Golden-Bellied Gerygones

31st July 2011, Taman Melawati, Selangor

‘Ayah (Dad) !, I think it is a lifer’. That was what my son Ilyas told me after returning from his daily football game with  friends. He said he had seen two ‘new’ birds and a nest.  Curious, I asked him to bring me to the location the next morning. True enough there was a pair of ‘new’ birds and a bulb shaped nest on a branch overhanging a monsoon drain. After an ID check it turned out that these are Golden-bellied Gerygones (Gerygone sulphurea) , supposedly quite common birds although I’ve never come across the species before. Some refer to them as Flyeaters instead of Gerygones. A monotypic species meaning both male and female look very similar. These photos are of both sexes but sorry I’m not able to distinguish which is which.

Emerald Dove

30th July 2011, Ulu Perdik, Selangor

A Dove was on the list of target birds on this trip for a few members of the group but unfortunately it was a different Dove that came. I think this one could be a male judging by the whitish patch on the wings.

Green Broadbills: At last!

9th July 2011, Ulu Perdik, Selangor

You mean you haven’t got your Green Broadbills yet!  It’s the usual reaction that I get from other bird photographers/ birders when I tell them that I’ve yet to photograph this Broadbill. Finally I can  close the book on  Broadbills after photographing my lastl species taht can be seen here  in Malaysia. The day started with this beautiful female   The male has  black ear coverts , has more feathers on the upper mandilble       It seems that the female is more approachable and tend to stay longer on one perch than the male. The same was observed when we saw the female again on 30/07/11. The male came and went in  a matter of a few seconds. Most probably the same female shot on 30/07/11

Jambu Fruit Dove

9th July 2011, Ulu Perdik, Selangor

A beautiful male Jambu Fruit Dove. Usually they would see them in pairs  so the female must have been somewhere in the area. Lighting wasn’t great but fortunately he landed on a branch which was  partially lit by sunlight. Only my third encounter with this species.

Marooned in Perdik

3rd July 2011, Ulu Perdik, Selangor

This was only my second sighting of the lovely Maroon Woodpecker. This male wasn’t  too bothered about getting close to the group of people shooting him.

Scarlet-Rumped Trogons

3rd July 2011, Ulu Perdik, Selangor

I went to Ulu Perdik after hearing that the Green Broadbills were around hoping to close  the chapter on my Malaysian broadbills. Unfortunately for me the Broadbills decided to have an off day. These Trogons were a pleasant consolation for what would have been a rather  unfruitful outing. She looks like she has just been bathing at a paint factory……..simply an amazing myriad of colours on one bird.   The more colourful male.   He came down  low enough for me to get some detailed shots.   The female

Tickell’s–Blue Flycatchers

19th June 2011, Kemensah, Selangor

It was fairly quiet in Kemensah, not many birds were out and about. Then my luck changed when  a pair of Tickell’s blue flycatchers  flew onto a nearby bamboo tree. I’ve never photographed  a pair in one frame before so this  was a great opportunity not to be missed. The male ( right) has a  darker blue plumage than the female and a blackish patch around the  face.   The male giving me the eye!     The straight/ clear cut orange colour on the breast is the distinctive feature of this flycatcher.