Blue-throated Bee-eater

Corasiformes - Meropidae - Merops viridis (Beberek Leher Biru/Berek-berek Rengkung Biru)

A bright green insect hunter with a long bill and triangular starling-like wings. Adult has a bright blue throat, orange-brown crown and nape, and long trailing central tail feathers. Sexes are alike. Juveniles have a paler blue throat, no orange-brown coloration, and no long tail extensions. Often hunts from exposed perches such as telephone lines or snags, on which it rubs its venomous quarry so as to disarm it. Call is a bright, inflected “chileep.”

(eBird)

Of all sizes and stages, but of one focus and goal.

* Beware of strength - strong is not the mighty, the unyielding, the unbending *

- beware of the loud, the all-knowing -

Siberian Blue Robin

Passeriformes - Muscicapidae - Larvivora cyane (Murai Biru Siberia)

A slender, long-legged songbird with a “crouched” profile. Adult male is unmistakable, with blue upperparts and snow-white belly separated by black running from the eye to the bend of the wing. Female warm brown with blue-tinted rump and whitish underparts. Juvenile resembles female but grayer above. Like most other robins, shy and retiring, inhabiting forested areas with dense undergrowth; on its breeding grounds, most easily detected by its song, an explosive “tsi-tsi-TEWEE-TEWEE.”

(eBird)

The call to nothing, or is that so?

The search for nothing, or is that so

* Greediness' loss - the more one fears death the least one lives fully *

- the more one wants, the greater the loss felt -

Crested Serpent-Eagle

Accipitriformes - Accipitridae - Spilornis cheela (Helang-Kiuk Biasa)

A rather large, heavily built eagle with a dark, white-tipped bushy crest that gives it a distinctive large-headed look. When raised in alarm, the crest frames the whole face, highlighting the bare yellow lores and eyes, making the head look larger and fiercer. The rufous-brown underparts have neatly arranged dark-edged bold white spots. In flight, shows broad rounded wings with a wide black trailing edge. Juvenile predominantly white with dark streaks below; also note dark mask. Commonly seen perched upright in well-wooded areas, with wingtips nearly covering the broad white sub-terminal band on the tail. Its 1-3 note scream is often heard in the forest.

(eBird)

What dictate repose, what dictate flight?

* To overcome delusion - be mindful of what you are not, of how easily you can assume another's role *

- be mindful of flattery, imagined importance -

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)

Pausing is not not acting, but delay could be setback too. 

* Daring to act - know when and how to act and react, to let go yet retain *

- know when to move, and when to retreat -

Banded Woodpecker

Piciformes - Picidae - Chrysophlegma miniaceum 

Small but brightly-colored woodpecker with a spiky crest. Slight variation across its range, but all birds have a dark orangish face, dark chestnut wings, black-and-white-striped underparts, and a dark tail. Female duller overall, with a plainer face. Inhabits lowland and foothill forests, edges, and gardens, where it can be reasonably common. Often seen singly, but can be encountered in closely-foraging pairs. Favors tall thick trunks. Gives sharp “kek” or “week” call notes. Difficult to confuse with any other small woodpecker.

(eBird)

We own ourselves even as others try to impose on us.

 

* To cherish oneself - recognise own values,  do not exhibit, do not impose on others

- walk your path, appreciate differences -

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)

 

* Knowledge's disease - sickness occurs when one thinks one knows when one doesn't know

- beware the afflictions of self-importance or ego -

 

Malaysian Rail-babbler

Passeriformes - Eupetidae -  Eupetes macrocetus (Kekicau-sintar) 

Astoundingly odd ground-dwelling inhabitant of dense lowland and foothill forests; typically quite shy and reclusive, but utterly unmistakable. Warm brown with a burst of bright color on the face: black, white, yellow, orange, and rusty red. Of these, the white and black are most obvious if the bird is under heavy cover or in the shade (as it often is). Long, slender, wader-like legs, neck, and bill are unlike any other forest ground-dweller in range. Displaying birds inflate purple balloons on the neck and sing a haunting whistle that gradually rises and falls in pitch.

(eBird) 

When does the mystery end, when does desire end?

Best that a little mystery always remain.

* Of knowing difficulty - not so difficult if one goes beyond the surface *

- do not always believe what's merely seen -