![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8WiD2DuwT5mA0G4q0EATvVNzGsOuF9P11TeZGGvhyxpxzr5a4jiFWQNyoTX46iqhwdkutQG7dFbdKIdaBG7ksUzC7bg1dBIuFyZB7z1qlxBG8h8KQfU0ABBFGzgp4QK3wTPN/s400/Brown-headed+Gull_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN1998.jpg)
Digiscoped
As the tide receded at Bagan Belat a few birds did arrive, including this Brown-headed Gull coming into breeding plumage.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZf0ri1HdQzOYRDXXm5tY6cK6bmdn0sk1rrrf0PeFnTyfZUiXJCoxV2b6ckjs_290LD7Ci7rKD5K0PkbWNsykj6OxqNuTAfIpU3BOrJN9oufaEfggl3GJhSdC0GcuFRotpega/s400/Javan+Pond+Heron_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2015.jpg)
Digiscoped
Javan Pond Herons were the commonest heron on the mud. They seem to be increasing in numbers every year.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbwXowHSMUUkqtu_ypJLwTw_xL_wjZgk4QUA768wqbM2WSlv3dRXLeG_Ri1La0IU2OClLMdqP0mL0KQzfooG49V1pvYXq2kTtBai5P1b0dY3JC5tF2mDmIMUKwh0jRecBgV7Ln/s400/Javan+Pond+Heron_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2112.jpg)
Digiscoped
This one is in full breeding dress - beautiful!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYvFI3qHw9HQo6TJiBWS3kWYEFgpTj3EutJNboOz4jgS-D0Rx_m7uJZRGf6F8MPjcILILwSUlvGreO0L9_B2z-XPsIUKXvBc-XZhrTD5EACnX0LRf6MXT5p9Iy8ywQbMxNgRC/s400/Indian+Pond+Heron_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2158.jpg)
Digiscoped
There were a couple of Indian Pond Herons too. This species was first recorded in Malaysia in 1999 but is now regular in Penang, and it has even been seen on Langkawi.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mIcn5l7mqGKFzUwNYwd-OzLpa5JUexcsHE4auw3SPeNHsqLhDI7QtZhAKGxzBE2vlBCm36nP9eOIrwpVCBJcxdl9YFvNYCRlKLGRXyW2akv-m2PC0syrNfZ14hJpWjcXOoa_/s400/Chinese+Pond+Heron_Kubang+Semang_240309_IMG_0646.jpg)
Chinese Pond Heron should be the 'common' pond heron here, but there were only two on the mudflats and I couldn't get a good picture of them; this one was taken at Kubang Semang later in the day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBBLLZC2cyuEzalbtaACFDvLlGgo9V8hPsSvyUNdYaxeRrqgEMNf3myFg0iPY2z60O93mIhWaomSY-CSc5WagFphQEKOnEkRmhKYbf9VboahofhQ5GtQ4OOX9tnEP4DOwrT3G/s400/Pond+Herons_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2216.jpg)
Digiscoped
I tried hard to get all three species in the frame at once - here are Javan and Chinese ... but no Indian!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MLdtljcVaKaJ_4JgdYOVT4JNkXvtx6y5ZV179cGdDyu5pg7-DQYPCu7QPJoiPWX5UBpxQJeeMV4lfjHFD72wtAf954ivNP6q0KiH7ZIiep_ntCLI3yaAyeMVbTY7Yw-VeqBo/s400/Pond+Herons_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2221.jpg)
Digiscoped
And here are Indian (left) and Javan ... but no Chinese!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoC1DiHeQgVvbgBE-up9jrb1jcAAjb1XLKpNs4b9EoxQSWlP1tiUhd-i_2U66nTuYnwhUxzDvFQ156eqToIEVMUpD7jO_a7zDDLWv4j7ZdvKf-5SEMcPEU-Vg-UZxjOpXg9yQ/s400/Pond+Herons_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2234.jpg)
Digiscoped
Finally I got my chance, but the birds were rather distant and the shot isn't sharp - perhaps someone else can do better! From left to right, they are Javan, Indian and Chinese.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquLxKO3U3FR7UaQFgmaTdIp6ecq0aNERkdcckrqS3NbYbDbxYKr07UScIGOXUBR2R3f2Eoj4I9RzzDgJh0lJvUMF1XOws0HewApB-hNpEpJzd84m1etp0KYuh-Ip5disFxktl/s400/Pond+Heron+sp_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2042.jpg)
Digiscoped
There were still some pond herons in non-breeding dress, including this interesting pallid individual.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RMgyiV6C4zv24QrnwOo-LtxMYzddNmKQ2k-MNX-8PZe_NwscHKQRm31jQy2n_8NHL3TTudfnivuA6wq_XC_z1EZ3-c30YS650A5u9JmSOQXo7-KallyiQHAZLIUOgd7sLyeW/s400/Collared+Kingfisher_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2121.jpg)
Digiscoped
A pair of resident Collared Kingfishers were keeping a wary eye out for intruders...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Nn96owaMeMDs8tIZieToptG4bY_VJs9HMIQocFxqMAdJIbFfX4eEUqyyVbD4xguJLzwebKdiuuyW9lv_DVF2KvEL2teeimyYFgm-9lex2hdA5ICrDfmScPA0V66s0UpJZKP6/s400/Black-capped+Kingfisher_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2116.jpg)
Digiscoped
They wouldn't allow this migrant Black-capped Kingfisher anywhere near their territory.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUet62O9Kh4MRyva1-EAyWo5Dmyn2KJCHLC7fBeoROB0r5ITISeHvp2QujvQOuz-zSCgpj9tViZyrjP9nodutuR3ZRcDodtChZySNIfKwRBTST62txv7PXRMNIhleUGbUru247/s400/Common+Greenshank_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2057.jpg)
Digiscoped
There were one or two waders around as well - this lone Common Greenshank having a mudbath.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtEvWEcKv5xRhXdwtjjLwFzy5SJ2162uEzaBnKxvk3SXmrq4EB5E0Zxq_RuiL9Pv7Di_nBOM6NSMIe0PK1EQhliGn5JqvASp46kzU31e3cFF6qTRkHaxen86BmN-7mWieGL6-/s400/Whimbrel_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2182.jpg)
Digiscoped
One or two Whimbrel.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEDJP0w3V5i5ydqFI0mCgP0D0AQlGpOtUj6OS6Y6-6v0yYocp6yIcVzHtc2-KoujBNJpZZ4uuagwnEZiMwfBNMotbDCCZ5D7Vgn2ConzHMkMr5_buIEg_mEmTEpfhEcaz9U4D/s400/Terek+Sandpiper_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2101.jpg)
Digiscoped
And a few Terek Sandpipers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0iwy96yJNfufzMdiJq8S0MbRZpYxBESfVRuvH2k7H2mCQHNshgLi2ch7ZcG4glcq2Cky4Vocc-TPLaaVjcrUqH7STh3BAxZ5bAP0pbfXjhYb5ZUwdc69soHQfXyMQuxwln9T/s400/Common+Redshank_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2208.jpg)
Digiscoped
There was a small flock of Redshanks, and I focused on those in breeding plumage to see if I could diagnose any different races. This one, with its slightly rusty tones and thin bars on the tertials, looks like a typical 'craggi'.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDKmlLc4jXQx9pYgiG3bfYVJzDp8UIkgkBVzVCbX2_i_m1Cb9e8XLtzffaMsqudNi9G7N1IoUNIG3ZX8PNy5FFCsg9rXBiGF5qoQ7I9bi6EDoQeGckcywKVrK3qlvVf4RZBzb/s400/Common+Redshank_Bagan+Belat_240309_DSCN2193.jpg)
Digiscoped
This one, however, with its boldly barred tertials and more grey-brown plumage, might be either 'eurhinus'or 'ussuriensis'. I've written to ask Dr W G Hale what he thinks - watch this space!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGYHlhh58IK6UCRtQvqB61tUHZr_61rtEg0GxqMTF3iEqhKeIIbHCXPes9s6TJJAgk1cf_Ck_pnXkrbncvxYXFzhHOY-xjmoeI6GhrIKh6DnBFx8RTQY5x6ZHAERHfuxFMZfi/s400/Cinnamon+Bittern_Penaga_240309_IMG_0550.jpg)
At Penaga there weren't many birds in the paddy-fields, but I did surprise this male Cinnamon Bittern feeding in a ditch.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbtj1aFDBJ_ukNlJsceIejc85nJDZKaJVMnBOIMOv_V-kMWX1jlgMsZCQc7Kf2OMUCUNk6kGyOPuTUrNFkQs7d1C4ryNEIetZWhdCt7bJ1Agx8XSylkSC-NbZbgv8daOq2bQB/s400/Cinnamon+Bittern_Penaga_240309_IMG_0552.jpg)
When it realized it was being watched, it slowly manoeuvred itself into the 'camouflage position' typical of bitterns.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUD3EOxFqgRR2HimbFASB7lxN-1sqRYyR0aa89APbFr2un2T-dMyS8WYoQ3kWQu7_IBEjoX-do4PnHHu0AtfP-FaPWpAwyGqQabdGbVsVcfealokFuaLjQd_9To5rf4YPHea2/s400/Cinnamon+Bittern_Penaga_240309_IMG_0559.jpg)
Where's it gone? All I can see is a few swaying reeds!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jmRGP8vMALfv57aNUSvqnUBx-hwChnKpd_RFZXj9SXkW7Nqp0lYpvoi7wOoGbr1Ogr7q1fHcOq8kiYQ1Hm5XAYGmub_Dlxq1xRd8VZFAICmY7hYNk7VAqczcapJIP978NlCX/s400/IMG_0558.jpg)
This one is using advanced Stealth technology - actually it's a hybrid Cinnamon Bittern x Cheshire Cat!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZxMChQfXEiF07Pobm7MR7zQ7_fktiDBE0n0AfG9rULKvavhoaqyqQtI7gYDLku_LVlIAyMZQaQe9jsKAVX3evfp7_DgqePFwJ8Q3Vm8qrakViTKnepaoV5or-22l09jFXgbj/s400/Cattle+Egret_Teluk+Air+Tawar_240309_IMG_0574.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRjMOE3QGCNENE9yt7coUNmGWBlopGBOsRuf3GZxxeklK-QK7vEPPeeN8pOKtyK1rnu2MwBVt4owF-sM-odSgsbiZPESn3GylCt1jXlsDtVSFMUA2mBehG8Ru2rF750tulrEZ/s400/Cattle+Egret_Teluk+Air+Tawar_240309_IMG_0595.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE2j80DMMSVjF7b6_U7e7JAeyUGUPydEYES86elyqimpzjRp6nJFPaobta_wydrcAz4YCq-b6fidMtA49v5lysLcr80wDBz1AP1kexRki6MA9O4s312rlljVflaC9HMABZCM2/s400/Cattle+Egret_Teluk+Air+Tawar_240309_IMG_0605.jpg)
A quick check of the paddy-fields at Penaga and Kubang Semang wasn't so productive. The commonest birds around were Cattle Egrets, some of which were coming into nice plumage.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PBxneZkVJuumG2fXvpWi6o8TIcmCslca97fFpFm_1RMvdiKw_iL1Xrr6u5eeF69ob0I8MHu-ocEr7h3SKzVnbiSuk_Q2UvO5xSSaaNbS112-VeX0wc69l4iK5c54acj5iDFb/s400/Little+Egret_Kubang+Semang_240309_IMG_0663.jpg)
There were smaller numbers of Little Egrets.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3OO8KhIfG7e3Mww0kKqKVMgS6vlvNRb_bj_1NFRJnb4TeBZ_hZYLo2a3cDvRa3YDOzj9JSJRPec7V-rxKygQion6rollt-4-vMf6j-qVyWXVv-5PmnCl5H3r-yBTYNdVe_47/s400/Red-rumped+Swallow_Kubang+Semang_240309_IMG_0746_filtered.jpg)
A few Red-rumped Swallows were feeding amongst the Barn Swallows, but the light was against flight photography.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lHbGi7sEcE4JkbdESZLyud-Um2Z8rPMA3Llln8QoQC5H9x7K6-_JAfNywDQcD6BpMi3Bu8_84dp8UxB0OkQqBT43EVPLJodzkW_kpeP9qGBkVObN_tTc-s23Qq9cBjeqvim5/s400/Yellow+Wagtail_Teluk+Air+Tawar_240309_DSCN1979.jpg)
Digiscoped
And the fields were swarming with Yellow Wagtails, but I couldn't find anything else among them.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99JhPqfYmMtMI_pR9dPQsrZvJlXecL7HJGrlZUWGbuYAGa8yC9DSfZWJagA06rfixZFqHxqGpBfhFKxN8wZW4smA4Ei3DC8nj1Bh-C9AcZo1MXe2tW_1Mw7f_sN_Vd3q29j6q/s400/Zitting+Cisticola_Kubang+Semang_240309_DSCN2257.jpg)
This makes my blood boil. Did this Zitting Cisticola have to die a lingering death in mist nets strung across the paddyfields because it eats the insects that harm the farmer's crops, or was it necessary to feed his starving children?