Common Tailorbird

 A little dynamite of rapidity and unceasing piercing calls, the appearance of a  Tailorbird never fails to initiate corresponding urgency and  haste in one.

Nevertheless terribly welcomed were these Common Tailorbirds!

Across the lane was what appeared to be a younger one.

Daurian Starling

 First it was a mere handful that flew out from a tree and their light under-parts quickly revealed their identity.

Then as they flew into and immediately out of another tree, the flock had grown, and suddenly there were hundreds.

It's that time of the year again if one was lucky one would be treated to a murmurations of Daurian or Purple-backed Starlings.

Years ago, one need not go far, just to the taman for such an amazing sight - https://rimbakiara.blogspot.com/2017/11/starlings-and-more-starlings.html, Starlings and more Starlings

**According to a study by George Young at Princeton University, they co-ordinate their movements by looking at the nearest seven neighbours. The fluid synchronized movement is not led by any leaders. They more or less follow each other’s movement and stay within the group. This may be their instinct to feel safe in numbers. (extract of Singapore Bird Group)

And, alas, I could only capture a fraction of the sizeable flock as they twirl and whirl above.

And then the flock decided to descend to a single tree, to widely spread out, dotting branches.

A few decided it was time to seek another tree.

Yet more remained behind.

Javan Myna

 And here it was again, a colour aberrant Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) that was occasionally seen in the taman, unsure if it's always the same one, having outgrown its previous plumage.

As usual, a lone ranger foraging away from the other Javan Mynas.

One that was sighted in August last year.

Brahminy Kite

How low will it go - not low enough, and wishful thinking that it would even land.

Once upon a time a resident and a regular thereafter in the taman, until relentlessly mobbed by crows that would suddenly speed in to pursue it away.  

And strangely the crows are not even regulars here but would instantly appear when a raptor comes by!

Nevertheless a Brahminy Kite gliding above the taman always recalls heartwarming, and heartrending memories, and a feather picked up following that fateful incident remains as pristine today as the day it was found almost 10 years ago.

April 2017

November 2026

Asian Brown Flycatcher

 Regularity, predictability may be the middle name of the Asian Brown Flycatcher, but to see one again every year is to be not presumptuous.

It's one that had braved the elements to arrive here, indeed always an extraordinary feat, and lastly to outlast territorial challenges from local avians, and finally to return home safely.

Common Kingfisher

 Time when familiarity further fosters fondness, for one that's pretty predictable, pretty aural-detectable, almost.

And so, a speeding glint of blue, had me rush to locate where the Common Kingfisher had landed as it flashed past skimming the flowing water, and it turned out to be almost like trying to locate the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow!

It seemed to have disappeared.

Then, unexpectedly, was found on a relief of sandy rocky spread that had defied gushing river water.