Like attracts like

 

What attracted you attracted me too!

As I was waiting

 

Enchanted!

More than one, perhaps

 It's a surprise encounter with the Tiger Shrike in the bukit as I thought this one would have moved on, or at least sought another area as it's normally not so common to spot the same repeatedly, or is it the same?

Nevertheless it was too engrossed seeking lunch that I was hardly its concern.

Lost in the hunt

 Its target must be too tempting for the Common Flameback Woodpecker to resist as it flew right to where I was standing, ie in front of this tree, and proceeded to peck and poke freely, totally disregarding my presence.

If only more would do this without heeding me, whenever and wherever!

 

A wagtail finally

 I've been waiting to catch this one since the migratory season started as it's always one of the earliest arrivals.  

However with so many human activities going on in the taman for the last month, and more, in particular the massive resurfacing of walkways with noisy cement mixer and tractor transport, the brutal clearing of plants and undergrowth along the river banks, and more recently the Huge Ceramah held in conjunction with the 15th General Election, the taman has been like a graveyard where avian life was concerned!

So happily I managed to sight it finally but this Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) was certainly not the easiest of wagtails to follow as it simply 'wagged' its way ceaselessly over at least 20m, hoping for a catch but without success (which possibly explained its non-stop movements).

A failed first attempt, having mistaken a washed up tangled twig for a possible meal.

And so this misadventure sent it on its way, over varied 'terrain'.

A hopeful, but unfortunately futile pause, the last act that finally sent it 'bobbing' upstream.

As I was passing

When the perch is thorny, don't sit.

 

As I was waiting

 

A view from above.

As I was passing

 

Always a delightful encounter!

The Arctic as usual

I've finally spotted the first warbler for the taman, and unsurprisingly it's the Arctic Warbler, more commonly sighted here than the other warbler.

As expected this one foraged in the higher canopy denying an opportunity to capture its full beauty but suffice to allow firm identity.

As I was waiting

Thanks for stopping by!

 

It's only the ABF, only?

A dime a dozen, so they say!

 But I love you so - small, brown bird, sometimes not even given a second look for being commonplace, of  Least Concern.

The other visitors in flock

 The Ashy Minivets (Pericrocotus divaricatus) have arrived too, and as usual so high they stayed throughout.  It looked like it's an all female flock, as they flew in, darted from branch to branch, amidst the cries of some avian residents, and made their exit just as soon.

One can be easily alerted to their arrival and presence as they tend to make thin trilling sound, both sound and appearance sometimes mistaken for the Pied Triller except that the Trillers at most move in pairs instead of a flock.  Both do forage in mid-canopy although the Minivets more often in upper canopy.

16/2022

Not the best of time and situation aiming high and against the sun.

The bird singeth not

 It was not the melody, this time, that drew my attention but flapping of wings and threatening calls.  The White-rumped Shama was in a confrontational mood but unfortunately I couldn't locate the threat although all I did see seconds earlier was a black bird that flew in.  Was it the same, or was it the aggressor?

Fortunately its defensive, or was it aggressive stance worked!

And this resident eventually left too.

As I was waiting

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

 

Lacking flocks this round

 They've finally made their appearance in the taman but this was certainly not the flock that I had expected, less than 50 I reckoned.

The Purple-backed or Daurian Starlings (Agropsar sturninus) are always a sight to behold if they appear in flocks of hundreds which they did here years back.

And as usual these birds do travel as families, male, female, old and young.  With only one tree fruiting this time, it's only expected that these birds would not remain here for more days.

It looked like it's only pairs that I could get from this flock.

Time for a snooze.

Another pair.

I wished, like you, the rest would come further down too!

The three that were only slightly higher up.

A less than common babbler here

 It's only my second encounter with the Abbott's Babbler (Malacocincla abbotti) in the bukit but on this round it's just for record with the images it allowed!

Contrary to its characteristic of foraging comparatively slower than other babblers, and on or near the ground, this one was pretty energetic and kept higher up, also unfortunately pretty distant from where I was.