And there go the raptors

 I had thought I was witness to a display of territorial claim as the three birds circled one another, unfortunately not at an ideal distance for better identification but just enough to make out that two were  Oriental Honey-buzzards, and I was glad I didn't hazard a guess about the third because I would have been wrong as a check with the Raptor Study Group revealed that all three were the same.

I supposed my hesitation about the third was because two eventually took off in the same direction and I couldn't quite remember what happened to the third because tracking the two I simply lost sight of the other one.

This was the one that went the other way.

I knew that sightings of these raptors were pretty common these days and to have them descend would be a bonus, but on this occasion, there was no such luck. 

This one could be exemplary of a migrant raptor that suffered inevitable damage, eg, to their primaries which shouldn't come as a surprise in view of the threat and exhaustion these birds had had to undergo in their migration.

As I was waiting

Perhaps just an affliction

 The young Oriental Magpie Robin must have got into a fight or has an infection that caused the feathers round its eye to drop, and one eye was more affected than the other.

It had drawn my attention because it did not flee when I approached.  On first look I thought it was blind as it simply stood there watching my approach.

And there was no attempt to fly as it hopped about and away, landing clumsily too on a piece of rubble that was in its way.

And looking rather lost.

It's nevertheless still a gorgeous bird with its glossy back and wing feathers, so it is hoped that it would get over its affliction soon.

As I was waiting

 A couple of years ago it was pretty easy to come across these Box Turtles,  commonly seen in a bale of at five or more.  Nevertheless it's still heartening to know these turtles are still around.

Cleaning by any standard

 When it was not displaying (as featured in an earlier posting), it was simply preening.  This was definitely one of the more extended and thorough preening sessions of the Banded Woodpecker I've watched as it scratched, dug into its feathers, stretched and spread.

A clumsy landing on to the next branch, which I'm not sure why it did that when it was undisturbed where it was.

Another clumsy landing on an adjacent branch.

Perhaps among these starlings ...

 The Daurian Starlings are still around.  They come and they go. they gather and they disperse.  And the pattern repeats.

However the morning's gathering was miniscule by comparison as I recalled watching hundreds sashaying before over the taman.

It took some scrutiny but there was always hope that there could perhaps be an odd one among the flock! 

A prolonged ckf display

 This migratory season proves to be a good one for me in terms of ample opportunities observing and photographing the Common Kingfisher, especially on one extended preening occasion.

First, it was just normal routine after a couple of fishing dives, cleaning, nibbling, and ruffling its feathers.  

Birds do apply oil to their feathers as they preen, oil supplied by their preen or oil gland, specifically 'uropygial gland', located at the base of their tail, meant to waterproof their feathers and also for anti-bacterial and anti-fungal purpose.  The oil could also maintain its plumage colours.

What a swing, drying off!

Off it went to another spot, another session, for another good 30-over minutes of preening.

This time it perched even more openly, right in front where I was, and now it was more of flexing and stretching compared to its earlier nibbling and ruffling.  Perhaps the open area allowed for better room to do extend and loosen.

Clearing its throat, and what a stretch!

Wished I was at a better angle to better capture it unfolding its wing.

Repeatedly clearing its throat.

Then came the interesting part, where it looked like it swung its leg across its upper body, a seemingly awkward position for its leg, which I had earlier thought was a lesser seen unique body part!

First, a twist or a stretch.

The kingfisher was also seen to protect its eye/s by closing its nictitating membrane.

And compare that to a subsequent sighting when it was at a more natural position as it stretched its other leg across and beneath its neck.