A Heron's dismal outing

I love to watch, stealthily of course, the Striated or Little Heron trying to fish but lately it's being rather sad doing so, simply knowing that it's a huge effort for this bird as the river has been over-fished, by who else but man!  Using mist-like nets, these men frequently scooped away all sorts of fish.  Varying sizes and types of fish were once easy to spot in this river but sadly, it's no longer so.

This Heron eventually left this spot without catching anything.  Hopefully it had better luck elsewhere.

Turning to the right didn't yield anything either for this fisher of bird.

Young Bulbul's curiosity

A little one was caught out alone, exploring.

This young Yellow-vented Bulbul was most adorable as it explored its find.  But as usual, even a young like this already possesses a sensitivity that all birds naturally exhibit, of being watched.

And off it flew after having spotted me!

Ever sensitive Waterhen

The White-breasted Waterhen is ever so wary of human presence.  Its sensitivity is so amazing it's able to sense a presence from a true distance.  Many times one has to content with distant shots of this adorable bird.
Nevertheless it's pretty entertaining to watch these birds when opportunities allow.

It looked like a confrontation was going on here as the bird on the left eventually had to leave!

On another occasion, I almost missed this one but for a slight movement that betrayed its presence.  Going forth for a closer shot, I simply gave away myself and it fled almost immediately.

A Goshawk and its stare

The Crested Goshawk is as sharp as any winged one.  This one instantly spied me as I aimed at it, and it's certainly not a happy one for being spotted.

It looked like it wanted to out-stare me!  However, an on-going din from an adjacent celebration eventually drew its attention again as it shifted its focus. 

What's not to love of the Iora

If not for the fact that the Common Iora is a common resident in many parks, it will probably be much sought after.  It is one of the loveliest birds no matter which way one views it, with the striking yellow of the male or the lime green of the female, and the contrasting white and black back and tail feathers.
It is also sought after by poachers for its melodic call, of which I had an encounter once.  For safety reason I was unable to confront the person alone but could only hang around, close by, to cause  discomfort till he left on his own will!

Against the almost similar colour gorgeous leaves of the raintree, the Iora still stood out from a distance.

Triller treat

The Pied Triller is not as commonly sighted in the taman as one may hope.  It's also not easy to spot a pair together so when I sighted them on separate occasions, I still consider it a treat.

The male bird is fairer compared to the female that is rather brownish but both bear a striking black from the base of the bill to the back of the neck.

A unique fruit

The smiles and colours of abundance - a fruit of the taman.

When it's quiet, it's not quiet

The last couple of months were considered quiet months when the only birds visible were resident and local birds.  The last of the migratory birds had left by April.  How I look forward to September, perhaps even as early as August, when the taman welcomes once again visitor birds seeking refuge here from winter up north!  That is, if we still have the taman as it is now, without the devastating effects of concrete encroachment.

Now the taman is still alive with the sound of birds.  It goes back no doubt to what I have always believed, that the existence of a park is not just to serve human needs.  
As a city we are already at a stage where we can afford to preserve and maintain parks for other than human needs, but sadly the ones with the authority to enable this could be precisely the ones who hardly use parks, thus reject, intentionally or otherwise, the role of open green spaces as the bedrock of urban wellbeing and sustenance.  (The soul of a city cannot possibly be in its line-up of brick and mortar, and dazzle of lights!!)
Thus precious resources are always wasted in the fight against arrogant short-sightedness or in the worse scenario, greed.
And the claws of greed can be so gripping that when one eventually realises the hold, it's ever tragically too late to flee!

Meanwhile, in corners and shades of the taman, one could still catch sight of birds having their private moments.

The taman does brew magic!  Magic for the heart, mind and soul.
We will see if we want to see.
We will learn if we want to learn.
The taman is always for the open hearts.

Why birds? Why parks?

What are birds made of
Colours, shapes and sounds
and all things natural.

A park is not a park without its natural inhabitants.  Its most conspicuous would undoubtedly be birds.  Birds make a park come alive with flight movements and calls, not to forget colours.

Lend me your shade
My nest, my perch
Trees are made for birds
and birds for trees.

Birds suggest the quality of the environment of a park.  If food and water are clean, a park is vibrant for the presence of birds.

Sight for sore eyes
for imagination,
Be enchanted, be charmed,
Ahh, little birds, big birds.

Who has heard of a park being saved for the sake of birds?
Why birds, why?  Why?

Teach me to snuggle in, and tug away my worries, and I will be ready to take on the world again.

And the birds are for free spirit, openness, survival, fairness.

What is, what is not.

Want to teach children about wildlife?
Why start with birds?
Simply because that's the closest form of wildlife a child can get easily close to, whether at home or away.  And away is just a walk or a drive away, a park.

Let not a child forget
what a bird is
Let not a child forget
what a park is
Let not a child forget
a park for a mall
For I would have failed you then, my child.

Deserving Woodpecker

When I see a bird often enough in the taman, I assume it will also be sighted in Bukit Kiara.  As I'm trying to maintain separate records for birds in the taman and the bukit, I've to remember to maintain my repeat entry.
This Woodpecker certainly deserved more than an entry.  It had prolonged its presence in my sight by its persistent calling.

Despite spotting me early, it was not at all bothered by my presence and clicking at it.

Nevertheless it refused to come out to the open and when it finally did by flying to another tree, I had to pursue it and eventually was offered only one window of brightness, a brilliant back view nevertheless.