Cambodia
In co-operation with the Oriental Bird Club
21st January - 2nd February 2007
Leaders: James Eaton
Maximum Group Size: 8
Please note: Only 2 spaces available
Following a troubled and turbulent recent history, Cambodia is once again stable and many tourists now flock here to see the amazing temples of Angkor Wat, an incomparable sight that we will have ample time to appreciate on this tour. Fortunately, conservation organisations reached the country in time to help save the unique diversity of birds and mammals that make Cambodia their home and made several important discoveries, in particular a good population of the stately Giant Ibis survives and a new species, the Mekong Wagtail was recently described. Cambodia also offers the opportunity to search for several other species that are difficult to see elsewhere in Asia including Greater Adjutant, Milky Stork, White-shouldered Ibis, Bengal Florican and Manchurian Reed Warbler.
This tour is being run in co-operation with the Oriental Bird Club. Profits from the tour will be donated to the Oriental Bird Club in helping to preserve the habitat and birds of the Oriental region. For further information on the club, please visit their website at http://www.orientalbirdclub.org
Day 1:
Late morning arrival in Siem Reap International Airport. We will then transfer to our comfortable hotel in Siem Reap, and spend the afternoon visiting the historic temples of Angkor Wat, which will also provide some initial birding around the temples.
Night in Siem Reap.
Day 2:
On our first full day we will visit Prek Toal Wildlife Sanctuary, a world biosphere site, situated on the huge freshwater lake of Tonle Sap.It is of major global importance since it holds the largest remaining waterbird breeding colony in South-east Asia. Venturing into the colonies by boat we can expect to see literally thousands of waterbirds including Oriental Darters, Asian Openbills, Spot-billed Pelicans, Black-headed Ibis, Lesser Adjutants and Painted Storks– a truly amazing sight. We will make a special visit to another side of the colony in search of our two target birds here, Milky Stork and the impressive Greater Adjutant, both of which breed here in small numbers. En-route we have the opportunity to encounter Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Black-backed Gallinule, Common Flameback and Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler.
Night in Siem Reap.
Day 3:
An early morning visit to Ang Tropeang Thmor, a large inland wetland. This area is known as the wintering grounds of over 40% of the endangered sharpei race of Sarus Crane. While searching for these magnificent birds feeding in the surrounding area we will come across many other waterbirds, many of which are rare elsewhere in Southeast Asia, including Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose and both Bronze-winged & Pheasant-tailed Jacana. We can also expect to see Pied and Eastern Marsh Harriers quartering the open fields. After a late lunch in Siem Reap we head east to the dry grasslands of Kompong Thom. These grasslands are one of the few strongholds of the rare Bengal Florican, a beautiful bird that is becoming increasingly endangered due to current farming practices within the grasslands that surround the Tonle Sap.
Night in Kompong Thom.
Day 4:
The grasslands in the Kompong Thom area hold many species of wintering passerines. Our main target this morning will be the Manchurian Reed Warbler, which winters in small numbers around Kompong Thom. While searching for this species, we hope to come across a number of other winter visitors, Black-browed Reed Warbler, Bluethroat, Yellow-breasted Bunting and Lanceolated Warbler are all present. Large densities of raptors also winter here, including Greater Spotted Eagle and both Pied and Eastern Marsh Harriers.
After lunch we shall head north into the remote region of Preah Vihear province, accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles and only during the few months after water levels recede and before the onset of next monsoons. This north-eastern province is home to some of the rarest and most difficult species to observe in South-east Asia. The landscape of this province is dominated by open, dry savannah interspersed with extensive tracts of deciduous forest along the waterways. Eventually we arrive at our basic yet charming and comfortable accommodation in the village of Tmat Baui, home of the rare Giant Ibis.
Night in Tmat Baui.
Day 5-6:
During our two full days exploring the surrounding area we can hope to see most our of our target species. We will walk through the open forest in search of small waterholes, or ‘Tropeangs’, which offer us the best chance of locating the near-mythical Giant and White-shouldered Ibis’s, which use these Tropeangs to feed. In between visiting these waterholes good numbers of other species will be encountered, including a number of wintering passerines found in large feeding flocks. Up to twelve species of Woodpecker make this forest their home, including the spectacular Black-headed. Other localised species here include Burmese Shrike, Pale-capped and Yellow-footed Green- Pigeon, Rufous-winged Buzzard, Alexandrine Parakeet, Brown Prinia and White-rumped Falcon.
Nights in Tmat Baui.
Day 7:
After a final mornings birding in the area searching for any missing species we head back to Kompong Thom after breakfast. Another late afternoon visiting the surrounding grasslands could produce yet more Bengal Floricans and winter visitors.
Night in Kompong Thom.
Day 8:
Following an optional early morning birding excursion in search of more migrants, we’ll take the drive east and then north to the scenic town of Kratie, situated on the banks of the mighty Mekong River. Late afternoon birding here will hopefully produce Asian Golden Weaver, which is sadly in decline owing to extensive habitat loss.
Night in Kratie.
Day 9:
The morning will be spent on board small boats along the Mekong to the north of Kratie searching the small vegetated islands for the recently described Mekong Wagtail. An added attraction while searching for these birds is the small population of the critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin, which are resident in small numbers here, and we can hope to be entertained by several of these wonderful creatures.
After this enjoyable morning we shall embark on a long drive through to the historic capital of Phnom Penh for our overnight stay.
Night in Phonm Penh.
Day 10-11:
Morning of day 10 will see us reaching the cooler climes of Bokor National Park, a former French hill station to the south-west of Phnom Penh. Once settled in here we will begin our exploration of the area, still cloaked in stunted montane forest and home to the Chestnut-headed Partridge, a restricted range species here at one of its few accessible sites. Typical of forest at this elevation, the trees teem with feeding flocks which including electric Long-tailed Broadbills and a host of wintering passerines including several Phylloscopus warblers and Plain-tailed Warbler, a recently split Seicercus warbler. Overhead we hope to hear the ‘whooshing’ sound of Great and Wreathed Hornbills, while Blue Pittas and Streaked Wren-babbler lurk in the undergrowth.
Night at Bokor.
Day 12:
This morning we will make a special effort for Chestnut-headed Partridge if we haven’t seen it already, together with any other birds we may have missed the previous day.
During the afternoon we shall drive back to Phnom Penh and have share our final evening meal together while we reflect on the wonderful birds and sites that Cambodia has shown us.
Night in Phnom Penh.
Day 13:
Morning departure from Phnom Penh International Airport.
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