Avian video November 2019 - Rhinocerous Hornbill feeding

For two weekends I was there in BT the pair of majestic Rhinocerous Hornbill were there to feed on the tiniest of ficus. It uncanny nimble on the fruits with its tip of the large beak and then turn upwards to swallow them. I cannot imagine how much they will eat just to fill their gizzard. They were spotted in 2 sessions in the morning. I left the place after 12 noon.

Even the Siamang was there to feast on the fruits oblivious of the people below.  It was  good for tourism ; if not the place has nothing much to experience other than the Garden and cool weather.

Avian sighting November 2019 - Eyebrowed Thrush

This is my first time sighting of the Eyebrowed thrush in Peninsula. Though not a lifer but it was a good sighting. According to Tee who frequent BT it is common to see here during the start of wintering season in Siberia and Himalaya side. It should be staying until the fruiting ficus is depleted by the many local birds like barbets; bulbuls and other frugivorous.... I think by end November. Even the Rhinocerous hornbill make it appearance to feed on these tiny fruits. Will put up a video later.

The shooting is about 50-60 ft up in the middle storey so do not expect sharp photos bur record shots only. 

Until Adrian start luring to it to  our usual port than we can talk & boost. The Siberian thrush was also sighted here. Similarly it was feeding high up so no good photo.

Meanwhile the Orange-headed thrush have not make an appearance which I hope it will arrive in December or January..............

Flowerpecker 10/11 - Thick-billed Flowerpecker (Lifer 527)

Its been a while that I get a new lifer. When news came out I worried that it will not stay long and I was busy with work and cannot take leave during the week. When things were done I was away to the hill resort. I was lucky on my second-day visit during that weekend that it show up after it was missing for a few days earlier. The other place that I read that you can  see this bird in peninsula are  Siong Kledang Ipoh, Panti forest Johor and Seremban forest if I am correct. 

This will be my last flowerpecker lifer for Peninsula Malaysia. Though the adult have left the scene I am still happy to get this juvenile in Bukit Tinggi.  It was really surprising that it appeared here at submontane forest. Usually it is in the lowland forest.

I notice that the eyes are  a bit palish orange and as yet turn red. We were lucky that it opt to turn up at the low fruiting ficus and not the other ficus at the Japanese Garden. It was difficult to spot as the chance of an open perch is  by luck. Some more the window to shoot this tiny bird of 10 cm from 30ft  and dense foliage  really test your patience. Den was grumbling that it only got half body shot. As for me I was lucky to get these pictures.

There were other flowerpeckers that came by the tree so it was frustrating and anti-climate as you scan for other movement hoping for the star fc to drop by.


 The Orange-bellied or should it be also called an Orange-backed was the common fc frequenting the Sunda fig tree together with its mate.

 The Yellow-vented above was the most difficult fc to show on that day with its fast and furious antics. It would pick a fruit and then feed hidden from sight. So I only got the"bontot" shot only. The yellow vent is nice right lol.

The molting Crimson-breasted fp was rather friendly feeding at the low fruiting shrubs nearby. I was with Tee then as we shoot this bird in close range at almost full frame.

Avian Site Report November 2019 - Awana Genting

In the middle of November 2019 I recce the Awana trail  again with Bubu and friend in tag. This is to gauge the incoming visiting or migrants birds here in Genting. So we rendezvous at the usual entrance at 7.30am sharp and I am glad we started our excursion  as scheduled. PS I hate  waiting for people during my outing as the montane bird are active during the witching hours. 

The best encounter in the early morning session was @ 8.00-8.30am as we sighted this daring Black-tight Falconet. It was feeding on insects at a distance of 80-100 ft away. It has uncanny telescopic eyesight which it can spot insects as far as 100-150ft away. It literally flew over our heads to snare its prey before flying to the same perch. Below picture it was seen feasting on a juicy hopper from one of its  several successful hunt during our encounter. We were lucky it later change its perch under shade and not so harsh background.

A couple Orange-bellied Leafbird was also seen on 2 occasions This was at a close distance of 30-40 ft. They are curious enough to stay for a good 10 minutes for us to capture it as shown here. Beside that the Blue-winged Leafbird was also sighted but no open shot.

The Mugimaki Flycatchers have arrived; not one but 3 birds were sighted. The Male was rather elusive and I only got the female bird high up a barren leave tree about 100-150 ft away 

Later further down the trail, a Darksided Fc was more accommodating sallying for insects at lower storey. 

 Next came the other  highlight of the excursion a family  of 5-6 birds of White-hooded came out for us to shoot. It was a short encounter but it was a delight for my myammar friends. The birds were absent for a time and I guess it was beginners' luck. They are very skittish bird and keep a distance and most of the time perch behind foliage or branches. during my many encounters.

Then another surprise was a sighting of the Pin-tailed Parrotfinch along the track. This was my first encounter here. The birdwave were quite frequently during the time circa 9.00-10.30am as we shoot whatever comes near. Bubu got a bunch of lifers I think.................

The surprises keep coming when we  saw a pair of quietly perching Male Red-bearded Beeeater from afar - 200 ft. I instructed my friend to take shoots every 10 steps as we approach the pair. We managed to reach about 60-70 ft from them before one of them felt we are too close for its liking and left .....followed by the other. Nonetheless, we were blessed to sight them up to that distance.

There are some fruiting fig that as yet to attract the barbets or Hornbills here. The Black-browed  Barbet was the common one here.

The other resident birds that we encounter but many without good photo opportunity. A pair of  Hill Blue was very obliging staying behind the birdwave.

By 1130am we were we retreating back to the entrance; the bird activity has somewhat diminished to solo encounters. We left the place at about 12.30 pm untill the next outing bye bye...................

Avian Sighting November 2019 - Asian Fairy Bluebird

The male Asian Fairy Bluebird is really a tough bird to shoot in term of exposure and  . Either I get the pale feathers properly in detail and the black-blue with no contrast or low dynamic range and  vice versa burned out  back and rump. Below it was squashing the ripen fig and swallowing whole.

Avian Sighting November 2019 - Siberian Blue Robin (Female)

The Saturday was very misty most of the morning I was there in Bukit Cincin. The male bird was not seen anymore. instead a female bird pop out to my surprise. Wish it was Rufous headed but not to be. Nevertheless I was happy to get some record shots as the lighting and misty condition was not to my side.   

I would say the greyish brown coat from head to back indicate that  it should be the female. I really like to note SBR in my many encounters is always solo affair. Whenever the male is around like  last weekend the female was absent and vice versa.


Then the following weekend 10.11.19  another male SBR came out but not the female.....                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Avian Sighting October 2019 - Crested Fireback

 I was in Mutiara Taman Negara for a two days outing. The resident birds  is now a 7 chicken strong family in term of numbers. Weather was perfect with no monsoon rain in sight. The ficus trees around the Resort  were not fully ripe which attracted the glossy Starling and common bulbul species. The Black and White was not sighted. The Great Argus have long gone too.

The Patriarch get to  eat first. There were a few immature males and a pair of female birds that came out to feed at the Tahan Hide port. In end Oct 2019 there is not plenty of migrant birds showing at the locale except for some Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and a Tiger Shrike.

 The immature ones which are crestless as shown below picture