As I was waiting

 

Uhh, don't mind me, please, really!

Yellow 'fever'

 It has got to be the most under-appreciated garden bird because its presence is ubiquitous although to get ideal images can prove to be a challenge.

The Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinesis) is a passerine bird that is commonly spotted in gardens and urban parks but has got to be one of the more skittish birds to nail down for an excellent shot.  In addition its brilliant yellow too can deflect an accurate portrayal.

The immatures are generally less skittish so this was my morning when two suddenly flew in, one after the other.

The second bird was a little more matured going by the darker plumage.

And this encounter triggered off memories of past captures of these stunners in different stages of maturity.

And all the adults, almost, that came my way over the years!

As I was passing by

 

For the Shrikes

 After spotting one, or rather two in Bukit Kiara, I made it an endeavour to spot the same in TRK because these are birds that would frequent these 'twin' locations, and my cup indeed brimmed with contentment when finally I sighted the Tiger Shrike in the taman.

And the bonus came when this Brown Shrike flew right across my path when I was on the way out, and was uncharacteristically relaxed at its perch even as I approached nearer for shots.

And inevitably I have to compare this adult bird with the first one I sighted in early September, an immature or first winter Shrike.

The crowned warbler

It would have to suffice for the time being, a record shot of the Eastern Crowned Warbler (Phylloscopus coronatus) my first warbler sighting for the season.  A distinct feature, if one is unable to capture its signature median stripe on its crown, that attested to its identity is its clean bill tip.

A regular visitor since I first made it a point to record warbler arrivals in 2017, this is one bird that could be spotted throughout the migrant season in both TRK and BK, the only issue being how close-up a shot one can get given their hyper active movements and keeping to mid and upper tree canopy most of the time.

07/2022

Keeping very much to the upper canopy this time, I had to be contented with mere record shots only.

As I was waiting

 

A common resident but when it's with a catch, its 'value' multiplied!

A Falconet on the hunt

 How thrilling, no matter the angle, no matter the lighting, as this Black-thighed Falconet suddenly flew right in as I approached.  And I knew immediately that it had a prey as it was too preoccupied to heed my approach even as it was mere metres away and low too.

It may be a small insect prey, a dragonfly, but it's characteristic of the Falconet to tear the insect apart as it consumed it unlike, say the bee-eaters that will swallow whole this kind of insect prey.

And then it was on the hunt again.

When it's rare to have this one down so low, I was ready to attempt some flight shots ...

... but was conned by its eventual exit path!