Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang Province 23, 24 and 25 December 2013

Amid perfect winter weather I set-out to look for Collared Crow, Black-billed Magpie and Ring-necked Pheasant in Trung Khanh District in Cao Bang Province.  Black-billed Magpie was easily found in flocks of up to 20.  Collared Crow proved more elusive and I found only three pairs.  Although I observed nests of both magpies and crows in villages both species were shy and not easily approached.  Whenever I found them they were in freshly tilled fields near to human habitation.  I looked for Ring-necked Pheasant in dry scrub near field margins but heard and saw nothing. Jonathan C Eames