DAK LAK – Yok Don, the only national park in Vietnam that preserves dipterocarp forest in the dry deciduous season, is an ideal bird photography spot.

This season, Yok Don Garden is like “Europe in deciduous season” when going through the dipterocarp forests along the inter-zone route 5 and station 2. There are more than 12 ranger stations in the national park, so the conservation of the forest ecosystem is always done. care. In addition, the forest rangers here also pay attention to the prevention of forest leaf fires in the dry season.

Unlike tropical forests, evergreen forests, dense forests or mangroves, Yok Don is the only dipterocarp forest remaining in Vietnam, with green and deciduous seasons like temperate forests. According to the forest ranger at the garden, the word “khop” is read from Lao, meaning “poor, poor”, “poor” dipterocarp forest is so nutritious that the tree is not large, the canopy is not dense and in the dry season, the trees lose their leaves. to minimize energy consumption. Photo: Ngo Vu Thang

Every year from December to February, the forest dyes the leaves bright yellow, then in March, layers of fallen dry leaves cover the ground, and until May, when the rainy season begins, the trees here only sprout green. . According to statistics, the fauna of Yok Don has more than 450 species, including 89 species of mammals, 305 species of birds, 48 ​​species of reptiles, 16 species of amphibians, hundreds of freshwater fish species and thousands of species of insects. coincide.

See the forest in the deciduous season and learn about birds are among the most popular ecotourism activities, with 500,000 VND / person / 3-hour tour.

According to the management board, Yok Don National Park has a rich bird fauna, which is a favorite object of nature-loving photographers. The typical species are red-hip green ants, red-breasted parrots, forest lemongrass, small cheo wards, brown flutes, crested nests, and rare water birds such as white-winged swans, giant moths or white-necked cranes.

Mr. Vo Rin said that in order to see many kinds of birds, tourists should choose the time between February and the end of April, the peak of the dry season. The forest trees have deciduous all their leaves to cope with the dry weather of the Central Highlands, making it easier to observe and photograph birds. Photo: Vo Rin

The bird’s nest (male) is taking care of a two-week-old baby at Yok Don Garden. This bird is small in size, body about 20 cm long, male has a prominent pale brown face and upper neck, with long crest and long gray wings. Females resemble males but do not have light brown parts on the face and throat. The “love season” of the bird’s nest couples are the moments taken by broth photographers. Photo: Ngo Vu Thang

One of the rare species in Yok Don garden is the white-necked crane, with a wingspan of 75 – 91 cm, which is slightly smaller than other species in the Crane family. The bird has a black crown, shiny black wings and body in contrast to a white neck, a black bill with a dark red beak. This is a settling species, living in wetlands, wetlands and forest edges, but only in open spaces.

“This species is shy, if I want to take pictures, I have to wake up very early. After 4am, I move into the field where they usually eat, camouflage carefully and wait for morning when the birds go to eat to capture. and hovering around the low-rise dining area, “said Vo Rin, a photographer who captured 405 bird species in Vietnam. Photo: Vo Rin

The Burmese flower kite is a popular settlement in Yok Don, with a wingspan of 51 – 71 cm. Birds usually perch high on dry trees and when swooping to the ground, they wag their tails from side to side, living in mountainous areas, sometimes up to 2,500 m altitude and nesting from January to October.

“In the afternoon, I observed birds perched on a tree quite high, until 3pm I met again and this time it was parked on the low branch for quite a long time, with its back facing the direction of the camera lens in the car, about from where it was parked. 6 m. Do not miss this opportunity, I take it right away “, Mr. Vo Rin said. Photo: Vo Rin

One of the most impressive birds in Yok Don is the white-brow screeching. This is a small owl, about 20 cm long, and prey during the day. Birds have dense white eyebrows, prominent yellow eyes, gray-brown upper body with many white spots and a white lower body with many brown stripes on the chest.

Photographer Thuy Linh said that when he observed the white-forehead buzzard perched on a branch, the wind swayed the branch, so the bird flew away. Luckily, she shot the camera at this moment. Photo: Nguyen Thuy Linh

Lemongrass, a common species in Yok Don garden. Adults have a wingspan of 17 – 20 cm. In Vietnam, this species is also distributed in Ma Da forest (Dong Nai), Cat Tien National Park (Tan Phu, Dong Nai), Tram Chim National Park (Dong Thap) and Can Gio mangrove forest (HCMC). Photo: Vo Rin

The photographers shared that tourists who want to see and hunt birds must wake up early to prepare their luggage and be ready at 5:30, the best time of day to watch birds.

Yok Don has 17 species of woodpecker, including the red-hip blue woodpecker (the male bird). This is a large species in the woodpecker group, body to about 33 cm long. The female has a black head with a long nape of the neck and a lime-yellow neck and nape. The male is similar to the female but has red markings on the top of the head. This species often foraging near the base of the tree, the hole to find termites. Photo: Ngo Vu Thang

The snapper is medium in size in the tree climber group, its trunk is about 13 cm long. The bird has a gray top and upper body, a prominent black stripe through the eyes, dark red lower body with many white tail feathers. The female is like the male, but the lower body is paler.

Thuy Linh, a photographer born in 1991, shared that it was difficult to capture this bird, and it is not easy to want a good photo because of its small size and rapid movement speed when searching for prey along the tree trunk. So the photographer has to hold the camera in his hand to move quickly with it. Photo: Nguyen Thuy Linh

Yok Don National Park is located on a relatively flat terrain, at an average altitude of 200 m above sea level, at km38 of provincial road 1, Krong Na commune, Buon Don district, about 40 km north of Buon Ma Thuot city. .

In recent years, along with the management and protection of nature and biodiversity, Yok Don National Park also organizes many activities of ecotourism and environmental education. Popular services are elephant experiences, camping, bird watching, walking, cycling under the canopy of the dipterocarp forest or sailing on the Serepok river to watch the mountains and animals. In addition, visitors can visit villages in the buffer zone of the National Park such as Jang Lanh, Drang Phok or Buon Don to learn about the unique culture of the Ede, M’nong or Vietnamese of Lao origin here.

In the past February – March, a group of photographers including Ngo Vu Thang, Vo Rin and Nguyen Thuy Linh made many bird photography experiences in Yok Don. Photo: Vo Rin. Follow vnexpress