AVITOURISM<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The Avitourist\u2019s Guide to Central Thailand<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Spoon-billed Sandpiper<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a9 Kim Tae-Young<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t In December 2019 and January 2020, I spent six weeks in Bangkok for family reasons, and was able to visit most of the widely known birdwatching sites in central Thailand.\u00a0 I report here on 21 magnets for avitourism.\u00a0 All are within three hours\u2019 drive of the Bangkok metropolitan area.\u00a0 \u00a0More…<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Avitourist Sites near Bangkok<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Bang Kachao.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 Selected as \u201cAsia\u2019s best urban oasis\u201d in one survey, Bang Kachao is a peculiar anomaly: a floodplain forest directly across the river from downtown Bangkok…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Bang Phra.<\/strong><\/em><\/a> The eastern shore of Bang Phra Reservoir in Chon Buri is a wildlife refuge that contains an interesting mosaic of habitats, supporting a high diversity of birds…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Khok Kham.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 The most accessible location where Spoon-billed Sandpiper<\/strong><\/a> has been seen reliably in recent years is a set of salt pans about 30 km southwest of Bangkok…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The Avitourist\u2019s Guide to Jamaica<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Red-billed Streamertail<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a9 Ignacio Y\u00fafera<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t For birdwatchers, Jamaica is a target-rich environment.\u00a0 Its 30 endemic species rank 16th among countries worldwide.\u00a0 Compared to the other large Caribbean islands, Jamaica offers the best odds of a clean sweep, as none of its endemics is especially difficult to find.\u00a0 It is even possible (though not likely) to find all of these birds at a single site.\u00a0 \u00a0More…<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Avitourist Sites in Jamaica<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Ecclesdown Road.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 In the foothills of the John Crow Mountains, this is the only place where all of Jamaica\u2019s endemic bird species have been seen…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Hardwar Gap.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 Just 45 minutes from Kingston, this is the most accessible cloud forest in Jamaica, and home to most of its endemics…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Stewart Town.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 A short drive from Montego Bay, Falmouth, and Ocho Rios, this is the most convenient site in Cockpit Country…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t San San.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 Combining a seaside vacation with ecotourism at a single site…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Endemic Birds of Jamaica<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Ring-tailed Pigeon<\/a> \/ Crested Quail-Dove<\/a> \/ Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo<\/a> \/ Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo<\/a> \/ Jamaican Owl<\/a> \/ Jamaican Mango<\/a> \/ Red-billed Streamertail<\/a> \/ Black-billed Streamertail<\/a> \/ Jamaican Tody<\/a> \/ Jamaican Woodpecker<\/a> \/ Black-billed Parrot<\/a> \/ Yellow-billed Parrot<\/a> \/ Jamaican Parakeet<\/a> \/ Small Jamaican Elaenia<\/a> \/ Large Jamaican Elaenia<\/a> \/ Jamaican Pewee<\/a> \/ Sad Flycatcher<\/a> \/ Rufous-tailed Flycatcher<\/a> \/ Jamaican Becard<\/a> \/ Jamaican Vireo<\/a> \/ Blue Mountain Vireo<\/a> \/ Jamaican Crow<\/a> \/ \u201cJamaican Solitaire\u201d<\/a> \/ White-eyed Thrush<\/a> \/ White-chinned Thrush<\/a> \/ Jamaican Euphonia<\/a> \/ Jamaican Oriole<\/a> \/ Jamaican Blackbird<\/a> \/ Arrowhead Warbler<\/a> \/ Jamaican Spindalis<\/a> \/ Orangequit<\/a> \/ Yellow-shouldered Grassquit<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Yellow-billed Parrot<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a9 Lee Hunter<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The Avitourist\u2019s Guide to the Dominican Republic<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Hispaniolan Trogon<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a9 Dax Rom\u00e1n<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Hispaniola is the central land mass of the West Indies.\u00a0 It has the highest mountains, the largest lakes, and the longest rivers in the region.\u00a0 So it is not surprising that it also has the most endemic birds, with 36 (or so) species that are confined to the island and its satellites.\u00a0 All but two of Hispaniola\u2019s endemics can be found in the southwestern corner of the Dominican Republic.\u00a0 \u00a0More…<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Avitourist Sites in the Dominican Republic<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Zapot\u00e9n.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 At the crest of the Sierra de Bahoruco, this remote site and the road up to it can produce nearly all of Hispaniola\u2019s endemic bird speciess…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Alcoa Road.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 Unique in the Sierra de Bahoruco, this relic of an old bauxite mine provides quiet, paved, easily drivable access to prime mountain forest habitat….<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Rabo de Gato Trail.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 A remarkably productive path through a patch of streamside woodland tucked into a valley in the parched northern foothills of the Sierra de Bahoruco…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Sabana de la Mar.<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0 The largest remaining humid lowland forest on Hispaniola is the last stronghold of Ridgway\u2019s Hawk…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Endemic Birds of Hispaniola<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Ridgway\u2019s Hawk<\/a> \/ \u201cHispaniolan Sharp-shinned Hawk\u201d<\/a> \/ White-fronted Quail-Dove<\/a> \/ Bay-breasted Cuckoo<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo<\/a> \/ Ashy-faced Owl<\/a> \/ \u201cHispaniolan Burrowing Owl\u201d<\/a> \/ Least Pauraque<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Nightjar<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Mango<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Emerald<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Trogon<\/a> \/ Narrow-billed Tody<\/a> \/ Broad-billed Tody<\/a> \/ Antillean Piculet<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Woodpecker<\/a> \/ \u201cHispaniolan Kestrel\u201d<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Parrot<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Parakeet<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Elaenia<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Pewee<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Kingbird<\/a> \/ Flat-billed Vireo<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Palm Crow<\/a> \/ White-necked Crow<\/a> \/ Golden Swallow<\/a> \/ La Selle Thrush<\/a> \/ Palmchat<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Crossbill<\/a> \/ Antillean Siskin<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Euphonia<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Oriole<\/a> \/ Black-crowned Palm-Tanager<\/a> \/ Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager<\/a> \/ White-winged Warbler<\/a> \/ Green-tailed Warbler<\/a> \/ Hispaniolan Spindalis<\/a> \/ Western Chat-Tanager<\/a> \/ Eastern Chat-Tanager<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/SpoonbilledSandpiper25-300x240.png\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/RbStreamertail20-225x300.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/YellowbilledParrot1-300x214.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/HispTrogon7-e1560968872729-209x300.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/HispaniolanEuphonia3-300x212.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t