Drongo-cuckoo pair

It's another migrant pair sighted but these two sure ain't as cordial as the other species.

One of the two Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoos (Surniculus lugubris) kept chasing off the other, both 'baring' wings in turn at the other.

Refresher (extract mybis):
Order - Cuculiformes
Family - Cuculidae
Genius - Surniculus
Specific epithet - lugubris (Horsfield, 1821)
Common name: Sqaure-tailed Drongo-cuckoo, Sewah Sawai, Punai Sawai, Asian Drongo-cuckoo, Sewah Sawi, Sewah Cecawi, Burung Hamba Kera, Burung Sawai
Status: Least Concern

20/2024

One fled in and I was in for a sight of a confrontation when another entered shortly.

And the aggressor/winner was ...

And it's always about food.

Couldn't say for sure which one was this as both had persisted with their hostility until only this one finally staked its claim over the patch.

The other beauty

Suffice for now!

 

Stalking the stalker

 Moments with it, play along and it's yours, almost.  

The Tiger Shrike is loud, easily revealing its presence yet can be so quiet perching close by that one can easily miss it.  With characteristic avian aversion to human proximity, it flees as soon as it thinks it's spotted.

Too common a-robin

If the Oriental Magpie-Robin dons brighter colours perhaps it'll be more sought after?  It's presently sought after only because of its melodious songs and calls - certainly delightful as well as amusing to listen to when two are engaged in avian exchange - listening intently, I dare say one can almost discern whether the exchange figures as warning, persuading or even reprimanding!

Displaying exquisite tail-feather movements as it spotted an insect catch (this I deduced only after observing what it did following its display).

It was so preoccupied that it was unaware that I was trailing behind.

A cricket catch which it quickly discarded probably due to the extremely long antennae of the this Asian Bush Cricket.

What’s left in the bill was just part of a leg that it also promptly tossed off.

The other wagtail

Easy to miss but easy to spot too as it moves energetically and unceasingly, a tiny little thing amidst the dry leaves litter on the ground, but not easy to get close too.  The best respite for ideal shots would be when it halts for a catch, above and on the ground.

The Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) is always a delight albeit a challenge to come across.

Refresher (extract mybis):

Order - Passeriformes

Family - Motacillidae

Genius - Dendronanthus

Specific epithet - indicus (J F Gmelin, 1789)

Common name: Forest Wagtail, Kedidi Hutan, Kedidi-air Hutan, Pipit Rimba

Status: Least Concern

19/2024

 

Lone raptor

A lone and young pale morph Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus, orientalis), was seen flying over the bukit.  Flying high it circled searchingly and leisurely but as soon as it ventured lower, and perhaps spotted my camera lens (?) it took off over the hill - the only explanation I have why it suddenly fled over and across the hilly expanse.

Refresher (extract mybis):

Order - Accipitriformes

Family - Accipitridae

Genius - Pernis

Specific epithet - ptilorhynchus (Temminck, 1821)

Common name: Crested Honey Buzzard, Oriental Honey-Buzzard, Helang Lebah, Helang Lebah Asia, Lang Lebah

Status: Least Concern

17/2024

 

Too much to stomach

Avian digestion has to be constantly regulated, and so simply natural for this sub-adult Blue-throated Bee-eater too as it promptly cast its rather substantial size of a pellet of indigestible materials, of mainly insect remains it had unceasingly hawked and consumed over the last hour.

And it's all well and good again.

And what else would be more natural as a follow-up than an external ejection as well, ie, preening.