VIETNAM. 1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Vietnam

Transcription

1 1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Vietnam VIETNAM Tour Duration: 22 days Group Size Limit: 9 Tour Category: Easy for the most part, occasionally Moderate Indochina, where the avifaunas of China, Malaysia and the Himalayas all meet, remains in ornithological terms amongst the least known and unexplored of all the regions of South-East Asia. During the days when it was under French colonial administration, Vietnam was considered to be very much a land of remote forested mountains inhabited by wild tribespeople. Ravaged by thirty years of struggle, first in the independence war against the French and later during the civil war, Vietnam and its fantastic birdlife remained firmly off limits. Now the country has once more opened its doors to outsiders and for birdwatchers the old images of a war-torn country that came to exert such a powerful fascination for westerners are gradually being replaced by thoughts of the brilliant green paddyfields, forested hills with jutting limestone peaks and cool pine forests that have remained inaccessible for so long. Vietnam has the most diverse avifauna in Indochina and amongst its birds are Grey-crowned Crocias (Craig Robson) many of the most soughtafter species of the Oriental region, including 13 endemic and near-endemic species (significantly more than any other country in South-East Asia), 11 additional species endemic to Indochina as a whole and a long series of endemic subspecies, some of which surely merit elevation to species status. Vietnam is still a rarely visited birding destination in spite of its very rich avifauna (rivalling Thailand in what it can produce in three weeks). This tour, which will explore some of the finest areas for birds in the country, is specifically designed to concentrate on the Vietnamese endemics and other regional specialities, delivering more of these than any other bird tour. We will begin our journey at Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City as it is nowadays officially known), but only pause here briefly on our way to visit Cat Tien National Park in northern Cochinchina, which protects one of the largest remaining areas of lowland forest and wetlands in the country. Here we will be hoping to see the nearendemic Orange-necked Partridge, Germain s Peacock- Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Bar-bellied and Blue-rumped Pittas, and Grey-faced Tit- Babbler, as well as a long list of more widespread species including specialities such as Scaly-breasted Partridge, Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, Pale-headed, Blackand-buff and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Vinousbreasted Starling and Goldencrested Myna. Next we head northwards to the unique Da Lat (or Lang Bian) plateau in south-central Vietnam where forested peaks rise to over 2000 metres. The forests here harbour such Vietnamese or Indochinese endemics as Black-crowned Parrotbill, Black-hooded, White-cheeked, Orangebreasted and Collared Laughingthrushes, Vietnamese Cutia, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Grey-crowned Tit, Indochinese Green Magpie, Vietnamese Greenfinch and the strange Grey-crowned Crocias. Other specialities include Yellow-vented Green Pigeon, Hodgson s Frogmouth, Blue Pitta, Swinhoe s Minivet, Green Cochoa, White-spectacled and Grey-cheeked Warblers, and Black-headed Sibia. From Da Lat we head northwards into central Vietnam where we will visit several rarely explored reserves in search of some of Vietnam s least known endemics and nearendemics, including Annam Partridge, Limestone Warbler, Indochinese Wren-Babbler (formerly Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler), Sooty Babbler, Chestnut-eared and Rufouscheeked Laughingthrushes, Black-crowned Barwing, White-winged Magpie and Ratchet-tailed Treepie. Continuing northwards into the northern part of Vietnam, we will first explore Cuc Phuong, the oldest of Vietnam s national parks. Here in the moist evergreen forest we will look for a series of exciting birds, including Pied Falconet, White-bellied Green Pigeon, Eared Pitta, Japanese, Greybacked and Black-breasted Thrushes, Limestone Wren- Babbler and Fork-tailed Sunbird. Next we will explore the old French hill station at Tam Dao, haunt of Bluenaped Pitta, Chestnut Bulbul, Fujian Niltava, Whitegorgeted Flycatcher, Coralbilled Scimitar Babbler, Spot-necked Babbler, Grey Laughingthrush, Chestnutcollared Yuhina (split from Striated), Greater Rufousheaded and Short-tailed Parrotbills, and Collared Treepie. Our final port of call will be Ba Be National Park where we should be able to observe the superb and very rare and endangered Whiteeared Night Heron at a recently discovered breeding site. When the time comes to take our leave of this fascinating country we will surely agree with the comment made by Jean Delacour, a pioneer of South-East Asian ornithology, that no other part of Asia is of greater interest to the ornithologist.

2 2 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Vietnam Birdquest pioneered birding tours to Vietnam as far back as Itinerary Day 1 The tour begins this morning at Ho Chi Minh City (the official name for Saigon), from where we will drive to Cat Tien for a four nights stay. The city was dubbed the Paris of the East during the French colonial period and some of the old flavour remains. We will arrive at Cat Tien in time for some initial exploration. Days 2-4 Cat Tien was the first national park to be established in southern Vietnam and is situated only 100 kilometres to the northeast of Saigon. The park lies at the base of foothills which eventually lead to the Da Lat highlands. The beautiful lowland forest in the eastern half of the park is probably one of the last remaining areas that supports almost the full spectrum of the rich Cochinchinese avifauna and was very fortunate to escape the spraying with defoliants during the civil war that destroyed vast tracts of forest elsewhere in southern Vietnam. The park is a mosaic of different habitats, dominated by a Bar-bellied Pitta (Craig Robson) series of seasonal wetlands at its centre. Small flocks of waterbirds including Eastern Cattle, Great, Intermediate and Little Egrets, and Chinese Pond-Heron, gather to sun themselves in the trees. Overhead larger birds such as Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork and Grey-headed Fish-Eagle flap past in search of a quiet place to feed. In the early mornings Green Peafowl can be heard calling from the larger trees surrounding the wetlands, where they have a good preen before flying down to commence feeding. Along the edges of pools and marshes we may find Cinnamon Bittern, Lesser Whistling Duck, White-breasted Waterhen, Watercock, Bronze-winged Jacana, Stork-billed Kingfisher and Palearctic migrants from northern Asia such as Oriental and Black-browed Reed Warblers, Lanceolated Warbler and Dusky Warbler. In the evening groups of Great Eared Nightjars emerge to hunt over open areas while Large-tailed Nightjars fly low over forest clearings. After nightfall we will have a good chance of seeing Asian Barred Owlet and Brown Hawk Owl. Other birds we should see in and around the wetlands include Striated (or Little) Heron, Yellow Bittern, Lesser Fish Eagle, Collared Falconet, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pintail Snipe, Lesser Coucal, Black-hooded Oriole, Yellow-bellied and Plain Prinias, Baya Weaver and White-rumped Munia. A driveable track, leading from the park headquarters in the south to Dac Lua substation in the north, bisects the reserve. The first part of the track runs close to the banks of the Dong Nai River. In the mornings many birds are active along the riverbanks and we should encounter White-throated and Pied Kingfishers, Chestnutheaded Bee-eater, Black-andred Broadbill, Racket-tailed Treepie, Rufescent Prinia and perhaps winter visitors such as Thick-billed and Radde s Warblers. As we move further into the heart of the park the partly deciduous forest becomes taller, although still open, and is interspersed with dense patches of evergreen forest and thorny clumps of bamboo. Much of the bird activity will be concentrated around fruiting trees where we will find birds such as Thickbilled, Ashy-headed (split from Pompadour) and Orangebreasted Green Pigeons, Green Imperial Pigeon, Redbreasted Parakeet, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Green-eared and Lineated Barbets, the little known near-endemic Redvented Barbet, Ochraceous and Black-headed Bulbuls, Great and Common Ioras, Golden-fronted and Bluewinged Leafbirds, and Asian Fairy-Bluebird. In roving flocks we should find Green-billed Malkoha, Laced Woodpecker, Banded and Dusky Broadbills, Large Woodshrike, Scarlet Minivet, Greater Rackettailed Drongo, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Abbott s and Scaly-crowned Babblers, and Striped Tit-Babbler. Clearings in the forest are always a good place to linger, attracting such species as Black Baza, Crested Goshawk, Shikra, Crested Serpent Eagle, Red Junglefowl, Red Collared and Spotted Doves, Plaintive and Drongo Cuckoos, Greater Coucal, Asian Palm Swift, Germain s Swiftlet, Wreathed and Oriental Pied Hornbills, Indian Roller, Dollarbird, Bluebearded Bee-eater, Blue-eared and Coppersmith Barbets, the huge Great Slaty and White-bellied Woodpeckers, Striated Swallow, Ashy Minivet, Stripe-throated and Streak-eared Bulbuls, Black and Hair-crested Drongos, Brown Shrike, Chestnut-tailed and Vinous-breasted Starlings, Golden-crested and Hill Mynas, Black-naped Oriole, Ashy Woodswallow, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Van Hasselt s Sunbird (split from Purple-throated), Olive-backed Sunbird, Yellowvented and Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers, and Paddyfield Pipit. Venturing along the smaller side trails into patches of evergreen forest we may be able to locate some less obtrusive species such as Emerald Dove, Orangebreasted Trogon, Banded Kingfisher, White-browed Piculet, White-rumped Shama, the endemic Grey-faced Tit-Babbler, White-crested Laughingthrush, Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch, Asian Paradise- Flycatcher, Ruby-cheeked and Purple-naped Sunbirds, and Little Spiderhunter. Wintering species include Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Blue Robin, Pale-legged Leaf and Two-barred Warblers, and Red-throated (or Taiga) and Asian Brown Flycatchers. Secretive species like Siamese Fireback, the near-endemic Germain s Peacock-Pheasant, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Black-and-buff Woodpecker and the near-endemic Barbellied Pitta are fairly common but more difficult to see. Nevertheless we have a good chance of seeing all of them during our stay. Other species we may well encounter at Cat Tien include Crested (or Oriental) Honey-Buzzard, Common Flameback, Heartspotted Woodpecker and Tickell s Blue Flycatcher. We also have a reasonable

3 3 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Vietnam chance of finding Blyth s Frogmouth, Violet Cuckoo, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Blue-rumped Pitta, Thickbilled Flowerpecker and Asian Golden Weaver. If we are very lucky we will come across the little-known, near-endemic Orange-necked Partridge (once thought endemic, this species has now been found in Cambodia). In addition to birds, Cat Tien s forests are an important refuge for Blackshanked Douc Langur, one of the most colourful and least known primates in Asia, and Buff-cheeked Gibbon. Day 5 After some birding at Tan Phu forest we will drive north to Di Linh for a two nights stay. Germain s Peacock-Pheasant (Craig Robson) Day 6 Today we will visit Deo Nui San, a pass surrounded by impressive forested hills. We will look for a number of species which are easier to find here than on the Da Lat Plateau including Yellow-vented Green Pigeon, Drongo Cuckoo, Speckled Piculet, Long-tailed Broadbill, Grey-eyed Bulbul, Bronzed and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongos, the near-endemic Black-crowned Parrotbill (split from Grey-headed), Black-hooded and Whitecheeked Laughingthrushes, the endemic Orangebreasted Laughingthrush, Streaked Spiderhunter and the distinctive local races of Black-headed and Rufousbacked Sibias, Blue-throated Flycatcher and Black-throated Sunbird. If we are lucky we will find one or two of the more secretive birds of the area such as Great Hornbill, Blue Pitta, Plaintailed Warbler (split from Golden-spectacled), Pale Blue Flycatcher and Indochinese Green Magpie. Day 7 After some early morning birding at Deo Nui San, we will drive to Da Lat for a three nights stay, arriving in time for some initial exploration. Days 8-9 The Da Lat (or Lang Bian) Plateau is home to a remarkable avifauna dominated by Indochinese endemic species and also Indochinese subspecies of birds with Himalayan affinities. The town of Da Lat itself is a traditional hill resort for the inhabitants of Saigon and was a major destination for bird collecting expeditions during French colonial times: many of the unique birds discovered on the plateau were taken close to the town limits or on the nearby peaks. The resort was founded in 1893 by the famous French doctor Yersin, who recognized the site s health-giving qualities and the surrounding area now produces large quantities of fruit, vegetables and flowers. Mount Lang Bian (c2200m), the third highest peak of the plateau, is only a short distance to the northeast of the town, but we will also visit the mixed forest surrounding Tuyen Lam Lake and some other localities. Native pine forests abound with such species as Large and Indochinese Cuckooshrikes, Long-tailed Minivet, Burmese Shrike, Ashy Drongo, Slenderbilled Oriole, Grey Bushchat, Yellow-browed and Whitetailed Leaf Warblers, Greenbacked Tit, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch and the endemic Vietnamese Greenfinch. Interesting local subspecies of Eurasian Jay and Common Crossbill can also be found here. In the open areas we should see Black-collared Starling and winter visitors including Grey-faced Buzzard, Blue and White-throated Rock Thrushes, and Olive-backed Pipit. In evergreen scrub running through the pine forest and along the evergreen forest edge we should see Banded Bay Cuckoo, Goldenthroated Barbet, Black-crested, Red-whiskered, Flavescent and Sooty-headed Bulbuls, Hill Prinia, Verditer Flycatcher and Scaly-breasted Munia. Regular scanning of the skyline may produce Black-shouldered Kite, Black and Rufous-bellied Eagles, and House Swift. Bird flocks will be encountered almost constantly once we enter the evergreen forest and will consist of species such as Bay Woodpecker, Greater and Lesser Yellownapes, Greater Flameback, Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, Greychinned Minivet, Ashy Bulbul, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Silver-eared Mesia, Blue-winged Minla, Mountain Fulvetta, Blyth s Leaf, Greycheeked and Chestnutcrowned Warblers, Mountain Tailorbird, Little Pied and Mugimaki Flycatchers, Greyheaded Canary Flycatcher, White-throated Fantail, Greycrowned Tit (split from Blackthroated), Hume s Treecreeper (split from Brown-throated), Fire-breasted Flowerpecker and Mrs Gould s Sunbird. In the best evergreen forest we should find Wedge-tailed Green and Mountain Imperial Pigeons, Barred Cuckoo-Dove, Annam Barbet (split from Black-browed), Mountain and Himalayan Black Bulbuls, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Maroon Oriole, Lesser Shortwing, Pygmy Wren- Babbler, the beautiful endemic Collared Laughingthrush, the recently rediscovered endemic Grey-crowned Crocias, the endemic Vietnamese Cutia (split from Himalayan Cutia), Annam Shrike-Babbler (split from White-browed), Chestnut-fronted Shrike- Babbler, the endemic Blackcrowned Fulvetta (split from Rufous-winged), White-bellied Yuhina, Grey-bellied Tesia, Ashy-throated Warbler, Whitespectacled Warbler, Large Niltava and Yellow-cheeked Tit. If we are lucky we will find one or two of the more elusive inhabitants of the area such as Chinese Francolin, Rufous-throated and Barbacked Partridges, Silver Pheasant, Pale-capped Pigeon, Spot-throated Babbler, Rufousbrowed Flycatcher, Brown Prinia and Yellow-browed Tit. Day 10 Today is a travel day as we head north to Mang Den in Kontum province for a two nights stay. Day 11 The hill forests of the Mang Den region hold many species of birds, some of which we will encounter for the first time, but the key speciality here is the endemic Chestnuteared Laughingthrush, first discovered only in 1999, which we have an excellent chance of observing. We should also have our first encounter with the superb near-endemic Yellow-billed Nuthatch, and we also have another chance for Palecapped Pigeon and Blackhooded Laughingthrush. Day 12 After some early morning birding at Mang Den we will continue northwards to remote Quang Nam Province where we will stay overnight at Kham Duc. Late this afternoon we will begin

4 4 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Vietnam our exploration of the Loxo Pass. Day 13 The Central Highlands are the least populated part of the country and probably the last untouched wilderness of Vietnam where unbroken forest stretches as far as the eye can see. This border area with Cambodia and Laos is where two new bird species to science (Goldenwinged Laughingthrush and Black-crowned Barwing) were described as recently as the 1990s! These new species were originally found by Birdlife International expeditions to the remote Mount Ngoc Linh (2598m), which is the highest peak of the Central Highlands but is unfortunately a closed military zone. Fortunately, one of these superb birds, the Black-crowned Barwing, has since been found at several new locations and our quest today is to find this highly localized bird at the Loxo Pass. Other species we may well encounter include Asian Emerald Cuckoo, the rare and striking White-winged Magpie, Southern Jungle Crow (split from Large-billed), Plumbeous Water Redstart, Grey-bellied Tesia, Small Niltava, Coralbilled Scimitar Babbler, Spotthroated Babbler, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Red-tailed and Blue-winged Minlas, and Black-crowned Barwing (Tony Disley) Rufous-backed Sibia. After spending the morning around the Loxo Pass we will drive to Lang Co Beach Resort, close to Bach Ma National Park, for a two nights stay. Overlooking the South China Sea, the resort grounds are good for birds and here we will look for Light-vented Bulbul, Daurian Redstart, Mandarin (or Chinese) Blackbird (split from Common), Masked Laughingthrush, Brownthroated Sunbird and Greycapped Greenfinch. Day 14 Bach Ma National Park is situated in the narrow central region of Vietnam, just north of the Hai Van Pass where the Annamite Mountain Range meets the South China Sea. In 1932 a road was built to the summit of Bach Ma (1448m) and the area became a French colonial hill resort. The area was officially classified as a national park in 1991, consisting of 22,000 hectares of core area plus 21,000 hectares of buffer zone. Lowland evergreen forest is the dominant forest type below 900m, with montane evergreen forest taking over above this elevation. Bach Ma has a special microclimate and rather changeable weather. Indeed, it is one of the wettest places in Vietnam with some 8000mm of precipitation falling annually at the summit! A number of different trails give access to the forest at various altitudes and we will explore some of these during our visit. One of our prime targets here is the enigmatic Indochinese Wren- Babbler. (Formerly known as Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler, this species is now placed in Rimator as it appears to be a close relative of the Longbilled Wren-Babbler and is unrelated to the scimitar babblers.) The other main target is the skulking Annam Partridge, a recent split which has not yet been confirmed by DNA study, which is virtually endemic to the park boundaries. Other birds we may well find include the unique, black-crested, gayeti race of the Sultan Tit, Puffthroated Bulbul and Blackbrowed Fulvetta. Day 15 After some final birding at Bach Ma we will travel northwards to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province for a two nights night stay. We will stop along the way to explore an interesting area of forest. Day 16 Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park protects a giant cave system (the largest in Vietnam) surrounded by forest-covered, limestone hills. This is the home of the highly localized Sooty Babbler. The species was originally known from just five specimens collected in Laos in 1920 and was rediscovered in central Vietnam in It was allocated to the monotypic genus Nigravis but later included in Stachyris, although its behaviour and call is rather atypical of Stachyris and further taxonomic investigation is clearly needed. Another interesting bird of the area is the Limestone Warbler (split from Sulphur-breasted). As we explore the park we will encounter many of the typical birds of this unusual habitat, including Fork-tailed (or Pacific) Swift, Slaty-backed Forktail, Japanese Thrush, Chestnut-collared Yuhina (split from Striated), Black-throated Laughingthrush, Fork-tailed and Crimson Sunbirds, and White-vented Myna. More skulking species include Chestnut-necklaced Partridge and Blue-rumped Pitta. The park is also a good place for seeing the endangered Hatinh Leaf Monkey and the amazing Red-shanked Douc Langur. If we are really lucky we will come across the rare and elusive Red-collared Woodpecker or the equally rare and secretive Rufouscheeked Laughingthrush (both highly range-restricted specialities) in this exciting part of Vietnam. Day 17 After some final birding in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang region we will continue northwards to Vietnam s first national Park, Cuc Phuong, where we will stay for two nights. Day 18 Based at the headquarters amid superb forest in the heart of Cuc Phuong National Park we will be ideally situated to explore this fascinating area with its limestone formations and forested central valley that provide a refuge for many exciting birds. The forest, which starts only 50 metres from the guesthouse, contains such specialities as White-bellied Green Pigeon, Limestone Wren-Babbler, the localized Rufous-throated Fulvetta and White-tailed Flycatcher. Along the various trails leading to ancient trees and caves we may well find Silver Pheasant, Rufous Woodpecker, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Common Green Magpie, the strange Ratchettailed Treepie, White-tailed Robin, Large Scimitar Babbler, Buff-breasted Babbler and the striking Sultan Tit. Wet areas and streams in the forest are good places to look for White-crowned Forktail. Blue-rumped Pittas are quite common in this area, although often difficult to get views of, and this is one of the best spots in Vietnam for seeing

5 5 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Vietnam the often-difficult Eared Pitta. Along the edges of the many small forest clearings are birds such as Greycapped Pygmy Woodpecker, wintering Grey-crowned and Bianchi s Warblers (split from Golden-spectacled), Japanese Tit (split from Great) and Plain Flowerpecker. Raptors include Black Eagle and may be joined overhead by Brown-backed Needletails. There is even a good chance of finding Pied Falconet resting on an exposed branch. Collared Scops Owls can be heard during the night, and we will have a good chance of finding a Brown Wood Owl. At this season, the resident bird population is still augmented by visitors from the north, which often include Rufoustailed Robin, Northern Redflanked Bluetail, White s, Black-breasted, Japanese and Grey-backed Thrushes, Asian Stubtail, Manchurian Bush Warbler and Fujian Niltava. Indochinese Wren-Babbler (Tony Disley) Day 19 After some early morning birding at Cuc Phuong, we will drive northwards to Tam Dao for a two nights stay. Along the way we will stop at an extensive marshy area where we may find White-browed Crake as well as Pheasant-tailed Jacana and Grey-headed Lapwing. The endangered Delacour s Langur can sometimes be seen on the limestone formations of Van Long Nature Reserve immediately behind the marsh. We should arrive at Tam Dao for some initial exploration. Day 20 Tam Dao, the old French hill station that served the inhabitants of Hanoi, is about three hours drive to the northwest of Hanoi. Although most of the old buildings were destroyed during the war, Tam Dao retains something of the atmosphere of an old hill station in miniature. Sheltered by a semi-circle of forested heights reaching 1350m, Tam Dao became a popular haunt of ornithologists early in the 20th century. Its rich and colourful forests, now a national park, have a very distinctive character, with a blending of birds that one otherwise encounters in the Himalayas, northwestern Thailand and southern China. A number of trails meander through the forest at various altitudes, offering quiet observers the chance to see a wide variety of species. In the tree tops we may see Black-winged Cuckooshrike and Chestnut Bulbul. The enigmatic Grey Laughingthrush joins parties of Streak-breasted and Redbilled Scimitar Babblers, Collared Babblers (split from White-hooded) and Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbills. A whistled imitation of the call of Collared Owlet can attract excited small birds, including Schaeffer s Fulvetta (split from Grey-cheeked), Black-chinned Yuhina and Golden Babbler. Streaked and Eyebrowed Wren-Babblers can be found foraging close to the ground alongside leafy trails, while the gorgeous Redheaded Trogon and the retiring White-gorgeted Flycatcher favour the shadier areas of the forest. In scrub and secondary growth and along the forest edge we may find Pale-footed, Brownish-flanked and Russet Bush Warblers, and Greybacked Shrike. Uncommon specialities that we will be on the lookout for include Green Cochoa, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler and the very localized Short-tailed Parrotbill. If we are really in luck we will come across the shy Bluenaped Pitta or the rare Purple Cochoa. Other birds we may well come across during our visit are Ashy Bulbul, Orangebellied Leafbird, Pallas s Leaf and Grey-cheeked Warblers, Blyth s Shrike-Babbler (split from White-browed), Collared Treepie and the spectacular Red-billed Blue Magpie. Day 21 After some early morning birding at Tam Dao we will head north to the limestone hills of Ba Be National Park, where we have an excellent chance of seeing the beautiful Whiteeared Night Heron. This very rare bird is now highly endangered and this recently discovered nesting area is one of the very few that are known. Day 22 After some final birding at Ba Be we will return to Hanoi, where the tour ends this afternoon. Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/ guesthouses are of normal Birdquest standard almost throughout. The guesthouse at Kham Duc is fairly simple, but all rooms have private bathrooms. Road transport is by small coach or minibus and roads are now generally good. Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy, but there are some longer walks. Climate: Most days at lower altitudes in the south will be warm or hot, dry and sunny. In the north and at higher altitudes in the south conditions range from warm to rather cool. Overcast weather is not infrequent and it may well rain. Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.