Spending some time with oiseaux de la forêt

Do you speak French? No! Don't worry. Birds don't speak French either but they do know how to express themselves if you go around chopping down their favourite fruiting trees or ruin their habitat.

Take this you @*!&#4 !

Now hold your horses Mr Officer ! The above Dark-Necked Tailorbird was only showing off its amazing tail feathers. Oh yes the French word for today is "oiseaux de la forêt" which means forest birds. Its about the right time to venture into the forest and spent some moments with them. Air Itam Dalam Recreational Forest was the first place i went. 

The first thing i have noticed at this place was the missing tree trunk near the back end of the suspension bridge which was usually frequented by a pair of Black-Thighed Falconet. Crap!

This Abbott's Babbler was calling uncharacteristically out in the open. Taking her photos in the thick undergrowth was a real challenge though.

Abbott's Babbler

After calling out in the open it was back to its usual self i.e back into the undergrowth. 

This pair of woodpeckers came out in the open as well.

Male is on your left

I believe they are looking for some worms in the tree trunk. 

There is nothing wrong with your vision. They are perfectly fine ! The above photo was slightly blur. Shot handheld without IS.

This was the other male seen not too far away from the earlier couple.

As you may have noticed, what i have actually seen here was some Laced Woodpecker and not a Streak-Breasted Woodie. I immediately went through my past photos at this location and discovered that most of the previous photos actually showed some Laced Woodpeckers except perhaps the one seen back in year 2012. Therefore i believe Laced Woodpecker is more common here than Streak-Breasted. If you wish to see how does a Streak-breasted woodpecker would look like at this location, go to Oriental Bird Images (look for photos sent by Mun and John Steed).

Up next was this Coucal.

Initially i thought i saw a big chicken ! As it slowly crept out in the open i have reported it as a short-toed coucal. Then a few days later 'kena' query from an expert. So i showed a photo of its hind toe to the expert (see photo below)

The expert says the hind toe of a short-toed coucal is just slightly shorter ! Maybe it has forgotten to trim its hind toe? Anyway the above bird was said to be a Greater Coucal.

If you have attended waders workshops before, you may recalled that some experts would have advised you to look at their legs.
ID clues: blackish bill, blackish legs and yellow 'socks' = Little Egret !

Collared Kingfisher

Despite its common status and noisy presence sometimes we need to give this kingfisher some due recognition as well.

A Black Kite eating its prey while in flight

Black Kite with a white face - most likely a juvenile as described by some field guides.

Brahminy Kite

More often than not you will see this kite thermalling in the sky rather than on a perch.

More forest birds' photos coming your way - stay tune.....