THAILAND South 26 January–6 February 2009 Leader: Tom Bex

This fabulous new budget-priced tour to rarely-visited sites in the south of Thailand will look for a number of speciality birds otherwise only found in Malaysia as well as the near-mythical and critically-endangered Gurney’s Pitta. You will be based for 9 nights in luxury detached villas with two air-conditioned en-suite bedrooms, lounge with satellite TV, kitchen/diner with fridge and tea/coffee making facilities and private swimming pool. Villas also available for sole use by couples for a supplement. Daily excursions will vary between early starts and early returns to late starts and early returns so you will have ample opportunity to enjoy your private swimming pool!

Day 1 Overnight flight from London to Bangkok.

Day 2 Morning arrival in Bangkok and transfer to Rangsit marshes north of Bangkok where we may find Lesser Whistling-duck, Coppersmith and White-throated Barbets, Indian Roller, Greater Coucal, Black-capped Kingfisher, Little Green Bee-eater, Asian Palm-swift, Red Collared-dove, Bronze-winged Jacana, Red-wattled Lapwing, Oriental Pratincole, Black-shouldered Kite, Little Cormorant, Little and Intermediate Egrets, Chinese and Javan Pond-herons, Cinnamon and Yellow Bitterns, Asian Openbill, Black Drongo, Siberian Rubythroat, Oriental Magpie-robin, White-vented Myna, Asian Pied, Black-collared, Chestnut-tailed and White-shouldered Starling, Streak-eared Bulbul, Thick-billed Warbler, Black-browed Reed-warbler, Paddyfield Pipit and Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker. After lunch, we will return to Bangkok and check into our hotel. Late afternoon and evening will be free to enjoy the sights and sounds of this extremely safe city.

Day 3 We will depart early before the morning traffic rush really gets going and head south to the marshes and saltpans around Samutsakhon and Petchburi. This area is famous for a small number of regularly wintering Spoon-billed Sandpipers and we hope to find at least one amongst the more numerous Red-necked and Temminck’s Stints. Other highly sought-after waders may include Asiatic Dowitcher, Great Knot and Nordmann’s Greenshank amongst the commoner Pacific Golden-plovers and Greater and Lesser Sandplovers. Other birds we may see at several other sites around the Gulf of Thailand include Collared Kingfisher, Zebra Dove, Pink-necked Pigeon, Brahminy Kite, Brown-headed Gull, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Asian Paradise-flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Prinia and Brown-throated Sunbird. After lunch, we will return to Bangkok for an afternoon internal flight to Krabi. On arrival in Krabi, we will make the 45-minute transfer to our superb luxury villas with private swimming pools in the stunningly beautiful resort of Ao Nang, our base for the next 9 nights.

Day 4 Early start to Khao Nor Chuchi, until recently the only known site for Gurney’s Pitta. We will breakfast at Marakot Resort whilst watching Great Eared-nightjars returning to roost. The whole morning will be spent exploring the trails around this reserve and species we may see include Black-thighed Falconet, Banded and Gurney’s Pittas, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Green and Red-and-yellow Broadbills, Banded Kingfisher, Green-billed Malkoha, Orange-breasted Trogon, Siberian Blue Robin, Black Magpie, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and Plain-throated Sunbird. Birding can be slow in the forest but the rewards are high. Lunch will be taken at the Marakot Resort before return to the Palm Resort. Late afternoon either at leisure or visit the nearby Hat Noppharat Thara Beach where it is possible to walk out to the offshore islands at low tide and look for Pale-capped Pigeons coming into roost. Other birds may include Pacific Reef-egret, Greater and Lesser Sandplovers and Pink-necked Pigeons. Dinner at the restaurant in our resort.

Day 5 Early start to the excellent Tonepariwat Reserve. Highlights here may include Crested Serpent-eagle, Grey-rumped and Whiskered Treeswifts (often perched), Vernal Hanging-parrot Asian Fairy-bluebird, Ashy Drongo, Chestnut-naped Forktail, Asian Brown, Dark-sided and Green-backed (Narcissus) Flycatchers and Black-crested and Streaked Bulbuls. Moving on, we may see Asian Glossy Starling and German’s Swiftlet before lunching at Khao Lak village. In the afternoon, we will visit the beautiful beach at Laem Pakarang where Chinese Egret can be found and waders may include Red-necked Stint and Terek Sandpiper. Collared Kingfisher is regular here and Black-naped Tern possible. Our next site will be Thai Muang marsh and golf course where Slaty-breasted Rail, Grey-headed, Red-wattled and River Lapwings, Pacific Golden-plover, Pintail Snipe, Blue-tailed and Little Green Bee-eaters, Plaintive Cuckoo, Lesser Coucal and Red-throated Pipit are all regular. Just before dark, we will look for Spotted Wood-owl and Slow Loris in a nearby wood before returning to our resort for a late dinner.

Day 6 After yesterdays late return, we will breakfast at the resort and depart at 09.00 to Wat Bang Riang temple, possible the most beautiful in southern Thailand, where we will look for common birds and the amazing Giant Squirrels. We will have packed lunches and in the afternoon visit the mangrove boardwalk at Phang-gna. The boardwalk although excellent, is in a poor state of repair, so if it has not been replaced we will take a boat ride to look for Von Shrenck’s Bittern, Streak-breasted Woodpecker, Ruddy Kingfisher, Mangrove Pitta, Pale-legged Leaf-warbler and other species. If time allows, we will visit Manora Forest Park in afternoon where Changeable Hawk-eagle, Blue-eared Kingfisher and Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker can be found, before returning for an early evening dinner at our resort.

Day 7 Early start to Khao Nor Chuchi again and breakfast at the Marakot Resort. Gurney’s Pitta can be highly elusive and the best chance of seeing it is to sit in a temporary hide for several hours. Of course, this isn’t to everyone’s liking so separate arrangements can be made for those who prefer to walk around the reserve (and maybe swim in the famous Emerald Pool) and those who want to can sit in the hide. Lunch will be taken at the Marakot Resort before we drive to Trang Botanical Gardens. These excellent gardens contain many common birds include Red-throated Barbet, Lesser Green Leafbird, Large Woodshrike and Green-billed Malkoha but it is the night birds that are even more interesting! After taking dinner in Trang town therefore, we will return to look for Barred Eagle-owl, Brown Hawk-owl, Sunda Scops-owl and Javan Frogmouth. Late evening return to our resort.

Day 8 Today is a special day. We have chartered a boat to take us to the beautiful Similan Islands. Specifically, we are going to 'Island number 4' to look for the bizarre Nicobar Pigeon which is easier to see here than anywhere else in it's limited range. Other birds we may see include White-bellied Sea-eagle and Pied Imperial Pigeon whilst small numbers of seabirds are also possible include Black-naped and Lesser Crested Terns and maybe even a frigatebird. There will also be the opportunity for those wishing to go snorkeling. Mid evening return to our resort for dinner.

Day 9 Breakfast at resort followed by a visit to Wat Tham Suea Temple where we will look for Blue Whistling-thrush and Streaked Wren-babbler. We will return to our resort for lunch before making a late afternoon visit to Krabi mangrove boardwalk to look for Brown-winged Kingfisher, Ashy Tailorbird and Pied Fantail. Early evening return to our resort.

Day 10 An early start to the bird-rich Khao Sok National Park. Although as always in the forests of southeast Asia birding can be slow, we may see Great, Helmeted and White-crowned Hornbills, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Bamboo Woodpecker, Black-backed and Rufous-collared Kingfishers, Forest Wagtail, Black-naped Monarch, Asian Paradise-flycatcher, Ochraceous, Red-eyed, Stripe-throated and Yellow-bellied Bulbuls, Striped Tit-babbler and Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker. We will take lunch at one of the local restaurants just outside the park before returning to our resort mid afternoon.

Day 11 Today we will enjoy some excellent roadside birding at Khao Phanom Bencha en-route to Phuket. Birds we may see include Raffles's and Red-billed Malkohas, Dusky Broadbill, Gold-whiskered Barbet, Little Green Pigeon and Wreathed Hornbill. We will take lunch at Phuket before birding coastal scrub-woodland and nearby marshes in the afternoon looking for Barred Buttonquail, Racket-tailed Treepie, Indian Cuckoo, Lineated Barbet, Purple-backed Starling and Blue-throated Bee-eater whilst raptors may include Greater Spotted Eagle. We will also take dinner in one of the numerous restaurants in Phuket before looking for Bay Owl at dusk.

Day 12 Depending on flight timings, morning at leisure before returning to Krabi airport for the flight to Bangkok airport to connect with the international flight home arriving in London late evening.

General Information The climate can vary from cool in the morning in the hills to hot and humid in the lowlands and forests. There will be a moderate amount of walking, mostly by the roadsides but sometimes on steep trails. There are special medical requirements and you must consult your GP. Visas are not required for UK citizens.

Group size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 6; maximum group size: 9 with 1 leader.

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