Asian Openbill

 The river by the taman has received more than its fair share of water bird and perching raptor visitors despite being narrow and shallow, and the latest visitor being the Asian Openbill.  Yet the Asian Openbill is known to frequent wetlands, flooded agricultural fields like paddy fields, and lakes.

It was a pleasant discovery when I first sighted it, flying off right over me as I descended the concrete ramp, and I thought I should attempt to spot it again later, so descending the ramp an hour later, it was by the river bank again, and again made a hasty retreat before I could get a proper capture of its presence, so for record sake, the following images 😒😒😒 ....

Or was it the Crested Serpent-Eagle  that had silently flown in to perch above that spooked it?

Unfortunately under the blazing noon sun, I was not inclined at all to await the return of the stork.

Otters

 Otters, again!

A most pleasant encounter in an area which I had doubt about the quality of the water.  It is known that the presence of otters in any aquatic environment is a bioindicator of clean unpolluted water, so I'm glad to be proved wrong of my perception of the pond water.

Unsure if this Smooth-coated Otter that was busy preening throughout was a juvenile otter because it didn't surface at all unlike the other adult.

Sharing the same pond was this huge bulk of a Monitor Lizard, guess no territorial dispute here!

Gold-whiskered Barbet

 I wish I could read its mind.

It's one happy Gold-whiskered Barbet that was pecking ceaselessly, seemingly for the fun of it (the tree is definitely too slender for it to try and create a nest hole).

Total absorption except for the occasional lifting of its head because of the cries of a changeable hawk-eagle above.  And totally ignoring my presence.

With an almost pre-historic head profile, it comes across as perpetually naive and smiley, and what's not to like?

Javan Myna

 The view from below, of one persistent raider of a Javan Myna, of perhaps another's hole nest.

Willful, seen to attempt repeatedly to squeeze in but failed - a bigger body, spread-out wings, hmmm, the bird cannot be ignorant.

Asian Bush Cricket