Our taman are blessed by two rivers Sungai Damansara and Sungai Air Kuning. These rivers offer as a natural habitat for birds and other reptiles feeding on them.
Yes there are aquatic animals and they feed on some leftovers McD, KFCs, nasi lemak etc that was thrown into the river thus providing the source of food to this habitat.
To do birdings, you need not have to travel to Frazers Hills, Cameron Highland or Taman Negara to capture the birds. It is within the vicinity of our neighborhood. Just underneath the both bridges, behind Surau As-Sakeenah and along the water retention pond. Its there to be discovered just within your walking distance.
Grab yourself a camera with at least 300 mm lenses, I would recommend 600 mm with a good solid flexible tripod will do the trick.
There are at least seven species of birds that habitat within our rivers and others within the secondary vegetation nearby. All you need is an eye for details and that "skodeng" eyes.
Birding, you must be patience and understand birds behavior on feeding - normally will be slightly after dawn and dusk timing. This will be an ideal timing for your bird skodeng adventure.
Here are some pictures which are 100% genuine, authentic and original taken from our neighborhood within a span of five days.
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| PAINTED STORK - BURUNG BOTAK PADI & LITTLE EGRET - BANGAU KECIL : These seven Painted Stork are common sight at the river. The Little Egrets are good friends of the Painted Stork. Just do your mathematics - count how many of them here. |
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| GREY HERON ARDIA CINEREA @ PUCHONG SERIAP : This bird is big. Twice the size of a normal chicken. Indeed beautiful. It looks yummy on the dinner table only if you dont mind spending three years in Sungai Buloh prison and slapped with RM5000.00 fine. Indeed a healthy bird feeding at the Sungai Damansara just underneath the bridge. To photograph this you need to be gentle and quiet. No vaping or smoking within this vicinity of birding as these birds do not like smokes. |
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| PAINTED STORK * MYCTERIA LEUCOCEPHALA - BURUNG BOTAK PADI & amp; LITTLE EGRET - EGRETTA GARZETTA -BANGAU KECIL: Who says botak looking bird cannot date out a snow white ? Well, if you gonna buy her a good meal, she will follow you. |
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| GREY HERON ARDIA CINEREA @ PUCHONG SERIAP : Another angle to share. Photographing this bird require patience and less movement. Once they are comfortable with you - the bird can even selfie with you. Take your time & enjoy the moment. |
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PURPLE HERON - ARDEA PURPUREA @ BURUNG BANGAU PAYA @ BURUNG PUCHONG SERANDAU : When you are photographing this bird, you need to be quiet and static. Thus bringing your wife around might not be a good idea. A slightest movement might scare away this bird thus you will be photographing the river bank vegetation. This shot was taken from 2nd bridge and the subject is within the retention wall of Mayang Sutera.
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| Barn Swallow @ Hirundo Rustica @ Burung Layang-Layang : Most favourite hangout will be at the waste water treatment near Ilham apartment. This is another `shoot me if you can` bird. As you are about to get a clear shot focusing on them, they flew away. |
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| SCALY BREASTED MUNIA LONCHURA PUNCTULATA @ BURUNG PIPIT PINANG : They are friendly birds.They fly in groups and are very active. Getting a close shot is a challenge as they do not sit still. Very acrobatic when feeding. |
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| ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING - APLONIS PANAYENSIS - PERLING MATA MERAH: So by now you know that the your TV3 channel from your television set sometimes get that blurry effect due to the happy hours of Glossy Starling having their afternoon gig on your home roof antenna. |
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| ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING - APLONIS PANAYENSIS @ PERLING MATA MERAH: Dont mistaken this bird as a crow ( gagak ) as they are not. Favourite nesting place is within the end lot of our house. A good bird for people who operates car wash business as it love to do their droppings on your car bonnet. |
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PAINTED STORK * MYCTERIA LEUCOCEPHALA - BURUNG BOTAK PADI and BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax @ PUCHONG KUAK @ PUCHONG MALAM :
I am not sure who is treating who for hi-tea at Sg Damansara river. They might be different species but they can date out together. Who says botak is not handsome? He manage to date the Puchong Malam out. |
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| OUR NATURAL HABITAT FOR BIRDING : This is where you do your " Introduction to Birding" folks. Just on top of the 2nd bridge. See that Little Egret - her other friends are somewhere nearby. All you need to do is look more detail. |
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| STALKING ON BIRDS WITH HIGH HEELS : Whether you are on top of the bridge to photograph birds or underneath the bridge - if you are lucky you will capture our residents throw their rubbish into the river as they do not trust the Alam Flora boys on their hard earned rubbish waste or some bloke reminising some moments of blond hair bird with high heels that flew away. |
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| MAGPIE ROBIN @ COPSYCHUS MINDANENSIS : BURUNG MURAI KAMPONG: This is my nature morning wake up call. Surprisingly this murai will start singing around 5.45 am until 7.00 am or so. Unless of coz it is raining or this Murai Kampong Jantan spend his night at another Murai Kampong Betina nest somewhere else. Well - at the moment he is the dominant singer in the morning. |
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| SAND PIPER XENUS CINEREUS BURUNG KEDIDI SERENG : Perhaps the most challenging shot of birds in this assignment is this Sand Piper. Her color blends with the earth and they move very quick from one point to another. |
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YELLOW VENTED BULBUL - Pycnonotus Goiavier @ Merbah Kapur : Perhaps the best singing birds of all time. If it is a male singer it will be Engelbert Humperdinck singing " A man without love" . If she is a female singer it shall be Toni Braxton singing " Un-Break My Heart " - melodiously registered into your brain. They are very fast flying birds to focus.
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| LITTLE HERON @ STRIATED HERON Butorides striatus @ Nama melayu : PUCHONG KELADI : Located at the Sg Damansara near the retention pond. Slightly tricky as her colour blend with the earth colour of the river bank. Thus you need to look very hard. What fascinates me is the behaviour pattern of hunting fish - very focus on aiming. |
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| BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax @ PUCHONG KUAK @ PUCHONG MALAM : This is the night shift bird which you can see them during sunset hours. Very illusive and quick. Waiting for the arrival of this bird and ability to spot them - you must eat plenty of carrot juice to have a good pairs of eyes. Spotted at our 2nd bridge facing the shop lot. |
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| EURASIAN TREE SPARROW Passer Montanus - BURUNG CIAK RUMAH @ PIPIT RUMAH: They are everywhere - if you go back to your hometown wheteher it is in Bukit Bendera Penang, Gua Musang Kelantan, Lahat Datu Sabah, Lang Pasia, Benut Pontian Johor , Kuala Nerang Kedah or even KLCC area - they are there. Very versatile species and very adaptable bird. Feeds on leftovers McD, fries, left over pizzas and some tasteless nasi kandar. |
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PADDYFIELD PIPIT @ ANTHUS RUFULUS : Another challenge of photographing this pipit is that this bird are small, fast and very well camoflauge. You need t be fast, alert, sharp & stable. I caught a few shot of this bird, only one photo which make sense. So - enjoy this one !
This shot was taken near the retention pond near Sungai Damansara. |
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| LITTLE HERON @ STRIATED HERON Butorides striatus @ Nama melayu : PUCHONG KELADI : This shot was taken behind Surau As-Sakeenah. The safety cone does come handy for this Puchung Keladi to feed safely. I just wonder who threw this safety cone into the Sungai Air Kuning or was it used for some canoe race competition? |
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| LITTLE HERON @ STRIATED HERON Butorides striatus @ PUCHONG KELADI : This shot was taken at Sungai Damansara near the largest retention pond. This bird do not move so much thus zooming with your telephoto lenses is much easier. |
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| PAINTED STORK * MYCTERIA LEUCOCEPHALA - BURUNG BOTAK PADI: This birds can be hilarious, photographing them and watch what they are doing can be entertaining. Don't be fooled with that sad face look actually they are having fun eating some aquatic animals. |
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| WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN @ AMAURORMIS PHOENICURUS @ RUAK RUAK, Uwak-Uwak, Ayam-Ayam : Perhaps this is the most illusive bird among all species within this river. She is fast and blend very well into the river vegetation. This picture next to Tuan Haji Jabbar bridge. |
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| LITTLE HERON @ PUCUNG KELADI : Another one sighted from the 2nd bridge. Maybe they have plenty of cousins and relatives within this neighbourhood vicinity. |
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| MONITOR LIZARD @ BIAWAK : I believe this is the residence biawak that feeds within the vicinity of the two bridges |
RESIDENCE MONITOR LIZARD @ ASIAN WATER MONITOR VARANUS SALVATOR @ BIAWAK - BEWAK : One of my lucky day, he came out to do the cat walk patrolling his territorial area. This illusive biawak decided to take a gentle stroll within the river bank checking for leftovers food.
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NOTE : All pictures are copyright control. Duplication of the photos above are not allowed unless approval is given. I welcome comments on the names of the birds. ? Please email to adinoor@yahoo.com
