Taman Rimba Kiara is a little green gem located in a corner of the TTDI residential area. The above flowering tree, the firmiana malayana or mata lembu, flashes in testimony to man's care-less-ness - it's one of only two trees in the park that had flowered, since then the tree had been chopped down.

Sunday, 20 October 2024

Smallest of kingfishers

 Just as I was reminded by Facebook that five years ago in Oct 2019, the Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher, migrant, (Ceyx erithaca) was sighted in TRK, who but one would be perching down the slope as I walked past, and promptly caused it to flee.  Fluke!? 


But this time it was in Bukit Kiara.

However, it's not unusual to find this kingfisher in the hill forest as it's considered a forest bird, may be found near water source but more often heard than seen as it speeds through the vegetation, only to reveal its presence by its sharp and thin calls as it flies.  And indeed that was its tease as I tried unsuccessfully to spot it thereafter but could only stood exasperated listening to its occasional piercing calls.

Although this bird is deemed a common winter visitor, it's a passage migrant as it would normally not stay in the same place the duration of the migratory season.

Refresher (extract mybis):
Order - Coraciiformes
Family - Alcedinidae
Genus - Ceyx
Specific epithet - erithaca (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Black-backed Kingfisher, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Oriental Dwarf-Kingfisher, Pekaka Api, Pekaka Kerdil, Pekaka Rimba, Pekaka Sepah
Status: Near Threatened (source: eBird)

10/2024


Can't have enough of this one with only seconds of sighting!


The sighting on the first day in Oct 2019 that was to start an onslaught of birders to TRK, all keen to photograph this tiny gem of a kingfisher that only stayed for less than a week then in the taman.



No comments: