13.09.2020 Testing My New Lens at TBNSA

I had upgraded my gear (finally 😄), from Nikon AF-P DX 70-300mm lens to Nikon AF-S 200-500mm ED VR, which was my dream lens. The next day itself, I went to my favourite birding spot, Taman Botani Negara of Shah Alam. 

Since I can access more distant birds now, I just give a try on the birds which perching quite high, such as the Spotted Dove, which was busy coo-ing.

Eastern Spotted Dove

Baya Weaver (Female)

The park seems to be kinda quiet, not much of bird calls actually. I took my usual route, from the paddy field all the way to the animal park. I went to the orchard which is adjacent to the paddy field, and there were some common birds busy with their breakfast.

Common Flameback Woodpeckers

Javan Myna / White Vented Myna

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot (Male)

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot (Male)

I passed by a bamboo patch on my way to the animal park. I heard a jerking, alarming sound coming out from the bamboos. At first I thought its could be an Oriental Magpie Robin since the sound was very much similar. I'm wrong. It was a White Rumped Shama, doing a repeated drops to the ground as if getting my attention. I took a shot and to my disappointment, the camera setting was not adjusted for under-shade shots. The picture was dark. (After post processing was done, it turn out to be a little better)

White Rumped Shama

White Rumped Shama

Crested Serpent Eagle

I continued my walk to the animal park, looking for the same fig I saw few interesting birds last year. The fruits are still unripe. I proceed to the amphitheater, and there was one fig tree with ripe fruits. Sooty Barbets were there, having those ripe figs.

Sooty Barbet

Sooty Barbet

Little Spiderhunter

Pacific Swallow

Hill Myna

I walked out to the paddy field again and entered into the Camar Rimba tracks hoping to see the pitta, but no sign of it. As I decided to walk back, I saw a wild pig crossing the track, just about 30 meters away from me. After few seconds, I saw something small was moving at the same location. Wild piglets! Since the "mom" could be nearby, I decided to take the opposite route to reach the exit of the park.

Juvenile Banded Pigs

I walked a total distance of 5.5km with my heavier gear, left arm sored a little. However had a good time again here.

10.06.2020 My DIY Sunbird Feeder

During the lock down (due to Covid 19 spread), I did spend some time to study on birds physiology, how to edit photos in Lightroom CC and also planned on how to make a sunbird feeder. Oilve Backed Sunbirds are one among few common birds that hang around at my house. So having a sunbird feeder can be really cool. I was looking into some examples of such feeder from the Youtube videos. Most are made for hummingbird, however the concept is the same. 

Olive Backed Sunbird (Male)

Olive Backed Sunbird (Female)

I just need a small shallow container, artificial flower with hole in the middle, enough for the Sunbird's bill to reach the honey solution. Along with these, I must have a small woody branch to hold the feeders.

I used plastic milk bottle cap and some small circle shaped plastic cover that I cut from transparent plastic container. The cover is cut at suitable size to fit into the bottle cap. Holes are made to place the artificial flowers and also for fill in the honey solution. Tie the feeders to the woody branch with wire. Then prepare the honey solution.

As for the honey solution, I added 1/2 teaspoon into 1/2 cup of water (no tap water please). A 10mL syringe is used to fill up the feeder. Feeders are tied on a small woody branch and this branch fixed to a support like fence poles or a small tree if you have one. The honey solution might invite ants, which will definitely annoy the sunbirds when they are feeding. Therefore I applied some neem oil at the base of the woody branch. This will get rid of the ants. It is important to make sure the feeder are is free from felines.

03.06.2020 Birding Before MCO

Greetings guys. This time i want to share some of my visits before we were put under Movement Control Order due to the spread of Covid19.

My birding friend Chuan had introduced to me a Sri Lankan expat working here in Kuala Lumpur, Charith Fernando. Our first encounter together was at Ulu Kali submontane forest. I bagged quite a number of lifers here since it was my first time at Ulu Kali. Indeed it was very cold and misty. For the first time in history, a solo Grey Sided Thrush migrated from Manchurian region to Ulu Kali. Its was found on November 2019, but the information was not shared by anyone in any social media, till my buddy Shazlan open up the story. It was a little controversial since crowding is possible on that birding spot since its a rare bird. The spot is near a Radar Station and its kinda prohibited to crowd-up very near to the station due to security issue. However he indeed have a big heart to share to all his rare finding. Thanks to him.

Siberian Thrush - Male

Siberian Thrush - Male (Sub-Adult)

Siberian Thrush - Female

Siberian Thrush - Female

Siberian Blue Robin - Male

Large Niltava - Male

Mountain Leaf Warbler

Black Throated Sunbird - Female

Chestnut Tailed Minla

Grey Sided Thrush

Grey Sided Thrush

This species may started to face some threats at Thailand's montane forests, which was its usual wintering ground. And here too much information can lead the way to poachers or trappers to get the bird for illegal trading. Other species we see here is the tame Siberian Thrushes. Enjoyed watching them, along with the bright blue Siberian Blue Robin. Ulu Kali indeed an excellent place to experience montane birds. The only trouble you will have here is the thick mist which makes you difficult to find birds and photograph it.

The second spot Charith and me visited at Genting Highlands was the "old pump house road". Charith have been to this place before, and he told me that its a nice place to see the Great Hornbill. Unfortunately we went to this spot a bit late, and we only managed to see few birds only. Orange Bellied Leafbird was one of them.

Orange Bellied Leafbird - Male

Orange Bellied Leafbird - Female

Sungai Congkak was another spot that Charith and me ventured after we hard about the Blue Eared Kingfisher. Its a "studio-kinda" place. This place has both Rufous Backed Kingfisher and Blue Eared Kingfisher, along with Orange Headed Thrush, Indo Chinese Flycatcher and some babblers. I bagged some lifers here since this place is not a common place that I visit.

Blue Eared Kingfsher

Indochinese Flycatcher - Male

Orange Headed Thrush

Grey Caped Babbler

White Chested Babbler

26.01.2020 - Birding at Kg. Sungai Danga (Johor Bahru)

A short conversation with Khalis and Ng Hung Chuan, who I met at TBNSA during the "pitta hunt", gave me some initial information on the Ruddy Kingfisher of Danga Bay, in Johor Bahru. But where exactly the spot in Danga Bay? Luckily Ng gave me the exact location coordinates. 

I reached the spot at 7.00am, and I thought I was way too early. I went to have a quick breakfast and reached the spot at 7.30am. The ambience was superb. White Breasted Waterhen were busy hunting for its meal at the bushes along the track towards the mangroves. The calls of ioras, bulbuls and green pigeons filled the air.

Dusky Leaf Monkey with its young

Olive Winged Bulbul

White Breasted Waterhen

Pied Fantail

I saw a photographer (Azmi) just parked and set up his gear. I greeted him and he was kind enough to show me one of my lifer, the Mangrove Pitta. Yet, it was perching pretty deep in the mangroves.

Lifer: Mangrove Pitta

Then Azmi played the call of the Ruddy Kingfisher, it did responded. However it perched high at the mangroves, pretty difficult for a shot. 

Lifer! Ruddy Kingfisher

We also had a pair of babblers which was feeding on the insects and grubs near to us on the ground. It lwas a pair of White Chested Babbler, another lifer of mine.

Lifer! White Chested Babbler

We left the place before noon. Good visit with 3 lifers in total.

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.