10.10.2018 With a Migrant at Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam

I guess the green pigeons are the first to welcome everyone visiting the botanical park, since they would be busy having their breakfast on the wild fruit trees at the entrance of the park. 

A male Pink Necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) looking for Glochidion obscurum fruits.

A male Pink Necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans)

Paddy plants had grown up. I could only see some JavaN Mynas and a lonely Little Egret at the paddy fields. I walked towards a wild fig tree grown in the middle of the field. I first sighted an Asian Brown Flycatcher, then suddenly I captured a very fast motion of a small bird. Very short burst of flight between point to point, foraging for insects. It was very fast till I hardly could get a good shot of it. Plus, the flycatcher also steals the show, I had to shoot both, one after another. 

An Asian Brown Flyctacher (Muscicapa dauurica) ready to dart on its prey

Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica)

I know it must be a lifer. I need to get the field guide to identify it. I shared the photo of the lifer to my birding buddy Shazlan, and he wasn't that sure if its an Arctic Warbler. It was an Arctic Warbler. Small light brown bird with white eyebrow and a single white wing bar on each wings. Arctic Warblers are migrants from Siberia, North China, Eurasia and Alaska. They winter in South East Asia. Arctic Warblers frequently feeds on the canopy. This had made me even difficult to click on this bird. Although the field guide had mentioned that this bird is very vocal, yet it was quiet when I was clicking on it. 

Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis)....Lifer!

Still hard to get a good click since this bird forage for insects at the canopies.

This is the best I could get of that fast Arctic Warbler

Then I walked towards the swimming pool in search of spiderhunters, but no luck. However, I manage to sight a Greater Racket Tailed Drongo, at just 4m distance. It was busy drying off its feathers, after a stormy night. I had to move early since the sky is getting filled with rain clouds, which gathered up like a large herd of elephants.

Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus)

Busy drying off its feathers after a stomry night

Just before it tookoff...

15.09.2018 Blue Tailed Bee-eaters at Jalan Kebun (Klang)

I went back to my usual birding spot at Jalan Kebun (Klang) in the evening. To my surprise some portion of that area, which was a small abandoned pineapple plantation, was destroyed by bush fire. I then proceed the large dead tree where I usually go, and found a flock of Blue Tailed Bee-eaters.

A small flock of Blue Tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) roosting on a large dead tree.

Blue Tailed Bee-eaters on electric cables waiting hawk flying insects

Blue Tailed Bee-eater in flight

A juvenile Blue Tailed Bee-eater on electric cable

A Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) on utility pole, after a bath.

Black Naped Orioles (Oriolus chinensis maculatus) with White Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis perpulchra)

I also managed to see the September migrant, the Brown Shrike here but unable to get a decent phot of it. 

09.09.2018 Birding at Bukit Tinggi, Bentong (Pahang)

It was like a family outing to Bukit Tinggi, Bentong but I just prepared myself to get some shots of our feathered friends and others too.

The first bird I saw here was the Black Crested Bulbul...a lifer since I seldom go to hill stations for birding.

A Black Crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus flaviventris caecilii) on a high perch.

Probably a Jamides celeno (Common Cerulean)

Common Flying Dragon (Draco volans)

Common Five Ring Butterfly (Ypthima baldus newboldi)

Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus)

Striped Throated Bulbul and Pin Striped Tit Babbler are abundant here as well.

Stripe-Throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus finlaysoni) lurking among the Mulberry bush.

Pin Striped Tit Babbler (Macronus gularis) 

Pin Striped Tit Babbler (Macronus gularis)

I managed to click on Pale Blue Flycatcher and Verditer Flycatcher near the parking area of the Botanical Garden. So 2 more lifers. Before leaving the parking area, I managed to see a pair of White Rumped Munias (lifer), the only Munia that can be seen on hill stations.

Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor) - Male

A juvenile Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor)

Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor) - Female

Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor) - Female

Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus) - Male 

Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus) - Male 

White Rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)

So 4 lifers this time. I guess I have to come early to click on more birds. 

08.09.2018 Again Birding at Taman Botani Negara, Shah Alam.

I went again to Taman Botani Negara, specifically looking to the Spectacled Spiderhunter which I missed in my twp previous visits here. Weather was good, plenty of lighting. I went straight to the paddy field area, but after hearing a familiar call of a woodpecker, I stopped at a tall tree near the entrance. It was a male Common Flameback Woodpecker, busy preening and giving out its signature call.

Common Flameback Woodpecker (Dinopium javanense)

Once done with it, I proceed to the paddy field. Paddy had been planted and there were munias and doves busy feeding on the ungrown paddy seeds. I had a luck to click on Common Kingfisher, a lifer! I met the president of Wild Bird Club, Mr Andy Lee, who told me that the Common Kingfisher is really a passing migrant. It was a new info to me since all the while I was thinking that this little kingfisher is a resident species. There were a juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron and Little Egret too at the paddy field since it was watery.

Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

White Headed Munia (Lonchura maja)

White Headed Munias and Zebra Dove feeding on the paddy seeds

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

I then walked to the spiderhunter spot and met another bird photographer who is also waiting for the spiderhunter. I proceed further towards the swimming pool and manage to spot a Little Spiderhunter (lifer), but it was too fast for a good click. Then up above,  an Oriental Honey Buzzard (a lifer too), probably a dark morph female was circling above the swimming pool area. I manage to see a Prevost's Squirrel too, one of the most colourful squirrels in Malaysia.

Little Spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra)

Oriental Honey Buzzard - Female, Dark Morph (Pernis ptilorhynchus)

Prevost's Squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii)

I walked back along the same path and again met Mr. Andy who told me to wait bear the fruiting tree and end of the path. There I quuetly waited. There were the calls of the White Bellied Woodpeckers yet I cant see them. Suddenly a (1st winter male) Yellow Rumped Flycatcher (lifer) perched infront of me. Lighting was not that good but managed to click. Like the Common Kingfisher this flycatcher is a migrant as well. It is indeed a quiet bird, since it moves quietly among the foliage. I also managed to have a glimpse of a rare inhabitant of the park, the Black Magpie(lifer).

Yellow Rumped Flycaher - 1st Winter Male (Ficedula zanthopygia)

Black Magpie (Platysmurus leucopterus)

I then walked to the paddy field, and there I found another migrant, a female (or could be a male in non breeding plumage) Grey Wagtail, feeding on the mudflats. Quite a shy species as I cant manage to go as close as I want to get a good shot. Then again bumped on Mr Andy and we walked towards the end of the field where we found a group of Baya Weavers. When just about leaving the area, I bumped on a pair of Stripe-Throated Bulbuls.

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

Baya Weaver - female (Ploceus philippinus)

Stripe-Throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus finlaysoni)

Quite a good visit this time as I bagged 6 lifers here. 

05.07.2018 - Birding at Taman Botani Negara, Shah Alam

This is place is very much well known for most birders. I bagged few lifers here during my previous visits. My recent visit was with the MSN Selangor Branch Bird Group members on 18.08.2018.

Photo Credit: Ms Veronica, MNS Selangor Branch Bird Group

I was told that 4 species of green pigeons were found here by the seniors; the Little, the Pink Necked, Thick Billed and the Jambu. I only manage to view 2 of them.

A female Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax)

A female Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax)

A male Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax)

Pink Necked Green Pigeons (Treron vernans)

You may encounter these 3 bulbuls easily here; The Yellow Vented...obviously, Olive winged and Red Eyed.

A Yellow Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)

An Olive Winged Bulbul (Pycnonotus plumosus) having Glochidion obscurum fruits. 

A male Ruby Cheeked Sunbird (Chalcoparia singalensis)

A male Ruby Cheeked Sunbird (Chalcoparia singalensis) with its meal

A female Blue Winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis)

A male Dark Necked Tailorbird (Orthotomus astrogularis) in non breeding plumage.

What I missed here....the Brown Barbet, The Spectacled Spiderhunter and Black Winged Flycatcher Shrike due to poor lighting. Plus a small group of Long Tailed Parakeets, chased away by a group of noisy students.

Just becareful with the Pig Tailed Macaque a.k.a "Beruk" near the paddy field area. They can be aggressive. In case if you are moving alone, just be extra watchful for these guys.

A Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata) and a pair of Blue Throated Bee-eaters (Merops viridis) enjoying the rainfall.