birding trip.

Olive backed sunbird.

Oriental darter

Eurasian Coot

Grey headed lapwing

Oriental darter

Purple heron

Pratincole

Coot

Pied Kingfisher

Lol yeah they're hyper.

I was with my walkabout 400mm without IS late afternoon.

That is a sharp lens. I use a 400 for BIF allot. So light and easy to use.

Nice shots from the north BTW. Haven't made it that way in a while.

Fantastic shots gary. Good job. I want that pied kf so bad.

Pretty common on the lake. I took the boat ride two days, and both days got a shot of the KF.

Can't remember now( getting old) but I think that was with the 400mm.

Just noticed your icon. That is a killer shot! Was that at Phu Khiao?

Yup taken from phu khieo which now is a great deal harder to get to.

Watch that kettle bud while I go take a ....

I have been using a Canon 6D with my trusty and favourite lens: 400 5.6. This is a slow but lightweight lens that is very sharp for the money. No IS of course. This is a great low light combination but I have had a couple of months of disappointment with shots being blurred. I thought this through and worked out that firstly the range setting on the lens needs to be set on max for flight shots, the ISO is best on 1200- even in good light and the camera has to be set to focus priority. I am now getting far faster focusing and sharp flight shots. Even so I think I will need a 7D2 for the flight stuff. The 6D is amazing in dark understorey work but a challenge in flight focusing where it is very slow. My best mate just bought a Canon 1C and the latest 400 IS prime and convertors. lucky devil. He has no idea what he photographing but the results are amazing.

I have been using a Canon 6D with my trusty and favourite lens: 400 5.6. This is a slow but lightweight lens that is very sharp for the money. No IS of course. This is a great low light combination but I have had a couple of months of disappointment with shots being blurred. I thought this through and worked out that firstly the range setting on the lens needs to be set on max for flight shots, the ISO is best on 1200- even in good light and the camera has to be set to focus priority. I am now getting far faster focusing and sharp flight shots. Even so I think I will need a 7D2 for the flight stuff. The 6D is amazing in dark understorey work but a challenge in flight focusing where it is very slow. My best mate just bought a Canon 1C and the latest 400 IS prime and convertors. lucky devil. He has no idea what he photographing but the results are amazing.

That 400/5.6 is a superb lens. Focusing is very fast in good light. Its main drawback is when in poor light e.g birding along trails with thick canopy it struggles to focus and quite often focusing on objects with higher contrast either in foreground or background instead of the bird you want to shoot. And being a slow lens I often need to crank ISO way up to get some decent shutter speeds but this too is not without limits. At times even at ISO3200 speeds are still way too slow to overcome camera shake. One area it excels in is BIF shots in the open with plenty of light.

I am still using the old 7D and don't know if there is an option to set it to focus priority. Time to go back to the owner's manual.

I have been using a Canon 6D with my trusty and favourite lens: 400 5.6. This is a slow but lightweight lens that is very sharp for the money. No IS of course. This is a great low light combination but I have had a couple of months of disappointment with shots being blurred. I thought this through and worked out that firstly the range setting on the lens needs to be set on max for flight shots, the ISO is best on 1200- even in good light and the camera has to be set to focus priority. I am now getting far faster focusing and sharp flight shots. Even so I think I will need a 7D2 for the flight stuff. The 6D is amazing in dark understorey work but a challenge in flight focusing where it is very slow. My best mate just bought a Canon 1C and the latest 400 IS prime and convertors. lucky devil. He has no idea what he photographing but the results are amazing.

That 400/5.6 is a superb lens. Focusing is very fast in good light. Its main drawback is when in poor light e.g birding along trails with thick canopy it struggles to focus and quite often focusing on objects with higher contrast either in foreground or background instead of the bird you want to shoot. And being a slow lens I often need to crank ISO way up to get some decent shutter speeds but this too is not without limits. At times even at ISO3200 speeds are still way too slow to overcome camera shake. One area it excels in is BIF shots in the open with plenty of light.

I am still using the old 7D and don't know if there is an option to set it to focus priority. Time to go back to the owner's manual.

Yes - I agree. It is the old story of compromise. I use a tripod and gimbal often which helps but often hand hold and to get those quick draw flight shots really is beyond the 6D. I am hoping my pal with the 7D2 will sell it to me for a good price. It is very fast to focus - better it seems, or at least as good as the 5D3 he has gotten rid of. The 6D is a great "poor mans" full frane and possibly the best of all the Canon line up in low light. But as stated flight shots are really hard work. There are just not enough focus points for a start.

I just posted in the TV "Nature" thread that I expect to be in the Trang area doing some private study - if there is anyone in that area that would like to catch up for a field trip drop me a PM.

Watch that kettle bud while I go take a ....

LOL, looks like my truck. I keep a propane burner in the back and a pot very similar, along with too much other crap. Looks like Doi Lang, Doi Angkhang?

Watch that kettle bud while I go take a ....

LOL, looks like my truck. I keep a propane burner in the back and a pot very similar, along with too much other crap. Looks like Doi Lang, Doi Angkhang?

Doi Lang from Tha Ton side (eastern slope). This is at the military check point and they allowed me to pitch my tent. Just for info: the access road is badly rutted at many points much worse than Baan Krang to Panoen Thung in Kaeng Krachan and anyone who is thinking of going up ought to use a 4X4.

Downtown Sawang Daen Din; I was at less one meter that bird; it was not afraid

Olympus TG 860 - f/5.7 - 1/60* - iso 400 - 105 mm

Got this Brown winged Kingfisher at Ao Phang-nga this morning.

This guy is the local resident. I see him every time I go threw the park. He is very friendly and lets you get close.

Blue king fisher (I think!) seems to come round every day ...... and stays lone enough to get a few shots!

Blue king fisher (I think!) seems to come round every day ...... and stays lone enough to get a few shots!

Nice shot. Beautiful birds.

Pretty sure that is a Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis)

Yup roller for sure. You should try and catch it in flight: that's when its true beauty shows.

Himalayan Bluetail or Orange-flanked Bush Robin. Doi Lang NP

And his mate: