My Contribution To The 2017 MY Garden Birdwatch Survey

© Chuah TC 2017 - Buy this picture

I usually conduct two surveys and pick the ideal result for submission that I think would closely reflect the local bird ecosystem in my neighbourhood. Unfortunately, I could only manage one this year as I did not have much free time. The yearly MY Garden Birdwatch Survey was held this year on the 17th and 18th June 2017. I did my counting at my home, as I would normally do, on the 17th June 2017, time 4:10 P.M. You will find my count results below.

A rather wet counting session this year as there was some rain. Not sure if this affected my results but I feel like the outcome is a bit different from previous years. As usual, there are some birds that is common in my neighbourhood but not seen during the survey time duration.

My Bird Count Results

Bird Name Count 1. Asian Glossy Starling 0 2. Olive-backed Sunbird 0 3. Common Myna 3 4. Common Tailorbird 2 5. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 4 6. Jungle Myna 0 7. Oriental Magpie 1 8. Rock Pigeon 3 9. Spotted Dove 0 10. White-throated Kingfisher 1 11. Yellow-vented Bulbul 1 12. Zebra Dove 0

The Last 12 Months

© Chuah TC 2017 - Buy this picture

Some of the birding events around my neighbourhood during the last 12 months:

• Bee-eaters continued to make regular appearance at most evenings in my neighbourhood, a lot like last year. Regular visiting hours are between 5 P.M - 7 P.M. Think I can see more Chestnut-headed than Blue-tailed this time round.

• Not that many Cattle Egrets compared to last year but they can still be seen here and there, sometimes up in the air crisscrossing across the Ipoh sky. This year has been much cooler (and wetter too) compared to last year. Could this be the reason for this deviation in numbers compared to last year?

• Not that many Spotted and Zebra Doves lately. I wonder if this has anything to do with the Brahminy Kites that I have seen quite regularly during the last 12 months. Some changes in the local neighbourhood environment though: branches of tall trees have been trimmed in early June and the Kites have not been seen so frequently lately. I can see 2 Zebras and 1 Spotted Dove this morning. Hopefully there will be more.

• Not that many Pigeons too this year. They usually feed on what I gave to my chickens. But a change lately - I have most of my chickens caged up because of a Python that was eventually caught. No access to those chicken food means less Pigeons I guess.

• I have always been curious as to when the Brown Shrikes will leave my neighbourhood.when it is time for their migration back up North in North Asia. The last sighting was around April 6th 2017, so I suppose it must be around then.

• I can still hear in the distance the calls of Asian Koel as recently as this morning. Not much luck in seeing them though.

• Spotted what looks like a Malkoha one fine afternoon. It was at my backyard at first; then I saw it near the front gate some 30 minutes later. Not sure what species though, but I was obviously excited. No pictures unfortunately.