Birding Report @ Taman Wetland Putrajaya 18 January 2005

Norizan, a beginner in bird watching along her friend were curious about birds and wanted to start to learn their names. So, I took them around the park in the afternoon though I don't promise much sightings between 3pm - 5pm.


1. Black-naped Oriole
2. Yellow-vented Bulbul
3. White-headed Munia
4. Purple Heron
5. Purple Swamphen
6. Yellow Bittern
7. Brown Shrike
8. Large-tailed Nightjar
9. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
10. Common Myna
11. Jungle Myna
12. Common Iora
13. Blue-tailed Bee-eater
14. Painted Stork
15. Common Moorhen
16. Peaceful Dove
17. Spotted Dove
18. Pacific Swallow
19. Yellow-bellied Prinia (calls only)
20. House Crow

Equipment: Optisan 10 x 50 binoculars & Nikon Spotting Scope RAII(A)
Location: UW1 & UW2


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posted by wengchun @ 8:10 AM, ,


Their tools

The various shaped beaks all have one thing in common - they perform specific functions. Most were shaped by eating habits, though some hornbill species use their great and gaudy bills as a defence against marauding monkeys andsnakes, while the toucan's lobster-claw beak serves as a mark of recognition and may figure in courtship display. The carrion eating king vulture and the caracara havesharp hooks atthe tips of their beaks for tearing hides and meat. the shoebill's beak also ends in a hook, but it is flat and serrated as an aid in holding sleppery frogs. the parakeet's strongcurved bill is well adaptedfor cracking seeds, goaging out chunks of fruit and even for climbing. the protruding lower half of the black skimmer's trowel like beak is useful for scooping up fish out of water.


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posted by wengchun @ 8:09 AM, ,


3 offsprings in a flyeater's nest

It looks like the flyeater keep on nesting throughout the year. I was too busy to trace the flyeater's call earlier until I finally able to spare a few minutes from my work to 'hunt' for it last week. When I saw it the nest is completed and even heard calls coming from the nest. This evening, I used my Nikon spotting scope to observe it from afar. Initially, I thought I saw 2 beaks then a third beak was spotted. This is certainly good news to the population of flyeater in the park. When I first heard the flyeater's call a many weeks earlier, the little bronze cuckoo's call was also heard even until now when the eggs have hatched. Could there be another flyeater's nest somewhere nearby?


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posted by wengchun @ 9:06 AM, ,


Birding @ Taman Wetland Putrajaya / Putrajaya Heronry

The morning was a quiet one. I was taking Linda and her friend from UK, Bob (his first time in Malaysia) around the park. She wanted Bob to see the nightjar, but that was not so difficult to show since I know the nightjar will usually stay at the same place. We walked from the car park towards the wetland cell and towards the nightjar site. After the nightjar, we drove to the heronry. Here is the list of birds that we saw (and heard) in the park and the heronry. Time: 7.30am - 10.00am


1. Common Myna
2. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
3. Black-Naped Oriole
4. Oriental Magpie Robin (Male + Juvenile)
5. House Crow
6. Brown-Throated Sunbird
7. Olive-Backed Sunbird (Male+Female+Juvenile)
8. White-Throated Kingfisher
9. Scaly-Breasted Munia (Nesting)
10. White-Headed Munia (Nesting)
11. Baya Weaver
12. Pied Fantail
13. Lesser Tree Duck
14. Purple Swamphen
15. Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater
16. Large-Tailed Nightjar
17. Yellow-Vented Bulbul
18. Common Tailorbird
19. Pied Triller
20. Richard's / Paddyfield Pipit
21. Purple Heron
22. Grey Heron
23. Little Heron
24. Black-Crowned Night Heron
25. Painted Stork
26. Asian Glossy Starling
27. Spotted Dove
28. Peaceful Dove
29. Pink-Necked Green Pigeon
30. Pacific Swallow
31. White-Breasted Waterhen
32. Red Jungle Fowl (Heard)
33. Coppersmith Barbet (Heard)
34. Golden-Bellied Gerygone (Heard)


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posted by wengchun @ 7:01 AM, ,


More Night Herons

Today, 2 flocks of night herons were seen flying around the central wetland and later perched on the island. I suspect these are from the colony inhabiting the putrajaya heronry. It's been a long time since the herons make a visit to central wetland.


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posted by wengchun @ 6:33 AM, ,