Birds in December 2021 and Jan 2022

Another year has gone. Along with the brand new year, a couple of new active birders have also emerged. Will they be able to sustain this bird watching hobby ? - only time will tell.

Here are a few birds seen in Dec 2021 and Jan 2022.

Got this Greater Coucal at A.I.D in Penang mainland.

The entire place has been refurbished and they look great !

It looks clean too.

The walkway has been replaced as well and it looks solid to walk on. 

There are no canopies here so you will need an umbrella esp in the late afternoon if you decide to explore at this end.

Black-eared Kites

There are plenty of them in AID, Penang. In this trip I have counted close to 80. Some birders even claimed to have seen them in hundreds. Looks like they like this place very much to be their constant winter base camp.

I noticed that there are a few variations on these migrating Black-eared Kites. Could this be a Milvus migrans lineatus ? (distinguished from the larger white patch on its wings).

While this one might be a Milvus migrans govinda - looks darker from underneath.

I had a field day taking their photos this time.

This one flew just above my head.

Most of the time they will just circle above the tree tops. The one above has only five "fingers".

The more curious ones will fly lower to see what's going on down below. 

And some of them will take off and fly further away.

Some has nice underwing patterns like the above bird.

Some of them could fly very high above.

Most of the time some will stay behind.

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo. 

It has got a variety of calls including some mimicry as well.

This one is a Square-tailed Drongo.

Daurian Starling  / Purple-backed Starling 

You can see them in hundreds at times on a fruiting tree like this one.

Regarding their eating SOP: They would usually fly in and grab a few berries and fly away and then return for a few more. 

Sometimes you can find them together with Pink-necked Green Pigeons and Asian Glossy Starlings on the same tree.

This is a lovely White-throated Kingfisher

This is a juvenile White-breasted Waterhen.

Here is a surprise find !

In a thick jungle foliage, this fella was quietly foraging for food.

Luckily it came out .

This is a Black-throated Laughingthrush. This is a non-native bird. So the question is did it came from the Northern part of Peninsula Malaysia or just an escapee?

This is a female Pink-necked Green Pigeon.

This Grey Heron was trying to mimic the more famous Sarus Crane mating stance.

A Black-crowned Night Heron having a splash.

Here is a sequence of photos depicting the life stages of Black-crowned Night Heron

This one is probably just about a year old.

As they grow older, they tend to loose their spots.

This could be a sub-adult.

This one should be an adult (non breeding)

An adult Black-crowned Night Heron collecting nesting material

The adult male in breeding colours would show deep bluish lores and red coloured legs (the one at the bottom).

This Cattle Egret is also in breeding mood.

So as this Grey Heron.

Looks like everyone is busy making nests. This is a Little Egret collecting some nesting materials.

A Red Jungle Fowl (male). This was another surprise find in an urban jungle.

Now we are back to the mudflats.

This is a Kentish Plover in its winter plumage.

A Broadbill Sandpiper with a very thin looking bill.

A Common Sandpiper with a downward curve bill.

A mix bunch of waders spotted in KKM.

Greater Crested Tern

Brown-headed Gull

A Great Crested Tern being chased by a Brown-headed Gull

There are so many twins here.

                             Finally who do you think is the real bird watcher here?

HAPPY BIRDING !