Mike is the name Birding is the game ( Birding in Malaysia - Malaysian birds in photos ): Avian Field Report

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......