Natural Acoustic Machines

Nice blossom for the CNY

2012-01-27T09:18:00.001+08:00

Somebody gave us a seedling of an unnamed plant. Just befor Chinese New Year, we found it blooming nicely. Maybe I should try gardening instead of aviculture. At least when people see me tinkering in the garden, they won't ask me whether it's for sale or whether I could make money from it.

When someone has a garden full of flowers, even though much work went into it, everyone thinks that it is a hobby. If you have a garden full of birds, most people jump to the conclusion that 1) you are a bird dealer 2) you are selling birds 3) you are a stockist for bird shops.... sigh! very amusing hahaha!

Breeding the Straw-headed Bulbul - a proposal

2012-01-11T19:47:00.001+08:00

I quickly amended a proposal to be submitted to the authorities yesterday. Hope they will rule favourably for it during their meeting. For foreign readers of my blog, keeping birds in Malaysia is a tricky business. Most birds are protected by law, regardless of its status in IUCN or CITES. Even common birds and animals which are sometimes regarded as pests elsewhere in the world could still be fully protected in Malaysia. In the case of the Straw-headed Bulbul, such protection is welcomed as the numbers are declining drastically. Which also shows that strict laws, at times are not enough. Protection of its habitat is also important. If all else fails, then promoting captive bred stocks may be the way forward.There are negligible demands for this bird in Malaysia. When the government hinted on confiscating existing stock, I know of some panic selling by keepers. I am quite certain such stocks are no longer in Malaysian soil. It may of course be a good thing, as it appears that only our neighbouring countries are interested in breeding them. Maybe one day, we could import them back for our children to see and hear :(

Jambul competition - 8th Jan 2012

2012-01-08T19:25:00.001+08:00

Determining who gets 4th, 5th or 6th position....Chiku is on the far right....All birds and owners are exhausted.... starting at 10.30a.m. and ended around 2.00p.m. 105 birds competed.Chiku has to settle for no. 5

A sign

2012-01-01T22:52:00.001+08:00

A sign was placed on the lawn this morning. A sign that all is not well, danger lurks everywhere & I have to be careful.

For now, the victim is a wild dove. Culprit could be anything. But why in the lawn.... Should be the 3rd time a wild bird was found dead here.

Red cheeked Jambul & seeds

2011-12-26T19:09:00.001+08:00

Today added another Jambul to the collection. A red cheeked variety. Supposedly from Vietnam. Was told its a good bird, but a little bit camera shy ;)

Then took some samples of seeds from the Middle East. Don't know the name of the seeds. But suppose to be so well loved by birds that they look forward to it. Gave a small portion to my canary. He took to it instantly. But whether he will grab it out of my hand later still has yet to be tested :D

Anybody knows its name, do please drop me a line. I ate some & find it a little crunchy. Not bad at all ;)

Chai Jambuls

2011-12-25T18:08:00.001+08:00

Today, we experimented a little bit on how best to "chai" Jambuls with the current venue we have. It is a windy day & I decided hanging at half pole which we notmally do is dangerous.

So I placed my cages on the floor. It worked well except for a light tall "A" cage that I have which toppled twice.

Then I tried the full height on the pole. They were swinging dangerously but the birds appear to love the height. Hmmm.... we seriously need to get a sponsor for some metal racks :D

Jambul Cage

2011-12-24T18:24:00.001+08:00

Last month, one of my cage was accidentally damaged when it toppled down. The whole top portion was smashed. To repair would have been too costly. So traded it in and top up another RM50 for the below ;)

A few months earlier, I am sure I can't even get a decent price for my old cage in mint condition. Now, things are different. Even damaged cage is grabbed up in no time. :D

Things are getting hot ;)

Cage accessories

2011-12-23T13:00:00.001+08:00

Saw an oddly shaped brush in a shopping centre and immediately thought how useful it would be to clean spaces between cage bars.

Addition to my Jambul Collection

2011-12-22T01:09:00.000+08:00

It is always nice to be able to collect nice specimen of the Red-whiskered bulbul. Recently got one that travelled for 12 hours before reaching me. He looks weak upon arrival. However after some water, food and rest, he began to regain some of his form back.

Yet to be named..... he has the loudest voice so far....

Competition - 18th Dec 2011

2011-12-18T16:47:00.001+08:00

A friend posing with a bicycle that Chiku won on 17th Dec. 2nd out of 91 birds, I must say I am proud of him.

The next step is to groom him well for another type of competition favoured in the West Coast of Peninsula Malaysia. Where display & "kekek" is paramount to winning.

Jambul Competitions

2011-12-18T16:42:00.000+08:00

I am no authority on Jambul competitions, but anyway that won't stop me from trying to say something :D
3 months ago when the 1st competition (1st meaning in a long long time) was held for the Red-whiskered Bulbul, it was kind of a culture shock for most people. The organisers are a group from Kelantan and is more familiar with their way of running a competition.

First, many were shocked that no roof is provided....
Secondly, the birds were expected to play under the sun....
Third, display is not taken into account....

Perhaps a video better explains it.

Birds are judged in a set of 2 for a window period of around 30 seconds.
At the time only 2 birds will be taken into consideration. The first whistle marks the beginning of the judging. Birds should sing for a minimum of 3 times to get 3 points. To get 4 points, it is suppose to sing 9 times ;)
This goes on for 4 rounds. Any tally in points will be fought out in the last determining round (fifth).

Today, there were 91 birds in the competition (1st comp - 39 birds, 2nd comp 50+ birds, so it is a vast improvement over time). It would grow further, no doubt..... only thing is that, there may have to be provisions for an alternative competition style so that a bigger mass of Jambul keepers are kept happy ;)

Chiku did well at 2nd placing.

Elvis the Red-whiskered Bulbul

2011-12-16T00:17:00.000+08:00

Elvis, a Red-whiskered bulbul owned by a friend that has a unique forward pointing crest. So, he has been named Elvis ;)

Jambuls foraging among the trees

2011-12-10T14:05:00.000+08:00

Saw a flock of Jambuls foraging among the trees in a temple ground. Background are all sounds of wild Jambuls. No captive Jambul in sight. Would be a great place to "chai" Jambuls ;)

Jambul Competition 27th Nov '11

2011-11-30T11:27:00.001+08:00

Location of the Jambul competition in Sungai Udang, Melaka in the 27th Nov 2011.

The next competition at this venue has been scheduled at 18th Dec 2011.

Location:Jalan Ozana Impian 4,Melaka,Malaysia

The First Shama Club (Singapore) Talk on Sunday 11th Dec 2011

2011-11-24T16:06:00.000+08:00

The First Shama Club (Singapore) Talk on Sunday 11th Dec 2011

The above event is happening is Singapore organised by Shama Club (Singapore).... interesting topics.
Even if just to get to know some Shama enthusiasts, listen to their opinions, I think its a worthwhile weekend spent for those who are free & nearby ;)

Keeping Jambuls

2011-11-20T19:51:00.001+08:00

Ever since news of the license requirements for Jambuls has been lifted, thousands have flocked into our local market. There are signs that it is only the beginning. Even today, in a Merbok competition, many traders were seen selling Jambuls, its cages & accessories. Could it & would it give the Merbok a serious challenge as the most kept songbird in Malaysia? Some said it has already done so in Thailand.... only time will tell & I am betting on the Jambuls for various reasons ;)

This is me jumping on the bandwagon.... and this is only part of my collections hehehe!

There are some experiments I am suppose to start. And part of it is to understand the birds better ;)

Square Cages

2011-11-17T08:38:00.001+08:00

Haven't tried this type of cages for Jambuls before. Has 2 larger ones for the Straw-headed which is superb for them (me thinks). Bought 2 smaller size ones to try out. Now - need to find matching cloth cover ;)

Cloth Cover for Jambul Cage

2011-11-17T08:31:00.001+08:00

Bought some cage covers for Jambul cages. I think they are ideal for keeping new birds. Anyway also using them for the old birds ;)

Twin zip makes hanging them close by possible without over stressing the birds.

Stock reduction - Barau

2011-11-02T18:29:00.001+08:00

Ouch! a Straw-headed Bulbul escaped yesterday when my mom helped me clean it's cage. Never mind.... should be able to survive since its a wild caught specimen ;)

Merbah Jambul competition

2011-10-30T15:22:00.002+08:00

First time in a long long time.... in Malacca, a Jambul competition was organised base on the singing of these delightful bulbuls....

Only 39 birds competed. A poor turnout by any standards especially when a fridge, washing machine, stand fan & microwave oven are the prizes waiting for the top 4 birds.

Anyway, most who attended had fun.... tried some cheering which is synanymous with comps in Thailand. Didn't get anything this round, but some insights on how comps are judged (alternative system)....

Straw-headed Bulbul

2011-10-29T16:46:00.001+08:00

Finally found the perfect cage for the Barau (Straw-headed Bulbul).... small enough not to take up too much space, big enough to be comfortable & accommodate an attached bathroom (aluminium container)

Would be good if I find some time to "socialise" them by way of taking them for car rides to hang under trees etc.

Good way to raise awareness among people of the plight of the Barau....

Collection to the library

2011-10-28T17:55:00.001+08:00

I honestly do not know whether I have time for all these, but sort of makes the shelves look good ;)

Addition to the flock

2011-10-27T19:13:00.002+08:00

New changes to the law.... although not yet gazetted, words on the street is abuzzed with talks of restriction on keeping the Red-whiskered Bulbul being lifted. In line with the rumours/talks, I have added 4 of these new birds to my collection. If the Government makes a U-Turn to their decision, then only Plan B kicks in ;)

In addition to the 4 new birds, it wouldn't be nice not to include a more matured specimen below ;)

Since I am at it, getting 2 new larger cages for the Straw-headed Bulbul appears to be the natural thing to do.... a friend has even suggested I bring them out to "chai" as they are quite vocal (the juveniles).

Sand Substrate

2011-10-23T09:14:00.001+08:00

Experimented a little bit on sand substrate for an indoor aviary. Would like to see the advantages and disadvantages vs newspaper lining ;)

Here it is newly laid....

and the bird making foot prints all over ;)

Use sand substrate meant for aquariums that I bought from a local fish shop.

Bird traps.... other designs

2011-10-19T20:25:00.001+08:00

One of the more spacious design, that has both the top and behind covered just in case the wild birds decide to attack from the rear.....

Added a layer of mosquito netting on top as the net looks too big for the Mata Puteh.... there is a small visiting flock.... but in the picture, I am trying to trap the house sparrows by placing some seeds in the trap. It is the lazy person's trap because if you place enough water and food in it, the bird won't die and can check on it every now & then ;)

Bird traps......

2011-10-19T18:10:00.002+08:00

Bought a bird trap for fun.... different design from where I lives. Need to test it out in real life one day ;)

Travel North

2011-10-18T00:15:00.001+08:00

Followed a friend North to Penang Island on a birding business trip. Made our way back slowly moving to Tasek Gelugor, then to Grik to view some Shamas there.

Had dinner in Lenggong before making our way back to Malacca. Was tiring but an interesting trip ;)

Huge Kelah......

A 9" Shama.....

Bird traps

2011-10-17T23:50:00.001+08:00

Bought 3 different designed traps yesterday.

Fishing

2011-10-08T23:02:00.001+08:00

Went fishing today.... been many years since I last fished. A friend told me about an abandoned golf course. And so we went there in the morning. Easiest catch in my life. Forgot to take pictures of the fishes but they are small, diamond shape and silver in colour with orange/reddish fins. I alone caught probably 20 to 30 of them.

Brought along 2 Mata Puteh to hang.... and was visited by some wild birds ;)

And a pic of one of the land owner's dogs taking a dip in the pool....

New Addition to the Family

2011-10-02T21:34:00.000+08:00

When I first got this bird, it was fully covered for 3 days.... until a friend wanted to borrow a cloth cover.... sigh!
So, since yesterday, this new bird is left uncovered.

Then I bath an old bird and he sensed a new Shama in the house. And he does what most Shamas do when his territory is encroached....

(nearing the end of it's molt, his form is rising....

Fresh Serama Breeding Stock

2011-09-29T22:33:00.001+08:00

Not knowing where to house them, I constructed an enclosure made of PVC for these little chickens to roam about and keep them in a cage at night. They appear to be happy & healthy without me worrying about chickens running out of control ;)

My New Shama

2011-09-29T20:33:00.001+08:00

In exchange for a 9" Shama, I took home this shorter tailed one....

Sired by a 10" bird, non of it's offspring showed any long tail tendencies. I am keeping it for genetic reasons. Also to see how far it could go in competitions, being a captive bred specimen.

Molting aviary

2011-09-28T10:23:00.001+08:00

Its towards end or quarter 3 ... and luckily like clockwork.... all Shamas are molting.
Thought I indulged a little bit and prepare a bigger cage for one of the birds....

Hope he does well in there.

Ohiki

2011-09-20T00:38:00.000+08:00

New addition to the flock.... cheapest "long tail" I can find hehehe!
Can't get the Long-tailed Shama, just settle for long-tailed chicken ;)
Anyway, the theory of breeding genetics should be the same.... more venue for practice ;)

Update (23/9): was told by a friend that this is a Yokohama, and another friend that it's the Silver Phoenix. Am confused.... anyway I like it's long tail and pheasant like body shape whatever it is going to be ;)

Male Serama

2011-09-08T04:45:00.001+08:00

Found a Serama cock for my lone hen at home.... now, where the hell am I going to house the all :D ......

Bengal Cat

2011-09-08T04:39:00.001+08:00

Helping a friend's quest for the perfect Bengal cat.... we found for him a 1st generation (F1) cross of the local Leopard cat. Two female of breeding age.

I still cannot understand the process.... wishing him luck.

How nice if the breeding of the original Leopard Cat is allowed....

Red Jungle Fowl

2011-09-08T04:34:00.001+08:00

A specimen of the Red Jungle Fowl hatched from eggs collected from the jungle....

....photo taken during a visit to a friend's house.

Waiting game

2011-09-07T16:56:00.001+08:00

Sent 20 Sebright Bantam's eggs to the hatchery to be incubated today. Will be happy with a 30% hatch rate. In fact will be happy with any rate above zero hahaha!

Now the waiting game begins....

Bird Breeding Project

2011-08-22T19:49:00.000+08:00

During a meeting with the land owner, I suggested that we abandon our initial plan. "Let's ececute Plan B", I said.
Obviously the reply must be "what is Plan B?".

Honestly I was not sure myself hahaha!
But then cooking up something in the split of a second is nothing new to me. Not in a cunning or sneaky way, but there are just too many plans in my head at any one time. So, sorting out some to meet the occassion appears feasible.

Anyway, plan accepted and now I have to plan for myself.... a bird farm!
A Barau Sanctuary and a Shama breeding facility to be precise is at the core. ;)

The workers' quarters....

the landing strip for my Homing Pigeons? or a "chai" arena for the Jambuls? I have yet to decide....

Lone Serama Hen

2011-08-21T17:43:00.000+08:00

After my male Serama died... this hen is lonely and producing many eggs....
Now looking for a nice male to be her mate. Anyone with offers, can contact me (dance4rain@gmail.com)

Skink

2011-08-08T21:37:00.001+08:00

One of the common sights when I was a kid.... now not so common anymore (a skink wandering around in the garden)

Tortoise Collections

2011-08-08T20:51:00.001+08:00

Life would be boring if we just stick to routines. The dilema should be that routines are the best way to keep birds in consistent form....

So to stray a little from routines, I have indulged myself with some cold-blooded friends ;-)

Leopard tortoise - saw some for sale in KL, but with a RM650 price tag, getting this fella a mate is going to be painful :-D

Red-footed tortoise - appears to be growing quite fast. Keeping a pair. One appears to be significantly bigger than the other.

Elongated tortoise - listed as endangered. My friend who kept it for some time (5 years?) said it's a female. Would be interesting if I could find a male.

Asian brown giant tortoise - need a license to keep according to the new law being enforced. The biggest tortoise specie found in Malaysia.

Yellow-spotted river turtle - originated from the jungles of Amazon....

Ah! how's that for a little diversion from all things avian :-D

Serinus Mozambicus

2011-07-28T00:50:00.001+08:00

This finch was loan to a friend some time back. Recently I took back possession of it with a view to exchange for another bird which appears to be more interesting.
After hearing it sing, I am now a bit reluctant. Not a great singer, but a nice hardworking one with no major bad habits. Best of all, crosses cage without much fuss.... so unlike most finches that I have come across :D

But then, a deal is a deal ;)

Oriental Magpie Robin

2011-07-16T23:34:00.001+08:00

Wow! been real busy lately....
many things happening.... picking up skills in setting up a marine tank for my son, planning on what to do with licenses where non was needed not too long ago (prior to Act 712), planning on acquiring of parrots (yikes! precisely the birds I have sworn to avoid :() but necessary for a new project, new products in my portfolio to sell (I do have a job), and lots of reading on the the new yellow colour that is sweeping cyberspace (locally at least).

There is hope for this country yet ;)

Anyway, all that didn't come in the way of me spending a little time trying to pick a good singing magpie out of numerous up for sale.

I will have more time when I completed getting a Yellow Tang my son is pestering me for. But at RM120 each, they better survive more than 24 hours :(

Unidentified Myna

2011-06-17T22:26:00.001+08:00

Have yet to identify this bird. Looks different from the normal Mynas found in the wild ;-)

Looks very much like the Bank Myna.... but.... but.... they shouldn't occur around this region. Or did they? sigh! more readings to do ;-)

Treating swollen eye

2011-06-16T22:20:00.001+08:00

I have been lucky thus far. I have not encountered eye problem in Shamas throughout the years. Finally it has to happen. So, after consulting my friendly neighbourhood doctor, we decided to give chloramphenicol eye ointment a go.The problem:

The medication:

Will see how it goes......

Day 2 (17/6)......

Melanurus Female?

2011-06-11T09:56:00.001+08:00

A rare find.... a female Black-tailed Shama? hope so ;-)

New Shama

2011-05-29T04:58:00.002+08:00

New Shama....

Vesak 2011

2011-05-17T00:30:00.001+08:00

Ayu Vano Sukham Balam - may you & your family be blessed by the Triple Gems on this thrice sacred day!

Happy Vesak to all sentient beings!

Laughing Dove

2011-05-14T18:31:00.001+08:00

Bought a pair of Laughing Dove and placed one that looked like a male in an old traditional cage. Previous occupant (Lanun) sent to a friend's house for breeding purposes.
This is still a young pair. In fact was waiting fir them to be weaned before bringing them home. Now waiting patiently for it's eery laughing song ;-)

Swiss Army Knife

2011-05-14T12:58:00.001+08:00

Couldn't resist buying a Swiss Army Knife today. On sale @ RM230, it is one of those complete set. With plaster, compass, matches and what not. In my lifetime, I have managed to lose at least 2 of such knives. I believe in usage, not so much of collection ;-)

Hmmm.... a new toy for me on my bird related excursions. Couple with a parang, fresh water and lunch box, I am ready for business :-D

Moving the Tortoises

2011-05-11T21:50:00.001+08:00

Today, I decided to move the tortoises to a bigger enclosure. It's a balance between comfort and ease of maintenance. I have to compromise on the later :-(

Carried them in a metal dog/cat cage....

The most stable among them are the Red-footed tortoise. Sharing a banana & eating mealworms. Settling in almost instantly.

Glad to see that the Asian Brown Tortoise is doing well and less afraid from the first time I got it from a friend.

The Elongated Tortoise (barely seen in the background) is a lot more shy.... hmmm hopefully all is well :-)

Cage? Bird Stand?

2011-05-08T23:25:00.001+08:00

Saw a unique cage or shall I say bird stand today while away on a visit to some shops.

More interestingly saw the most numbers of Palm Cockatoos in my entire life. All more than 30 birds. What a sight ;-)

Even more interesting.... my friend bought an albino common myna there for RM200.

Even even more interesting.... saw some of the most beautiful Shamas in the world ;-)

Sharing a cage

2011-05-05T16:55:00.000+08:00

An old photo I found of an Oriental White Eye which I tried to release but keep on visiting back ;-)

African Crowned Hornbill

2011-05-01T16:02:00.001+08:00

Acquired through a bird exchange program ;-)
Hoping to train it to fly to fist....

only undecided on who to train it, me or ......

White-crowned Shama

2011-04-26T19:56:00.001+08:00

One of those unplanned thing. Didn't plan to add a White crowned shama to my stock, what with the change in status of this bird from not protected to TP (totally protected).

Looks like another trip to the wildlife department is needed. So much for trying to keep a lower profile. I am sure I am beginning to look more like a trader than an ordinary hobbyist.... sigh! have to fortify my home for an impending raid hahaha!

Anyway, this WCS is a tame little fella & in a heavy molt. I will see if I can quickly assemble an aviary for it to molt in. One that measures 5ft long X 4ft wide X 5ft high which I have already prepared the frame for.

Copsychus stricklandii

Updated photo May 2011

Black-tailed Shama

2011-04-26T11:48:00.001+08:00

A subspecies of the White-rumped Shama.... this is another one of those unplanned acquisition. Just because it's there hahaha!

Anyway, no regret.... tame little fella. Hoping it would sing soon so that I could evaluate it's song. Was told, this specie normally has short to very short tail. Would be good if I can find a female ;-)
Must keep the subspecies pure.... for future reference hehehe!

Copsychus malabaricus melanurus

Book - The Homing Pigeon

2011-04-24T23:37:00.001+08:00

It is hopeless to try to get a book on birds other than parrots, parakeets and canaries. Thought I may have better luck in KL through places like Kinokuniya. But sigh! not a book in sight on pigeons, let alone specifically on homing pigeons. Even their computer search draws a blank.

So, online I went and bought my first book online. Took me close to 2 months to get it as it is out of print. I can see my printing date is 30th March 2011. That is still hot out of the printers ;-)

Will be adding more titles to the library. Just testing out these online shopping thingy. Books are a good way to feed the mind ;-)

Addition of the featherless kind

2011-04-23T22:18:00.001+08:00

Collected some nice cold blooded specimens today. Will keep the Elongated Tortoise, River Turtle & Red-footed Tortoise.

My son seems to like them and he drew me a picture :-D

Anyway, I know next to nothing about keeping turtles & tortoises. Will temporarily keep them in aquarium, tub & garden while I sort out the best housing arrangement for them ;-)

Elongated tortoise

Yellow spotted river turtle

Red-footed tortoise

Laughing Doves

2011-04-20T16:25:00.001+08:00

Found a breeder of Laughing Doves. Should be interesting. Ordered a pair of babies. Should be weaned in a couple of weeks.

Too Many Things To Do, Too Little Time

2011-04-19T09:10:00.001+08:00

Was thinking of going to see the night Shama competition on Saturday (23rd April in Aingapore), then hop on to Batam but need to go KL and collect a new avian specie (to me that is). An African Crowned Hornbill (Tockus alboterminatus)......

(Pic from Wikipedia)

A friend offered to train for me (free flying). But then where got fun.... must D.I.Y. mah! but then.... I always like shortcuts & roads with least resistance :-D

An experiment with audio mastering

2011-04-19T08:58:00.001+08:00

I have been putting off this audio mastering thingy from Indonesia for a long time. So, out from the closet it comes (audio CD) and I got myself a China made mini sound system. Set it to blast from 1am to 2am, 3am to 4am, 5am to 6am, 7am to 8am and in the afternoon 3pm to 4pm and 5pm to 6pm.

I think I will cut the afternoon session as the sonar beep is irritating. And reschedule from 12am to 6am in an hourly intermittent. That way, the human residence, will be fast asleep when the sonar beep goes off ;-)

Training a Lovebird

2011-04-17T00:26:00.001+08:00

Let's dedicate another chapter of my bird keeping life to training of birds. After ordering a couple of crows and a hornbill (exchange program ;-)) I thought it better to get started.

So, I spent a little time with the Hill Myna and Lovebird today. Been months since I last handled the Lovebird. It's wing feathers growing nicely. Luckily not too wild. Will get it accustomed to being handled and give clicker training a try ;-)
Now, the challenge is to find a food that is irresistible for it. So far sunflower seeds isn't good enough. Maybe it takes time as I have not fed it with sunflower seeds for months already ;-\

Aviary Project 2

2011-04-16T23:34:00.001+08:00

160 feet of man made stream....

Oriental Magpie Robin

2011-04-12T21:11:00.000+08:00

Ever since I saw an Oriental Magpie Robin on youtube singing with wings opened and acting fiercely, I have always been on the lookout for one.
Couldn't get a decent enough video as I was only equipped with a mobile phone, anyway its wing display wasn't showcased to the max.... but it will have to do.

One of those Magpies with a rare disorder.... human aggression :-D

Hand-raised Barau

2011-04-10T21:09:00.001+08:00

Very rare to see a baby Straw-headed Bulbul (Barau-barau) nowadays. A lesser offence if one were to keep an elephant I think hahaha!
Keeping this little fella within ear shot of the adults so that it would grow up learning the wild song typical of such bulbuls.

Looking at the current law, I would probably need to return 4 licenses to the authorities. It may be too expensive to maintain a flock of them.

Should work harder on the Barau sanctuary I envisioned. But first, would like to make a trip to Batam to take a look at 7 babies born this year. Yeah! the Indons have been quite successful breeding these bulbuls. No reason for us to lament and sigh at the reducing number of birds. All it takes is a little effort here and there. The Barau still has hopes ;-)

Breed and release.... then the mandatory RM30k minimum penalty for catching & keeping Baraus without license makes more sense :-D

Aviary Project

2011-04-08T07:35:00.001+08:00

Working on a project to turn a few aviaries into a tourist attraction place. I am going way above my head on this. But just hoping to also set up a Straw-headed Bulbul (Barau-barau) sanctuary for non-profit conservation purposes. Wonder whether any of those wildlife trust funds would be interested in funding me ;-). Anyway working as if I have to self fund it from profit of the commercial side. Gotta leave this world thinking I tried to do something useful (shiok sendiri) hahaha! Good for the soul, I was told.

Interestingly it also brings to mind an important question. Can a small bird park be profitable? A few friends seem to think so. I certainly hope so....

This year, a friend of a friend in Batam managed to successfully raise 7 Barau chicks (and still counting) from 4 pairs of wild caught birds. He started his project since 2009. I wish to put on record, the time span of 2 years for the birds to settle down and start breeding (wild caught birds). At least for this case and his setup.

Batam is just a day trip from Malacca. Planning for a weekend visit there soon to view and record his setup. Learning never cease.... it would be a boring life if it does isn't it? ;-)

Uneven tail length of a Shama

2011-04-06T13:28:00.001+08:00

Been trying to see whether with proper care, a Shama's uneven tail will grow evenly. After 3 molts in my hand, I would like to conclude at least for this bird.... it is not possible. Could be a genetic thing. Which means, I would have to leave it out of my gene pool.

Sell? exchange? maybe have to consider after it's molt.

Death of another Shama

2011-04-06T11:41:00.001+08:00

Funny thing about all these cat attacks was, after the initial anger, when I analysed it, I could take several course of actions. Easiest was to leave poison laced baits. Over the years, I believe I have found one of the most potent poison around. The cat would probably die while chewing the food itself.

Sigh! .... should I do it just because I can? Initially, yes! that was the single thing in mind throughout most of the day. But then, wasn't it uttered by a wise man before that having power and not using it is a most difficult thing to do? I will choose the difficult path......

My prognosis looking at the crime scene and taking some cues from the C.S.I. tv series hahaha!....
The Shama was probably agitated by the presence of the cat and was probably trying to defend the female (in a cage inside the aviary, thus was actually in no danger). That is the only way a cat could get to the male. As he has the whole aviary to fly in. Why did he fall beside the aviary near the female's cage, it's leg which was found outside the aviary indicates its a neighbours cat. Shows that it is well fed and not actually looking for a meal. Ugly scene, it's nice to think that probably the Shama was killed because he was too fierce. A hero in my heart.

I have cat proofed the whole place using wire mesh.... windows, doors, air vents.... hope it is enough to stop the assault and protect the birds.

Economical Cages

2011-04-05T18:46:00.002+08:00

The "force" is just too strong. My fondness for "Thai Style" cage need to be compromised so that I can test out my Jambuls in the local competition scene. But being unwilling to spend too much on cages (stingy lah!), I put off ideas of using the square cages commonly referred to as the "Penang" type cage.... until I found some cheap ones.

Bought 2. Both are unvarnished and it took me 3 days, spending an hour or so each session painting them ;-)
Hmmm.... if it works out fine, may buy another few more so that I could have a row of homogenous cages. Waiting to be filled up with birds :-D

Raptor Watch

2011-03-25T00:56:00.002+08:00

Today (24th March 2011, 5.45p.m.), when I was on my way back home from work, I identified 3 Honey Buzzards that was soaring somewhere near Tanjung Kling. They slowly circled and moved Southward towards the mainland. Eeek! aren't they moving in the wrong direction? Thought they are suppose to be on their way back :-D

A few moments later, came a huge bird from the horizon, flapping its gigantic wing. A spectacular White-bellied Sea Eagle, flew towards the coastline. Ah! it pays to just leave the binoculars lying in the car ;-)
Many occassions I have observed raptors but was never able to positively identify them safe for a few Brahminy Kites.

A couple weeks ago, another version of raptor watch.... real up close watching hahaha!
A Black Baza, accidently caught by a villager in a mist net somewhere in Ayer Molek.

Pairing Shamas

2011-03-23T10:55:00.001+08:00

Looking at the male, the female would probably be killed by him if introduced now. Anyway the female is still in the midst of a molt. I will just leave them within visual contact untill cupid shoits the arrow ;-)

Looking at the future wife....

The future bride....

Destiny of venues

2011-03-22T08:14:00.001+08:00

Now, I am a student of energy.... and an oddity that arose (bird related) which can be considered a nice coincident is how a place among the so many others attract certain activities. Like how some places attract food vendors, DVD sellers, prostitutes & millionaires.

I have recently taken over a venue to breed Shamas. And coincidently, many years ago long before I kept my first bird, that was the exact venue used by a breeder for the same purpose. He managed to produce 11" birds, so I heard.

That could very well be the first successful breeding in the country (to my knowledge). That to me is a very odd coincidence. I would think that my country is big enough to reduce the chances of that happening to...... lets say striking a jackpot in a lottery draw? I mean how many people could there be that is interested in Shamas. And from this group, how many would be interested to breed them? and from there, what are the chances of two people who does not know each other picks the same place. Or could it be the place that is doing the picking :-@

...... hairs standing to the soundtrack of "Twilight Zone", a retro tv series......

Shama pair no. 2

2011-03-21T22:43:00.001+08:00

Shama pair no. 2
This male appears too aggressive, so both are separated at the moment. But eventually, I will try to match this pair.

A captive bred male, fathered by a 10"+ bird. Looks ok to me. Like they always say, beggars can't be choosers hahaha!

I am going to throw in whatever I got this season & hope for the best. Targetting at 4 pairs, the max number I can keep due to limitations of available licenses. And if nothing comes out of it, I may just have to stick to keeping birds only :-D

Apollo X

2011-03-18T11:35:00.001+08:00

Was surprised by how much growing can be achieved in 2 weeks. Hopefully Apollo X & his partner will come into breeding form soon.

Death comes when least expected

2011-03-17T21:17:00.001+08:00

Today, I have to contend wirh 2 deaths. One of my female Shama died suddenly. It was just 2 weeks ago that I consciously made an effort to slowly condition her to better form for breeding. By giving her more live food. Sigh! Kept for more than a year already beside my dining table.

Never mind, temporary setback.

Then later the day, got a call from a friend who is vacationing oversea. Seems his Bengal cat fell sick 3 days ago and his worker sent it to the vet. It died today of kidney failure according to the vet. I was there to visually identify the cat.

What a pity. A nice specimen.... althoughI am impartial to cats ;-)

Tokay Gecko

2011-03-09T21:38:00.001+08:00

A late comer to the Tokay Gecko scene...... interesting reptiles ;-)
Nowadays, you would need a license to keep such specie.

This fella settles right in with no fuss. Eating almost immediately.

This fella is a little timid. But was snapping at me when I tried to catch it.

Hmmm..... what would the wildlife officer say when I present him a long list of animals to declare :-D

Pigeon food

2011-03-07T21:06:00.001+08:00

Will be feeding my homing pigeons a mixture of wheat, chicken feed and maize. Hope it is enough as a balanced staple food ;-)

Then I worry about the loft later......

New Venture - homing pigeons

2011-03-04T19:34:00.002+08:00

Well, it just wouldn't be me if I don't give racing pigeon a try :-D

So, here they are, my first 2 pairs of white homing pigeons. Very beautiful birds. Received them this morning via the express bus.
Actually its for a friend, but I would house them at home and make a 4' X 5' loft for them.
Never flew before according to their breeder...... so, can start training in a couple of months when they settle down ;-)

Shama pair no. 1

2011-03-03T22:37:00.002+08:00

Just my luck that when I move this pair out, an egg was laid. For a long time when I did not disturb them, they did not produce. Have to choose during a molt to produce.... sigh!
Anyway, as with most first timers, I take a little consolation that the eggs may not be fertile (and proven with no activity in the incubator).
Thinking of getting a new incubator, but the seller is avoiding me like the plaque. Can't for the life of me understand why. The friend I recommend to buy from him just yesterday manage to get him on the phone at the first ring.... maybe my money not "halal" hahaha!

Socialising a dove

2011-03-03T19:39:00.002+08:00

Out there, a dove may meet a lot of obstacles, therefore it seems a good idea to socialise it well to many types of environment e.g. a cloths line :-D
Passed my balancing act, passed my foraging on the grass test and passed my quickly walk away from humans test ;-)
This bird is ready for the wild yonder......

Monkey Palm

2011-02-28T11:55:00.001+08:00

Trying out the Monkey Palm as an aviary plant. Chosen for its hardiness & ability to thrive with little amount of sunlight. Downside is its lack of branches for the birds. Anyway, not an issue.

Learning to bend the bamboo

2011-02-26T14:08:00.001+08:00

I have always depended on others to do for me minor & major repairs to cages & things related. So, when I was given 3 old cages in different stages of wear & tear, I thought I try some D.I.Y.

Been hearing a lot of tips on bending bamboo, so I decided try with hot water instead of fire. Success on the first attempt. The way I see it, it is much easier, plus the water is good to soften the bamboo and moisturise it at the same time.

I won't paint the cages just yet. Too much work. Prefers the lazy man's look - raw.... ;-)

The Dove that came home

2011-02-26T14:07:00.001+08:00

About a week ago, I was playing with a handfed Zebra Dove outdoor (wirh its wing clipped). When he decided enough was enough and took off.
Well, I wouldn't mind actually if not for the clipped wing. Thought he was surely a gonner as the neighbourhood is teeming with cats and I have spotted a couple of Sparrowhawks on separate occassions.

Two days ago, I noticed a dove feeding around my Java Sparrow aviary. Thought it was a wild dove as they are very common garden birds. And there were no string tied to its leg. Must have lost it somehow. I recignised it when it tried to fly off - its wing has been clipped.

Caught it back and will keep it until it complete another molt. Maybe will release it after that. Appears to be a survivor. With a full set of flight feathers, he would stand a better chance ;-)

Just glad that he is back....

Perches for Aviaries

2011-02-22T22:42:00.001+08:00

I do not know the name of these trees. In bird shops around K.L. branches from these trees are seen being offered for sale. So, must be good eh? Base on such simplistic logic, I went off tracking in the jungle and came up with this pile in 2 hours time. Can't say its simple, can't say its too difficult either. Well I have my guide :-D

Anyway, most of my cages uses these branches, so its a natural progression to use it too for the aviaries. And I gave the twisted twines a miss this round.

New indoor Shama aviary

2011-02-20T21:24:00.001+08:00

Finally, putting finishing touches to my new aviary for breeding Shamas. Hopefully I can build 4 such contraptions in the soonest time to take advantage of the natural breeding cycle of Shamas.... although Shamas in captivity has been known to breed out of season, so not too bad if a delay becomes inevitable.

There is one fierce 9" bird belonging to a friend that I am interested in breeding from.... besides Apollo X.

This 9" bird maintained its top form throughout captivity until currently where it is molting. I am looking for such birds. Heard of them being mentioned before, but haven't encountered one yet. Fierce Shamas that maintained their form throughout captivity and looks more like seasoned birds rather than wild caught specimens. Isn't that a good trait to foster in captive breeding ;-)

Chai Hwamei

2011-02-14T07:31:00.001+08:00

Inaugural Hwamei "chai" session in Melaka. In attendance - 11 Hwameis belonging to 5 hobbyists.

I sold off one of mine that morning. Getting too noisy ;-)
Next step is getting the owners to declare all their birds.

Its a peaceful hobby, hope the government doesn't spring more surprises. Making it illegal to own raciks and keep hybrids (Red Jungle Fowl cross comes to mind) is already creating much anger among people I know.

Anyway, back to more pleasant topic - I thinks Hwameis are best listened to in open natural places. They sound more pleasant (at least to me) in such environment....

Straw-headed Bulbul

2011-02-12T23:19:00.001+08:00

Just realised that the Straw-headed Bulbuls make good aviary birds. Not only do they look happier & more comfortable, the male becomes aggressive and flies to the front of the aviary every time I come near. And burst into loud songs when I move away. One heck of a way to get them to sing :-D

Equipment

2011-02-12T23:17:00.001+08:00

Borrowed a Miter Saw from a friend to start building aviaries. Coupled with drills, stapler etc. Work becomes easy and accurate. Sometimes its using the right equipment that makes things easier. I tried using minimal hand tools to make grasshopper cages once and it took me quite a while to complete & they didn't turn out nice :-(

Stingray & Luo Han

2011-02-11T22:43:00.001+08:00

Before the Chinese New Year, my mom wants a Hua Luo Han (Flower Horn) after watching a documentary on the Chinese channel. Well, I do not fancy such fish but ended up keeping one anyway.

Today, I added a stingray to the tank after being pestered by my son. My fault actually, shouldn't have told him about fresh water stingrays. Anyway the initial plan was to visit a breeder in KL to get a pair. But he doesn't have ready stock of the smaller sized ones. So, to avoid disappointment, I called up a local fish shop and ordered one. Didn't get to choose, and was sent a male Mottoro. Just fine with me ;-)
Another happy person in the family....

Ayam Serama

2011-02-04T16:19:00.001+08:00

The Serama Chicken (Ayam Serama) was once very popular in Malaysia. I remember vendors were even selling them by the road side. Sometimes, I was told that unscrupulous vendors were passing off Ayam Katek's chicks as Serama.

Bought 40 of these chickens recently & seeing whether I can make a few bucks out of them to fund my bird breeding projects.

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Moving the birds

2011-02-03T21:46:00.001+08:00

Due to technical problems, I couldn't relocate my birds prior to Chinese New Year. However, since the Straw-headed Bulbul is showing signs of making nest, I removed my molting pair of Shama to make room for the Bulbuls today.

Sigh! found an egg in the nest. Well, I didn't think that they would be nesting during their molt. So, let me put on record that Shamas do nest during molt. Much like what I learned about Peregrine Falcons - that they molt and breed at the same time.

Too late, I will just incubate this egg and handfeed it if proven fertile. Meanwhile, the Straw-headed is in their new aviary. Very difficult to get the male to cross from their existing cage into the aviary. When he finally crossed over, it is nightfall already.

The Straw-headed Bulbul has made it into the totally protected list in the new Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. Hopefully, the authorities understand what I am trying to do and grant me breeding license. Even if it is to breed & release, it is a worthwhile cause.

Understanding of imprinting is crucial for captive bred birds meant for release.

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Happy New Year!!!

2011-02-02T20:50:00.002+08:00

Wishing all a very Happy & Prosperous New Year!
May you & your family be blessed with good fortune, happiness & good health!

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New Hwamei - addition to the flock

2011-02-02T18:51:00.003+08:00

On 30th Jan, decided to add 4 more Hwameis to the existing flock of 2. It has been 13 months since I got my 1st Hwamei. So, a little curious on how it has turn out to be, I decided to fully uncloth him for the first time after a bath.

Appears to be stable as long as I don't handle the cage......

Will monitor his progress...... and upload videos of the new birds when the mood is there ;-)

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Astroturf

2011-02-02T18:34:00.001+08:00

When trying to create an artificial lawn, Astroturf seems to be the material of choice. Bought a meter some time back & now figured out a use for it ;-)

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Budgie the Handfed Zebra Dove

2011-01-28T22:36:00.001+08:00

This will be a little experimentation on taming a Zebra Dove. Just to see how far I can take it. Will name him Budgie for the purpose. Today, I took him out in the garden for a stroll. Nothing there to frighten it, so Budgie remained well behave. I think I will go get a foot string for Doves for safety sake & start venturing outdoor to get Budgie familiar with the outdoor.

After a brief intro to the night garden, I parked Budgie on an artificial plant to rest. Hopefully the amethyst pass on some positive energy to Budgie.

On another note, went to Wildlife Dept. today to enquire on a few things. Mission accomplished...... many things happening, can't say whether positive or not, but I am sanguine about it ;-)

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Ready made Aviaries

2011-01-27T20:46:00.001+08:00

Bought 2 of these to house my Java Sparrows....

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Handfed Zebra Dove 2

2011-01-27T07:29:00.001+08:00

The 2nd hanfed dove appears to be a tamer guy/gal. So I decided to give it extra space to see whether its wild nature will take over by placing it in a Shama cage.

Sign of a guy with too much time on hand and very boring social life?...... hahaha!

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Handfed Zebra Dove 1

2011-01-27T00:51:00.002+08:00

On 17th July 2010, I blogged on handfeeding 2 Zebra Doves (now this is one good reason why I blog - a record keeping for me & a snapshot of my thoughts at the time).

Anyway, many things are happening all at the same time (bird related). All very exciting and all a milestone for the bird keeping community in Malaysia if it falls into place. That would be a topic for another day.

Meanwhile, back to the 2 handfed Zebra Doves. Both have grown up well and calling their typical signature songs. A little long, maybe it would shorten with age (new to me).

This one, I have decided to try and tame it the way people do with budgies & lovebirds - lots of handling, but I decided not to clip its wings. How far can they fly anyway. Most will find their way back. If not, it may be a good thing (stock reduction ;-))

It perched on my finger for a good 45 minutes (initially a little scared and fly all over the house) while I chit chatted over the phone with a friend (Whatsapp style). Am pleased with the progress for the first day in training.

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Re-inventing the Wheel

2011-01-26T12:15:00.001+08:00

I have often been ask "why re-invent the wheel?" and always, the answer after some careful thought is "why not?".

In my opinion, the quest for a better food, better supplements, sun bathing hours, molting care etc. should never stop. Even if we fail at every step & turn, it would confirm the accepted mainstream method which in itself is a good thing too.

So, I am happy to learn of many attempts in improving food formulas for both seedeaters, fruiteaters, omnivours and insectivorous birds. A friend in Muar and another in Merlimau has reported some breakthroughs. I will normally, as usual get some and test it out even though I think I am already having some of the best food available. Also, a way to encourage them. But sometimes at RM45 per 500g.... can't test on too many birds :-D

But at times when they are mixing knowledge of herbs and health, it is worth pursuing.

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