Avian Site Taman Melati Kangar - Bronze-winged Jacana

We reached the venue at about 6.30pm as dusk was approaching we managed to see the pair of  "resident" Bronze-winged feeding at the lily pond amongst joggers and picnickers nearby. We were shooting at close quarters of 40-50 feet. For me it was tough shooting with the contrasty backdrop. The birds can be seen year thru here in the urban park.... I think. If you are there do keep yourself in the car and shoot. It is not advisable to get out to chase them in the open as they are weary of you with your bazookas.

You can really see the bronze color of their wings 

 We did not manage to see the Plain-backed Sparrow at the padi field nearby.

Avian sighting March 2026 - Bronze-winged Jacana

 

Wow another good find in Bukit Mertajam and it was an easy sighting at a dumpsite        water-shed. Jacanas have become sort of  residents  here, Batu Gajah  and Perlis with record breeding and nesting with fledgings in tow.

I was shooting in close range of 80-100 feet away. The bird was harassed by a water monitor lizard as it suddenly jump out from the undergrowth to my surprise. It stayed about a few minutes as I was shooting handheld with my Fuji XT5 with the XF100-400mm tele. 

Frankly this is my first time shooting this Jacana in peninsula Malaysia. 

Avian Sighting December 2025 - Pheasant -tailed Jacana

I was at Sg Balang Muar to hunt for the mega passage migrant Collared Pranticole and the White-cheeked Starling. But sad to say they have left the area.  Instead only managed to seen this Jacana in the open about 40 m from the track on a dry patch. You have to shoot from your car as these birds are really skirtish.

 

WADER 59/60 Jan 2020 - Bronze-winged Jacana (Lifer 532)

The Bronze-winged Jacana is mostly sighted in the northern part of Peninsula in Chuping Perlis side. It is a yearly ritual there. There is also record of nesting at the reservoir  and chicks were seen together with the parents birds.

This is how far the bird is....

As for my find I have to travel to SiemReap to shoot it. It is more common to see in Thailand wetlands. Over here the birds are skittish and stay afar from humans. Luckily I got my P1000 came in handy in getting a record shot of my next lifer of the year which my Fuji XF100-400mm failed because of the distance of the bird across the pond.

Avian sighting January 2020 - Pheasant-tailed Jacana

I flushed a big bird from the waterway as I recce the padi fields of Sg Balang. Thru my naked eyes I though it was the Little Curlew.  Fortunately it land about 200 feet in the sprouting padi field closeby. Apparently it is common to see  Pheasant-tailed Jacana here.

Frankly this is my first time sighting of this bird in peninsula Malaysia. My first was in Inle Lake Myammar. It is a good time to see the bird here while the field is still scanty and ploughed. Other places that have record sightings is  in Malim Nawar Perak a year back.

Why cant the Bronze-wing make an appearance further down south but only in Chuping Perlis...........