Pitta 6/13 - Black-headed Pitta (lifer no 499)

 The Black-headed Pitta is almost like our peninsula Garnet Pitta except that it has a more distinct white streak across  its black head.  It is sure see in Sepilok RDC if you have the right guide or local birder. At one time it is so used to human that you don't need a hide to shoot these fellows at the Pitta trail post. In September 2018 it was missing and we suspect it is now mating and nesting again.

On my last day at Sepilok RDC, I was bloody lucky that I met  KK -Tony with Henry and Chui who  managed to call out the bird at another trail......... amazing friendly Sabah birders ! thanks guys

Though a bit shy it was dueting with our call behind a tree. We have to move about to get an opening to shoot it. I was lucky enough to locate it on a low branch with a bit of sunlight shining thru to get these pictures.

Flycatcher no 25/30 - Sunda Blue Flycatcher (lifer 498) aka Large-billed Flycatcher

I had id the bird as a Niltava earlier but after checking Borneo birdlist there is none listed.  Anyway it rufous neck and breast is paler than  the Niltava's  that I have seen in peninsula.  Doing some comparison of the Bornean Blue I deduced  its indigo forehead and dark face wih a bit of dark blue to it throat I am positive I got the Sunda Blue Flycatcher aka Large-billed  Flycatcher. The tip of the upper mandible beak is hooked and of cause the large bill

It was very unfortunate that it kept to upper storey and did not budge from its perch for a while before it dive down into the undergrowth near the stream and never to be seen. We were lucky to got a few shots but not that clean from our angle. It head is always pointing up which is a habit of this bird.

Kingfisher 13/14 - Bornean Banded Kingfisher (lifer 497)

I got this male banded at RDC in September 2018. It is also mentioned as the Black-faced.  It is now a total separate specie from our peninsula specie. The colors and feather features are drastically different with black face mask and forehead compared to the brownish of the latter. It is an easy shoot at the Canopy walk. The difficult part is to locate it amongst  the vast green. Once you have found it you can shot for an hour or two as it perch there unless disturbed. We were shooting at a distance of 60 ft or so . If you are lucky it can come to 15-20 ft of the canopy bridge.

This picture is the male bird. Hope to get to see the female in October..............

Groundbird 11/16 - Chestnut-necklaced Hill Patridge (lifer 496)

I was dying to catch this bird when news came about of its appearance at Pedu Lake of Kedah. I did make a trip  last year there following the direction given by  my good buddies. I sighted it in the late morning but with no photo; I came back to Alor Setar empty handed.

This time it was fruitful enough that I was  given ample time to shoot in close quarters. Thanks Ang / Kenny boy....for nothing 😁. By the way Zhong just commented that its a different specie from Peninsula (Arborophila charltonii ssp. charltonii). I think they are subspecies and yet to be split...............vs
Arborophila graydoni

Avian Sighting in August 2018 - Lesser Shortwing

The Lesser Shortwing is back at the port in Ulu Kali in the month of August 2018.  I was alone that weekend to my surprise. Pak Long was not around to chitchat as I walk about the short stretch of road between the gate and port.  

Bird activity was in a doldrum in Ulu Kali for the past weeks or so. After seeing Vic's posting of the female LS I wanted to try to see my elusive one. Instead the male was the consolation at the port. At least I manage some better pictures this time 

The other good place to see this bird as reported by Dr Amar is in Cameron..........that is another story. 









Shortwing are like Wrenbabbler or certain babblers of Black-capped and Short-tailed which feed at ground level hopping around and flipping leaves to look for grubs. They are quite skittish in that sense and photographying them can be a chore in dim lighting as you be shooting below 1/60s. With good IS lens stability lens or body nowaday, high ISO control and electronic shutter like my Fuji setup it is quite dandy to get better resolution picture of this LS. 

Avian post-nesting - Large Niltava and its fledglings

The resident pair of Large Niltava have been very productive this year at the port of Ulu Kali Genting. I was surprised that there were 3 juveniles coming out to feed at different time. At times the parent female will accompany the female juvenile at the port.

There were two female individual  and a male sibling that came out to feast on the mealworms . The parent male is not too happy the male juvenile still hanging around and every time it want to feed at the branch;  the parent male will chase away the latter from the port. However when the female one  come out, the parent  will not chase it way. From this behaviour I can only assume that the male offspring is being  force away to find its own territorial spot as the alpha male want the harlem to itself......




Female juvenile no 1

I only managed to shoot the male juvenile on 2 occasion in the open. Even then it was for less than 10-20 seconds. Most of the time it was a hit and run with  the parent ever ready to buzz it away. Poor thing.

Female juvenile no 2

Avian Nesting 14/100 - Whiskered Treeswift

News of any bird  nesting will draw the bird fraternity to the port without fail. After the Blue Banded Kf  attraction in May- June; the Whiskered Treeswift  nesting in Hulu Langat again draw the crowd  in the month of July- August 2018. Usually I would not post any early stage of nesting sighting but the case here is the safety and welfare of the nest is not jeopardised. This is most probably  a second attempt for the pair. Usually nest making  starts in the month of  April - May. A tiny lump of mossy cup like nest  about 1.5 inche in diameter just enought to snug an egg.

 It was my first time shooting the specie in nesting.  Though in the  late stage of the nesting there were plenty of action as the parent now  kept away and only come in to feed the nestling and then flying off  to the nearby tree 80-90 ft away.  It always will keep an eye of its baby from predator like Kingfisher as we birders below waited for the parent to come in. I notice only one of the parent is doing the feeding which I assumed  the mother without the chestnut ear-covert.

Jamil and I were the last to leave the post at about noon that Sunday; when we were gifted with  this action shoot of the nestling stretching its wing. Marvellous!!!!  I estimate another 7-10  days before it take flight.  Later Dennis  and Alan T  arrived in their car to shoot the bird as I was walking back to exit.

There were many nesting record of the same bird  in  Kemensah, Bukit Tinggi and many other locale near KL. Usually it is a easy sighting as  the treeswift  make it nest quite open at about 20-40 ft above the ground.