Ashy Minivet

 A flock of approximately eight, usually can't miss their presence due to their numbers, incessant movements and trill-like calls, noisy entrance and exit.

Birdwave

A little hope, a little expectation in a season that should be of many.

But just as the current weather has not been kind, birdwaves too have been hardly of any.  Finally, a first after a couple of trips up the bukit, it was highly delightful, challenging as ever, to be caught up in one.

As if the pace was not frenzied enough, the light was equally blinding.

The highly energetic Arctic Warbler was the first challenger, then the continuously melodious Large Woodshrike broke the momentum with its appearance, momentarily.

The Asian Brown Flycatcher was an image of composure, coolly surveying the surrounding.

Even before the 'wave' descended, the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo could be heard noisily in the background, and this one was to be involved in a little drama as soon as the 'wave' moved on (more of this in the next post).

I guessed it's fun to join in the party as this one of a nearby flock of Blue-throated Bee-eaters decided to break away and forage together.

And as I was played like a puppet during the avian mayhem, turning around, I was shocked to see this one right behind me, too too close for comfort, and not given another chance for a reshoot.

And as if to mock me, one Ashy Minivet was as far-off as the Malkoha was as close-by!

 And was I glad when it was all over?  Not a chance, as usual wishing that the minutes could have slowed down, as during any birdwave. 

And further down the bukit, sighting of a resting Brown Shrike rounded off an energetic birding outing.

Just another day

The Ashy Minivets, male and female, on the go, on the hunt. 

Just another day.

The female mate.

 

Only minivet migrant

Ashy Minivets (Pericrocotus divaricatus) characteristically move in a flock or a pair, but this one seemed to be a loner.

Refresher (extract mybis):

Order - Passeriformes

Family - Campephagidae

Genus - Pericrocotus

Specific epithet - divaricatus (Raffles, 1822)

Common name: Ashy Minivet, Burung Matahari Kelabu, Mas Padang, Minivet Abu

Status: Least Concern

15/2024

However, and strangely it was heralded by the calls and appearance of this Large Woodshrike (Tephrodornis virgatus).

 

It's a 'sun-bird'

 I could have missed it, solitary and quiet, and disappearing as soon as spotted, or so.

The Ashy Minivet (Pericrocotus divaricatus)(Burung-Matahari Kelabu Biasa) is a song bird, alerting its presence with incessant trilling calls, always in a flock, rarely alone.

What's in a name?
It's a grey sun-bird, 'burung-matahari' going by its local name, and once upon a time was also known as Burung Mas Padang, 'field gold-bird'.

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.

Minivet speeds through

 The Ashy Minivets (Pericrocotus divaricatus) have finally arrived at the taman.  These are normally sighted in a bird wave here, and typically keeps to higher canopy.  However a flock usually reveal its presence by trilling calls, and foraging movements.

These birds could come from south-eastern Siberia, north-eastern China, Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

On this occasion, only a couple were seen, and the female sighted with the other on a touch and go speed.

15/2021

Birds' company

 A bird wave always provides some thrills, even though it may bring in the usual.  

And this mini one bore the surprise of a Hume's White-eye (which is renamed from Everett's White-eye) (Zosterops auriventer tahanensis), one that's infrequently sighted here.  It's a challenge to photograph it too because it would usually forage at the upper canopy and never would stay still.

Don't think the visitor Ashy Minivet (Pericrocotus divaricatus) needs to watch its back!

It may be a resident but a smaller bird after all.

The ubiquitous Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus hirundinaceus) never fails to appear in a bird wave.

And the minivets too

 I was alerted to a mini bird wave when the bulbuls in particular flew about and called noisily.  And there were also the black-winged flycatcher-shrikes, and the migrant Ashy Minivets,  keeping to upper canopy.  There should be more encounters of these migrant visitors to come, as in previous seasons.

14/2020

CMCO Day 21&22

Perhaps last of the Minivet

Archive image
I guess when the taman reopens the Ashy Minivets would have returned home.  These were the last images caught before the taman closed temporarily.