18.01.2020 Pittas of Taman Botani Negara, Shah Alam

It was a great morning, even though the Sun was reluctant to show itself fully. I arrived at the park at 8am, and head straight to the paddy field to see the Asian Openbill Storks. I could say there were nearly 30 to 40 storks, hunting for....freshwater clams at the flooded paddy field. 

Everything was fine when a jogger, who was so recklessly running around the paddy field, never bother about the storks, successfully flushed them away. Morning meal is very crucial for birds to gain energy to move around, so do not interrupt them when they are feeding. Imagine someone chase you away when you are having your breakfast with a starving stomach.

Asian Openbill Stroks at the paddy field

I then walked towards the Camar Rimba track, hoping to see the Hooded Pitta. There were few photographers already waiting for the pitta to appear. I quietly moved in, to get a position to shoot. Some placed meal worms on a log while playing the playback call. The meal worms became an easy meal for the passing by Sun Skinks, before the pitta gets it. So the photographers added the worms all the way. Finally the Hooded Pitta appeared, it was my lifer. Indeed a beautiful bird, probably same size with the Blue Winged Pitta. Along came a female Siberian Blue Robin, to feast on the meal worm. I did not get a photo of it because it was still perching further in the shrubs, made it harder to focus. The whole scene was disrupted by a male Oriental Magpie Robin, which flushed the Siberian Blue Robin further in.

A Square Tailed Drongo Cuckoo on a high perch along the track towards Camar Rimba

Finally the Lifer...Hooded Pitts

I met few birders there, Khalis and Ng Hung Chuan. Once done with the Hooded Pitta, we head towards the arc near to the animal park, to click on the Blue Winged Pitta. Along came another birder, Capt Jenol, an ex-sea man. Unlike the Hooded Pitta, the Blue Winged Pitta appeared instanly, of course with meal worm and playback call.

The Blue Winged Pitta

Took few shots and a video of this. Its pretty shady compared to the Hooded Pitta "lair". I had to reduce the shutter speed to 1/250 sec, still a lil bit worry for my non VR lens.

Finally manage to get a lifer, the Hooded Pitta.