Black & Red Broadbills

2nd May 2011, Kemensah, Selangor

The pair  of  resident Black & Red Broadbills were very active now that it is breeding season. No, it is not a new subspecies endemic to Kemensah! She’s had just caught an insect with long feelers.

Bronze Drongo

7th May 2011, Old Pump House Road, Gohtong Jaya, Pahang

Scientific name: (Dicrurus aeneus) It may look like a bronze statuette of a bird but I can assure you that this is the real deal. There is no clear distinction between the sexes in this species so I’m not sure if  it’s a male or a female. She was sunning herself in the morning light and the side lighting accentuated her beautiful bronze like  feathers around her throat and breast.

Hill Blue-Flycatcher

7th May 2011, Old Pump House Road, Gohtong Jaya, Pahang

Scientific name: (Cyornis banyumas) They were calling loud and clear. Managed to locate the pair after a brief scan of the area. My previous sighting of this species was at Awana on a foggy morning so these are my improvement shots. The male   The female

Blue Nuthatch

7th May 2011, Old Pump House Road, Gohtong Jaya, Pahang

Blue Nuthatches were out in numbers, moving up and down the tree branches. Most of the time you would see them  with their heads towards the ground.

Pygmy Wren-Babbler

7th May 2011, Old Pump House Road, Gohtong Jaya, Pahang

Scientific name: Pnoepyga pusilla It was semi-darkness;  that’s how I would describe the condition I was shooting in. This tiny bird loves this dimly lit  and moist environment. When she finally emerged  I could only see a dark object ( the bird) moving around in the dark. Most of the time I wasn’t sure what the camera  was focusing on, it was a case of  fire & hope that at the end of the session there would be something ‘useable’ on the card. After an hour long wait, these are the results. Out of 40 odd photos, only  4 are worth posting. The exposures have been adjusted substantially  so that the bird would  actually be visible! This is a pale morph adult, she measures between 7.5-9.5cm. Exif data: ISO 1600, f/4, 1/40s ( no flash)   Focus was  a real issue since I found out later that the camera was selecting anything  that was brighter than the bird. I got lucky with the first two photos when the focus was spot on.

Adult Male Tiger Shrike

30th April 2011, Gunung Ulu Kali, Genting Highlands, Pahang

Most Tiger Shrikes that we see here are the first-winter birds and there’s always some excitement out  in the field when an adult is sighted.

White-Browed Shrike-Babblers

30th April 2011, Gunung Ulu Kali, Genting Highlands, Pahang

I have seen these birds on many occasions but  never an opportunity for  any photographs. The male has darker plumage, more pronounced eyebrows and more colourful than the female.       Not a very good shot of the female bird.