A migrant cuckoo visitor

 I would have thought it's rather late in the season to expect to see the Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus)  but not at all after all, as this sub-adult male appeared unexpectedly.

It should be making its way home soon, perhaps to Siberia, China or Korea.

This sub-adult is generally browner from crown to its upper-parts compared to the grey of the adult, and broad white tips on its head and tip feathers.  As common with other cuckoos, this one seems to favour hairy caterpillars too.

22/2020

It was sitting pretty for a while but guess none should be fooled in the case of any cuckoo as it would be scanning all the time for a catch.

As it turned around suddenly, it flew even closer to where I was, scanning openly.

And the next thing I knew it had flown into the tree across, dense, so I lost it until it emerged to clean its bill, so another successful catch.

Heron in gorgeous plumes

 A quick comparison and one can't help but observe that the Chinese Pond Heron is expected to fly home any time now.  It could return to China, Japan or the Indian sub-continent.

This has been one of the better years where I came across it on more than one occasion, even allowing me to get closer than before to it.  On top of that there was a pair when I first saw it but it's down to one now.

There's only a seven-day difference and it has assumed full breeding plumage.

Its most distinct feature is its chestnut-maroon head plumes and which is now in full stunning display as its stands out even in the shade.  Its back feathers are now deep bluish slaty too.

When it's down to this gorgeous plumage it's such a joy to enjoy its sight repeatedly.

Lesson from pond heron

 It did look like the Chinese Pond Heron, now looking almost in full breeding plumage, was trying to outdo me in waiting.

It spotted me even as I did it.

Then it merely stood there, looking in whichever direction it could whilst looking like it was keeping an eye on me.

Then it started to run towards me.

And to think that it was watching me!

It was merely an extremely patient hunter, standing there for almost 10 minutes before it made its move!

It turned round suddenly and I thought it had spied another prey.

And it sure did, and was successful too although minute this time.

A common barbet yet ...

 The Gold-whiskered Barbet (Psilopogon chrysopogon) is of Least Concern status and one of the largest barbets.  It's primarily frugivorous feeding on seeds, berries and edible fruits.

This is one resident of the bukit that is more heard than seen.

When heard or spotted, it's pretty easy to identify because of its call and size.  It has a thick large bill, green plumage and distinct bright yellow cheeks and bright red on the front of its head.

But on this occasion, it teased allowing only a distant shot before it flew up and away.

An unusual shrike encounter

 It was a rather unusual encounter with the Brown Shrike.  Spotting it, I walked slowly, hoping not to be obtrusive.

And it simply sat there watching me approach, strange to say the least.  Under normal circumstances this one would have flown at the slightest sense of being spotted.

Again, I walked towards it slowly but rather openly this time, and it simply turned to face me.

And there it was, watching me even as I stopped to watch it now, trying to comprehend the situation.  This was not the only thing that was puzzling, it had its feathers puffed up, but it was not a wet day nor had it rained before.

So what did I do - had thought of trying to get it to fly off to make sure it was alright.  

But I recalled an occasion sometime back when I came across a white-breasted waterhen that I thought was entangled in some weeds but upon closing up to it, and really close up, it simply flew off, perhaps it was merely basking in the water. 

So I decided to leave it alone, walked away, turned back, and it was still there.

One catch too long

 One would think that the Asian Brown Flycatcher would have gulped down what looked like an assassin bug.

But it was not to be, for a reason.

And it was the long antennae that had the flycatcher challenged.

Almost the entire body was swallowed now except for the antennae. 

It eventually flew off with the antennae still hanging from its beak.

Sometimes one does not share

 As I moved on from the mother and young together time, I was entertained again, as it looked like the female Orange-backed Woodpecker had preceded me to this spot.

A lesson in not disturbing your mate while she's busy and preoccupied, which also startled me as I didn't realise the female was inside the sawn off branch.

Then there was peace while both kept to their spot.

And he could proceed to check out the hollow after Madam had vacated it!

The beautiful Orange-backed Woodpecker family of Bukit Kiara.

Playtime for a young woodpecker

 While Mama Orange-backed Woodpecker was busy preening, guess what the young one was up to?

Annoying, taunting, intimidating the Banded Woodpecker in his home?!  Or simply being playful.  All the young one did was flew to the rotten trunk, started to drill behind the nest, flew off, could be heard calling close by, then returned to drill again.

However, at the last disturbance, the Banded Woodpecker did emerge from its hole and fly off, and that was it.  There was no more drilling and the young Orange-backed Woodpecker too disappeared.