More Bokor birding

Bokor, 27 February

A one day visit, but one which was extremely productive. What is the partridge trail is still not clear to me, but the trail we found last time resulted in several encounters with partridges on this day. One or two pairs were foraging near the trail. Also spent time in the early afternoon on the "exercise trail" which turned out to be well worth the time.

Trail starting in large clearing past waterfall:
- Chestnut-headed Partridges. Black on flanks is more prominent than illustrated.

Exercise trail:
- Silver Pheasant. Two males that seemed to be in a non-violent dispute. Following each other closely and making a variety of growls. One male seen raising crest. Four females following. All crossed the trail at a leisurely pace and seemed completely unconcerned by our presence.
- Blue Pitta. Several responses. One seen.
- White's/Scaly Thrush. A very big thrush! Palish head. Large, but scattered, black markings below.
- Orange-headed Thrush. At same location (near the log stack/prescribed log lifting exercise!).
- Streaked Wren Babblers

In the clearing:
- Black Eagle. Yellow bill and legs, barring visible in tail. Hunting low over forest.

No hornbills seen this time round. Several forest fires could be seen at lower elevation from Kampot on both 26th and 27th.

Robert van Zalinge with John Kennedy.

We also met John Bowler and walked the clearing trail together in the morning. He then continued walking this trail until around 2 p.m. and when we met later he reported having seen mostly the same species as we did.

Ban Lung, Ratanakiri

Spent some time in Ratanakiri in February. I stayed at Treetop Lodge for a few days and also spent the morning of 5 Feb birding around the perimeter of Yeak Laom Lake.

TREETOP LODGE

 Asian Koel

Greater Coucal

Red-breasted Parakeet

Asian Barred Owlet

Spotted Dove

Black-naped Oriole

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

White-throated Rock Thrush

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Red-throated Flycatcher

Pale Blue Flycatcher

White-rumped Shama

Black-crested Bulbul

Red-whiskered Bulbul

Dark-necked Tailorbird

Arctic Warbler

White-crested Laughingthrush

Little Spiderhunter

House Sparrow

YEAK LAOM LAKE

Greater Yellownape

Laced Woodpecker

Great Slaty Woodpecker

Green-eared Barbet

Common Kingfisher

Banded Bay Cuckoo

Greater Coucal

Red-breasted Parakeet

Vernal Hanging Parrot

Asian Barred Owlet

Brown-backed Needletail

Crested Serpent Eagle

Common Iora

Black-naped Oriole

Ashy Drongo

Bronzed Drongo

Spangled Drongo

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

Red-throated Flycatcher

Hill Blue Flycatcher

Hill Myna

Barn Swallow

Black-headed Bulbul

Black-crested Bulbul

Dark-necked Tailorbird

Dusky Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

White-crested Laughingthrush

Striped Tit Babbler

Olive-backed Sunbird

--Andrea Claassen

Bokor Birding

Bokor Mountain, 21-23 November.

We focused on a specific trail looking for partridges, but they remained only heard in the distance. We did have some good montane specific and other interesting sightings though.

On the plateau:
- Himalayan Buzzard

- Grey-faced Buzzard

On the trail (all likely seen above 800m if plateau is 1000m):
- Streaked Wren Babblers (four birds at one location and some more slightly further along the path)
- Red-headed Trogon (a pair)
- Siberian Blue Robin (both male and female)
- Orange-headed Thrush
- Great and Wreathed Hornbills (GH on upper part of trail and at least 12 individuals; WH: one male with two females flying over clearing on plateau and also one pair much lower down along main road, perhaps around halfway up)
- Mountain Imperial Pigeons
- Barred Cuckoo Doves
- Plain-tailed Warblers
- White-browed Scimitar Babbler
- Black-throated Sunbird

Heard onlys (along trail):
- Chestnut-headed Partridges
- Silver-breasted Broadbill
- Long-tailed Broadbill
- Barbets (Moustached/Blue-eared)

Also several unidentified snipes and a single pipit flying overhead in a large vegetated clearing on the plateau. Many pitcher plants there too.

It seemed like the housing development on the plateau has stalled. Let's hope the stop is permanent!

Intend to do more montane birding in Cambodia soon, also as a means to take a break from the coming heat.

Robert van Zalinge with John Kennedy

Kampong Thom's House Sparrows

We were forced to stay a night at the Arun Ras Hotel in Kampong Thom. On waking found the tree opposite my room full of house sparrows and the occasional plain-backed. There must have been between 500-1,000 in this tree. At dawn they started flying off in groups, most towards the floodplain. It must be a lot safer for them to roost in the middle of town than out in the floodplain, or there is just a lack of nice tall trees where they can sit together in the hundreds.

RvZ, 11 September 2015

White-rumped Falcon in KPWS

White-rumped Falcon (male) seen in southwest Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary on 19 August.

RvZ

Indian Spotted Eagle in Preah Vihear

Saw an Indian Spotted Eagle at Veal Kbal Damrei, Preah Vihear Protected Forest on the 1st of July. It was being chased away by a Lesser Adjutant.

RvZ

Some birds near Phnom Penh

On 31 July there was a Lesser Sand Plover with a juvenile Little Ringed and a few Black-winged Stilts on a sand-spit in Boeung Veal Basset. Chestnut-capped Babbler was seen carrying nest material on a hill slightly beyond the marsh. At Prek Ksach an adult Little Ringed Plover was present on 2 August.

Andrea Claassen, RvZ