Similan Islands Birdwatching
Part of our ongoing series of information regarding the Similan Islands and activities above the water!
This is taken from the amazing site – Similans.net, a great resource for everything you need to know about the Similan Islands.
Mu Ko Similan Marine National Park
This is a great place to stop and recover from the rigours of birding in the hot, sweaty forests on the mainland, with a chance of seeing a few good birds and maybe adding to the list of birds seen in the National Park
The best time to visit the Ko Similan is between December and April, when the weather is fine and the sea clear, making for good snorkeling and safer travel.
The scenery at Mu Ko Similan is spectacular, with the colors of grey rocky outcrops, white sandy beaches, lush green rainforest and clear blue seas contrasting with one another. Sunsets can be a wonderful sight here too, with it being the last place in Thailand to see the sun set each day! A visit to the Similan Islands is likely to be one that is remembered a long time after returning home.
HIGHLIGHTS
Most birders who make the trip to Ko Similan do so to see the Nicobar Pigeons which are seldom-seen bird due to the inaccessibility of the islands upon which they live. In March 2004 these were easily seen foraging around the toilets and tents in the campsite on Ko Miang (island number 4) which is a very pleasant place to stay for a few days. Other highlights are the close up views and large numbers of Pied Imperial Pigeons, and regular sightings of White-bellied Sea Eagle.
At dusk this island comes alive with fruit bats, clouds of them noisily fighting over the fruit in the trees. If you have a phobia of bats, this isn’t the place for you!
FINDING BIRDS
Finding birds on Ko Miang doesn’t take a lot of effort due to its small size. Currently, very few species have been recorded in Mu Ko Similan National Park, so there is potential to add to this list.
Nicobar Pigeons can be easily seen in and around the campsite. I found the early morning to be the easiest time to see them foraging around the tents, but it was possible to see them later in the day, especially in the damp areas behind the toilets. They are very tame, allowing people to approach within a few meters and offering plenty of time to take photos even with the smallest of cameras.
Pied Imperial Pigeons were numerous throughout the island but it seemed easiest to get good views of them from the water at Had Lek (small beach). When I was there in March 2004 they would come to fruit trees along the bay to feed a few hours before dusk. They were particularly acrobatic in their approach to landing and can be spotted quite far away due to the contrasting colors of their plumage and the forest. Not quite as tame as the Nicobar Pigeons, they fed on fruit only a few meters above the beach and could be approached to within about 10 meters.
White-bellied Sea Eagles can be seen anywhere around the National Park, but were particularly visible from Hat Yai (big beach) in the early morning and late afternoon.
Birding Trails
There are a few places to walk and find birds on Ko Miang;
Trail 1: This starts behind the bungalows on the west of Had Yai and runs for about one kilometer. It goes through some good-looking forest leading to a view point on a rocky outcrop. This is apparently the most westerly point in Thailand and consequently the last place in the country to see the sun set. If you go to see the sunset be sure to take a torch as the trail is quite rocky and dangerous in the dark.
Trail 2: This short trail leads from Hat Yai to Had Lek, lasting about 350 metees. The forest is very lush and there are hundreds of roosting bats in the trees. In the early morning this trail contained a few interesting birds including Forest Wagtail and White-breasted Waterhen.
Trail 3: This trail starts about halfway along trail 2, lasting about 500 meters and takes the walker very steeply up to a view point. Towards the end it is necessary to use ropes to pull oneself up huge boulders to the top, so wear good shoes here. From the top is a spectacular view across Had Yai and Pied Imperial Pigeons can be seen flying around the tree tops. I also saw a single Green Imperial Pigeon along this trail on my visit. It would be a very good idea to climb this trail early in the morning before the temperature rises too high!
Had Yai campsite: This large campsite contains many mature trees with feeding Pied Imperial Pigeons, Asian Koels and Collared Kingfishers easily seen from the tent as well as the star of the show; Nicobar Pigeon on the ground. Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle can be seen from the beach itself.
Had Lek: This is where the best views of pied imperial pigeon are easily had. Collared Kingfisher and Pacific Reef Egret can also be found here. Snorkelling from this beach is recommended too, it is sheltered and uncrowded but the water is fairly deep.
BIRDS FOUND ON SIMILAN ISLANDS
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Khao Lak Diving
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