Back to Panti again!

After dieting for two weeks i see myself looking more and more like Ally McBill than Hulk Hogan before! Lack of sugar intake makes me tremble at night so I convinced my family that the shivering was due to lack of birding trip, as i needed more sun and walking. So a compromise was made, go Panti but no venturing of the side trails on foot, stay close to the car (I lied) and make sure the mobile line is working at all times........

And Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler would be your best bet in Panti if you are tired of walking looking for birds but need to shoot something along the main bunker trail! They are in abundance and are extremely responsive to calls. If you are good in whistling you don't even need a mp3 player for this species.

Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler (Macronous ptilosus)

Burung Pong Pong * 绒背纹胸鹛 * ミノゲチメドリ * 

Timalie chamasa * timália štetinatá * นกกินแมลงหลังฟู

Stachelrücken-Meisentimalie * Timalí Piloso * Uldrygget Mejsetimalie

My favourite location for the Tit Babbler is at the swamp, 100m before the Elephant Trail, where the open space of the swamp gives you more light which is crucial for this species that like to perch in the shades of undergrowth. I left the D3s at home this time as I wanted to to carry lighter load in case a lot of walking was needed, and the D5100 with the recently acquired Gitzo 3-series is almost 2Kg lighter than the D3s with Gitzo 5 series!!!

And the decision to stay around the swamp proves rewarding, a Rofous-tailed Tailorbird shows up for a minute to investigate the commotion by the 4 Tit Babblers I was having fun with, perched right in front of me! So is another 'Tick' in my miserable collection.  

I have stopped counting lifer/tick since last year, after I leant that there are more than 9000 species in the world. So enjoy nature and the fun of bird photography while I still can rather than getting anxietic and grow more grey hair just because someone else has 2 more lifers than me. Life is short!

Rufous-tailed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sericeus)

Perenjak Ekor Merah *  红头缝叶莺 * ズアカサイホウチョウ *

Couturière à queue rousse * krajcírik hrdzavochvostý * Красноголовая славка-портниха * นกกระจิบกระหม่อมแดง

Rotschwanz-Schneidervogel * Rødhalet Skrædderfugl * Sastrecillo Colirrufo

There are birds you have to go after them, and then there are birds that would come for you. Sooty-capped is one such species of the later. I was resting near the 1st YSB (Yellow sign board) and heard its calls. It was loud and clear so I setup my gear immediately, played its music for a minute and wait for it to show up, It came within seconds and it was all over me for an hour! 

The occurrence of Sooty-capped Babblers are not as widespread as the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babblers. They tend to be near some messy undergowth under dark canopy, often near a stream. But the good news is they are extremely enthusiastic to perch clean in a bright spot when called upon, often within 10-15' reach without the need of camouflage or blind. 

Sooty-capped Babbler (Malacopteron affine)

Rimba Tinjau Belukar *  纯色树鹛 * ズグロチャイロチメドリ * 

Akalat affin * dudroš lužný * นกกินแมลงหัวสีคล้ำ

Schwarzscheitel-Zweigtimalie * Trætimalie * Tordina Coronioscura

And a few other species shot on the same day........

 Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella)

 Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher (Rhinomyias umbratilis)

 Raffles's Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus)

Whiskered Treeswift (Hemiprocne comata)

Scarlet-rumped Trogon (Harpactes duvaucelii)

 Giant Cream Squirrel.

Pig-tailed Monkey ?