19.02.2018 Putrajaya Wetland Park

I had to make a tough decision whether want to visit Putrajaya Wetland Park or Jeram, and finally I decided to hunt at Putrajaya Wetland Park. Quite a nice place, but my worry was how if I return empty handed like I did at KKB, due to my limited experience. This time I had set the ISO to automatic mode. 

I reached the park at 8:30a.m. and walked to the lake area. High up at a tree near to the park office building, I sighted the Banded Woodpecker. Due to wrong angle I didn't manage to get a good photo of it.

Banded Woodpecker (Chrysophlegma miniaceum)

I proceed further to the lake side, and saw a pair of White Headed Munia (a new entry) gathering nesting material at a giant bulrush patch. There were other common garden birds as well around the lakes.

White Headed Munia (Lonchura maja)

Magpie Robin - Female (Copsychus saularis)

Pink Necked Green Pigeon - Male (Trerons vernans)

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela malayensis) soaring above the park 

I made my way along the path which leads to the other lakes, surrounded by trees. I managed to have a shot on a Pin Striped Tit Babbler, another new entry to my birds list. It was a pair of this babbler, holding a strip of dried grass with its beak and moving around me. Perhaps they are building a nest. They were quite friendly and I managed to get a good shot even though the lights were not favoring my side. 

Pin Striped Tit Babbler (Macronus gularis)

Pin Striped Tit Babbler (Macronus gularis)

I walked towards the lake having an instinct that I would end up meeting the Black Backed Swamphen, and yes I did! It came out of the thick vegetation and was moving around a small open, grassy area. Black Backed Swamphen is much friendlier compared to other rails. I noticed that it has the habit of raising an alarm call when it hears loud noises (same goes with the Purple Heron, after hearing a loud "bang" resulted from ongoing site works in the park).

Black Backed Swamphen (Porphyrio indicus)

Black Backed Swamphen (Porphyrio indicus)

Black Backed Swamphen (Porphyrio indicus)

On my way returning to my car, I found 3 Red Wattled Lapwings fleeing away with their signature alarm call, which is a continuous 3-noted cry "keer-keer-keer...keer-keer-keer...". Its not that easy to pick them up at a close distance, so I missed to shot them, as they saw me before I do. The Tamil name for the Red Wattled Lapwing is "Aal Kaatti", literally meaning "The Pointer".

Common Sun Skink (Eutropis multifasciata)

As I continued to walk to my car, I found an Indian Cuckoo perching on a tree. It was a new entry to my list. In total, I had 4 new birds to my list at Putrajaya Wetland Park.

Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus concretus)