Show us your little gems- pittas, kingfishers, trogons, broadbills, barbets etc.

[offshorebirder]

@Kitsafari - thank you SO much for sharing the Pitta photos and information.  They are all beautiful birds but the Blue-winged Pitta and especially the Malayan Banded Pitta are exquisite.  Four hours would seem like the blink of an eye for such a marvelous bird.

 

It  seems like most of the  photos are from Singapore - I had no idea you could get multiple Pitta species there.   Cool!    Are there guides in Singapore with reasonable chances of Pitta success or does getting photos of multiple Pittas take a lifetime?

 

I am sorry the poor Pittas have to perch or roost on buildings during migration but kudos to you for taking care of them.  I have  heard of "yard birds"  but "Kitchen Birds" raises things to a whole new level   :-)

 

Thanks too for the photo of a White-throated Kingfisher - they must be even more stunning when perched in full sun.  

[Kitsafari]

7 hours ago, offshorebirder said:

 

It  seems like most of the  photos are from Singapore - I had no idea you could get multiple Pitta species there.   Cool!    Are there guides in Singapore with reasonable chances of Pitta success or does getting photos of multiple Pittas take a lifetime?

 

 

@offshorebirder

Of the three pitta species we see regularly in Singapore (well four now, after a rare fairy pitta flew off course during its migratory course to Borneo and landed in one of our small forest reserves for the first ever recording on our island nation), only the  mangrove pitta is a resident. the other two are migratory species but are fairly regularly seen during their winter sojourns here - usually December through to March. The regulars usually return to their favourite spots and local birders and photographers stake out these spots. Once it is spotted, the community will know very quickly. Right now, a hooded pitta can be seen in one of the central nature reserves, while the blue-winged pitta is back in the botanic gardens, assuming the magpie robin hasn't chased it off!

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Galana]

On 1/29/2020 at 8:22 PM, kittykat23uk said:

Yep, I've seen narina trogon, but not very well. Any little gems will get my vote. But I am also hoping for that clog-faced brute of a bird too.. 🤞

Another taster for @kittykat23uk although stretching the boundaries of the thread.

 

Bar-tailed Trogon. 2015. Not so common in Uganda but.....

 

And.....

 Old Bootface himself. 2015. Mabamba Swamp. Also seen in Lake Mburo and QE NPs, Murchison Falls, ZIWA and even alongside the main Kampala- Kabale highway if you know where to look.

We did not take any snaps this 2018 trip simply because we did not bother to go and find one.

 

(There are also a pair in the Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe if really desperate!)

[Soukous]

Hmm, I cannot recall anyone ever referring to Old Bootface as a 'Little Gem'. 

Who knows though, it may catch on. 

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

Who knows though, it may catch on.

I put it down to her excitement as the trip draws near. Some work may be needed.

This is a little gem in my book.

Rwenzori Batis. Bwindi. Uganda.

[Kitsafari]

 

A little gem from Frasers' Hill, Malaysia - Fire-tufted Barbet

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Kitsafari

[kittykat23uk]

Ah, I think I may have been misunderstood, I was hoping for the clog-faced brute on our trip, not on this thread 😂

[kittykat23uk]

Just now, Kitsafari said:

 

A little gem from Frasers' Hill, Malaysia - Fire-tufted Barbet

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, beautiful! 

[Soukous]

A gorgeous Barbet @Kitsafari

 

Here's another good looking bird

 

Coppersmith Barbet, Shahpura, India

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

@Kitsafari @Soukous

 

I can't choose between these two absolutely stunning barbets ; India or Malaysia is not in my immediate planning but who knows ?

[Galana]

Good looking Barbets indeed.

I try to remember that this is not an African thread so switching continents here are couple more of mine.

Coppersmith Barbet. Keoladeo Ghana NP.

and

Blue-throated Barbet. Somewhere west of "Wildgrass Lodge" Kaziranga.

 

And another Kingfisher too.

Crested Kingfisher. Karan's Corbet Motel.

[BRACQUENE]

@Galana

 

Not bad either and I love that Crested Kingfisher!

 

[Galana]

This qualifies on two counts.

1. It is certainly a little Gem and

2. It's Kingfisher.

Eurasian Kingfisher. Wigtown, Scotland.

[BRACQUENE]

@Galana

 

Equals and may surpass the  Crested Kingfisher ,  fabulous !

 

[kittykat23uk]

Oriental dwarf kingfisher 

 

 

Stork-billed kingfisher 

 

Blue-eared kingfisher 

 

Collared kingfisher - all from Borneo 

 

 

 

Amazon kingfisher 

 

Amazon kingfisher 

 

Green Kingfisher

 

Ringed kingfisher

From Brazil 

 

Crested kingfisher (Japan) 

 

Giant Kingfisher (South Africa) 

 

Brown-hooded kingfisher

 

Madagascar kingfisher 

 

Pied kingfisher (South Africa) 

 

Pied kingfisher (India) 

 

 

White-throated kingfisher (India) 

[BRACQUENE]

@kittykat23uk

 

Impressive number of Kingfishers ; I love the green one! 

[Kitsafari]

What a brilliant kingfisher collection!

[Galana]

Oh my @kittykat23uk

They are something else.

I normally glaze over at the humble Pied but when you show them all lined up like an aerobatic display one has to go wow!.

[Galana]

Striped Kingfisher. The Gambia. Not as bright as some but still cute.

 

Red and Yellow Barbet. Tarangire NP. Tanzania.

[Soukous]

Another little gem from India

Verditer Flycatcher

Corbett Tiger Reserve, India

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

@Galana @Soukous

 

It looks more and more like a competition but played in an excellent spirit I must say and difficult to judge !

[Soukous]

9 minutes ago, BRACQUENE said:

 

It looks more and more like a competition but played in an excellent spirit I must say and difficult to judge !

 

Nah, just an excuse to show pretty bird photos. Not as good as seeing them in real life, but it brings back fond memories

[Galana]

7 hours ago, Soukous said:

Not as good as seeing them in real life, but it brings back fond memories

Ditto.

It has been also fun trawling them out and then trying to remember where the heck it was that you saw it.

It also brought home to me how many snaps we take that once put on the hard drive in a folder marked "Country xxxx year xxxx"  never see the light of day again.

I have seen all but about 4 of Africa's BeeEaters and may have to travel further afield to get more.

Edited February 5, 2020 by Galana
Additional updated comment.

[Soukous]

13 hours ago, Galana said:

I have seen all but about 4 of Africa's BeeEaters and may have to travel further afield to get more.

 

Given the breadth of your travels should one assume that you are referring to individual birds rather than species? 

[Galana]

Oh that that were true..

In Claytons MAN with a boarding card for EBB

early doors tomorrow,

Mind the shop!

 

G