3. Sumatran Cochoa.

With the team splitting in two and half going up to Camp Cochoa and the rest, including me, taking the easier option of trying again for Sumatran Wren Babbler we set off up the by now all to familiar trail up Mt Kerinci. Again we set off in the dark and birded on the way up. Mika and Kevin headed straight for Camp Cochoa with Bobbi whilst, Fred,Tony, Steve, Dan and myself stayed  at lower elevation picking out the various species of bird from roving feeding flocks as they passed through.

Sunda Warbler

Sunda Forktail

Sumatran Trogon

Fire-tufted Barbet

That all rapidly changed when a WhatsApp came through from the Cochoa team! They'd found not one but two Sumatran Cochoa's. We were just below camp 2 at this stage and, knowing that the birds would probalby stick around if they'd found a good fruiting tree to gorge in, decided to set off up the trail. We were told we were 30 minutes away. In reality it took us 55 lung bursting and heart pounding minutes with the sweat pouring off us to reach Camp Cochoa. The steep track and altitude made for hard going and my heart rate peaked at 166 bpm! 

Arriving at Camp Cochoa we found it empty and realised we'd have to climb even further up the trail. By now I thought I was in serious danger of a heart attack but 25 minutes later we reached the rest of the group and another group who were nearby and heard about the Cochoa.

There were two birds - an adult male and the female type juvenile bird  below. We watched them for about 15 minutes before they moved out of sight.

Unfortunately Tony arrived just as the birds disappeared out of sight but we hung around for another hour or so and could hear them calling. He and Bobbi disappeared only to reappear from the dense undergrowth having successfully relocated the Cochoa for Tony to get brief views. 

This Jackdaw sized thrush like bird is classed as vulnerable due to habitat loss and is only found  in forests between 1,000 - 2,500 m. It's secretive nature makes it hard to find and it's a bird many visitors to the region fail to see. Buoyed by our success we headed back down the mountain for a late lunch only to arrive at camp 2 to hear that, due to imminent rain, our lunch was now at camp 1 which had a rudimentary shelter. And rain it did as it can only do so in the tropics. 

It was a tired but happy team that headed back to the accommodation for a quick shower before heading out for dinner of, you guessed it, rice and chicken......

Tomorrow would be our last day in Kerinci before heading to Danau Kaco and, hopefully, a chance to catch up with Sumatran Ground Cuckoo.