Birding here and there from February to March 2024

 Not many birds appearing at my local patches. I probably need to travel further to see more birds.

Green-back Flycatcher

Male

Quite a friendly little fella. Probably it has got used to paparazzi.

An underwing and flank shot 

Like a typical flycatcher, it would sally for an insect and then it would return close to where it perched earlier.

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

Male

A local resident.

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

Female

She looks just as nice as the male.

Blue Whistling Thrush

This is another local resident but it resides further North in and around Gopeng area.

This is probably the most common nuthatch in this region.

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Mountain Peacock Pheasant

So glad that they are still around. Saw two of them as well as a dozen paparazzi shooting them.

Apparently this is an Apus pacificus (Pacific Swift) or perhaps a Cook's Swift (Apus cooki)? They are probably more common up in the hills than the lowlands. A common winter visitor as well.

Oh what a feeling ! (Irene Cara). 

Enjoying the cold breeze and sun.

Pacific Swallow

THE END

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Common Birds from September to December 2023

 Didn't have much time for birding lately but I still managed to get one / two lifers nevertheless.

A majestically looking White-bellied Sea Eagle

Blue Whistling Thrush

Can be differentiated from the Malayan Whistling Thrush by its larger size.

Pin-tailed Parrotfinch

Lifer

It was seen alone.

Sultan Tit

It has been awhile since I last saw this species. More commonly found at hill stations or sub-montane areas.

Ayam Hutan (Red Jungle Fowl)

Male

Ayam Hutan (Red Jungle Fowl)

Female

Crimson Sunbird

Male

Looks like it has a bluish wings and tail.

Nice looking birdy.

Oriental Dollar Bird

A bird which is common in the costal regions.

Spectacled Bulbul

Blue-tailed Bee Eater

Black-tailed Godwit

Brown-headed Gull 

First winter bird?

A flock of Pacific Golden Plovers

Red-necked Stint

(winter plumage)

A mix group of waders 

Black-tailed Godwits, Asian Dowitchers, Bar-tailed Godwit and Great Knots.

While some areas have seen a declined in waders' numbers, there are still many visiting TAT.

Marsh Sandpiper

Asian Dowitchers

Great Crested Tern

Great Crested Tern

They are already quite familiar with the presence of humans.

THAT'S ALL FOR THE TIME BEING !!

Waders at TAT - September 2023

Over here, the migratory waders would made their return trip (Autumn migration) as early as in July (based on pers comm with seasoned birders). From then to September you can see some of them in their colourful breeding plumage. In this trip to TAT which is located in mainland Penang, I managed to see some of them but mostly in flight cause the tide movements have pushed them further away from the river mouth. 

Here is a Lesser Sand Plover 

(Note: now it is called a Tibetan Sand Plover)

Some Charadrius basking in the morning sun which was partially blocked by some clouds which makes the weather quite cooling.

Here's a larger group of waders.

Ruddy Turnstone 

One of my favourite waders and it is still having its breeding plumage.

Looks like it is just slightly larger than a Tibetan Sand Plover.

A Tibetan Sand Plover showing some breeding plumage. 

Wonder whether this TSP is from the 'Mongolus' group - can see some white patch at its forehead?

Some of them are quick to transform themselves into partial winter plumage like this one.

This time I witnessed quite a number of juveniles arriving at the same time as the adults / 2 CY birds.

This is another juvenile I believe.

Common Sandpiper

(Also a juvenile it seems)

Common Redshank

One of the most common waders in this region. You can see them every single year through out the winter season.

The one and only Common Greenshank seen this time.

Also a lone Pacific Golden Plover seen this time.

Initially I thought I saw a new bird but it turns out to be just a Broad-billed Sandpiper.

Red-necked Stint

I hardly able to photograph them in their winter plumage.

Red-necked Stint

They are fast but not furious.

It's not easy to capture them in flight cause these small little ones can actually fly very fast.

 

This time I saw quite a number of Black-tailed Godwits and some Asian Dowitchers.

Black-tailed Godwit

Some of them can fly quite close to you.

Black-tailed Godwit

Still showing off its breeding plumage.

Great Knot

Great Knots

Not many were seen this time.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Common Redshank

A nice flight sequence of some Common Redshanks.

Maybe we can consider calling them a "Spotted Redshank" instead.

Some them have really dark uppersides.

Like some B&W paintings.

Some are quite plain looking like this one.

A Ruddy Turnstone in flight

Some Ruddy Turnstones with a Red Knot

Whimbrel

Not many seen this time - just four of them.

Eurasian Curlew

Gentle waders in the sky

Tibetan Sand Plover

Probably the most abundant wader you can find here.

Most likely a 2CY bird

So as this one I believe.

According to Dave Bakewell, this one has three generations of feathers !

This Tibetan SP looks like the usual wintering wader.

I think this might be a Greater SP?

Two Broad-billed SPs 

A Broad-billed SP with a feather instead of a fish.

Curlew SPs

Broad-billed SP has many variations of bill.

Some Broad-billed SP with some Tibetan SP

A mix group of waders.

There are only two groups here - Great Knots and Tibetan SPs

Two Terek SPs and two Tibetan SPs

A comparison of a Curlew SP. These are two different birds here.

     
                              

Here are some non-waders 

        Common Tern

According to a localised birding expert, the above is a Germain's Swift!

And the unmistakable Grey Heron says goodbye to us on our way back to the jetty.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS FROM TAT !