5th July 2010: Air Itam Dalam, mainland Penang

I went out in late afternoon to check the paddyfields - the first time for a while - getting impatient for waders! There were the usual compliment of over-summering egrets but nothing much else, so I headed down to Air Itam Dalam for dusk.

Mangrove Pitta, Black-and-Red Broadbill and Mangrove Blue Flycatcher were all vocal, but my focus was on trying to photograph the Great Eared-nightjars which roost there.






















A male Common Flameback looked like his crest was on fire!



Almost matching!



I found this primary feather from a diurnal raptor - my guess would be Crested Serpent-eagle.



A Dollarbird in a pot of gold!



Air Itam Dalam is an important roosting area for birds that hunt in the paddyfields. First in was this Changeable Hawk-eagle.



Followed by a Crested Serpent-eagle over my head.

If you are thinking that the sky was an odd colour, it was a pretty spectacular sunset!







Meanwhile birds continued to arrive for the night.







A few Purple Herons.



As some birds arrived to roost, others were leaving their daytime roosts; the first Great Eared-nightjar of the evening.



A Black-crowned Night-heron set out to feed.



I finally spotted a Great Eared-nightjar heading in my direction.



Eurostopodus nightjars fly much higher than the Caprimulgus nightjars, and have relatively long tails.



This one flew right overhead!



Barred plumage, dark throat and ear tufts are typical Eurostopodus characteristics.



You can just about make out the ear tufts on this pic. Great Eared-nightjars are BIG - think small harrier-size!



One last shot before it disappeared into the night. I saw 4 others in the distance, but none headed my way.





The last of the light.