Ultra Close-Up

Our resident bird,

the Olive-backed Sunbird in HD Video

The set-up took 4 days.

Under the cover of heavy shading and camouflage, our Alpha male in full breeding plumage struck a pose.

He co-operated by sitting pretty, preening and cleaning and what a handsome guy he is.

He's got competition because there is another guy around.

He is our new visitor.

We are proud to announce that another species have just visited our home. He is a cousin of the Olive-backed (Nectarinia jugularis) [below].

The brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) [above] have arrived. He is much bigger and have more colors than the Olive-backed.

This new pair ( a gurl too) have made a nest on our mango tree.

Yup, the same tree that the pesky kitty was lurking above. (Please see my last post)

We are patiently waiting to complete another ultra close-up shot on this new bird.

Btw, the kitty is no more.

Yup, conked!

According to a neighbour of ours, the bad kitty got hit by a truck!!!

I suspect that all da birds have something to do with this! Ha!Ha!

Let us watch the Olive-back Sunbird video here.

Co-Director

Guess Who's
Checking My Work?

Was at the garden when a call attracted me.
Our newly planted 'wild banana' tree flowered and was fruiting.
The call sounded like the elusive Flowerpecker and I immediately went into the house to set up my camcorder.
After waiting patiently for half an hour, nope, the Flowerpecker did not show up. All these happened under the watchful eyes of our resident Olive-backed Sunbird whom we called "Sunny".

He zoomed in and sat on my rig! As if examining my camcorder to check for exposure settings!
Ha!Ha!

Yup. It is OK here.
And here.
Hey got sound or not?
OK... I'll go to the banana flower play acting yah? You get ready.
Lights, Camera........ACTION!

Happy Birding this Christmas yah?

Malaysian Sunbird

Our Resident
Olive-backed Sunbird

One of our babies have grown up to be a wonderful looking girl. She is seen here sipping nectar from our own DIY feeder made from a petri dish, a recycleable cover and a fake flower.



You see, our Sunbirds are related to the Hummingbirds.
It is always our wish to see a real Hummingbird. Would have to go to the US to see one of these. In these two months in the States,....... it's "Hummers Time"!

This is the Rufous Hummingbird (below)

The Magnificient Hummingbird (below)
And the Anna's Hummingbird (below)

Wow! What excellent zingers they are !

(Pictures by Google Images; Hummingbird video by DMA Dave on You tube; Sunbird Video is mine)

Whoopie!

Our Very First
Wild Bird Seed Feeder!

While looking for washers to fit up my DIY Parabolic Microphone at Ace Hardware in the Ikano Power Centre, PJ, I was stunned to be starring at a Bird Seed Feeder! Please note that usually such feeders are never found here in this country or perhaps the whole of Asia! We were trying to buy one from the USA. They retail it for around USD 8 each but the courier charge of USD80 would put anyone off!
After looking around the section, I noticed some other feeders like the 'suet' type. There were 20 pieces. The suet ones are almost impossible to use because one have to use 'suet' cakes (made of hardened seeds,fruits,fats,vitamins...) In our hot climate, these would have melted down to the ground!
WHOA! this costs RM86.90, such high profit! It is made in China!
So we took the one and ONLY unit!
Luckily it was also adaptable for small and large seeds.
Yesterday, we went to a bird shop in Klang town and look for seeds. We had a hard time explaining to the boss about our wild birds. He has not heard of feeding wild birds with this kind of feeder before! We really can't blame him because all his customers are feeding CAGED birds!

There was a wide array and types of seed!
We chose the popular ones.
Because we have visiting wild birds, I would expect our resident Merbuks (Peaceful Dove) to feed from this feeder.
This would not be easy because the one made for the USA are for finches, Chickadees, Nuthatches and siskins. I would have to coax and lead our to new babies who are already taking flying lessons from the parents.
Our earlier DIY Nectar feeders are very successful and we have 3 of them. Topping the nectar every 3 days draws our five little sunbirds everyday.

Still working our way to feed our resident Magpies (7 of them) who roost here every night.

Could this be the ONLY wild birds seed feeder working here in Malaysia (or in Asia) right now?

Handsome Boy

Olive-backed Sunbird
Our lovely pair resident.

The Sunbird is usually confused with the American Hummingbirds which are found only in the Americas. The Hummers are more colorful and very energetic and are also smaller in size.

The Sunbirds are listed as the 'Old-World' species. They are nectar and insect feeders. When we moved to Klang almost 6 years ago, the first pair started a family on one of our hanging orchid
pot which was growing profusely with Dendrobium anosmum, a Malaysian species.
As for today, a new family is being developed especially feeding from our very own DIY nectar feeder. Their highly pitched tweeting greets us every morning and is getting more daring by coming closer to us humans at a very close eye-level.

This picture was taken without a zoom lens and was only four feet away!
Handsome fella!

DIY Nectar Bird Feeder for Sunbirds.

IT WORKS AGAIN!!!

This is the latest we have worked on our Malaysian Sunbird. Besides the earlier DIY nectar feeder, we went one step further. Just to see if our Sunbirds hovers like Hummingbirds.

So we made another nectar feeder but this time, we placed the flower sideways and without a standing-bar for the bird to sit and feed.

Yes our resident Olive-backed Sunbirds also feed this way. Although it do not do the unique Hummers' "Zippidy-Doo-Dah" actions, they hovers for a very short while but it was lovely seeing them feed this way.

Placing the camera very close and on 'camo-blinds' it was only 22 ins. away. We took shots via the remote controller. We took both stills and video. It came out excellent.

This is how we did our side-nectar feeder. We used a small (gladly recycled) mineral water bottle. Drilled a hole large enough to put in a drinking straw. We use a hot-glue gun to fix it up.
We then secure the artificial flower on to the straw.
Positioned it at an angle.
From the top, it look like this (on the inside).
Ta Dah! A side positioned Nectar Bird Feeder! FOC!

May I suggest that all of us Wild bird lovers do the same here and also in Thailand, Indonesia, Borneo and the Philippines since nectar feeders are not available for sale in these countries. It is a joy to watch them feed everyday. We top up the nectar every 3 days.

Just watch this newly shot Video which I have placed at You Tube.