Atlas Moth

Attacus atlas

A rather huge moth which is reported to be quite common in South East Asia. Can be found in gardens and parks so it is not surprising that i saw this moth in the concrete jungle of Kuala Lumpur. Some people were also reported to have kept this moth as a pet. 

Birding on X'Mas Day (Ulu Kali) - 2013

Year 2013 has been both an exciting as well as a challenging year! It was challenging in the sense that the events prelude to the 13th GE as well as its aftermath has make life difficult for some common people. Nevertheless the good and exciting thing about year 2013 is that there were many new country records been established or almost confirmed. In addition more lifers were recorded by many birders alike. Thank God the birds do not wear any political hats. I have my fair bit of lifers this year namely the "Bar-Bellied Cuckooshrike", "Bridled Tern", "Schrenck's Bittern", "Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler", "Lesser-Crested Tern with a ring band" and "Aleutian Tern" to name a few. 

I spent sometime on X'mas day to do some birding with my dad and i think he was quite happy to see the familiar telekom station up on the hill. Here are some of the common birds seen.

Mountain Leaf Warbler

Have not seen many of this wabler nowadays.

Adult Male - Black-Throated Sunbird

Most of these mountain birds were quite friendly and you do not need to use worms to lure them out to photograph them except perhaps for some like the wren babblers.

Mugimaki Flycatcher

This male Mugimaki Flycatcher was probably the highlight of this trip. Shot its photos in low light due to thick mist and a cloudy sky.

Chestnut-Tailed Minla

This ever-friendly bird wrap up the trip for this year. Hope next year i.e 2014 will bring more good tidings and more lifers for all people. Adious Amigos !

Little Tern (Sterna albifrons)

Last but not least in my series of terns' photos is the Little Tern (Sterna albifrons). At 22cm - 25cm it is the smallest tern as compared to other terns such as White-Winged and Whiskered Tern. There are probably three (3) common ways which you could use to identify this little tern:

i)  From its long and very sharp pointed bill.

ii) From its rapid wing beats (like a Black-Winged Kite) in mid air.

iii) From its smaller size.

At times they do also rest on mudflats/shore but seldom seen them "floating" on debris in the sea.

If you could enlarge this photo you could see its fifth rectrices (p5) which is just like a thin filament. I don't see such feature in other terns so far (see photo below).

Little Tern in breeding colors (below)

HAPPY BIRDING !