Paddy Field Coffee @ Chiang Dao

After our quick birding session, is time to chill out at this very remote area. Can we get a cup of cold cold ice blended coffee?

 Well, the answer is yes! After checking with the locals, we were pointed to this direction. We must first go through this raised path built with bamboo.

 Wow! What a nice cafe out of no where. Rustic but full of charms.

 Peep through the window, the barista is busy preparing my drink.

 What a nice way to end the day watching sun set with cup of ice blended coffee.

 You can choose to face the river

Or face the paddy field. This is life...

Chiang Dao Birding Trip Day 1

After checking to my accommodation at Chiang Dao, it was already 4.30pm. We have just a very short window period before sun set.

Our birding will concentrate around this river and this area was known to have high chance of kingfishers.

As this is the open area, the lighting in the afternoon was so bad that I can hardly see clearly. I saw something moving below the yam plant but I am not sure what it is initially. Not until after I process the photos.

It turn out that this is a White Wagtail subspecies Motacilla alba leucopsis also known as Amur Wagtail.

It has a black back, a large white wing panel, a white face and just a black breast band.

There are several of them, one move closer to my position after few minutes give me the opportunity to have a slightly better photo.

Side view of the White wagtail.

We are loosing light very fast and while we are on our way back, saw this Common tailorbird.

Also on the way back, I saw one more beautiful snake. Is a Red Necked Keelback. A very beautiful and docile snake, however, they are also very venomous and dangerous. They will bite if provoke and with the possibility of renal failure and death.

My Another New Birding Spot - Chiang Dao of North Thailand

These photos have been saved in my hard disk for 6 months and finally get to start processing it.

The entry point to this new birding spot of me is through Chiang Mai. Silk Air is the only direct flight to Chiangmai from Singapore.

The journey to Chiang Dao is about 3 hours. While on the way, we stop by at this cafe for lunch.

The owner not just know how to cook, and is good in landscaping too.

Well, visit North Thailand must always have Khao Soi (coconut curry noodle soup). I have one as my lunch.

My birding for the next 2 days is around this river.

My accommodation have a nice view too - really 开门见山. Which literally "open the door , get to see the mountain"

 This place have a viewing platform that is good for star gazing at night. I will try my luck to night.

This is the shot that I can't get in Singapore, almost no spot is totally without light pollution. I guess, I have to invest a wide angle lens next. This is the best that I can get with my 28mm lens.