Date: 21-24 June, 2026
Well, due to a number of commitments—and being skint—this was actually my first trip out since the "big one" to the very south of Thailand back in August 2025. And I can tell you, I was absolutely champing at the bit. Better still, Huay Tab Tan–Huay Sam Rarn Wildlife Sanctuary in Surin was somewhere I'd never visited before, so the anticipation had the excitement needle well into the red.
Sadly, it's right on the Cambodian border and slap bang in the middle of the ongoing conflict over a disputed temple and surrounding land (you've probably heard about it). The area is peppered with minefields and, as you can imagine, you have to keep your wits about you. You can't go a day without an army truck rumbling past. Fortunately, there are warning signs everywhere to snap you back into reality whenever you start drifting fully into dragonfly mode.
The trip was arranged by my brother, Paul, and his missus, Su, who were searching for the incredibly elusive Bar-bellied Pitta, a species they've recorded there on previous visits. The upside of the border tensions is that the area has remained largely untouched, with only the occasional local mushroom picker punctuating the silence (and those massive noisy trucks, of course). There's also a temple that protects a huge section of the sanctuary, so it seems to have a relatively secure future... for now, at least.
We stayed in a decent little resort just outside the sanctuary for only 400 baht a night, and it was easy to find simple food and enjoy a cold beer in the evening—well deserved after baking in the daytime heat.
The slight downside of the area is that it's rather dry, with soft soil that is perfect for pittas but not so good for retaining water. There were a few small ponds, although most had been modified to hold more water for the larger wildlife—and there is plenty of that about. More encouraging were the small, undisturbed streams that flow year-round. These held a good variety of dragonflies: 52 species so far, to be exact. While each stream supported relatively few species, they did produce some real gems. I definitely need to return soon for another search, especially as the rainy season hasn't really taken hold yet. I'm convinced there's plenty more to be found, and I wouldn't be surprised if I can add a few more species to Surin's known list (current list added after my favourite photos). I'd just like to thank both Paul and Su for letting me tag along. It certainly gave me the kick up the arse I needed to get back out into the field. Here's to many more trips!
Best photos of the trip:
Nannophya pygmaea / Scarlet Pygmy. Easily find of the trip! I saw around 20 males at a shallow stream in the grasses. I once saw it at Narathiwat. I was actually shocked to see it here as it is a deep south species. However, it could actually have been found in Loei, though needs confirmation. Very exciting news.
Macrogomphus albardae / Indochinese Giant Tiger, male. I used to have this down as M. matsukii, but it seems to now be M. albardae in NE Thailand... so will leave it as that for now. I saw around 7-8 males and a couple of females constantly hovering over a shallow sandy stream and it was the dominant species.
Euphaea sp., male. The "spot-winged" forms could well be separate from Euphaea masoni but hasn't been described as yet. It is common in Ubon Ratchathai, and its range seems to stretch at least to Surin and beyond as I saw 3-4 extremely skittish males on the same sandy streams as M. albardae (above) but only got a record shot.
Neurothemis fluctuans / Common Parasol, rarely seen Isochrome female. I once saw females like this at Phu Phan National Park in Sakhon Nakhon. There is also a very different-looking "dark form" I saw in Ubon Rathcathani a few years back. Oddly, I only saw this female and no males, just like when I saw it last time.
Pseudagrion williamsoni / Yellow-faced Sprite, male. Definitely not common in Issan. Though very common in the south of Thailand, I have rarely seen it in very small numbers along the border of Cambodia and never in the main areas of NE Thailand, though it has been recorded from Khao Yai.
Orthetrum chrysis / Brown-backed Red Marsh Hawk, male. Annoyingly common and a very dominant species as it is in many areas of Thailand... BUT, getting a good photo is very tough as it is very skittish and so easy to give up knowing how common it is! SO really happy with this. The first one that allowed me to approach it!
Germain's Langur (Trachypithecus germaini) is a stunning species that is almost non-existent in NE Thailand, but can be found here, surprisingly. Here is a nice moment with mother and baby...
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"Just" another Finlayson's Squirrel... but this one is Callosciurus finlaysonii ssp. annellatus and they are all uniform reddish brown except for a super cute white stripe or ring at the base of their tails... very common at the temple, where they are very much protected and are clearly provided lots of tasty food! I must have seen 20-30 specimens.
An abundance of butterflies... there were so many butterflies around and I had to bite my cheek in order to keep my eyes on the dragonflies, so to speak. Many were also common but I did see a new one for my records in the shape of the Little Banded Yeoman (Algia fasciata). I was happy to see this.
