| Remarks : | From a far distance I saw a bird perched on a tree branch at eye level, grooming itself constantly. I wasn’t quite sure it was a Finfoot because of many branches obstructing the view of the whole bird. Watching through the binoculars I initially thought that it was White-breasted Waterhen. After careful checking all the details I noticed the feet and beak look rather bigger than the normal Waterhen. I quickly checkED through the scope and I was extremely excited it was an immature male Masked Finfoot!!!
Checking back on a few videos captured I saw he caught a big moth, snail, hold it between his bill, break the shell then driving its head into the water and emerging with the meat in its bill. He was occasionally seen jumping up or constantly poking his head up for something like insects or damselflies from the overhanging vegetation. Once he regurgitated an oblong black pellet. It was a pity I could not collect it because it dropped straight into the pond. One marking I did observe was his underfoot is very yellowish like his bill colour.
I observed he first jumped up on the lowest branch of the tree before he started to run-climb up higher on another branch. He spent most of his time preening, stretching his legs and wings before going to sleep. I did not see him walking or flying up to the branch to rest. - CK |
