Dr Manjeet Singhs Malayan Patch (2 Viewers)

[Tanny]

8th Feb 2008
Continuing with my exploits in F.R.I.M.
After getting the Woodpeckers, we waited for almost and hour and half without seeing any birds. I think it was due to my ‘Hot Feet’ that was causing me to fidget and hop around. And my brewery wasn’t helping with his big silly grin that spread from ear to ear. I decided enough is enough for no more birds were heard and personally I think it was that stupid woody who had something to do with the birds keeping silent. That stool-pigeon must have passed on the message that the Singh was about and stinking to high heaven of Tiger Balm. We came out from the jungle onto the road and then decided to go to the west side of FRIM, about five miles away where there is an old house hidden from view up on a hill. Of course we had to walk it because the car was parked over three miles behind. ‘Oh my burning feet’ good grief I didn’t think an idiot could be so idiotic, Tiger Balm plastered on my feet in a hot, steamy jungle, Blimey Singh you’ve lost it this time you hear. “Lol”.
Eventually we reached the house without seeing anything new and interesting to photograph. Behind the house is a small running stream, we crossed this and went into the jungle for about a hundred feet where there was a small clearing, huffing and puffing we sat down and I asked my brewery to take out the Ale. Wow, you should have seen his face; it lit up like a sunlight glow. I sat there resting with my back against a tree and took a long, slow swig of the cool Ale and then let out a tremendous burp. Can you believe it; the burning sensation vanished with that expulsion of gas. As we sat there silently, listening to the hum of insects and distant calls of different birds, we suddenly heard a loud rustling sound in the undergrowth about fifty feet away, then came a horrendous loud M-I-A-O-U call and the hairs on my arm and the back of my neck stood up on end. “What is it” I heard my brewery say in a terrified voice from high up in the tree. “Shush” I said with finger over my lips, and then asked him in a whisper, why is he hiding up the tree. His face peered down at me through the foliage and his eyes were as big as door knobs. “T-t-t-tiger” he stuttered. You idiot I exclaimed and shook my fist at him and had a hard time stifling a burst of laughter but if I did then every bird for miles around would fly away. Again there came two loud MIAOUS from the jungle and I could see the leaves shaking in the trees about forty feet away, then I saw them, two Malkohas flitting through the foliage. I waited till they were about thirty feet away before taking pictures. I managed to take five pictures before they heard the shutter and saw me, then like two mysterious ghosts they glided away to disappear into the deep jungle.
I looked up at my brewery who stared down at me with a sheepish grin on his face. “Tigers” I said, “Tigers here in this place” words failed me and I just shook my head and checked my watch and saw it was lunch time. We trudged the miles back to the car looked at my pictures. YES I had got them, my first. Hope you will like the pictures. Well just to stop thinking of my burning feet. This was the last picture I had taken and I only wish the little twig and leaves weren’t there but this bird is very sneaky and difficult bird to photograph in the jungle. I know ((((((cloning)))))????? But I don’t know how to do it, and neither do I like it. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
Well people. I had to upload this picture I noticed it has Golden Eyes. According to Craig Robson's it is a female. At least we now know what a female looks like. Oh why do Females always like Gold? I know the picture isn’t too good but I couldn’t resist. I don’t want the females of the world to get annoyed with me.
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha ( Female Phaenicophaeus curvirostris

 

[Tanny]

9th Feb 2008
You’re all going to love this story.
After coming out of the jungle with the Malkohas under my belt, I was feeling on a high, of course the Ale may have had something to do with that. I looked down the road and saw about a kilometre away a path that would save us at least a two mile walk. The path was only about thirty foot long and about a foot wide and it took us through to the other side of the hill. The sides are so dense with growth that you can’t even put your foot through. Not far into the path it bends to the right and when I reached the bend I got a shock of my life to see a young thirty year old chap of a small stature and thin neck with an over sized head was standing smack in the middle of the path fumbling with his belt buckle, his tripod and camera with a zoom at least two feet long and six inches wide was pointing upwards. Oh how lucky I am I thought, a Professional birder. When he saw me he quickly straightened up. Slowly I walked up to him and in a whisper said, “My friend, what bird is it that you are looking at”. He looked up at me with such a dirty look on his face. I explained to him that I was not an experienced birder and am interested in what a professional like you were looking at. He gave no reply but just stared at me. Now I was beginning to get a bit angry at this ignorant fellow. I stepped back a few paces and plonked down my tripod and camera and started doing physical exercises. Knees bend and swinging my arms. Then my brewery came up behind me and put down his load of ale and started imitating what I was doing. I was deliberately trying in my usual crazy way to teach that rude, ill mannered chap a lesson. Then I noticed his face turning red and he grabbed up his things and bolted out of there, now as I was going the same way and by now feeling a little “pished” off with the guy’s attitude, I shouted to my brewery to follow me and bolted after him. As I sprinted out of the path onto the road I saw the chap running down the long incline. The youth of today aren’t as fit as oldies like me so I soon caught up with him, and as I jogged beside him I almost choked with laughter at the sight of the little guy running for his life, he was huffing and puffing and his head was bobbing up and down. ((Can you readers imagine the sight! A big hairy white bearded Singh jogging beside a terrified little chap who’s clinging to his tripod and camera and running as fast as he can.)) “Why are you running” I bellowed, this caused him to increase his speed and as he drew ahead of me he yelled, “Singh I have got the runs and I wanted to do it back there but you popped up”. I then noticed a small building about three hundred yards away from him at the side of the road so I stopped jogging and cupped my hands around my mouth and in a echoing voice shouted, “Hope you don’t make it”. I watched him through my binoculars and about six feet from the toilets he seemed to stiffen and stop running, then with a strange stiff legged gait he slowly entered the toilet and I knew by that walk that HE didn’t make it ‘lol’. I collapsed howling on the grass. I know I am bad and my mischievous nature can get the better of me sometimes but if he had just said there was no bird then I would have passed him without another thought. When my brewery reached me, I told him the story and both of us collapsed laughing. As we passed the toilets, both of us were giggling like naughty schoolboys and I just couldn’t help myself as I started singing, “A birding we will go, a birding we will go, ee-I adio a birding we will go. We were still laughing when we reached an old house that had a steep slope at the back and at the bottom of the slope was a tall tree and among the foliage I saw a small bird. Quickly I focused and, “Wow”, it was a Buff-vented Bulbull, I have been searching for this bird for the last two years. I only had one chance of a single picture before it flew away and I was very anxious before I saw it on my screen, and when I saw the successful picture I gave a great yell, “Yes”. I know it's not a beautiful bird but still I love it and don’t you think I had an amusing time prior to getting it. After I had called it a day I reached the gate and another car stopped beside me and since my window was down I looked out and saw it was the chap with the runs who was in the other car, he saw me and ducked down. As I accelerated and passed him, I shouted, “You didn’t make it did you”, and howling with laughter I sped away.
Buff-vented Bulbul Hypsipetes charlottae

 

[Dr Manjeet Singh]

It look's like you almost caught up with me ...well my friend..i wonder how you persist day after day writting this...i bow to you my friend(..had to hold on to my turban before bowing..lol.....it almost fell off....:-O.)..Thanks for every story that you re-wrote my friend.:t:B

 

[christineredgate]

thanks,Tanny,thought you had finished this thread,but you are still posting more stories.Well done,good reading.

 

[Tanny]

12th Feb 2008
On Sunday when I got up I found a small note by my wife left on the table and it said, “I will be back before midday and we will be having lunch at your Chinese friend’s house. I laughed and picked up my kowa and drove off to Telor Gong. By the time I reached the bund near the mangroves, the time was just after seven am and the sun was peeping out over the trees, the air was fresh and a slight mist drifted through the mangroves giving the place an air of mystery. I started walking along the bund accompanied by the Black-shouldered kites that wheeled above with their white breasts glowing orange in the early sunlight. The persistent chatter of sunbirds flitting through the trees and shrubs was like music to my ears. I plodded on along the bund taking in all the sights and sounds of nature and I felt all the pain and sorrow of the past week become uplifted from my mind. Sometime later I noticed a huge bird sitting on the top of a tree at the mangrove side of the bund about a mile away. I hastened towards the bird and through my binoculars focused on it from about two hundred feet away. “Oh my God”, I exclaimed to myself, it’s a Chestnut-bellied Malkoha. I approached it with as much stealth as I could but it dived away into the Mangroves.
Today I brought a ball of thick string with me and after I had threaded the string through my key chain that was attached to my belt I then tied the end to a young tree that was growing at the edge of the bund, the ball of string was in my pocket and when I plunged into the thick, almost impenetrable mangroves the string of my lifeline threaded out behind me. Almost as soon as I stepped into the mangroves the sticky, slimy mud came up to my knees but today I had tied my tripod to my backpack and my kowa was attached to my belt. If you’re interested as to what I mean about this attachment I suggest reading my part two of, “Your birding day in Kuala Selangor”. So there I was with my kowa dangling downwards and my hands where now free to hold onto the branches of the trees. I kept the bird in view as I slogged through the mire and when about twenty to thirty feet away I rested hidden away from the bird against a half dead tree. I wedged my kowa onto a low branch with great difficulty but couldn’t get the bird in the view finder because it wouldn’t stop moving. Suddenly the stupid bird flew away leaving me stuck there knee deep in all that slimy mud. I sure felt like a fool right then. I took out my water bottle and drank deeply; yes its water not ale, it wouldn’t do to arrive at lunch in a slightly intoxicated condition. As I stood there drinking, a pesky little Pied Fantail arrived and perched there laughing down at me from about four foot away, I shook my fist at it, then suddenly it flew to the base of a dead tree just two feet above the tide line where I noticed a hole where the bird entered. Quickly I focused my kowa and waiting for it to pull its head out so that I could get a picture. Out came the head and I took the shot, but when I looked at the picture I saw only the tail, these birds are so fast. I tried a couple more times with the same results, then it sat upon a branch with it beak open wide like it was laughing at me. Suddenly out of nowhere this Red Turbaned Singh was there and when I looked through the viewfinder I saw its head was partially inside the hole but I could see the eyes, then he looked up you could hear my mind shout, “Yes got you my kin”. The Woodpecker flew away and I checked the screen and noticed I had got two picture of it. Moments later the Fantail returned and poked its head into the hole again. I told myself, “one last try and if I get it well and good, if not then I’m out of here.” The little blighter seemed to pose so nicely for me and I clicked my shutter, but when I checked the results all I saw was its back view and that was blurred as it flew away. Like an idiot I waited there for almost an hour but no other bird arrived. I removed my kowa from the branch and as I was leaving a squirrel came and also tried to poke his head into the hole. I wondered was this their, “Ale hole”. Laughing to myself I followed my lifeline back to the anchor tree.
Common Goldenback ( Male ) Dinopium javanense

 

[Tanny]

13th Feb 2008
My brewery and I visited the Forest reserve Institute of Malaysia, FRIM, and after birding the whole day we strolled back to the car. Close to the car park was a steep grassy slope and I decided to just lie down with my feet pointing down the slope. I lay there admiring the fantastic scenic view when suddenly I heard a wonderful trilling and bubbling notes coming from a short bushy tree about thirty feet down the hill, there was another short tree like bush about twelve feet before it. I looked at my brewery and said, “you relax I will go and look for this, my one for the road bird”. I strapped my kowa that was attached to the tripod onto my back with my belt, and tightened at chest level, then face down I started sliding down the well cut steep grassy slope. Am I the only one or do any of you my readers act like a child sometimes. This was one of those occasions; I pushed myself down that slope and, “Weeeeeeeee”, as I gathered speed it dawned on me that I have no brakes. Just before the first bush I opened my legs and dug my toes into the turf and also tried using my palms as brakes, just about four inches from the bush I managed to stop and I lay there with my face resting on my arms and shivering with fright. “You stupid Singh, what an idiot I am” was all I could say. Slowly I got up and unbuckled the belt and adjusted the length of the third leg of the tripod enabling my kowa to be on an even keel. The trilling and bubbling notes emanating from the bird was still going full swing. On peeping out from the bush I could see the wonderful Red-eyed Bulbul right in front of me, I frantically clicked the shutter but there was no response. After more cursing I realised my kowa was on T-scope and the camera can only take pictures after twenty feet on that. Quickly I changed the camera mode. Now when changing to the camera mode the view finder turns blank and you can only adjust through the L.C.D, this was the first time doing it. I pressed the shutter and heard the beautiful sound of a click, on the third shot the bulbul looks my way and sees me, then off he flies, trilling and bubbling like I had molested him. Just as I picked up my kowa to walk back I heard the sound of clapping coming from up the hill, “Oh no”, up there stood a group of about nine or ten people clapping, and my brewery with a silly grin on his face was standing with them. I scrambled up that slope almost on all fours and as I reached them one elderly lady said, “Mr Singh, we thought you were going to ram into that bush”, and then all of them started laughing and I just had to join in with them. After introducing myself the lady asks, “Can we see the picture that you took after your ‘kamikaze’ slide”. After another bout of laughing I showed them the picture of the bulbul, they all agreed that it was a terrific picture but was it actually worth risking your life for, laughter again.
.If I may, “ahmm” say so, it’s not too bad.
Red-Eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus

 

[Tanny]

Happy Valentine's Day to Birdforum Members
14th Feb 2008
What a wonderful day it is today, the sun is out and filling everyone with warmth, friendship and happiness. Hold your horses because I have a funny tale to tell. As soon as I stepped into my practice I immediately noticed Mr & Mrs Ponniah, and Mr Ponniah had a large blood stained towel covering his nose. They are a delightful elderly couple in their sixties, and as I passed him I stopped and said, “Happy Valentine's day my friend”, he mumbled a reply, “Noo shassss hasspi, (not so happy due to the towel)” and I laughingly said, “Mrs Ponniah, did you hit him”? All the eleven patients sitting there laughed because the old couple were one of the most peaceful members of the community. Mr Ponniah answered for her with a loud moan and said, “Yshhhhhh(YES)”. With a shocked look on my face I quickly sat down beside him and removed the towel and found that there was a nasty cut on his nose.
I turned to Mrs Ponniah and asked, “What happened”. Mr Ponniah shouted, “Let me speak Dr Manjeet”. Mrs Ponniah’s face was turning bright red with blushing. “So what happened my friend” I asked and he replied by saying that she (his wife) had a fight with him. “And the fight was about this”, shouted Mrs Ponniah, “He has never, ever given me a flower on Valentines day. Mr Ponniah retorted by replying, “I was wrong, but I promised you I will give you flowers today, now let me tell the story to the Doc”. “Today I went early to the market and after looking around I saw this huge flower with green leaves and with the biggest, whitish, yellow flower I had ever seen, I thought it was a perfect flower to present to my wife on this special Valentines’ day, so I wrapped it in a beautiful paper and wrote on the card and went home. She was still sleeping so I put the flower on her side of the pillow and said, “Happy Valentine's Day Darling” and kissed her awake”, (“Oh how so sweet” shouted all my patients.) “And then she woke up” he said. “Please, let me tell you what happened next” said Mrs Ponniah. “I was sleeping and almost sobbing with pleasure” she said “because I was dreaming about my husband coming home with a big bunch of flowers, and when I felt his lips on my cheek I jumped up and gave him a big hug and kiss. You know, this is the first time he has kissed me in thirty years; I then turned to look at the flowers. I looked at it and my eyes fell out with shock, I turned to him and he stood there with a silly grin on his face. I looked again at the flower, then picked it up and hammered him on the nose with it” she shouted, “The twit had given me a 1kg Cauliflower”. For a moment there was absolute silence in the waiting room, then pandemonium broke out as everyone there burst out laughing. With tears streaming down my face I escorted the old couple to the Minor Operating Room and after applying two stitch’s on his nose I again started laughing and she started laughing and hugging him and then both of them started laughing. I said, “What a memorable Valentines’ day you are having my friends” and then gave Mr Ponniah a bit of advice. “Next time, leave the card and the cauliflower on her pillow, kiss her and bolt out of the house, you won’t get hurt that way, I know because I just did the same thing to my wife today”. That got them laughing again and as they came out of the room the patients outside saw them holding each other and they all stood up and clapped. Then a couple of comedians dashed to the door and yelled, “Mr Ponniah, where did you buy the cauliflower, we want one for our wives”.
Happy Valentine's Day to all of you, and you now know what to do.
Isn’t it a Wonderful Day.



Marmot
Happy Valentines Day. And yes I have someone sitting right next to me [mentioning no names - IAN] and the last time he got me some flowers was about twelve years ago. He got me red roses and they were all dead by the fifteenth. I told him that in future not to bother with Roses and just get Chrysanthemums and Carnations as they are cheaper. His reply was, “I am not going to get you anymore”, and he never has. Yes, a Cauliflower is more in his line. [maybe a turnip as well] So Manjeet can I put you on standby for a second casualty of the day if he turns up with either of these.
naturistbird
Thank you, Manjeet, for that cheerful tale about Valentine's Day. If only we could see what goes on in your surgery!! What about a book entitled, "Tales from the Surgery"?
Thanks again for all the things you have written that have made us smile. Please keep writing.
Peewit
Happy Valentine everyone
Hello there Manjeet, love your stories, and what you said made me laugh here (may as well OH is not here) Laughter, the best medicine for Valentine’s day and life in general - keep those super stories coming.
psilo
LOL well I guess it’s the thought that counts Great story Doc. Hugs form me on this Valentines Day

 

[Tanny]

15th Feb 2008
I haven’t been birding since last Tuesday due to work, but this Tuesday I managed to get time enough to go to my Patch. I was just aimlessly strolling along, enjoying the blissful pleasure of once again being out among nature. At the extreme end of the area I decided to rest for a while and it was when I was sitting there quietly that I saw a male Asian Koel fly in and settled on a branch not more than thirty feet away, then a female arrived and neither of the birds noticed me as they began their duet singing. Suddenly out of nowhere a brown-grey streak came diving down and the female koel with a scream took off followed by a Japanese Sparrow Hawk who was just about a foot behind her tail. I stood there like a stunned mullet and couldn’t tear my eyes from the chase. About half a mile away the koel dived into a bush and the hawk was left clinging to the outer branches. Quickly I focused my kowa and confirmed it was indeed a Japanese Sparrow hawk. After a moment swinging there in a frustrated mood it took off. This has just been one of those memorable moments when one is out in the wild environments and the wonder of it can leave a lasting memory. Just before moving on I looked up and saw the male bird still sitting there shaking like a life in a breeze. Well how could I waste such an opportunity? I know, it’s one of the commonest birds to be found around here but isn’t it beautiful..
Asian Koel ( Male ) Eudynamya scolopacea

20th Feb 2008
In the blistering heat this birder bolts to his patch carrying his 5kg kowa and tripod plus his drinks and other things weighing another 7kg. Sadly he has no Ale because of it being a working break. As he steps into his patch with his construction shoes and football socks the bushes beside the path cling to him as he passes them and they laughingly deposit their sharp, thorny seeds onto his knee length socks, and as he continues on some of the seeds fall into his shoes and after a while these cause him to limp. Laughter echoes from the bushes but he pays them no mind though he lets out a occasional “OUCH” due to the pain in his heel. Then this eagle eyes sees a black shape gliding down into the lower canopy of his patch and he pauses, waiting, and while waiting and watching the sweat flows down his face and neck then down his back and starts to soak his underpants. He unpacks the water bottle and takes a huge gulp and curses the day, saying to himself, “Why wasn’t it Sunday, then he would be drinking Ice Cold Ale. As he reaches the path that leads to the end of his patch were the dark bird that he was stalking had landed, he finds the whole path covered with a huge pile of fresh, smelly cow dung and this mess spreads right to the low canopy.
Weeping, he takes to the thick stunted bushes area which has no path and he has to battle through the tangle, trying to be as silent as he can, eventually he reaches a few feet from the canopy area and he’s forced to cover his nose and mouth with a handkerchief and with the gritting of teeth he plunges into the dank, humid atmosphere of the low canopy area and is immediately met by hordes of mozzies, all shouting, “LUNCH is here”. Undaunted by the sweat, thorns and bites he plunges on, nothing causes him to deviate from his objective, he carries on, hot, tired and panting, then he stops, searching for that black tail and wondering if it wasn’t just a Crow.
As he stands there as still as a statue, down hops the bird about forty feet away onto a dead branch of a tree in full sunlight, sunlight that beams down through a hole in the canopy and that sunlight strikes the birds plumage, enhancing the magnificence of it. The birder gapes opened mouth at the bird and is frozen there as if time has stood still. Slowly the time starts running again and he desperately focus's his camera and has just enough time to take three pictures before the bird fly's away laughing and shouting, “Singh you under wear stinks”. The birder stands there enchanted by his achievement, almost benumbed by the thrill of the capture. All the Mosquito bites, all the sweat and smelly cow pies are forgotten, soon he recovers his senses and dashes back to his place of work to show his friends what he has captured.

About a hundred miles away on a hill station in Malaysia a young birder is sitting on the terrace of his five star hotel with a huge umbrella overhead so that the sun doesn’t cause sunburn on his skin, and with a clinking iced lemon drink by his side he opens his laptop and views the gallery of “BIRDFORUM”. Beside the young man is his huge lens and camera already fixed, waiting for birds to pass and pose for him. The first picture he sees is this Black Baza and he posts a comment. “Manjeet, it is a fine picture my friend but you should have moved to your right about ten feet and used your exposure correction a tad, it would then have been a fabulous shot” After taking a sip of the cold drink he continued, “Anyhow it isn’t too bad a picture, thanks for sharing and my friend keep them coming you hear.
Weeping the old birder leaves this massage, or is it message, “I hope you like it people and thanks in advance for your comments. lol..
Black Baza Aviceda leuphotos

22nd Feb 2008

Me and my big mouth. Now please don’t start laughing yet. I knew James Eaton, a B.F.member, had gone to Vietnam & Cambodia, but I didn’t know when he would be back and I was beginning to get worried because I hadn’t heard from him, so I rang his Home Phone, and glory-be it was ringing. I said “hello” and as usual with a laugh, and he says that he is back home now. Your alive then I said, again with a laugh. Yes of course he said and being the eldest, (by many years) I have to ask some pointed questions,” saw many birds did you”. He laughs and knowing what I was referring to says, “See here Doc, only the feathered ones” I grumble and of cause I then asked about the feathered ones. “So when are coming over to my practice” I later ask, and he replied, “Doc, I’m not sick”. “Ok then, I will keep the two books sent to my address for you, one being the Birds of the World”. Quickly he says, “I will be there tomorrow and will bring my binoculars along”. I then called Jason Tan, another B.F. member and asked him if he would like to join us tomorrow because James is coming. He agreed to meet us at the patch. James’s knowledge on the Malaysian environment is vast and I like to pick his brains, mind you he does get a bit annoyed at all my questions, especially when he’s concentrating on watching something interesting to him. James and I left for my patch at about twelve thirty and while we were looking for birds Jason arrived dressed up like he was going to the war. James took his picture with my kowa and I will post it some time in the future.
While silently stalking down the path, James suddenly grabs my elbow and drags me and my kowa to a tree and stop's there staring at the two butterflies entangled together. Then he says, “Doc, these are your patient looking for you I presume” and they both collapse laughing and howling. With a dirty look I took a picture so that I could study how to separate them. It looked to me as though this was going to be a bit of micro surgery. Suddenly I hear a shout from the butterfly, “Goodbye Doc, I am free”.
Oh I nearly forgot, the birds seen. were the Black Baza, Koel, and Chinese Sparrowhawk Aki how is my picture, please don’t laugh, hope you'll like this couple.

Butterflies No Idea. dumb in Butterflies

 

[Tanny]

26th Feb 2008
I was back here in one of my favourite birding places, the Forest Reserve Institute of Malaysia, “FRIM” and it was a hot day and I had just trudged up a steep hill and here at the top where the road levels out I sat beneath a large shady tree. As this is a busy road, any exhausted traveller just has to stop and take a breather before descending down the other side. The shade of this big tree cooled the air slightly and I lay back with my back against the trunk looking at the tree in front of me that was festooned by ripening fruit. The heat of the sun had sapped my energy and I sat there dozing. Some people passed and rested for a moment then continued on. I don’t think any of them noticed this hairy ape sitting beneath the tree. When in that drowsy state before dozing off I heard someone approach. I half opened my drooping eyes and saw that it was a youngish couple, they stopped and suddenly as I watched, the lady seemed to cock her behind and farted just like a bird whistling. I was instantly wide awake and I turned my head and stared at her. “Phew, I needed to get rid of that” she said laughingly to her husband. With a big grin on his face the husband cocked his behind and let out a tremendous blast. And said “Same here”, and they both started giggling. I just couldn’t keep quiet and shouted, “Well done” and started clapping, “It sounds as though you are practicing for the Olympics”. Their heads whipped around and there was a shocked look on their faces, then they instantly bolted down the hill and I shouted, “Oy, you’ve left your winds behind”. I picked up my gear and plodded on, grumbling to myself about the heat and the reason why I was here today. Well the reason is when I was going through my gallery yesterday and had stopped at the picture posted on the twenty fifth of September 2007; I called it Mr Handsome in Green. You can see the picture of the Male Greater Green Leafbird in Opus. I heard Mr Handsome say, “Doc, please I am lonely in your gallery, could you get my amour, the green light of my life, my gorgeous one, remember, the slim one”. I thought what a great idea so here I was sitting under this tree I FRIM waiting for his amour.
Unbelievably there she was, the light of his life, I quickly took a picture just as she turned to look at me and I’m sure I saw her smile as if she was glad her husband wasn’t around. I went back home and started uploaded my pictures onto the computer ready to post this special one into the gallery. After writing this story I clicked the upload button and nothing happened. I did it again and again but nothing, it appears
As though the door to my gallery was closed tight, almost as if someone was leaning on the other side. Then as I was still clicking I heard Mr Handsome yell at me. “You dim wit, numb skull, idiot of the first order; I told you to get my amour, my special one, the love of my life, meaning my mistress”. Suddenly my picture was unloaded but just before it was completed he screamed, “OHHHHHHHHHH NO, NOT MY WIFE”.
Greater Green Leafbird ( Female .) Chloropsis sonnerati

26th Feb 2008
This is another incident just after the two dashed away down the hill. I returned to relaxing beneath the tall tree, this time with a silly grin on my face. It was just after I’d had my second Ale and my brewery was sleeping soundly under another tree, when I heard a four wheel drive arrive and stop near by. Then, “blimy”, it too let go a blast of Wind, it was a miss fire. The vehicle crept onto the grassy area and stopped. I then heard a chirp call and I looked around, from the shaded area in the bush on my left I heard another chirp and, “Wow” it was a Scaly-breasted Bulbul. I grabbed my camera and as I clicked the shutter the bird vanished. From the four wheel drive vehicle a chap got out with binoculars around his neck, then a lady followed with a huge lens. I was tired of sitting so I went over to them; they were looking at some bird across the trees. The man turned to me and I pointed up into the tree and as soon as he saw the bird his wife swung the huge camera and started taking pictures of a Gold-whiskered Barbet, my kin. As I reached them they said, “Dr Singh I presume”. I started laughing because I had been recognised by Andy and Rachael Smith, our own Birder-formers. It was so nice to meet them, and then from the vehicle a tousled headed boy of about three tumbled out with little binoculars around his neck. He just waked up to me and stared at this big hairy one. His mother said, “Meet Dr Singh”. He shook my hand, and people all my tiredness vanished, he was the cutest one I have ever seen. I wondered, “Was I cute like this when I was little”, “NAAAaaaaaa, that’s too hard to imagine. Welcome Andy and Rachael to my country. p.s. they have three children and all of them boys and they were some lovely children I can tell you.
Scaly-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus squamatus

 

[christineredgate]

Thanks,Tanny.Good work.Just the job for these rainy days.

 

[Tanny]

29th Feb 2008
A couple of months ago I rang Jason (our B.F.member.), “what are doing on the coming Sunday” he said, “nothing much” so I asked him if he would like to come bird watching with me”, he pauses for a moment then said, “I will call you back in two days time”. Two days mean's Friday or Saturday but it was the Sunday when I was going birding. When he didn’t get back to me I called him, “are you coming” “oh” he says, “Sorry Dr, I forget I have promised a Lady Birder that I will go with her on Sunday. “But-but” I said as he put the phone down. A month ago I called him again, “Hello Jason, “are you doing anything on Sunday, and if not do you fancy going birding with me then”. He say's, “no I can’t make it on Sunday but I will go with you on Saturday”. At three pm Saturday he call's, “Dr uh sorry I can’t go with you, the lady wants to go birding” I spat the dummy and slammed down the phone. Just before I left for home Jason rings and said, “Dr, can I come birding with you”. I asked, “What happened to the lady”. She can’t come so I will meet you at FRIM in the morning”. Off I went home and got my equipment ready for an early start in the morning. In the morning I picked up my walking brewery and reached the FRIM just as it opened. We had just started birding when my phone vibrated, no jokes please, it’s a vibrating phone. ((i hate s-m’s...cant read them...lol...??.))) I handed my phone to the brewery and he said, “Jason isn’t coming his car cant start, he is stuck in his mother'-in-law's (out-law) house. I doubled over laughing and said, “Good for him”. He rings me this week and asks if he can come birding with me this Sunday and would it be alright if he can bring his lady birder along. Well, after all my recent disappointments, how could I refuse? My brewery reached FRIM to find Jason sitting and waiting for a Flycatcher that I couldn’t see. I focused my kowa and said, Jason, look here” and as he turned I took his picture. His lady birders name was Kim and before the day was out Jason said they had to go because she had to see a dentist so the last I saw of Jason was as he plodded dejectedly behind her.
Jason Tan Homosapian: Human Sg BuloH,Selangor,Malaysia during the rain. Habitat: Towns and Jungles.

 

[christineredgate]

Thanks,Tanny.

 

[Tanny]

6th Mch 2008
This is a back view...sorry that I have uploaded three pictures of the same bird, but I believe anyone seeing these pictures will not make a mistake in identifying this little beauty.
Rusty-breasted Cuckoo. Cacomantis sepulcralis


users gallery
I am sure you would like to see this bird from all sides angles, it was really beautiful and what a poser.

6th Mch 2008
Firstly-Thank you all for your concern. Everything is fine and my wife, (Pinkie) is at home. Thanks again.


I haven’t been birding since last week. So today with a lighter heart I reached my practice. And my staff said to me, “Your friend Andy Smith our B.F. member is coming to see you”, He’s Rachael's husband.
I was short staffed this morning because two of my senior nurses have taken leave of absence for fifteen days. I had to hire a Nurses Aid to help out and she starts work with me this morning. My last senior nurse had to explain the procedures in my practice to her, and one of them being, “When doctor is examining a lady patient you should be with the doctor and if he ask's for an Alcoholic prep pad (swab), to clean the site first and hand it to him before he gives the injection, and she showed her the box they were kept in.
During the day I had a patient who had very high fever and I decided to give him an injection to lower the temperature. I got the injection prepared and while standing near the patient who was lying on the couch I asked her to give me the prep pad.
Surprisingly the nurse dashed out of the room closing the door behind her. I chattered to the patient for about five minutes waiting for her to return. Just before I began to get annoyed, in she barged and following her was most of the shop owners in my block. Without looking at the people I asked her”, Where is the stupid alcoholic prep pad”. She hand's me a small blue packet and written on it was, ‘CORTEX’ overnight pads, safe and smooth to use, six in a pack. I looked at the crowd of people, and the shop owners doubled over with laughter. I gave her a dirty look and told her not this kind of pads but the alcoholic swabs for injection, and then I too collapsed with laughter. I asked the shop keepers, “Why did all of you followed her” and they replied, “Your nurse said, Doctor wants to use the pads right now”. There was another roar of laughter as they trooped out of the surgery. Soon after I had seen to all my patients. Andy calls to say, “I am close, but am not sure of where your practice is”. I explained to him the way, then said, “Stay where you are and I will drive over and guide you” I soon found him and we came back to the surgery and then we went off to my patch. He’s one lucky guy because we saw three new birds for my patch, first was a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, then a Male Jungle fowl and the third bird which is a lifer for me, a Rust-breasted Cuckoo. I was totally amazed, the bird just posed for me as I looked through the scope, and all the unhappy moments of the past week vanished. Old laughing me and Andy returned back to my practice, and the only sad thing was I couldn’t take him for lunch because it was two thirty and I had to start work again. I hope you can manage to come again Andy and next time I will make sure I can get the time off.
“Oh yes”, I almost forgot, the Nursing Aid was missing when we got back to the practice. My senior staff said she had bolted out of here and isn’t coming back. I wonder why. Am I that scary?
Rusty-breasted Cuckoo. Cacomantis sepulcralis

 

[Tanny]

15th Mch 2008
As you have noticed, I haven’t been visiting the forum recently; one of the reasons is because of all the rain we’ve been getting for over the past two weeks. Even today when I got up early to see my three terminally ill patents, it was still pelting down, yet after seeing them I felt it was going to be a beautiful day. As it was still too early for me to go to work I decided to go and see the three little girls whose father passed away early last month, I did say to them that I would visit but I delayed till now because I didn’t want to disturb they’re prayers that go on for over a month, they are followers of Christ. I checked my car and found three chocolate bars that I always keep for emergencies. Then I noticed the rain had stopped
When I arrived at the house and stopped, I held the goodies in my hand and the next thing I knew, three shouting, laughing little ones were all over me, saying, “You came Dr Uncle” I gave them a hug and the choc-bars, then I noticed their grandma waddling out, she’s quite a well built lady and her back end is huge. Thankfully she has a wonderful sense of humour and because of my mischievous nature I take advantage of this. As she came towards me I brought in my toes with my heels flared out, and with an exaggerated push out of my butt I waddled towards her.
Alongside of me the three little imps were also imitating my walk and giggling. Grandma stopped and started laughing, so to were many of the neighbours who had come out when hearing the children’s laughter.
On reaching her I held out my arms and gave her a big hug and she said, “This is the first time she’s heard laughter since the fifth of last month”. I gave her another hug and said, ““Life is for laughing you hear”. I sat there with Grandma and the children and chatting to the neighbours for a while, and when it was time to go I said I will be back again soon. As I drove off I yelled, “Isn’t it a wonderful day”.
By the time I reached my practice the rain had started again but at midday my staff said the rain had stopped, so I dashed out and reached my patch at twelve thirty. It was still cloudy and a distant rumble of thunder could be heard. Moments after entering the area and as I was about to walk down the path I saw a movement on my left and out pops this beauty. With trembling fingers I took a picture. The bird just strolled across the path and I took another picture, it was so close I didn’t even have to use the zoom. All the frustrations of the past two weeks vanished and I had a big grin on my face. That was until a great flash of lightning and a massive boom of thunder rang in my ears and I imagined hearing loud laughter in the sound. Then I noticed across the patch a sheet of water heading towards me. My car was about fifty feet away so I quickly slipped the bin bag over my kowa and tripod and ran. At about ten feet from the car I triggered the remote control to open the door. Too late, the torrential rain hit me and I just leaned my elbow on the car and shook my fist at my God. I swear I heard his deep rumble in answer, “Manjeet trying to beat God are you” and then more laughter. The rain pelted down on me for about five minuets and blimey just as it crossed the road it vanished. I looked up and said, “You my God will never change”
I sat in my car soaking wet and you know, I realised, it is a wonderful day.
Chinese Pond Heron-(Male).: Ardeola bacchus.
March 15, 2008
In this seconed Picture he is becoming a man isn’t he. Well I am sure it was well worth the soaking.
Chinese Pond Heron-(Male). Ardeola bacchus.

 

[christineredgate]

Thanks,Tanny,and a message from Trudy,saying thankyou for your Haverigg report.

 

[Tanny]

20th Mch 2008
Yesterday morning I came to my practice singing a song, even though it was still raining. As I got out of my car and crossed the road to the door I saw there were already fourteen patients waiting to see me but they couldn’t go inside because the cleaner was mopping the reception area. After all the good mornings I also waited outside chatting and laughing with them. Suddenly we heard this unearthly scream coming from the back of my practice in the toilet area.
All of us stared into the building through the doors that are quite wide and we see this chap, holding his pants in front of him, with the belt and zip undone, and he was running towards us, screaming blue murder.
Now before I continue, I must explain the history of this chap, he is forty years old and for the past twenty years he has been using my toilet first thing in the morning. It all started when his mother wouldn’t allow him to smoke at home and do the job at the same time, so my toilet was used. He would sneak in just as my staff opened the door and frequently made a mess of the toilet. When he got married, his wife wouldn’t allow him to smoke in their toilet either, so his second home in the morning has been my toilet.
The sight of this huge, half dressed obese body with a contorted face heading our way made us promptly step aside, the screams, so blood curdling had our eyes popping out of our heads and mouths agape.
As he passed us with his pants below his butt we saw a Rat as big as a cat hanging on to the right cheek with its huge teeth sunk into his buttock, the whole rat was being swung like a pendulum. At the edge of a big drain on the other side of the road from the practice, the rat let go and I swear it stood on its hind legs and punched the air above, and squeaked, “SH#T on me would you”. The last we saw of the chap was him running down the road and the rat disappeared into the huge drain.
“MAY GOD BLESS THE RAT” I yelled and all off us howled with laughter.
Every month I have the pest control people in to check for any rodents and other creatures and for the past ten years we haven’t seen a rat in the building.
Recovering from the amusing start to the day I wondered to myself, “would this be the last time we see him here”. Sadly just before midday my staff shouts, “Doctor he’s back”. By now all the shopkeepers had heard about the morning incident and were already waiting to see this specimen and big grins were on their faces as the man staggered into the practice with his wife holding him up. This time he was wearing a sarong. I took him to the Operating Theatre and cleaned the vicious wound, and believe me it was quite a torn wound for which I had to use five stitches to close, if I hadn’t seen it I would not have believed it. I slapped on a dressing after the T&S, and gave him the I/M ATT, and told him to take the medication.
Then my staff gave him the bill, a hefty one of 185 Ringgit. She explained to him that the 100 was for the treatment and 85 ringgit for the use of our toilet for the last 20 years. All the watchers collapsed laughing and became hysterical when as he was going out he shouted, “Dr must have hired the Rat”.
Still chuckling to myself, I reached my patch and the depressing rain was still coming down, and because of it there were plenty of ((Poodles)) along the path. That Heron I saw on the fifteenth was here again and I took its picture once more. Sorry for posting another picture of him but I couldn’t resist it. This bird seemed to relish the rain, probably because it brings out the frogs for him to eat. On the other hand I am getting totally sick of it. Chinese Pond Heron-(Male).: Ardeola bacchus.

 

[Tanny]

20th Mch 2008
Forgive me Ladies and my sisters in B.F...I know all of you would want to scalp me bald after reading this story.
It was a couple of weeks back and I’ve just now decided to write it to go with the picture.
I had just returned home at six thirty in the morning after attending to one of my terminally ill patents, and as I closed the front door I heard a racket going on from the rooms upstairs. I dashed up the stares two at a time and discovered my three little angels were getting ready for school and they had huge grins on their faces. I asked, “What’s up kids” and they replied, “MOM IS BACK”, they then followed me to my bedroom where my wife was. My wife had a sheepish look on her face, and I, feeling a bit bewildered turned, and again asked the children what was up. They yelled, “The Nagging has started”. Then all of us started laughing. Wiping the tears from my eyes I told them that in medical terms we call it, “Recovery Index of Wife’s after Operations. When the nagging starts they are on the road to recovery”. I then went off laughing to take my bath, followed by dirty looks from my wife.
Throughout the morning as I worked at the practice the rain continued to pelt down and I prayed for it to stop. At twelve thirty, my lunch break, I bolted for the patch, but a Nagging feeling was still there. When passing under dripping branches I saw a movement, a flash of yellow. I stood rooted to the spot till I saw this wonderful little bird sitting about thirty feet away and instantly realised it was a new species for me. These birds can be very flighty and it was with trembling fingers I at last got it in focus. As I looked through the view finder I could see that a palm leaf from the old tree had partially obscured the bird. I moved to one side slightly to get a better view and the bird saw the movement. I hurriedly pressed the shutter as the bird vanished.
Did I get a picture I wondered and on checking the screen I saw I had got a reasonably good picture of it. You know what? My nagging feeling just vanished like the bird.
I have wanted to upload this picture for some time but. Something always came up. Then I wondered if it was good enough to be shown with your excellent pictures. it isn’t but it is my first picture of this male Flycatcher so forgive me if it isn’t up to the usual standard.
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Male).: Ficedula zanthopygia.

 

[Tanny]

21st Mch 2008
A rare migrant for a rare person Margaret, You always have a comment for all our pictures and keeps the data base going. You even nag the brother to download some of his pictures, even though my silly old brother doesn’t know how to download. I hope you have a wonderful birthday, my sister. As we are half a world away from each other I couldn’t give you much, but I knew it was your birthday tomorrow so I was determined to get a picture of this special rare migrant bird for you.
I chased him for an hour, slogging through (poodles) of mud and battered by strong winds, till finally he sat on a branch about sixty feet away and said, “You crazy Singh, go ahead and take a shot, I’m tired, but don’t you come any closer you hear”. My humble picture is for you sis.
Three cheers everyone, for Marmot, a lady who is always there for us.
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo. Clamator coroandus

 

[Tanny]

Made in China “I am still here Dr Singh”.
25th Mch 2008

With so many things on my mind I forgot to tell you that Roshan, ( “My dad broke his testicular”) has gone to Kuala Lumpur, about forty five miles from here since the twenty ninth of February. I do miss the little rascal, but his father was transferred to K.L. from Klang, he found it difficult to commute from here to his new posting each day because of the constant traffic jams, so the best bet was for him to get a flat closer to his work place. He promised his mother he will come every Friday night and return on the Sunday evening. He hasn’t come this month because I think they are still settling in. Before they left, Roshan’s mother came to tell me that they will be living on the first floor of a twenty story block of flats and on the ground floor there is a resident General Practitioner. I told her ask the G.P. to call me, and I will fax him the case history of Roshan. When he did call, I explained to him about Roshan’s allergies and medication, I also warned him about his misspellings. The Doctor, who sounded much younger than me, said, “Don’t worry Dr Singh; I will take good care of him.
Today I came to work and realized I miss the imp. After seeing to all my patients and at about 11am my staff said all the shopkeepers want to see me. in they came 15 of them ,they parked wherever there was a place to sit and said, “Dr Manjeet, we miss seeing little Roshan, were is he”. “Oh my God”. I told them, even I missed him. They started telling me how he used to come here to the shops with his hands behind his back like an overseer and he would say, “Uncle, the shop is dirty, I will tell Dr Uncle”. They said how they laughed as they went about cleaning the shop. I told them he has gone with his parents but will be coming back every weekend to stay with his grandmother. Suddenly the phone rings and I pick it up to hear a lady laughing. Then she says between giggles, “Dr Manjeet, I am the nurse of the G.P. below Roshan flats.
I knew then that something amusing had happened in regards to Roshan.
With laughter in her voice she said that the Dr had just gone home to change his pants and shirt because a moment ago, Roshan had come running into the practice and shouting, “Doctor Uncle, my Whip is stuck, I want to pisshing, quick!” and he kept on hopping from one foot to the other. The Dr finally understood what the problem was when Roshan pointed between his legs. Quickly the Doctor squatted in front of Roshan and started struggling with the zip. Suddenly the zip came undone and out popped the little bird, and a jet of water drenched the squatting Doctor.
“Oh Dr Manjeet you should have seen the Doctors face as he sprang backwards trying to avoid the drenching and then the race to the door to go home.” The nurse then collapsed laughing and couldn’t finish the conversation. I put the phone down and the shopkeepers with quizzical looks on their faces asked me what was so amusing. Laughingly I told them how Roshan had struck again and all of us howled with laughter, then one of them said, “Dr, had you ever had this happen to you”. Patting him on his shoulder, I said, “No, I’m more practiced my friend, more practiced”. They all left with big smiles on their faces. I then noticed it was my lunch time so I bolted for my patch. It was three days ago when I saw the Bazas flying high over the patch and I think they may have left the area, also the Japanese Sparrowhawk hasn’t been around for two weeks, that raptor seems to be gone also. As for the Chinese Sparrowhawk I haven’t seen it for two days, so with the absence of these birds of prey, my little birds seemed to have returned.
When I reached the end of the patch and sheltering under the canopy I saw a dark grey shadow land about thirty feet away, I slowly sneaked closer and who do I see. ‘Mr made in China’, the blighter is still here. I focused the camera and took a couple of pictures. “Wow”, I tell you, up close this Hawk is a beauty, and it posed for me for at least ten minuets. I imagined him saying, “Dr Singh, I am still here”. Then it flew away, laughing. I went back to my practice with an up feeling of joy in my heart and thought what a wonderful day.
Chinese Sparrowhawk

 

[christineredgate]

Thanks,Tanny.