Taman Rimba Kiara is a little green gem located in a corner of the TTDI residential area. The above flowering tree, the firmiana malayana or mata lembu, flashes in testimony to man's care-less-ness - it's one of only two trees in the park that had flowered, since then the tree had been chopped down.

Thursday, 2 November 2017

Starlings and more Starlings

The taman is seeing an invasion of Purple-backed Starlings or Daurian Starlings, and what a sight as the birds moved in huge flocks, and almost in synchronicity, like gusts of wind .  These birds, about 18cm, are passage migrants escaping winter in Mongolia, northern China or Siberia.
     A smaller flock was seen first, then the local Asian Glossy Starlings weren't too hospitable, flew in and took over the branches.



The AGS did a chase and take-over on these branches.



The PS then flew to a neighbouring tree, and despite the intensely bad lighting, I managed to seek them out, and had a heart-warming moment to see them perch together.  It is said that these Starlings are highly social birds.






And suddenly, huge masses were seen to fill the sky.


All heading to the trees across the huge field.  And what a sight again!








These birds seemed to be following a leader as they flew to and fro over the field, and when they settled again, lo and behold, how they lined the branches of the Casuarina tree.







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