Yonok Wetlands Project – (Conservation initiative)

Yonok Wetlands- Chiang Saen lakes - Little England & Mekong River.

How to visit us: A rough guide to our daily routine is that we visit the wetlands early morning and again in the late afternoon evening. Our normal daily activity is birding and dealing with any issues related to Yonok that we see as we go along. This and the fact that we are our own boss allow us freedom to take time out for visitors.

Dowroong and Mick Davies; are highly experienced “field birders”. We have studied extensively the birding areas surrounding Chiang Saen and Thailand for 10 years. We specialize in migration, roosting bird habitats and advise on areas of scientific importance.

Best times to visit:

Mornings are the good time for visitor who wishes to see what the Yonok has to offer. There are a variety of areas and habitats in and around Yonok and Chiang Saen and with a stay of lets say 3 days one would see most of the birds.

Afternoon - evening is a good and more reliable option for seeing some specialties. As birds are going to roost. Harriers coming in to roost is spectacular and will be a highlight of any Birding trip to Thailand.

Full day trips: are available for more distant locations and specialist trips.

Activities: If you wish hike we can walk through the Wetland and the driver will pick us up at designated places. A mixture of walking and driving is the best way of viewing the wetlands.

Wat Pamak No; is a beautiful Temple, set in the heart of Yonok, remote and tourist free. The wetland adjacent to the Wat has a most impressive Harrier roost the largest in South east Asia.

The Mekong river is famous for some interesting shorebirds such as Long-billed plover, Pratincole and River Lapwing.

The route to the east to Chiang kong is quite beautiful along the river. There are two areas of forest which have waterfalls and a number of fascinating temples. We are friends with a number of Abbots and Monks who live solitary lives and it is possible to visit on occasions.

Little England is a Harrier roost and Grass Owl breeding site with a number of interesting birds to see.

We vary the route to make for the most interesting spots at the time of visiting.

Group Size: The ideal number of people on a birding / nature trip is up to 4. However we can easily accommodate larger groups.

Transport: We will collect and drop you off at your Hotel, as long as you’re fairly local they're will be no extra charge. We don't charge for distance traveled as we take you to the places we consider to be best on that day.  You are welcome to use your own transport.

Duration; 4 hours in the morning, 7am start or a time of your choosing, (its not really worth starting earlier as it's often a foggy start. 3 hours in the afternoon, we are very flexible and if we are seeing birds we are happy to extend the time. If you want to see the grass Owls, you will probably be out until 7pm.

Trip Details; Our trips are tailored to suit your personal requirements. Please email me with your proposed itinerary and requirements. Number of persons and if you require transport.

Costs; are variable and dependant on your requirements.

All the proceeds go direct into the project fund. We are seriously out of pocket in maintaining our project, however I do intend to continue.  

Accommodation: Ian & Vanssana Smith has been a champion of the Yonok Wetlands project and their Viang Yonok, hotel is highly recommended. The Hotel makes for a perfect base from which to explore.

Accommodation: Chiang Saen: If you wish to stay in the town there are several guest houses, Hotel and a number of small resorts. If you book with us we can make arrangements for you. We do not receive commission for this and you will pay the standard rate.

Donations to Yonok: Please consider donating. We have archived amazing results for conservation. Viang Yonok is pleased to accept donations on our behalf.

Friends of Yonok; is a fund for raising money for the maintaining Yonok Wetlands Project. Please join with us.

YONOK WETLANDS Project is Direct Action for Conservation - Our Project was born out of necessity and not design.

The work of Yonok Wetlands Project (Mick & Dowroong) has highlighted to conservation bodies in Thailand the national importance of the area as a whole for urgent conservation. The area is now declared as The Chiang Saen Basin and is a joint conservation initiative with Yonok Wetlands and The Bird Conservation Society of Thailand. This is one of only three major conservation projects undertaken by the BCST in Thailand. However money is apparently in short supply and we do not receive any funds.

Yonok Wetlands project - Area Map 1 Yonok - Pa Mak No - Harrier & Owl roosts 1b Yonok - Nong Lom- Harrier & Owl roosts 2 Mekong - sand bars - breeding & roosting 3 Mekong - riverine habitat - Jerdons Bushchat 4 Border riverine wetlands 5 Little England - Harrier & Owl roosts 6 Chiang Saen Lake - Non Hunting area 7 kok River flood plain - Jerdon's Bushchat. Tha area as a whole is now "Non Hunting"

Yonok Wetland is project; supported by friends, We work in close harmony with Local people and communities, explaining the need for conversation, and upholding the values of Buddhist teaching, not to kill and to care for ones family, nature and our environmental future.

We work with Schools, Temples conservation groups, CSL Non Hunting Area and BCST. The police and River police as well as Local government people, many of whom now have a desire to help with conservation and protection off wildlife as a result of Dowroong campaign for conservation.

We have set up Dowroong's woman conservation groups and have a large waiting list and we need to expand while the interest is keen. The woman group is ever ready to attend functions and actively help with conservation matters in the field.

We have now achieved a high level of respect from the Abbots and Monks at the Temple of Ba Mak No. The monks have made for us a floating raft for viewing harriers at close range. They also constructed a platform overlooking the harrier roost. And providing us with an office and display

Please have a look at the Yonok Wetlands website for full details.   http://yonokwetlands.awardspace.com/

Contact us by email; Letting us know your best options and dates for visiting Yonok. If you provide an arrival date and rough time we will provide a meeting point, directions, map and our mobile number.

Contacts email:  mickdavies2000@gmail.com      

Bird Specialties: Pied Harrier, Eastern Marsh Harrier, White-browed and Ruddy Crake, Watercock, Swamp hen, Pheasant-tailed & Bronze-winged Jacana, River, Red-wattled & grey-headed lapwing, Long-billed Plover, Painted Snipe, Pratincoles, Pallas Gull, Grass Owl and many other Water bids Herons, Bitterns, Ducks and Waders.

Passerines include; Cuckoos, Hoopoe, Roller, Wryneck, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Blue-winged & Hooded Pitta, Barbets, several species of Pipit, and Bunting and the beautiful Red Avadavat.

Helping Conservation: If you decide to use our services you will be supporting Yonok Wetlands and Chiang Saen lake. A pointworth consideration is: In order for us to protect the Wetlands we have to give the local people a reason to stop hunting and to preserve the local habitat.

We are committed to helping the villages to extract some financial gain from our project. In the way of fees for services, guiding, driving, structural work, sales and Home Stay. Ian and Vassana Smith, like our selves work with local people and are firmly in support of the Wetland community.

Thai villagers have suffered at the hands of commercial exploitation to the extent that most of the trees have been cut down, leaving little shade and protection from the sun.

Birds and particularly Animals have been drastically reduced in numbers and sold for export or the diner plate of expensive restaurants.

We at Yonok intend to get it back buy planting Trees along the avenues and restoring the wildlife.

In supporting us you will be helping to save this area for the future of both people and wildlife. You will also contributing to a project that is understanding of humanity. The future of this World is in changing attitudes.

Accommodation: A variety of accommodation is available in the Chiang Saen area, by the lake and in Town.

Ian Smith has been a champion of the Yonok Wetlands project and his Viang Yonok, hotel is highly recommended. Ian has offered a birders discount if you mention the Yonok Wetlands Project when you book.

We can also recommenced the better guest houses in town. We do not receive commission for this.

More details see Voluteer page:

Volunteers: Environmental Studies, Bird Survey and Teaching - Click Here.

A quick word: We have now achieved a high level of respect from the Abbots and Monks at the Temple of Ba Mak No. The monks have made for us a floating raft for viewing harriers at close range. They are also constructing a platform overlooking the harrier roost. And providing us with an office and display. The warmth we feel from them and our mutual respect means that I am committed to supporting them, if an when problems arise.

Dowroong has had to work very hard for the Temple this week with negotiations, regarding a local argument over land ownership, at one stage it looked like all the work they had archived at Wat Viang Cum would be lost. I believe due to her struggles this week, that the monks have made this very fine gesture.

Yonok - Chiang Saen - Doi Pha Hom Pok & Northern Thailand.

Birds - Nature - Temples & Rural Life - Thai Culture.

Guided Tours, Excursions, Holidays and Shorter Trips.

Tailored Trips and Holidays:

We specialize only in areas where we have an interest and have good knowledge.

We can provide you with a variety of tailored: Excursions and Holidays and shorter trips: We have great experience of camping out in wild places. For visitors requiring a more comfortable trip we can provide you with a good selection of Hotels and Guest houses.

Chiang Saen:

Locations around Yonok: Chiang Saen lake, The Mekong river and Little England and a number of hidden away locations over a wider area. Chiang Saen is an interesting birding area, having a variety of wetland habits and secondary forests. the landscape is of wide horizons and a large number of Birds can be seen, particularly in winter.

Yonok and Little England have specialties of Grass Owl and Pied and Marsh Harriers, the Harrier roost here are the largest in Thailand and this is the only known area for Grass Owl in Thailand. Chiang saen lake is well known for wintering wildfowl and in some years rarities can be found. Last winter was particularly good: see "records".

Chiang Saen: Is a pleasant Thai town situated by the Mekong; A wide range of accommodation is available and there are resultants overlooking the sandbars on the river.

Tha Ton and Northern Mountains:

This is a favorite area of ours. The Northern Mountains of Doi Pa Hom Pok are unrivaled in Thailand for the numbers of birds that can be seen and many rare and local are located here.

Tha Ton is one of the most beautiful riverside villages in all Thailand. Impressive to see the Buddhist Hill side Temples as one approaches from the east. Sadly the Tha Don paddies are much reduced now. However they're is still good birding to be had. The valleys and paddies can be good for migrants, we found a 100+ Amur falcons 3 years ago. Tha Ton has a wide variety of acclamation and good riverside restaurants.

Chiang Mai Areas: Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep:

Doi Inthanon: is a famed destination hot spot for birders and Mr Daeng has long been established here, his shop with a birders log is world famous. I mention him as he has given me much advice on where to find birds on Doi Inthanon over the years. A variety of options here for the birder and we will be pleased to tailor a trip for you.

Doi Inthanon: is Thailand's highest mountain and the top is accessible by road. Along this road of some 40klm are located a number of birding trails. The National Park HQ and Mr Deang (opposite side) are at klm 30 ish. This is the only area in the park for accommodation. However we do have some alternatives, and Mr Daeng can provide fairly basic accom and camping. I will be checking this out as I've not visited for a while.

Minimum duration 5 days, advance deposit required.

Bird guiding in Thailand; As I understand matters forieners are not allowed to work in Thailand and this is certaily true in my case as I have not earned any money here in the 6 years I've lived here.

Basicaly I have the dubious distinction of being an unpaid chaufer, genral dogs body and organizer, occaisionaly consuted on ornithological matters.

Dowroong Danlamajak - Thailand Birding - Guide Extraordinaire.

Evolution in action.

By Mick Davies

Dowroong and I started our journeys in December 2001. She was not a birder when we met and soon took an interest in spotting birds. On the 24th we visited Nam Nao NP and I noticed something odd, she was birding for herself, I watched as she moved slowly observing birds as she progressed and from where I was sitting I could see only a few common birds. Dowroong came over and asked for the field guide, and described a bird "Long-tailed Broadbill" Wow, I missed it. At that moment I knew she had talent.

January we traveled to Wha Kha Kaeng, where we found evidence of Tiger, sadly, this worked against us and we had our movements restricted by the WLS, for our own safety they say.

February 7th Narathiwat: We stayed at the Narathiwat Hotel, Swallows were flying up and down the river. Dowroong said "those swallows look different" I replied they're just Barn Swallows, later that day she informed me of my error. I think they are Pacific she proclaimed. Bit embarrassing for me and something I've had to get used too.

I have a particular attitude to life and "Teaching" and I like to see others develop in they're own way, and so I just leave Dowroong to learn from within herself. We do discuss bird identification and in depth at times, where shapes, habits and calls are concerned and anything else that she could not find out for herself. But, mostly I leave it to her.

As us our journey progressed around Thailand, I began to get an inkling as to her ability. We saw a Peregrine at Bung Borerphet, fairly common in Thailand but a bird not often seen.

We were traveling by motor bike and Dowroong saw several Peregrines "from the back of the bike" . As I was riding I didn't see them and after the third one I began to wonder how could someone new to birding, only having seen one Peregrine, could see them so regularly and so I made sure I would stop and check them out. I have to say! She's red hot on Peregrines and other raptors, almost never wrong. Amazing eye for detail at range.

It was when we researched the Birds of Kui Buri NP and Yang Chum Lake that she really shined. Our long daily treks into the jungle, where she always found many more birds than me, often I didn't see them.

Gradually she amassed a list of out of range species, I must admit I had reservations and she used to get a little cross if I made any suggestion that she may be mistaken. However I eventually saw most of them and could thus verify those records. We all make errors but in Dowroong it's rare and she learns well from any mistakes.

She also always counts more Harrier's than me, again I had know need to worry. I remember saying one time have you got those ones (in a way of checking her out) She replied "I only count when they pass that point and I disregard birds going the wrong way". I am amazed how someone can work all this out for themselves.

When we discovered the Harrier roost at Nong Han Kumawappie, she counted most of the 300+ Harriers while I watched from a different position, this was and maybe is still the largest roost in Thailand.

I have always been a lone birder, but I spent a great deal of my birding time with friends at Dungeness, Foreness, Shellness and many other migration watch points and so I learned my birding by listening to some of the more experienced birders.

In particular Dave Davenport, (the Late Pete Grant and Tim Ruck), Tim Inskip and younger birders like, Francis Soly, have been the most reliable with field skills (thousands of hours "Sea & Migration Watching").

Don Taylor inspired me with his daily recording of his local patch at Langley Park Farm, demonstrating that constant effort birding pays off, even in a low migration area, highly interesting data can be found.

I also gained a lot of knowledge from Nick Riddiford who I have to say was a brilliant warden at Dungeness Bird Observatory, Nick had a lot of ideas with regard to Bird Ringing and I learnt my ringing skills from him and lets say the more scientific side of birding (Taxonomy etc). Nick was a great motivator, by getting people out in the area on likely good days. I have to say my birding ability was improved enormously at Dungeness during that period.

I would like to say that I have the utmost admiration for what I term as Local Field Birders, who I know put in a vast amount of effort in accumulating field data, these birders and like myself and Dowroong are mostly unpaid, we do it out of interest fun and a love of birding. Many of these field birders are amongst the most skilled birders in the world.

I have a great interest in Raptors and we have over the years discussed many structural points. Here is an interesting fact, obviously Dowroong has learned a lot from my own identification skills which have passed to her. To the extent that she has learned the shapes and we are now equal and we trust each others judgment.

I remember at Tha Don we found a number of Amur Falcons, one looked suspiciously like an Oriental Hobby and I was trying to get a decent view. I realized that there were loads of Amur's and I said, I think we should count these. She relied! "I have 38", this girls out thinking me now.

Dowroong has been a birder now for just 6 years, however as I am a full time birder, she has gained 2000 bird days of experience, a life time for many. She is also an amazing spotter and has a knack of picking out interesting species.

Frank

Just yesterday, I had a look through the diving duck, nothing of interest and I left her with the scope, when I returned she had found 7 Baers Pochard, She makes me feel incompetent sometimes (I'm not a great fan of searching through groups of ducks, particularly when they are in semi eclipse).

My only regret about not taking her to England is this "She would have done so real damage there, with rarity finding"

I have written this article as I believe in giving credit to those who deserve it - Mick Davies.

I am still working on this page and will complete ASAP - Mick.