Green Cochoa at Tam Dao

First of all, I want to thank Richard Craik, founder and manager of  Vietnam Birding, a company offering services for birders to Vietnam and beyond (website here), who kindly informed me there were a pair of Green Cochoas busily collecting nesting material along a trail at Tam Dao the 12 and 12th April – very exciting! 

According to Richard, the Cochoas were spending most the time collecting moss from some branches and flying behind the trunk (of the same tree) which is where - he guess - the nest is being built. 

I decided to try my luck 3 days later. Richard gave me detailed indications about the location of the famous tree.  I found it easily but the Cochoas lived up to their reputation i.e. sluggish and elusive. I had a glimpse of two – the same ? - birds around the tree, which was not so bad after all. But I wanted more! I covered up with my camo blanket at 20 meters from the tree, down the trail a bit (didn't want to be seen by walkers...) and wait. After 45 minutes or so, a female landed on a branch, stayed few seconds then flew up and away, not to be seen again the two following hours. End of the show. Short but intense!

Seeing and photographing this near-mythical creature was a dream – finally fulfilled. Now I just hope this pair will breed successfully and will not be too sensitive to disturbance by noisy walkers that invade the place each weekend.

Green Cochoa is one of those ultra-sought-after birds that eludes most birders

 

Source : vietnambirdnews[dot]blogspot[dot]com

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