Avian Encounter Mar 2021- Little Grebe

It was a close encounter of just 30-40ft with my Nikon P1000 in Kelanang Banting. It  is my first time there and the place is happening with many migrant birds still sticking around closed to the river estuary.  

It is already coming to 3 weeks Fuji thru YL have yet to settle my XT2 body problem of my battery gotten stuck in its chamber. It was also missing some screws without me realising. I will have to make do with my Nikon P1000.

Shooting with my P1000 was not an easy task especially shooting moving birds and low contrast condition . As for the Grebe it was better as  it was not actively diving and remain still.

Pond-Heron (2/3) in March 2021 - Javan Pond-heron (Lifer 543)

Javan Pond-heron is a medium size water bird which can be found in coastal wetland and padi/rice fields in Malaysia. In breeding plummage  it has a lighter golden head and neck shoulder   as compared to the Chinese 's Dark brown color. It is migrant waterbird found in Indochina region and Indonesia.....Java side?

The Indian will be my last Pond-heron to see.  It has similar  coat but different color ie paler breast coat but its back is brownish to the former 2 birds which have black body mantle/top. 

As for ID description : Adult in breeding plumage has distinctive pale brownish-buff to creamy-whitish head and neck with white head-plumes, deep cinnamon-rufous breast, white belly and blacklish-slate mantle and scapulars.

Below is a shedding Pond-heron which looks likely a Chinese maturing to its breeding plummage

  with its reddish head-neck area.

Mar 2021 - Avian Sighting Blue-winged Pitta

Its been another month Klang valley was under lockdown When it finally allow for cross district travelling I was eager to do some birding excursion within Klang Valley or to Genting Highland.

Taman TAR Ampang have been a hive of good sightings of some rarity It is a suburb oasis  in the fringe of Kuala Lumpur city centre. The green pocket about 6km from KLCC is migrant bird sanctuary and passage stop. March spells the  time of the return trip back to northern hemisphere of many passage birds. In the sky you can see raptors on the move too as the season peaks. This year there is no Raptor watch event in Port Dickson Negeri Sembilan due to the Covid-19 MCO restriction.

Migrant Pitta like Blue-winged or Hooded may stay over the year if food is abundance if it choose to. I believe those are the ones which are not ready to breed or mate. 

There were a few of us shooting in the morning lead by Nur who Sony shooter. Today I was using my Nikon P1000 as my Fuji XT2 is sent for  service as the battery got stuck in its chamber and the flash mount is not detecting. Hope to get back soon. 

My P1000 was struggling to hold focus in the low light shaded part of the embankment. Once it is out at the branch perch set up by birders. I manage some acceptable detail full frame shots at 1200mm. Not many but  good enough for blogging . We were shooting  at 25-35ft away.  

 ................Thank Q Joe and Nur