08.09.2019 Brown Barbets at TBNSA

I visited Taman Botani Negara again the next day after I spotted the Blue Eared Barbets. Yes, again at the fig tree. Again, I struggled due to the low light situation. I followed the same route as yesterday to tge fig tree. It was rather quiet at the oil palm trees unlike yesterday, filled with the calls of the Blue Crowned Hanging Parrots. However, at the fig tree, there was quite a party going on.

I manage to sight the Red Eyed Bulbuls, Black Naped Oriole, Hill Mynas, and Sooty Barbets! I sighted the Sooty Barbets for the first time during my first visit to this park, more than a year ago. Unfortunately I could not get a good photograph of it, since it was quite dark under the canopy. Plus I was not that sure to use fully manual mode to shoot. Those days I was just too comfortable with shutter priority mode instead of using manual mode.

Red Eyed Bulbul

Sooty Barbet

Sooty Barbet

Sooty Barbet

Sooty Barbet

I was going around the fig tree for a good angle to shoot the Sooty Barbets. I was well entertained by the call of the White Bellied Woodpeckers, far at the woods adjacebt to the orchard. I spent quite some time with the barbets. I noticed that the Sooty Barbets did not mash the figs like how the Blue Eared Barbets did yesterday. The Sooty Barbets swallow the figs whole. They do tossed the figs.

That toss!

After some time, a small group of Javan Mynas joined the feast. I then walked to the other side of the orchard and suddenly notice my spectacle's frame damaged due to rusty screw. I didnt see that was coming. I wont be able to get a good focus without my spectacles. I had to run back to my car and looked for a spare spectacles. Lucky me! It was there. I quickly walked back to the orchard and waited. 

I sighted a lonely male Long Tailed Parakeet (or Reddish Cheeked Parakeet) on a quite high perch. It was rather impossible for me to get a good shoot due to the height, but I still manage to get some shots. It was giving out the usual flight call "ngiek...ngiek...ngiek"....but it ends with a single squeek sound with a wag of it tail. I am not sure what type of call it was, either a mating or a territorial call. It was continueing the call for a couple of minutes. 

A male Long Tailed Parakeet on a high perch.

A male Long Tailed Parakeet

Suddenly a flock of green pigeons flew from the woods and perched high on the tree nearby. First I thought it were the Little Green Pigeons. No! It was actually a small flock of Thick Billed Green Pigeons. Lifer! Not much of activity I saw since the pigeons were just perched and waited before they flew away.

Lifer - Thick Billed Green Pigeon, female on the left, male on the right.

After that I went to paddy field area, it was already full with visitors and it was indeed noisy. Then I went back home. 

07.09.2019 Two Lifers at Taman Botani Negara, Shah Alam.

I manage to visit Taman Botani Negara of Shah Alam last Saturday. It was pretty hazy indeed. Once done with the entey ticket, I walked towards the paddy field. A Common Tree Schrew was on the prowl for food. It picked a ripe jujube fell on the ground and quickly ran away from me. Since lack of natural light, I am unable to get a good focus on it; ended up with grainy picture.

Actualy I was expecting to see the Blue Crowned Hanging Parrots today. After I see nothing else on the paddy field, I proceed to the oil palm trees nearby the paddy field. I heard the calls of the hanging parrots and finally saw a small group of 4 Blue Crowned Hanging Parrots (Loriculus galgulus) feasting on the oil palm fruits. Lifer! 

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrots having breakfast

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot (male)

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot (male)

They held the fruit with their toes, then rip and consume the mesocarp of the oil palm fruit. I remember my dad once told me parrots love oil palm fruits. They really do. I even had seen Zebra Doves, Spotted Doves and Paddyfield Pipits feeding on fallen oil palm fruits.

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot (female)

Hanging Parrots' left over

After that I walked towards the orchard and heard the call of the Hill Mynas (Gracula religiosa). Unable to take a good shot since there is not much available lights in this area. I just move around the fig tree (I think it is a Ficus binnendijkii but will have it confirmed during my next visits). There were green pigeons and bunch of bulbuls feasting on the small ripe figs. 

Hill Myna

Suddenly I saw a small green bird moving in between the lower branches. First I thought it could be a leaf bird. To my surprise it was a barbet! Yes it is! It is a lifer after all. It was a Blue Eared Barbet (Psilopogon duvaucelii duvaucelii). Actually there were two of them. They did communicate with each other with high pitched rattles..."trrk...trrk!" They mashed the ripe figs before swallowing it. There were a small group of Red Eyed Bulbuls joined the barbets. 

Blue Eared Brbet

Blue Eared Barbet

Blue Eared Barbet

Blue Eared Barbet

Pooping!

Red Eyed Bulbul

I spend quite a time with the barbets. Then I walked towards the paddy field. I could here the madly laughters of the Pied Hornbills at the edge of the orchard. Yet, I did not had glimpse of them. I walked along the trail near the pitta area but found nothing. Even the spider hunters were not seen here. However I was pretty happy to have two lifers during the visit. Hoping to bag more in future here itself.