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MikeBirder - Malaysian Birds

Hi

Welcome to my Malaysian Birding Blog. I migrated to blogspot.com as my blog at multiply.com closed shop in 2012. I wish to showcase all Malaysian birds that I have photographed whether here or overseas. My countdown of lifers started in 2005. Coming to Oct 2022 my countdown of lifers photograph has reached
559/688 species of birds of Malaysia in photos.

My shooting gear was a EF400mm f4 DO lens and Canon 7D body which to me is the ideal setup for mobility and bird chasing at that time. Eventhen the weight over my shoulder is more that 5.5 kg. As of June 2016 I have also acquired a Fuji XF 100-400mm OIS lens to complement my travelling cum birding trip overseas. My Fuji X-T2 went kaput recently and I upgraded to the X-T5 in 2023 ; the weight over my shoulder is much lighter now by 30%. In December 2018 I acquired the Nikon Coolpix P1000 as supplementary camera for distance shooting of 3000mm.
Fuji have finally made available their new XF 200-600mm lens which I yet to decide to spend another RM10,000. As for Fuji body I will stop with X-T5 36megapixel ..........

I am a weekend birder. Do feel free to drop me a line at mikebirding@gmail.com and I see whether you can tag along in my outings. My usual day trip is just an hour ride away to Hulu Langat, Lancang, Kemensah, Krau, Awana, Hulu Kali, Gombak Ole Road, Fraser's Hill , Bukit Tinggi and KSNP & Coastal Sg Janggut Jeram side of the coast . Overnite trip to Merapoh & Cameron, Air Hitam and further north to Kuala Sidim is a seldom affair but for lifer we travel. Panti in Johor is another good birding site that I yet to go. Then there are the Borneo birds of Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia which I seriously much go to chalk up more lifers. This I did in 2018 to Sepilok Sandakan and Kinabalu Park. Next Danum and LahatDatu.......

WARNING Birding is an addiction once you started its hard to stop. The wifey and children are now birding widow and orphan.

ALL PHOTOS IN THIS BLOG ARE COPYRIGHT OF MIKEBIRDER. KINDLY SEEK PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER IF YOU want to use them for commercial purposes.

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Tuesday 25 February 2014

RAPTOR & ACCIPITER 26/35 - Lesser Fish Eagle




This Lesser Fish-eagle is smaller raptor by a good 20cm or
8 inches as compared to the Grey-headed Fish-eagle. I believe this
resident of Kemensah is a companion to another  - a Grey-headed Fish-eagle there. Is it a possibility................... I think it is possible like the pied hornbill and black hornbill in Bukit Kiara.

The Lesser Fish Eagle call is very much different from the the Grey -headed. Besides that the the latter 's tail do not have an obvious  black tip band Instead it has a brownish to grey tail.



Supplementary birds & macaque seen nearby  its vicinity.




Tuesday 18 February 2014

FERAL 4/10 - Asian Golden Weaver

Asian Golden Weaver

This is a cousin of our local Baya Weaver. YIf you see it in Peninsula it is most probably an escapee or feral from Thailand.

This one was shot in Penang Bird Park Seberang Prai.

Monday 17 February 2014

RAPTOR 12/36 - Grey-headed Fish Eagle

 
 
The Grey-headed Fish Eagle
It is a bird of prey and specialist fish eater which hunts over lakes, lagoons and large rivers. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. Grey-headed Fish Eagle breeds in southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to south east Asia and the Philippines. It is a forest bird which builds a stick nest in a tree near water and lays two to four eggs.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle is a largish stocky raptor at about 70–75 cm in length. Adults have dark brown wings and back, a grey head and reddish brown breast. The lower belly, thighs and tail are white with a black terminal band. Sexes are similar, but young birds have a pale buff head, underparts and underwing, all with darker streaking.

Sad to say in Peninsular Malaysia (previously common, now uncommon and sparse, perhaps 40 pairs remaining), east Malaysia, Singapore (scarce), Brunei (scarce), and the Greater Sundas and Sulawesi, Indonesia (widely distributed but uncommon in Sumatra and Borneo, and now very rare in Java). Although widely distributed, the species is local and declining in most parts of its range through loss of forested wetlands. However, historical and even recent records are difficult to interpret, in South-East Asia at least, due to identification difficulties between this species and Lesser Fish Eagle.





Wednesday 12 February 2014

AVIAN VIDEO 8/100 - Dark-throated Oriole

This resident bird feeding on a caterpillar. Like cuckoos it will bludgeon its prey onto a branch to remove the irritating and stinging hairs. I mimicked its call and got it worried that  I want its food. So  it flew across the stream in Kemensah to enjoy its catch peacefully.........enjoy.

Monday 10 February 2014

FLYCATCHER 23/25 - Chinese Blue Flycatcher

Chinese Blue Flycatcher aka Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher

The Chinese Blue is an uncommon migrant visitor to South East Asian countries during the winter period in the Himalayas India and W China. It has distinct blue throat and smaller rufous "v" if any. The one I saw has shining azure shoulder patch and blue breast flank as compared to the Tickell's absence. It flanks or side belly has a yellowish wash color which you will also not see in our resident Tickell's.

It kept to the undergrowth and sat quietly and did not response to my Tickell's call. The thickness of the undergrowth prevented me from getting a closer shot.

Adolph Khor also shot a same bird in Sg Sidim up north of the Peninsula recently. Pls see his posting early of  Feb14  -  http://worldwilddream.blogspot.com/2014/02/2014-sedim.html . Now you will be wondering whether it may be the same bird moving south until Singapore which will be most likely its last stop.



Thursday 6 February 2014

RAPTOR & ACCIPITER 25/35 - Short-toed Snake Eagle


Short-toed Snake-Eagle

During the Chinese New Year holidays I was back to Alor Setar. My target bird then were the many rare raptors sighting in Chuping and Sg Dua. Not to mention the Great -eared Nightjar in Air Hitam Seberang Prai.
Alas saw the latter but no photos . The only lifer for the CNY was this uncommon visiting raptor from Central Asia-China and Russia. The Short-toed Snake Eagle is found in open cultivated plains, arid stony deciduous scrub areas and foothills and semi-desert areas. It requires trees for nesting.

The short-toed snake-eagle is a large, long-winged eagle with a broad head, a relatively small beak, and long, bare legs. The plumage is quite variable, but is usually brown above, with a brown head, throat and chest, and a white lower breast and belly, marked with dark bars or blotches. The flight feathers of the wing are usually dark, and the tail bears three to four dark bands. The eye is bright yellow. The male and female short-toed snake-eagle are similar in appearance, although the female is heavier and has a slightly longer tail.

The Short-toed Snake Eagle is an accomplished flyer and spends more time on the wing than do most members of its genus. It favours soaring over hill slopes and hilltops on up draughts, and it does much of its hunting from this position at heights of up to 500 meters (550 yards). When quartering open country it frequently hovers like a Kestrel. When it soars it does so on flattish wings.

Its prey is mostly reptiles, mainly snakes, but also some lizards. Sometimes they become entangled with larger snakes and battle on the ground. Occasionally, they prey on small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, and rarely birds and large insects. This eagle is generally very silent. On occasions, it emits a variety of musical whistling notes. When breeding, it lays only one egg; it can live up to 17 years.The Short-toed Snake Eagle has suffered a steep decline in numbers and range in Europe and is now rare and still decreasing in several countries due to changes in agriculture and land use. It needs protection.