Fraser's Hill, Bt Tinggi 02-03Aug17

From Con

2 Aug

Scaly-breasted Bulbul. The smallest of the bulbuls in SE Asia @ 14-16cm (much smaller than the common Yellow-vented Bulbul @ 19-20cm). Thanks to Mark Welfare found at about 1080 meters on Fraser's Hill (New Road) on fruiting trees.

Everett's White-eye, about 30 of them feeding almost constantly on the same "macaranga" trees as the Scaly-breasted Bulbuls. A real challenge to photograph, tiny and very active!

Leaf Insect. Another interesting Insect from Malaysia. This one from Fraser's Hill. Just about 2 inches long.

3 Aug

A couple of views of a day roosting Gould's Frogmouth (rufous morph).

Bukit Batok West 29Jul17

From KH

Con, Danny and I went to BBW today.

Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot feeding on African Tulip seed pod.

Used Changeable Hawk-eagle nest.

Pacific Swallows resting and preening.

Panti 22Jul17

From Con

Finsch's Bulbul (Alophoixus finschii) if seen well can not be confused with any other bulbul with it's bright pale yellow throat or "beard". Uncommon, but will come down to the roadside shrubs like Koster's Curse (Clidemia hirta) as this one did.

Male Red-naped trogon

Johor 15-16Jul17

From KH

Con, Danny, JS, BJ and I went on this trip.

Male Black-and-yellow Broadbill wears a necklace!

Blue-eared Barbet zoomed past.

Brown Fulvetta: usually seen in bird waves, but this one was alone.

Rufous-fronted Babbler: another bird-wave bird.

How many Thick-billed Green-pigeons?

Mole Cricket hugging a rock.

The star of the trip was this foot-long Stick Insect, which we found crawling on the ground.

Kranji Marsh 09Jul17

From Con

1	Sunda Woodpecker	3
2	Rufous Woodpecker	1
3	Banded Woodpecker	1
4	Laced Woodpecker	1
5	Common Goldenback	7
6	Oriental Dollarbird	1
7	Blue-Eared Kingfisher	1
8	Stork-Billed Kingfisher	1
9	White-Throated Kingfisher	4
10	Blue-Throated Bee-Eater	4
11	Banded Bay Cuckoo	1
12	Plaintive Cuckoo	1
13	Rusty-Breasted Cuckoo	1
14	Little Bronze Cuckoo	1
15	Asian Koel	1
16	Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrot	1
17	Red-Breasted Parakeet	20
18	Long-Tailed Parakeet	36
19	Swiftlet Spp	40
20	Spotted Dove	15
21	Red Turtle-Dove	3
22	Emerald Dove	1
23	Zebra Dove	8
24	Pink-Necked Green-Pigeon	24
25	Pied Imperial Pigeon	6
26	Slaty-Breasted Rail	12
27	White-Breasted Waterhen	12
28	Ruddy-Breasted Crake	1
29	Red-Wattled Lapwing	21
30	Little Tern	3
31	Black-Winged Kite	1
32	Brahminy Kite	12
33	White-Bellied Sea Eagle	1
34	Changeable Hawk-Eagle	2
35	Intermediate Egret	1
36	Purple Heron	3
37	Long-Tailed Shrike	1
38	House Crow	18
39	Large-Billed Crow	5
40	Black-Naped Oriole	8
41	Pied Fantail	4
42	Common Iora	6
43	Oriental Magpie-Robin	2
44	Asian Glossy Starling	24
45	Common Myna	4
46	Javan Myna	80
47	Pacific Swallow	6
48	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	12
49	Olive-Winged Bulbul	1
50	Yellow-Bellied Prinia	4
51	Oriental White-Eye	4
52	Common Tailorbird	2
53	Ashy Tailorbird	2
54	White-Crested Laughingthrush	4
55	Striped Tit-Babbler	1
56	Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker	1
57	Brown-Throated Sunbird	4
58	Olive-Backed Sunbird	8
59	Baya Weaver	1
60	Scaly-Breasted Munia	8
61	White-Headed Munia	2
62	Common Waxbill	3
	Total No.	467

Poyan 08Jul17

From Danny

1	Banded Woodpecker	2
2	Laced Woodpecker	1
3	Common Goldenback	5
4	Lineated Barbet	4
5	Coppersmith Barbet	2
6	White-Throated Kingfisher	1
7	Collared Kingfisher	4
8	Blue-Throated Bee-Eater	3
9	Banded Bay Cuckoo	2
10	Little Bronze Cuckoo	1
11	Asian Koel	2
12	Greater Coucal	1
13	Lesser Coucal	2
14	Red-Breasted Parakeet	15
15	Long-Tailed Parakeet	13
16	Swiftlet Spp.	23
17	Spotted Dove	15
18	Emerald Dove	1
19	Zebra Dove	11
20	Pink-Necked Green-Pigeon	29
21	White-Breasted Waterhen	2
22	Red-Wattled Lapwing	3
23	Brahminy Kite	2
24	Changeable Hawk-Eagle	1
25	Blue-Winged Pitta	2
26	Golden-Bellied Gerygone	3
27	Black-Naped Oriole	8
28	Pied Triller	5
29	Pied Fantail	3
30	Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo	1
31	Common Iora	8
32	Oriental Magpie-Robin	1
33	Asian Glossy Starling	56
34	Javan Myna	34
35	Pacific Swallow	11
36	Straw-Headed Bulbul	6
37	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	14
38	Olive-Winged Bulbul	3
39	Oriental White-Eye	8
40	Common Tailorbird	4
41	Dark-Necked Tailorbird	1
42	Rufous-Tailed Tailorbird	1
43	White-Crested Laughingthrush	4
44	Striped Tit-Babbler	4
45	Brown-Throated Sunbird	3
46	Olive-Backed Sunbird	6
47	Crimson Sunbird	2
48	Baya Weaver	3
49	Javan Munia	2
50	Scaly-Breasted Munia	8
51	White-Headed Munia	3
	Total No.	349

Serangoon Reservoir 08Jul17

From KH

1	Sunda Woodpecker	5
2	Rufous Woodpecker	1
3	Common Goldenback	3
4	White-Throated Kingfisher	3
5	Collared Kingfisher	3
6	Blue-Throated Bee-Eater	2
7	Banded Bay Cuckoo	1
8	Rusty-Breasted Cuckoo	1
9	Little Bronze Cuckoo	2
10	Asian Koel	1
11	Rose-Ringed Parakeet	7
12	Red-Breasted Parakeet	7
13	Swiftlet Spp.	20
14	Rock Pigeon	10
15	Spotted Dove	5
16	Zebra Dove	4
17	White-Breasted Waterhen	2
18	Little Tern	1
19	Striated Heron	9
20	House Crow	1
21	Black-Naped Oriole	10
22	Pied Fantail	4
23	Common Iora	12
24	Oriental Magpie-Robin	1
25	Asian Glossy Starling	6
26	Common Myna	1
27	Javan Myna	40
28	Pacific Swallow	4
29	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	8
30	Sooty-Headed Bulbul	1
31	Yellow-Bellied Prinia	4
32	Oriental White-Eye	2
33	Common Tailorbird	8
34	Ashy Tailorbird	10
35	Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker	2
36	Brown-Throated Sunbird	3
37	Olive-Backed Sunbird	15
38	Eurasian Tree Sparrow	12
	Total No.	231

Bt Tinggi, Bt Rengit, Fraser's Hill 03-05Jul17

From Con

3 Jul - Bt Tinggi

Ferruginous Partridges at Bukit Tinggi, Malaysia. A pair plus three chicks, very low odds to get all five in focus at the same time in the low light. (altho I could have cloned them all in) A female and one chick, and a male (notice the spurs).

Bukit Tinggi is surely one of the best places to see the Orange-breasted Trogon, here is a nice full back view of the male.

4 Jul - Bt Rengit

5 Jul - Fraser's Hill

This Brown Wood Owl was being mobbed at Fraser's Hill. How many different species can you identify from the calls?

Where is the woodpecker? At Fraser's I was looking around until I spotted the Fire-tufted Barbet making this call, instead of its usual buzzing song. Just a couple of recordings on Xeno-Canto of this call, perhaps not often made, or at least not recognized.

The Large Niltava sings a very pleasant soft song, always enjoyable. This male popped out and gave me a nice serenade.

Upper Peirce 01Jul17

From JS

A Little Green-pigeon and a White-rumped Munia here.

Kranji Marsh 01Jul17

From KH

Con, Danny and I went to Kranji Marsh today and heard a Blue-winged Pitta, otherwise it was just the usual resident birds.

Luckily we were not under this Red-wattled Lapwing!

Common Iora trying to hide.

Male Long-tailed Parakeet showing off its long tail.

Male Pink-necked Green-pigeon just sitting right in front of us.

Singing Yellow-bellied Prinia with wedding band.

Dead Brahminy Blind Snake.

Pulau Ubin 24Jun17

From KH

Con, Danny, JS, BJ and I went to Pulau Ubin today.

Grey Heron with Black-crowned Night-herons (adult and juvenile) sharing Pekan Quarry

Dark morph Changeable Hawk-eagle standing guard

Can't resist taking photo of a Dollarbird in good lighting!

Oriental Pied-hornbill - male below shy female

Nesting female Pink-necked Green-pigeon

Pretty Cicada

Black Wood Spider

Sad end for a magnificent Banded Krait...

New Zealand 14-20Jun17

From KH

As we have been to the North Island last year and saw many of the local birds, this trip is more targeted at specific birds, such as Black stilt and Kea. We saw a dozen or so of the stilt at the known wintering ground beside Glentanner Airport, while two friendly Keas were seen at Arthur's Pass Village. We also ended up with 4 other endemic lifers: Weka, Black-fronted tern, Spotted shag and Pipipi. Our Kaikoura trip was cancelled, so no pelagic birding his time.

Adult Black-fronted terns at Kaikoura

Juvenile Black-fronted tern at Kaikoura

Adult White-fronted tern at Kaikoura for comparison

Variable oystercatchers at Kaikoura

Preening Spotted shags at Kaikoura

Lazy New Zealand fur seal at Kaikoura

Friendly Kea at Arthur's Pass

Pipipi at Arthur's Pass

Confiding Weka at Lake Mapourika

Introduced Common brush-tailed possum at Franz Josef Glacier

Male Tomtit feeding on earthworm at Franz Josef Glacier

Melanic New Zealand fantail at Lake Matheson

Black stilts with lapwings and ducks at Lake Pukaki near Glentanner Airport

Adult Paradise shelducks (female left, male right) at Lake Pukaki

Swamp harriers fighting over possum roadkill