Tuesday, 28 January 2020

WADER 58/60 / Stork Jan 2020 - Woolly-necked Stork (Lifer 531)

Woolly-necked or White-necked are widespread tropical species which breeds in Africa, and also in Asia from India to Indonesia. It is a resident breeder in wetlands with trees. The large stick nest is built in a forest tree, and 2-5 eggs form the typical clutch. This stork is usually silent, but indulges in mutual bill-clattering when adults meet at the nest.
The Woolly-necked Stork is a broad winged soaring bird, which relies on moving between thermals of hot air for sustained long distance flight. Like all storks, it flies with its neck outstretched.
The Woolly-necked Stork is a large bird, typically 85cm tall. It is all black except for the woolly white neck and white lower belly. The upperparts are glossed dark green, and the breast and belly have a purple hue. Juvenile birds are duller versions of the adult.

This is another first I think for Peninsula Malaysia which recorded a lone vagrant landed and sighted together with a bunch of Openbills at Sg Balang side. It was a Mega lifer for a few birders who chance on the bird then. It did not stay long and had gone astray with the Openbills. I did make several journeys down but it did not return. 

Usually, it will roost on treetop or high building. It most probably feeds on riverbanks for now  until the padi fields are planted and wet  and there are more preys of fish, frogs and large insects. It would be natural to chance of it again in March-April on its return leg....maybe in Malim Nawar and Seberang Prai.


As for my catch it was in Cambodia when our Guide saw it while driving along the track to T . With our camera ready

I was already shooting from the car before we alighted from our 4x4 to shoot handheld. The Olympus with 1200mm reach  and IS 7.5 times would fair better than my Fuji limited 600mm reach. Den as usual with his EF 500mm  needs to set up his tripod before really get to shoot it. 

For the find   I really had to tip  Rana as to me its a mega Malaysian lifer. It was a 200ft distance shooting from our road track in the late afternoon. We cannot go nearer thru the thick ground

No comments:

Post a Comment