Thailand Birding 2023: Day 5: Friday 24 February 2023 - Bird hide Kaeng Krachan

What a morning spent watching birds inside a hide at a local feeding station. This really is a birding highlight. Set up as a galley hide with openings both sides allowed for us to see birds coming from other directions. The beauty of this type of ecotourism is that it creates a livelihood for the local caretaker. In the long term it reduces hunting and habitat destruction. We had such a great time watching the species filter in during our time at Mr Dab Toons Hide. My only suggestions would be to have openings at different heights to suit the differing ergonomics of visitors. Perhaps another opening at the end of the hide to see the birds that could be heard foraging in the bush to the left of the hide.

We were hopeful of several possible species visiting include Blue Pitta, Eared Pitta, and others such as Red Junglefowl, Silver Pheasant, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Striped Tit-Babbler, Racket-tailed Treepie, Blue Flycatcher, White-crested Laughing-thrush, Lesser-necklaced Laughing-thrush, Greater-necklaced Laughing-thrush, Green Magpie, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Pied Fantail. While not all target species were seen, I have to say that I was very happy with our haul.

Blue-flycatcher

Puff-throated Babbler

Blue Pitta

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

As I sort through the photos I am reminded that this was a very special bird hide experience. The biggest challenge is to sort out the Blue-flycatcher species from the photos. It was so much easier in the hide when you can also see their behaviours. I rate this hide as well worth a visit. It is obviously well maintained with clean water for the animal life. Regular feeding occurs however, the birds were also noted to be foraging nearby.

We were also treated to visits from some of the local mammals and they were obliging in allowing us to observe their behaviours a they checked the area for safety from predators and then feeding. We saw Grey-bellied squirrels, Himalayan Tree-squirrels and Tree Shrew.

Taiga Flycatcher

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

Blue-flycatcher

Black-naped Monarch

Blue Flycatcher

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Racket-tailed Treepie

Asian Emerald Dove

Kalij Pheasant

The Kalij Pheasants came in and scratched around for several minutes allowing us good views. I was very impressed with the opalescence of the male plumage as the sunlight caught it. Another surprise was the Grey Peacock-pheasant which was a lifer for Ken and the rest of us. Apparently it normally appears in the afternoon, so we were particularly lucky to see it.