Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

 Passeriformes - Dicruridae - Dicrurus paradiseus (Cecawi Anting-anting Besar)

A large black drongo with a notched tail and long, racketlike outer tail streamers, a glossy neck, and an obvious crest that curves backwards. Juveniles are duller and often lack the tail streamers. Prefers woodlands and forests where it may be found associating with mixed flocks, other drongos, and birds such as treepies and babblers. Similar to other drongos when without tail, but combination of notched tail, crest on forehead and medium-sized bill set it apart. An accomplished mimic with variety of vocalisations including metallic jingling sounds.

(eBird)

Seeing you may not be desirable but undeniable.

Grey Wagtail

 Passeriformes - Motacillidae - Motacilla cinerea (Kedidi-Air Kelabu)

Handsome long-tailed bird. Breeding male has a black throat, mostly yellow underparts. Breeding female often has some dark on the throat, paler yellow underparts. All plumages have gray head and back, with whitish eyebrow, bright yellow belly and vent. Often near flowing water with nearby rocks or surrogate rocky habitat, from mountain streams to weirs in suburban parklands. Walks quietly along shorelines or in nearby open areas, pumping its very long, white-sided tail up and down. Song is a repetitive series of high-pitched notes; calls include short, high “pseet” and buzzier flight calls.

(eBird)

When appearance is thwarted, take wing.

Crimson-winged Woodpecker

Piciformes - Picidae - Picus puniceus (Belatuk-Hijau Paruh Kuning)

Greenish medium-sized woodpecker with bright red wings and crown. Also note striking yellow crest, cream-speckled sides, and pale blue-gray “spectacles”. Male has a greener face than the female, and has a maroon “mustache” stripe. Similar to Checker-throated and Banded Woodpeckers, but note Crimson-winged’s red crown and greenish body. Inhabits both primary and secondary forests, from lowlands into lower montane areas, as well as plantations and logged tracts; favors areas with scattered and isolated tall trees. Forages on trunks and large branches in upperstory, often in distanced pairs or mixed flocks. Call is a high-pitched “kee-dee”, with the second note often being repeated several times, occasionally with a descending quality.

(eBird) 

Lend me your eyes, for me to understand you better,

Common Hill Myna

 Passeriformes - Sturnidae - Gracula religiosa (Tiong-emas Biasa)

Glossy black myna with bright yellow head wattles. Also note bright candlewax-orange bill and white wing patches that are most apparent in flight. A species of mature humid forest and forest edge, often seen in pairs or small flocks flying between or perched up in tall trees. Famed for its wide repertoire: gives a myriad of screams, squeaks, chirps, and whistles. Threatened by its popularity in the cage bird trade.

(eBird)

Follow the ears, follow the heart when the eyes dissent.

Common Flameback

Piciformes - Picidae - Dinopium javanense (Belatuk Pinang Biasa)

Three-toed, small-billed, golden-backed woodpecker found primarily in wet tropical forests in two disjunct regions, the Western Ghats in India and Southeast Asia. Separated from Greater Flameback by a much smaller bill, a black nape, and a black undivided horizontal stripe below the cheek. Separated from Black-rumped Flameback by a red rump and a white throat. This species is a regular participant in mixed-species foraging flocks, often detected by its loud, high-pitched trill similar to that of Greater Flameback. Best told from the nearly identical Himalayan Flameback by voice.

(eBird)

Go, for the eyes see what is seen as is seen.

Green Iora

 Passeriformes - Aegithinidae -  Aegithina viridissima (Kunyit-Kecil Hijau)

A medium-sized canopy-dweller of lowland and foothill forests, often seen with mixed flocks. Male is dark olive-green with boldly black-and-white-striped wings; female is paler, with an olive back and a less contrasting wing pattern. Look for bright yellow “goggles” around dark eyes in both sexes; Common Iora lacks these goggles and has pale eyes, but these can be hard to discern. Song is high, simple, and repetitive: “wit-dee, wit-dee, wit-dee” or “chew-a-wee-chew, chew-a-wee.” Calls vary, but the most common ones are downslurred and rather nasal-sounding.

(eBird)

"To see takes time."

Common Iora

 Passeriformes - Aegithinidae - Aegithina tiphia (Kunyit-kecil Biasa)

Breeding adult males are black above and rich yellow below with white wingbars. In nonbreeding plumage the upperparts are greenish-yellow, but the wings are still black with white wingbars. The female is similar in appearance to a nonbreeding male. These birds are quite vocal and can produce a wide variety of calls. The most commonly heard is the whistle “twiii tuiii twiiii.” Apart from this, it utters variable “chirrs” and chattering. The song is a trilled “wheeeee-tee.” Common Iora are frequently seen in wooded areas, scrub, and cultivated lands.

(eBird)

What do I see yet do not see?

Hume's White-eye

 Passeriformes - Zosteropidae - Zosteropidae auriventer (Kelicap-Kacamata Rimba Melayu)

Sociable little yellowish bird. Very similar in appearance to other white-eyes; note the yellow band running down the center of the breast and belly, connecting the throat with the vent. In areas of overlap with similar-looking subspecies of Indian and Swinhoe’s White-eye, identification may be very difficult; best separated by range and habitat. Roves about in active, noisy flocks in hill and submontane forests and forest edges. Gives a sweet, buzzy “tsee, tsee”, as well as higher, more metallic short whistles.

Be mindful of what's seen, what's perceived.

Plaintive Cuckoo

 Cuculiformes - Cuculidae - Cacomantis merulinus (Sewah Perut Jingga)

A small and slender cuckoo, far more often heard than seen; the male's accelerating song, which decreases in volume as it progresses, is composed of a few whistled long notes followed by shorter, breathy notes. Adult male and typical (non-hepatic) female show orange belly, gray head, and brown back and tail. Hepatic, or rufous-morph, individuals are rusty brown above and white below, with black barring all over the body. Inhabits open woodlands, edges, and agricultural areas.

(eBird)

Each encounter may be a familiarity but see, and there arises one's amazement with creation.

Verditer Flycatcher

 Paaseriformes - Muscicapidae - Eumyias thalassinus (Sambar Verditer)

Beautifully vivid turquoise-blue flycatcher. Adult male has dark lores. Juvenile is duller, with noticeably grayer underparts. Sits upright on exposed perches. Found in lowland and hill forests and forest edges. Song is high and undulating phrase of burry or trilled notes. Most common call is a strident “wheet!”

(eBird)

Be not led by what is seen for light plays tricks.