The mystery Hypocolius

The village of Fulay on the edge of the Banni grasslands is the only place in India where the fabled Hypocolius can be seen with almost certainty in the winter months. Indeed it is one of the few reliable sites in the small south western Asian range. Here the numerous Salvadoria persica bushes provided food and roosting sites although the berry-bearing bush is numerous in Gujarat so it is not the limiting factor. On our first evening we went to see the birds going to roost and were not disappointed although the views were limited. On 4^th morning we were back for longer and had extended views of up to 30 birds perched on the tops of bushes or towering high like Long-tailed Minivets as they moved from bush clump to bush clump. A beautiful, subtly coloured bird and well the worth the trip alone, indeed I class them with Wallcreeper, Ibisbill and Crab Plover as special birds that cannot disappoint! Also of interest here were numerous Rosy Starlings, Common Rosefinch, Black-headed Buntings, Orphean and Sykes Warbler.