94/99 Mitsubishi Pajero 2.8 V46 Intercooler Turbodiesel

Sold today after 7 years started with 115,000km, ended with 220,000km ... car
less is sorta liberating!

Birds in Merkang April 2012

Pond Heron with the 400mm from our car. The mood wasn't right for the 600mm today.

Birding at home this trip was limited to the two hours I took to drive around the paddyfields with my elder brother, I'm on Canon7D/400mm and he on his Superzoom Nikon Compact that he just acquired. We were taking pictures mostly from the car, though I had my 600mm with me it was just to cumbersome to maneuver in addition the already two bulky photogs.

Most of the bird images we caught were all taken along the roadside. We got a few looks but hey I betcha these folks haven't seen one birding with a camera and lens before. They are probably more used to guys on motobike birding with RELA shotguns or young punks with airguns instead. We are the good guys, they can gawk as much a they want.

Common Kingfisher who did not even give us the eye once before he jumped into the stream for his unfortunate prey of the morning.

White-rumped Munia, all along I thought it was a White-bellied Munia until I noticed the white-rumped a bit later. They were in groups of 3-5 individuals flitting about in the paddyfields.

Scaly-breasted Munia.

Pond Heron taking flight. They were numerous together with Cattle Egret. The egrets were obviously on their staging grounds getting ready to head home. Pond Herons are targetted for the pot in these parts. Migrants workers have also started to target Cattle Egret for food I've been told.

Plain Sparrow were not in great numbers but I think I've learnt to recognise their calls now to know that they are around.

Brown Shrike amidst paddyfield green.

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