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I visited southern Vietnam for 9 days from 23rd February to 3rd March 2003, visiting the Dalat plateau area and Cat Tien National Park. The birding was great, the logistics were easy, and I came away with a very favourable impression of birding in this country. Dalat is a fascinating place full of endemic taxa, some of which should definitly be treated as separate species! I made arranagements in advance, in common with many other previous visiting birders, with Nguyen Van Viet of ?Viet Tam? travel agents. (e-mail: vietntn@hcm.fpt.vn I flew from Bangkok to Saigon on the morning of the 23rd, and was met by a car and driver. The driver?s name was Yoong, and although we had barely any language in common, he proved to be a fine travelling companion and agreeable to all of my plans. At Dalat he was always ready to leave at 5 or 5.30am, and would drop me at the birding sites and return in the late afternoon to collect me. At Cat Tien where a vehicle is not needed, he dropped me and returned four days later to take me back to Saigon airport. We drove straight from Saigon airport to Dalat town, stopping only for lunch en-route, a journey that took 5 1/2 hours. Following trip reports of previous visiting birders, I stayed in the Mimosa Hotel. This wasn?t great, with a single room for $15.00 per night and no amenities, but on the plus side the friendly young lass on reception spoke English, and it is on the right side of town for Mt Langbian. I?m sure that there are many other suitable places to stay that are nicer. There are plenty of small shops so I was able to stock up with food for my days out - no early breakfast available here. 23rd Feb: Arrive Saigon, drive to Dalat. 24th Feb: Mt Langbian 25th Feb: Ho Tuyen Lam 26th Feb: a.m. Ta Nung valley, p.m. Mt Langbian 27th Feb: a.m. Deo Nui San, then onto Cat Tien arriving early p.m. 28th Feb - 2nd March Cat Tien National Park 3rd March: a.m. Cat Tien, p.m. travelling to Saigon airport. Depart to BKK The sites: Mount Langbian. This is very straightforward, and is close to the town (20? drive). At the foot of the mountain there is a gateway with a car-park, here you will find jeeps that can take you up unless you are there too early! This saves a 2km+/45? walk, which is on tarmac and through pine-forest. Anyway, if one looks at the mountain from below it is clearly a long ridge running left to right. Langbian itself is the obvious tall conical hill shrouded in evergreen forest, off to the right. The now tarmaced road ascends until a sharp left bend is reached, which is where a broad trail heads off right, following the ridge on it?s near side. The tarmac road goes off to the left end of the ridge eventually. Walking the trail along the ridge, it is not far until you reach evergreen forest, and after a small saddle, climbs up, eventually steeply, up to the summit of Mt Langbian at 2170m. This is the main birding trail, which is easy to follow (although there is a fork where one has to bear right, and also a fallen tree which one has to traverse to refind the trail) however another trail splits off to the left on the saddle, and this is also useful. The zone of pine and mixed low-stature forest on the walk-in is good for Vietnamese Greenfinch and ?Vietnamese? Crossbill, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Grey-chinned and Long-tailed Minivets and White-cheeked Laughingthrush. Once inside the evergreen forest the following should be found: Collared Laughingthrush, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, White-tailed Robin, Green Cochoa, Spot-throated Babbler, ?Rufous-winged? Fulvetta (klossi race), Blue-winged Minla (orientalis race), Black-headed Sibia (robinsoni race), Yellow-billed Nuthatch, White-spectacled Warbler, Mountain Imperial Pigeon and Mrs Gould?s Sunbird. Ho Tuyen Lam This site has a lot of good habitat and great potential, but a dire lack of trails! Trying to follow old trip reports here will just get you lost, and I was only able to find 1½ trails, and left feeling rather disappointed! Arriving early at the lake presented no problems, waking the boatman who duly ferried me to the far end of the lake and dropped me in the right spot (they are used to birders it seems). This is where the fun starts. Where one gets dropped, one can go straight ahead up the low ridge, through grass and pine until the trail sort of disappears into thick evergreen forest. The trail sort of continues into this forest patch, but becomes very vague and so I didn?t follow it further. The best way to go, on being dropped, seemed to be to follow the edge of the lake to the right, the trail is vague but passes through a small patch of forest that reaches the shoreline, then emerges in a clearing with a stream. Keep on the left side of the stream for c200m until the trail crosses the stream and enters the forest, following the same stream for a while on the right bank before diverging. After a few hundred meters one reaches a clearing, and onward from here there was a trail that continued in roughly the same direction before becoming obscured. Other trails were not found in spite of searching, and the ?fields? and ?huts? indicated on previous reports were never located, although I think they have long since become derelict and/or burnt out. In the pine areas, I found: Slender-billed Oriole, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Vietnamese Greenfinch, ?Vietnamese? Crossbill. In the evergreen forest: Bar-backed Partridge, Black-browed Barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, White-tailed Robin, Grey-cheeked Warbler, White-cheeked and Black-hooded Laughingthrushes, Spot-throated Babbler. NB All the Dalat evergreen forest species should be here in theory. Ta Nung Valley This is the area for the Crocias, and is just a short way from town. Follow the road out past the old Cam Li airfield (identifiable by the red & white control tower) and just 5.3km past the tower (and 4.8km from the last right turn on the road) one finds a track off to the left. Follow this down a few hundred metres until you reach a flower farm and a small reservoir. Here the trails end, and you are in the bottom of the valley surrounded by thick evergreen forest. This is the place! There is also a trail that follows the contour to the west starting behind some enclosures for plants. All in all it?s a small area to bird, and alive with thrills. Birds recorded: Red-vented Barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Besra, Long-tailed Broadbill, Indochinese Green Magpie, Maroon Oriole, White-throated Rock Thrush, Spotted Forktail, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Black-hooded & White-cheeked Laughinthrush, Blue-winged Minla, Grey-crowned Crocias, Rufous-backed Sibia, ?Grey-headed? Parrotbill, and ?johnsi? Black-throated Sunbirds. Deo Nui San This is about 90 mins drive from Dalat, and is a section of road that passes over a forested range of hills at c1250m. I left Dalat at 5am and was birding along the road between 0630 and 0930. The earlier the better it seems, as the sun was hot and there was a lot of traffic (well, mopeds anyway!) and there was a lot of road-building activity nearer the pass itself. From the main road west of Dalat, turn south in the town of Dhi Linh towards the coastal town of Phan Thiet, and the pass is at about 17km along this road. I birded between roughly Km 14 - 16, at 1100 - 1200m. It was great birding, and must have been even better before the new road workings. The star bird was Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, which I found singing away in tatty regrowth along the forest edge. Birds recorded: Red-vented & Black-browed Barbet, Wedge-tailed Green and Mountain Imperial Pigeons, White-cheeked, Black-hooded and Orange-breasted Laughingthrushes, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, ?Grey-headed? Parrotbill, Streaked Spiderhunter and ?johnsi? Black-throated Sunbird Cat Tien National Park To reach Cat Tien, turn off the main road at Madagui or Tam Phu northwards for 20+km, then you have to register at the office in the village on the south bank of the Dong Nai river, and cross on a small ferry to the HQ & accomodation that is on the opposite bank. The HQ area has good inexpensive accomodation, two canteens and some very helpful staff. I was very comfortable here, and combined with a good network of trails, I found it a great place to spend a few days, although it was very hot! The star birds such as the Pittas and Pheasants were easy, partly due to the very open understorey in the forest. The main ?loop? trail from near the HQ was good, as was the first 2km of the trail to Crocodile lake and nearby roadsides. I didn?t try very hard for Green Peafowl, and not at all for Orange-necked Partridge! Pale-headed Woodpecker can be found in good stands of bamboo. Also, from the main loop trail, a side trail that emerges by the first buildings and ?checkpoint? c1km from the HQ, crosses a stream where many birds come down to drink in the late afternoon. Here I also heard what was either Slaty-legged or Red-legged Crakes, but further searching could not refind the birds. Birds recorded: Scaly-breasted Partridge, Germain?s Peacock Pheasant, Green Peafowl, White-bellied, Pale-headed, Black-and-buff, Heart-spotted and Great Slaty Woodpeckers, Red-vented and Lineated Barbet, Great and Wreathed Hornbill, Orange-breasted Trogon, Blue-eared, Banded and Stork-billed Kingfishers, Violet Cuckoo, Great Eared Nightjar, Orange-breasted, Pompadour and Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Woolly-necked Stork, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pitta, Dusky, Banded and Black-and-red Broadbill, Siberian Blue Robin, Vinous-breasted Starling, Golden-crested Myna, Scaly-crowned Babbler, Striped and Grey-faced Tit Babbler, Ruby-cheeked, Purple-naped and Fork-tailed Sunbirds. Mammals: Black-shanked Duc Langur. Further details and sketch-maps can be provided, e-mail me on: dave@shortwing.co.uk Species recorded on the Da Lat Plateau & Deo Nui San 24 - 27 2003 Francolinus pintadeanus Chinese Francolin Arborophila brunneopectus Bar-backed Partridge Dendrocopos canicapillus Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Picus flavinucha Greater Yellownape Picus canus Grey-headed Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes lucidus Greater Flameback Blythipicus pyrrhotis Bay Woodpecker Megalaima lagrandieri Red-vented Barbet Megalaima franklinii Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima oorti Black-browed Barbet Megalaima australis Blue-eared Barbet Harpactes erythrocephalus Red-headed Trogon Nyctyornis athertoni Blue-bearded Bee-eater Cacomantis sonneratii Banded Bay Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris Drongo Cuckoo Centropus sinensis Greater Coucal Apus affinis House Swift
Streptopelia chinensis Spotted Dove Treron sphenura Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Ducula badia Mountain Imperial Pigeon Amaurornis phoenicurus White-breasted Waterhen Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper Pandion haliaetus Osprey Spilornis cheela Crested Serpent Eagle Accipiter trivirgatus Crested Goshawk Accipiter virgatus Besra Accipiter nisus Eurasian Sparrowhawk Butastur indicus Grey-faced Buzzard Ictinaetus malayensis Black Eagle Spizaetus nipalensis Mountain Hawk Eagle Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Grebe Ardeola bacchus Chinese Pond Heron Psarisomus dalhousiae Long-tailed Broadbill Irena puella Asian Fairy Bluebird Garrulus glandarius Eurasian Jay Cissa hypoleuca Indochinese Green Magpie Oriolus tenuirostris Slender-billed Oriole Oriolus traillii Maroon Oriole Coracina macei Large Cuckooshrike Coracina polioptera Indochinese Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos Black-winged Cuckooshrike Pericrocotus solaris Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus Scarlet Minivet Hemipus picatus Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Rhipidura albicollis White-throated Fantail Dicrurus leucophaeus Ashy Drongo Dicrurus remifer Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Aegithina lafresnayei Great Iora Tephrodornis gularis Large Woodshrike Monticola gularis White-throated Rock Thrush Turdus obscurus Eyebrowed Thrush Brachypteryx leucophrys Lesser Shortwing Ficedula mugimaki Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula solitaris Rufous-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni Little Pied Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina Verditer Flycatcher Niltava grandis Large Niltava Culicicapa ceylonensis Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Luscinia cyane Siberian Blue Robin Copsychus malabaricus White-rumped Shama Myiomela leucura White-tailed Robin Enicurus maculatus Spotted Forktail Cochoa viridis Green Cochoa Saxicola ferrea Grey Bushchat Sturnus nigricollis Black-collared Starling Sitta nagaensis Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta solangiae Yellow-billed Nuthatch Parus monticolus Green-backed Tit Parus spilonotus Yellow-cheeked Tit Sylviparus modestus Yellow-browed Tit Aegithalos concinnus annamensis Black-throated Tit Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow Hirundo daurica Red-rumped Swallow Delichon dasypus Asian House Martin Pycnonotus jocosus Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus flavescens Flavescent Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus Puff-throated Bulbul Iole propinqua Grey-eyed Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii Mountain Bulbul Hemixos flavala Ashy Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus Black Bulbul Prinia atrogularis Hill Prinia Prinia rufescens Rufescent Prinia Prinia hodgsonii Grey-breasted Prinia Tesia cyaniventer Grey-bellied Tesia Locustella lanceolata Lanceolated Warbler Orthotomus cuculatus Mountain Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis Dark-necked Tailorbird Phylloscopus maculipennis Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides Blyth's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus davisoni White-tailed Leaf Warbler Seicercus soror Plain-tailed Warbler Seicercus affinis White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus poliogenys Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus castaniceps Chestnut-crowned Warbler Garrulax milleti Black-hooded Laughingthrush Garrulax vassali White-cheeked Laughingthrush Garrulax annamensis Orange-breasted Laughingthrush Garrulax yersini Collared Laughingthrush Pellorneum albiventre Spot-throated Babbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps White-browed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ochraceiceps Red-billed Scimitar Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla Pygmy Wren Babbler Stachyris ruficeps Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris nigriceps Grey-throated Babbler Leiothrix argentauris Silver-eared Mesia Pteruthius flaviscapis White-browed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius aenobarbus Chestnut-fronted Shrike Babbler Minla cyanouroptera orientalis Blue-winged Minla Alcippe castaneceps klossi ?Rufous-winged? Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis Mountain Fulvetta Crocias langbianis Grey-crowned Crocias Heterophasia annectans Rufous-backed Sibia Heterophasia melanoleuca robinsoni Black-headed Sibia Yuhina zantholeuca White-bellied Yuhina Paradoxornis gularis margaritae ?Grey-headed? Parrotbill Dicaeum ignipectus Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Aethopyga gouldiae Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga saturata johnsi ?Black-throated? Sunbird Arachnothera magna Streaked Spiderhunter Passer montanus Eurasian Tree Sparrow Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail Anthus rufulus Paddyfield Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Olive-backed Pipit Lonchura striata White-rumped Munia Lonchura punctulata Scaly-breasted Munia Carduelis monguilloti Vietnamese Greenfinch Loxia curvirostra meridionalis ?Vietnamese? Red Crossbill Species list - Cat Tien 27 Feb - 03 Mar 2003 Arborophila charltonii Scaly-breasted Partridge Gallus gallus Red Junglefowl Polyplectron germaini Germain's Peacock Pheasant Pavo muticus Green Peafowl Sasia ochracea White-browed Piculet Dryocopus javensis White-bellied Woodpecker Picus flavinucha Greater Yellownape Picus vittatus Laced Woodpecker Picus canus Grey-headed Woodpecker Gecinulus grantia Pale-headed Woodpecker Meiglyptes jugularis Black-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus canente Heart-spotted Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus Great Slaty Woodpecker Megalaima lagrandieri Red-vented Barbet Megalaima lineata Lineated Barbet Megalaima faiostricta Green-eared Barbet Megalaima australis Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima haemacephala Coppersmith Barbet Anthracoceros albirostris Oriental Pied Hornbill Buceros bicornis Great Hornbill Aceros undulatus Wreathed Hornbill Harpactes oreskios Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus Red-headed Trogon Coracias benghalensis Indian Roller Eurystomus orientalis Dollarbird Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher Alcedo meninting Blue-eared Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella Banded Kingfisher Halcyon capensis Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis White-throated Kingfisher Merops leschenaulti Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Cacomantis sonneratii Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus Plaintive Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Violet Cuckoo Phaenicophaeus tristis Green-billed Malkoha Centropus sinensis Greater Coucal Centropus bengalensis Lesser Coucal Loriculus vernalis Vernal Hanging Parrot Psittacula alexandri Red-breasted Parakeet Hirundapus cochinchinensis Silver-backed Needletail Cypsiurus balasiensis Asian Palm Swift Glaucidium cuculoides Asian Barred Owlet Ninox scutulata Brown Hawk Owl Eurostopodus macrotis Great Eared Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus Large-tailed Nightjar Streptopelia chinensis Spotted Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica Red Collared Dove Macropygia unchall Barred Cuckoo Dove Chalcophaps indica Emerald Dove Treron bicincta Orange-breasted Green Pigeon Treron pompadora Pompadour Green Pigeon Treron curvirostra Thick-billed Green Pigeon Ducula aenea Green Imperial Pigeon Rallina fasciata/ eurizonoides Red-legged/ Slaty-legged Crake Tringa nebularia Common Greenshank Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper Accipiter badius Shikra Egretta garzetta Little Egret Ardea purpurea Purple Heron Casmerodius albus Great Egret Ardeola bacchus Chinese Pond Heron Butorides striatus Little Heron Ciconia episcopus Woolly-necked Stork Pitta soror Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta elliotii Bar-bellied Pitta Corydon sumatranus Dusky Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos Black-and-red Broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus Banded Broadbill Irena puella Asian Fairy Bluebird Chloropsis cochinchinensis Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons Golden-fronted Leafbird Crypsirina temia Racket-tailed Treepie Artamus fuscus Ashy Woodswallow Oriolus chinensis Black-naped Oriole Oriolus xanthornus Black-hooded Oriole Coracina macei Large Cuckooshrike Pericrocotus flammeus Scarlet Minivet Hemipus picatus Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Dicrurus leucophaeus Ashy Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus Spangled Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Hypothymis azurea Black-naped Monarch Aegithina lafresnayei Great Iora Myophonus caeruleus Blue Whistling Thrush Muscicapa dauurica Asian Brown Flycatcher Ficedula parva Red-throated Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Luscinia cyane Siberian Blue Robin Copsychus saularis Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus malabaricus White-rumped Shama Sturnus burmannicus Vinous-breasted Starling Ampeliceps coronatus Golden-crested Myna Gracula religiosa Common Hill Myna Sitta frontalis Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow Hirundo daurica Red-rumped Swallow Pycnonotus atriceps Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi Streak-eared Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus Puff-throated Bulbul Iole propinqua Grey-eyed Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus Black Bulbul Prinia rufescens Rufescent Prinia Orthotomus atrogularis Dark-necked Tailorbird Phylloscopus inornatus Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus plumeitarsus Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Garrulax leucolophus White-crested Laughingthrush Malacocincla abbotti Abbott's Babbler Malacopteron cinereum Scaly-crowned Babbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps White-browed Scimitar Babbler Macronous gularis Striped Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi Grey-faced Tit Babbler Dicaeum chrysorrheum Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Anthreptes singalensis Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum Purple-naped Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis Olive-backed Sunbird Aethopyga christinae Fork-tailed Sunbird Arachnothera longirostra Little Spiderhunter Passer montanus Eurasian Tree Sparrow Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail |
