Mang Den
Day 12: Tuesday 26th March 2019 (continued)
On arrival in Mang Den, and before checking in to our hotel, went spent an hour birding in woodland on the outskirts of town. This proved very successful with 3 species new for me found (Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Blue-winged Minla, Annam Barbet). This was only the second sunny afternoon since our arrival in Vietnam, so after checking-in to the T&T Hotel, I spent another hour looking for birds and found 2 species new for me: White-eared Laughingthrush and Burmese Shrike.
On arrival in Mang Den, and before checking in to our hotel, went spent an hour birding in woodland on the outskirts of town. This proved very successful with 3 species new for me found (Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Blue-winged Minla, Annam Barbet). This was only the second sunny afternoon since our arrival in Vietnam, so after checking-in to the T&T Hotel, I spent another hour looking for birds and found 2 species new for me: White-eared Laughingthrush and Burmese Shrike.
Day 13: Wednesday 27th March 2019
After a 05:30 breakfast we spent the whole day in the forest, birding from the minor roads through it, at an altitude of ~1330m. This was our first blue sky birding day since arrival in Vietnam - the fine weather made it easier identify birds in the canopy as their colours and markings were much easier to see; photography was also much less challenging. Although it appeared that the roads were passing through good forest, walking tracks a few paces into the forest, it soon became apparent that there was extensive clearance behind this facade. Our afternoon walk was accompanied by the sound of chainsaws and further tree-felling. This is another national park in Vietnam in which extensive habitat destruction is being permitted.
After a 05:30 breakfast we spent the whole day in the forest, birding from the minor roads through it, at an altitude of ~1330m. This was our first blue sky birding day since arrival in Vietnam - the fine weather made it easier identify birds in the canopy as their colours and markings were much easier to see; photography was also much less challenging. Although it appeared that the roads were passing through good forest, walking tracks a few paces into the forest, it soon became apparent that there was extensive clearance behind this facade. Our afternoon walk was accompanied by the sound of chainsaws and further tree-felling. This is another national park in Vietnam in which extensive habitat destruction is being permitted.
Our main target bird species today was Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush. These birds are extremely rare and endemic to this part of Vietnam. They have the misfortune to both look good and sing well - a combination that has made them very attractive to the cage bird industry. With both extensive trapping and extensive habitat destruction their future looks bleak. We did hear them briefly but they did not respond when we tried to call them in. Despite missing the main event, we had a very good day here - adding 25 species to our Vietnam list, 15 of which were new for me.
There was also a constant stream of migrating butterflies, all of the same species. I stopped to count them for a minute and extrapolated that 75000 had passed during the course of the day.
There was also a constant stream of migrating butterflies, all of the same species. I stopped to count them for a minute and extrapolated that 75000 had passed during the course of the day.
The village at Mang Den was being developed as a hill resort and has many detached and expensive-looking residences. But it is apparent that this development was folly, as there are also many incomplete, abandoned constructions here. |
Day 14: Thursday 28th March 2019
Spent the whole day travelling to Cat Tien NP. Breakfast at 05:30 - as yesterday, this was cold, very greasy, fried eggs, which I could not bring myself to eat today. 2 hours drive to Pleiku airport for a 10:30 flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Spent the whole day travelling to Cat Tien NP. Breakfast at 05:30 - as yesterday, this was cold, very greasy, fried eggs, which I could not bring myself to eat today. 2 hours drive to Pleiku airport for a 10:30 flight to Ho Chi Minh City.