White-throated Kingfisher

 They are everywhere, watchful and being watched.

Despite being rightful residents in their park habitat, the White-throated Kingfisher never ever let their guard down, making approach extremely challenging.

Visitors to these parks are always thrilled to sight them because their bright rich colours stick out from miles away, and you also simply can't miss them because they call out noisily to one another and as warnings too.

And what are they to the regular park visitors?  These birds are also simply regulars, taken for granted that they will always be there.

And this was how I was viewed as I came across this pair perhaps entering courtship and intimacy but halted as they showed wariness at my presence.

Another time, another place, and a family of a parent and young adults.

Viewed from afar, they demonstrated no inhibition, and I was pleased to oblige.

Turquoise blue, sapphire blue, call it what you may, it's brilliant blue gems in a row!

Always follow the leader!

Tiger Shrike

Little but lethal.

Always artful, hunting both on the ground and up in the tree.

Oddly cute looking, like an innocent with an ancient air.

The Tiger Shrike is always one of the earlier migrant avian arrivals.

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher

On a bird and a thought.

It's that time of the year again when I start my count up of migrant sightings.

It's also that time when I strive for renewed excitement at the sightings of these avians, similar species seen annually for years now since I took up birding, in the same local patch.

And indeed a blessing that I can wholeheartedly say that it's still no less thrilling to spot them.

But when you get an image like this one of a female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, the very first sighting of this migratory season, feeling delighted is initially a long way off!

Then, lighten up, let it go, and I'm off again in search of the same species.  Never bored.

Olive-winged Bulbul

A couple of years ago, and that's already too long, coming across the Olive-winged Bulbuls in the bukit would have been easy.

But today to spot one would bring sighs of relief and gladness that they are still around.  And unfortunately it's only a sighting of one, or two, on these rare occasions.

The other beauties

 

Paper wasp 

Leaf beetle (Lema diversa)

Orange leaf beetle (Aulacophora indica)

Dollarbird

 As I watched the Dollarbird against a picturesque background of moving clouds and gentle breezes, I couldn't decide whether the avian playful display or the changing colours of the moving clouds, was more of a treat.

And then came a Javan Myna, perhaps to exert a presence but instead promptly left when the target one hardly paid heed.

Stripe-throated Bulbul

 Should one ignore the common?

Should one just walk past, or pause, perhaps for record sake?

A faint twitch is still a twitch, which birder can ignore?

It may be the same family of 3 or four Stripe-throated Bulbuls that I always encounter in the area, and it's also the sub-adult that's still calling out for feeds that inevitably halts me in my track, because it looks like for the parent Bulbuls breeding and caring is a year long affair.  Empty nester is a mere phrase?