Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis) "Pekaka-Emas Biasa" - Malay.

Seen on 13 Dec'18 at Kuching waterfront area (Astana-side)

 Malays call the bird 'Pekaka Mas'.  I was lucky on 13 December,2018.  While enjoying the scenery at the Kuching waterfront (on the Astana side) my attention was caught by a Stork-billed Kingfisher that was intent on catching fish in the river below.  It was perching patiently on the branch of the mangrove tree called "Pedada' in Sarawak.  This is the first time that I come very close to a Stork-billed Kingfisher, approximately 20 meters distance away.  So here's some evidences for the file.

View of 'floating ' mosque with partial view of the leaves and branches of the 'Pedada' tree at right
View from the Astana-side of the Kuching waterfront.

A glimpse of the Pied Triller's eggs.

Pied Triller 

 I am thrilled to see the Pied Triller nesting on the Poui ( Tabebuia rosea) branch at the front garden  I have been on guard to see its behaviour.  It is very protective of its nest and would sit on it for the most part of the day.  The female seemed to be quite confident in the safety of the garden.  Once in a while when I checked the nest from a few meters away on ground,  it will be alerted and would fly to nearby branches within 3 - 5 meters away but would soon be seen hopping back to the nesting branch.  In the morning it would hop to the very end of the branches and leaves to preen and to get more direct rays of the sun.  On a few ocassions  I saw the mate visiting the nest.  Just the other day I decided to discover whether it had eggs in the nest.  To reach to the nest I had the cell phone attached to a long bamboo pole.  With 10 secs timer on, I carefully move the pole through the leaves and let it hoover above the nest.  After editing the video I froze one frame to catch a glimpse of the nest and is shown below.  This is indeed a pleasant surprise and worth sharing.   My hope is that I'll be able to record its chicks soon.

Eggs of the Pied Triller

Sitting pretty on its nest.

An unidentified 'eagle'.

 Today - 15 January, 2018 I was very lucky to have spotted this 'eagle' at Kuching somewhere near the Astana Gardens and the Orchid Park.  I saw a pair but the other mate was a bit too far to shoot but I guess that doesn't matter.  Most important I have a record of encountering this beautiful bird.  It was repeatedly making calls to its mate and when it flew closer to it, it perched on a nearby branch close enough for a good shot.  On returning home I checked many books on its identity and couldn't get any resemblance. So I guess this 'eagle' remains unidentified.

An unidentified 'eagle' species?? 

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.

Red-throated Barbet

 On the 24th of May'17, I had a most remarkable encounter (and a lifer at that) with a Red-throated Barbet.  Of all the places I could have met the bird, it was at our garden in Kuching.  I was at my study when  I heard an unusual call which sounded like a loud tok, tok, tok, tok in erratic intervals that made me rauh out to the garden with my camera.  I saw it first perching on the Poui branch and afforded me a fair view of it.  Then I waited and luck was on my side when it came perching down to the Eugenia oleina tree branch which was just meters away from where I stood.  Then it was all shoot, shoot and shoot away.  This rare moment comes once in  a life time.  I will not know when will I ever see it again, but this chanced encounter at the Kambatik garden in Kuching is good enough for me to see the beauty of this bird.  Below are some more pictures from the album.

High on the Poui tree branch

Perching on the Eugenia oleina branch.

This sighting makes my day - 24 May,2017.

Scaly-breasted Munia seen closer at home

I am fortunate today for having stumble upon the Scaly-breasted Munia at our house garden in Kuching.  It was among the leaves of the Pinang Lakka or Red Sealing-wax Palm. 

The Pied Triller visits daily

Pied Triller up on the 'Poui' (Tabebuaia rosea) tree branch.

 I have been watching closely this peculiar Kuching bird for a few days now.  I say it as such because in Bintulu it is quite difficult to stumble upon this bird.  At the Kambatik garden in Kuching they are a familiar sight.  Like any other normal day I would look up at the tall branches of the Tabebuia rosea tree at the back garden  to sight them.  When not in the morning, they will not fail to show themselves up in the afternoon.  Today I saw a small party of three of them in the garden. Upon being alerted of my presence  they immediately  flew away from the branches and landed at the Coconut tree and Cabbage tree across the road where we stayed.  Their greyish, white and combined with black colours are in contrast to the overall greenery.  They usually come to the garden quietly and unnoticed.

Lovely pigeons anyone?

Enjoying the seeds in the early morning air.

 The Pink-Necked Pigeon is an extremely attractive bird mainly for its colours, its stout body and strong wings.  It seems that every where I go they accompany me. Whether it is in the wildlife sanctuary that I have built in Bintulu, or the Kambatik Garden in Kuching these birds seem to accustom themselves building nests and breeding close to where I stay and live.  For this I am greatly honoured and indeed blessed by their presence.  They are a direct link to feeling the greatness of living nature and  an eco-friendly environment.  Today the pigeons  gave me a another rare opportunity to come close to them for a good morning photoshoot session in the garden.  The Shrubby Dillenia became their focus.  A small flock of them (about seven in numbers) were busy in the early morning air eating the numerous  juicy red seeds of the Shrubby Dillenia plant.  Back in the 80's these birds were commonly sold in town for their meat, but very seldom today due to stringent laws that protect these birds in Sarawak.

Pink-necked Pigeon - female of the species

The male Pink-necked Pigeon

Striking early in morning light

Long-tailed Shrike with an earthworm as its early morning catch

Kambatik Garden, Kuching

 It was still early in the morning with the sun shining its soft light on the garden floor.  The shadows are soft and and the air somewhat still.  Nothing seemed to be amiss except for a peculiar shrieking call and a little movement at the garden perimeter fence.  The Long-tailed Shrike has landed with its prey intact between its strong beak.  Upon close-up I was extremely amazed to see an earthworm was its morning target prey.  The Long-tailed Shrike and the Pied Triller has been my favourite birds that I would normally look out first whenever I am at our home garden in Kuching.  Surely today the shrike did not disappoint me at all.  Today's picture was exceptional in that I was able to capture it in the early morning light with its prey, an interesting observation for the record.

Up-close with the Pied Triller

Pied Triller

 Yesterday (14 June) I had a nice encounter with the male Pied Triller.  This is another peculiarly Kuching bird because I have not seen any triller at the Kambatik park in Bintulu yet.  It is a beautiful bird for it black and white contrast.  Yet despite its beauty I have not yet heard it making any sound or call at the garden here.  My last posting has been a rare encounter with the female of the species.  What excited me in this encounter was the bird's behaviour in catching the bees from above the garden canopy and then settling on the Poui tree branch to pounce or batter the bees on the branch before consuming it.  Here are more pics for the remembrance.

The female Pied Triller

'Sewah Kapas' - Malay or Pied Triller (Lalange nigra)
Perching on the Poui tree (Tabebuia rosea) at the Kuching garden

It is another lifer for me.  On this 53rd trip to Kuching, I had another surprise at our Kuching garden.  On the 11th of June, I saw the female of the Pied Triller species perching on the branch of the Poui tree situated at the side garden.  Like the male of the species which I saw for the first time in August, 2014 it too was resting on the same Poui tree.  The main difference between the male and the female is that  the upper parts of the female are more grey, whereas for the male of the species the upper parts are more black.

A colourful bird at the Museum grounds

Brwon-throated Sunbird at the Sarawak Museum grounds, Kuching
4 April'15

 It is one of the most beautiful garden birds in Sarawak.  Today, while having a walk at the grounds of the Sarawak Museum gardens I chanced upon it.  The Sarawak Museum gardens is still the best place for a quick walk for  viewing a good collection of the hibiscus flowers on any regular day.  The Brown-throated Sunbird was seen busy doing its rounds of nectar sipping among the hibiscus flowers.  I guess surviving in an urban environment requires it to be 'people-friendly' and this behaviour enabled me to have a closer look at its colourful personality.  It was oblivious to the crowd of people that were having their walks and photo taking sessions  at the garden.

Brown-throated Sunbird - Kelicap Mayang Kelapa (Malay)
Anthreptes malacensis