And we are the same

 A comparison between the lowland Crested Serpent-eagle (Spilornis cheela), ie, of the taman and that of the highland.

Perhaps we were in the car that this one was unfazed even as we were just metres away.

The other beauties

Cricket

Ant (Polyrhachis dive)

Cyad blue (Luthrodes pandava)

Common posy (Drupadia ravindra moorei)

Garden fence lizard (Calotes versicolor)

An iora for grace

One of the loveliest birds, one of the more melodious but also one that's oftimes taken for granted because it's rather commonly seen in the taman.  That said, it's still a lucky encounter if one ventures down low for an admiration, with its characteristic pose.

 

The other beauties

 

Clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus)

One excellent climber whose size and weight are no deterrent to its climbing dexterity due to its sharp claws.

Kingfisher treat or trick

It was as if my approach silenced this pair of White-throated Kingfishers that instantly stopped its shrieking and shrilling.   

Watching me warily as I zoomed in on them, time seemed to halt for us three.  And taking opportunity of the Pause, just as I acted to switch mode for their take-off, both decided to do the inevitable, fled!

Did they know better!?

It's a fine morn' after all

 When the pair of Common Flameback Woodpeckers (Dinopium javanese) finally came together following sharp trills from the male,  I felt drops of blessings after a rather uninspiring walk around the taman, and now notwithstanding the less than favourable photographic situation.

When the birds went their separate ways, a lower-pitched trill from another part of the taman piqued my interest.

A quick scan quickened my pace.

A family outing, with a young female!

It's delightful scene but not unusual though to see a family of four or even five out together.  The Common Flameback Woodpeckers constitute the biggest brood of  woodpecker family that I have seen by far to forage together even after its young have matured.

The young adult that can be easily distinguished from its parent.

What's at play, what's reality

I knew the inevitable would happen yet I persisted, and naturally I ended up being wistful, again.

I supposed it's human nature, go ahead and try, capture it in action, knowing that height and backlighting will mess up the attempts.  But then it's human nature too for wanting to try and hope for the best!

The Hume's White-eye against the luscious figs was just too tempting to not even attempt to record its efforts.

 

The other beauties

 The anticipation was the same - follow that movement in the inner sanctuary of the shade - but the revelation took my breath away!

It was a glider on a branch, probably a Blue Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis cyanochloris) or an Elegant Bronzeback(D. formosus), unfortunately was unable to get clearer images due to poor lighting (but many thanks to snake friendly Dr Vince Adam for the probable id).

Following this one was pretty challenging as it kept going out of the frame, with its head pretty much under cover most of the time, in fact these times I couldn't even detect its head!

 

Going further down the road a movement in the grass revealed another glider, this time a White-bellied Ratsnake (Ptyas fusca).

Tracking this one was relatively easier because it was mere metres away, preoccupied with its search it paid no heed to my presence.

Win-win situation

 I did not spy.  

You were natural, my reaction was natural too.

And we both went away happy.

Lost in tailorbird moment

 Not quite darting mad, yet seemed the Ashy Tailorbird (Orthotomus ruficeps) as it engaged me on a rollercoaster momentum in the undergrowth.  It's indeed a time lost in total concentration if one were not to lose sight of it.

And if ever one needs to feel what being granted a favour feels like, it's when this bird honours one with a pause.  Yet my longing for it has not melted an iota.