OWL 5/16 - Brown Hawk Owl

The Brown Hawk-Owl is slightly larger than the Collared Scops and it is one of several found in Malaysia that do not have ear-tufts. The Brown Hawk-Owl has a very strange appearance. Its facial disc is rather small. It is overally brown on the crown and upperparts while its pale breast and belly is marked heavily with broad rufous brown streaks.

The Brown Hawk Owl is a medium-sized (32cm) owl with a hawk-like shape due to its long tail and lack of a distinct facial disk with a barred tail....although the subspecies found in the Andaman Islands has dark brown underparts. The eyes are large and yellow. Sexes are similar.

This species is very nocturnal but it can often be located by the small birds that mob it while it is roosting in a tree. It feeds mainly on large insects, frogs, lizards, small birds, and mice. The call is a repeated low soft, musical oo-uk ...ooo-uk... which may be heard at dusk and dawn.

This species not only looks like a hawk but they also hunt like hawks—which explains why its been so named. Brown Hawk-owls usually take their prey, mainly insects, on the wing. Swooping above or through trees in the darkness, they are easily mistaken for nightjars.

Avian Sighting - Juvenile Red-bearded Bee-eater

This juvenile Red-bearded Bee eater was responding to my recording at Sg Perdik. The young bird was left by its parent to fend by itself after post nesting of June. The colors and feathers are still dull green and scruffy. The beak still have whitish tinge to its tip and base mandible.

Meet Izzat and a gang of bird-photogs including  Andy  from Singapore  waiting for the Rufous-collared KF to show up. For the morning session the bird  did not show up. The place was pretty quiet as I left the place.

AVIAN FIELD REPORT - Batang Kali Genting ( Post-May 2014)

The season of moths congregating at the the Radar station brought plenty of bird activity to the place. Many fledgling like the Streaked Wrenbabbler, Whitebrowed SB, Golden-throated Barbet,  and Large Niltava were seen that day. Silver-eared Mesia were as daring as the others. The highlight of the Green Magpie to appear was a dissappointment. The clear and hot morning was blamed for the no show. 

 

This Chestnut-tailed Minla aka Barred-throated/chestnut-winged is also having a nesting down the hill side out of sight as its catches moth in the air to bring it back to feed its babies.

The long tailed Sibia fledgling with grey eyes keeping close to its parent. The adults have red-eyes. 

There was a hive of birders in the hilltop of Batang Kali when it was reported a Cutia sighting there 3 weeks ago. Met Suhaimi, Bernard, Makus ,Yap and Lily there. Azizan & John T  were another two birders that I was not so familiar. 

This my first time I am seeing the white throated fantail, chestnut-capped LT as well as the Grey-throated babbler in the hill top. The warmer condition is a possibility and the moth seasonal. is the better bet.

Left photo - The male juvenile Large Niltava is so beautiful with its speckled rufous breast. Tot it was the Rufous-bellied which I have only seen once with Jason in Brincang CH.

The experience on that day was amazing as some of birds come as close as arm length and are fearless of our presence  especially the juveniles . We can only watch as they pop in and out to feed on moths and caterpillars on the shrub undergrowth . 

Above the WrenBabler fledgling came as close as 12 feet! First time I can shot full frame.

On the right the juvenile Eyebrowed SB with its rufous tinge to its 

The Chestnut crowned LaughingThrush and female L. Niltava were busy  collecting the feedworm for their nestling. In the case of the Niltava it may be a second nesting as the first broods  were also seen feeding nearby.

The Golden Babbler at its frenzy pace is still a challenge for my 7D to get a sharp photo. The Mountain Bulbul juvenile and its parents were approachable upto 20 ft as they too take moths from the ground and wall.

OWL 4/16 - Buffy Fish Owl

This is one in a series of owls in Penang bird park. They have about half a dozen of them here for conservation or commercial purpose I will never know.

Another owl that's a resident of woods and forests so called because it lives on fish and other aquatic life and haunts streams and the reservoirs, looking for its prey. The Buffy Fish is larger than the Brown Hawk but smaller than the Spotted Wood and the first part of its name aptly describes its buffy appearance on its undersides, with fine streaks; its upper parts are covered with dark bars.

Look a Buffy in the eye and you'll be sure to see a whitish spot where its eyebrows meet—a very distinctive feature. The Buffy Fish-Owl is also distinguished by its brilliant yellowish eyes and prominent ear-tufts, usually tilted at 45 degrees.

It is know as a "Ketupa ketupu" locally.

AVIAN SIGHTING Month of May - A Time of Post Nesting (Grey & Buff WP)

Plenty of post nesting action in the month of May if you are lucky to stumble upon it. This is the best time you can see birds in closeup 20-30 ft away.

  I was in Bukit tinggi last weekend with the family and Keow during the school holidays. This is a rare sighting of  this male Grey & Buff Woodie teaching its offspring the ropes of looking for grubs in tree trunk. It is uncanny how they know larvae lies beneath in the tree branch. The fledgling looks like another male. I wonder if it is a female fledgling the mother will be responsible for the offspring.

Below the Father feeding the catch to its growing offspring.

I  was without my tripod and have to shoot from the hip. These are the few photos  which are reasonably sharp for posting.

Met Alagan a good birding friend there who is with Adrian hunting for rarer birds................ so much dedication I salute them.