Taman Rimba Kiara is a little green gem located in a corner of the TTDI residential area. The above flowering tree, the firmiana malayana or mata lembu, flashes in testimony to man's care-less-ness - it's one of only two trees in the park that had flowered, since then the tree had been chopped down.

Friday 7 September 2018

Missing the woodpecker

There was a time when a family of Common Flameback Woodpeckers charmed everyone who saw and heard them as they flew and drummed about in the taman.  Sadly, these birds have not been seen lately, perhaps the young ones have grown and have ventured out further, 'into the open wide world'.
Fortunately, recently I'm seeing more and more of this other one, the Banded Woodpecker.  I first started seeing this one as it flew in one afternoon and was seen to be contented just perching there, not a call heard, and then it would fly away.  A little research revealed that this is one female going by the face and forehead that has significant speckled white.





And then this one was also seen and I thought it was the same one as it also was rather contented to remain quietly where it was.  Then the reddish ear coverts suggest that it's a male, and perhaps a young male, and what adorable innocent look!



A couple of days later, continuous sharp calls alerted me to its presence again and was pleasantly surprised to see a pair foraging, a pair of males, going by the non-facial white spots.



This would be the nearest I've come across this bird and it was not disturbed because of it was obviously preoccupied foraging, and looking cute from any angle too!






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