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.

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White-headed Munia

White-headed Munia 白头文鸟 When the paddy fields turn from green to golden yellow, it is about time ready for harvest, it is also a time of celebration for a variety of birds that include these lovely white-headed munias. For certain reasons, white-headed munia seems to be less commonly seen nowadays in comparison with scaly-breasted munias. I only saw a flock of 4 over half a day in the paddy fields. When we were small, large flocks of more than 30 birds is often seen flying a cross abandoned tin-mining pools. (June 2016, Balik Pulau Penang) When the paddy fields turn from green to golden yellow, it is about time ready for harvest, it is also a time of celebration for a variety of birds that include these lovely white-headed munias.

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.

Green Magpie

Green Magpie 蓝绿鹊 The moment we arrived at Fraser’s Hill, we noticed many banners hanging on lamp posts along main roads promoting the upcoming Fraser’s Hill annual bird race event. The large bird image that is printed on the banner is that of a green magpie, which I have not seen live or photographed before. On the second day, quite unexpectedly but delightfully, with the help of some birder friends, we were lucky enough to be able to capture the images of this beautiful bird. (8/5/2016, Fraser’s Hill)

Feathers

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