Northern Laos Mountian forest (Phou Khoun)

12 October: I got a pass and into the Mountain forests about five hours towards Ventiene from Luang Prabang for a morning, seeing plenty of birds, which seemed before this to be fairly uncommon for Laos. A couple seemed fairly atypical (images below) and initially I thought I was onto something new (for me) but I have been swayed by the experts. Wish I had been quicker with my camera for the two raptor species that I flushed from close range. Next time…

Note: This area is close to some holdouts of "resistance", and tourists have been harmed here some time back (I did not know that when I went). I never felt unsafe here, and the people were very friendly.

Wayne

• Bulbul, Brown breasted


• Bulbul, Red whiskered


• Bulbul, Sooty headed


• Bushchat, Grey


• Drongo, Ashy


• Drongo, Black


• Drongo, Hair crested


• Hoopoe, Common


• Kite, Black eared (large group flew over)


• Oriole, Black naped (???)


• Raptor, Unidentified large


• Raptor, Unidentified mid-sized


• Robin, Oriental magpie


• Shrike, Long tailed


• Stonechat, Siberian


• Wagtail, White


• Warbler, Yellow browed

Siberian stonechat

Grey Bushchat

Bulbul, brown breasted

And a couple of images of atypical birds. I posted these on Birdforum, and below is the consensus of what they were. I am no expert, so I guess I have to go with the calls, until someone comes up with a better idea...

Ashy Drongo, but with yellow belly. Probably pollen???

Sooty headed Bulbul, but with tail growing out, and reflection off top ofhead, making it look grey. Also pollen on belly,making it look yellow. Itook some convincing.

Photo stroll at noon 21/03

Hi all,

A wander around the Red river Island at noon produced some interesting birds. En route to this area, I picked up a flock of 50 Black-crowned Night Herons above the West Lake, apparently seeking a place to roost.
After this, I encountered in the channel 5 Kentish Plovers together.
In the main woodland of the island, nothing special except this smart male Grey Bushchat amazingly showy, probably very proud of its brand new breeding plumage.

For this male Sibechat, the molt is underway.

In the woodland, I met a snake hunter, with 3 snakes in a bag. He showed me one of them, a non-venomous specimen, long at least 1.50m. He told me that there are "rắn hổ mang" (cobras) in this area. I'm not surprised; last year I saw one on the sand, at the northern tip of the island. I don't know much about snakes but I noticed its characteristic dilated neck taking shape as a hood.

So, watch your steps whenever you're walking around and avoid tall grass !

For information, the poor snake of the photo will end its life in the "famous" village of snake of Lệ Mật, just outside the city, disemboweled alive, the still beating heart dropped into a glass of rice wine...

Sebastien