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I found the pond, but the only ducks on view were Lesser Whistling Ducks, which are somewhat commonplace. Never mind, Bidor has plenty of other avian attractions!
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Or it used to have. Not sure what is going on here, but it looks like the ponds at FRIM, Bidor are on the way out.
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There were a few Grey-headed Lapwings around here and there.
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Purple Herons can usually be relied upon at Bidor, and today was no exception.
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Yellow Bitterns too.
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I have a soft spot for Purple Swamphens (or Black-backed Swamphens as this one should now be called). Everything about them is absurd - their proportions, their colour scheme and their trumpet-like call, which they utter while flapping their wings incongruously! This one had junior in tow.
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When the light catches them they are a riot of blues, mauves and greys.
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A scarcer, but duller Common Moorhen.
Opposite the FRIM ponds there's a rather unique open field that looks just perfect for something rare, like a lark, a Thick-knee or an Oriental Plover. Every time I check though, it has the same customers...
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Pacific Golden Plovers...
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...and Oriental Pratincoles. It was interesting to see that these showed a thin buffish trailing edge to the secondaries, from above and below. They were obviously in very fresh plumage. The lack of a white trailing edge to the secondaries on Oriental is one feature which distinguishes it from Collared Pratincole.
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Of course, there were also lots of Paddyfield Pipits. Since they were song-flighting, I tried to get some flight shots. They are noticeably and obviously short-tailed in flight, although they can give the impression of being longer-tailed when on the ground.
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