 The blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) is a species of chat. This thrush-like Old World flycatcher was formerly placed in the family Turdidae. It breeds in southern Europe, northwest Africa, and from Central Asia to northern China and Malaysia. The blue rock thrush is the official national bird of Malta and was shown on the Lm 1 coins that were part of the country's former currency. The blue rock thrush is a starling-sized bird, 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) in length with a long slim bill. The breeding male of the nominate subspecies is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings. Females and immatures are much less striking, with dark brown upperparts, and paler brown scaly underparts. The male of the subspecies M. s. philippensis has rufous-chestnut plumage from the mid-breast down to the undertail. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers of rock thrush. The male blue rock thrush sings a clear, melodious call that is similar to, but louder than the call of the rock thrush. [Source: Wikipedia]             #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL600F40GM #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/
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 The Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. The Asian emerald cuckoo grows to a length of about 18 cm (7 in). The adult male has an iridescent dark green head, upper parts and upper breast, a white lower breast and a green barred belly. Bare skin round the eye is orange and the beak is orange/yellow tipped with black. The adult female has coppery-green upper parts, rusty brown crown and nape and green-barred underparts. Both sexes show a white band on the underwing when in flight. The underparts of the juvenile male lack the white lower breast and are more heavily barred. The voice is a “chweek” uttered while flying, and various whistled twitters. This cuckoo has a breeding range that extends from the Himalayas eastwards to Myanmar, China and northern Thailand. Further south it is a vagrant or migrant in northern India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Sumatra; it is not known to breed in these areas. It frequents forests and woodland margins. The Asian emerald cuckoo mainly forages in the upper levels of the canopy where it feeds on insects and other small invertebrates, including ants, caterpillars and bugs. It is a brood parasite, the females laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, such as the crimson sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) and the little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra). [Source: Wikipedia] Name: Asian emerald cuckoo (female) Scientific: Chrysococcyx maculatus Malay: Sewah Hijau / Sewah Tanah Family: Cuculidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2018): Least Concern Gear: SONY a1 + SEL600F40GM + SEL14TC.        #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL600F40GM #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/  The black-capped kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in tropical Asia from India east to China, Korea and Southeast Asia. This most northerly of the tree kingfishers is resident over much of its range, but northern populations are migratory, wintering south of their range in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Borneo and Java. It is distinctive in having a black cap that contrasts with the whitish throat, purple-blue wings and the coral red bill. The species is mainly found in coastal and mangrove habitats but can sometimes be found far inland. This kingfisher is about 28 centimetres (11 in) long. The adult has purple-blue wings and back, black head and shoulders, white neck collar and throat, and rufous underparts. The large bill and legs are bright red. In flight, large white patches or "mirrors" at the base of the primaries are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult and show streaks on the throat. The call of this kingfisher is a cackling ki-ki-ki-ki-ki. Usually seen on coastal waters and especially in mangroves, it is easily disturbed. It perches conspicuously and dives to catch fish, and also feeds on large insects. The flight of the black-capped kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. The breeding season is in summer. The nest is a tunnel in an earth bank. A single clutch of 4-5 round, white eggs is typical. The species is found mainly near the coast in mangrove forests and along estuaries and rivers. The distribution ranges from India (including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where they occur even on remote islands like Narcondam), Sri Lanka, Kansu, Shansi, Korea, Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Burma, Ryukyu Islands, Bangladesh, Hainan, Philippines (Palawan, Balabac, Basilan, Tawi Tawi), Borneo, Sumatra east to Sulawesi where it occurs only in winter. Vagrants in winter have been recorded in Pakistan, while movements related to rainfall may lead to their being found far inland and away from their usual distribution. [Source: Wikipedia]. Boarded the boat in Kuala Sepetang on 11 December 2021 at 10:30am and the trip took two hours. The boat was operated by Kuala Sepetang Eco Tourism. Name: Black-capped kingfisher Scientific: Halcyon pileata Malay: Pekaka Kepala Hitam / Pekaka Kopiah Hitam / Pekaka Ubun Hitam Family: Alcedinidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern Gear: SONY a1 + SEL200600G + SEL14TC Location: Kuala Sepetang, Perak              #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL200600G #SEL14TC #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/  The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). As is typical for bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males. The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. This makes it the world's most widespread raptor, and one of the most widely found bird species. In fact, the only land-based bird species found over a larger geographic area is not always naturally occurring, but one widely introduced by humans, the rock pigeon, which in turn now supports many peregrine populations as a prey species. The peregrine is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon," referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies, which vary in appearance and range; disagreement exists over whether the distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus, or is a separate species, F. pelegrinoides. The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the last ice age, therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively tiny. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated. Although its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the peregrine will sometimes hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. Reaching sexual maturity at one year, it mates for life and nests in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, in recent times, on tall human-made structures. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species in many areas because of the widespread use of certain pesticides, especially DDT. Since the ban on DDT from the early 1970s, populations have recovered, supported by large-scale protection of nesting places and releases to the wild. The peregrine falcon is a well-respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and availability via captive breeding. It is effective on most game bird species, from small to large. It has also been used as a religious, royal, or national symbol across multiple eras and areas of human civilization. [Source: Wikipedia].         #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL200600G #SEL14TC #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ Measuring around 30 cm in length, the Black-capped Kingfisher is a species of bird from the Alcedinidae (Kingfishers) family that breed in the India subcontinent, Myanmar, China and Korea. In winter, this bird will migrate throughout South-East Asia to Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and the Philippines inhabiting mangroves, ricefields, forest edge and reservoirs (Jeyarajasingam & Pearson, 2012). The Black-capped Kingfisher can be identified by the black head, red on bill and feet along with white shade on breast, neck and throat. It also has rufous belly with deeper royal blue on mantle, wings and uppertail coverts (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993; Jeyarajasingam & Pearson, 2012). It feeds mainly on large insects such as dragonflies and sometimes dives for fish (Phillipps, 2014). [Source: MyBIS]. Finally, I've managed to photograph the elusive black-capped kingfisher in Kuala Sepetang, after the disappointment from my attempt last month at Sekinchan. Boarded the boat at 10:30am and the trip took two hours. The boat was operated by Kuala Sepetang Eco Tourism. Name: Black-capped kingfisher Scientific: Halcyon pileata Malay: Pekaka Kepala Hitam / Pekaka Kopiah Hitam / Pekaka Ubun Hitam Family: Alcedinidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern Gear: SONY a1 + SEL200600G Location: Kuala Sepetang, Perak     #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL200600G #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ The rusty-naped pitta (Hydrornis oatesi) is a species of bird in the family Pittidae. The rusty-naped pitta was described by the amateur ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume in 1873 from specimens collected in the eastern Pegu Hills, Myanmar. Hume coined the current binomial name Hydrornis oatesi. The species was subsequently placed in the genus Pitta but was then moved back to the resurrected genus Hydrornis in 2006 based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study. The genus Hydrornis had been introduced by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1843. The specific epithet was chosen to honour the amateur ornithologist Eugene William Oates (1845-1911) who had collected the specimens. The male has a deep brown head and underparts with dull green wings. It has a well defined black stripe behind the eyes. The female is duller than the male, with brownish tingeing on the wings and vague dark scaling on the lower throat. The rusty-naped pitta is found in Indochina and adjacent parts of southern China. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical, tropical moist montane forests and bamboo forests. It is typically found above 800 m (2,600 ft). [Source: Wikipedia] Arrived at the parking at 6:15am and there was already 2 birders there getting their equipment ready. Since we know already the port, we went up straight to pick the best location. The male male rusty-naped pitta greeted us at 7:15am. After that. the female rusty-naped pitta made a few visits to the log to feast on the mealworms. Between 7:30am till 8:30am, there were four other visits by the female pitta. By 9:00am, I've descended to the carpark to pack our equipment and went for our breakfast. Name: Rusty-naped pitta Scientific: Hydrornis oatesi Malay: Berlau Tengkuk-karat / Burung Pita Gunung / Pacat Tepus Family: Pittidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Near Threatened Location: Fraser's Hill, Pahang          #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL600F40GM #SEL200600G #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ Here are some close-up shots of the rusty-naped pitta photographed during my recent visit to Fraser's Hill. I had used my SONY a1 and pair it with the SONY FE 600mm F/4.0 GM OSS lens. Now, looking to add to my pitta collection soon! Have a nice day!     #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL600F40GM #SEL200600G #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ The red-legged crake (Rallina fasciata) is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It is a medium-large crake (length 24 cm). Its head, neck and breast red-brown, paler on throat. Its upper parts are grey-brown. Underparts and underwings are barred black and white. Its bill is green and its legs are red. Found in far north-eastern India, eastern Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Indonesia. It is recorded as a vagrant to north-western Australia. It is located in dense vegetation close to permanent wetlands. This red-legged crake was saved by a friend after his pet cat brought it home in Shah Alam. It was decided that the crake will be released back to the wild in Putrajaya and I was privileged to witness the occasion. Hope the crake survives in its new habitat. Name: Red-legged crake Scientific: Rallina fasciata Malay: Sintar Api / Sintar Kaki Merah Family: Rallidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern Gear: SONY a1 + SEL400F28GM Location: Putrajaya       #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL400F28GM #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use without expressed written permission from the photographer or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ Hemiprocne comata or known as Whiskered treeswift is species of bird in the Hemiprocnidae family. This bird has a small size body measuring about 15 cm in length and a glossy blue- black headwith chestnut ear coverts (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993). The upperparts and underparts of the male are generally yellowish- brown. The female look similar with the male but lacks chestnut ear coverts. Whiskered treeswift can easily be distinguished by its small size and white facial stripes on its head. This swift is common in Peninsular Malaysia and throughout much of South- East Asia. It can be seen in lowland rainforest up montane forest up to 1, 100 m above sea level (Jeyarajasingam & Pearson, 2012). [Source: MyBIS]. Name: Whiskered treeswift (female) Scientific: Hemiprocne comata Malay: Layang-layang Jambul Kecil / Lelayang Pokok Kecil Family: Hemiprocnidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern Location: Bukit Tinggi, Pahang     #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL600F40GM #SEL200600G #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ Arachnothera magna or commonly known as the Streaked Spiderhunter measures about 17–20 cm in length. This species can be found in montane forest and forest edges above 900 m above sea level, particularly favouring areas with wild bananas. It feeds mainly on nectars from the banana flowers. The Streaked Spiderhunter have a very long, down-curved bills and bright orange legs. The plumages are olive-green upperpart and paler underpart which covered with black boldly streaked. It also has bright orange-yellow feet that distinguish the species from all other spiderhunters. [Source: MyBIS]. My last trip was uneventful and there were not many birds to photograph. The fruiting tree bears fruits, however, not ripe yet for the birds to feast on. Perhaps next week should be a better time to visit Bukit Tinggi. Name: Streaked spiderhunter Scientific: Arachnothera magna Malay: Kelicap Jantung Gunung / Kelicap-sabit Berjalur Family: Nectariniidae IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern Gear: SONY a1 + SEL200600G. Location: Japanese Garden, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang      #NurIsmailPhotography #sony #sonymalaysia #a1 #SEL200600G #alpha #AlphaGuru #SAG #DXO #PureRAW #topazlabs #leofoto #pg1 #Fight4ourPlanet #DiscoverWithMYAlpha #DiscoverWithAlpha #AlphaUniverseMY #FullFrameLife #MySONYLife
Copyright © 2021 Nur Ismail Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce these images on websites, blogs or publications without expressed written permission from the photographer. For any enquiries, please visit my website: www.nurismailphotography.com or email at nismailm@gmail.com. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nurismailphotography/ |
AuthorThis is the photography journey of Nur Ismail Photography where all the experiences from this year onwards will be shared with the audience. In collaboration with NiSi Malaysia, Leofoto, SONY Malaysia and Skylum Software. Thanks for viewing! Archives
January 2022
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