Malaysian Hill Partridge

Malaysian Hill Partridge (or Campbell's Hill partridge)

砍氏山鹧鸪

This “Partridge Family” of six obviously do not know that they are already celebrities of international status. We met groups of birders from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and locally from Penang, Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, KL, Kuantan and Johor Bahru just to catch a sight of this family. Many waited for hours and likely days to snap photos of their stars.

First day, we waited for 3 hours only to be driven off by an abrupt rain showers that soaked our clothes and whole bodies. Second day, with the advice from our experienced birder friend, we went at the right time and successfully got the images of the birds without the hassle of having to tussle for a strategic camera position against the groups of international enthusiasts.

The grey and brownish colors of the feathers that matches well with the surroundings are meant more as a camouflage to me. Yet the color patterns and matchings are smooth and pleasing to our eyes.

(8/5/2016, Fraser’s Hill)

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Blue-throated Bee-eater

Blue-throated Bee-eater 蓝喉蜂虎 Blue-throated bee-eaters can often be found sitting on the perch in pairs or small groups. While scanning for flying preys or for other purposes, their heads are often found moving together, in synchronization, at the same time, in the same direction . (June 2016) The bee-eaters eat more diverse species of flying insects than its name suggests. They include dragonflies, moths, flies, flying ants, carpenter bees etc. After catching the insects in the bill, they often bang the preys on the branch they perch to injure and break them further before swallowing them. They may toss the preys into the air before catching them for further manipulation and or swallowing. (June 2016, Kubang Semang)

Tanjong Tualang - An extensive wetland habitat

For several decades until 1980s, tin mining industry especially in the Kinta Valley played a key role as one of the major contributors to the Malaysian economy at that time. I was one of those boys who grew up in the neighbourhood of tin-mining towns where most of my neighbours, relatives and childhood friends depend on tin-mines for a living. Recently, my birding hobby had given me opportunities to visit such towns. They included Pusing, Sipueh, Tronoh, Batu Gajah, Tanjong Tualang, Gopeng, Malim Nawar, Kampar etc. The extensive sandy land between these towns and outside of the main roads are now hundreds or perhaps more than a thousand abandoned mining pools of various sizes. Some of these pools have been put into uses and converted into farms for fish, ducks and other livestock. These ponds and its vegetation form important habitat of extensive areas for many different species of wetland birds. ...

Mangrove pitta 红树八色鸫 Burung pacat bakau

What impressed me was the parent (photo below) which was seen looking dull and haggard with mud stains over its head, face and plumage, a result of working hard hunting for insects in the mangrove mudflats for the fledgling. Before breeding, the parents were fresh, clean and bright. That’s what all parents would work very hard to make sure their children get the best food to grow up. A haggard parent bringing food to its chicks. A clean, fresh fledgling waiting for the parent to feed. A young offspring. Parent and child, after feeding. Right is fledgling. A parent feeding its fledgling. Parent and fledgling, left is parent. An adult mangrove pitta, taking a rest after feeding its young. Feeding two offsprings the size of its own is not easy for the parent.

Feathers

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