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