Tam Dao national park closed? (1 Viewer)

James Lowther said:

Andy,
I’m not sure what point you’re making here?
What used to be the ‘water tank trail’ is now a paved road at the start, changing into a gravel road, and eventually carrying on as a forest trail. This is not the track below Cong Troi on the map, it’s the one *past* Cong troi. In total there’s *at least* 4km worth of road/ gravel track/trail past the gate (in fact you can in theory go all the way to the top of Tam Dao north mountain if you take a side trail). All through what was at least until early 2017 good habitat.
This is where all the birds are, it’s where ficedula went last year, it’s where me and Alan want to go. I would bet it’s where you went in 2002!
But, in the last year or so, people have been turned away at the gate that *now* sits at the start of the road/trail.
This is not me being dense, misunderstanding the layout etc. This is a genuine potential problem. The only alternative route into decent habitat is the tv tower steps which has very much less potential for birding.
Hopefully Alan will report positive news in March.
Cheers
James
P.s. having researched it’s apparent the whole Tam Dao range including the town has been a np since 1996. So if you keep a list of nps you’ve visited you can celebrate an armchair tick

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I'm just trying to understand what is left of the trail and if they've extended it, don't forget that I HAVE been there albeit a while ago and recognise the layout from the map.

If that's the trail going up past Cong Troi, I don't think it's the original trail though it starts in the same place and that's what I was trying to understand. The old trail was relatively level, no real uphill which this looks to be. On the old trail, you could in places, look down in to the valley to the left (this is where we saw the Cochoas), you won't be able to do that if this is the new route. I think that the old trail, ran below and parallel to that ridge that runs left to right just above Cong Troi unless my mind is totally gone!

I'm just trying to understand how it's changed, I have no 'point'.


A

Extract of some of the birds seen at Tam Dao from our report, March 02

White-browed Piculet 4 seen along start of water tank trail.

Blue-naped Pitta Heard on 3 occasions, up to 2 calling back to tape from dense cover but not seen.

Green Cochoa 1 heard and seen, along water tank trail prior to the water tank.

Purple Cochoa 1 heard and taped in using playback, beside the water tank.

NB. Cochoas were heard several times which weren’t seen, so were not identified.

White-gorgeted Flycatcher Only 1 sighting, between the water tank and where the trail splits into 3.

Chestnut Bulbul Only 1 seen, when taped in along water tank trail.

Asian Stubtail 2 seen.

Slaty-bellied Tesia 1 heard daily and taped in several times, by the pile of stones, near the start of the water tank trail.

Grey Laughingthrush Very noisy flocks of these seen daily.

Black-throated Laughingthrush Single birds heard, but not seen despite taping, several times.

Red-billed Scimitar-babbler 3 sightings: 4 seen in a mixed feeding flock and other singles taped in using playback. Usually at mid-level or higher.

Coral-billed Scimitar-babbler 1 sighting of a bird in a mixed feeding flock-near where the trail splits into 3. Tried taping after seeing but did not get views of this skulking bird.

Large Scimitar-babbler 4 sightings of up to 4 birds (heard calling regularly).

Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler 1 single seen near the 3-way trail split.

Streaked Wren-babbler 1 sighting.

Spot-necked Babbler Regularly heard, and easily taped in using playback, in the town itself and along water tank trail.

White-hooded Babbler 1 seen in a mixed flock with Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbills, near the 3-way split, and 1 other sighting of 3+ birds in a large bird wave.

Black-chinned Yuhina 2 sightings, near the start of the water-tank trail.

Short-tailed Parrotbill 1 seen in a large mixed feeding-flock (just before the large clearing at the top of a bank, just after coming into the first area of open forest).

Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill 4+ in a large feeding flock with White-hooded Babbler and Grey
Laughingthrushes, near the area where the trail splits 3-ways.

Fork-tailed Sunbird Recorded on most days-near the start of the trail.

Tristram’s Bunting 1 seen feeding on the trail-near the beginning of the trail.

Chestnut Bunting 1 also seen feeding on the path, near the head of the trail.

A

ok cheers Andy,
it's possible the layout has changed a bit in the intervening years, but if it has, the old trailhead you describe starting on the lower road definitely no longer exists and the key birding site is the upper road/trail past the gate. This passes through a very similar area and is or was according to all reports very good for the key species, but it may or may not be accessible currently.
It's a shame as your list is pretty appetising and although i've not seen cochoas on the recent trip reports everything else will be there, if we can only get to it.
all the best,
James

p.s. i think the satellite image is a bit deceptive, the shaded area is not a ridge but one side of a stream valley running down across the main slope. Check out the contours on the topographical view

James Lowther said:

ok cheers Andy,
it's possible the layout has changed a bit in the intervening years, but if it has, the old trailhead you describe starting on the lower road definitely no longer exists and the key birding site is the upper road/trail past the gate. This passes through a very similar area and is or was according to all reports very good for the key species, but it may or may not be accessible currently.
It's a shame as your list is pretty appetising and although i've not seen cochoas on the recent trip reports everything else will be there, if we can only get to it.
all the best,
James

p.s. i think the satellite image is a bit deceptive, the shaded area is not a ridge but one side of a stream valley running down across the main slope. Check out the contours on the topographical view

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I don't mean the shaded area as the ridge James, there's an obvious line, perhaps a small land slip where the overganging trees cast shade, running just above Cong Troi at approx 10 O'clock and bisecting the trail.

The old trail I'm sure ran well below this, certainly not up, regardless, it's the same area.

I'll be curious to find out from you, if you actually see the water tank after which the trail is named. It should be on the right side but is easily missed. I think, that if the trail does go up as indicated, it may no longer actually pass the water tank?


A

Some nice photos from Tam Dao on Bob Longhorn’s twitter feed @BobLonghorn2

Hopefully a promising sign

James

James Lowther said:

Some nice photos from Tam Dao on Bob Longhorn’s twitter feed @BobLonghorn2

Hopefully a promising sign

James

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Think he has mis-labelled his parrotbill!

Red-collared Woodpecker is a massive bird to get!!!! Very few people get this bird, hardest 'Pecker' to see in Asia.

Parrotbill is Short-tailed.

I think the Wren Babbler is Streaked not Limestone.



A

Not sure I agree about the wren babbler, no white tips visible on coverts.

Anyway, Bob confirms that he was able to access the contour trail past the guard house so hopefully whatever disruption there was is now over. Still be interested to hear how Alan gets on

Cheers

James

James Lowther said:

Not sure I agree about the wren babbler, no white tips visible on coverts.

Anyway, Bob confirms that he was able to access the contour trail past the guard house so hopefully whatever disruption there was is now over. Still be interested to hear how Alan gets on

Cheers

James

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Those tips can wear and be tough to see.

Robson doesn't illustrtate Limestone well at all IMHO and I had to check a few other books to see the grey face illustrated.

It is Limestone, I was deceived by Robson.

It's interesting to note from our previous trip that when we were taping for this species in Vietnam, both Sam Woods and I were having trouble with the ID. We were playing Limestone recordings but at least a couple of birds came to the tape that we thought were Streaked.



A

Recently returned from Vietnam I can unfortunately confirm that the National Park access road beyond the park gate and the various trails that start from the end of the road (including the contour trail) are officially closed. No English signage so cannot say why.

If you are that way inclined it is possible to circumvent the closure by arriving at the gate before it is manned (before 6am seemingly) but you will be told off afterwards (in Vietnamese) so trying this on successive days possibly not a great idea.

The other birding site in Tam Dao is the tv tower steps. These are hit and miss, my first visit in somewhat foggy weather yielded 7 birds of 2 species over the course of 3 hours, however subsequent visits were much better. However, without access to the National Park Tam Dao is definitely not such a good area to visit. I would have thought birders with Vietnamese guides/fixers will manage to talk their way in as there were quite a few Vietnamese visitors who seemed to get in, however independent travelers will struggle.

Andy will be devastated to hear that the water tank is no more.

Cheers

James