Rufous Woodpecker's Tongue

I always wonder how exactly did the woodpecker get the insects out of tree branches. Did they really peck on the tree branches until the insects are exposed and then consume it?

Some of my doubts are answered when I got the chance upon a Rufous Woodpecker (Celeus brachyurus). The woodpecker start to peck on the branch and after a while, it uses the tongue to do the finishing kill.

This crack on the branch gave the woodpecker a easier meal.

No doubt that the tongue play a very important role in woodpeckers' feeding behavior. However, I still have no clue on how exactly did they use their tongue to catch their preys. Do they have a sticky tongue like the lizards and use it to 'stick' their preys?

Perhaps video recording will help...

**Thank you YC for the link... "The woodpecker’s tongue is its most important tool when probing for larvae. It is extremely long, has specialised muscles that enable the bird to extend and retract it with ease, and the tip is covered with backward-pointing barbs. At the same time there are glands that secrete a sticky fluid. All these adaptations allow the bird to locate larvae hidden inside rotten wood and once located, to extract them."

Asian Glossy Starling

Is not difficult to understand why they are called Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis). They usually move in flocks and and are very noisy.

Juvenile Asian glossy starling yet to moult to the glossy plumage.

This bird is in the midst of moulting and will eventually have the glossy plumage.
This is how it looks like from the back.Another bird that almost complete moulting to the glossy plumage.

Happy Moment Continues...

I went back to check on the happy grey heron family last week end and the chicks already fledged and able to look for food themselves. On and off they will still go back to their nest and waiting to be fed b their parents. The parents will continue to feed their chicks for another one to two weeks even after they fledged.
Look at this young grey heron already a fully grown adult! It was sun bathing while waiting for parents.

Another sibling back to the nest and join the wait.
After about 10 minutes, the mother heron came back with foods.The mother feed one at a time, both chicks got their fair share.

After the feeding, the mother heron leave the nest to hunt for food and leave the 2 chicks behind. What a beautiful & happy family.

Buffet Meal

We often see more food are wasted when they are serve in buffet style. The same thing happen to birds too!

This fig tree don't fruit everyday and every year when it fruits, it will attract lots of birds to feast on this rare opportunity - free meal and serve in buffet style!

This Pink-Necked Green Pigeon is having a hard time to choose which one to eat first!

It finally chosen a riped one red in colour.
Opppsss! miss it...is OK, there are lots more to choose!

The Ugly Duckling

The pair of black swan is now prod parents of four! Both parents are black, interestingly their chick is white!...

Rings on Blue-Tailed Bee-Eaters

Is the time of the year when migratory birds arrived from the north so as the Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater(Merops philippinus).

I saw a few of them this morning and what puzzle me was the rings on their wing. I can't find any info about the wing rings. I'm sure is for id purpose but usually the ringing are done on their leg instead of the wing. I took some of the photos when they fully extended their wings on flight. The feather arrangement seems affected by the ring.
Not too sure if their flight patterns affected as well? Anyone have any info about wing ringing?

Crested Myna

I almost miss this familiar looking myna assuming that it is the usual myna that I seen in Singapore when I was at Taipei, Taiwan.

I took a few shot but didn't pay much attention to it until I cross check my list with the Taiwan bird list than I realised I might have missing something.

After checking the guide book and is confirmed that the myna that I took is actually another entire different species. I mistaken the Crested Myna with Javan Myna!

This is a Crested Myna (Acridotheres cristatellus). One glance it look just like a Javan myna but if you look carefully, it have a different bill shape & colour. The Crested Myna also have a black with white undertail-coverts.

This is a Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) taken in Singapore Botanic Garden. Javan myna have a clean white undertail-coverts.

I place them side by side, can you tell the difference now?

I took this shots at Taipei and it was raining quite heavily. Is also quite easy to tell the difference when compare with Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) at below.