Vietnam, Day 13, 2 February 2019 - Mount Ngoc Linh

Our penultimate day in Vietnam and it turned out to be quite epic, in more ways than one!

It began at our hotel in Dak To with a start at 'stupid o'clock' (03.30 to be precise!) and a quick coffee in the foyer. Then it was on the road for a bumpy 3 hour drive north on deteriorating mountain roads to the start of the trail at Mount Ngoc Linh. This site has traditionally been off-limits to western birders and there have been several reports of people having trouble with local ginseng growers in the forest. Things are a little better now and with a native Vietnamese guide in Minh we had no problems despite meeting a couple of small groups of locals along the trail.

Now, to the trail itself - it was pretty tough going! Within the first couple of hundred meters we had one member of the group flat on his back in deep mud and then another member of the group had a serious fall down a steep muddy bank. Falling about 12 feet and after flipping over he landed on his back/head in a rocky stream. Miraculously he escaped with just a bump on his head and a bruised shoulder, it could have been a lot worse. Indeed, out of the group of 10 only 3 of us made it along the trail with everyone else turning back!

Due to the nature of the trail (steep, narrow, muddy and with numerous awkward stream crossings) birding was difficult. We did however notch up a good number of decent sightings. Before we'd even started our 'field breakfast' was interupted by a pair of Red-tailed Minlas, Black Bulbuls, Green-tailed Sunbird and Yellow-cheeked Tit. Along the trail Minh got very excited by a Stripe-throated Yuhina, the first he'd ever had at the site. I was more excited by 2 Black-crowned Barwings, 2 Rufous-gorgetted Flycatchers, Rufous-capped Babbler and Ashy Woodpigeon. We hit upon a lovely mixed group of fulvettas feeding low down in ground vegetation with superb Golden Fulvetta, Rufous-winged Fulvetta and c5 Indochinese Fulvettas. At 'the spot' on the trail we heard the main target Golden-winged Laughingthrush but rather frustratingly we only had 10 mins at the spot so couldn't look for long. Also along the trail were c3 Ashy-throated Warblers, Blue-winged Minla, Black-headed Sibia, Grey-cheeked Warbler, several Grey-crowned Tits, Mountain Bulbul, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, White-throated Fantail, Clicking Shrike-babbler, Dalat Shrike-babbler, Annam Barbet and Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike.

Stripe-throated Yuhina

Yellow-cheeked Tit

Then began the huge drive north to Bach Ma. After the mega early start it was a tiring drag that took more than 9 hours. We arrived at our national park accomodation at 21.30 and I didn't even bother with an evening meal. The accomodation itself looked like a derelict building, an impression that was to be seen in all it's glory in daylight the following morning. The rooms were better but with damp bedding it was a tough night spent in my clothes!

            

Herringfleet Marshes, 2 March 2019

I took a trip out to Herringfleet today, a spot that has family connections with my great grandmother having lived in Somerleyton all her life.

Walking down through the woods of Herringfleet Hills I quickly found the drake Green-winged Teal asleep on one of the flashes. It did wake up once or twice but was generally pretty inactive! Apart from that just Teal, Gadwall, Shovelers and a couple of Common Snipe were seen. So I decided to relocate to the riverbank down from the Dukes Head pub at Somerleyton and on the floods between there and Smock Mill I managed to find 20+ Water Pipits, 1 Rock Pipit (presumed litoralis), 1-2 Bearded Tits, Cetti's Warbler and 3+ Little Egrets.  The count of Water Pipits was by far my largest ever.

I very pleasant morning on familiar territory (albeit from years ago) and top marks to the team who have managed the 're-wilding' of the marshes here including managing the water levels so well. It will be interesting to see what spring brings here!

 Green-winged Teal

    

Vietnam, Day 12, 1 February 2019 - Mang Den

In a repeat of yesterday we spent the morning walking the lanes and forest trails at Mang Den. The afternoon was then spent relocating to our hotel in Dak To.

A roadside stop in the minibus to try and photograph Long-tailed Shrike resulted in a plethora of birds on a hillside in the first sunlight of the day - a gaggle of Scarlet Minivets, Grey-chinned Minivet, 2 Indochinese Cuckooshrikes, White-bellied Epornis, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, 2 Chestnut-tailed Starlings and Verditer Flycatcher.

Along the forest trails we made for a spot we'd heard Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush yesterday but sadly it wasn't playing ball. It wasn't the only time we tried and failed during the day! Nonetheless an Indochinese Wren-babbler did, and did several circuits around us before giving some brief but nice views. 2 White-crowned Forktails flew past in such a blur that only Minh and I saw them. An occupational hazzard of birding with a group in a forest. Other highlights for me were a Rufous-browed Flycatcher that finally decided to show (once again I was the only one to get on the deck views), 2 Yellow-billed Nuthatches, 2 Sultan Tits (a very much wanted tick for me having got utv's of a probable in Thailand a few years back), 2 Rufous-faced Warblers, 3 Blue-winged Minlas, Necklaced Barbet, Bay Woodpecker, 2 Ratchet-tailed Treepies that showed well from the road, c4 Black-throated Sunbirds, Green-tailed Sunbird and a self-found Grey-crowned Leafbird.

Other goodies included Blyth's Shrike-babbler, Southern Jungle Crows, Black Bulbuls, Grey-crowned Tits and Mountain Fulvetta.

Long-tailed Shrike

 Scarlet Minivets

  

         

Vietnam, Day 11, 31 January 2019 - Mang Den

We awoke early again to see our surroundings in daylight for the first time as we'd arrived after dark the previous night. Mang Den is set at a similar altitude to Dalat and has the same slightly cooler climate. Indeed it has been billed as 'the 2nd Dalat' but judging by the number of half-finished new houses it's not quite taken off yet!

The good birding sites are about 10km NNW of Mang Den village so it was in this direction that we headed after breakfast. En-route several Chestnut-tailed Starlings and a Spotted Dove were perched up on dead trees. Walking the roads during both morning and afternoon sessions there was plenty of activity. First up was a small group of Vinous-breasted Starlings with a couple of White-shouldered Starlings and c6 Olive-backed Pipits. A pair of Stripe-breasted Woodpeckers were a welcome start to our main walk with a good numbers of Black Bulbuls including several stunning white-headed birds of the 'leucocephalus' form. I picked up a gorgeous Speckled Piculet which was quickly followed up by Scarlet, Grey-chinned and Long-tailed Minivets which provided a real id masterclass! Southern Jungle Crows were common here (the only place on the trip they were) and in roadside bushes we scored with Fork-tailed Sunbird and a pair of Black-throated Sunbirds (looking very different from their imminent split with Langbian Sunbird!) Fire-breasted Flowerpecker and Yellow-cheeked Tit were welcome trip ticks but were eclipsed by 2 Rufous-faced Warblers, a world tick!

As we walked back towards the bus an accipter shot past and we managed to find it a little further down the lane and confirm it as a splendid Besra. A group of c10 Asian House Martins were eventually positively id'd when we got to see their black underwing coverts!

Further north along the road Minh had a spot that came up trumps with several feeding Grey-crowned Parrotbills. What a curious genus this is!

We ventured into the forest a few times and tantalisingly heard Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush but did score nicely with 3 Black-hooded Laughingthrushes, a single Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Coral-billed Scimitar-babbler, Indochinese Wren-babbler, Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Mountain Fulvetta, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher plus Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Large Cuckooshrike, White-bellied Epornis and almost at dusk a superb Necklaced Barbet calling high up in a roadside tree.

At the hotel over lunch we were delighted to interupt our eating with a mixed flock of Silver-backed Needletails, Brown-backed Needletails and House Swifts as they screamed overhead.

Stripe-breasted Woodpeckers (m & f)

Olive-backed Pipit

Vinous-breasted and White-shouldered Starlings

Black-throated Sunbirds (f & m)

 Grey-crowned Parrotbill

Crested Serpent Eagle

    Necklaced Barbet

Brecks again! 27 February 2019

I dragged myself out of bed early this morning and was at the 'top secret' Goshawk site while there was still frost on the ground. I was greeted by loads of Woodlark action on both sides of the road and saw at least 6 birds. Then a surprise at 09.45 when a single Cattle Egret flew through and headed NE. Apparantly it's a Brecks mega! Then at 10.08 a male Goshawk circled up followed by a huge female to the left a little while later. The male reappeared at c11.00 for prolonged views including some 'semi' display. A Red Kite, c9 Common Buzzards and a few Yellowhammers wrapped things up before I left to drive the short distance to Redneck Heath close to Thetford Warren. After a long walk and a short wait the Great Grey Shrike popped up on top of a distant larch. Here it sat for a while returning a couple of times to the same spot but was always a long way away. The clearing also held Stonechat while another Goshawk and a large female Sparrowhawk also showed. Along the entrance track a Redpoll sp buzzed over and Siskins were all over.

Back at home in balmy warm sun my 4th sp of butterfly of the year - a Comma was by the patio. Crazy stuff so early!

 Goshawk (honestly!)

 

A springlike day down in the Brecks, 24 February 2019

A very early start had Jus, Andy and I down at Santon Downham by 07.30 with a sharp frost on the ground.

A walk west along the Little Ouse River with Siskins wheezing overhead and we were soon at 'the spot'. Luckily a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers had already been showing in alders on the opposite (Suffolk) side of the river and we went on to get some views albeit into the sun. The male showed nicely though but the pair were very active. Fortunately they flew onto our side of the river after a while and showed well in much better light. 2 Mandarins flew east along the river and the trees were alive with several Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Marsh Tits and Great Spotted Woodpeckers. After wandering back along the riverbank we found a few Bramblings and Siskins feeding on the garden feeders in the village and a couple of showy Grey Wagtails before we headed up the lane so the boys could see the nice display of Spring Snowflakes near the church. Back over the railway line we quickly found a couple of Woodlarks, 2 Lesser Redpolls and a Mistle Thrush before quitting the scene and heading for Lynford.

At Lynford we spent a while looking for Hawfinches with no luck but did see a pair of nice Common Crossbills periodically coming down to drink near the bridge plus plenty of Common Buzzard activity and the usual common woodland birds. Walking back through the arboretum a singing Firecrest showed nicely in a bare deciduous tree. Within about 5 minutes we also clocked up an impressive 3 species of butterfly - several Brimstones plus a single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Grey Wagtails

Common Crossbills

   Firecrest

After lunch we headed south to Lackford lakes where despite some searching couldn't find the hybrid Rosybill x Mallards (don't ask!) just a Kingfisher of note before we decided to return to Lynford for the remainder of the day. Or that's what we thought at the time!

Back at Lynford we had much more luck with 4 Hawfinches seen straight away feeding under a hornbeam in the paddocks. The Common Crossbills were also still about. With time now on our side we opted to return to Lackford armed with details of where the hybrid ducks had been the previous day. Despite this, and much walking we failed again! c50 Pochard, 8 Goldeneye, 3 Little Egrets and a Common Snipe was about it until the day had a sting in it's tail as I got onto the 2w Kumlien's Gull with a few other gulls (notably 6 Greater Black-backed Gulls) from Bess's Hide. It was 17.40 by now and getting quite dark so I snapped a few poor pictures before it got up and flew over the hide and west towards the sailing lake to roost.

Little Egret

Common Snipe

 Kumlien's Gull

  

   

Vietnam, Day 10, 30 January 2019 - Yok Don National Park

This morning was dedicated to an extended exploration of Yok Don before relocating to Mang Den in the afternoon.

A Black-naped Oriole outside the accommodation block kicked things off nicely before we got a lift over the river to where we would start the days birding. From here we walked the tracks and small paths through the open woodland. It proved to be quite a lively morning with 2 Shikras, Red-collared Dove, Spotted Dove, Green Imperial Pigeon, several noisy Lineated Barbets and a pair of Golden-fronted Leafbirds to start. An Asian Barred Owlet perched briefly in a tree but not long enough for a photo. Indian Rollers were also quite conspicuous and then we flushed a single Hoopoe, the only one of the entire trip. Woodpeckers were to the fore with a showy Rufous Woodpecker, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Greater Flameback and then a gorgeous Black-headed Woodpecker that sadly just flew away low through the trees. It was in the same area that a Black-hooded Oriole sat nicely, one of 5 we saw. Rufous Treepies were particularly numerous, we had c12. A male Purple Sunbird beside the track was a welcome trip tick and even more appreciated (by me anyway!) were 2 Cinereous Tits. 3 White-crested Laughingthrushes, low down in vegetation were accompanied by a single Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush.

A real purple patch then began. We'd gone into the trees to track down a red-headed female White-rumped Pygmy Falcon which showed nicely at range. Returning to the main track we had Plain Prinia and then Rufescent Prinia in trackside scrub before all hell let loose as a Collared Falconet appeared from nowhere and grabbed a Rufescent Prinia from right in front of us (literally feet away!). t carried it breakfast up into a tree where I managed a record shot for posterity. A male White-rumped Pygmy Falcon then showed and by creeping ever closer to it along the track I got a half decent photo.  2 Crested Treeswifts then circled over, as did an Indomalayan Honey Buzzard followed by 2 Red-wattled Lapwings, literally the only wader of the whole fortnight!
  
At an area by a river crossing/dam a large fruiting tree held a Coppersmith Barbet, Red-breasted Parakeet, c20 Common Hill Mynas and c5 Golden-crested Mynas.

Other species seen in a splendid morning were Crested Serpent Eagle, Vernal Hanging Parrot, White-throated Kingfisher, Common Woodshrike, Large Cuckooshrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Spangled Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Olive-backed Pipit and a few Southern Sooty-headed Bulbuls.

Black-naped Oriole

Golden-fronted Leafbirds

Southern Sooty-headed Bulbul

Rufous Woodpecker

Black-hooded Oriole

Plain Prinia

White-rumped Pygmy Falcon

Crested Treeswift

Collared Falconet (with Rufescent Prinia!)

Indomalayan Honey Buzzard

The rest of the day was spent on the long drive north to Mang Den. Birds were few and far between so I amused myself taking scenery photos through the minibus window!

   

Vietnam, Day 9, 29 January 2019 - Yok Don National Park

Today was mainly a travel day as we undertook the long drive north to Yok Don NP.

En-route, as usual there wasn't a huge amount to be seen but a Black-shouldered Kite as we left and a Jerdon's Baza were very welcome indeed. We 'insisted' on a stop at a large roadside lake/reservoir which proved to be a good call for some trip ticks - we managed  Black-backed Swamphen, 2 Greater Coucals, Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, White-throated Kingfisher, Great White Egret, 2 Little Cormorants, Asian Palm Swifts and Ashy Woodswallows. I then ventured into some roadside reeds to get a little closer to the water and fortuitously flushed a Barred Buttonquail that I was the only one to see! The journey also yielded several Burmese Shrikes, 4 Black-collared Starlings, Black-crested Bulbul and Southern Sooty-headed Bulbul.

After checking in to the rather ropey NP accommodation at Yok Don we convened for a late afternoon walk. Crossing the bridge over the Srepok River (clocking Common Kingfisher, Grey-eyed Bulbuls and Sand Martin) we did a walk through refreshingly different habitat - open dry deciduous forest. Initially just Taiga Flycatcher and Lineated Barbet were seen but then a fly-through Asian Barred Owlet, a Greater Flameback and a group of 3 Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes certainly livened things up! A little later, as we made our way back along one of the main tracks we had some nice views of a Rufous Treepie and then, jackpot - a mega Black Baza!

Rufous Treepie

Lineated Barbet

That night we were 'treated' to what was one of the worst meals we had on the whole trip served in what looked like a disused warehouse! NP hospitality at its best!