The Yellow-vented Bulbul enjoying the fruits

Yellow-vented Bulbul at the Yellow Ixora bush
Location : Zone C

In the above picture the Yellow-vented Bulbul is attracted to the ripe fruits of the Yellow Ixora.  In the park, the Bulbul catches bees, insects and eats berries, seeds and flesh of juicy fruits. The two most seen bulbuls are the Yellow-vented and the Red-eyed types.  Occasionally the Black -headed Bulbul will come out of the forest to enjoy the sunshine and make merry sounds in the park's open areas and roadside trees.

Plucking the Ong Lumok and in-flight serving

Bamboo pole with fork used to snap the soft fruit stalk

Ong Lumok - the brownish one is over-ripe

 We were collecting Ong Lumok ( Artocarpus odoratissimus) fruits this morning.  The Ong Lumok tree is tall with broad maple-like leaves.  The fruits look like canon balls and out of the ancient world.  Its sweet pulpy fruits are one of my favourite seasonal fruits.  The season of the Ong Lumok is almost over now but there are still fruits hanging on the tree for the plucking.  To reach them I used a long bamboo pole with a fork at the tip.  A firm twist will do as the fruit stalk is soft.  Once detached from the main branch bring the pole slowly down so as not to drop the fruit.  If dropped the fruit can easily be smashed into pieces.  The Ong Lumok fruit attracts plenty of wildlife e.g. squirrels, tree lizards, birds etc.. However today was time for in-flight serving.  The  Yellow -vented Bulbul hoovered close to the very ripe fruit to enjoy the pulpy flesh ...Check out the pictures below....

Sweet and delicious.  Best eaten immediately after plucking...Oh, tropical paradise!

Yellow-vented Bulbul enjoying in-flight serving

The appeal of the Merkubong berries

The Merkubong is a pioneer tree and is easily noticed for its broad leaves
Location : Botanic Island Two, Zone I

Merkubong (Malay)
Macaranga gigantea

 It's fruiting time for the Merkubong trees.  The small green berries are very attractive to many birds.  Today I managed to photoshoot the Brown-throated Sunbird  and the Bulbul.  There were many  Philippines Glossy Starlings enjoying the fruits too.  The Malays believe that the latex or red resins from the tree trunk can cure mouth ulcers in children.  As a pioneer tree the Merkubong tree will not have a long life but it is beautiful for its architectural leaves and its straight trunk produce branches when it is relatively mature.

Brown-throated Sunbird - Anthreptes malacensis

Yellow-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus goiavier

Branching of the trunk in a mature tree

Beautiful broad architectural foliage...

Red-eyed Bulbul

Red-eyed Bulbul
Pycnonotus brunneusLocation : Provinsi Carpentaria, Zone F.

One fine morning

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)

 Today the weather is cloudy but dry.  The weather at the park early morning was cool and good to enjoy a walk in the park.  At Zone C, I saw a Yellow-vented Bulbul resting on a perch to groom itself.  This bulbul is the commonest variety in Bintulu as it can be seen in populated areas.  It is also resident at the park.  They are usually seen in pairs or small flocks.  An adult of the species  has a short crest.   I often see them attracted to the Shrubby Dillenia red seeds that are available daily in large quantities.  To see them  in the morning trying to be first in getting the red seeds is a joy to watch.  They make no pretense in making their peculiar bubbling calls when devouring the seeds or  ants.

Grooming on a perch.

The bubbling Bulbul

Yellow-vented Bulbul attracted by the black berries of the Eugenia oleina tree

 There are among the early birds normally attracted to the red  ants that are in large supply at the Shrubby Dillenia trees.  They compete for the red seeds of the Dillenia from other birds like the sunbirds.  Coming in small groups, they make cheerful bubbling sounds.  Within the last week, this week and probably next, they will continue to visit the park due to the presence of thousands of black berries of the Eugenia oleina trees.  The most common variety to be seen is the Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyconotus goiavier).  On many  occasions they can also be seen chasing after swarm of bees that are drifted by the wind over the park.

Photoshoot session with a young Yellow-vented Bulbul

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) - Merbah Kapur (Malay)
Family: Pycnonotidae (Bulbul family)

 Today the weather is cloudy and the air is rather cold with light breeze.  Between Zone F and Zone C I saw a young Yellow-vented bulbul having a rest on a short twig and looking cold.  It was initially unaware of me as I slowly approached to photoshoot it.  It seemed oblivious to the clicking sounds of the camera and despite seeing me moving towards her slowly she gave me more poses.  She gave me an excellent opportunity to be close and personal.  Here's more revealing shots of the young bulbul....

Photographing the bulbul unnoticed

All images taken today : 30 December'13 , location - Zone F

Bulbuls are having a fiesta

Red-eyed bulbul

 The bulbuls are kept busy at the park with the abundance of the tiny berry-like fruits of the Eugenia oleina.  They dashed and frolicked, chasing one another and then stopping to have a bite of the black juicy fruits.  The sounds of their flapping wings and their twittering calls makes the park lively everywhere.  All three species seemed to be oblivious of each other as they intermingle freely.  The rarely seen Black-headed bubul took time to get away from the edges of the forests and have fun in the park too.

Yellow- vented bulbul

Black -headed bulbul

Early morning take

Today's klikz

Birdwatch album - Bulbul

Yellow-vented Bulbul

 The Bulbul is relatively easy to watch because they habitually visit the Simpoh trees (Dillenia suffructicosa) for its juicy red seeds and red ants.  The most regular visitors are the Yellow-vented species.  At one moment I was able to watch them gregariously flying above the trees in great numbers in a lively show of aerobatic display.  They eat the fruits of the Eugenia oleina when the fruiting season comes and it is also the best time to watch them with their loud chatter and merry flights. 

Bulbuls in aerobatic display

Eugenia oleina berries...

Bulbul with crest..