Purple Swamphens

28th December 2011, Bidor , Perak

Local name: Pangling Scientific Name: Porphyrio porphyrio The last time I was there only one swamphen was sighted and it got me  kinda worried. Some parts of the swamphen’s  regular feeding area had been fenced up and the pond looked dry. The reason being the stream had been diverted  into a commercial pond and as a result  the liilies and water hyacinth , the swamphen’s main diet were gone. On this visit the ponds looked green a lush with the water hyacinth in full bloom, the water  was flowing again into the pond, and the swamphens?……….they are back and .thriving!.     Perfectly adapted for life on the floating vegetation, their long toes and large bill make short work of the soft water hyacinth  shoots  .   A juvenile bird  startled by an unwelcomed  visitor. The adult bird wasted no time in getting away from the imminent danger.

Cotton Pygmy Geese

28th December 2011, Bidor , Perak

Local Name: Itik Kapas Scientific Name: Nettapus coromandelianus Stopped over in Bidor on my way back from Ipoh just to check out the ponds. There were not many birds around when I first arrived with the usual species providing some action for a tired birder after a along drive. The rain put a halt to any hope of walking around the ponds. After a short nap it was one last look  before  starting the engine to head home. To my surprise I could see some splashes in the miidle of the  pond and upon closer scrutiny using the bins revealed a group of about 10 Cotton Pygmy geese feeding and playing in  between the water lilies. They were mostly juveniles, one adult female and no adult male (which otherwise would have made it more interesting).         Swimming on a bed of diamonds!