Common, also uncommon

 It started off with a wonderful feeling that I've finally got a better shot of the mugimaki flycatcher (or so I thought then) for this migrant season, and so I continued my search for other dawdler migrant visitors.

Migrant 24/2022

After a good encounter with the dark-sided and green-backed flycatchers, and a gorgeous male green leafbird, I descended the hill feeling extremely pleased and grateful.

As soon as I said hello and goodbye to a group of boisterous school kids on their first outing to the hill, I was stopped in my track again, by what I thought was the mugimaki flycatcher again with its gorgeous orange throat and breast until I glimpsed the rich yellow supercilium and rump, unusual I thought.  And the mystery turned into elation as I managed to identify it as a  Narcissus Flycatcher!

I was simply thrilled when it decided to release a melodious whistle.

In the MNS Conservation Publication No 22, A Checklist of the Birds of Malaysia 2020 Edition, the following is on record:

In short, the Narcissus Flycatcher has not been seen in Peninsular Malaysia from 1960 to 2000, but from 2001 to 2020 was sighted in Perak.

What a record for Bukit Kiara, as we are working hard to get this hill recognised as a significant bird area and an essential stopover and refuelling station for migrant birds.  This bird will add to the more than 80 species of migrant birds that have over the years either found a temporary home here during their winter away from their breeding ground, or have transited here for a few days.

The Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina) is a small bird of Least Concern status in the IUCN List as it's considered to have a very large range.  The male is more striking with its black upper-part and rich orange supercilium, throat and breast compared to the female bearing shades of brown all over.

"This bird is native to east Asia, from Sakhalin to the north, through Japan across through Korea, mainland China, and Taiwan, wintering in southeast Asia, including the Phillipines and Borneo.  It is highly migratory, and has been found as a vgrant from Australia in the south to Alaska in the north."

P.S.On a personal note, it's strange that such a mega sighting, which signifies a mega record for Bukit Kiara, for Peninsula Malaysia, should create an equally mega dilemma for me, ie, a mega pressure whether to share or not to share this sighting, the pressure emitting from both external as well as internal sources.

One would think that such a momentous occasion should be celebrated on a mega scale by sharing, but there was also tremendous pressure not to share simply to keep it away from ill-behaved bird photographers who normally exploit such sighting, however, there was also the feeling that it was equally unfair to deprive deserving birders/birdwatchers of this rare sighting.  In the end I decided to err on the side of sharing and hope for the best, that my act of sharing was simply with the pure intent of celebrating a rare sighting.

As I was passing by

 It always seems a privilege to run into the Black-crested Bulbul (Rubigula flaviventris) here because of its irregular visit.  Alerted to its melodius call, it was not difficult to spot it because of striking mustardish upper-part, and distinct black head and crest, only to have it rather skittish this time, and keeping to higher canopy.

Myna's lesson

A parent's indulgence, and no different if in the avian world or elsewhere.

The cries of this young Javan Myna were heard for a good part of the morning, and the parents were no less annoyed or impatient.

From the top of the tree to the ground, this young one that looked old enough to forage for itself continuously begged to be fed.

 Again, and looked like food was abundant as the parent could easily pick up a morsel from the ground as it walked about.

However, this was only one occasion when the parent withheld its catch and walked away with the insect in its beak, the usual training in progress I supposed.

Munia's curiosity and it's not of food

 One can indeed turn on the table in an advantaged position, but for the pure fun of it.

The Scaly-breasted Munia was suddenly aware of being watched whilst happily foraging.

And till the end it still hadn't an iota of idea of the 'perpetrator'  as it looked long and quizzical towards the source before off it fled.

Meanwhile simply metres away another was having a ball of a bliss indulging in itself.

Always gorgeous no matter how it looked!

Return thereforth, visitors

 The Chinese Lunar Calendar records that it's now officially spring as the north enters the Solar Term that is known as The Awakening of Insects, signifying the beginning of warmer weather, farming activities and abundance of food as per the food chain.

Correspondingly, over here, we are already seeing the gradual departures of our avian migrant visitors everywhere, of which some are already showing signs of moulting for their passage home to their breeding ground, like this Asian Brown Flycatcher.

There are others who will return home as more fully grown adults, perhaps will eventually breed too, if they have arrived months ago as first winter adults.  Whatever it is we say Selamat Jalan, Safe Journey Home for the journey back could be as perilous as the earlier journey here, for there are those who did not make it then and there will be those who may not make it back to their breeding ground, and Terima Kasih for the delight and excitement you have always brought as migrant visitors, however comparatively small or common you are.  Jumpa Lagi!

Sunbird of worth

 One can't go wrong with the Brown-throated Sunbird (Antreptes malacensis), from whichever angle it should be appreciated.  Unfortunately familiarity does breed indifference in garden bird species; if only we could always see through the eyes of a new birder.

Intrusive perhaps but welcomed kingfisher

 It was one of pristine white and unblemished rich blue whose robust coarse calls 'kek, kek, kek, kek' could not be ignored, and who was not too concerned about me approaching closer and closer that I deduced it could be a young adult Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris), that perhaps it was deliberately left alone in the taman as its ceaseless calls went unheeded for extended time, a characteristic severing of attachment by the parents (?).

It was not difficult to locate this one when its calls blasted the quiet noon hours.

So preoccupied was it looking for presumably another, that I could walk to practically beneath it.

And then suddenly alerted, it flew across the taman, to land where I thanked my luck for a closer look, looking indeed fresh and untainted.

Leaving it alone, I walked on but when I returned later, I practically flushed it out and it flew off to renew its noisy reconnection.

I decided to test its reaction as I openly approached it to have it promptly react by flying higher up to a tree. 

Its presence seemed to have intimidated the resident White-throated Kingfisher who I followed quickly to detect where it had fled to, to find it had joined its mate, both perching quietly in a sheltered end of the taman.

When a group of school children arrived for their activity, this one flew up even higher and eventually to the topmost perch, and I guessed it's time to take my leave.