I cautiously went back into the valley, and got some glimpses of the heron scuttling along like a startled chicken - most un-heron-like! Eventually it flew up into some trees and I joined Hifni on the ridge bordering the valley, where we were able to get eye-level views.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvb8MeHHqujAIUkJlj7ikKyWbTunecUh_7zROc52rzlpfqZOHgjkTy1mL8eApc8ciPGBtMdLYR4g066IpftX0ttAy2ldyZTCKmy1s61LcmLI1VLulad5Im4tdZQeVaAjaSPJf/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8276.jpg)
From its vantage-point the bird never took its eyes off us, even though we were some distance away.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIxqVZJFJQVguJdhPCGYKVP_lJWoN8Gp7wwrS9CTu3bkeiKnnwB_-E3dKaJqbboUkooKrwXBddau7QKpKQwNH1JTcoU4RF1HEgit9ioHB1HG_hvCPOsbNZMh-Mj53u48SOlz6/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8332.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwrueFLlCnKzhNNkZAXU1ond7GW8nv4v-ELbGaoS-ZoxuA3U929_8peYalPsnRltHw2tSCNyrk5ucNF2_vwiBuDY8N8N9k9h67zFc1_zLlsQ7vj0qlDQZYukTn0l2bG9sf6wB/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8355.jpg)
The bird has a longish crest of black, white-spotted feathers, which it would occasionally raise.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYKW2fEjt94DK2kn7ZgY4uVSvAdZqX2PRLfnPN7NVLBL_xFoNCLlDPwKnO_cM5Y3SmCbZ8CMzzr8cjClat6aZ7qw0awKLPIskHvvEnkkrEvwwH0kKYZcRSxSVUJyT2nvQeiIjU/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8379.jpg)
X marks the spot! The bird flew a short distance to another branch, where it perched at an X-shaped intersection of branches, which was quite useful when some more local birders turned up!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhDX-SXs9ir_umMZkmSNGkVp4ZTdED13n5TwTdbFmaeK20ertdzhh-qwP_aehjUkNtTzAmQbGyX71D0-wda3zVvZc-uyfzqHeJwVB7Q6HGCrg7_a1ubuRZyxkwdFceiAsQIp1/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8387.jpg)
The bird posed admirably for the swelling group of Penang 'twitchers'! I'd better not mention names, as I'm sure it was during office hours, but I was impressed by how many seem to take their photographic equipment and bins to work every day!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRW7ZVoiclXOhPijXTXel5ykir9dR5PRnV6hJsDIq_Fag7tTimlwKu0ocFYqsJ4klcd2I1Fc-KAVKopkF6QUhLP6OD3-Mv_130ArgqYo2bMFc1t_m4eMRiWmL070CWbfw_UK-/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8416.jpg)
Our model changed position after we'd all taken enough shots of the er... back side!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsUm5spFH4NkcCEk1EQTdc_4oQDFxILXVwyyGlUmJylytmYVnyzwoh2YncnRjvBNT6r3LvIxcffqY_RtBt4n7sR1JUS-XrIfdGCr66_wBanubaAMVWn3P-rPgZou9I5YvQS6Y/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8446.jpg)
The biggest challenge was getting a 'clean' shot without twigs or branches in the way. I never managed it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb60VegCiLjUKJtfOP-o50S1xW8KHW1N-br1WU-ZieeLrY0lMpjp2ZPRl2dwHOm8417qN9GwmpRxigHuedM6upFYF0k-FCwqFzq-JocaGSSN6AVLBxBXub8DisrbUhHKis-yHG/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8467.jpg)
With the bird perched in thick cover, the other problem was light. Tripods were definitely required!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZzH2AMl155RamJg6gN2uu7EkP1CZNjk6XJ9C2xJ4UklNX8D6FQj66Bb2MxVQtO71HZzAcRW0iy_IBDhtAADHdwt-pOGHACxVcwADHGmU1DIRfjeK4VD_S_ZUz4DGmJlHJZAU/s400/Malaysian+Night+Heron_USM_230209_IMG_8490.jpg)
Getting closer didn't solve the branch problem!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlafuMbZdsA8ZKf7pKHn4dbkq0-pEtmz23cf5BT4FyH4uiQFE34HzWxHQK5xN2JKRAQ_nCb2WJXqZdHXCxGAhnvpHCvUlMA_W3eWOPEwMdcKl2GLrvxaELKYkFwO8NBaxeEdJ/s400/Large-tailed+Nightjar_USM_230209_IMG_8505.jpg)
On my way back to the car I flushed a Large-tailed Nightjar. It flew a short way and then appeared to crash-land to the ground. It repeated this manoeuvre several times, making me to suspect that this was a distraction display designed to lead me away from a probable nest.
4 comments:
first two was very clean! All of them are sharp! Amazing!
Thanks Muin! Of course, I only show you my best shots!
Hahaha nice la Dave !
This bird comes out in The Star Newspaper. ha.....ha....
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