Avian Photo Gear - Fujifirm Free Wireless Remote Trigger via your Android Smartphone.

Wow, Fujifilm promised of a free Android Smart App  Camera Remote has arrived. It has many functions as listed depending on your Fuji camera. In my case the XT-2 it only the first four functions which include the Remote. However, I do not think it is practical to be used for bird photography but rather for static landscape or night scene with long exposure.

Will try it out anyway to prove myself right.

Avian Field Report - Bukit Tinggi May 2019

In the second week of May, the ficus tree is again fruiting and starting to ripen. Maybe 10-20 %. Already the frugivorous are gathering here. There were 6-7 species of Barbets to shoot at the venue in the same day. In the coming weekends in May do expect birders to congregate to get a piece of the action.

The common ones are the Sooty and Blue-eared Barbets. The juvenile Sooty has pinkish  beak compared to the adult one. The adult Blue-eared Barbets was collecting 2-3 fruits to feed its brood There were at least 3-5 birds. Occasionally the fledgling in pale uniform coat some times dropped by to ka-poh and look see.

The juvenile Blue-eared.

The third Barbet is the largest of its species Golden-whiskered Barbet (or rather yellow) is dominating. There was a pair of them.  As it is the start of the fruiting period; every barbet comes in to feed at one go. So the shooting can be frantic and any bird is seen in open we just shoot first. The pair were feeding more in the foliages and the only open perched shoot was this one at the canopy.

Next the less common one is the Yellow-crowned Barbet. There was a family of 2-3 with their brood which swoops in to feed in quick moments.

 I think the picture below is a juvenile  Blue-throated Barbet as the throat is still green.

Blue-throated has pale legs 

Barbet no 6 is the Red-throated. It has no brood. I think I only saw one bird but I cannot be sure as the birds come in and out in succession. No clear shot this time.........

Besides Barbets, the bulbuls which are  also frugivorous and you can see several species including my favorite Scaly-breasted and Black-crested were around. The common ones here are the Red-eyed, Striped-throated, Ashy and the Ochraceous.

 

There were at least half a dozen of Ashy

The Ochraceous was plucking to feed its mate or fledgling in the opposite tall trees.

The feeding action shooting of the birds required a shooting speed of 1/125 to 200 is  and ISO must be kept low at 800 to avoid soft images. For my, Fuji set up I was shooting at 1/60s. The lighting was quite good ie overcast except in the later part of the morning the dark rain clouds arrived.

Green Broadbill

 This is first time Joe and I sighted this female or a juvenile Green Broadbill joining the fruit-fest congregation. As you notice the broadbill also feed on the fruits. It came out only twice in the morning It stayed discreetly in the dark area away from the other birds. A Silver-breasted Broadbill did appear but no clear view.



The other first for me is this juvenile Thick-billed Green Pigeon. It did not approach the ficus tree but stayed across it. It was about 60-70 feet away from our port.

 The regular Yellow-vented Green Pigeon only visited a few times during the morning. There is at least a pair but they were a bit skittish. Joe got some open shots compared with mine. Well, that's bird life......

The other cameo  are as below...........

Fire-breasted Fp (female)

Gey-breasted Spiderhunter

White-rumped Munia

Male & Female Greater Leafbird

AF bluebird female. Male missed the opportunity.

The Fuji focussed on the foreground leaves thus the warbler image is blurred out.  Really cannot id it Could be the Dusky ? ....sign

Avian Post Nesting - Birding April-May in Bukit Frasers

In the month of April-May is a good time to go out birding as the breeding period is the best time to see some action photo-shoot. Last week we encounter several species in post-nesting activity.

1. This Grey-throated Babbler brood of two came out to feed with its parent in the month of April 2019. The adult have orangy eyes whilst the juvi have pale whites.

2. Meanwhile, at the Gap side,  we manage to shoot the Slaty picking up grubs to feed its hatchlings.

It was more active in the early morning and come out in half-hour interval. Maybe the nest is a distance away up the slope hill.



























3. The Bronze Drongo also have a pair of brood as we were shooting at a close distance of 20-30 ft as they called & waited to be feed by their parents. As usual it will flutter their wings to attract their parents. They still have a dull coat and fluffy feathers.

4. Further away at the Hermant's port. A pair of juvi Buff-breasted Babbler showed up but did not come out to feed but kept in the background chirping non-stop.

Avian Sighting - May 2019 - Collared Owlet

During the mating season, the Collared Owlet was rather amorous as it approaches us closely while we were chasing after the Common Green Magpie. This was my best shot of the bird in the open . Most of the time its perch behind the heavy foliages.

Avian Sighting May 2019 - White-tailed Robin

The White-tailed Robin is a regular bird to see at the Hermant's port. With some splendid lighting I manage a few good shots of this passerine Male. Here it can be seen coming out in quick hit and run feeding session. Usually, you are lucky if it comes out a few time during the morning session.  Last seen also at the Paddock's port but the lighting there is a bit low for any good photos.

These are my best captures of this WTR for the past years. I hope AT  & ML got some good shots too. I would like to see the female bird but it never showed. Breeding and nesting should have already begun  for this bird in May. Maybe the female is hatching the eggs and the Male is out as a lookout. With the successful nesting last year I think it will do well this year.


So guys it is good time in another 2 weeks to see some feeding and then in another 3-4 weeks the fledgling will be feeding at the port.....................

Ooops this is the Large Niltava which is a regular presence at this port. Looks similar in color and size