Ang Trapeang Thmor

Ang Trapeang Thmor, a world famous Sarus Crane reserve, was our day trip destination today from Siem Reap. 

BIRD OF THE DAY!!! Spotted Wood Owl

BIRD OF THE DAY!!! Spotted Wood Owl juvy

From Wikipedia; 

Ang Trapaing Thmor is a 129.06 km² protected forest in northwestern Cambodia that was established in 1999.^[1] The reserve was set aside to protect the rare eastern sarus crane (Grus antigone sharpii). Prior to the discovery of the crane at Trapaing Thmor, there were thought to be fewer than 1,000 of the birds left alive in the world.

The Sarus Crane, [Grus antigone] is an all-year resident breeding bird in northern Pakistan and India (especially Central India and the Gangetic plains), Nepal, Southeast Asia and Queensland, Australia. It is a very large crane, averaging 156 cm (5 ft) in length, which is found in freshwater marshes and plains.

distant Sarus Crane

Now it maybe a little ironic that we would spend our day chasing a bird that probably all of our group have seen in Queensland however the reserve is home to a wider range of species than merely the crane. Besides the crane is a symbol of the area and who knows what else we might see?

The reservoir dotted with egrets

Great Egrets with a few Littles

Spot billed Pelican

So 5-30am start for a two hour drive to the reserve. Our first stop was a reservoir where there were masses of birds. This was quite the spectacle and our breakfast view! Egrets were plentiful; both Great and Little and the very occasional Intermediate. Painted Storks, Spot-billed Pelicans, Cotton Pygmy Geese, three spp of Cormorant, Little Ringed Plover, Stilts, Pond herons, Little Grebe, Purple and Grey Herons rounded out the water birds.

Cotton Pygmy Geese

Stilts plus Little Egrets

Paddyfield Pipit

Little Grebe

No crane though; so the search continued.... out onto the flood plain with some locals, well versed in crane lore, were on the hunt. Long story short; after some Cambodian bottom massage via our Toyota four wheel drives bouncing on tracks designed for buffalo, we found some. A few in number and screened by heat haze. 

we reached a dot on the flood plain in our 4WD concoy

Water though was creeping from who knows where across the recently burned ground and with it came birds.   Open billed Storks, Wood and I believe Marsh Sandpipers, Egrets and hawking above them, Black Drongos and Stonechat.

The Gang

Our convoy

Asian Openbill Stork

Raptors were here, too! A magnificent Steppe Eagle was perched as were some smaller Great Spotted Eagles. Black winged Kites were about as were some distant Harriers; probably Pied.  

Not Partridges but Eagles 

Steppe Eagle

Steppe Eagle

Great Spotted Eagles

After our fill of these spp we went on an owl hunt that our local birders knew about; Spotted Wood Owl and Barn Owls. We scored great views of these species and while we were in the area we saw a nive flock of Black Kite. Here was also White throated Kingfisher and, a new bird, Rufous Treepie. 

Panorama of Sarus Crane site

baby rat pf some description...

Barn Owl

Rufous Treepie

Add caption

Add caption

Stonechat male

One more stop before our lunch scored us a wonderful lizard; an Agamid with a striking blue head. While we were watching our first Woodpecker flew by; a Spot chested.

Blue Forest Lizard

Blue Forest Lizard

Spot breasted Woodpecker

Our itinerary boasted of the chance of seeing 'Herds of the Critically Endangered Eld’s Deer'. Sadly this deer appears to be in deep trouble and it has not been seen so far this season. Conservation efforts, perhaps captive breeding, is necessary! For those in the know we need another Pere David Deer Story!

Lilly and our local lunch cooks!!

Lunch was wonderful! A make shift cafe had been established under a traditional Cambodian House and a room had been screened off with green cloth while some local ladies had been tasked with supplying our food. They did not do it by halves; fish soup, stir fried broccoli and cauliflower, omelette, curried pumpkin, shredded and fried ginger, and, of course, rice. Needless to say, despite our best efforts there remained food on the table....