Banded Woodpecker

 For the past weeks, the family of Banded Woodpeckers had decided the taman would be its playground as they could be spotted and heard at different parts throughout the morning.

Then time seemed to stand still ...

... and trying to snooze came naturally.

... until rudely disturbed ....

Crested Serpent-Eagle

First it was a sub-adult Crested Goshawk, then just a couple of days later, it was a sub-adult Crested Serpent-Eagle.

Similar to the Goshawk, despite knowing it was observed the Serpent-Eagle refused to budge from its perch.

Patience is indeed nothing like a bird waiting for prey.

The adult seen about a couple of weeks ago, also at eye-level.

Crested Goshawk

Only in TRK, raptor at eye-level!

It looked like this sub-adult Crested Goshawk just had a meal going by some blood stains on one of its claws, or was it simply injured?

Perhaps it's why it was rather passive, even as we encircled it, and later with the taman workers close-by.

So what would make it stir whilst I couldn't bring myself to make it so especially that it's typically considered avian 'siesta' period at this time of the day.

Nothing as we eventually left it alone.

 

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker

The presence of an Orange-bellied Flowerpecker in this part of the bukit was a surprise, yet I supposed not on second thought, after all, this flowerpecker does frequent forest edge. 

Paddyfield Pipit

 When the Paddyfield Pipits crossed path with a Skink, it was to each its own - a classic example of minding one's own business.

The younger one looked like it was not even aware of the presence of the skink. 

And for the other, it was simply business as usual.

Oblivion is bliss.

What Was

 It started with a beautiful story, extraordinary and heart-warming.

The sights and sounds are still as vivid today as then.

The story will most definitely never die, having drawn innumerable to its site, and now even as the chosen had fallen.

So, will this spell the end of the presence of the Black-thighed Falconets?

I surely hope not, for even this morning, this pair still hover next to their lost home.

 A most sorry sight to behold.

What it was before.

The storm was mighty, taking down right at what were the weakest links - at the nest cavities that had inevitably hollowed out the branch.

However, an opportunity to glimpse what it looked like inside the Falconet's home, what still remained standing.

A home literally broken into two, a cavity pretty big that could even accommodate six falconets at a time.

And this was the erstwhile home of the Banded Woodpeckers, also taken apart, to display a remarkably smooth interior, the superb skill of woodpeckers.