Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Flycatcher, Gunung Tampin

In between, a fly catcher presented itself on the dead tree. The 2nd shot looks much like a winter scene.




Ferruginous Flycatcher
Muscicapa ferruginea

Monday, November 29, 2010

Red bearded bee eater, Gunung Tampin

After too many shots of the malkohas, tried to look for other birds. Lifer high up in the trees. Typical bottom view shot, could hardly see the head.




Red-bearded Bee-eater
Nyctyornis amictus

Friday, November 26, 2010

Red billed malkoha, Gunung Tampin

Stumbled into a pack of 4 malkohas in mating ritual (I think). The birds were nodding their head like a male turtle dove only less frequent. The birds will follow you on the trees as you walk, sometimes nodding their head as if chasing you away.






Start of the head nodding, the feathers around the head is fluffed to make the head bigger.




Red-billed Malkoha
Phaenicophaeus javanicus

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Gunung Tampin birding

A leaf bird joined in the frenzy.



Lesser Green Leafbird
Chloropsis cyanopogon



Lifer.

Ashy Bulbul
Hemixos flavala

Friday, November 19, 2010

Another Gunung Tampin blue bird

Another lifer, blue seems to be the fashion trend at this time of year. The bird was quite confiding as it took several rounds flying from the perch deeper in the woods out to the edge of the road to feed on a fruiting tree.




Asian Fairy-bluebird
Irena puella

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Gunung Tampin Woodpecker

I was 50ft down the ravine when my buddy shouted woodpecker, woodpecker from the parking area. By the time i rush up the ravine, the noise from an approaching motorbike scared a pair of them deeper into the woods.

Another record shot. Lifer though.



Orange-backed Woodpecker
Reinwardtipicus validus

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Gunung Tampin Bulbul

More bulbuls




Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Gunung Tampin Verditer Flycatcher

Lifer. Spotted this cyan bird in the tree but it was too quick for a decent shot. Merely record shots of body parts.




Verditer Flycatcher
Eumyias thalassinus

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Kemensah birding ...

Detour to Kemensah on the way back home, trying to avoid Deepavali traffic. The place for city folks to get in touch with nature. Most interesting stream to have come across, a couple was washing their car inside out like there was a drought in KL.

Couldn't locate a bird there on such short stint, ended up in Kemensah heights with these shots.

Future exploration is in the plan.



Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Merops philippinus

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Kukup birding

Did some light birding as we arrive at Kukup around 5+. The heavily crowded place still have some bird activity.



Pacific Swallow
Hirundo tahitica



Brahminy Kite
Haliastur indus



White-bellied Sea-eagle
Haliaeetus leucogaster



The noisy kingfisher gave away its location as it gets ready to roost for the night on a lone tree sandwiched between houses on tilts on the mudflat. Tried to get a shot as sharp as possible in the diminishing light at 7+.

Collared Kingfisher
Todiramphus chloris

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Tanjung Piai birding

Lifer, spotted a flock of birds as we are walking on the bridge towards the jetty on the sourthern most tip of mainland Asia.

Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus



Unknown crab.




Monument of Tanjung Piai

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Pontian birding

Lifer, spotted a kingfisher on a bridge on the way to Pontian. It allowed me sufficient time to setup the camera which was safely tucked in the camera backpack to take only 1 shot before flying off. Not a common kingfisher to me.

Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis



Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus