My memorable avian photos - 2nd half 2020

This year has been a challenging year for all of us but survive we must ! Here are some of the nice avian photos taken from June to December 2020.

Mangrove Blue Flycatcher 

(oops ! I've just found out from some experts that this one might be a hybrid - i.e a crossed between a Mangrove Blue and a Indochinese Blue Flycatcher (previously called Tickell's Blue FC)

Green-backed Flycatcher

Green-backed Flycatcher

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Red-breasted Parakeet 

 (note: thanks to Dr. Vijay Kumar for the location info)

Javan Sparrow

Blue Rock Thrush (Non breeding)

Rufous-winged Philentoma (Blue morph)

Rufous-bellied Eagle

Oriental Honey Buzzard

Asian Openbill

Gold-Whiskered Barbet

Black-winged Stilts (the one on the right is most likely a female)

A pair of Common Flameback Woodpeckers

Plain-backed Sparrow (female)

Baya Weaver (female)

Black-winged Kite

(look how it turns its head almost like owl like)

Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull returning with a fish

Germain's Swift

House Swift (apus affinis)

Javan Mynah (with a front folded legs)

Night Heron (Black Crowned)

Asian Koel (female)

Wood Sandpiper

Blue-tailed Bee Eater

It doesn't matter if its a hornet as long it looks like a bee, it can be eaten

Brahminy Kite (juvenile)

Brahminy Kite (adult)

Red Collared Dove

Long-billed Spiderhunter

Brown Shrike

Pond Heron

A Yellow-vented Bulbul doing some "pole" dancing

My best photo of the year 2020

From Vincent Van Gough to the modern day "Ah Pek" like me, humans have been fascinated with the beauty of nature that unfold right in front of their eyes. Whether it's on canvas or in digital pixels, we immortalised those moments and derive immense satisfaction from watching them again and again. I had those moments recently when a juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle decided to have a little fun chasing a juvenile Brahminy Kite. 

There are a few reasons why I have chosen the above photo as my best for the year 2020. 

First, the immense size of a juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle as compared to a juvenile Brahminy Kite is clearly visible here. It dwarfs over many times the size of the juvenile Brahminy Kite, especially the length of its wings.

Second, the vivid colors and the uniformity of plumage of the juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle truly depict the beauty of a raptor, in this case a juvenile raptor.

Third, the endoskeleton on the right wing of the juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle can almost be seen here, holding steadily the majestic wings of the raptor.

Fourth, usually photos of a wildlife in action does not always happened as you wished. It's spontaneous. You will need to be at the right place and at the the right time to capture those moments. Could this be a million dollar Nat. Geo shot ? Nah ! probably not quite yet.

The photo below is equally fascinating, showing the continuation of the pursuit between a juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle and a juvenile Brahminy Kite from above. The tail of the juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle is like an exotic hand fan opening with tiny feathers-like petals emerging at its base. Although the upper plumage of the raptors may not be as spectacular as their underwings but nature has its reasons for such arrangements. 

The above photos were taken in the state of Kedah, West Peninsular Malaysia.

An art is just not what you see. It reflects your inner soul and is something that makes you dance with a different kind of happiness.

Differentiating a Jungle Myna from Javan Myna

It has been well written that Jungle Myna once roam Peninsular Malaysia in large numbers until the Javan Myna came and occupied some of its territories. In Klang Valley, there are probably only 2 percent of Jungle Myna left in the entire myna population here. Recently some Jungle Mynas paid a visit to the concrete jungle of my neighbourhood. 

JUNGLE MYNA

One of the key features to determine a Jungle Myna is the dark patch at the base of its bill. Some photos even show that the bill base at times look bluish in color.

They are probably the descendants of the original / native population of Jungle Mynas in KL.

Most of them have bright yellow iris like the ones here.

There were just 2 - 3 of them. So far they were not seen fetching any nesting materials but from their numbers seen here it is safe to say that they might have breed somewhere nearby.

In a shade, their plumage may look more greyish. 

Most of them are quite approachable - probably due to their constant contacts with humans.

Under more light, their mantle, scapulars and covert feathers are more brownish like the one above. 

The colors of their belly are said to be paler / more whitish towards the vent.

In the avian world, we can't discount the existence of hybrids. Some of them probably may have some Javan Myna genetic code in them.

For comparison, here are some Jungle Myna photos taken from the wild.

The above photo was taken at a rice field in Penang recently.

The one below here was taken from Perlis.

It looks like the iris color of its wild cousins are less intense as compared with the ones in Klang Valley. The overall greyish plumage are uniformly spread throughout as well. That could meant that the ones in the concrete jungle of KL are not really 100 percent / pure breed. 

JAVAN MYNA

Here is a typical looking Javan Myna

The head crest appears less bushier as compared to a Jungle Myna.

They too are used to human presence.

From the above photos, you can see that their iris are more whitish as compared to the Jungle Mynas. The more brownish color of their covert feathers and primaries on this Javan Myna probably mean that it could be a hybrid Javan Myna as well.

Note its underbelly colors which are more greyish through out.

How on earth did it manage to find a centipede on a road side?

Here is a Javan Myna photo taken from the field.

The above photo was taken at Malim Nawar, Perak recently.

There are a few anomalies though.

Not sure how to define the above Myna.

Note: finally experts have been able to identify the above myna as an imm Jungle Myna

Note its overall brownish colors.

The above photos are most likely the ones of a juvenile

THE AVIAN WORLD IS FULL OF SURPRISES. GO OUT THERE AND ENJOY THEM !