WADER 26/60 - Grey Heron

 Grey Heron

Avian Call - Dusky Eagle Owl territorial call during dusk

T
The above  video was shot using Fuji XT-2 set up - APSc crop factor FHD 29fps. whilst below is by Nikon P1000 cropped FHD 25fps The quality is so different.

Its song is a phrase of resonant, accelerating, croaking notes: kro kro kro-kro-krokrokoikoikokog, with the ending notes given in a rapid staccato sequence, resembling a tremolo. This phrase lasts about 3 seconds. Male and female may be heard duetting during courtship. Whenever it calls the others are warned to keep at bay. It calls in long interval of half an hour or so and some times in response to other bird call.

Avian Field Report April 2019 - Hunting for Lifer Fraser's Hill

A Bronze Drongo in the wee morning along the ClockTower road to Shahzan

The Long-tail Broadbill  was an easy shoot during the nesting period.

Even the Long-tailed Sibia is collecting nesting material....I think in the month of April- May there will be plenty of activity. Even the Rufous-bellied Swallow are collecting mud mixed with fibrous material to build their nest.

Streak Spiderhunter and Fire-breasted Flowerpecker  are more common highland bird

A Juvenile Large Niltava  was sighted along the road to Mager Trail which may have fledged in April.



A single Buff-breasted Babbler will come out to greet you every time at the Paddock port no matter what you play your birdcall. However, the beautiful male White-tailed Robin only may come out once or twice.

Then there was also a pair of Lesser Shortwing in FH at the Paddock port.  I was hoping to see the Eye-browed WrenBabbler or any kind for that matter; instead the former.

The Slaty Forktail was a sudden surprise catch at the entrance gate early in the morning. It was on its own looking for moths and grub on the ground.

I was shooting from my car. Later a female Large Niltava show up and hang around for a while for me to shoot it.









Then there is a pair Common Green Magpie  sighted at the ravine of the abandoned house opposite Shahzan.

Attention!!!

A Black & Maroon Oriole showed up at a tree at the Glasshouse Cafe after a Little Cuckoo Dove came out earlier to feed on fruiting tree.

Anything About Birding - Freelance Bird Guide Fee Rate in Malaysia

Bukit Tinggi Port 2019

Hi sometimes while visiting Malaysia; you may have extended a day to do birding activities. Well you can contact local freelance bird guide to bring you out for birding excursion and to try some local cuisines during lunch. As for me its strictly weekend guiding and can be "kowtim" with a good meal and RM100 for transport to birding ports within 100km from KL city.

PS: For Fellow birders who wants to do freelancing bird-guiding; please do leave your contact and email for listing here

Melaka spread of Baba Nyonya and Jonker  delights is just shy of RM100 for 2-3 pax

Tanjung Tualang River Prawn Mee RM16.00. Lala BeeHoon RM18.00 at Kuala Sepetang. Addiing more sidedishes like Steam Carp fish  RM35.00 is still good 

As a reference here is a fee guideline.               Adapted from Malaysian Birding

Local knowledge of a particular locale would be indispensable for quality birding. For that visitor that have made their own travel, meals and accommodation plans but requires the services of a local bird-guide to plan a day of birding itinerary;  here are some reference of how much it will cost you to hire a full-time bird guide in Malaysia nowadays. Anything cheaper will be a bargain.

Bird-guide Fee for Adhoc Birding 

Full Day (max. 8hours)	1 to 3 birder (per guide, per day)	MYR 500-700
Half Day (max.4hours)	1 to 3 birder (per guide, per day)	MYR 300-400
	Additional pax	MYR 100
Use of guide vehicles	guide's own car upto 3 birders	MYR 100/day  + gas/toll if any

Bird-guide  with driver & van transport rental  (4 to 6 pax)
Full Day (max. 8hours)	per guide, per day	MYR 1000-1200
Half Day (max.4hours)	per guide, per day	MYR   700-900

Note: If you require the guide for overnight trips, there will be extra charges for his accommodation and meals expenses for the duration of the tour.

Now back to Food............yummy




High end Lunching can cost a good RM300 for 3-4 pax in KL like this seafood delights  @ Seafood World Plaza33 Petaling Jaya

Mud Crab in Glutinous Rice and Patin fish is already a good combo dish set meal Bukit Tinggi.








Japanese fair is quite reasonable in KL from RM65-120 ++ per head Buffet style that you can enjoy till your heart content. Outlet like Kampachi, Jogoya  and Saiseki  are  recommended.

Avian Nesting April 2019 - Long-tailed Broadbill Fraser's Hill

Normally I do not blog any active bird nesting unless I think its safe enough. There are at least two active nestings now in Bukit Fraser in  April 2019. For the past years, the Bishop trail has been the favorite spot where a pair have been building their nest high above the trail. This year is the same but a lot higher now. Feeding in progress as you read. 

Then the other nest is at Langgak Golf. It is my first time seeing a nesting here above a ravine but almost eye level to the road. It is about 40-50 off the road so it is quite safe for me to post now for all to visit and shoot the event. So again a gentle reminder - fellow birders please don't start cutting down branches to have a better view as there is enough open and unobstructed space for 20 pax at the port.  

Both the parent are responsible for preparing the nest. One was in charge on the top while the other at the bottom and inside.The nest is hanging precariously from the thorny rattan frond. It looks fragile and can break off during a thunderstorm but I think the birds know how hardy is rattan. 

Avian Photo Gear - Sony news on AI Focusing Animal Eye AF

The latest news on animal AI focusing by Sony after Olympus and Panasonic announcement. Sony is using AI algorithm to focus on the bird/animal's eye. Hope to see A7 users to give their thumb-up how it fair when shooting birds ................... 

Sony adds enhanced Real-time Eye AF, Animal Eye AF and interval shooting to the a7R III, A7 III

Published Apr 11, 2019 | Gannon Burgett

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Sony has released firmware version 3.0 for its a7R III and a7 III full-frame mirrorless cameras, bringing enhanced 'real-time' Eye AF as well as an Eye AF mode designed specifically for animals.

Enhanced Real-time Eye AF

Sony's 'Real-time Eye AF' is now available in the AF-C focus mode and works with a half-press of the shutter button, or when pressing the AF-ON button so you no longer have to hold down a custom button. When set to function with a half press or AF-ON, Real-time Eye AF will continue to operate as the general subject recognition tracking mode, if no eye is found in the scene. If you choose to map the Real-time Eye AF function to a custom button, you will lose out on this behavior.

Firmware version 3.0 seen installed on an a7 III camera.

Real-time Animal Eye AF

It's not just human eyes Sony is focusing on either. Firmware version 3.0 brings - for the first time in an interchangeable lens camera - Animal Eye AF, a new autofocus mode that uses AI-trained algorithms to find and focus on the eyes of wild animals and pets.

Like Real-time Eye AF, Animal Eye AF works with AF-C focus mode and is activated with the half press of the shutter button or when assigned to the AF-ON button. It's worth noting however, that you must choose between the 'Human' and 'Animal' Eye AF mode in the menu before shooting. Sony also notes that due to the large amount of data required to track animal eyes, the Animal Eye AF likely won't perform as well as the Human Eye AF.

MEANWHILE FUJI is still looking at human eyes still.......WTFlower

• April 16, 2019
 
• News
 
• 23 Comments

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Fujifilm X-T3 Firmware 3.00

Fujifilm X-T3 firmware version 3.00 has just been released. You can download it here.

The firmware update Ver.3.00 from Ver.2.10 incorporates the following issues:

1. Strengthened the accuracy of face / eye detection AF performance
   The AF algorithm has been improved along with the accuracy of face / eye detection AF. The ability to detect faces in the distance has been enhanced by approximately 30% and AF tracking is now more stable, even when an obstacle appears in the way. The improvements in AF are applicable to both still photos and video recording.
2. New Face Select function
   The Face Select function has been introduced to provide priority auto-focus, tracking and exposure on a selected subject when multiple faces have been detected. The priority face can be selected by using the touch screen or focus lever.
3. Faster AF speed for subjects at a distance
   A Double Tap Setting and Touch Function has been added to the touch screen settings*. The two settings must be set to OFF to provide a better touch screen response. These new settings allow a more intuitive touch operation when shooting, AF and focus area select.
4. Intuitive operation of touch screen
   A Double Tap Setting and Touch Function has been added to the touch screen settings(*1). The two settings must be set to OFF to provide a better touch screen response. These new settings allow a more intuitive touch operation when shooting, AF and focus area select.
   *1：By default, Touch Screen Setting, Double Tap Setting and Touch Function are set to all OFF. Touch Screen Setting must be set to ON to use the touch screen function.
5. Focus frame when EYE DETECTION SETTING
   When using EYE DETECTION SETTING, only focus frame on eye is displayed.
6. Improvement of AF/AE area tracking when using EVF
   When using the EVF, tracking function for AF/AE area movement by touch screen is improved.
7. Push function of the Focus stick when INTERVAL TIMER SHOOTING
   The push function is disabled when INTERVAL TIMER SHOOTING.
8. FLICKER REDUCTION function
   The options are changed from ON/OFF to ALL FRAMES/FIRST FRAME/OFF. And when choosing FIRST FRAME, the speed of CH countinuous shooting is imroved.
9. Message when IMAGE TRANSFER ORDER
   If there is no image of TRANSFER ORDER when turing on a camera, no message appears.
10. Fix of slight defects

OWL 8/16 - Dusky Eagle Owl (lifer 526)

The resident bird was at its ole hunt  on Friday when I got the long-awaited  news from my local fellow birder but alas dare not rush off from work as I already took  Thursday off to hunt for the elusive Slaty-legged Crake in FH. So hoping for the best that the bird will stay awhile until the weekend.

Saturday came as I tried my a third time in Fraser's Hill to see whether my lifer will show up. Just about 9.30am got a message that the Dusky Eagle Owl was sighted perching in another part of the tree; I abandoned my wait in FH and rush down to Jeram Perak. Took me a good 2.5 hours to reach the there and I must say it was worth it.

Ever cautious of your movement

Miss Droopy

Giving you the look ...."buzz of buster"

The Dusky is one of the larger Owl to see in Peninsula coming in almost 2 feet tall. The female is slightly bigger than the male. It is considered a lowland bird and can be found near watershed area, pond or river, and kampung area. Although not completely nocturnal, the Dusky Eagle Owl usually spends the daytime in the seclusion of a shady bough or foliage, becoming active about an hour before sunset.

They have been observed on the move and hunting in the day, especially cloudy days, but never during the brightest and hottest hours. They are usually found in pairs and are very faithful to localities. These owls can be heard calling at all hours of the day, and are most vocal during the rainy and cold seasons.

Color in heavy shade matching the dark shade and tree branch

Description The facial disc is whitish with dark shaft-streaks of feathers and a distinct, narrow and darker rim. The irises of the eyes are bright yellow. My id tip is its pinkish droopy eyelid when it is dozing off.  The cere and bill are bluish-lead in color with a pale yellowish-horn tip. The other tip is its prominent ear-tufts are a darker greyish-brown color. The upperparts are brownish-grey with blackish shaft-streaks and dark brown and whitish vermiculations. The scapulars have whitish outer webs, finely vermiculated brown, forming an indistinct scapular row.

The underparts are very pale buffish-grey with prominent, dark shaft-streaks and brown cross-bars. The primary and secondary flight feathers are barred light and darker greyish-brown. The tail is pale brownish-grey with white tips and has 4-5 broad, dark greyish-brown bars. The tarsi are feathered to or beyond the base of the toes. The sparsely bristled tips of the toes are plumbeous-grey in color with paler soles. Claws are blackish-brown.

Color in the evening light

Dusky Eagle Owls feed on small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, fish, and large insects. 

Avian Sighting April 2019 - Common Green Magpie

The Fraser's Hill CGM are a skittish lot and seldom allows any close encounter. They are most often seen active in the morning looking for grubs at ground level. A pair was seen foraging together. Mating is in  season.......................