A shortened trip

Plan was to start with a quick stop at Wat Phra Puttabat Noi then on to a place in Thap Lan N P called Suan Hawm where there is a waterfall then to Sap Sadao followed by Ta Phraya NP and finishing up at Pang Sida NP
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Saw one Limestone Wren Babbler behind the futsal courts at the school for a poor photo but nothing elsewhere in the area so on to Thap Lan.
Found the entrance road to Suan Hawm and drove about 5km to the entrance gate where they wanted 200b entry plus 50b for the vehicle so as I don’t really want to pay to see a waterfall I decided to carry on to Sap Sadao which was quite easy to find as there are several new signs at road junctions as per:



On searching for this place on Google Maps I had recognized it as a place we had been taken to by rangers on a previous trip to the area so had an idea of where to go. There were several vehicles and motorbikes at the ranger station so I carried on down the road to the left towards the lake which had been in very bad condition when we were last there but had improved to be a quite easy drive to the gate at the lake.

As I arrived and got out of the vehicle a bad tempered young man arrived on a motorbike and gave me a burst of rapid Thai which I couldn’t really follow but I got the impression I wasn’t supposed to be there and possibly that I should have a guide. He left and I drove a bit back up the road and tried a side road and he appeared behind me, as I don’t like being followed I turned around and went back past the ranger station to a side road I had noted on the way in at this sign:



I was not followed and parked a short distance down the road then walked down the road to cassava fields where there are several dead trees and a fair bit of bird activity including flocks of noisy Red-breasted Parakeets and a pair of White-browed Fantails that buzzed me:



I hung around till it was to dark for photos then walked back to the vehicle for a feed and sleep. Next morning back at the cassava fields there was frantic bird activity after first light making it difficult to know which way to look. This soon quieted down and as mushroom collectors and farmers with their workers started to arrive I headed out and down the road.


Grey-breasted Prinia

As I had received a phone call saying I was required at home I had to reconsider but decided to carry on and have a look at Ta Phraya NP where I had never been. On the way I saw a sign for Dong Yai Wildlife sanctuary a place I had never heard of so went in for a quick look. Interesting place with friendly people and a bit of English spoken, put on the list of places to visit in future.



The entrance to Ta Phraya NP is only 20km down the road and I called in at the HQ where I was met with more friendly people and again English spoken. The main camp area is 12km into the forest and yes carry on no problem with no money asked for. I did a short drive, walk up a side road to here;



Then on to the main camp area past a watchtower at a place they call Gaur Plain.





At an extensive camp area there are good looking toilets and showers, a nature trail and another trail to a cliff, a place well worth investigating in the future but as I had to get home I left and headed to Phak Phli where I stayed the night. Very little birdlife to be seen there as what isn’t in rice is flooded.

Please do go have a look at Sap Sadao to confirm or deny my suspicions of charges, guides.

The road on the way in which goes to the Cassava fields is worth a look and Google maps shows a road on the other side of the lake, turn off 14.411905-- 102.185730 which would be worth an explore.

There is also a road on the west side of Mun Lake which leads to a river crossing 14.414008--102.081872 and the road I had a look at the previous time I was in the area 14.463715- 101.954064