Rare and Common Birds in December 2022

Year ends usually provide much relief for most birders because they could have more time to go out to look for birds. I managed to squeezed a bit of time to get a few rare and exotic ones before the close of Year 2022. 

This one is not rare but it perched so nicely that I can't resist taking a shot.

Pacific Swallow

When I first heard that a rare flycatcher had just landed in KL, I thought I will miss the bird cause usually rare birds don't stay long at one place. But since its photos have been appearing frequently so I thought I will join the birding paparazi.

We will go a great distance and wait at any locations (even beside a big longkang) just to snap a photo (usually a dozen photos) of a rare bird.

Taiga Flycatcher (Ficedula albicilla)

There's nothing spectacular about the colors of this female flycatcher but because it came as far as Siberia and Mongolia, birders don't mind to travel a distance to snap its photos.

I first known its existence in Malaysia when a birder (Choo Eng) first reported and photographed one in Kedah many many years ago. Then a few years later, another birder saw one in Penang. Since they have all occurred in the Northern States I thought I will never get to see this flycatcher. When it finally came down to KL I thought this is my one and only chance. So I went for it.

She was silent through out the day. From a distance it can be mistaken as a Red-breasted Flycatcher (F. parva). But this Taiga FC has more whitish colour on its breast as compared to a buff colored on a Red-breasted FC.

Occasionally she would fly away but she will then return to the same spot after about 10 minutes.

The next bird I saw, unfortunately I believe is an escapee / a bird been released. It is so spectacular that I think ornithologists couldn't find a proper nomenclature hence named it as a Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) !

It was quite friendly and a standout among the many Common Mynahs in the same area.

It did make some calls which sounded quite metallic liked.

After some down time of birding activities, the birding community was awaken with another rare flycatcher been reported.

This time it was a Blue n White Flycatcher. Unfortunately I missed seeing the bird and so does the guys in the above photo.

I saw this Grey-breasted Spiderhunter instead. 

After waited for an hour plus without any success, I drove to another location and saw another flycatcher. Although not rare, this female Green-backed Flycatcher can only be seen at certain locations.

Green-backed Flycatcher (female)

I have seen this flycatcher before but this one is much more friendlier. 

First time seeing it so close - just above my head.

It perched quite low and was calling excitedly some more.

(Nope ! I did not use any playback songs)

In the above photos you can see its slight whitish coloured vent which is seldom depicted in most field guides.

This female flycatcher has been around for quite awhile and I bet many birders have managed to get even better photos of it.

Although its actual frontal feathers are yellowish but in the darker part of the jungle, they will look more greenish.

Lurking nearby the female flycatcher is this Eastern Crowned Warbler. Differentiated from an Arctic Warbler via its yellowish vent as can be seen in the above photo. 

A comparison between an Eastern Crowned Warbler and an Arctic Warbler

                              Eastern Crowned Warbler                                        Arctic Warbler                                                                                  

I think it's about time we can call this bulbul a Purple-headed Bulbul instead of its current name - Black Headed Bulbul.

Blue-winged Leafbird (Male)

Greater Green Leafbird (Male)

Here is a Banded Woodpecker which has just raided some ants colony.

Many birders I met says this a a Greater Coucal but more experienced birders have earlier informed me that this a Short-toed Coucal.

After spending sometime in the forest, it's time to checkout the paddy fields and mudflats.

A Lesser Sand Plover about to take off.

A Pacific Golden Plover

I have plenty of photos showing this waders which I will show in another upcoming post.

A Whiskered Tern flying away with a "Pek Hair" (White Prawn)

I never get bored taking Painted Stork photos.

and also this Grey Heron. They are never afraid of passing boats.

An Asian Openbill in a paddyfield. This one is a bird with breeding colours according to birders who are more familiar with them.

When I posted the above photo in a FB group, it gathers a lot of "likes" - Not sure why people like this photo. These are a group of Black-winged Stilt.

White-throated KF

You can't miss this kingfisher when you are in this region.

Oriental Reed Warbler - almost as large as a Yellow-vented Bulbul

Black-crowned Night Heron

People say human and birds can live side by side. So this photo says it all.

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. SEE YOU IN 2023 ! HAPPY BIRDING !

Local and common birds in November 2022

 Here are just a few nice ones seen in November 2022. 

A female Ruby-cheeked Sunbird with a caterpillar. It was under the thick shade of a macaranga tree.

Another common bird - a Blue Throated Bee Eater.

This a male Ashy Minivet. 

Some books like Robson - says that it is a winter visitor in this region.

Lesser Cuckooshrike

This one looks like a female.

Pacific Golden Plover (in winter plumage)

A common winter visitor

Red-wattled Lapwing

A resident wader

Red Collared Dove

A female

A Scarlet Minivet

Also a female.

You wont miss this bird during this time of the year.

Brown Shrike

Scaly-breasted Munia

You can find this munia in every corner of the paddy fields in Penang - along the tall lalang weeds.

Hope to see more birds in December !

Birds and waders in October 2022

 At times local birds can look just as nice as those rare deep forest birds. 

Yellow-bellied Prinia

Pro photographers would always tell you to focus on their eyes because that is where the centre piece of a photo. Learnt this technique from a bird sifu.

Red-eyed Bulbul

This is a very common bulbul in the forest / forest edge. I would usually ignore them but this photo looks like a keeper. 

Oriental Magpie Robin

Another very common bird in this region and this is a female.

Yep! -  the 'machine gun' birds are back !

Brown Shrike

A common migratory passerine !

This one was silent through out the day and it is slightly larger than the next shrike.

Tiger Shrike

Smaller than a Brown Shrike but very noisy - it was rattling for the entire day.

Here are some waders seen in October.

Wood Sandpiper

Although it has broad looking scapulars but it's long whitish supercilium and straight bill separates it from a Common Greenshank.

Curlew Sandpiper

They come in various types of bill length as depicted below.

A Curlew SP with a very broad bill based.

This Curlew SP has a slightly longer and thinner bill.

While this Curlew SP has a slightly shorter bill.

A typical looking Curlew Sandpiper - it's an adult in winter plumage.

Here is a comparison of two small stints

                                                      
                        Red-necked Stint                                                      Long-toed Stint                              

                 

Long-toed Stint

A Long-toed Stint with a Lesser Sand Plover

This could be a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper.

At times they can be mistaken as a Common Greenshank.

A juvenile Lesser Sand Plover

A Lesser Sand Plover and a Red-necked Stint

Pacific Reef Egret (Dark morph) - note its little white patch at its throat.

Finally here are some photos of an ancient-looking 'chickens'.

Grey-headed Swamphen / Purple Swamphen

According to the more experienced birders, the one with a darker head is a juvenile.

They have got nice cotton-liked butts

With the rapid development and industralisation of Penang mainland, I wonder how long can this area remained a sanctuary for this beautiful 'hens'.

MORE BIRDS PHOTOS IN NOVEMBER I HOPE ! 

SELAMAT MENGUNDI FOLKS !