Nabang

A great day started off at first light (almost 8am!) in the immediate vicinity of our parked bus, with a pair of White-crowned Forktails parading out in the open. Things then got really interesting when a Pale-headed Woodpecker began calling and after a tense game of hide and seek we were privileged to obtain repeated views of this true skulker – one of the hardest woodpeckers to catch sight of in Asia. The same spot produced Yellow-bellied Warbler, a large flock of Striated Yuhinas, and a pair of obliging Streaked Wren-Babblers.

Slaty-backed Forktail

Pale-headed Woodpecker

We followed this by walking along a nice trail through amazing habitat and pretty quickly found the first of a couple groups of Red-billed Scimitar-Babblers, as well as Rufous-faced Warbler. White-crested Laughingthrushes called from a few places along our walk without revealing themselves, but we did see a few Mountain Imperial-Pigeons, a soaring Black Eagle, Speckled Piculet, Black-crested and White-throated Bulbuls, before things got quiet. However the return to our vehicle was enlivened by a brief appearance from a Grey-bellied Tesia, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker and a flock of Blyth’s Leaf-Warblers. Lunch was enlivened by a flock that held Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Blyth’s Leaf, Davison’s and Chestnut-crowned Warblers and a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.

Jerdon's Baza

Crested Goshawk

Crested Honey Buzzard

After a picnic lunch in the field we walked along the road seeing a flock of Grey-headed Parrotbills just before seeing a flock containing White-hooded Babblers, and both Pale-billed and Rufous-headed Parrotbills. Oh yes! Overhead we saw Crested Honey Buzzard, displaying Crested Goshawk and amazingly, a soaring Jerdon’s Baza. Further on there were groups of Black Bulbuls and Hair-crested Drongos feeding on flowering trees, as well as a nice Little Pied Flycatcher and a few Long-tailed Sibias.

We ended the day along the river where River & Red-wattled Lapwings, White-throated Kingfisher, a superb Crested Kingfisher, Green Bee-eater and Pied Bushchat were all new additions to our list.