Hello there, I'm here

Blue-throated  Bee-eater making call over the neighbourhood
Cempedak Hill, Zone G

 The early morning air was sweetened by the familiar call of the bee-eater.  I quickly decided to do my rounds checking out the source of the attractive voice.   I finally found a solo Blue-throated Bee-eater at the Cempedak Hill, Zone B.  It has been a while since I have not captured any shots of the bird, thus I began my uphill climb carefully in order not to alert the bird.  I moved in from a northerly direction and decided to take as many pictures as possible for the album. Moving stealthily I managed to get some good shots of it.  Apparently the bird was preening itself on the Cempedak tree's  perch and only when it saw me towards the end of the photo session that it flew away.  Here a few selected  pictures for today.

LS view taken at Cempedak Hill

A party of four Little Green Pigeon

 It is good to be back and be greeted by the Little Green Pigeons.  Climbing up the Cempedak Hill I was able to watch a small party of four of this fast flying bird perching on the Cempedak tree.  This tree is a favourite perch for the pigeons for years now.  Today, its the turn of the Little Green Pigeon to take a rest before night fall and survey the view of the park.  Sometimes this perch is shared by a close relative of the Little Green Pigeon i.e. the Pink-necked Pigeon.

View of the park at Zone G

Hawking for bees

Blue-throated Bee-eater (Berekberek Tadah Hujan - Malay)
Merops vividis
Location : Cempedak Hill, Zone G

 It was  still early in the morning, around 8 am and the cheerful calls of the Blue-throated Bee-eater were distinctively heard in the cool morning atmosphere.  The sole bee-eater had decided to make a pit stop at the Cempedak tree perch.  I climbed the hill to get closer and the climb was well rewarded with images of the bee-eater with a prey  caught between its beak which it hawked in mid air nearby.  Incidences of the bee-eater coming to the park is a daily phenomena.  The park lies in  their north -south flight path (from Bintulu towards Tatau ) which they habitually follow in the morning and in evening return flights. The bee-eater has striking turquoise-blue for its throat and greenish-blue for its breast. It possess green wings.  Its head or crown is a beautiful chestnut colour.

Partial view of the neighbourhood as seen from Cempedak Hill, looking south-west.

Bee-eater  settles on a twig with a bee hawked from mid air
Location : Cempedak Hill
Zone G

Beautiful pigeon against the evening sun

Pink-necked Pigeon - male
Location: Cempedak Hill, Zone G

 The Pink-necked Pigeon surveyed the neighbourhood from above the Cempedak tree.  It is a welcoming scene to witness it resting comfortably against the evening sun.  This wild bird could be seen singly or in a small flock.  They fly swiftly in straight direction.  These birds are very colourful or more aptly the male of the species.  It is no secret that their favorite perch is the Cempedak tree located at one of the highest point of the park at Zone G. It is easy to check whether the birds are resting at the treetop because they can be sighted from a distance especially when resting on the tallest twigs. This makes photographing them a lot easier as at least we know of their presence without wasting too much time looking for their whereabouts.   It remains next how we are going to approach them closer without alerting them.  I never get tired of photographing these lovely birds and today's is no exception.

The neighbourhood - Zone C

A Punai company

Male Pink-necked Pigeon
Cempedak Hill, Zone G.

A pair of Punai Gading (Malay)

 It's early in the morning.  The sun has hardly risen.  Up on the Cempedak tree at Zone G, I noticed a small company of Punai birds having an early morning gathering.  It was a small company of five - two male and three females.  This team of Pink-necked Green Pigeon have not been seen for quite a while.  I was exceeding thrilled to see this small team back at the park. Could have it been that the birds were born here?  My speculation is that there is a possibility that many of the Punai birds were born here because on many occasions I encountered these birds nesting at various locations in the park.  Well, their presence is an assurance that the park is home to these lovely birds.

A small company of Pink-necked Pigeon (Treron vernans)
Cempedak Hill, Zone G

One, Two Punai birds

Male Little Green Pigeon, distinguished by the maroon wings
In Malay this pigeon is called 'Punai Daun' literally to mean- 'leaf Punai'

Two, Little Green Pigeons, both sexes
Location : Cempedak Hill, Zone G

Female of the species

Two Punais, up high on the Cempedak Hill
taken today, 28 Feb'15

What have I goat?

Plaintive Cuckoo - Cacomantis merlinus
Photoshoot on 19 February,2015. 1st day of Chinese New Year (Year of the Goat)
Location : Cempedak Hill, Zone G.

Plaintive Cuckoo at the Cempedak tree, Zone G.

Today is special.  Today after years of living at the park I have the rare opportunity of catching a glimpse of the Plaintive Cuckoo.  This is not to say that it is seldom or very rarely heard at the park.  On the contrary its call is heard everyday in the park especially during early morning hours and around sunset.  After years of birdwatching here and becoming very familiar with its call the moment of truth arrived today when I saw it perching on top of the Cempedak tree broadcasting its familiar call. The sight of it and hearing it making the calls verified to me that it is the bird that has been in my hunting list since the first time I heard the call here.  On this first day of the Chinese  New Year of the Goat at long last I sighted the Plaintive Cuckoo  in clear view.  More importantly it is the confirmation of the bearer of that  familiar call that makes my day.  Yes, I've goat it !!

A lovely pair of Little Green Pigeon

Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax) - male is at top with maroon wing-coverts while female has greyish-green body.  Both have white iris.  Feet and claws are a light red.
Location: Cempedak lookout point
Zone G

The time was just about right.  The early morning sun rays had cast its brilliance on the Cemepdak tree.  Unnoticed but later seen was a pair of Little Green Pigeon or "Punai Daun" in Malay.  There seems to be two certain moments in the park when you'll not be disappointed to watch these darlings of the wild and free.  In the morning between 7 - 8 am and in the late afternoon between 5 - 6 pm.  At both times the sun rays are there to provide the appropriate lighting for a good photoshoot.  Early this morning I managed to get a clearer shot of this beautiful pair perching at the very top of the Cempedak tree.

After the bees

A Blue-throated Bee-eater having a brief rest in a thrilling moment of hunting for the bees
Location : Cempedak Hill, Zone G

Blue-throated bee-eater
Merops virilis

 I have always waited for this moment.  The time when a swarm  of bees would occasionally be blown by a fair wind over the park.  The bees will get the best attention from the passing Blue-throated bee-eaters and the more permanent residents of the park - the Yellow-vented Bulbul.  It is always a delight to see their playful and acrobatic acts as they take-off from the perches and rising vertically to snatch the bees in between their beaks.  The Bee-eaters are always passing the park early in the morning as they fly in flocks in a southerly direction.  They would before sunset fly above the trees in a northerly route taken years now while returning with satisfied appetites. It is a routine no doubt and nature has planned well for the bee-eaters.  To see them thrive in my lifetime is an experience I treasure most.  They should be left like what they used to be - free and a timeless beauty.

Yellow-vented Bulbul with a bee in between its beak.
Location : Cempedak Hill, Zone G.

There are birds on the hill

Birds on the Cempedak Hill....

There are birds on the hill,
But I never heard them singing,
No I never heard them at all
Till there was you.....

These verses kept ringing in my head when I saw many birds at the Cempedak Hill early this morning.  As is customary between 6.30 - 7.00 am I would do a little bit of morning climb up the Cempedak Hill.  At this commanding locality there will always be birds that take turns to perch and welcome the new day with their sweet melodies.  Today's line-up included the Pink-necked Green Pigeon, The Spotted-necked Dove ( Tekukur - Malay) and the Blue-throated Bee-eater. Very soon they'll fly off in search for food but I know they'll be back again tomorrow morning  before the sun rises up for they too would like to see the beautiful flushes and many shades of green that the sun smiles on another day.  Let the sun shines on me .....

Pink-necked Green Pigeon, male at bottom and female at top of picture.

Spotted-necked Dove

Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis)

View of the park from Cempedak Hill, looking north

Flushing at the park now...orange-red young leaves of the Eugenia oleina
Location : Provinsi Carpentaria, Zone F

More green pigeons at Cempedak point

A small party of Little Green Pigeon
Location: Cempedak point, Zone G

Male (below) and female (above)

 The Cempedak Hill is named after the group of Cempedak trees that are planted on top of the hill.  The trees provided convenient perches for many birds such as the pigeons, doves,magpie-robins, bulbuls etc.  The Cempedak point is one of the tallest spot for birdwatching at the park and provides a scenic view of the landscape and topography of the area.  This morning I observed a small party of Little Green Pigeons comprising of two males and two females trying to out do one another on the perches.  They were later joined by a threesome of Spotted-necked Dove called 'Tekukur' locally.

Spotted-necked Dove

Early in the morning

Up on the Cempedak Hill, Punai at left and Tekukur at right

Bromhaedia finlaysonia

 The early morning air is cool with a little breeze.  I climbed the Cempedak Hill at Zone G to check on the Punai Daun or Little Green Pigeon.  On the way up the climb I could see the orchid bush has given out its fresh morning flowers.  This bush is right below the Cempedak tree.  As expected the Little Green Pigeon was patiently waiting for me, so it seemed.  Resting at the very tip of the tree it was accompanied by a Spotted-necked Dove or Tekukur in Malay.  When the Tekukur flew away the seat was taken by yet another male Punai.  I realised I just had a wonderful morning and before I walked down the hill, a Yellow-vented Bulbul perched on the Cempedak branch not wanting to miss the  morning party.....

Two male Punai

Male of the species - Little Green Pigeon

Little Green Pigeon - male

Tekukur (Malay) - Spotted -necked Pigeon , image is enhanced to show the spots on its neck

Yellow-vented Bulbul

This orchid ( Bromheaia finlaysonia) is native to the park.  It has grown into a bushy form.

Morning, morning....and welcome back!

Blue-throated Bee-eater

Little Green Pigeon - female of species

 A pair of Blue-throated Bee-eater and a pair of Little Green Pigeon came out early to say good morning.  But it was a special good morning from the bee-eaters because for quite a while they have not stopped by at the park.  Their visit is always met with joy and excitement.  It is a real delight to see their beautifil blue and green feathers.  While the Little Green Pigeons are residents of the park, building nests on oil-palm branches, fruit trees and other jungle trees, the Blue-throated Bee-eaters are temporary visitors and pit-stoppers. When bee-eaters are around it is a sure indication that there is a swarm of bees to be hunted. 

A pair of Little Green Pigeon perching on the Cempedak tree
Location : Cempedak Hill, Zone G.