Coming to Vietnam (1 Viewer)

[jimmyjames]

I only have one or two weeks at teh most to see teh countrt AND do soem birding. Will prob fly to Hanoi and travel down to Ho Chi Min where I fly out. Can someone outline soem places to go birding that aren't expensive or hard to get to?

I would really appreciate any info on this as obviously SE Asia is not set up for birding !

Regards

James

 

[Hanno]

James,

There is just no way if you are giving yourself only a week. The country is narrow, but very long, you will be spending more time on the road than anything else. On top of it, you want to see the country AND go birding, that is ambitous to say the least.

If you have two weeks, you could try the following (still rushed, but better than nothing):

Day 1: Arrive in Ha Noi, sightseeing depending on ETA
Day 2: Visit the Museum of Ehtnology, Temple of Literature, One-Piller Pagoda, HCMC Mausoleum.
Day 3: Have a car pick you up real early and head for Cuc Phuong National Park (book ahead).
Day 4 and 5: Bird Cuc Phuong and head back to Ha Noi.
Day 6: Get an early flight to Da Nang and head for Bach Ma National Park.
Day 7: Bird the Park and head for Hoi An
Day 8 and 9: Explore Hoi An and head for HCMC the last day.
Day 10: Take a flight to Da Lat and start birding
Day 11 and 12: Bird Da Lat and go back to HCMC
Day 13 and 14: Explore HCMC and fly back.

I wouldn't go as far and say that the country isn't set up for birding, it is just a little harder than elsewhere.

If you want, and if your budget permits, I could set you up with a friend who runs tours here in Vietnam. An English bloke, he has lived and birded here for ages.

 

[jimmyjames]

Thanks for teh reply. Thats great advice by all accounts. I\m in Cambodia and it seems that all bird life is almost extinct!!!!

I will try tofollow at least one of your birding suggestions. I would be interested in the tour thing if it met my budget / made life easier!

Will also try to visit Haing La Bay in the north while there as itloks quite spectacular!

Thanks Very Much

James

 

[Hanno]

James,

You will see that Vietnam is similar to Cambodia in that vast stretches of the countryside are without birds. However, if you go to the right places, there are plenty (Vietnam has 837 species of birds).

Ha Long Bay is nice, but birdless, it will also take an extra 2 days out of your schedule.

Do contact my mate, Richard Craik, at richard 'at' vietnambirding.com

Cheers,

Hanno

 

[John Eaton]

Hi James,

How was Malaysia? Did you get to TN?

Hanno is of course the man to know. If Hanoi is a little hot you could always take a trip up to Tam Dao. Takes about 2 hours if I remember, either by taxi or if you have the nerve you could hire a motorbike. It's a hill station so cooler and the birding is good. Plenty of accommodation in the week.

John

 

[jimmyjames]

Hello. Malaysia ws great but I only identified about 25 species at TN. Only saw Pied Hornbills and didn't se any Pittas. It was good fun though anyway. I'd liek to go back with a small group in order to make al teh activities more affordable.

Am heading to Vietnam from Pnom Pen in teh next few days, as always, it's a hassle to organise.

 

[jimmyjames]

well, the best laid plans and all that...

I came to Vietnam from cambodia and arrived in Ho Chi Minh. What a great country so far! I really like it. haven't done any birding yet but have now flown to Dalat where I need to dosome before I am of no consequence to my binoculars....

What ares near to Dalat are particularly worth birding please Hanno (or anyone?). I only have another 10 days so am well behind schedule - will have to come back to see the North as unlikley to get further North than Hoi An! Anyway, enough blabber from me....

Regards

James (hardly a birder at all these days)

 

[Hanno]

Hiya James,

Take a look at my trip report here for the sites: http://www.hannostamm.com/dalat_april_2005.htm

 

[jimmyjames]

Thanks Hanno, I'll take a look at that. Spoke to soem guy at Hardy travels who says he knows the birds and can guide me. Might do it on Sunday.

Went out into the forest near Datanla Falls between 1 - 4:30 pm as guessed it might be good in there.

Saw about 20 species but only identified about half (as usual). Six were birds new to me!

Burmese Shrike 1
Spotted Dove approx. 10
ad. Streaked Spiderhunter 1
White Cheeked Laughing Thrush approx. 15
Jay 2
Red vented Nuthatch 1
Barred Cuckoo Dove 2
Red whiskered Bulbul 3
Black Collared Starling approx. 15
Hoopoe 1
Grey Headed Woodpecker 1

I also saw a coucal sized & shaped bird but can't find it in the book. It had a grey head with a black "face mask" a pretty blue back, long tail with some white edging. It also had a largish vanilla colured bill.

I thought that it was so obvious (with the head and mask), that I surely would not fail to ID it but haven't been able to so far. Anyone know what it was?

 

[John Eaton]

James,

Could have been Green-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis), same family as Coucal, and a few similarities to your description.

John

 

[Hanno]

Black face mask and blue back doesn't sound right for Green-billed Malkoha. Having said that, I have no idea what else it could be, the blue back in particular throws me. Juvenile Red-billed Blue Magpie???

 

[jimmyjames]

Hello again John and Hanno, thepicture of Juv. Red Billed Blue Mgpie in Robson's guide does not seemtomatch what I saw. The Green Billed Malkoha is alostexactly correst if it were not for the black facemask. Infact, I first thought that it would be this species but the face mask is not present, confusingly. This could just be a case of inexperience confusing the matter.

I also thought I saw a Black Lauging Thrush but a/ the views were poor. (A red billed, entirely black bird which is thrush shaped but seen in poor light) & b/ The guide does not suggestthey are anywhere near this area.

I'm beginning to understand the S E Asian birds a lot better now aprt from the occassional confoundment(?), ater a month traveling here, and inten daysI have to travelto Oz and start all over again! However, I think that I mustreturn to Vietnamas I hve seen hardly any of the country so far and it's well worth seeing! I love birdingthe forests. There are always birds to see!

Am off to Ta Nungor Mt. Lang Biang this afternoon. Wish me luck!

 

[jimmyjames]

Mt. Biang sighting this afternoon...

Eurasion Jay 3
Green Backed Tit 5+
White Throated Fantail 1
Red Vented Nuthatch 1
Leaf Warbler of some kind???? 2
Ashy Drongo approx 10
Rufous Capped Babbler 2
Grey Troated Babbler 3
Black Bulbul 20
Light Vented Bulbul ? 2
Little Pied Flycatcher 2
Scaley Thrush 1

It's not particulalrry impressive I know - it was one of those days I guess.

PS I'm to starta new thread on Cat Tien as cannot find contactdetails for it online. Iintend to travel there by bus & moto and sty3 nights before heading to Saigon. Will I find it difficult to organise transport out of there? Whatare teh contactdetais for accomodation at the reserve please?

Thanks