Embracing the Colors of Nature - Birds, Reptiles etc - 2017

In ancient times, the worshipping of animal deities transcend across various cultures of the world. In ancient Egypt, birds for example are considered avatars of the Gods. Watching wildlife in action was like watching an orchestra playing in the jungle. It creates a sense of happiness, serenity and freedom but yet vulnerable in a world full of uncertainties and dodgy characters !

Here are some fascinating photos of nature, birds, lizards etc to wrap-up this incredible year. Hold your breath and enjoy the pleasure of viewing the various colors of nature. 

Dark-Throated Oriole (Male)

Always my favorite jungle bird. Although it has a repertoire of calls but i believe most birds would generally make 3 types of calls. They are: i) alarm calls, ii) mating calls/songs and iii) hunger calls. This male Dark-Throated Oriole was heard making some mating calls at a nearby female.

Dark-Throated Oriole (female)

And here she is. Answering to the calls instantly. 

They would certainly make some nice X'mas tree decos.

Rufescent Prinia

According to the field guides, a greyish head means that it was in a breeding mood.

Pink-Necked Green Pigeon

In my younger days, i would often heard local village folks calling them "Punai Daun" or literally translated as "Leaf Pigeon". This was probably due to their colors resembling some green leaves. When i joined the birding society, i realised that there were many more pigeons which look like "Punai Dauns".  The local name for this bird at the moment is "Punai Kericau" (Wells, 1999).

Purple-throated Sunbird

Experience birders in this region could easily guess where the above photos were taken.

Errrr i know what you will be thinking ! Don't worry just say it loud cos Uncle Sam would not be bothered. They are as big as a coconut. 

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

You can hear them more often from November to December in this region. Essentially a forest bird.

Hello i am up here !  says Buff-Vented Bulbul (Iole crypta)

Every child bearing parents will have high hopes that their children will be given an opportunity to enjoy the meaning of life when they grow up.

Thorny Green lizard?

It was just a common "Green Crested Lizard" (Bronchocela cristatella)

This is a Great Anglehead Lizard (Gonocephalus grandis)

Some people called it a forest dragon and it is certainly an uncommon lizard. A separate post on this reptile will be done in due course.

Copper-Cheeked Frog or also known as White-lipped Frog (Hylarana labialis). Local name for this frog for the time being is: "Katak Bibir Putih" (Norhayati, MYBIS, Dec 2017)

A silhouette of a Yellow-Breasted Flowerpecker

This is a Common Sun-Skink (Eutropis multifasciata)

Spine-tufted Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysis) - male

Thanks to the effort of some local experts, i was able to identify the above odonata.

Attention ! The national anthem is playing now says Streaked Spiderhunter.

Pale-Blue Flycatcher (male)

This male Pale-Blue Flycatcher colors are simply amazing. No color additives were added to the photo. Its pure blue as it was shown here. 

Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher (Male)

Mangrove Blue Flycatcher (female)

The above Mangrove Blue Flycatchers have been the ambassadors in the same location for many years. Attracting and greeting many locals and foreign birders alike.

This is a common Brown Shrike. You could guess that it should be a juvenile female from her fine vermiculations which can be seen here at her flanks.

ENJOY NATURE

&

HAPPY BIRD WATCHING !

The Hunting Behavior of Common Kestrel, Marsh Harrier and Black-Shouldered Kite: A Photographic Documentary

It has been widely acknowledged that many scientific data were obtained from the information provided by amateur birders as well as citizen scientist. Bird watching in a non conventional way does not only involve identification of birds. It may also involved observing the type of prey they eat, how they hunt, the interaction between them and their ecosystem etc. When that happens you have actually inadvertently looking at the ecology of things, which is the study of how living things (in this case, birds) interact with their environment/surroundings.

There are not many birders in this region who have the opportunity to observe or let alone photograph the hunting moments of a Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), an Eastern Marsh Harrier (Circus spilonotus) and a Black-Shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus), all within one location.

I will start with the Common Kestrel which is a winter visitor in this region.

I was cruising along the dirt track when i spotted a raptor on a perch. Going closer i have identified the raptor as a Common Kestrel (female). Immediately i stopped my car about 50 meters away and tried to take a few photos of this uncommon winter visitor. 

At first she look to her right.

Then a bit to her left.

She then took off and flew towards my direction. 

Oops ! there is a strange looking human being inside the car. So she decided to change her flight direction.

Like an airplane, she tried to gain some height. Here she is doing just that - gaining as much altitude as possible.

Once she has gained enough height, the hunt begins. RSPB, UK reported that a Common Kestrel can spot a beetle 50m from its perch. Amazing !

Cruising at about 60-70 meters above, the search for prey begins.

Searching diligently for her morning breakfast.

Then i believe she has spotted something on the ground. Wings folded and she is ready to dive.

And then the moment of glory happened. Diving almost 90 degrees with talons all expanded towards her prey.

Holy cow ! she missed the rat by just a few inches.

She did a u-turn in case the rat was still there.

Nope it has gone.

No luck this time and she was back to her perch waiting for another chance.

Next on the hunting list was a male Eastern Marsh Harrier.

Eastern Marsh Harrier hunting style is different. They would prefer to hunt closer to the ground i.e just a few meters above the reeds.

They are just like a big fat Lancaster. Flapping slowly and cruising silently in their hunt for prey.

Their eyes were constantly looking downwards.

I believe he has spotted something on the ground. 

Did he got the prey?

Oh dear ! no luck as well. Off he went to look elsewhere.

Now here is the grand old master of stationery flight. This Black-shouldered Kite aka "Helang Tikus" was spotted not too far away from where i stood.

Here is the master demonstrating the famous "hover-hunt style".

I did not pay much attention to it as it did some semi circles and a few dives. 

Before i knew it there was already a rat in its talon ! Guess you need to learnt from a local resident on ways to catch a prey in this region.

It was truly an amazing experience to witness all the above spectacular hunting sequence unfolded just right above and in front of me. 

HAPPY BIRDING !

Sungai Batu Mangroves - revisited (Sept 2017)

In Science, the proof of concept usually relies on empirical results where else in bird watching, the proof of existence, i believe would depends on photographic evidence. This time i decided to revisit this location to find out whether the group of Oriental Pratincole seen in June 2017 were just passing by or were actually using this location as their 'home ground'. As i drove slowly along the dirt road, i could not see any of them flying around as i did the last time. So i decided to parked my car and walk towards some ploughed ground. 

It took me some time before i could spot some of them. 

Look how well they have blended with the ground and vegetation colors.

Majority of them were seen with their bills wide open. It was not because they were calling but more like trying to cool themselves in the middle of hot sun.

 

The absence of throat patch, red bill based and clear black necklace shows that majority of them were either juveniles or in their non-breeding colors.

I counted all seven of them i.e the same number i have seen in June but the figure may not be conclusive as there were a few more cleared land which i did not explore.

Most of them were standing up and alert but they did not attempt to fly away. 

A typical "broken-wing" posed.

Here are some of the 'local' birds and insects i have seen prior to my maiden discovery trip at this location.

    The size of the above Black-Crowned Night Heron is not really as big as a Purple Heron but their slow and gentle wing flaps certainly a sight to behold.

Finally i was able to photographed this Paddy Field Pipit which had eluded me earlier.

This White-throated Kingfisher had a nice splashed at a nearby pool of water.

I flushed this Little Egret out from the middle of the mangrove. Hundreds of them can be seen in some paddy fields along the highway.

Olive-backed Sunbird (female)

Olive-backed Sunbird (Male)

Yellow-Vented Bulbul

Odonata anyone? There are just a handful of people out there who enjoy photographing these little creatures.

This place has the largest stink bug i have ever seen.

HAPPY BIRDING !