Northern Thailand Birding.

The last day of my stay in Doi Mae Salong I spent going for a walk to the Kuomintang war museum. Along the way, I encountered a guy sorting some Oolong tea, so I asked if I could take his photo. They offered me a cup of Oolong, hoping that I would buy a packet.

Cleaning Oolong Tea

Then I walked down the hill to the Chinese Kuomintang war museum. It was interesting but strange.

Chinese Kuomintang War Museum

Going back I saw some ladies picking tea on a hillside, so I had to take a photo.

Picking tea

And I encountered more of those hairy bugs I saw the day before. They probably have a proper scientific name, but I don’t know it.

Hairy caterpillar

Chiang Rai

This morning I got a songthaew to Mae Chan, then swapped into another one to get me to Chiang Rai. In the afternoon I walked along the river and found a couple of birds.

Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)

I was thinking this one was a Crow-billed Drongo, but I do not think the bill is quite big enough. There were a pair of them and the juvenile had some distinct white streaks on his front.

Boat man

A farmer was working on an island on the river and rowed himself back home in his little boat.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)

At first I thought it was an Ashy Woodswallow but it was just a juvenile with a bit of a dirty front. There were heaps of Eurasian Tree Sparrows near the river and a couple scaly-breasted Munia.

Moon

The moon looked very nice so I took a photo of it.

Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)

This is a Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), but what race is it? pattani or monticola ? Monticola is larger and has a darker red ear patch. I cannot see it properly yet. I think this one is race pattani, but I ain’t betting on it! I have seen lots of these birds in cages in Thailand but not in the wild until today.

Wat at sundown

And to close it out, here is a picture of the roof of a wat shining in the sunset. Only a couple of days left in Thailand, then I am over the border into Laos. I am really looking forward to it.