First time encounter with the tiny Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum )
Location : Botanic Island Two

Sepah Puteri Merah (Malay) - Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

It is a tiny bird and is the first time I come across it at the park.  It was accompanied by its female counterpart but I couldn't get a good picture of it.  The female of the species has more olive-green upperparts.  What is attractive about this bird is the scarlet forehead, crown and continues to the rump.  The rest of the body is a beautiful dark blue colour.  It moved quickly among the branches and if not by a stroke of good luck I wouldn't be able to get a glimpse of the bird for record purpose.

Male and female Orange-bellied Flowerpecker

Male Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Dicaeum trigonostigma

 It is very interesting to watch a pair of Orange-bellied Flowerpecker enjoying the over-ripe jackfruit.  The over-ripe fruit is normally frequented by squirrels, butterflies, tree lizards and many kinds of insects.  After having a bite the flowerpeckers  would normally rest at a nearby branch to swipe their beaks and take a little rest before going for another round of eating.  It is the male of the species that appear delightfully attractive with its bright orange breast and metallic blue face, wings and tail.  The female has a dull olive-green upperparts.  The underparts of the female body are a pale yellow and without the striking orange breast of the male.

Female of the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Zone C

A petite beauty in contrast..but it's a male.

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma)
'Sepah Puteri Bukit' (Malay)
Location : Zone G

 It is one of the most colourful tiny birds at the park.  The adult male has a dark steel-blue face with a bright orange back to rump.  Its chin and throat is of dark grey.  The breast and rest of underparts is an attractive orange.  Thus its beauty is in the contrast of colours.  I stumbled upon the male bird this morning while it was devouring the flesh of the Lumok fruit. 

Loving the Lumok fruit

Photoshoot session with the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker

Devouring the rotting and over-ripe Jackfruit
Location : Zone C

Dark steel-blue  head and face

 It is interesting to note the habit of the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker when it comes to visit the over-ripe Jackfruit.  It appears that every time the Jackfruit bears many an over-ripe fruit, this flowerpecker will instinctively come to enjoy the fruit.  This provided another golden opportunity for me to have a photoshoot session with this seldom seen jewel of the forest.  It is one of the most colourful tiny birds of the park.  Today it is the male of the species that got into frame.  Here are the shots.... 

Back to rump is bright orange (partly seen above)

The chin and throat is dark grey, whilst the rest of the underparts are orange
Sepah Puteri Bukit (Malay) - Dicaeum trigonostigma

Birdwatch album - Flowerpeckers

 Flowerpeckers are a delight to watch because they are tiny but colourful.  They make happy tunes in the park.  The one species that attracts me most is the Orang-bellied flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma dayakanum) of which the male of the species is very colourful.  Recently I have been successful in attracting them for a photoshoot session.  I made the jackfruit as the bait.  I waited patiently from a hideout  and in one morning was able to capture many shots of the male.

Orange-bellied flowerpecker

Orange-bellied flowerpecker enjoying the jackfruit...
(Dicaeum trigonostigma dayakanum)