It has been more than a week, and at least one of the released Mata Puteh is still loitering around. This time, when I returned from a 5 days holiday, I spotted it in a Jambul cage (this Jambul belongs to a teacher in Endau). Luckily the Jambul did not harass the Puteh. Hmmmm.... time to re-think a multi species cage ;)
Anyway, the Puteh couldn't find his way out and was fluttering around in a panic state when I handled the cage. I transfer it to a bathing cage and released it again, but not before the Puteh managed to injure his head banging around :(
He must have made his way in through the gap marked with red arrow:
Couldn't make time to collect my newly acquired Hwa Mei from K.L. This fella, I was told is quite good. Would make for some lively topic to write about. Since this would be the first time I will be keeping one......
...... heard that its a bit challenging, especially the part about keeping it covered for months hahaha!
I have noticed wild population of Zosterops in my garden from time to time. Not a huge flock but the occassional 1 or 2 birds. The largest flock that ever visited was also about 9, although it could have been larger as it is quite difficult to count free flying birds. Anyway, it has been some time since I have a visit from them. They could have moved away or been trapped.
So, I have decided to try a little experiment and see whether it is possible to repopulate Zosterops in my area. Especially when its only RM5 per bird hehehe! I realise that they fly far and wide for food, so unlike territorial birds like Magpies or Shamas. Anyway, I think food is abundant. Just hope that they stick around......
3 days later, one is still seen loitering around. Very tame fella. Here it is going into my Barau cage to have a bite on a piece of apple while the Barau is bathing. It did the same when I bath my Jambul.
Follow up to the escaped Puteh event - around 7pm, saw a tiny bird flew out of the car porch when I went outside. That fella has to be the escaped bird. So, since he came back after all, I rig up the trap and just left it at that.
Woke up around 1am today and saw the little fella was safely in the trap:
A quick clean up of an old cage, top up of food and water and hope he is happy. Anyway this bird is destined for an aviary life (booked by a friend already), together with the female. Hope he does well in his new home later on ;)
Since I am touching on the topic of giving away Putehs, this is one fella up for adoption (also booked already). Thought I might as well document him on film and write a little about him. He was bought from a bird shop in K.L., randomly picked by a friend and "buka" a little at home 2 weeks later. Can't remember how long I had him, but it must have been only months. He does not appear to have a very long "buka" (some folks call "petik") but he made it up by being quite steady - meaning he is willing and eager to sing at most places. So much different from the old Puteh I had before (singing in the background) that is only stabilising now (> 2 years), maybe due to my lack of experience in keeping Putehs. I believe this fella can still improve. But I am going to be more selective now. As I believe a good competition bird needs time to become mature and reliabe. So, tentatively I am looking at a couple years of investment at least :( Now, when will Thor's time be? :D
Note: video taken around 1 am, after I woke up and switch on the light. They must have thought it was morning already :D
I have always regarded this tiny bird as the most demanding bird to keep. Demanding not so much in the sense of special requirements, but due to their traditional cage size, food and water cups which is small. Coupled with their healthy appetite, it is prudent to check daily the food and water level of these birds. What makes it challenging is when I am required to be away from home for a few days. Using tubes of water is a solution, but it makes the cage quite unsightly. Anyway, the issue is there is a very narrow safety margin for errors.
I nearly gave up on these birds, what more with one that only chooses to sing at home but not elsewhere. And finally I have been rewarded with my patience (2 years) and this little fella decides to sing anywhere. Many of my Putehs has been given away over time but somehow, this one stayed with me.
Will try him out in the next Puteh competition and see how he ranks.
Yesterday, a wild Mata Puteh flew into my house (anyway, it is quite a common occurence depending on season). Mistaking it to be an escaped bird, my children got excited and frightened the poor fella which flew right into a rotating ceiling fan. Well, the poor bird met with an untimely death. Appears to be female. After saying a short prayer for her, she ended up in the dustbin.
An example of how a Puteh (Zosterops) should sound like if it "buka". It is an area where I took some time to learn when I first started keeping these little fellas. Initially just keeping them for their canary like mid-tones ;) Then making a point to bring up birds to their max potential as best as I know how. Must admit it was quite challenging most of the time....
One of the most enjoyable thing about these Mata Putehs are their sub-song, mid-tone, tiong-aw or whatever we care to call it. It is also a characteristic of a male bird and often they will mimic other species of bird's call in their mid-tone.
This is one of them that is allowed in the living room to provide some soft chirping indoor ;)
The Yellow-fromted Puteh left my home to be returned to the trapper. Most people is of the opinion that I have been conned. Anyway, at least I do not have to live with the bad conscience.
Thought I capture a few shots for records purposes. At least on record, how a "mystical" pet bird would "look" like ;)
The story unfolds about one week before Chinese New Year when I was offered a newly caught Mata Puteh that has a patch of yellow feathers on his head. The photo above did not do enough justice to the striking yellow patch. Initially I thought it is a Zosterop Palpebrosa, but then again, the patch is too big and it was caught together with a flock of clear Everettes. Anyway, specie identification is not the story here ......
Yesterday, got a call from the trapper and he was telling me he has been having a series of dreams (nightmares more like it). His father has consulted with a Malay traditional healer (commonly referred as a bomoh) and he was asked whether he took anything unique from the jungle. The only unique things that crossed his mind was the Yellow-fronted Mata Puteh (so named by me after the beautiful Yellow-fronted Amazon Parrots ;)). He wanted me to return the bird to him so that he could release it back to the place he trapped it.
Two things crossed my mind: 1) he is telling the truth 2) he has found a buyer offering more money and its just a story to get back the bird
Anyway, whatever it is, I have agreed to give him back the bird. It would be great mental torture for him if indeed his story is true.
Now, just wondering whether I would have nightmares tonight since he is only picking up the bird tomorrow evening ......
This was an experiment with a Mata Puteh kept much like a Pigeon. First there was a flight enclosure to get him accustomed to his area, then the door was left open with fruits, water and pellets available in the flight enclosure so that he can fly in to eat whenever he wanted to. It worked well the first 4 days he was free with even a night spent in the enclosure with the company of a sunbird.
However of late, he appears to be taking an interest in other birds, coming into the house, roosting on top of other Mata Puteh's cage. He even took a liking to my female Shama that he squeezes himself inside the cage to eat and just hang around (as shown below).
On the night that he decided to spend the night in the house, I have to put a stop to it for a few reasons. Firstly being the danger of him flying and hitting the ceiling fan. Secondly for fear of him unknowingly venturing into the Shrike's cage. His freedom temporarily ended on the 8th of September when I caught him with a trap (he is actually semi wild). Maybe I would experiment with a Shama next ;)
Here he is deciding to become an indoor bird at night:
I have actually forgot my manners. A visitor has been visiting so frequently that I forgot to even offer a cup of water. Decided to rectify the mistake today. Now I have a cup of goodies stuck to the outside of a cage for her. She was trapped twice in the kitchen when the windows were closed in the evening. Maybe she will become tamer as time goes by. Or just disappeared when she finds a mate to start her own family.
An update of the frequent visiting White-eye. Regretted that I did not tag her for easy identification. But am very sure its the same bird. Not all wild flying White-eyes are as tame as this. She even comes into the kitchen to visit.
This female Mata Puteh (Oriental White-eye) seems to be quite brave. Always coming to harass my other birds within a few feet of me. Wonder whether its a released bird. Anyway, been feeding her with oranges and she is picking up dry food from outside the cage of my Mata Putehs. Lets see how this relationship develops ;)
Took in another Oriental White-eye (Zosterops Everetti) today. Saw a Zosterops Palpebrosa in Kandang bird shop 2 weeks ago which is very tempting. These Palpebrosa appears to be scarce nowadays or maybe I was looking at the wrong places.
The above pic is an old photo of Lucky, my first Oriental White-eye, an Everette.
