Ho-Tuyen-Lam overview (Geof Grafton)





























Ho-Tuyen-Lam (Geof Grafton)





























 

 

 

 

 

HO-TUYEM-LAM MAP & LIST (Quang Trung Reservoir) 

VIETNAM

Region (Compass)

Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W 36,500ha topography 1,400-1,812m

Protected/registered status

Best Time for visit (11.04.97-26.04.97)

 

 

Birding Site Guide

Ho Tuyen Lam This reservoir situated south of Da Lat is only a few minutes drive from the town, and is the right turn off the main Saigon road before the entrance to Datania waterfall. From the dam, walk around to the left to a small chai stall, and here you will find a boat for hire. For the four of us we paid $20 for the return journey. The owner of the boat seemed to know quite well where we wanted to go. It was 6.00 am when we took the boat, and we arranged for him to collect us at 4pm. On this first trip across the water, the boat stopped to pick up a number of workers who were subsequently dropped farther down the lake. We were dropped at the Farmer's house as per the Nick Dymond report, and birded the trails that go into the forest from here. We had our first Cinnamon Bittern for the trip at the waters edge. Amazing views of a pair ofCutias, Grey-chinned Minivet, Black-throated Tit, Black Eagle, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Black-naped Oriole were just some of the interesting birds we found here. We tried to find the paths described by Nick Dymond as paths A and B, but found at this time of year, and probably all year round now, it was not possible to cross from the area where we were dropped to the second farmer's house. On this first day, however, there were a few men fishing close by, and we called them over and they very obligingly took us across the water, and returned for us later. The best bird in this area at this time of the day, which was becoming late afternoon, was a superb Besra.

On our second visit to the area we asked the boatman to take us into the reeds and weed, and to drop us on the bank which allowed us to follow the paths near the second farmer's house (which, incidently is only the size of a garden shed). The area is being systematically forested, and there a number of clearings and evidence of charcoal burning, but some of the smaller paths lead into largely undisturbed forest. If you encounter any local workman here they will be pleased to show you paths that are not easily found unless you know they are there. Some of the birds found here were new for the trip and included Bay Woodpecker, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Rufous-backed Sibia, Mugimaki Flycatcher and Little Spiderhunter. 

Species seen 

  • Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis HTL
  • Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus HTL, M/CT, NDL
  • Striated Heron Butorides striata HTL
  • Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis HTL
  • Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus HTL
  • Osprey Pandion haliaetus DL, HTL, VT
  • Besra Accipiter virgatus HTL
  • Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis BL, HTL
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus HTL
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos HTL
  • Mountain Imperial-Pigeon Ducula badia BL, DW, HTL
  • Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus HTL
  • Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri HTL,CT, NDL
  • House Swift Apus nipalensis many places
  • Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti BL, HTL
  • Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis HTL
  • Large Cuckoo-shrike Coracina macei HTL, CT
  • Gray-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris HTL
  • Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps BL, HTL
  • Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus many places
  • Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus DW, HTL, ML
  • Mountain Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii HTL, ML
  • Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavala HTL
  • Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus BL, DW, HTL, ML
  • Plain Prinia Prinia inornata HTL, CT, NDL
  • Oriental Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis DL, LKA, HTL, M/CT
  • Eastern Crowned Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus DW, HTL
  • Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps HTL
  • Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris HTL
  • Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki HTL
  • White-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula monileger HTL
  • Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus DW, HTL, ML
  • Large Niltava Niltava grandis HTL
  • Gray-headed Canary-flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis DW, HTL, ML
  • Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus HTL, M/CT
  • White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis DW, HTL, ML
  • Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi HTL
  • Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis HTL
  • Cutia Cutia nipalensis HTL
  • White-browed Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis DW, HTL, ML
  • Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis DW, HTL
  • Rufous-backed Sibia Heterophasia annectens HTL
  • Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus HTL
  • Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis DW, HTL, ML
  • Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae HTL, ML
  • Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra HTL
  • Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis HTL
  • Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella HTL, M/CT, CT
  • Burmese Shrike Lanius collurioides DW, HTL, ML
  • Rufous-winged Philentoma Philentoma pyrhoptera HTL
  • Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus HTL
  • Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius HTL, ML
  • Vinous-breasted Starling Acridotheres burmannicus many places
  • Black-collared Starling Gracupica nigricollis many places
  • Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata many places
  • Vietnamese Greenfinch Carduelis monguilloti HTL, ML


KEY

 

  • Bao Luc BL
  • Cat Tien CT
  • Da Lat DL
  • Datlana Waterfall DW
  • Ho Chin Minh city HCM
  • Ho Tuyen Lam HTL
  • Lean Khuong Airfield LKA
  • Madagui M
  • Mount Langbian ML
  • Nam Dac Lua NDL
  • Vung Tao VT
  • between places /

Author: BSG, Geof Grafton

www.birdingsiteguide.com