Drongo Cuckoo
A scruffy looking individual which showed well this morning

Banded Bay Cuckoo
By Fred Rowe

This morning was spent birding the temple and gully trail, lots of birds around especially form the steps where several large feeding parties. Though not rare best birds were excellent views of Drongo Cuckoo and Banded Bay Cuckoo feeding in the canopy at eye level from the rest area on the steps. Green-legged Partridge were heard calling from at least four localities, and amongst the good numbers of warblers seen were at least 7 Claudia's Leaf Warbler, 5 Marten's, 3 Grey-crowned Warbler and in roadside grass single Radde's and Thick-billed Warbler. Species noted in the bird waves included single Speckled and White-browed Piculet, 2 Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, 3 Great Iora, 4 White-throated Fantail, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, 2 Purple-naped, male Ruby-cheeked and Black-throated Sunbird. At least three Bay Woodpeckers and in trees by the temple gates two Orange-breasted Trogons and a pair of Blue-bearded Bee-eaters showed well. Best birds from the highest point of the temple was a female Maroon Oriole and a stunning male Asian Emerald Cuckoo. In a quite corner of the temple car park an Asian Stubtail showed very well down to a few feet and a flock of around 10 Necklaced Laughingthrush were typically tricky to get decent views of, but did include at least one Greater.

The gully trail was very quiet, with the only birds seen the usual pair of Northern White-crowned Forktail, 2 Marten's Warbler and a pair of Buff-breasted Babbler. 

Other common species noted this morning included Great, Blue-throated and Blue-eared Barbet, Green-billed Malkoha, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Emerald Ground Dove, Crested Goshawk, Spangled Drongo, Verditer Flycatcher, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker and Olive-backed Pipit.