by Alex Vargas May 21, 2012 1

Friendly Feathers

Every winter season (November – April) we get the colorful visit of many nice birds in Thailand, but none as friendly and showy as the Mugimaki Flycatcher and the White-throated Rock-Thrush in Khao Yai.

I was very exited the first time I saw and got some lousy images of a White-throated Rock-Thrush in 2007. Then, in 2010 when I got a beautiful male of the species -just- a few meters away, couldn’t help to a feeling of accomplishment… Same is the story with the Mugimaki Flycatcher, which I had tried unsuccessfully a couple of times earlier, and got super well and close in 2010… But the really cool thing, is that both stories happened at the same time, as this great migrating jewels were competing for my mealworms and had done the dance for three years in a roll!

Mugimaki Flycatcher - male by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

White-throated Rock-Thrush by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

If you come right now (April 2012), you can find them at the very same spot, perched and staring to each other near the house 109 of Khao Yai National Park; a marvelous UNESCO site… a birding paradise…

All this images were taking the very same day, December 13th 2011

Mugimaki Flycatcher by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

White-throated Rock-Thrush - back view by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

After a while sharing with photographers, this guys can become real trusty and get real close… Just make your own numbers: I couldn’t fit the whole 13 centimeters bird with a 300mm lens!

Mugimaki Flycatcher - portrait by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

Some other birds come along by the feeder station from time to time. The most common “outsider” is the Radde’s Warbler and the new one this season -super shy- is the Blue Rock-Thrush

Radde's Warbler by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

Blue Rock-Thrush by Alex Vargas, Thailand 2011

During the season of 2010 – 2011, an Asian Brown Flycatcher was also established at the spot, but the continuous harassment of the Thrush, kept him form coming back this season…