Trip to Taiping (03.01.2021 - Day 2)

This is the main reason for my trip to Taiping...hunting for the Eurasian hoopoe. I took a ride with my birding friend Sidek from Taiping to Kuala Gula, a journey which took about 1 hour.  The weather was gloomy, with occasional showers and overcast.  After waiting for about 20 minutes, the Eurasian hoopoe flew in and perched at a nearby tree.  We have about 1 inute of shooting before some photographer started to move forward, startling the hoopoe.  From then onwards, the hoopoe only stayed on the ground at the opposite oil palm plantation,

The Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) is the most widespread species of the genus Upupa, native to Europe, Asia and the northern half of Africa. Some taxonomists still consider all three species conspecific. Some authorities also keep the African and Eurasian hoopoe together, but split the Madagascar hoopoe.

Name: Eurasian hoopoe
Scientific: Upupa epops
Malay: Burung Hud-hud / Hupo Tunggal
Family: Upupidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2020): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G.

After shooting the hoopoe, we were greeted by the Blue-crowned hanging-parrot. The parrot gave us plenty of shooting opportunities, from various angles.

Loriculus galgulus or commonly known as the Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot is a small parrot measuring about 14 cm in length (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993). This species can be found in lowland forests up to 1,100 m. Its diet includes flowers, buds, fruits, nuts and seeds. The adults of Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot have generally green plumage and black beaks. Males have a distinctive dark blue patch to the crown, red throat patch, red rump, and a yellow lower back while females are duller than the males and lack the yellow lower back and red throat, and also the blue crown is much less noticeable. The juveniles are duller than the females and have a grey forehead and horn-coloured beak.

Name: Blue-crowned hanging-parrot
Scientific: Loriculus galgulus
Malay: Bayan Kecil / Bayan Serindit
Family: Psittacidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

Later we proceed to drive around in Kuala Gula to shoot the Collared kingfisher, Black-shouldered kite & Brahminy kite.

A very characteristic bird of the wetlands, known as Collared Kingfisher belongs to family Alcedinidae. It can be found mostly at tidal mangroves, sandy beaches and coastal scrub, sometimes also at inland gardens and parks. Its size can reach up to 24 cm in length. In appearance, the Collared Kingfisher has a turquoise head and upperparts contrast with the white colour on its collar and underparts. It feeds on crabs, worms, large insects and lizards (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993).

Name: Collared kingfisher / White-collared kingfisher
Scientific: Todiramphus chloris
Malay: Pekaka Bakau / Pekaka Sungai
Family: Alcedinidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

A medium raptor, Elanus axillaris or commonly known as the black-shouldered kite is usually found in treed grasslands and on farms, along roads, and in vacant wastelands of urban and coastal areas. It feeds mainly on rodents, small reptiles, birds, large insects such as grasshoppers and small mammals.

The male and female black-shouldered kites are similar in appearance, but young individuals can be distinguished by a streaked, rusty-brown head, back and breast, mottled grey wings with darker shoulders, and white-tipped feathers on the upperparts. The black-shouldered kite is mostly pale grey above, with a pure white head, body and tail and black shoulders. Its wings are white underneath, with black wing tips and the females are larger than males. Its red eyes are marked by a black comma that extends behind it and the nostrils, legs and feet are yellow. The female of the black-shouldered kite takes care of the eggs and the hatchlings with the occasional assistance of the male. The male will do most of the hunting and takes prey to the nest for both the female and the young.

​Name: Black-shouldered kite
Scientific: Elanus axillaris
Malay: Lang Bahu Hitam
Family: Accipitridae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2012): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

Haliastur indus or commonly known as Brahminy Kite is one of the medium-sized raptors (birds of prey), with a white head and breast. The rest of its body is covered by striking chestnut brown. Slightly differ from adult; the immature species of Brahminy Kite is dark brown with paler spots and streaks (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993). It can be found typically near the coasts, especially mangroves swamps, occasionally inland and on big rivers.  The Brahminy Kite feeds on carrion (dead animals), insects and fish. It also hunts for live food including crabs, crustaceans, amphibians, small reptiles, fish, insects, small mammals and birds. 

Name: Brahminy kite
Scientific: Haliastur indus
Malay: Lang Merah
Family: Accipitridae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

Actitis hypoleucos is a small sandpiper with straight dark bill. It is known as Common Sandpiper or Kedidi Pasir in Malay. It can be measured about 20 cm in length. Common sandpiper has dark olive brown crown and upperparts, in contrast with the white breast and belly (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993; Jeyarajasingam & Pearson, 2012). Also, it has a clearly visible white curve up bend of wing and white supercilium with thin black eyeline. It is quite abundant and widespread passage migrant and winter visitor at low elevation. However, it has been recorded at 1,000 m in the Cameron Highlands. This small sandpiper is quite solitary, but may appear in twos or threes. It is very active while feeding as it moves in short and quick strides.

Name: Common sandpiper
Scientific: Actitis hypoleucos
Malay: Kedidi Pasir
Family: Scolopacidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

Tringa totanus, also known as the Common Redshank is a medium-sized wading bird measuring about 28 cm in length. It has longish red legs and a black-tipped red bill. T. totanus is grey-brown above and whitish below with fine streaks on breast during non-breeding season. In flight, it shows very obvious white rear edges to the wings and a white 'V-shape' up its back. While on breeding season, it develops bolder streaks on breast and underparts (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993).

The Common Redshanks are found on muddy coasts and occasionally on swamp inland. They feed on small invertebrates, such as aquatic insects and their larvae, spiders and worms found on rocky, muddy or sandy shores during the day and at night highly depending on the tidal situation.
​
Name: Common redshank
Scientific: Tringa totanus
Malay: Kedidi Kaki Merah
Family: Scolopacidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a9II + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

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