![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9zsxO9r88wanIb61hB6Ab89O3YN_YiYq3bLc86LiZF9l65Qgstx-ceTe72WSSTAy6CuTs_Dl_K2jU8W3By0WRb2Jb3nSNnPtTyEWka9hyphenhyphenimaTBbTh6MQl83aKCHxF6oCqXg6/s280/Asian+Openbill_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4080.jpg)
I couldn't find any roosting, but as I was scanning the area I spotted three juveniles flying low over the padifields. Here are two of them, about to land. Once they landed in the uncut padi, they were not visible.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4vugVm-vz1vFddDtYMqa9dXqjlxc2MKX7ZOHp7x3sD5Irkdsyen5T6wapxx6x2ZwzZqgcMQFOOfa7KAUdTVkKayfCXSABMyHkj8jIEB3P21Mzb6la14t1dN9bHV0ehQGSrA3/s280/Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4088.jpg)
A rustic scene as the sun rose over Bukit Mertajam.
While waiting for the three to reappear, I spotted another bird in the distance flying south. It went down behind some buildings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28Qo4RKD-x1wI3bo6RtfaRfzB6eY91y_UgrT2m1GonujZm9sdKspsopZ9fOvHaLSdJ-52v3Ob7u-saji70ebJnjB1bPdXqyqrLhp7d6K7OKcUsW7nNXIA9CJIMCkJMeJEaQoc/s280/Eastern+Marsh+Harrier_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4092.jpg)
Both Pied and this Eastern Marsh Harrier were quartering the fields. This is a juvenile.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDeka45AalQC-pdqdxrC0Xj-SHf8ddC4XtZSTu3i-Uu7mPvYuQ8UgsuWJi4yD2rzueFRPoHGUo57hkmBBwi8x6TrLnANUeRaoxoalwvp-7myIx0_PznJPU40idVqWDGw81bvP/s280/Eastern+Marsh+Harrier_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4093.jpg)
The two new grey central tail feathers reveal that it's a male.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWNeJ0-kkERx0IeG4lx1XqRVHFfLa_BdR5gv2mQr86HTkBCmGqTQG1QhLKwqHpeNslQ4uFmnuPE5_WoaJSRUACzOME4LkXFALHxwdRNsjArqniUKM0gvVQ0F3eXvxgW7ioUIc/s280/Eastern+Marsh+Harrier_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4097.jpg)
Harriers have extraordinarily long legs - all the better for seizing prey in marshy habitats!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq423EIGOQLAe4wYzez8f4YsWYX77P8d501-OvlpGIrLRqc_vng8lPQKe22AejxITTWHfxS1oGMX6M44v5-HE6F4PXJdU2pEQp5ikBGMyTA_jN9Ob43sm3RJZMboTa9ZICWzBe/s280/Rusty-rumped+Warbler_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9196.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHapyPhkIm8pxZBFUq9JkSRAiBP4csLQmCuvzigDip95l5a0BV3yF9MPAdq0Q4n95ELy11390HuZzBlBOs74zq_epkVdzq8yaX3VbNHBc4BZXRYk6VjhlbKKOtQWmDSX08k1a/s280/Rusty-rumped+Warbler_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9201.jpg)
Among the many Zitting Cisticolas sitting in the tops of the padi stalks were a couple of Rusty-rumped Warblers. This one stayed in view long enough for me to digiscope a few photos.
It even stayed long enough for a video!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfD-D8bSkGdCtKXTEYpf_9QDSk00MHQXwdOcX8Mcgba1kdaQqtyICMdij4SyGo3vUpMkoL703o3PK9JSvb8dxZGBGiUw-jLdOXY7BLZxgrmC83vECZFHxf9HsuOHaaW4jxqgX/s280/Zitting+Cisticola_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9210.jpg)
Although not closely related, Rusty-rumped Warblers and Zitting Cisticolas could easily be confused. Both skulk in padifields, have a rusty rump, streaked upperparts and white-tipped tail feathers. The cisticola, apart from being much smaller and shorter-tailed, has a much paler and plainer 'face', lacking the dark eyestripe of the warbler.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpnoRAPNgUY0h-0LwMxlAZa2oi9chmhN5poDU_kIcjWDvTTzdW_jeaMl9KLn7R6lcCSRDGJKksCfbD2eC9HplaMBVu04q0KUTRXerzomMhWGuXwKWSMCv0wBgvk0zQaqRfEao/s280/Peregrine_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9232.jpg)
The same Peregrine Falcon as I saw on 23rd January was sitting on the same pylon this morning!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOGQ0ZYPDhAU5cecfvyAtv7kRNnOEvoi5u3O2Ofm5C6dUFo81uidesnm4pBqsa8XesftrYIcAFHCyQ5Yqbl5vF5UTr9mVlH_S05i_LVhwpAIu6tQMXIduOKV2x3SpnT_GAWdY/s280/Peregrine_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9267.jpg)
It's a big bird, so I'm pretty sure it's a female. What's she looking at?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_axuN_b6bFw52KZy5pOvRx0UQgTECJc0zdmcBN9Brh1fisEyp54js6uEztBprvHDTnkjexm435w25yObt8j8YcayJzigWrsJUeRZHh1-6MrUP47jfp3z3yTwf_BjmD7NvXHY/s280/Peregrine_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4159.jpg)
The local gang of thugs had arrived, aka House Crows! She started calling nervously for a while.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXL0lbWivBO3RjvYR5i7x9CqU8VVpgOFk6J0EEqscU2gEw4vlF0FNQXhIfHWtI7XrV_Ip1wVHYg6bzbNsksYko4quxKTFrF2WYxvTzBWbEnhNXnnvPqGa5476M1yKDTh0rikS/s280/Peregrine_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4160.jpg)
Then she decided she could do without the hassle so early in the morning!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7HO-awODiolQKfOpVhyOPhv6vZRmyypqP05iZpljIpKy_NuNle3vbq9QlvbdAgRjiqyXhSqOjfZUfb0NnQQryraE8fI4DdSJIBGo2zLQ167zu9x-hu43S40CECvMsnOT1336/s280/Peregrine_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4163.jpg)
So she flew off to the next pylon!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-S-Tq9k1BlvQhpk1aTmloBFwmTONWZk18bd-fZfYAaQjj8ts7pxA9txTowRAuHWYrLM3j3ZLrSf-EuwZZ5TdExot7rrVvtLN7pmbBacclfW768mNThQg5SDhmfTCwUipoik9/s280/Asian+Openbill_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4129.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGY4KAKwcmHOBP6Ub58D3WthkcN3DWo4ZNBhzUoic8g48C8unAxGtQsiZnb7fVJxxP-VoEyrhrzfbAkkTJhSln6yg17lI76lWpssl85CoggfvGnF_uA7MtF7wwpN5HBsU72p_/s280/Asian+Openbill_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_IMG_4141.jpg)
Meanwhile the openbills had reappeared, and soared around for about 20 minutes before going down in the same area as the fourth bird seen earlier. Hakim and I located them roosting in some bushes, but getting close proved impossible.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifh4GiwZuTft5T9gfnYtwvUdLIgTJFE4UYKrGW7-NxmUtE1Z5XHBnhHg59PKWxRqC62cDZfialwhARYvhVQAIbkGKZqj_Qkkfmbt68Ok4kS0set0ae_PsU52W6pkReppyMg-rE/s280/'Swintail'+Snipe_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9281.jpg)
At some wet padis I found this well-concealed snipe. With its longish bill and well-marked face pattern I wondered if it might be a Common Snipe at first.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalBrImNqmuJr-v8lYVOtP6PT0blvnChSXJ-34Ev7wj7W08eqJQwCQ0wCauHLFsGIpQMEGaZ-fGWF1KIqYgejIeY0KMmmoL3rk5Oev09pGloexg2P3_8iT9FK1zLUVWs7341Lq/s280/'Swintail'+Snipe_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9283.jpg)
But then it shuffled forward a bit and revealed typical Pintal/Swinhoe's coverts. The long bill makes it more likely to be Swinhoe's than Pintail, but I didn't see the tail, so it had to go down as unspecified.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlGQrucYw97JXPcH6dOZgZ2IwlMNTXybW_EQN-qMynqqYm0MqQRhpRQpqTpHFdY1s21ocPieMtdRuBS2hF8IuhxIVsbKW6O66xN0kXmJ0v8pvKun730RM2fkGZV2aqn-bQvoa/s280/Wood+Sandpiper_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9298.jpg)
Among the many Wood Sandpipers was this one with a deformed bill. Odd how the shorter bill makes the bird look fatter! The pink eggs are those of the Golden Apple Snail, a pest species that has invaded Malaysia from Thailand, to be closely followed by Asian Openbills, which feed on them!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJYsOjgvfrgRKINp_QEzZVExPiAvRDcHdOGjckl1vcndnpweLPoNiYszgNuBs-YoNIYcP8yJk4TMz04980lxXt9ndlukYyZrnjK-wzfXLzIQ3rjE9C5vWciyUYIXTCs7ihtB6/s280/Wood+Sandpiper_Kg+Permatang+Nibong_060310_DSCN9302.jpg)
The upper mandible appears to taper toward the tip almost like a normal mandible, but the lower one is square-ended and extends slightly beyond the upper.
WOW! Exciting discovery...
ReplyDeleteWell captured Peregrine pictures.
ReplyDelete