Another productive day in TRA

2nd February, 2010


I wrote in a last blog that certain intrusion was taking place at the entrance of the TRA Park. The trees were fruiting and I would like to keep track of the feeding activities in this area. So I was back at the park once more. Feeding continued as there were still lots of fruits left. I had the chance to meet up with the entrepreneur and the Chinese contractor clearing the area of the fruits trees. But I got the impression that they waited until 9.30 am before approaching me if they could start work to clearing the undergrowth after the car park. I was the important bird watcher.

Logically, when the park was first revamped, I was delighted to see the couple of houses after the car park demolished and teh area looking more like part of a proper park area. Well, all house except one!

Now there is a boom gate far away at the entrance, a guard house manned by officials from the Forestry department and a formal car park.

What this? Another plot of land taken over by a private business as restaurants and have the landscape done in his own taste? I have difficulty understanding the logic. That was my first thought for the day.

This day I made my way into the Park proper after that little chat with the contractor/owner but ended up just 50 meters away under the shade of my favorite tree.

This tree was also fruiting, as I have checked it in the last trip. Then came the second awareness for the day! This lone tree and those trees in the car park, they were all fruiting but a chance to examine the fruits, appearing alike, the fruits are not ripening in the same style. After careful examination, I termed them as 2 different sub-species

As I still could not put a fix on their ID, I would label them species A and species B. The latter are those from the trees at the car park, in clusters While those from the lone tree A were arranged linear in a row.

The translucent fruits in A ripened into a juicy dark red fruit while those in B, our human eyes cannot detect the degree of ripping with little color change. From green the fruits would dry up into a "raisin" state. The identification of the fruits are critical, like human able to seek out the ripened fruits among the whole rows of fruits, visiting birds were so engrossed in filling their bellies had no fear of human nearby. Whereas those searching for edible fruits as in B, would keep a constant look out for threat near by. So much for my newly found knowledge. This day I had 6 species of Bulbuls, 3 species of Leafbirds, 2 species each of Barbets and Flowerpeckers. The Bulbul and Barbet, I had shown. I picked some of the others to fill up the page:-

 
 
 
Cannot miss the action. This guy is always around during the migratory season
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
On the contrary, this one is seldom seen as it moves in the shadow and never pause to look around.
 
 
 
 
 

 
This is definitely a female but with all drab female Flowerpeckers are looking alike, without the male accompanying, rather a job in trying to put a fix ID on them
 
 
 

I said "no Barbet pix". This huge guy was enjoying himself brushing shoulders with the Bulbuls.
After feeding, perched there and called. So often, we get to hear them, hardly had a chance to see them doing it. Now he performed a special task, I gave him a place here.

The lighting playing tricks, believe me this is the Green Iora that is not easily spotted.
 
 
 
 
 
 

This little fellow should also have a place. Having played a role of co-operative model.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As usual, watching this bunch of birds feeding in frenzy manner and getting so much opportunity to collect pictures, was enough reward for the day. One more time, I was exhausted and in no mood to do further checking up in the rest of TRA.