A Cuckoo lesson

Archive image

By the light of the sun, you dazzle, otherwise it is said you're merely a black bird.

We fall in love with you because the more we look, the more we discover the colours in you, and more.

A Falconet lesson

Archive image

It was distant.  It stirs anticipation.  It tested patience.

Small but piercing.  A little dynamo.

When we finally overcome distance, I was the one in awe, always, because you are beautiful.

Lest we forget

Grasping, grappling

for now

As shadows

fall over the earth, temporarily,

Yes, it’s only for now,

Reminding us

Calling us out

to be mindful

What have we done?

What have we been doing?

For now

Minutes and seconds stretch long

Take time now, recall

What you have done

What you have been doing

When these shadows are lifted

How will you walk, differently

How will you pause, purposefully

How will you care, truly.

A Shrike lesson

Archive image

You came back year after year.  We look forward to you. You are so very much a part of us now, for some parts of the year.

We want you to continue to return, claim your space for which you have every right.

A Kingfisher lesson

Archive image

Ahhh, even you, I've missed you. 

And it teases almost daily as it flies over the house, or call from atop the roof opposite.

Another beauty we take for granted because it's always there.  Looks like there's much to reconnect when this lockdown is over.

A Weaver lesson

Archive image

I have dismissed you, as I and many others too, because we thought

you were another common one.  Now I know you are unique, for you are made unique as only you could have blended in so sharply here.

A Barbet lesson

Archive image
I have walked past the Lineated Barbet so many times, with nary an attempt to take a shot, simply because it's always around.  But now when I look at this image, and hear its calls from afar, yes and alas, I've taken it for granted!

Orioles wanna have fun

Balcony birding
I have been watching this pair of Balck-naped Orioles for a few days now, and can confidently say that orioles also wanna have fun.  At almost the same time each afternoon, one will be heard calling, right opposite my balcony, like an afternoon alarm goes off, and the other responding from somewhere.  Then it will appear, and the pair will literally frolic for seconds before both fly off together.  And these birds do look rather aged, couple for life I guess!

Birdlife of a lake - species

Continuation

And so Tasik Prima in Puchong did come across with so much potential, though with a shoreline length of less than 10km.  Any birder would want to keep an eye on this place because it was reported that even lesser whistling ducks were spotted prior to our survey.
We sighted at least 45 species, of which more than 50% comprised waders and waterbirds
- little, intermediate, great, cattle egrets
- black-crowned night heron, purple heron, pond heron, striated heron
- yellow bittern
- white-breasted waterhen
- asian openbill
- common sandpiper
A good diversity of garden and open country birds sighted and heard included
- blue-tailed bee-eater
- brown shrike
- oriental reed warbler
- pied fantail
- spotted and zebra doves
- common, javan and jungle myna
- scarlet-backed flowerpecker
- brown-throated sunbird
- barn and pacific swallows
- eurasian tree sparrow
- black-naped oriole
- oriental magpie robin
- white-throated kingfisher
The large-tailed nightjar and savanna nightjar sounded their presence too at dusk, especially the savanna nightjar as it flapped past low and noisily.


With the present environment of less than desirable quality due to likes of plastic, etc, discards, these birds still flock there so one would imagine an even more vibrant birdlife if the environment is cleaner.

 One would think that these migrants wouldn't be seen for too long now as it's already spring, time for them to return home.

And no surprise, this ubiquitous Kingfisher practically parked itself at one area where crayfish abounded.

Birdlife of a lake

A survey of birdlife in an urban lake recently reminded me of how similar that area is to Taman Rimba Kiara, ie, both urban open space, though one is land the other water, and the potential of this lake as perhaps an important bird area similar to what the taman is now.

We did this baseline survey of birdlife in this urban lake in KL which is reasonably large but hemmed in by housing estates and commercial activities so not easily accessible via land.

To my pleasant surprise our survey revealed a rich birdlife of both resident and migrant waterbirds and waders, in addition of course to the garden and open country birds although this survey was undertaken merely over a period of two mornings and one evening in a boat along the shoreline of the lake.  There would definitely be more sightings I believe if the survey was conducted over a longer duration and during different seasons too.

The other delightful sightings were of the Oriental Reed Warbler and the Common Sandpiper that came right up to a commercial waterfront area, fearless because of lack of human presence there then.

So it shows that we do not need people to be away in lockdown to get our wildlife to be out and about.  All it needs was our respect and distance from them so that they can lead their avian life in peace.

When this lockdown is over let us continue to afford the birds our respect and distance in order to ensure their due space among us, a space they deserve as much as us, if not more in many cases.

Evening was beautiful when the birds returned to roost.

These days

Archive image
When I came across this image, I felt like it reflects so much the current situation.  It's so beautiful out there yet many feel hemmed in now.   The natural world has claimed back much these days, ironically man is forced to be alienated to it now, at least momentarily.
Will we act differently when all this is over?

Bulbul below

Archive image
It seemed easy to cross path with the Striped-throated Bulbul those days.  This time this one just flew right by my feet to perch below whilst I was taking a breather, guessed it was not even aware that I was there.

Fortunately even as I had to step back to take a shot, it didn't fly off immediately.

Framing the Magpie Robin

Archive image

We take the Oriental Magpie Robin too much for granted.  It's simply too easily spotted and we sidestep it.  We don't have to look too hard but there's silk, velvet, plushness yet in the common.