Wild Temples and Critical Wildlife trip report of a 5-day Cambodia birding tour in December 2022 with Sam Veasna Conservation Tours (SVC).
Dates: 19th to 23rd December 2022
Report Written By: Mardy Sean, SVC Bird Guide
SVC Client: 2 pax
Locations: Bengal Florican Grasslands, Betreed, Prey Veng Village, Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant
Total No. of Bird Species: 172 seen and heard
Map of Locations (not exact locations of birding spots):
Introduction
From the 19th to the 23rd of December 2022, Sam Veasna Conservation Tours led two clients from the United States across various sites in Cambodia. On the first day, we visited Bengal Florican Conservation Area in Preahoot Commune, Designated Bengal Florican Conservation Areas, the seasonally flooded grasslands of Kompong Thom and Siem Reap Provinces contain the largest known population of Bengal Florican – over 50% of the world’s population.
The next day, we continued to “Betreed”, located in Preah Vihear Province, the northern plain of Cambodia. Betreed Adventures is working on the frontline to protect the Phnom Tnout Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia: 42,000 hectares of Cambodian’s “savannah” land, or dry dipterocarp forest. Leaving this Betreed then we continue to “Prey Veng Village”.
Prey Veng is a small remote village deep in the Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary (KPWS). The flagship community eco-lodge is nestled on the banks of an Angkorian baray or reservoir which provides a permanent water source for both the community and wildlife and is just 400 meters from the spectacular ruins of an unvisited pre-Angkorian temple. Prey Veng is a remarkable year-round location not only for birdwatching but for wildlife and nature lovers with a sense of adventure to immerse themselves in real wild Cambodia.
The last place we visited during this trip is “Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant”, Our campsite at Boeng Toal lies close to the village of Dongphlet in Chepp district but is within Preah Vihear Wildlife Sanctuary, and the area around the vulture restaurant allows access to excellent dry deciduous forest containing many of the same species found at Prey Veng too.
Highlights of the tour
- Bengal Florican
- Sarus Crane
- Grey-headed Fish-eagle
- Rufous-winged Buzzard
- Slender-billed Vulture
- Red-headed Vulture
- White-rumped Vulture
- Black-headed Woodpecker
- Great Slaty Woodpecker
- Yellow-crowned Woodpecker
- Yellow-breasted Bunting
- Brown Boobook
- Brown Wood Owl
- Collared Scops Owl
- Oriental Scops Owl
- Siamese Fireback
- Green Peafowl
Trip Report
Day 1: Siem Reap to Betreed via Bengal Florican Grasslands
This morning, we depart from Siem Reap and sprawl into the grassland of Tonle Sap Lake. It took us around two hours to get into the most productive areas of “Preah Hoot” Grassland, which is located in Chikreng District, Siem Reap Province.
Meeting the local Community Guide, he then took us into the rice-field habitat, which the Bengal Florican have spotted the other day before we arrive. Following the path in the countryside, we can see a few Eastern Marsh Harriers, drifting over the harvested rice fields. We then cross the dried carnal and move along the natural Grassland the first bird we spotted on the field was the Woolly-necked Stork standing in the field by itself. In the sky which lights up by the bright colour of the sun, Painted Storks glide and flew to land in one of the small ponds in the water, where it still has some water and then they decided to feed together with Little, Intermediate, and the Great Egrets. While watching the Painted Stork flying over, we spotted one male Bengal Florican, was flying over the rice field around a few hundred meters from us and again we saw the other non-breeding male flying at the other side to the next field. Walking back from the Florican field, we saw Indochinese Roller and again many Little Green Bee-eaters happily foraging on the dried rice field.
Leaving the Bengal Florican spot we drove back to the main road from the village then we turned into the other rice fields leaving the car and we started walking to the other side of the road, we then began to see the Amur Stonechats, Chestnut Munia with a few of Yellow-breasted Buntings and led us to get to the big flock of these critically endangered birds. They are using the small rattan bush surrounded by the little pond as a resident, but not just a few birds, there were a few hundred birds hiding in these bushes. There are a few bushes around that area. While we were scanning for the yellow-breasted bunting, then we could spot something really big, the Sarus Cranes, it was such a lucky day for all of us, there were at least seven birds were seen feeding together on the field after they had been spending several months at the Northern Plain of Cambodia such as Preah Vihear Province, Stueng Treng, where they bred. We could actually see the juveniles and the adults working together in the field.
Leaving the grassland, we drove to the next town and stop there for lunch. This afternoon, we continue to Betreed Adventure which took us around three more hours plus some roadside bird watching. The dry dipterocarp forest of the Betreed area is home to many species of birds, especially since we were welcomed by the Black-headed Woodpecker before we got into our residence. Not far from the house, there is a beautiful trail, we can’t believe what we saw that late afternoon, Asian Wild Boar, Red Jungle Fowl and Siamese Fireback are feeding together with the Ground Squirrel and Emerald Doves. This evening, before sunset, we walked around this place, looking at the Green Peafowls, flew to the roosting tree there are many Long-tailed Macaques moving around the trees nearby and not so far, we saw the cute small Asian Barred Owlet, chased by the Bronze Drongo. Before, dinner time, Grey-headed Woodpecker just visited our house.
Day 2: Betreed to Prey Veng Village
Welcome to the new day, the owner of the Betreed Adventure offered us a drive to visit one of the ancient reservoirs perhaps built between the 10-12th centuries. This place used to be the most important area for the endangered White-winged Duck, but sadly the main population has gone a long time ago. Looking into the man-made lake a few hundred Lesser Whistling Ducks are swimming and looking for food here. On the dead trees around this lake, there are Pond-heron species, Ashy Drongo, visiting this pond too.
After we checked the ancient reservoir, our owner drove us more to check some parts of the dry forest by the main entrance into Betreed Adventure. Moving the car out of the small part of the semi-evergreen forest we came to the most beautiful spot where we saw a lot of Black-headed woodpeckers, Red-breasted Parakeet. Drove the car back to the lodge, we had our short breakfast, then looking for other Green Peafowl, flew off from the main roosting tree to the ground the rest are still spending a couple of hours since sunrise before they decided to go down and started foraging among others in the yard.
Around 9:00 AM we departed from Betreed through the bumpy road toward Sangkum Thmie district then we turned to Kulen district and had lunch there. This afternoon, we continued our journey to the village called “Prey Veng” along the sandy road through the majority of the dry forest before we got to our community lodge. In the sky, there are a few Lesser Adjutants, and some Rufous-winged Buzzards perching on the tree looking like they want to catch their prey. Arriving at the Eco Lodge, we met our community guides and related people.
After check-in, we then managed to walk to the other side of the man-made reservoir where we saw the magnificent Sarus Crane, a pair flying over the reservoir and a very large flock of Lesser Whistling Duck flying back and forth in front of us. The Reservoir is quite large and it is home to many different birds around this place. On the ground there were Pond-herons, Little and Cattle Egrets, there are some Bronze-winged Jacanas also foraging here as well. Before sunset, there are many flocks of Red-breasted parakeets and a few Oriental Pied Hornbills too.
In the evening we saw, two different owl species here, Brown Boobook and the Collared Scops Owl. This is a wonderful place to watch the Owl in the evening.
Day 3: Prey Veng Village
This morning, after we got up, we had breakfast which was prepared by the community chiefs with coffee and tea. We began to move around our reservoir, which is around a 3 KM walk. Along the trails there are many Eastern Cattle Egrets, moved out from the dense bamboo vegetation, we arrived at the small patch of the open forest, where we saw Red-billed Blue-magpie, Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon, Common Woodshrike, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Large Woodshrike, Chestnut-tailed Starling etc. Then we continued to walk along the eastern part of the reservoir until we got back to our lodge. In front of the lodge is a very nice place to see much wildlife such as Cambodian Striped Squirrel, Black-hooded Oriole, Golden-fronted Leafbird, and Olive-backed Sunbird.
This afternoon, around 3 PM, we drove from our lodge to the roosting area of the endangered White-winged Duck along the long forest. The area’s habitat is a really good open forest with seasonally flooded grassland. We moved slowly to our hide. While sitting in the hide, we could hear so many birds call, Puff-throated Babbler, Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Green Peafowl, etc.
This evening we had been seated in the hide for nearly two hours, but unfortunately, we had no chance to see our target White-winged Duck. We left our hide and walked back altogether to our car and drove back in the nighttime to our lodge.
Day 4: Prey Veng Village to Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant
This morning, we got up very early and moved to sit down on the platform, which was linked by the bridge from the bank into some part of the reservoir. Sunrise is fabulous, and slowly we had sitting down had some hot coffee and watched birds flying over.
Oriental Pied Hornbill, started to move slowly from the south to the north of the lake to get to the feeding fig tree, around seven Red-billed Blue-magpies also moved slowly toward the reservoir from where they roost, and then we had Little Egrets, Taiga Flycatchers, and many other birds too. After we finished, our breakfast, we checked out and continued to one of the most beautiful temples around the village of Prey Veng. This temple is called “Chen Srom” and is a Hindu temple perhaps built between the 10th and 12th centuries. The temple has five main towers built from brick on the low common Platform around 2m from the ground and facing in the East direction. Nowadays, the temple is surrounded by dense vegetation and bamboo.
Around 9:00 AM we depart from Prey Veng and continued to “Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant” and we stopped by the little town in Preah Vihear Province for our lunch. Then we continued from that town after we sorted out the food for our one-night stay over there.
At around 3:00 PM we arrived at this place and meet the community members and discussed our plan for the vultures today. After 20mn breaks, we began to walk through the beautiful forest around 20mn to the roosting area of the Brown Wood Owl. It was a lovely walk around here, we saw the Burmese Shrike, Ashy Drongo, Common Woodshrike, Burmese Nuthatch, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, and also the Black-headed Woodpecker before we arrived at the Brown Wood Owl location. We saw one bird at the roost. Leaving that place we moved to vulture hide and sat down there until 6:30 PM.
Day 5: Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant to Siem Reap
This morning, we got up very early and walked through the dark to get to our vulture hide again. We spent a few hours inside the hide listening to the bird calls. But idea, we would want to see the Asian Golden Jackal, but we had no luck with this animal.
Around 7:30 AM we walked back and continued to check one of the ponds, and we saw so many Baya Weavers then we continued to the forest near there, and we saw the Grey-headed Fish-eagle. Before we got back to our camp, we check another pond near the semi-evergreen forest, but we only saw the Chinese Pond Heron there. Today, we depart for Siem Reap after we finished our breakfast and said bye to the community member.
Arrived in Siem Reap, we stopped at the Royal Residence in front of the Raffle’s Grand Hotel, where we saw hundreds of Lyle’s Fruit Bats, reside and hang on the Dipterocapus Alatus trees here. We then transferred our group to the airport and our trip ended with a lot of fun and memory.
Mardy Sean
SVC Guide
Mardy has over 16 years of bird guiding experience with SVC and has often represented SVC at international birdfairs including the Global Birdfair in 2022. Giant Ibis and White-shouldered Ibis are his favourite species to show clients in Cambodia.
Complete Bird List
Total No. of Bird Species: 172
- Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocyhna javanica
- Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha
- Green Peafowl (Heard) Pavo muticus
- Chinese Francolin Francolinus pintadeanus
- Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus
- Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi
- Wooly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
- Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
- Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax inger
- Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
- Great Egret Ardea alba
- Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta
- Cattle Egret Arborophila cambodiana
- Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
- Javan Pond-Heron Ardeola speciosa
- Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
- Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes
- Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus
- White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis
- Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris
- Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
- Changeable Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus limnaeetus
- Rufous-winged Buzzard Butastur liventer
- Eastern Marsh-Harrier Circus spilonotus
- Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus
- Shikra Accipiter badius
- Grey-headed Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
- Bengal Florican (three birds) Houbaropsis bengalensis
- Sarus Crane (two birds) Grus antigone
- Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
- Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura
- Rock Pigeon Columba livia
- Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica
- Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
- Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
- Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
- Thick-billed Pigeon Treron curvirostra
- Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon Treron Phoenicopterus
- Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea
- Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii
- Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
- Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
- Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
- Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
- Collared Scops-Owl Otus lettia
- Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia
- Brown Wood Owl (1 bird at the roosting tree at the vulture place) Strix leptogrammica
- Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides
- Brown Boobook Ninox scutulata
- Great-eared Nightjar (heard) Lyncornis macrotis
- Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
- Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus
- Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani
- Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balsiensis
- Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata
- Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
- Oriental Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris
- Common Kingfisher Alcedo meninting
- Stork-billed Kingfisher (heard) Pelargopsis capensis
- White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
- Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
- Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
- Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaultia
- Indochinese Roller Coracias Affinis
- Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus
- Blue-eared Barbet Psilopogon duvaucelii
- Lineated Barbet Psilopogon lineatus
- Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus
- Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis
- Rufous-bellied Woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus
- Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus
- Black-headed Woodpecker Picus erythropygius
- Common Flameback Dinipium javanense
- Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus
- Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus
- Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus
- White-rumped Pygmy Falcon Polihierax insignis
- Collared Falconet Microhierax caerulescens
- Blossom-headed Parakeet Psittacula roseatta
- Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri
- Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis virgatus
- Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus
- Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
- Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
- Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
- Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus speciosus
- Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus
- Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei
- Indochinese Cuckooshrike Lalge polioptera
- Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
- Burmese Shrike Lanius collurioides
- Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
- Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus
- Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
- Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
- Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus
- Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus
- Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
- Malaysian Pied-Fantail Rhipidura javanica
- White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola
- Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
- Red-billed Blue-Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha
- Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda
- Racket-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia
- Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
- Australasian Bushlark Mirafra javanica
- Indochinese Bushlark Mirafra erythrocephala
- Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
- Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
- Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
- Burmese Nuthatch Sitta neglecta
- Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
- Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps
- Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus flaviventris
- Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster
- Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni
- Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
- Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
- Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
- Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi
- Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
- Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus
- Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes
- Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis
- Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris
- Lanceolated Warbler (heard) Locustella lanceolata
- Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
- Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
- Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
- Brown Prinia Prinia polychroa
- Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens
- Plain Prinia Prinia inornate
- Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileate
- Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Mixornis gularis
- Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps
- White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus
- Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa latirostris
- Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus malabaricus
- Hainan Blue Flycatcher Cyornis hainanus
- Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus
- Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
- Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius
- Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri
- Pied Bushcaht Saxicola caprata
- Common Hill Myna Gracula religiosa
- Black-collared Starling Gracupica nigricollis
- Asian Pied Starling Gracupica contra
- White-shouldered Starling Sturnia sinensis
- Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica
- Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
- Vinous-breasted Myna Acridotheres burmannicus
- Great Myna Acridotheres grandis
- Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons
- Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
- Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus
- Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis
- Paddyfield Pipit Anthurs rufulus
- Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
- Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Plain-backed Sparrow Passer flaveolus
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
- Streak Weaver Ploceus manyar
- Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus
- Red Avadavat Amandava amandava
- White-rumped Munia Lonchurastriata
- Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulate
- Chestnut Munia Lonchura atricapilla
Mammal List
- Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis
- Small Indian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus
- Variable Squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii
- Indochinese Ground Squirrel Menetes berdmorei
- Cambodian Striped Squirrel Tamiops rodolphii
- Lyle’s Fruit Bat Pteropus lylei