'Foraging' at Bukit Kiara

I have been pretty reluctant to walk Bukit Kiara simply because it's usually only common sightings and most of all, the birds sighted were always pretty high up and so made for frustrating photography to say the least!  However, recent 'foragings' have revealed more than a few surprises so I guess I should make more effort to do the walk.
As I have said, the birds were there but kept to canopy level making for less than ideal images, still not to be ignored!
It was both a surprise and heartening to sight the Everett's White-eye and I sighted two, but as usual coupled with the backlight, it was shooting almost blindly only to identify the bird after playback on the camera.  Unfortunately too, a quickly draining battery did not allow me to stay on to try and seek out the bird again.

I believe that the following sightings were of a male and female Green-backed Flycatcher, even though I'm unable to get their back view.  

The female stayed longer, yet kept to the top too.  As usual birds are sharp, spotting me from high up, or perhaps the lens' reflection drew its attention.

 

Bird waves are pretty common in Bukit Kiara, and the two Bulbuls were sighted earlier, amongst the yellow-vented and the stripe-throated bulbuls.  The Black-crested Bulbul also kept to canopy level unlike the Red-eyed.

Smashing time for the Bulbuls

It looks like the taman has its own favourite bath area, that all birds, big or small, go to douse.  With the present rainy season, water flow freely and clean down this little passage, and it's evident that birds simply love the place.  It was the Yellow-vented Bulbuls' turn when I chanced upon the 'bathers'.

Just a pause and I was glad it was not put off by my presence, as off it went splashing again.

Yup, the water must be simply irresistible, going by the splashes.

It finally came up and then it was the other one's turn.

Watching the bird did make one feel like jumping in too, to join in the fun!

Colourful but not attractive

They come in all shapes and sizes, and it's not just the winged or four-legged ones in the taman.  Ordinary or unique, these wild fruits simply brighten up the taman.  Neither birds nor insects go near these colourful fruits even as these drop freely to the ground. 

New 'focus' on Flowerpecker

I could't wait to try out my new gears and what better place than the taman to initiate it.  And I was doubly excited to chance upon this almost perfect subject in the female Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker which is tiny and hyperactive, just the one to test the new gears.  And I was not disappointed considering it's the very first attempt.
To top this, the Flowerpecker is an extremely difficult subject to photograph and to find it gathering fibres, obviously for nesting purpose which is a bonus, thus all in all a real challenge to photograph.  Within a span of only a couple of minutes, its skittishness was evident in the following numerous different bearings.

 

 

A 'thinking' barbet

It's always great to see a park well maintained but in the case of the taman, unfortunately it also means damage to birds' habitat, especially those that build in trees.  Birds are smart creatures that choose their home carefully, and when maintenance work is carried out, in one single move, we do destroy their home forever.  
When I hear, more often than see, the calls of the Lineated Barbet, I recall the last images of them at their hole tree which looks like it's abandoned now.
What's special about this home is that the Barbet had cleverly chosen a twig that had grown right in front of the hole which had enabled the bird to leverage on it for its flight in and out of the hole.  Unfortunately this twig was axed off when the tree was trimmed.

It certainly looked cosy, a set-up that had enabled the birds a perfect 'indoor' and 'outdoor' space. 

Koel's mating season

Many are annoyed by the koo-Ooo calls of the Asian Koel which are normally heard very early in the morning, disturbing sleep.  But to hear the calls in the taman is music to the ear as this signifies that it's the mating season and the Koel has returned again, and has been doing so for many years now, to the taman for this purpose.  I have yet to sight the Koel but its calls are resonating throughout the taman now.
It would be a good time now to try and spot the male as it would koo-Ooo away, and also be seen to collect figs to try and entice the female.
I did manage to see the male, silent then, just a couple of weeks ago as it flew into my path and park itself on a nearby tree.

And this female was sighted weeks ago too one evening.

Incredulous Waterhen encounter

I should be embarrassed about this set of blurry images yet I'm never more proud to have them.  Taken in the worst of conditions, disadvantaged distance to say the least, behind a tree and fading light that turned into dusk, in the face of an incredible scene.
First, I turned around in time to see this little chick running away from where I was, obviously sensing my presence as it waded swiftly away too.

And then a glimpse of this one in tow confirmed that I had just sighted a White-breasted Waterhen chick!  Couldn't believe my luck, two days in a row, adults, sub-adults and a chick ... or so I thought!

Ahh, I counted myself lucky again as I managed to sight it again.  So very difficult, when the little chick is all blurry black and way back behind the grassy mound.

Another lucky sighting as both parents appeared, truly amazing because it's the first time I sighted a pair of parents together.

And then, I thought, could it be?!  Two chicks!

Couldn't get enough of the chick, cute and furry notwithstanding it's totally black.

As I continued to scan and click, and then a quick glance at my camera playback, and it's bingo, five chicks!

Wow, confirmed five!  And talked about a healthy population.

Still couldn't get enough of these chicks whilst still grappling with focus.

Not easy to sight as the chicks kept to the background even as the parents foraged in the open.

And finally patience paid off, as the chicks slowly appeared in the open following the parents towards the pond.

Looked like uncertainty here as some of the chicks decided to head back up with one parent.

But then again, it looked like otherwise.  By now, I was simply clicking away and hoping that I hit targets as light was fading fast.

It looked like the parents were leading the chicks to a spot that would be easier for them to wade across.

Incredible, but I was actually spotted by one parent.

It looked like the clever parents were guiding the chicks to the shortest distance between the opposite sides of the pond for the chicks to cross over.  And finally, the chicks hit the water and swam across.

And yup, all safely across!