BURMA REP 14 - Birding Tours - Bird Watching Holidays ... REP 14-ebook.pdf · The checklist now includes 516 species. ... we enjoyed a nice picnic lunch in a handily situated shelter

1 BirdQuest Tour Report Burma 2014 www.birdquest-tours.com

A wonderful Hodgson’s Frogmouth at Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)

BURMA

10 – 23 MARCH 2014 LEADER: CRAIG ROBSON During our seventh tour to this amazingly bird-rich country, we saw all eight potentially recognised endemics: Jerdon’s Minivet, Hooded Treepie, Burmese Bush Lark, Davison’s Bulbul (an upcoming split from Stripe-throated), Burmese Bushtit, White-throated Babbler, Mount Victoria Babax (a split from Chinese), and White-browed Nuthatch. We also found six species that could be described as near endemics: Chin Hills Wren-Babbler, Striped and Brown-capped Laughingthrushes, Buff-breasted Parrotbill (split from Black-throated). Burmese Yuhina, and Collared Myna. At Inle Lake we were fortunate to see the exceedingly rare Chinese Grassbird (split from Rufous-rumped, and actually a babbler) that has recently been found in the marshes there; it has to be one of the most threatened passerines in the world. Some of the other main avian highlights were Rain Quail, Laggar and White-rumped Falcons, Black-tailed Crake, Hodgson’s Frogmouth, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Grey-sided Thrush, White-tailed Stonechat, Jerdon’s Bush Chat, Black-bibbed Tit, Martens’s and Broad-billed Warblers, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Spectacled and Streak-throated Barwings, Grey and Dark-backed Sibias, and Brown, Russet and Baikal Bush Warblers. We managed to clock-up a record 409 species, including another 12 write-ins! The checklist now includes 516 species.


After we all met up at the hotel in Yangon, and enjoyed our first Burmese cuisine, our guide Gidean took us to Yangon University Boat Club. Raptors were much in evidence this year, and we noted single Western Osprey, Brahminy Kite, and Himalayan Buzzard, as well as quite a few Black Kites. Also of interest were Bronzed-winged Jacana and Jungle Myna. In the evening we headed off to Yangon’s most famous attraction, the fantastic Shwedagon Pagoda. We took a clockwise walk around this stunning cultural treasure (the Buddhist direction), noting one of the resident peregrinator Peregrines resting on the huge stupa, before heading back down and off to a nearby restaurant for dinner.

Part of the beautiful Shwedagon Pagoda complex in Yangon (Craig Robson)

An early departure the next morning took us the relatively short distance to Hlawga National Park on the outskirts of Yangon. This is a fairly extensive area of secondary woodland, bushy country and small lakes, with numbers of introduced (or perhaps re-introduced) Sambar and Hog Deer, as well as numerous Rhesus Macaques. We were treated to a good range of typical South-East Asian birds, with activity continuing well into late morning. Our primary target here is Davison’s Bulbul, which is currently considered a form of Stripe-throated, but is soon to be added to the list of Burmese endemics. It proved typically elusive, with a fairly brief view, albeit through the scope for some. Other good birds were Red Junglefowl, Woolly-necked Stork, Oriental Darter. Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Rosy Minivet, Racket-tailed Treepie, Radde’s, Two-barred and Thick-billed Warblers, Puff-throated Babbler, White-crested and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes, White-rumped Shama, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, and Forest Wagtail. Two Black-headed Bulbuls were a tour write-in. After lunch we took a relatively short flight north to Bagan, and reached our hotel before nightfall. We spent the morning of our full day at Bagan exploring the Dry Zone at a variety of sites to the south of town. Things went very well for us and, after a couple of hours, we had already secured all of the Dry Zone endemics. Burmese Bush Larks and White-throated Babblers area common and easily seen, but Jerdon’s Minivet and Hooded Treepie can be tricky, so it was great to get such good views of both early on. We flushed plenty of Rain Quails from the small crops and grassy field-borders and had multiple good flight views. The numerous other good birds during the morning included Barred Buttonquail, Green Sandpiper, many yellow eye-ringed xanthocyclus Eurasian Collared Doves, Spotted Owlet, Eurasian Hoopoe, Wryneck, Freckle- (or Spot-) breasted Woodpecker, Burmese Shrike, beautiful Wire-tailed Swallows feeding three


chicks in a nest, Plain-backed Sparrow, large numbers of the endemic and very distinct nominate Vinous-breasted Myna, Yellow-streaked Warbler, Yellow-eyed Babbler, and Brown Prinia. A brief visit to another

Hooded Treepie, a unique endemic (Craig Robson)

temple brought us the desired Laggar Falcon, and this year we had fantastic scope views of both the breeding pair and their four youngsters that were in the process of fledging. Exploring one of the small shafts in the base of the impressive Sitsana pagoda, we got in amongst a roosting colony of Large-eared Roundleaf Bats.

Typical birds of Bagan include Plain-backed Sparrow, Spotted Owlet, and Burmese Bush Lark (Craig Robson)

In the afternoon, we cruised for the best part of an hour down the Irrawaddy to some areas of sandy shoreline and riverine grassland. The bank-side waters were very shallow, and it took a while for our boatman to manoeuvre us into place. The grasslands abounded with White-tailed Stonechats, while our other main quarry, Striated Babbler, kept us on tenterhooks right until the last minute. On the river itself, and on the muddy edges and adjacent small fields, we found Great Cormorant, good numbers of Ruddy Shelduck, a variety of shorebirds, including River Lapwing, Pacific Golden and Kentish Plovers, Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, and Temminck’s Stint, a couple of tame Small Pratincoles, Pied Kingfisher, Oriental Skylark, many Sand Larks, Grey-throated Martin, Bluethroat, Alaskan,


Citrine, Baikal, Amur and Swinhoe’s Wagtails, and Red-throated Pipit. On the way back upstream we spotted a superb male Pied Harrier quartering some fields.

The Irrawaddy grasslands south of Bagan hold Striated Babbler and White-tailed Stonechat (Craig Robson)

Early the next morning we embarked on the long drive to Mt Victoria, in the south Chin Hills. Our first stop, just after dawn, was in the Dry Zone ‘badlands’ not far west of the Irrawaddy River, where we tracked down the endemic yamethini race Long-billed Pipit. A nice perched White-eyed Buzzard was scoped nearby. Our next stops were in the dry dipterocarp woodlands. A concerted search for the much-wanted White-rumped

White-eyed Buzzard and White-rumped Falcon (Craig Robson)

Falcon proved fruitful at the second location that we searched, with a pair found and the female seen particularly well - if hidden by a few twigs! After taking our fill of the falcon, we enjoyed a nice picnic lunch in a handily situated shelter. Other typical species of this habitat included Crested Treeswift, Small Minivet, and


Burmese (or Neglected) Nuthatch. A flowering tree held Streak-throated and Grey-headed Woodpeckers, Rufous Treepie and Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush amongst commoner species. Temperatures soared, but further along the road towards Mount Victoria, we found some shady stretches of road. Pale-headed

White-browed Nuthatch, Mount Victoria’s most famous endemic (Craig Robson)

Woodpecker, a tour write-in, drummed and called from a bamboo clump, but would not show itself on this occasion. We made do with Asian Barred Owlet, nice looks at Grey-headed Parakeet, and a few other

Two sought-after near-endemics: Striped and Brown-capped Laughingthrushes (Craig Robson)

odds-and-ends. We arrived at our accommodation above Kanpetlet at nightfall. We spent five full days on this seldom visited mountain, birding the varied habitats and elevations along different stretches of the road that ascends the mountain and, by the end of our stay, we had pretty much covered all of it! We also drove to the summit, and thoroughly explored the road that continues on to Mindat.


The higher oak and rhododendron forests are the habitat of the regions most famous endemic, the restless White-browed Nuthatch (its specific name, victoriae, being a bit of a give-away). Needless to say, on our first morning we drove straight up to the higher reaches of the mountain to look for it. It wasn’t long before we heard its familiar nasal piping, and we were soon getting great views of our first one. Later on, we were to

Looking towards India from the summit of Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)

see it on many occasions. Several other specialities are only to be found at the higher levels, and it was here that we enjoyed good views of Darjeeling Woodpecker, Black-headed Shrike-babbler, Assam and Brown-capped Laughingthrushes, Mount Victoria Babax (split from Chinese), and floppy-crested Streak-throated

The weed-loving, near-endemic Chin Hills Wren-Babbler (Craig Robson)

Barwings. Some of the higher-level evergreen forests have an extensive bamboo understorey and here we found numerous White-browed Fulvettas of the highly distinctive ripponi race, Whistler’s Warbler, and the odd little Broad-billed Warbler, with its super-high-pitched song. Openings with fine old pine trees and scattered oaks and rhododendrons were the haunt of Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, which was frequently


encountered, and the restricted-range Black-bibbed Tit. Bar-tailed Treecreeper and Chestnut-vented Nuthatch also liked this habitat, as did Long-tailed Minivet, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Blue-fronted Redstart, and Russet Sparrow. We taped-in a singing Brown Bush Warbler to very close range, and had great looks at Aberrant Bush Warbler too. Plenty of Dark-sided Flycatchers were already on territory. The margins of the road consistently turned up Himalayan Bluetails (split from Red-flanked), as well as the more expected Olive-backed Pipits. In the mid-level broadleaved evergreen forests we found Grey-chinned Minivet, Blyth’s Shrike-babbler (split from White-browed), several Himalayan Cutias, Bar-throated and Red-tailed Minlas, Blue-winged Siva (or Minla), moss-gleaning Rufous-winged Fulvettas, Nepal Fulvetta, Rusty-fronted Barwings, flocks of Chestnut-flanked White-eyes, numerous Hume’s Treecreepers (split from Brown-throated), and White-tailed Nuthatch. Our first attempt to coax out the near-endemic Chin Hills Wren-babbler from some roadside weeds resulted in great views, and we saw it just as well on a couple more occasions. Certain fruiting trees were attracting the scarce Grey-sided Thrush, as well as the commoner Eyebrowed. Numbers of Common Rosefinches were much in evidence up in the trees. Bird-waves were a common feature on the mountain, and often responded well to imitations of the call of Collared Owlet. Sorting through each flock in turn brought us close encounters with Green and Black-eared Shrike-babblers, the fantastic

Streak-throated Barwing and Spot-breasted Parrotbill on Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)

little Burmese Bushtit (split from Black-browed), Yellow-browed Tit, abundant Buff-barred Warblers, as well as Ashy-throated, and nervous Black-faced Warblers, Whiskered and Stripe-throated Yuhinas, numerous Grey Sibias, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, and Fire-tailed, Mrs Gould’s and Green-tailed Sunbirds. The secondary growth and scrub and grass dominated middle altitudes also hold some important birds, and we were able to explore various trails through this habitat. Here we found Bay Woodpecker, Mountain Tailorbird, Grey-crowned and Hume’s Leaf Warblers, superb Spot-breasted Parrotbills, Golden Babbler, Rusty-capped Fulvetta, the attractive near-endemic Striped Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, Brownish-flanked and Russet Bush Warblers, and Black-throated Prinia. Our few nighttime forays centered around Hodgson’s Frogmouth which we had fantastic views of on our second attempt, but we were also lucky enough to find a Brown Wood Owl at dawn one morning, and Grey Nightjar was seen several times. Other goodies during our stay on Mt Victoria included: a fleeting roadside male Kalij Pheasant, Crested (or Oriental) Honey Buzzards, Crested Goshawk, Black Eagle, Himalayan Buzzard, Himalayan Swiftlet, White-throated Needletail, Great and Golden-throated Barbets, Yellow-bellied Fairy-flycatcher (formerly Fantail), Snowy-browed, Slaty-blue and Slaty-backed Flycatchers, Large and Rufous-bellied Niltavas, Crested Finchbill, Striated, Flavescent and Mountain Bulbuls, Nepal and Asian House Martins, Chestnut-headed Tesia, and Chestnut-crowned and


Grey-hooded Warblers. Mammals were in rather short supply but some of us were lucky enough to see Yellow-throated Marten. Leaving Mt Victoria behind, we headed back to Bagan predawn, ready to make a series of birding stops along the way. As the sun rose, we ate a packed breakfast at Pholalkyin, and then followed a trail through mixed deciduous forest. There was a lot of activity, and some great birds. Blue-bearded Bee-eater, White-bellied Woodpecker, Black-backed Forktail, and Brown-cheeked Fulvetta all showed really well, and there were so many Asian Barred Owlets. Another attempt at the Pale-headed Woodpecker this time resulted in us successfully viewing a pair, and we also had a fly-over Large Hawk-Cuckoo nearby. We finished off our mornings birding with a mixed feeding flock that included Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, stanfordi Rosy, Swinhoe’s and Scarlet Minivets, and Yellow-bellied Warbler. Before crossing the Irrawaddy, we checked a drying reservoir. There were a few shorebirds, including Grey-headed Lapwing and several Common Snipe.

The elusive Pale-headed Woodpecker (Craig Robson)

The final birding of the day was after dinner at our hotel in Bagan. At the edge of the compound we lured in a very excited pair of Indian Nightjars, one of which almost flew right into Maire! The next morning we flew to Heho airport in south-west Shan State, and then drove the relatively short distance to Inle Lake, and our well situated hotel. Inle Lake is set in a basin-like depression at 900m, surrounded by low hills, and is famous for it’s leg-rowers. Local people who make their living from the lake stand on the back of their boats, one leg firmly planted on the deck, the other foot wrapped around the oar which is then paddled using the whole leg in an action worthy of a Yogic master! Our very nice hotel overlooked the lake. In the late morning we boarded two long-tail boats and sped off south for a very nice lunch at a lakeside restaurant. Then we headed up to the north end of the lake with its extensive marshes, systematically checking the rafts of Eurasian Coot and other waterfowl, before spending an hour or so at a stilted reserve building (“birdwatching centre”), where we scanned the surroundings until the sun began to drop and the temperatures eased off. The bulk of the waterfowl comprised Lesser Whistling Duck, Garganey, Indian Spot-billed Duck and Little Grebe, punctuated by several Eurasian Wigeon, and small numbers of Ferruginous Pochard. Both Indian and Chinese Pond Herons were seen changing to their breeding plumage, there were 100s of Little Cormorants, a surprising concentration of at least 80 Glossy Ibises, both Eastern Marsh and Pied Harriers, many hundreds of Eurasian Coots, loads of colourful Grey-headed Swamphens, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, and numerous Brown-headed Gulls. As the air cooled, we got back in our boats and headed off to a different area of marshland, in search of what has perhaps always been our main target at the lake up until recently,


the glossy Jerdon’s Bushchat. They were easily found as usual, with both sexes seen at length and at close range. We moved on to another area in search of the rare Chinese Grassbird (or Grass-babbler) - part of the reformation of the former Rufous-rumped Grassbird. Things remained quiet until pretty late on, but then we

Jerdon’s Bushchat is very common at Inle Lake (Craig Robson)

heard the distinctive harsh call and, with some persistence, were seen enjoying multiple sightings of this strange and little known species. There were many other birds to keep us entertained: Wood Sandpiper, Pin-tailed Snipe, Bluethroat, Rosy Pipit, and Citrine Wagtail to name but a few, not to mention good numbers of Collared Mynas, as well as Great (or White-vented), and some Asian Pied Starlings. Singing Indian Reed

Chinese Grassbird at Inle Lake (Craig Robson)

Warblers abounded. We returned early the following morning and, as well as having more looks at the grassbird, we also saw Baikal Bush Warbler (a tour write-in), many Yellow-bellied Prinias, Black-browed


Reed Warbler, Striated Grassbird, and Chestnut-capped Babbler. We returned to the hotel, packed-up and said goodbye to Inle. On the way to Kalaw we stopped at Dhan Ma Kan Bridge, where we found the usual wintering Grey-headed Lapwings. We arrived at the old hill station of Kalaw in time for lunch, and then checked-in to our period hotel on the edge of town at 1350m. In the afternoon, we traveled the short distance to a trail leading to a monastery called Dhein Taung. The open pinewoods, scrub, grass and broadleaved evergreen woodland that cover the slopes here provide excellent habitat for birds. We started off with close-ups of Black-headed

Spectacled Barwing (Craig Robson)

Greenfinch, before edging around into a small valley. There was a constant stream of birds on offer: Rufous Woodpecker, Slender-billed Oriole, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Japanese Tit (split from Great), brilliant looks at Spot-throated Babbler, Rusty-cheeked and White-browed Scimitar Babblers, Spectacled Barwing, and Hill Prinia. Black-breasted Thrushes singing from dense-canopied pine trees at dusk proved more of a handful to get to grips with. Our last day birding in Burma saw us walking to Yay Ayekan reservoirs, which are set amongst some quite nice secondary broadleaved evergreen forest, passing through open pine forests along the way. It was an exceptionally busy mornings birding. Things got off to a flyer, first with a couple of calling Chinese Francolins showing well, and then amazing views of Black-tailed Crake right in the open. Along the road through the forest to the first reservoir we found Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Pygmy Cupwing (or Wren-babbler), White-capped and Daurian Redstarts, Pale and Hill Blue Flycatchers, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Striated Swallow, several recently described Martens’s Warblers, Davison’s Warbler (split from White-tailed Leaf), Greenish and Radde’s Warblers, Yunnan Fulvetta (split from Grey-cheeked), Dark-backed Sibia, and Black-throated Sunbird. There were no fewer than four tour write-ins: Jerdon’s Baza, Asian Emerald Cuckoo (scoped), Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, and Asian Paradise Flycatcher. Burmese Yuhina kept us waiting right until the last minute, but we finally tracked a pair down that kept visiting a certain tree, and we eventually all got good looks. It was a very fitting finale to a most successful trip.

Burmese Yuhinas at Yay Ayekan (by Brendan Ryan on the 2013 tour)


SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H). Species which were not personally recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (NL). Chinese Francolin Francolinus pintadeanus Two at Yay Ayekan, Kalaw, with one scoped. Rain Quail Coturnix coromandelica Small numbers were flushed at close range at Bagan. Hill Partridge (Common Hill P) Arborophila torqueola Seen three times at Mt Victoria, notably on the road. Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus Hlawga National Park, and the way to Mt Victoria. Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos A male williamsi briefly at Mt Victoria. Green Peafowl Pavo muticus Pair with displaying male at Hlawga NP. (Re-)introduced here over 12 years ago. Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica 400+ at Inle Lake. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea At least 100 along the Irrawaddy at Bagan. Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus 10 at Inle Lake. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope Four at Inle Lake. Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha Garganey Anas querquedula At least 100 at Inle Lake. Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca Only about 15 left at Inle Lake. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis At least 25 at Inle. Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans Highest counts were 60 at Hlawga NP, and 53 at Inle Lake. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 80 at Inle Lake was impressive for a so-called scarce non-breeding visitor. Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Two at Inle. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Eight at Hlawga NP. Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii One coming into breeding plumage at Inle Lake. Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus Three coming into breeding plumage at Inle Lake. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta Split from Western Great Egret A. alba. Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia Little Egret Egretta garzetta Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger Over 350 at Inle Lake. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Three on the Irrawaddy at Bagan. Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster Two at Hlawga NP.

Laggar Falcon at Bagan (Craig Robson)

Western Osprey (Osprey) Pandion haliaetus One at Yangon University Boat Club. Black-winged Kite (B-shouldered K) Elanus caeruleus Crested Honey Buzzard (Oriental H-b) Pernis ptilorhynchus Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni Good flight views of one at Yay Ayekan. Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela Changeable Hawk Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus One on the way to Saw from Chauk. Mountain Hawk Eagle Nisaetus nipalensis Good flight views at Mt Victoria, and Yay Ayekan. Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis Several at Mt Victoria.


Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus (NL) Phil saw one at Pine Wood Villa, Mt Victoria. Shikra Accipiter badius Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus At least four identified at Inle Lake. Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos Superb single males south of Bagan, and at Inle. Black Kite Milvus migrans Eight at Yangon University Boat Club. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus One at Yangon University Boat Club. White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa Three singles west of the Irrawaddy. Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus Widespread. White-rumped Falcon (W-r Pygmy-falcon) Polihierax insignis Superb female near Kazunma; male fleetingly. Common Kestrel (Eurasian K) Falco tinnunculus Laggar Falcon Falco jugger A pair with their four fledging young on a pagoda at Bagan. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 2 in Yangon, including a ‘Shaheen’ (peregrinator) on the Shwedagon Pagoda.

Black-tailed Crake near Kalaw (Craig Robson)

White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus Black-tailed Crake Porzana bicolour Superb views of one at Yay Ayekan. Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus Common at Inle Lake. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 14 at Yay Ayekan. Eurasian Coot (Common C) Fulica atra Over 600 at Inle Lake. Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator Two flushed at Bagan.

Small Pratincole by the Irrawaddy River near Bagan (Craig Robson)

River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii Five along the Irrawaddy south of Bagan. Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus 1 west of the Irrawaddy and 10 at a roadside marsh near Kalaw. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus


Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva One by the Irrawaddy River. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Four along the Irrawaddy south of Bagan. Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus Just 11 left at Inle Lake. Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus Six at Yangon University Boat Club. Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura A few at Inle Lake. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Four west of the Irrawaddy and five at Inle Lake. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus One along the Irrawaddy south of Bagan, and four at Inle Lake. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Two along the Irrawaddy south of Bagan. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus One at Bagan, six west of the Irrawaddy, and one at Inle. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola One south of Bagan, and a few at Inle Lake. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii Four along the Irrawaddy south of Bagan. Small Pratincole Glareola lactea Just two along the Irrawaddy near Bagan. Brown-headed Gull Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus At least 200 at Inle Lake. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus One with the last species. Rock Dove (R Pigeon) Columba livia Oriental Turtle Dove (Rufous T D) Streptopelia orientalis Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Yellow eye-ringed xanthocyclus was quite common in the Dry Zone. Red Turtle Dove (R Collared-dove) Streptopelia tranquebarica Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Barred Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia unchall One seen and one heard at Yay Ayekan. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus 50 en route to Mt Victoria. Pin-tailed Green Pigeon Treron apicauda Two scoped at Yay Ayekan. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenura (H) At Mt Victoria. Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea (H) Heard on the way back from Mt Victoria.

The endemic xanthocyclus race of Eurasian Collared Dove (Craig Robson)

Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria 23 logged along the way to and from Mt Victoria. Grey-headed Parakeet Psittacula finschii 35 logged along the way to and from Mt Victoria. Blossom-headed Parakeet Psittacula roseate Three at Hlawga NP, and 24 logged along the way to Mt Victoria. Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri Just four logged along the way to and from Mt Victoria. Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis Green-billed Malkoha Rhopodytes tristis Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus Scope views of a female at Yay Ayekan. Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii (H) Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris One at Yay Ayekan. Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus Large Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides Finally seen on the way back from Mt Victoria. Western Barn Owl (Common B-o) Tyto alba One calling in the garden at Kalaw. Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus (H) Two calling while we frogmouthed at Mt Victoria. Collared Scops Owl Otus lettia (H) One calling at Mt Victoria, and another at Inle Lake. Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica Reasonable views of one as dawn broke one morning at Mt Victoria. Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides Many daytime sightings.


Spotted Owlet Athene brama Frequent at Bagan; notably in the hotels introduced Rain Trees Abizia saman. Hodgson’s Frogmouth Batrachostomus hodgsoni Lengthy views of a very close female at Mt Victoria. Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka Seen several times at Mt Victoria. Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus Two en route to Pholalkyin, when we left Mt Victoria. Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus Great views of a pair from the hotel garden at Bagan. Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata Just two en route to Mt Victoria. Himalayan Swiftlet Aerodramus brevirostris 3 at Mt Victoria. 30 presumed rogersi at Yay Ayekan. See notes. White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus Two identified, high in the sky, at Mt Victoria. Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis Cook’s Swift Apus cooki With narrow rump-band, in the Kalaw area. E Myanmar resident, split from Pacific. House Swift Apus nipalensis Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis White-throated Kingfisher (W-breasted K) Halcyon smyrnensis Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Just one along the Irrawaddy at Bagan. Green Bee-eater (Little G B-e) Merops orientalis Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus About twenty one evening at Bagan. Eurasian Hoopoe (Common H) Upupa epops Scatttered in dry lowlands, and also at Kalaw. Great Barbet Megalaima virens Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima franklinii Common at mid-levels Mt Victoria (nominate race). Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica (H) Only heard this year around Kalaw. Bigger fish to fry! Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis One at Yay Ayekan. Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquila Singles west of the Irrawaddy and at Dhein Taung, Kalaw. Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus Great views at Yay Ayekan, Kalaw. Rufous-bellied Woodpecker Hypopicus hyperythrus Frequent at Mt Victoria. Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus One in the mixed deciduous forests. Freckle-breasted Woodpecker (Spot-b W) Dendrocopos darjellensis Two at Bagan. Stripe-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos atratus A nice vocal male at Mt Victoria. Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis A showy pair higher up at Mt Victoria. White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis Great views of one at Pholalkyin. Greater Yellownape Chrysophlegma flavinucha (H) Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus Streak-throated Woodpecker Picus xanthopygaeus Two near Kazunma, on the way to Mt Victoria. Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus Pale-headed Woodpecker Gecinulus grantia A pair during the return from Mt Victoria. A most welcome write-in. Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis Great views for a change at Mt Victoria. Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus A pair at Dhein Taung, and another heard at Yay Ayekan.

Jerdon’s Minivet (Craig Robson)

Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae (H) Heard at Yay Ayekan. Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophus lunatus Small numbers showed well at Yay Ayekan. Race elisabethae. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus (H)


Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus Common Iora Aegithina tiphia Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei Indochinese Cuckooshrike Coracina polioptera One at Hlawga NP. Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos Four at Hlawga NP, and one at Yay Ayekan. Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus Small numbers at Hlawga NP, and on the way back from Mt Victoria. See notes. Swinhoe’s Minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis Two identified on the way back from Mt Victoria. Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus Frequent in Dry Dipterocarp forest. Jerdon’s Minivet Pericrocotus albifrons Superb. Six at Bagan. Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus Race mariae common at Mt Victoria; the female and calls a bit unusual. Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus speciosus Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Burmese Shrike Lanius collurioides Dryer habitats throughout; frequent. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus One on the way back from Mt Victoria. White-bellied Erpornis (W-b Yuhina) Erpornis zantholeuca One at Yay Ayekan. Black-headed Shrike-babbler Pteruthius rufiventer Just a female this year at Mt Victoria. Blyth’s Shrike-babbler Pteruthius aeralatus Mt Victoria; validirostris. (H) Kalaw; nominate. Split from White-browed. Green Shrike-babbler Pteruthius xanthochlorus Frequent at higher levels of Mt Victoria (hybrida). Black-eared Shrike-babbler Pteruthius melanotis Five in mid-level broadleaved evergreen forest at Mt Victoria. Slender-billed Oriole Oriolus tenuirostris A couple in pine forests around Kalaw. Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus Two were seen mating at a nest at Yay Ayekan. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi A showy rufous male at Yay Ayekan.

Black-bibbed Tit; one of the many specialities on Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)

Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius One haringtoni at Mt Victoria; two leucotis at Yay Ayekan. Yellow-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa flavirostris Seen near the summit of Mt Victoria; heard lower down. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha Several at lower levels on Mt Victoria, and one at Yay Ayekan. Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda Two kinneari in the Dry Dipterocarp forests. Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae Racket-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia Four at Hlawga NP. Hooded Treepie Crypsirina cucullata Three at Bagan, and mercifully seen easily this year. House Crow Corvus splendens Eastern Jungle Crow Corvus levaillantii Common and widespread. Split from Large-billed. Yellow-bellied Fairy-flycatcher (Y-b Fantail) Chelidorhynx hypoxantha Common at Mt Victoria. See notes.


Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis Black-bibbed Tit Poecile hypermelaena Three at the upper levels of Mt Victoria. Japanese Tit Parus minor Common around Kalaw (nubicolus). Split from Grey Tit and in turn Great Tit. Cinereous Tit (Grey T) Parus cinereus A few in the mixed deciduous forests. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus Frequent at Mt Victoria. Yellow-cheeked Tit Parus spilonotus A pair seen at Mt Victoria (nominate), and a couple at Yay Ayekan (subviridis). Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus Frequent at Mt Victoria. Burmese Bush Lark (B Bushlark) Mirafra microptera A common Dry Zone endemic. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula A surprising resident at the summit of Mt Victoria, and also near Bagan. Sand Lark Calandrella raytal 15 along the Irrawaddy south of Bagan. Crested Finchbill Spizixos canifrons Common in the montane areas. Striated Bulbul Pycnonotus striatus Quite common higher up at Mt Victoria. Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps Two at Hlawga NP were unexpected. Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus flaviventris Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Brown-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthorrhous Four around Kalaw. Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer Davison’s Bulbul Pycnonotus [finlaysoni] davisoni Two briefly at Hlawga NP. In the scope for some. See notes. Flavescent Bulbul Pycnonotus flavescens Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi Common in the lowlands. Endemic to SE Asia. Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavala (H) Heard at Mt Victoria. Mountain Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii Frequent sightings; ventralis at Mt Victoria and tickelli at Kalaw. Black Bulbul (Himalayan B B) Hypsipetes leucocephalus See notes. Grey-throated Martin (G-t Sand-martin) Riparia chinensis 50 along the Irrawaddy. Sand Martin (Common Sand-martin) Riparia riparia Quite a few at Inle Lake. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii 1 at Bagan, & a nest with 3+ small chicks. 1 at Heho Airport, & 1 at Inle Lake. Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus 25 at Mt Victoria. Nepal House Martin Delichon nipalense 20 at Mt Victoria. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica A few in the lowlands. Striated Swallow Cecropis striolata Five on Mt Victoria, the first recorded from W Myanmar.

The endemic Burmese Bushtit at Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)

Scaly-breasted Cupwing (S-b Wren-babbler) Pnoepyga albiventer Two seen at Mt Victoria. See notes. Pygmy Cupwing (P Wren-babbler) Pnoepyga pusilla One flew across the road at Yay Ayekan. See notes. Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris One on the way back from Mt Victoria. Black-faced Warbler Abroscopus schisticeps Two lat the mid-levels at Mt Victoria. Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus Several at Mt Victoria (coronatus). DNA shows it is not a Tailorbird. Broad-billed Warbler Tickellia hodgsoni One seen well in bamboo at Mt Victoria; when we went in. Tricky. Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Cettia fortipes Showed well lower down at Mt Victoria. Aberrant Bush Warbler Cettia flavolivacea Showed well higher up at Mt Victoria. Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olivea A couple showed at Yay Ayekan. Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata Seen brilliantly at Mt Victoria. Black-throated Bushtit Aegithalos concinnus 4 manipurensis Mt Victoria; many pulchellus & fledglings Yay Ayekan. Burmese Bushtit (B Tit) Aegithalos sharpei Frequent this year at Mt Victoria. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis A few high up on Mt Victoria, where it breeds. Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii Throughout.


Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi Singles at Hlawga NP and near Kalaw. Buff-barred Warbler (Orange-b Leaf W) Phylloscopus pulcher Abundant at higher forest levels at Mt Victoria. Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis Frequent at Mt Victoria. Higher levels. Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei Frequent lower down at Mt Victoria. Likes the Nepalese Alders. Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus Common at Hlawga NP; a few during the return from Mt Victoria. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides Two studied at Yay Ayekan. Blyth's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides Common at Mt Victoria. Perhaps several also at Yay Ayekan. Davison’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus davisoni Common at Yay Ayekan. Split from White-tailed. Grey-hooded Warbler Phylloscopus xanthoschistus Just a few at Mt Victoria. Mid-levels. One with nest material. Grey-crowned Warbler Seicercus tephrocephalus Frequent at lower forest levels at Mt Victoria. Whistler’s Warbler Seicercus whistleri Common at higher forest levels at Mt Victoria. Likes bamboo. Martens’s Warbler Seicercus omeiensis Several calling birds at Yay Ayekan, where it winters. Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps Several at the mid-levels of Mt Victoria (nominate race). Indian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus brunnescens A very common breeding resident at Inle Lake. Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps A handful at Inle Lake. Thick-billed Warbler Acrocephalus aedon Two at Hlawga NP. Russet Bush Warbler Locustella mandellii One creeping around us, lower down at Mt Victoria. Others heard. Spotted Bush Warbler Locustella thoracicus (H) Unfortunately only heard singing at Inle Lake, where it winters. Baikal Bush Warbler Locustella thoracicus One seen very well and another heard singing at Inle Lake - a write-in. Brown Bush Warbler Locustella luteoventris Several singing higher up at Mt Victoria; one seen very well. Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler (Rusty-rumped W) Locustella certhiola (H) Just one singing at Inle Lake. Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Brown Prinia Prinia polychroa Frequent in the Dry Zone and the open pine forests around Kalaw (cooki). Black-throated Prinia Prinia atrogularis Several seen well at Mt Victoria. Hill Prinia Prinia superciliaris Two showed well at Dhein Taung. Split from the latter but retaining the common name. Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens Two on the way back from Mt Victoria. Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii Conspicuous at Bagan. Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris Common at Inle Lake. Plain Prinia Prinia inornata Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis Several at Hlawga NP. Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrogenys A pair at Dhein Taung (imberbis); one with bad leg. Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus mcclellandi Two for Phil at Mt Victoria. Pre-occupied with breeding. White-browed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps A handful around Kalaw (nuchalis). Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis Common at Mt Victoria (bakeri).

Brown-capped Laughingthrush will perch right in the open (Craig Robson)

Chin Hills Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis oatesi Great views of five at Mt Victoria; a near-endemic. Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps One at Mt Victoria (spadix). Golden Babbler Stachyridopsis chrysaea Frequent in west, including mating pair (binghami); 4 in east (assimilis). Pin-striped Tit-Babbler (Striped T B) Macronus gularis Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileata Three at Inle Lake. Rufous-winged Fulvetta Pseudominla castaneceps Small numbers at Mt Victoria. Rusty-capped Fulvetta Schoeniparus dubius Not uncommon at Mt Victoria, but elusive.


Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poioicephala About 12 at Pholalkyin (phayrei). Yunnan Fulvetta (Grey-cheeked F) Alcippe yunnanensis Five at Yay Ayekan (fratercula). Split from A. morrisonia. Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis Encountered several times at mid to lower levels at Mt Victoria. Chinese Grassbird (C Grass-babbler) Graminicola sinica Three striata seen well at Inle marshes. Spot-throated Babbler Pellorneum albiventre A very responsive pair at Dhein Taung (cinnamomeum). Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps 1 at Hlawga NP (subochraceum?); 1 at Yay Ayekan (shanense). Striated Babbler Turdoides earlei A confiding group of abut five in the Irrawaddy grasslands near Bagan. White-throated Babbler Turdoides gularis This Dry Zone endemic was common around Bagan. Mount Victoria Babax Babax woodi Four seen really well at the higher levels of Mt Victoria. See notes. White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger Two at Hlawga NP (nominate). Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax pectoralis Groups were seen at Pholalkyin & Yay Ayekan (pectoralis). White-browed Laughingthrush Pterorhinus sannio Quite common around Kalaw (comis). Striped Laughingthrush Strophocincla virgata Ten at Mt Victoria; a striking near-endemic in scrub & second growth. Brown-capped Laughingthrush Trochalopteron austeni Seven at Mt Victoria; near endemic (race victoriae). Blue-winged Laughingthrush Trochalopteron squamatum Two at the mid-levels on Mt Victoria. Brief. Assam Laughingthrush Trochalopteron chrysopterum Common on Mt Victoria (erythrolaemum). Silver-eared Laughingthrush Trochalopteron melanostigma (H) Not a sniff this year at Yay Ayekan.

White-throated Babbler (a Dry Zone endemic) and Brown Prinia at Bagan (Craig Robson)

Himalayan Cutia Cutia nipalensis Great views of four at Mt Victoria. Blue-winged Siva (B-w Minla) Siva cyanouroptera A couple at Mt Victoria (aglae), and 1 at Yay Ayekan (wingatei). Bar-throated Minla (Chestnut-tailed M) Chrysominla strigula Common at Mt Victoria (yunnanensis). Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotincta Three at Mt Victoria (ignotincta); but what a beauty. Crimson-faced Liocichla Liocichla phoenicea Just one briefly for us and two for Phil at Mt Victoria (bakeri). Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni Ten or so at mid levels of Mt Victoria (ripponi). Spectacled Barwing Actinodura ramsayi Three performers at Dhein Taung (ramsayi). Streak-throated Barwing Actinodura waldeni Ten at higher levels of Mt Victoria (poliotis). Silver-eared Mesia Mesia argentauris Eight at Mt Victoria (aureigularis), and 25 at Yay Ayekan (galbana). Grey Sibia Malacias gracilis A common sight at Mt Victoria, and a familiar sound (dorsalis). Dark-backed Sibia Malacias melanoleucus Four at Yay Ayekan; also heard. Race castanoptera with rufous on wing. White-browed Fulvetta Fulvetta vinipectus Common at Mt Victoria, mainly in bamboo. Distinctive race ripponi. Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense Small numbers at Bagan and Dhein Taung. Buff-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis ripponi Three at Mt Victoria. A near-endemic split, from Black-throated. Spot-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis guttaticollis Two encounters; three birds at Mt Victoria. Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis Frequent on Mt Victoria. Burmese Yuhina Yuhina humilis Good views of a pair at Yay Ayekan. Near-endemic. The northern race, clarki. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis Common on Mt Victoria. Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus Flocks totalling around 30 birds at Mt Victoria. Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus Small numbers at Yay Ayekan. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis Common at Mt Victoria.


Burmese Nuthatch (Neglected N) Sitta neglecta A pair in the dry deciduous forest. White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta himalayensis Five in mid-level broadleaved evergreen forest at Mt Victoria. White-browed Nuthatch Sitta victoriae A thankfully common and conspicuous endemic at Mt Victoria. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana A few higher up at Mt Victoria. Hume’s Treecreeper (Manipur T) Certhia manipurensis Common at Mt Victoria. Common Hill Myna Gracula religiosa A few on the way to and from Mt Victoria. Great Myna (White-vented M) Acridotheres grandis Common in the east. Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus Collared Myna Acridotheres albocinctus At least 12 at Inle Lake. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Vinous-breasted Myna (V-b Starling) Acridotheres burmanicus Minimum of 280 counted at Bagan. Black-collared Starling Gracupia nigricollis Two on the way to Kalaw. Asian Pied Starling Gracupia contra Three were seen this year at Inle Lake - a write-in. Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnus malabaricus 30 or so at Inle Lake, and small numbers in pine forests near Kalaw.

Vinous-breasted Myna at Bagan (Craig Robson)

Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma Great views of one along a trail at Mt Victoria. Black-breasted Thrush Turdus dissimilis Two singing males only showed fleetingly near Kalaw. Others heard. Grey-sided Thrush Turdus feae Quite common at Mt Victoria and seen well. Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus Four or so with the last species. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Frequent in grasslands and marshes. Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope A couple quite briefly. Himalayan Bluetail (H R-f Bluetail) Tarsiger rufilatus Very common this year at Mt Victoria. Oriental Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus Three in the Kalaw area, but quite elusive as usual. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis Just a few on Mt Victoria. White-capped Redstart (W-c Water-r) Phoenicurus leucocephalus A showy calling bird at Yay Ayekan. Black-backed Forktail Enicurus immaculatus Great views of one at the stream at Pholalkyin. Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus Seen frequently at Mt Victoria. Stejneger’s Stonechat Saxicola maurus Mainly around Inle Lake. Split from Eastern (or Siberian) S. maurus. White-tailed Stonechat Saxicola leucura At least 30 in the Irrawaddy grasslands. Tame and used to people. Pied Bush Chat (P Bushchat) Saxicola caprata Jerdon’s Bush Chat (J Bushchat) Saxicola jerdoni At least 20 at Inle Lake, where very easy to see. Grey Bush Chat (G Bushchat) Saxicola ferreus Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris Quite common at Mt Victoria; 16 logged. Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica Was just returning to breed at Mt Victoria, with at least 9 seen. Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica Three at Hlawga NP. Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula hodgsonii Seven at Mt Victoria, and two at Yay Ayekan. Commoner mid-winter. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Muscicapa strophiata


Taiga Flycatcher (Red-throated F) Ficedula albicilla Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra Two males at Mt Victoria. Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor Common at Mt Victoria. Buff-breasted cerviniventris. Pygmy Flycatcher Muscicapella hodgsoni Two males singing at the mid-levels of Mt Victoria. Another write-in. Verditer Flycatcher Muscicapa thalassinus Pale Blue Flycatcher Cyornis unicolor One singing at Yay Ayekan. Another heard. Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas Small numbers at Yay Ayekan, with some nice males. Rufous-bellied Niltava Niltava sundara Just one male at Mt Victoria. Large Niltava Niltava grandis Just a pair seen at Mt Victoria. Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickii Two at Yay Ayekan. Plain Flowerpecker Dicaeum concolor One at Yay Ayekan. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis A handful in the lowlands (all assamensis). Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae Several isolata at Mt Victoria. Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis Ten victoriae at Mt Victoria. Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata Three guinipectus at Yay Ayekan. Fire-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga ignicauda The race flavescens was common higher up at Mt Victoria.

Male Fire-tailed Sunbird at Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)

Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna Heard at Mt Victoria, then seen on the way back to Bagan. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans A pair at Mt Victoria, and two pairs near Kalaw. Plain-backed Sparrow Passer flaveolus Common in the dry lowlands. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus 11 in the Bagan area. Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus Two at Hlawga NP. Grey-headed Wagtail Motacilla [flava] thunbergi Five at Inle Lake. Alaskan Wagtail Motacilla [tschutschensis] tschutschensis Two by the Irrawaddy near Bagan. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola Small numbers near Bagan and at Inle Lake. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Baikal Wagtail Motacilla [alba] baicalensis Three around Bagan. Amur Wagtail Motacilla [alba] leucopsis 12 around Bagan. Swinhoe’s Wagtail Motacilla [alba] ocularis Two around Bagan. Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi One at Inle Lake. Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus One was displaying over the hotel garden in Kalaw. Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis Two yamethini en route to Mt Victoria. Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus At least three at Inle Lake – another tour write-in. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Widespread and commonly recorded. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Just one near Bagan. Spot-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas melanozanthos Three leader-only’s, lower down at Mt Victoria. Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhula nipalensis At least four victoriae at Mt Victoria. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus Quite common at Mt Victoria and eight at Yay Ayekan. Scarlet Finch Carpodacus sipahi An unfortunate leader-only male near the summit of Mt Victoria. Black-headed Greenfinch Chloris ambigua Three near Kalaw. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Small numbers at Mt Victoria.


MAMMALS Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel Dremomys lokriah One at Mt Victoria. Pallas’s Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus Six at Mt Victoria. Finlayson’s Squirrel (Variable S) Callosciurus finlaysoni The richly coloured squirrel at Hlawga NP (two). Irrawaddy Squirrel (Hoary-bellied Himalayan S) Callosciurus pygerythrus The commonest lowland squirrel. Himalayan Striped Squirrel (Western S S) Tamiops mcclellandii Two at Mt Victoria. Indochinese Ground Squirrel Menetes berdmorei Two at Dhein Taung. Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula (NL) Seen by a few of us at Mt Victoria. Large-eared Roundleaf Bat (Pomona R B) Hipposideros pomona 30 at Sitsana Temple, Bagan. Golden Jackal Canis aureus One on the way to Mt Victoria. Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta 20 at Hlawga NP. Indian Muntjak (Red M) Muntiacus muntjak Two at Hlawga NP, where we saw one. Sambar Cervus unicolor Native to Myanmar but introduced or re-introduced at Hlawga NP, where we saw six. Hog Deer Axis porcinus Native to Myanmar but introduced at Hlawga NP, where we saw about 25.

Large-eared Roundleaf Bat at Bagan (Craig Robson)

NOTES TO THE SYSTEMATIC LIST Himalayan Swiftlet Aerodramus brevirostris The form rogersi, which breeds in E Myanmar etc., is sometimes split as a distinct species, Indochinese Swiftlet A. rogersi. Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus On the way back from Mt Victoria we observed a small group of the ‘stanfordi‘ form. This is not a subspecies, but a name applied to a presumed unstable hybrid population of Rosy x Swinhoe’s Minivets that breed in parts of south China. They share characters of both species. There appear to be no previous records from Myanmar. Yellow-bellied Fairy-flycatcher (Y-b Fantail) Chelidorhynx hypoxantha Recent DNA based work has shown that this species is not a fantail. According to these researchers, it should now be referred to as Yellow-bellied Fairy-flycatcher, and be placed in the Stenostiridae (Fairy-flycatchers and allies) with Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis. Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus Split from Red-flanked Bluetail T. cyanurus, which breeds in Siberia and E Asia and winters to eastern SE Asia. Himalayan breeds throughout the Himalayas and winters to western SE Asia.


Davison’s Bulbul Pycnonotus [finlaysoni] davisoni The two Burmese races of Stripe-throated Bulbul P. finlaysoni have recently been found to occur sympatrically and davisoni will eventually be split as a distinct endemic species. Black Bulbul (Himalayan B B) Hypsipetes leucocephalus Many migrant leucothorax were identified at Mt Victoria and Yay Ayekan. Resident concolor was also common around Kalaw. Scaly-breasted Cupwing (S-b Wren-babbler) Pnoepyga albiventer Pygmy Cupwing (P Wren-babbler) Pnoepyga pusilla Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have clearly shown that Pnoepygas are not related at all to the babblers, and are best placed in their own family; Pnoepygidae. Chinese Grassbird (C Grass-babbler) Graminicola sinica This is a split from Rufous-rumped Grassbird (or Grass-babbler) G. bengalensis, which was formerly considered to be a warbler. DNA based taxonomic research showed it to be a babbler. The form that we saw at Inle Lake (striata) may prove to be a distinct species in its own right, and it is currently only known from this site - making it one of the rarest passerines in the world! Mount Victoria Babax Babax woodi Although a popular split from Chinese Babax B. lanceolatus, further research would be desirable to prove its specific status beyond doubt. APPENDIX 1 TOP 5 BIRDS OF THE TOUR 1st Hodgson’s Frogmouth 15 points 2nd Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush 09 points 3rd Blue-bearded Bee-eater 08 points 4th Indian Nightjar 06 points 5th Broad-billed Warbler 06 points APPENDIX 2 - Other fauna & flora recorded REPTILES Smooth-scaled Mountain Lizard (Crestless Forest L) Japalura planidorsata 1 along the Mindat Road, Mt Victoria. Indian Rat Snake Ptyas mucosa A big one by the Irrawaddy River south of Bagan.

The near-endemic Smooth-scaled Mountain Lizard at Mt Victoria (Craig Robson)


BUTTERFLIES Spot Swordtail Graphium nomius Seen near Kazunma, on the way to Mt Victoria. Common Mime Chilasa clytia Hlawga NP. Lime Butterfly Papilio demoleus En route from Bagan to Mt Victoria. Psyche Leptosia nina Widespread. Indian Cabbage White Pieris canidia Dark Clouded Yellow Colias fieldii Mt Victoria. The only clouded yellow species in range. Green Sapphire Heliophorus androcles Mt Victoria. Common Cerulean Jamides celeno Mt Victoria & Yay Ayekan etc. Straightwing Blue Orthomiella pontis Several of this strange little lycinids at Mt Victoria. Dark Judy Abisara fylla A few at Yay Ayekan. Plum Judy Abisara echerius On the way to Mount Victoria. Punchinello Zemeros flegyas On the way to Mount Victoria. Tailed Punch Dodona eugenes Mt Victoria. Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus Bagan etc. Magpie Crow Euploea radamanthus The road to Mt Victoria. Banded Treebrown Lethe confusa Yay Ayekan. Straight-banded Treebrown Lethe verma Mt Victoria. Red Lacewing Cethosia biblis Yay Ayekan. Rustic Cupha erymanthis Yay Ayekan. Orange Staff Sergeant Athyma cama Yay Ayekan. Common Sailer Neptis hylas Mount Victoria etc. French Duke Euthalia franciae One at Yay Ayekan. Common Jester Symbrenthia hippoclus Mt Victoria, Yay Ayekan. Blue Admiral Kaniska canace At Mt Victoria & Yay Ayekan. Blue Pansy Junonia orithiya Bagan etc. Yellow Pansy Junonia hierta Mt Victoria etc. Chocolate Pansy Junonia iphita Yay Ayekan. Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina One at Yay Ayekan. DRAGONFLIES Common Amberwing Brachythemis contaminata Canal at Bagan. Pale-spotted Emperor (Lesser Green E) Anax guttatus Canal at Bagan. Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina Bagan and Inle Lake. Dancing Dropwing Trithemis pallidinervis Canal at Bagan. PLANTS Rose Tree Rhododendron arboreum Common red-flowered rhododendron at Mt Victoria. Drumstick Primrose Primula denticulata Mt. Victoria. Nepalese Alder Alnus nepalensis Frequent at Mt Victoria, particularly on landslips. Himalayan Yew Taxus wallichiana Some nice old trees on Mt Victoria. Formerly a form of European Yew.

Orange Staff Sergeant at Yay Ayekan (Craig Robson)

Documents

BURMA REP 14 - Birding Tours - Bird Watching Holidays ... REP 14-ebook.pdf · The checklist now includes 516 species. ... we enjoyed a nice picnic lunch in a handily situated shelter