Permatang Pauh ricefield 8/1/2012

I went to my playground as usual and today I decide to do the full-scale birding for this area. I start birding from Permatang Nibong ricefield covering the whole Permatang Pauh ricefield area up to Air Itam Dalam.

The ricefields in this area generally in a fruiting stage and the ricefield surrounding Air Itam Dalam area already ripen. The harvester machine already operating at the ricefield area situated north of Air Itam Dalam.

Fruiting ricefield in Permatang Nibong area.

I head straight to the area so called 'Openbill pond' first in the morning. Although the Openbill were last seen in October by Mun and Mr Hum (And no one saw the Openbill since then), the area is worth to visit because a lot of birds present there.

Oriental Reed Warbler - regular winter visitor

Yellow-bellied Prinia - Common resident bird

Pied Fantail - forage in the undergrowth

Then I went to some ricefield block that loosely planted with paddy ( which attract wader), there were Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Grey-headed Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt and...

2 Common Snipe - I notice that during the early stage of paddy planting, Snipes (Common, Swinhoe and pintail)  tend to forage in non-paddy vegetation instead inside of inside ricefield. When the paddy growing up, and more water flooded into the field, the snipes were seen more frequently inside the ricefield.

The next place is the Aquila Eagle pylon area, where two Imperial Eagle and a Greater Spotted Eagle were seen today. In addition, a sub-adult female Pied Harrier is also present - the first harrier seen in this locality so far during this wintering season - harriers are among frequently seen migrating raptor in past two season

The adult Imperial Eagle on its perch...

While juvenile up in the sky, foraging

The adult make a move after the juvenile capture the first prey

After observing the Aquila eagles action, I move to Air Itam Dalam and the ricefield surrounding expecting to see more harrier, however no harrier present in that locality but a paddy harvester is operating nearby, good sign for raptor.

Black-shouldered Kite - This pair will have chick soon...

Crested Serpent Eagle - at least 4 individual were seen today

Regular paddy harvester chaser - Black Kite, this bird usually kleptoparasiting egrets before been chased by crow.

Black Kite is the most common migrating raptor seen when harvesting season started in this area - 9 birds were seen today.

For now on this post. Cheers.