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© 43 Days Breeding Moments in Blue-winged Pitta 2017 (Batch 2) Part 1

on 14th December 2017

“I found myself in fulltime, tandem field work monitoring breeding Blue-winged Pittas (Pitta moluccensis) when an adult bird was spotted carrying nesting material, whilst Batch 1 fledglings were being observed.

“A chronological survey with dates provided and substantiated with photographs will perhaps enable reading audience enjoy, appreciate and join Avian Writer in observing Poculars and Ravenclaw – two fledglings from Batch 2 of Blue-winged Pitta in mainland Penang, Peninsular Malaysia.

“A chronology of dates and photographs’ presentation as follows:
5July – “A male adult spotted flew in haste with nesting material a distance away (below).

PLATE 1 DSCN0632

13July – “No further sightings made until today where a parenting bird was encountered and observed dangling a beakful of earthworms. Catering bird took to hiding from my view and nervously flew off. (Weak partial view attached with Plate 1). If these vermin were meant for newly fledglings, it would imply, incubation period had reduced to only eight days!

PLATE 2 DSCN0632

23July – “This pair of parenting birds (above)| successfully hid from me. Their whereabouts unknown until their favourite, foraging site was eventually discovered in middle forested area of mixed secondary growths and neglected palm grove. One adult bird was profusely foraging and collecting earthworms off ground (below).

PLATE 3 DSCN0632

“Soiled featherings on chest suggested active nest had to be low- perhaps on ground level (below).

PLATE 4 DSCN2301

“Active nest was never discovered. Four days later, a discarded Pitta’s nest was encountered beside a trail, approximately 120m from foraging site- a probable fledged nest from Batch No 2.

PLATE 5 DSCN0632

24&25 July – “Revisited next two consecutive days to favourite, foraging site yielded positive observations of parenting pair digging into heavy, littered damp grounds and rewarded with juicy earthworms (above).

PLATE 6 DSCN2479b

26July – “Caught up with male bird near edge of forest, farther beyond. Male bird flew to a perch and provided gender and breeding plumage presentation at its best 9above, below).

PLATE 7 DSCN2509

“Preening and feather maintenance followed (below).

PLATE 8 DSCN2502PLATE 9 DSCN2510PLATE 10 DSCN2504

“Male bird aware of my presence continued with feather maintenance undeterred until his mate flew and approached from a distance. Alarm calls rang out (below).

PLATE 11 PDVD_001

“Spotted by female bird approaching with food cargo and intention to perch beside male, she made a sudden detour flight to hide.

“Unknowingly, I had walked into sensitive zone….

27July – “Walking along a forest trail, I suddenly came to halt. Something moved in the grass. A 5th week fledgling-juvenile from Batch 1 spooked and took to hiding upon my foot stepped approach. It was 0838am, 100m away on my left, a parent was spotted feeding a young fledgling on low, fallen, horizontal branch. Upon sighting me, parent made a hasty retreat flight, sent two fledglings to disperse and hid amongst ground cover of grass and fallen foliages.

“One needs to be lucky to chance sighting of fledglings at early stage. If left undetected or undisturbed, chances of follow-up observing fledglings and parental support in same location and nearby improved substantially. For easy reference and gauging age of fledglings and its progressive plumage changes, I have sectioned observations into weekly basis.

27 July-2Aug. (1st week)
27July – “The family regrouped and found sanctuary under shady canopy of overgrowth, low bush trees. (Canopy pit stop) I suspect the two fledglings to be in second day old by intensity of its orangey bill tips. Moreover, parenting birds had in the past generally preferred fledging their young about noon time after the morning feeds.

PLATE 12 DSCN2585 Poculars

“Chick 1 recognised by roundish shaped post ocular ring on right eye. I name this chick- Poculars (above).

PLATE 13 DSCN2692

“Also to be noted, post ocular ring left eye of Poculars differs (above).

PLATE 14 DSCN2546

“It was also observed Poculars wasted no time to forage small pickings from ground (above).

PLATE 15 DSCN2707

28July – “Within area of canopy pit stop, parents continued to provide complementary feeds to young fledgling as one hungry seen with gape wide opened (above).

PLATE 16 DSCN0632

“More opportunities were had observing Poculars learning to forage by leaf turning and finding what was edible or not (above).

PLATE 17 DSCN2759

“t was also another opportunity to view close-ups of Poculars and to appreciate the different shapes of whitish bare skin behind eyes- post-ocular ring (above, below).

PLATE 18 DSCN2783

“It was new adventure for Poculars until…….

“Part 2 coming up to showcase sibling- Ravenclaw.”

Avian Writer Daisy O’Neill
Penang, Malaysia
19th November 2017

Copyright article and all copy images – Courtesy of Daisy O’Neill Bird Conservation Fund

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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