Closer to You: Rufous Piculet

28th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

I’ve shot Rufous Piculets before but they were either too dark , too blurry or too far. Not this time though Opportunity  presented itself as I was trekking back to the jeep after a not so productive day. She lingered in the area for almost an hour but  her size ( about the size of your thumb) made her extremely  difficult to spot.

Fig fiesta: Pink-Necked Pigeons

22nd February 2010, Taman Melawati, Selangor

Once again the fig tree at the school is fruiting and attracting lots of birds. Among them are the Pink-necked Pigeons,  the male with the pink  and the female in all green. The figs  begin from green to bright yellow and finally to red. The birds  instinctively know the ones to pick.

Just Checking: Blue-Eared Kingfisher

22nd February 2010, Taman Melawati, Selangor

Had very limited time last weekend for birding so decided to just check up on our little friend nearby and see how she’s getting along. I was thinking maybe she’ll let me have some improvement shots. She’s still there and was very obliging , kept coming back to the same perch and stayed for a few minutes each time.

Female Lesser Green Leafbird

14th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

Lesser Green Leafbirds are quite common here in Kemensah. This female was busy  foraging on the branches.

Ruby-Cheeked Sunbirds

14th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

Not so brilliant shots of the male (above) and female Ruby-Cheeked Sunbirds. They too were staying out of the sun just as the Babblers were.

Wings? : Draco sumatranus

14th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

The Common Gliding Lizard, Draco sumatranus. They can spread their ‘wings’ which are actually their ribcage to glide from tree to tree. The  yellow triangular gular flag at the throat is just about visible. I’ve been trying to catch them  gliding, so far without success.

White-Throated Kingfisher

14th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

An hour and a half of waiting, a White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) offered a brief moment of excitement. It was a prelude to the full adrenalin rush when the Grey-Headed Fish-Eagles appeared.

Hot Hot Hot: Pin-Striped Tit-Babbler

13th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

I know I’ve posted photos of the Pin-Striped Tit-Babbler recently  but why not! They are just gorgeous  birds. In the extremely hot weather that we’ve been having the last couple of weeks the birds were also feeling the heat. This bird   opened  her beak to stay cool.

A pair: Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher

14th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers were very active yesterday. The male (Cyornis tickelliae indochina) (above)  has dark blue upperpart whereas the female sumatranensis (right) in the  lighter blue. My first of the male bird.

Lesser Fish-Eagles

14th February 2010, Kemensah, Selangor Correction: 27th June 2010. Identified as Lesser Fish Eagles

One thing puzzles me, the book says that the male and female Grey-Headed Fish-Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) look the same. I’m not sure what I’m seeing here, the size difference between the two birds are pretty obvious and the grey is lighter on the smaller bird. One thing for sure- they were moving as a pair. I presume that the larger bird is the male. (Any additional info appreciated)      The cry could be heard from quite a distance The smaller bird after preening

Blue-Winged Leafbird

24th January 2010,  Bukit Tinggi, Pahang

I forgot to post this earlier after the trip to Bukit Tinggi. He’s a male Blue-Winged Leafbird   (Chloropsis cochinchinensis)

One Fruiting Tree: Other Visitors

6th January 2010, Taman Melawati, Selangor

A  pair of Black-Naped Oriole were also there on the Pokok Beringin. ( Only managed to shoot one).   An adult and a juvenile ( with streaks) Asian Glossy Starling. They were present in great numbers. Overall , quite a good variety of birds from one tree. After  a week of feeding frenzy it’s gone quiet today, I guess they have finished everything there is to eat.

Asian Koels

6th January 2010, Taman Melawati, Selangor

They were on the same tree as the barbets and the starlings, picking the fruits and vocalizing loudly. The  male Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) looks almost similar to the House Crow except for the red eye and light coloured beak.         The female Asian Koel

Barbets: Big & Small

6th January 2010, Taman Melawati, Selangor

He was there with the Starlings picking the ripe fruits for breakfast. A tiny Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala), you can tell that this is a male by the colourful collar and the red fore crown.                   The large Gold Whiskered Barbet joined in the party.

Purple-Backed Starlings

6th February 2010, Taman Melawati, Selangor

A female with brownish upperpart.

Only had  a few hours early morning before reporting for duty on Saturday and Sunday, so it’s backyard birding for this week. It’s been almost a year since I last saw this bird. I’ve been observing them for a week, they fly in a big flock to feed on  a fruiting tree behind my house. They are the Purple-Backed Starlings (Sturnus sturninus)

The Entertainer: Raffles Malkoha

31st January 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

There were plenty of calls but the birds were not showing themselves . Luckily he was there to save the day, a male Raffles Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus)  Cenok Kerak.

Yellow-Vented Bulbul: I Remember (2)

31st January 2010, Backyard

Her  entire outlook changes when she gets excited and started calling for her mate. Jekyll & Hyde? No, more like Cinderella!     Being the most common of  the Bulbuls, they are often overlooked. I shoot them whenever I get the chance, seen here perching on my neighbour’s fence. Locally known as Merbah Kapur they are good subjects to hone your photographic skill.

‘Oh It’s Just a Magpie’: I Remember (1)

31st January 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

In our  constant quest for  lifers and more exotic birds let’s not forget  those birds that got most of us into birding. Call me a sentimental guy. Magpies, I salute you.

‘Oh  It’s just a magpie, I thought it’s a ……….’ is a  remark  I often hear when people see this bird. Yes, they are very common and  you  see them almost everywhere. In fact I can hear them  behind the house as I’m writing this. Looking back I can still recall my early days of birding when I looked forward to seeing the Oriental magpie robin in my backyard  for two reasons: 1. their cheerful  sound and 2. being my target for sharpening my shooting skill (they still are). Those days birding was still limited to the  rear garden.

Yellow-Vented Flowerpecker

31st January 2010, Kemensah, Selangor

At first sight I  mistook her for a Yellow-Bellied Flowerpecker which I shot last week. Upon further review she turned out to be a lovely Yellow-Vented  Flowerpecker (Dicaeum chrysorrheum) local name: Sepah Puteri Rimba , a lifer.

Rufescent Prinia

24th January 2010,  Bukit Tinggi, Pahang