I saw a hornbill in China 20 years after I first came birding here. I'm not saying it became an obsession to see one, but I had spent weeks exploring the China-side of various border regions (Vietnam, Laos, Burma). But I drew blank after blank.

Then, last year, I found a male Wreathed Hornbill soaring over the forest about 3 miles from the border with Burma. The following day I found an Oriental Pied, less than a mile from the border.

But still no sign of the biggest, and arguably the most majestic of them all, Great Hornbill.

So, with that species firmly on my mind, I started climbing the mountain track.

After an hour I heard the distinctive call of an Oriental Pied, very close by. In fact it was so close, I didn't have time to lift up my camera when it swooped over my head, quickly disappearing into the valley below.

Just as I was gethering my composure following this close-encounter, I saw IT.

I knew immediately it was a Great Hornbill. It was flying from left to right, just over the tops of the trees of the hillside to the east.

Problem was, I also knew that I would only be able to see it for three or maybe four seconds before its flight-path would take it out of view.

I picked up my binoculars of course, and was able, at last, to watch my most-wanted bird in the world. Next time I'll pick up the camera.

Great and Oriental Pied in the space of two minutes is hard to beat. Or so I thought...

Two hours up the same track I stopped to take a photo of a flock of Nepal Fulvettas (an impossible task, as always) when out of the corner of my eye I saw something coming towards me. I turned and immediately let out an expletive or two...

Wreathed Hornbill! Very close. Flying slowly towards me. Not one, not two, not three, not four, but a FLOCK of FIVE MALES!

Without doubt, the most amazing sight I've ever seen in my birding life.

Not to mention, three hornbill species in two hours of China birding.

What more is there to say...

Photos of 9 species, all new for 2010, are posted at
www.ChineseCurrents.com/2010birds18.html

Atherton's Bee-eater (nom ssp. Athertoni)
Pin-tailed Green Pigeon (nom ssp apicauda)
Black-winged Cuckooshrike (ssp ?)
Wreathed Hornbill (monotypic)
Ashy Bulbul (nom. ssp flavala)
Hair-crested Drongo (ssp brevirostris)
White-hooded Babbler (nom. ssp rufulus)
Hardwick's Leafbird nom ssp hardwickii)
Brown Dipper (ssp dorjei)

Deatils of the other birds seen will follow shortly.

2010 = 142 species photographed