The Common Iora at Taman Orkid, Kuching.

Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia) - Kunyit Kacat (Malay)

 I saw a small family of the Common Iora while photographing orchids at the Taman Orkid or Orchid Park near  Kuching  on the 9th of August.  It was the first time I ever had of coming very close to the bird.  The little chick was preening itself and both of its parents were nearby for company.  They were not so frightened to see me and upon being alerted of my presence did not move far away from the spot.  Instead they move to immediate twigs and branches offering me even better light and location for creative shots.  I share here the shots I managed to capture of these tiny but active birds.

Pied Fantail comes for first visit

Pied Fantail (Samabar Murai Gila) - Rhipidura javanica is seen at the Mango tree branch
Location : Kambatik garden, Kuching.

 All the years we have been staying at Kuching, the garden has never been visited by the Pied Fantail until a few days ago.  And then again, after that singular sighting, the bird came almost on a daily basis to check out the garden.  The presence of the Pied Fantail is most welcomed here because while this bird is a permanent  resident at the park in Bintulu, this is the first time I come across the bird in our Kuching garden  What's more remarkable is the opportunity it gave me to get sharperimages of the bird. With its habit of coming to garden on a daily basis I would therefore consider it a common garden bird of Sarawak, especially in the lowland areas.

A common lowland resident throughout Sarawak.  Feeds on insects and forages in the lower and middle storeys. Active and noisy and regularly fan out its tail.

Black-winged Kite - a second encounter

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caerulus)
Seen perching at power cable along Miri-Bintulu coastal road.

On the 23rd of July'17, I was on my way back to Bintulu after a brief weekend in Miri. I have decided to drive the way back using the Miri-Bintulu coastal road. From the 92 km milestone and for a few kilometers on the road I encountered a few familiar loooking birds perching on the power cables along the two-lane tarsealed road.  All around and along the coastal road there was endless plantation of oil palms.  When I decided to stop temporarily on the road shoulder to have a chance at get closer shots of the birds they seemed to be alerted at my presence with their sharp eyes focussed on me.  In many instances, upon seeing me they took flight only to perched again on the cables.  This action on their part allowed me chances to play it cool on them and nor to scare them away.  In the end they gave me many chances to shoot at them within close range.  Here are the pictures that show how handsome and sharp these Black-winged kites are.  For the record this is my second encounter with these birds.  The first encounter was in Bintulu in 2014 along the coastal stretch of road near ABF housing area. The link is here...>>>https://mybirdingsarawak.blogspot.my/search/label/Kite

A small and handsome kite with white body and triangular black patch on its wings.  When alerted it flew away in graceful flight but will be back again perching on the power cable.