When: January 2017 Weather: Cool : 18C
Nikon P900 and Leica M240 35 Summilux
Our last morning in Dalat, we headed off to the last of our potential birding locations; Tuyen Lam lake, about 30min from our hotel, the Ana Mandara. As noted by previous birders, local knowledge of the trails is essential and whilst our guide who was no longer with us on this last day had indicated where to go, the birding was still somewhat disappointing….the lake itself was attractive enough though…
Tuyen Lam Lake
pine forested edge of tuyenlam
Leaf warblers were everywhere amongst the trees and bushes
common mynah
pair of Burmese shrikes
solo Burmese shrike
male grey bushchat
female grey bushchat
vague outline of a fantail…
black bulbul
black bulbul
ashy drongo
Ashy drongo with white tail clearly seen
And when I least expected it I saw a bird outlined in the morning sun, with terrible back lighting…. I took this shot quickly and then moved to get with the light but alas as usually happens ..it flew away… when I examined my shot carefully, it turned out to be the Vietnamese Greenfinch with it speckled yellow breast….one of the 6 truly endemic species in Vietnam. Unfortunately the photo was terrible 😦
So this last day was relatively thin in numbers of species but at least I got to see and shoot the Vietnamese Greenfinch which together with the Collared laughing thrush from Day 1 in Cong Troi meant I got two endemics. I also spotted but was unable to shoot a barred buttonquail and a mountain hawk eagle….
Not a bad place but you gotta know where to go….
Farewell to Dalat from the terrace of the Palace Hotel in Dalat at dawn
