Thanks Rob.
Migratory to my region & often in large flocks.

Another Starling for #Malaysia list #BirdsSeenIn2026
Black-collared Starling (Gracupica nigricollis) by Kseniia Marianna Prondzynska
@tonyrinaud.bsky.social

Daurian Starling (Agropsar sturninus)
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Perak #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @tonyrinaud.bsky.social

Chestnut-cheeked Starling (Agropsar philippensis). Migratory starlings from Japan. First image taken in Malaysia in March 2026. 2nd image from a Japan trip. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Sabah #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @tonyrinaud.bsky.social

Observed a Siamese Pied Starling (Gracupica flower) (at times called a Myna) completing a nest – possibly the first for the country. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Penang #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @tonyrinaud.bsky.social

This week in the #BirdsSeenIn2026 challenge:

Absolutely no change in the top 10 despite many species added to each country's list!

USA have reached the 300 species mark!

Thanks everyone for participating again to our friendly contest this week!

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher kick-starting our Malaysia Bird-Photo-Tour #BirdsSeenIn2026

Thanks - the Nikon Z 8 & 9 cameras & Z long lens are superb.

Using Iris Colours to Age Oriental Reed Warblers:
1. Top 2 bright-brown irises - adults.
2. Bottom 2 - grey-brown irises - second calendar year (born Jun-Jul 2025).
3. Middle 2 - immature individuals in mid-transition.
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Malaysia @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @tonyrinaud.bsky.social

Pete Hegseth quotes fake Bible verse from Pulp Fiction during sermon Hegseth said the prayer was supposed to reflect Ezekiel 25:17, but did not mention its striking similarities to a monologue in the beloved 1994 Quentin Tarantino movie

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

You CAN make this stuff up!

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler (Helopsaltes certhiola). Common migrant from Siberia, NE China & Mongolia but hard to see well.
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Penang #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @tonyrinaud.bsky.social

Thanks very much

Female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia) feeding on Glochidion obscurum fruit.
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ipoh #Perak #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social

Female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia) – note robust bill, broad-white tipped greater coverts & longish undertail-coverts.
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ipoh #Perak #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social

New Fruit Item in the diet of the Pin-striped Tit-Babbler (Mixornis gularis) - arils/seeds of Commersonia bartramia (Brown Kurrajong, Scrub Christmas Tree). The role of babblers in seed dispersal is underrated.
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ipoh #Perak #Malaysia @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social

Should be part of his next test.

2x #Zwarteruiter en 1 #tureluur
#vogelskijken
#zunazeheie gemeente #Wierden
#birds #birding
#Ivn
#BirdsSeenIn2026

Thanks Paul.
Sound advice (just as my wife says it).
Going slow.

We need to work smart on this Mark.
Poachers would make a lot more money with a sustainable income if they became bird guides (some I meet are quiet astute).
At the same time we need to, like some countries in the region, ban the caged bird trade.

This adult Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) ‘hammered’ the cicada prey many times before taking away, possible to feed young. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ipoh #Perak #Malaysia

What traffic in the Strait of Hormuz looks like:

Very sad to hear that.
2 articles on the Malaysian Oriental Magpie Robin crisis (partly fueled by neighbour's demand):
malaysianbird.report/wp-content/u...

malaysianbird.report/wp-content/u...

Finally, see last week species count per year and total for the #BirdsSeenIn challenge!

We are starting on solid grounds with this bluesky only #BirdsSeenIn2026 challenge this year, which is in the range of last year count for mid April!

Today, in the #BirdsSeenIn2026 summary, Thailand ranked up in the top 10 and is getting ever closer to the 200 species mark! We still have only five countries that succeeded to pull that up so far!

This is however the only change in the top 10 this week!
Solid top 3: Malaysia, Australia and USA!

Thanks Declan - 2 more weeks to go before being allowed to carry my camera gear. Have invested in lighter handheld gear.

Thanks for the kind wishes.
They are great to see in person - images cannot fully convey their beauty.

Thanks Paul.
I am 4 weeks into recovery (abdominal surgery) but still not allowed to carry my camera gear. So my wife loads gear into the car & I watch at sites which allow car access. Freedom in 2 weeks. But I sadly lost my north-west Borneo trip that I had arranged.

Another pitta I had planned to spend time with but cancelled my trip due to injury. Male Bornean Banded-Pitta (Hydrornis schwaneri) from a previous trip. #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife

Missed my chance to see Pittas this season as I had & injury & required surgery – still healing. Had to cancel my trip. Here is a wonder-full male Malayan Banded-Pitta (Hydrornis irena) from last year. #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife

Chinese Pond-Heron (Ardeola bacchus)
#BirdsSeenIn2026 #Perak #Malaysia #birds #nature #wildlife @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social