Reflections of Wings and Inspiration

Nearly a triple dip out (26/01/2012)

2012-01-29T07:32:00.001+08:00

Dave and Hakim came back from a2-day birding trip to Perlis and made some very exciting discoveries at theChuping Sugarcane Plantation. From Dave’s blog, there were three would belifers for me – Citrine Wagtail (1^st record for Malaysia), EurasianWryneck (3^rd record) and Thick-billed Warbler (very rare migrant).So, as soon as we found some free time from the ongoing Lunar New Year festivity,our group of 5 made a bee line to the warm sunny skies and open areas of thelocality.

Unfortunately, we did not get toenjoy the good fortune and luck of the earlier group and things were prettyslow. We even bumped into a few more birding groups at the locality –undoubtedly influenced by Dave’s post of those rare birds. The Plain-backed Sparrowswere among the few notable species that kept us occupied during our morningsession at this locality.

We decided to visit a few nearby sites for a changeand hoped that our luck will improve. Unfortunately, the scrublands along theTimah-Tasoh Lake did not provide any relief for our earlier disappointment. Aquick visit to the Perlis State Park did produce some excitement but it was notfrom the birds. A fruiting tree near the car park was patronized by a ratherconfiding Black Giant Squirrel and it particularly ignored our presence. Isuppose the availability of food was a major factor behind its bold behaviour.Anyway despite the harsh lighting, I managed to obtain my best images of thisbeautiful forest dweller to date.

A lone Stripe-throated Bulbulprovided a few reasonable images as it foraged along the canopy of the forest andit was back to the sugarcane plantation for one another try.

Indian Roller sightings anywhereon the west coast is quite significant and this one provided a much needed boostof confidence for the entire group towards the locality and gave us the courageto dare to hope on finding the rarities once again. Unlike the individual wehad in Penang last year, it was quite skittish and I could only managed distantrecords shots only.

This juvenile Pied Harrier flyinggracefully over the plantation was quite a sight and although the afternoonsession was much better, there were still no signs of the rarities. Luckily atthe end of day, we did manage to find one of my three target birds – aThick-billed Warbler flickering about a recently harvested patch. Although itdid not give me any chance to capture its image, it was good enough to allow meto get a positive identification before it disappeared from sight.

Enter The Dragon Year (21/01/2012)

2012-01-24T08:25:00.000+08:00

With the Chinese New Year just acouple of days away, those celebrating this festive season were busy preparingto usher in the Year of the Dragon. I, on the other hand, had the morning tospare and decided to do some birding at the Bukit Penara Forest Reserve onPenang Island itself. The thought of getting caught in the human migrationalong the North-South Highway and the Penang Bridge kept me from birding at myusual spots on the mainland side. The mass exodus of people coming back totheir hometown from the capital and other cities to celebrate the New Year withfamily and friends is a yearly phenomenon and is as much a part of this festiveseason as everything else. At this time of the year, the access road leading upto the forest reserve is decorated with traditional lanterns as one will passthe famed Kek Lok Si Temple before reaching this birding site.

The access road that cuts throughthe reserve is quite isolated and is a favourable foraging ground for thebeautiful Emerald Doves. This species is regularly seen here but goodphotographic opportunities are seldom presented. The Doves can be quite shy attimes and they prefer to forage where there is some cover among the vegetation.

The Tiger Shrike is the forestequivalent of the commoner Brown Shrike. Only thing is that being a forestbird, it tends to be more wary of human presence. Just before the springmigration is a good time to catch the males in their striking breeding plumagesand obtaining good images will be one of my objectives this year.

Penang Island is certainly not aparadise for forest birds but surprisingly, it is one of the best places forone to observe Grey-throated Babblers. This species is strictly a montanespecies further south but here in the northern region, it occurs even almost atsea level. Common it certainly is. Photogenic it certainly is not. With apreference for dense vegetation and dim lighting, this active species requiresa whole lot of effort and luck in order to obtain reasonable images. This isthe only shot from the whole lot that I took during the encounter that at leasthad most of the bird in the frame.

There are three communicationtowers at the summit of this forest reserve. In fact, the personnel of thistelecommunication station are usually the only ones using this access road.Now, the resident Peregrine Falcon sometimes rest on these towers and I waselated to be able to see one this morning. It is rather unfortunate that thedistance was well beyond my gear but nevertheless, it was still a good record.My first record of the Falcon here was back in the late 80’s and this speciesis known to live up to 15-20 years in the wild. So, it is very unlikely to bethe same individual and the Falcons must be breeding at this locality.

The Thick-billed Pigeon shuns humandevelopments unlike its commoner cousin, the Pink-necked Pigeon. Penang Islandstill houses a healthy population of this stunning pigeon but I still lack goodimages of this species. This female bird resting on a reasonably low branch isnow my best effort of this species to date.

I took a breather from my trekdown to the foothill when I bumped into a rather large troop of Long-TailedMacaques. This is not because they pose any real threat to me but whereverthere are Macaques; there will usually be Greater Racket-tailed Drongos. Andtrue enough, there was pair right among them. These birds will follow theforaging troops and feast on any insects flushed by the Macaques’ movement. Avery beneficial adaptation indeed but it is one that only the Drongo hasmastered so far.

Penanti, Penang (19/01/2012)

2012-01-20T10:33:00.003+08:00

Itis probably a little early in the year to visit this scrubland habitat for thebreeding colonies but it is pretty difficult to resist a quick detour before Imade my way to a business meeting in the nearby vicinity. There’s nothing likesome quality time “in the field” to start off the day. A Spotted Dove baskingin the golden rays of the morning sun was the first bird to greet me upon myarrival.

TheRed Junglefowl may be one the commonest of the gamebirds but it is shy andextremely difficult to approach. I don’t blame it for being so fearful of man.It is not considered a gamebird for nothing. For many years the stunning malehas successfully evaded most my photography efforts and leaving me with onlydistance record shots. Imagine my excitement when I came across this ratherconfiding male bird foraging alone at the edge of the access road. I quicklytook a few shots but the clicks from my camera’s shutter put him into fullalert mode.

Andonce my intrusion passed his tolerance level, it was a quick dash to thenearest cover – a dash that would even put any Olympic sprinter to shame. Thisencounter was the highlight of the day and much to my delight, I did not end upempty handed this time.

Therewere certainly plenty of Paddyfield Pipits foraging in the vicinity. I amassuming that they are all Paddyfield Pipits and the not the rarer and almostidentical looking Richard’s or Blyth’s Pipit.Honestly, I probably couldn’t identify them even if they were staring rightinto my lens.

TheRed-wattled Lapwings looked all set for the coming breeding season andhopefully, it will be another successful season as before.

Ialmost drove past this male Plaintive Cuckoo resting among the scrub vegetationand it was his signature call that caught my attention. Unfortunately, he wasin no mood for photography and flew away when I tried to reduce the distancebetween us.

TheCommon Myna is probably one of the most familiar birds in Malaysia butwhen a bird is posing in good light and with a nice green background, I stillfind it hard to resist a shot or two.

Northern delights (07/01/12)

2012-01-10T08:48:00.003+08:00

Thegroup of four of us decided to do some birding up north and our firstdestination was the Bukit Wang forest reserve in Kedah. The resident pair ofBat Hawks was resting at their regular haunt. Nothing like a good stretch aftersome pre-dawn hunting…

Itis very unfortunate that the resident Malaysian Honeyguides here have gone into hidingbut this locality still remains the best place to observe Bat Hawks.

Hornbills,despite their immense size, are extremely shy birds. The Bushy-crestedHornbills are commonly encountered at this locality but good views andphotographic opportunities are certainly scarce - like this male resting nearthe canopy level at the edge of the forest. Don’tbe shy, big guy. I’m not going to bite.

Hemust have heard my plea and on this rare occasion, obliged…

So,I finally managed to obtain a few reasonable images of this species. Althoughit is not as impressive as its larger cousins, it was still a breathtakingexperience.

TheDark-necked Tailorbird is another common species that has evaded my camera thusfar but today, it decided to give me a break. This particular individual was alittle “sluggish” than usual and I was able to comfortably follow itsmovements. And when the right moment came along, I took the shots.

Totop it all off, it even alighted momentarily on an exposed perch in awell-lighted area.

Ournext destination was the Chuping sugarcane plantations in Perlis where aEurasian Wryneck, a rare visitor and recent addition to the Malaysianchecklist, was seen a few days back. Unfortunately, we dipped out on the targetbird but we did manage to record a few other notable species in the end. Thehighlight from this locality was undoubtedly a pair of Plain-backed Sparrowsthat was collecting nesting materials from the grounds of an open area. Unlikethe much commoner Eurasian Tree Sparrow where the sexes are identical, the malePlain-backed Sparrow is rather striking while the female has amuch duller plumage. My last sighting of this Sparrow was back in my teenage years andat that time this species could still be found in my home state of Penang. Sadly, it is now locally extinct and I have totravel all the way to the northern tip of the country to see it.

Sungai Burung, Penang (01/01/12)

2012-01-05T08:41:00.001+08:00

As usual, I did my annual New Year’s Day short birdingtrip today. But one thing is different this year; I no longer have a New Yearresolution. I managed to uphold my resolution (the one and only for the past 20years or so) last year and I finally managed to quit a rather addictive and unhealthyhabit of mine. With that said, it's back to the birds. The first bird thatgreeted me on this first day of the year 2012 was a majestic White-belliedSea-eagle circling low over the scrublands at the break of dawn. The gloomyweather made it impossible for any sharp images despite being quite close tothe eagle.

A rather confiding Brown Shrike kept meentertained for a good while. This was a much welcomed change as I have had noluck with this common migrant so far this season.

When I flushed a pair of Red-wattled Lapwingsfrom the access road, it took me some time to realize how significant it was. Althoughit is now quite common in mainland Penang, I’mnot on the mainland now. So after more than 20 years, I finally managed torecord it on the island. It may only be a local rarity but it is still a rarity nevertheless. Happy New Year,guys!

Although the Crested Serpent-eagle is a commonraptor through Malaysia,it still does it for me – especially the more confiding individuals like thisone. Overlooking its domain from the edge of the mangroves, it was totallyunperturbed by my presence and the continuous shutter clicks of my camera. Infact, it seems to be enjoying all the attention it is receiving from me.

Ironically, a Crested Serpent-eagle with itscrest fully visible is not a common sight - not here in Malaysia anyway.

I did drive to the coastline to check if thewaders are back on this stretch of mudflats and they certainly were.Unfortunately, they were a little too far to capture any reasonable images.Identification was quite difficult as well but one species did stand out fromthe rest or should I say stand above - the Eurasian Curlew. With a bill likethat, it is almost impossible to mistake it for anything else except only forthe much rarer Eastern Curlew.

Collared Kingfishers are usually quite toleranttowards human presence and make good photography subjects like this individualhunting from a wooden stake at the river mouth. Now if this trip is a sign ofthings to come, I can certainly look forward to another outstanding year.

31/12/2011: Pulau Burung (Penang)

2012-01-03T08:50:00.000+08:00

Initially, I wanted to do some forest birdingat Bukit Palong but Mother Nature had other thoughts. A pre-dawn drizzle mademe altered my plans and it was off to the marshlands of Pulau Burung again.Despite the cold and gloomy weather, most of the birds were already out andabout like this adult Purple Heron.

Lately, I have been quite lucky with ChangeableHawk-eagles here. First it was the light-phased adult and followed by thedark-phased individual. Today, it was this juvenile’s turn to perform. Now, Ihave a series of close-up portraits depicting the complete plumage range ofthis variable raptor and all from a single locality.

During my observation, it dived into theundergrowth and I immediate got my gear ready to capture the outcome of thehunt. Although the raptor was completely hidden, I could see movements amongthe vegetation and there was a whole lot of squawking noises as well. After awhile, the raptor finally reemerged from the undergrowth but the hunt wasunsuccessful. The intended prey managed to survive the attack of thisformidable predator and live to see another day.

There were quite a few raptors recorded thistime including this immature White-bellied Sea-eagle, gliding menacingly lowover the marshlands.

The Brahminy Kite is certainly of the commonestraptors in Penang. Due to its abundance, it isoften under appreciated despite having a striking appearance. I still lackreasonably good images of this raptor at rest and this would have been a goodone if not for the blocking leaves.

The Grey Heron is another large heron that canbe found at this locality. Today, I came across this lone bird foraging out onthe vast expense of mudflats.

Breeding season will soon be in full swing andlooks like this pair of Greater Coucals are getting a head start with the malecourting the female just next to the access road. However, Coucals arenotoriously shy and the pair made a hasty retreat into the undergrowth once mypresence was felt.

The Blue-tailed Bee-eaters are starting toperform like the good old days again by allowing close approaches and lookingtheir best for the camera.

I was so preoccupied with photographing theBee-eaters that I almost miss out on the highlight of the day. BK, anotherregular birder to Pulau Burung, stopped his car just behind mine and started toshoot in the general direction of the Bee-eaters. Initially, I thought he wasshooting the same subjects until he casually said to me the Gargarneys arepretty close today and gestured towards the water. And true enough the celebrityducks were resting on a floating log just beyond the Bee-eaters.

Now, this is the life…

Putting our perseverance and patience to thetest, they finally began to stir from their siesta after quite some time andprovided photographic opportunities of their behaviour – other than nappingthat is.

The first order of business was preening…

When both of them extended their wings simultaneouslyto stretch, it was a moment I was hoping for as it could help determine their genderonce and for all. The eclipse male (as identified by Dave before) revealed his palegreyish upperwing coverts while the other sported brownish coverts indicatingthat it is a female.

All the activity does build up an appetite andfinding food was next on the agenda.

I noticed that they tend to forage and feedamong the vegetation. I cannot be completely sure if this is their usual habitbut it does explain why they occasionally keep out of sight.

After feeding, it was back to the floating logagain to rest. As for me, I can think of no better way to end an extraordinaryyear than with another memorable and rewarding birding experience courtesy ofthis scarce winter migrant.

28/12/2011: Batu Kawan (Penang)

2011-12-29T10:19:00.000+08:00

Afterthe long Christmas break, I decided to make a short visit to this locality tocheck on the Oriental Darters. I met up with Dave who just came back from hisUK Christmas holiday and the celebrity birds were on cue in providing us amemorable performance. The sight of these Darters spreading themselves to catchthe warm rays of the morning sun will take some getting used to. I have wantedto see this species for as long as I could remember and now that I finallyhave, it still seems a little too good to be true.

However,the Darters’ leisurely time in the sun was interrupted by a few House Crowsthat half-heartedly harassed them. It is no wonder that a flock of Crows is also calleda murder of Crows. I have to admit that it does take some effort not to hateHouse Crows at times. Luckily,the Darters were able to tolerate the nuisance and remained on their perch.Once in a while, they did retaliate by jabbing their formidable bills towards anyCrow that got too close.

Anyway, the pesky intruders left after a short whileand everything was blissful again.

Thelighting was quite ideal this morning and much to my delight, the subjectscompletely ignored my presence. Only the marsh prevented me fromdriving closer in order to obtain better images but I am still very happy with all the improvement shots from this encounter.

Thecommoner waterbirds, like this Great Egret, were in their usual numbers and arequite gracious about sharing this locality with the new winter visitors.

Thisodd-looking Grey Heron gives the impression that it is going bald (somethingthat I am all too familiar with) due to the lack of dark colours on its crown.

As Imade my way out of the marshlands, I came across this lone Pacific GoldenPlover foraging on the mudflats.

Andthis Black-capped Kingfisher momentarily alighted on a bare perch quite closeto my stationery vehicle. It did not take too long for it to feel that it isvery unbecoming of it to be so bold in the presence of a birder and flew to asafer, distant perch.

24/12/2011: Mainland Penang

2011-12-28T10:35:00.001+08:00

I decided to start off today’s birding at thelowland forest habitat of Bukit Panchor – a location which I have neglected forquite a while now. It is mostly because birding has been poor of late and todaywas not much different. I did manage to do a little catching up with some oldfriends at this locality – the leeches. And they certainly gave me a warm (andbloody) reception. A couple of hours and 10 leech bites later, I was off to themarshlands of Pulau Burung which happens to be located in the neighbouringdistrict. The Garganey pair was enjoying some blissful slumber under the warmtropical sun and so was the Lesser Whistling-duck.

I was a little disappointed to find there wasnot much waders at the ‘Little Stint Corner’. However, Pulau Burung has thistendency to present a surprise or two just to regain your faith and get youcoming back to the place again and again. This time, it was a dark-phasedChangeable Hawk-eagle that took center stage. Although the raptor was quiteclose and confiding, the lighting condition was a little too harsh forphotography. Otherwise, the encounter would have been so much more memorable.

I was elated when it decided to make a swoopdown towards the scrublands and alighted on a very low perch. Unfortunately,the excitement was short-lived when I realized there was no way I could getclose enough to obtain the type of images I wanted for my archives of thisbeautiful raptor.

The Great Egret is a beautiful and elegant birdthat is frequently taken for granted because of its abundant numbers during themigratory season. Anyway with nothing much about, I took the time to admire andphotograph this individual resting on some low bushes overlooking a canalbefore making my way to my next destination.

Thing were also a little quiet at the paddyfields of Bandar PERDA with the exception of the adult Eastern Imperial Eagleresting on a distant pylon. The Pale/Sand Martin was also around. I did followits movement for a while – hoping that it would alight somewhere close in orderfor me to capture some good images that could help shed some light on the true identityof this mysteriously Martin that has been wintering here for the past couple ofseasons. The presence of a small flock of mixed waders foraging on a floodedpatch provided a glimmer of hope that this trip could have one last surprise beforeI called it a day. And it did – in the form of a lone Little Stint foragingamong a few Long-toed Stints and a Wood Sandpiper. Hopefully with the fieldexperience I gained from the Stints at Pulau Burung, this fellow will noteventually be re-identified as a Red- necked Stint.

Although I adore waders, they are certainly someof the most difficult birds to identify – especially when they are in theirdrab and similar-looking winter plumages. I guess the challenge is what makesthem so interesting. They also seem to somehow know where the limit of yourphotography gear is and will rest, preen, forage or even pose just a littlebeyond that. Anyway if by any chance, you are having difficulties picking outthe Little Stint from my first image, here is another one for good measure.

23/12/2011: Batu Kawan (Penang)

2011-12-23T17:26:00.001+08:00

Anothertrip to this locality to check on the Oriental Darters was only a matter ofwhen I had a few hours to spare. And that was this morning. Upon arrival, theDarters were sunning themselves on the very same tree as our last encounter.

Thisparticular dead tree seems to be a favourite among the waterbirds here and itgot a little crowded at times…

TheDarters are truly enjoying their winter vacation at my home state and watchingthem settling in so well into this new environment was like food for my soul. Theywere preening, scratching and stretching despite the intrusion of a few birders,including yours truly, observing their every move from a distance.

I ammore convinced that these two birds are indeed a pair as there was some allopreeninggoing on as well.

Afew more images of this celebrity pair which I am sure will be in the agenda ofcountless birders and bird photographers from far and wide this coming Christmasweekend before I made my way out of the marshlands.

I stoppedfor a rather confiding Collared Kingfisher that alighted just next to theaccess road.

Justabout the same time, a small flock of Tricoloured Munias made their way quite closeto my stationery car. This coincidental photographic opportunity would havebeen a highlight for a trip on any other day as I now finally have some imagesof this striking species that I can be proud of but the day belonged to theDarters. You know I still love you guys, right?

21/12/2011: Mainland Penang

2011-12-22T12:41:00.000+08:00

I was back at the marshlands of Pulau Burung atthe break of dawn but despite the good weather, there was nothing much aboutthis time. All the scarce migrants like the Garganeys and Little Stints were nowhere to be seen. After about an hour, I decided to search for greener pastureselsewhere. I cannot recall the exact reason why I chose to visit Batu Kawan butit turned out to be one of the most crucial decisions that I have ever made inmy life.

Upon my arrival, there was this particular deadtree with quite a few large birds resting on it. However, two of them hadsomewhat odd body shapes. Once I had my binos on them, their identification wascrystal clear even at that distance – Oriental Darters! Apart from thehistorical records, there has been only one confirmed sighting of thisenigmatic waterbird in Peninsula Malaysiaand that was last year at Kinta Nature Parkin Perak. I then quickly took a few record shots just to make sure I havephotographic evidence in case the birds decide to disappear before I could getcloser. I guess I have learned my lesson well from all my previous raritysighting records where I was not able to support my finds with photographs andinevitably, resulted quite negatively on me.

Anyway, they were reasonably tame as I got asclose as I possibly could by car. Using my car as a hide, I took quite a numberof shots and the Darters were more than happy to oblige. As far as I couldtell, both of them appeared to be adults birds in non-breeding plumage andthere was not much difference in terms of colour and size.

The Darters were exhibiting their typicalbehaviour of drying itself and preening on exposed perches like this dead tree.It is most probably they had completed their morning hunt when I came acrossthem. Much to my delight, my presence did not seem to bother them at all and Iwas given the opportunity to observe them going about their normal routine.

Looks like Christmas is early again for me thisyear and this lifer is one that I have been keeping an eye out for as long as Icould remember. It fulfills most of the criteria that I look for in a bird thatis worthy to be considered a mega lifer. It’s rare and it’s big andfurthermore, it’s a waterbird. And even the moderate quality of the images duethe distance and lighting did not seem to matter all that much. What isimportant is the fact that I was lucky enough to be at the right place and theright time to enjoy certainly one of my best birding moments ever. Merry Christmas and I hope you guys willenjoy your stay here…

Unfortunately, my encounter came to an abruptend when a marauding White-bellied Sea-eagle came a little too close forcomfort and caused the waterbirds in the vicinity to panic and flee - includingthe Darters. In flight, their long narrow wings carry them with ease and theirnecks are held outstretched. They stayed relatively close to each other as theyflew and disappeared from sight among some vegetation at the far distance. I amnot sure if the 'handshake' effect of these flying shots are due to my camera settingsat that time or I was still recovering from all the excitement. Anyway despitea careful search of the area, I failed to relocate the Darters again.

And so, I finally had the time to pay homage tothe other birds present. The marshlands here are quite rich in birdlife andthere are always quite a number of large waterbirds around like this subadultGrey Heron.

The plumage of this juvenile Purple Heronblends rather well among the adjacent grasslands.

During the migratory season, there will be alarge influx of Egrets to the locality and the Great Egret is one of the fourspecies that have been recorded here.

The Changeable Hawk-eagle is another commonsight at the marshlands and I photographed this one while it was contemplatingwhat to have for breakfast from a dead tree stump.

As for the waders, not many were around. TheRed-wattled Lapwings are quite conspicuous and their presence usually does notgo unnoticed.

This Terek Sandpiper was rather wary of myapproaching car and I had no choice but to photograph it from a distance.

My next destination was the scrublands andmangroves of Juru. The Black-capped Kingfisher is one the most striking of ourcommoner kingfishers. However, it is terribly shy and this shot is one of thebetter ones I have managed to obtain so far.

The Brahminy Kite is a common resident alongthe mangrove belt here and two were seen patrolling the skies today.

At my last destination, the Sungai Dua paddyfields, I spent some time photographing this rather confiding Blue-tailedBee-eater that was posing so elegantly against a nice green background.

At one of houses next to the fields, I also managedto photograph this Mongoose foraging inside its compound. Although it is notuncommon, this small but deadly predator is seldom seen in the open for longperiods of time.

20/12/2011: Sungai Sedim (Kedah)

2011-12-21T18:08:00.000+08:00

I have only gone a short way up the GunungBintang access road when I came across a splendid male Siberian Blue Robinforaging just up ahead and this is a species I long to have in my archives. Atthis early hour the lighting was terribly poor and I had an impossible timetrying to focus my camera on the bird. Then something scared the livingdaylights out of the Robin because it suddenly dived into the undergrowth whileemitting alarm notes. And I was pretty sure it wasn’t me. While I was stilltrying to figure out what took place, I noticed a slithery movement on the roadand it was the culprit that made me miss my shot – a Variable Reed Snake. However, it was toosmall to possibly hunt the Robin but I guess it was a case of better be safethan sorry for the Robin.

That little episode got things rolling for thistrip and what a trip it turned out to be. During my 5-hour visit, I managed torecord two lifers and more than 60 species including a few very notable records.Unfortunately, the key word here is record. My firstlifer, a female White-throated Rock-thrush, stayed in sight long enough for a positiveidentification only. I did manageto take a shot of my second lifer, the Brown-chested Jungle-flycatcher, but theimage turned out to be pretty insignificant. Not only because of the poorquality but it only showed the back of the bird.

I could hardly contain my excitement when Icame across a pair of foraging Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babblers. Apart fromthe fact that this is the first time I have seen this species here, they aretruly striking birds and always a delight to observe. I guess you just have totake my word for it…

This male Orange-breasted Trogon on a slightlyexposed perch was probably the best bird image of the trip.

A total of 4 Hornbills were recorded at thelocality today. The Rhinoceros and Bushy-crested Hornbills were heard calling.A pair of White-crowned Hornbills flew just above overhead with the denseforest canopy between my camera and them. It has been almost 8 years since myfirst visit to this forest reserve and the distinctive calls of the HelmetedHornbill can be heard on almost every visit. You can only imagine the amount ofpleading and swearing that went down when I took this shot of thisamazing bird.

One image did turn out quite to my liking butit was not of a bird. This beautiful Dragonfly was resting about eye level atthe forest edge and the green foliage provided the prefect background.

This millipede making its way about somethickets wrapped things up for a memorable trip despite the disappointmentsfrom a photographer’s point of view.

On the way home, I made a quick detour into thepaddy fields at Kubang Semang to check on the Temminck’s Stints only to findthe patch been completely planted with new paddy shoots. However, an immatureEastern Imperial Eagle circling over the fields put on quite a performance and unlikephotographing forest birds, it is almost impossible to miss a bird as huge asthis right out in the open.

17/12/2011: Mainland Penang

2011-12-19T10:30:00.000+08:00

Upon my arrival at the marshlands at PulauBurung, I spotted the silhouette of a large raptor perched on an electricalcable and it turned out to be one of the resident Changeable Hawk-eagles. Usingthe cable as a lookout point to hunt, it particularly ignored my presence and concentratedfully on the task at hand. Unfortunately, the lighting conditions prevented mefrom obtaining better shots and that was a real shame as this is probably theclosest I have ever been with this bird of prey.

Whilst photographing the eagle, a second eaglealighted on the cable that was directly above my car but out of my field ofview. There was nothing I could do to about it because at that close distance,any movement from me or my car will certainly spook the eagle. After a fewminutes, the second eagle probably did not feel comfortable in my presence andflew off. And I continued to admire and photograph the first eagle to myheart’s content.

I was delighted to see the two Garganeyssettling in well here and hopefully, in time to come will gradually become lesswary. Until then, distance observations like today will just have to do.

Meanwhile at the ‘Little Stint Corner’, there wasa high level of bird activity. The Little Stints were foraging along theslightly flooded patches as usual. Unlike my previous visit, the stints camequite close to my stationery car and provided a fair share of good photographicopportunities.

The Long-toed Stints are also another regularat this patch and I guess the condition here really suits both these species ofstints.

I find it a little odd that at this time of theyear this Little Ringed Plover has not even started tomoult into winter plumage. Perhapsit’s just a little reluctant to shed this striking plumage for the much dullerone.

At my second birding locality of the day, thepaddy fields of Bandar PERDA, it was again a raptor that started things off.For the third consecutive season, the mighty Eastern Imperial Eagle is spendingthe winter here. Welcome back, big guy.

When I drove along the adjacent paddy fields ofKubang Semang, the Grey-headed Lapwings certainly made their presence felt withtheir alarm calls long before I actually laid eyes on the first flock of theseuncommon but regular winter visitors.

The graceful Black-winged Stilts are also backfor the winter and like the former, filled the locality with their distinctcalls as well.

A slightly flooded and muddy patch of the paddyfields certainly appeared quite promising to me. When I got closer, my hunchwas right and I noticed several waders foraging in the vicinity. There were theusual Little Ringed Plovers, a few Wood Sandpipers, Common Sandpipers andLong-toed Stints as well. As I was scrutinizing the waders, I thought to myselfthat I could sure use a Temminck’s Stint now. And one came into view.

I wasn’t sure if I was hallucinating until asecond bird decided to join the first one. It saved me the task of having topinch myself. This is my second only sighting of this rather uncommon speciesand it certainly became the highlight of the day. And just as I thought thingscan’t get any better, I spotted a lone third Temminck’s Stint foraging slightlyfurther away. I have a feeling this migratory season will be a good one – avery good one indeed.

The Honeyguide

2011-12-13T10:14:00.000+08:00

TheMalaysian Honeyguide is undoubtedly one of the rarest and least documented residentbird species in Malaysia.During our maiden visit to the Bukit Wang forest reserve in Kedah back in 2010,Choo Eng heard the Honeyguide’s distinct call and it was the first indication ofits occurrence here. In fact, the call is usually the only telltale sign of itspresence because it usually takes some effort and a little luck to successfullytrace the call back to the bird itself.

Intime, we realized that it was a male bird and he has this habit of returning tothe same spot to call for prolonged periods. This “singing perch” providedexcellent views of the Honeyguide as he will be quite tolerant to humanpresence. Numerous birders from every corner of the country and beyond came to enjoythe opportunity to observe this rarity in the flesh and it is all courtesy ofthis particular behaviour.

Thedecision of the local council to repair a hut that was next the singing perchwas the reason the Honeyguide kept out of sight momentarily at one time. Iguess all the commotion was simply too much for the poor bird to tolerate. Andjust when it seems that all was lost, he reappeared at another singing perchabout a few hundred meters from the original location. It is at this secondlocation that most birders managed to obtain reasonably better images due to theeasier shooting conditions there.

Nowalmost two years since our very first encounter, the bird has apparently leftthe area again. And from the look of things, this time it is for good. The actualreason behind the latest disappearance remains a mystery but one thing is forsure, the Malaysian Honeyguide is once again a rare denizen of our forest.

30/11/02011: Pulau Burung (Penang)

2011-12-01T08:38:00.001+08:00

Athird trip to the marshlands of Pulau Burung for the Garganey was inevitablewhen the Selangor birders reported not one but two of them a few days back. Ifthat is not a strong enough reason, they also reported a Pectoral Sandpiper – awader that is high on my wanted list since it was first recorded in Malaysiaback in 2007 at this exact location. It was a beautiful morning when I arrivedat the site and the resident Black-winged Stilts, which have been avoiding themarshlands lately, are back to grace the area with their poise and beauty.

OnceI set my priorities straight, I went after the Pectoral Sandpiper first andstationed myself at the “Little Stint Corner”. The stints have been showingthemselves quite well to most birder and today was no different. However, theyremained at a distance throughout my time there.

Whilewaiting for my would-be lifer to show, I took a few images of the commonerwaders like this Common Sandpiper to ease the tension and to help pass the time.

ALittle Ringed Plover admiring its reflection on the water and so did I.

Therewas also a couple of Yellow Wagtails foraging around but unfortunately, therewere no signs of the much rarer White Wagtail that was recorded by othersincluding the Selangor birders.

WhenI finally came to terms that I will not be having a lifer here, I decided totry my luck with the Garganeys. Unlike my previous attempts, I had lady luck onmy side this time and managed to pick out two slightly different looking ducksfrom the regular Lesser Whistling-ducks. Initially, the Garganeys were paddlingnear the center of the marshlands. I then decided to adopt the sit-and-waitapproach and hope for the best. Much to my delight, I managed to gain theirtrust and they gradually wandered much closer to the water’s edge. So finally, afterseven long years since my first sighting, I have been given the opportunity tocapture the images of these scarce migrants.

Itis often difficult to separate the eclipse male, female and juvenile from eachother and the two of them looked quite similar to me at first. Upon furtherscrutiny, I found one of them showing a darker face region and undertail aswell as with a darker and more diffused breast pattern. Since it is also theone that usually follows the other paler duck, I can only assume that it is theeclipse male identified by Dave when he first discovered the duck. As I do nothave enough field experience on the species to come to a conclusion, I decidedto leave things as they are and just enjoy the moment. And it is moments like this thatwill be reflected upon for a lifetime.

One thing I did notice during myobservation is that when they yawn or open their bills; it looked like theywere laughing and I can’t help but to smile back. This short visit turnedout to be quite rewarding in the end despite the earlier disappointments.

26/11/2011: Bukit Wang (Kedah)

2011-11-29T09:57:00.001+08:00

TheSelangor Bird Group decided to visit this locality as part of their groupouting to the north and being the “locals”, we had every intention to greet thevisiting birders with our usual friendly hospitality. However, Mother Naturehad other thoughts and it poured for almost three hours at daybreak. The entiregroup had to seek shelter in one of the huts but we took the opportunity tocatch-up with old friends and meet new ones.

Whenthe rain subsided, the group finally got to experience the birds foundhere. Although it could have been better, I guess the locality did provide amemorable experience for our guests in the end.

Theresident Bat Hawk gave a much-welcomed performance and posed long enoughfor everyone to enjoy excellent views.

Theonly other bird that I managed to capture was this Dark-sided Flycather huntingfrom the edge of the forest.

The mainhighlight of the trip, surprisingly, was not a bird but it does fly. To moreprecise, it glides. Colugos are arboreal mammals that are found only in theforests of Southeast Asia. They are veryunique creatures and possess flaps of extra skin between their limbs to enable themto glide great distances through their forest homes. This pair was seen restingon one of the tree trunks and at that distance, our group was no threat to themat all. So in return, we were rewarded with prolonged views of this beautifulbut elusive glider.

23/11/2011: Pulau Burung (Penang)

2011-11-23T14:43:00.001+08:00

Ijust could not resist another short visit to this locality to check on all thescarce migrants that have been turning up here of late. However, the Garganeyagain provided only fleeting views before it disappeared into the dense vegetation.This duck is the main reason I am here today because our last encounter hadleft me yearning for more. I also dipped out on the White Wagtail that happensto be another first record for this locality. Although this species is not newto me, it has been a few years since my last sighting and still do not have anydecent images of it yet. Luckily, all was not lost as the Little Stints came tothe aid of a frustrated birder. Foraging on their now habitual patch of bareearth, these adorable little waders have provided excellent views to a numberof birders including yours truly. After years of scrutinizing flocks ofRed-necked Stints for possible Little Stints among them, now I can get to seethem whenever I wish – at least for the time being.

Afew Long-toed Stints were also foraging in the same vicinity and identificationof this species is rather straight-forward when compared to the Little Stint.

Ithas been quite a while since I last photographed Blue-tailed Bee-eaters fromclose range. The clearing of the vegetation and natural perches along the edgeof the marshlands which are part of the maintenance works is the most probablecause. When a few of them alighted just next to my stationery car, it felt likethe good old days again and from the looks of things so far this season, itcould well be.

19/11/2011: Pulau Burung (Penang)

2011-11-21T08:48:00.001+08:00

Iwas contemplating if I should go or not to this locality tomorrow for theGarganey that was first seen by Dave a few days back. As it will be a workingSaturday for me, I can only spare a couple of hours after dawn to look for thisrather uncommon migrant. The reason for all the thinking is the fact that Iseen this species once before and that is back in 2004 with Kanda at themudflats of Bagan Tambang. Anyway, Choo Eng helped me come to a decision when Ireceived a text message invitation from him to join him for a fast trip to lookfor the Garganey and the Little Stints as it was also a working day for him. Andat first dawn, the two of us together with James were scanning the marshlandsfor the Garganey. It did make a brief appearance before it took cover among thedense vegetation after being spooked away by a Lesser Whistling-duck. Soonafter, it started to rain and that drowned out any chance we had of relocatingthe duck.

Howcould you guys? Bad, bad ducky…

Alone Wood Sandpiper provided another “Reflections of Wings & Inspiration”image for my archives.

Bythe way, we got both the target birds as the Little Stints were still foragingin the same vicinity as my encounter with them last week. However, they were a little toofar this time for my current setup but not Choo Eng’s…

Alarmbells started ringing in my head when I caught a fleeting glimpse of a slightlydarker looking Ringed Plover scurrying around the vicinity. Unfortunately fromChoo Eng’s record shot, it turned out to be a Little Ringed Plover in breeding plumageand not the rarer Common Ringed Plover as I had hoped. But one can always beoptimistic, right?

12/11/2011: Mainland Penang

2011-11-15T08:30:00.025+08:00

It was a rather wet and gloomy morning as I entered the marshlands at Pulau Burung. Weather of this nature does have its affect on both birder and birds. From the look of things, I could sure use a good cup of coffee and so could this Common Sandpiper.

Loud splashing along the river mouth diverted my attention temporarily away from the birds and the reason behind the commotion was a family of otters. The dim lighting and constant movement of these graceful animals prevented me from obtaining any real good shots.

It is good to see the resident Lesser Whistling-ducks are enjoying one successful season after another here. This is probably the last stronghold for this species in my home state of Penang and that is pretty sad considering the fact it is quite common elsewhere.

I decided to stop my car next to a patch of slightly flooded red soil as I noticed there were quite a few Little Ringed Plovers foraging in the vicinity. It did not take long for them to get used to my car and I managed to capture some pretty decent shots as they gradually came closer.

Excitement grew when I picked out a few greyish-looking stints but they turned out to be Red-necked Stints (first winter birds, I think) and not the much rarer Temminck’s Stint as I had hoped for. Although Red-necked Stints usually occur along coastal habitats, they do sometimes show up inland, right fellas?

That was until Dave corrected me after I posted this blog entry because the wader in this photo is a Little Stint and finally, I can include this species into my life list without feeling any guilt. It is extremely difficult to distinguish the two species in the field especially in non-breeding plumage and the skills needed are perhaps just a little beyond me for now. Thanks, Dave.

Basically, the rarer Little Stint (much overlooked due to its similarities to the Red-necked Stint) has a somewhat thinner bill, longer legs, a smaller head that is positioned slightly higher on the body and rounder overall appearance.

The tide was just about right when I arrived at my second destination – the mudflats of Batu Kawan. A rather confiding Pacific Golden Plover was a good enough reason for me to stop my car and waited for it to get accustomed to my presence. Judging from the images I obtained today, I must make it a point to visit this locality just before the next spring migration to catch this species in their outstanding breeding plumage.

This is one…

long…

worm…

A few Lesser Sand-plovers also gave a good performance when they foraged near my stationery car. Common, small and nondescript but with a whole lot of attitude.

I even managed to gain the trust of the usually wary Common Redshank and it was shortly after that I discovered the highlight of the day. I was so preoccupied with photographing these commoner waders that I almost miss my lifer – a Grey-tailed Tattler, that I could not determine if it just came in or was there the whole time. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, it did not stay long enough after I had it in my sights to obtain any images. Just a pretty good view of its wholly grey upperparts as it was flying away from me. This is my second consecutive lifer (a first winter male Blue-and-White Flycatcher last week) that has slipped past my camera but most fortunately, not my binoculars.

A lapse of concentration…

and this adult White-bellied Sea-eagle flies off hungry.

The paddy fields at Kubang Semang did not provide much to ease my disappointment with the tattler until I came across a pair of Red Collared Doves foraging on some exposed mud. The male looks like a subadult as it has yet to fully sport the splendid red plumage of an adult male.

The female is very plain looking and to an unwary birder, can be overlooked as a Spotted Dove. I must admit if not for the male bird, there is a high possibility I could have drove past the foraging pair.

The Pond-herons are back but not in usual high numbers yet.

Reflections of wings and inspiration – Great Egret…

I may not be much of an insect person but this striking dragonfly feeding on these snail eggs does make a rather interesting portrait.

03/11/2011: Sea off Tanjung Dawai (Kedah)

2011-11-05T09:26:00.015+08:00

It started out like any ordinary day till I received a text message from Dave which sounded something like this, “You should consider making a boat trip soon because I just had a Little Gull”. This species is a first record for Malaysia and a second for Southeast Asia. When you find something this rare, it is no longer just a lifer. It is, in the words of Bill Oddie himself, a cosmic mindf*#ker! It has been 3 weeks since that faithful day and I finally got to have a go at the gull.

Anticipation was high as I set off towards the sunrise with Choo Eng in search of this rare visitor. One of the first few seabirds to greet us was a couple of Lesser Crested Terns. Not a bad way to start the day as this species is quite uncommon. Although they came around the boat on two occasions, they did not stay long enough for me to obtain any really good images.

Around this time of the year, the regular wintering terns would have arrived and start to build up their numbers. It came as no surprise when the fishing boats started to cast their nests, the terns came from all directions and in their hundreds. Like the Pied Pipers of the sea, it is simply impossible for the terns to resist the natural “chum” of the boats.

Trying to locate a small gull that somewhat looks like a tern among the flocks of terns was no easy task but we had to try our best. And tried we did. Unfortunately, we dipped out on the Little Gull and I guess our cosmic experience will have to wait another day. The brief appearance of a lone Brown Booby in flight over the far horizon did not do much to relieve us of our disappointment.

The easy pickings attracted a lot of patrons. It certainly beats the tedious task of hunting – just ask these White-winged Terns.

The White-winged Terns were also the most numerous of the terns today.

The Common Terns were slightly outnumbered but their true numbers have yet to arrive.

This particular Common Tern with the sexy red legs could be of the minussensis race.

The angelic Black-naped Terns, in their usual low numbers, are always a delight to observe and photograph.

Little Terns cut a pretty diagnostic silhouette in flight and are easily recognizable even from a distance. It is pretty hard to mistake a cigar-shaped tern for anything else – in Malaysian waters anyway.

The star performers for this trip were undoubtedly the Bridled Terns. Today’s high number provided ample opportunity for me to photograph this strictly pelagic species. At the end of the day, I was rather pleased with the results of my efforts.

The blue waters provided the perfect backdrop to capture these graceful seabirds...

As evening drew near, storm clouds started to form signaling the arrival of the daily thunderstorms and strong winds that have been hitting both Kedah and Penang for the past few weeks. This snapshot I took of what was brewing on the horizon was a rather intimidating sight and I was not the only one feeling this way as the crew decided to call it a day earlier than usual. Besides, today will be their last day at sea before they take a week off work to celebrate the Hari Raya Haji and challenging Mother Nature’s dominance and fury isn’t exactly on their agenda on the eve of a festive season.

16/10/2011: Penang Wader Count

2011-10-20T11:35:00.007+08:00

The MNS Penang Bird Group holds a wader count annually at the northern coastline of mainland Penang. I have to admit that I have missed out on a couple of counts due to other commitments but I try my best to do my part. The Teluk Ayer Tawar mudflats is considered an Important Bird Area (IBA) as it plays host to a few wintering rarities like the globally endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Nordmann’s Greenshank. But through the years, the habitat has changed and quite a vast area of mudflats is now overgrown with mangroves. The number of wintering waders now is also a pale shadow from its past glory days.

The tide line at Bagan Belat (part of the IBA) was quite acceptable when we arrive at the site. However, most of the waders were beyond the reach of my gear. There were an estimated 500 waders along the stretch and we soon got down to the tedious task of making positive identification of the individual species.

Some were pretty easy like these Common Redshanks…

Others are slightly more difficult from this Lesser Sand-plover…

And some are near impossible. A smaller looking stint foraging among the Red-necked Stints could very well be the rare and much overlooked Little Stint. However, back home Dave identified both stints as Red-necked Stints after scrutinizing the photograph.

There were no signs of the rarer Nordmann’s Greenshank from the flocks of Common Greenshanks present today.

This Collared Kingfisher was quite confiding and rested on this perch for quite a long period despite the presence of a group of birders intruding into its domain. Somewhere in between the counting, identifying and confusion, I took a breather and diverted my attention to it.

Yours truly, Kanda and James – three quarters of the underdog team that won the Selangor Bird Race back in 1994. Andrew Ponnampalam from KL completed the winning combination. Quite a few feathers were certainly ruffled when the outcome of the race was finally announced. It was certainly one of the main highlights of my birding life. We even got a Short-toed Eagle along the way!

15/10/2011: Mainland Penang

2011-10-18T08:39:00.009+08:00

Although the migratory season is now in full swing, there was not much around at the marshlands of Pulau Burung to stir much excitement in me. And that is most unfortunate because I could really do with a lifer. I did manage to record and photograph 5 different kingfishers at a single locality beginning with the commonest one – the White-throated Kingfisher.

The Collared Kingfishers here are usually quite confiding and approachable but, not today.

A rather pleasant surprise was this Stork-billed Kingfisher hunting from an eye-level vantage point. I was, however, a little disappointed with the perch which was man-made because in terms of photography, one should always try to capture the subject on a natural perch. Now come to think of it, if the kingfisher is a completely wild bird and it chose this perch on its own free will because of its strategic location shouldn't this perch be considered a natural perch?

The Black-capped Kingfisher was being its usual self – shy and uncompromising.

This type behaviour must be slightly contagious as it got the Common Kingfisher to follow suit.

But at least the Pied Fantails along “Fantail Lane” are a sure thing – for now.

I was really hoping for to spend more “quality time” with Lesser Adjutants at Batu Kawan but it was a no show for the storks. An immature Grey Heron did brighten up the day slightly.

A distanced raptor resting on a dead tree finally got my adrenalin pumping and upon further scrutiny, it turned out to be a light morph Changeable Hawk-eagle.

The Silver Leaf-monkey is confined to the mangroves and coastal areas. This is a much welcomed shot as I find this species to be more skittish than its inland counterpart, the Dusky Leaf-monkey.

The paddy fields along Permatang Nibong provided another mundane affair but at least the Asian Openbills were there to keep me occupied.

A Black-winged Kite circled quite low overhead but the overhead sun was a difficult element to work around. It is quite interesting that this plumage colouration is shared by 2 other species that do occur in such a habitat here in Malaysia – the White-bellied Sea-eagle and the light morph Booted Eagle.

6/10/2011: Kubang Semang (Penang)

2011-10-07T08:14:00.006+08:00

A congregation of munias attracted my attention as I made my around the paddy fields. Upon further scrutiny it turned out to be a mixed flock of White-rumped and Scaly-breasted Munias and they were gorging on plant matters that were submerged by this flooded patch. As the munias appeared to be quite confiding and the water provided a great natural backdrop for photography, I decided to stop my car and started shooting these little adorable birds.

The commoner of the two species, the Scaly-breasted Munia, accepted my presence in no time and came really close to my car. At such close quarters, they provided some of my best images to date.

The White-rumped Munias, on the other hand, were slightly more reserved but still managed to provide a memorable performance.

Everything was perfect when I photographed this lone Zitting Cisticola. Well, everything except the bleedin’ backlight…

A group of four immature Brahminy Kites were seen foraging along another flooded patch of the paddy fields. These youngsters circled around and around and made a couple of half-hearted attempts as they skimmed just above the water. Come to think, they could just be fine-tuning their hunting skills.

From the look of things, they certainly need all the practice they can get. Oops…

All the activity attracted the attention of an adult kite. It proceeded to come closer and investigated what the youngsters were up to. I guess all the fun the youngsters were having must have brought back fond memories of a time when it still an adolescent. It must have decided to relive those memories and joined them.

Kupang-Gerik, Perak (01/10/11)

2011-10-04T09:14:00.006+08:00

It has been more than a year since my last visit to this logging trail which is sadly the only way we have access to this pristine area of tropical rainforest. The day started off on a quite positive note when a Peregrine Falcon flew overhead. Every other bird that was up and about in the area immediately took cover from the mere sight of this deadly predator. Unfortunately, the falcon alighted on the canopy level of the tallest tree around and well beyond my gear’s comfort zone.

The locality was also filled the loud and distinctive calls of the Hill Mynas. After putting in some effort to locate the birds, I was slightly disappointed with the results. Although my subjects were rather close, the only way I could obtain a slightly clear image was to shoot between small gaps of the tree’s foliage. This species is a highly-prized cage bird because of its ability to mimic human speech and other sounds. And it is because of this talent that its population has been greatly reduced from many of its former strongholds.

A pair of foraging Scaly-crowned Babblers provided the main highlight for the trip. My preference for non-flash photography always made it quite a challenge for forest photography especially when it comes to babblers and their active nature. I had to rely heavily on continuous shooting and with a whole lot of luck, hopefully a few shots will turned out good. Anyway, this is the best shot out of the whole lot.

A pair of Red-bearded Bee-eater tantalizingly hawked for insects along the logging track and provided some colours and excitement to the trip. This pair of forest gems was the last birds we managed to photograph for the trip.

There was another encounter worth mentioning during the trip and it involved a snake. All three of us could have sworn that it was a cobra as the meter-long serpent raised its hood before slithering into the undergrowth. Choo Eng’s quick action resulted in a few record shots and a herpetologist researcher back home thinks it could be a juvenile King Cobra or an Indo-Chinese Rat Snake after reviewing the images. And I thought reptiles would be easier to identify...

10/09/2011: Mainland Penang

2011-09-12T18:45:00.017+08:00

A predawn tropical downpour altered my plans for some forest birding later in the morning and I visited the marshlands at Pulau Burung instead. Unfortunately, things were rather slow at this locality and I diverted my attention to the commoner species. The Pacific Swallow is certainly a regular here and today it provided quite a number of excellent shots like this one.

A pair of Little Grebes was more obliging than usual on this wet and gloomy morning. I noticed a particular piece of drift wood where the Grebes frequently return to rest. So, I positioned my car nearby and just observe and photograph these adorable water birds from a reasonably close distance.

Much to my delight, the pair carried on their routine despite my presence and I had a very rewarding photo session.

On my way out of the marshland, I made one last stop to photograph a Paddyfield Pipit that was resting next to the access road. Since the discovery of the Blyth’s Pipit, every pipit that I come across nowadays deserves a second look – just to be sure.

My next destination was the mudflats at Batu Kawan. A small number of migratory waders have made their way here and to enjoy their tropical vacation. These two Lesser Sand-plovers were squabbling over a small piece of exposed mud when there was more than enough mud banks to go around. Come on, guys!

A flock of large birds circling low above the nearby mangroves caught my immediate attention. Besides, there was not much about anyways. When the flock turned out to 14 Lesser Adjutants, this mundane trip suddenly became a lot more interesting. I must admit that I have a soft spot for waterbirds – especially the big ones. And the Lesser Adjutant is the tallest (second only to the Sarus Crane, once a winter visitor but sadly not anymore) in Malaysia which only means that this stork is right up there among my all-time favourites.

I really had to put my driving skills to the test because the storks were circling away from me and I desperately needed to reduce the distance between us in order to get into a better position for photography. To accomplish that I had to maneuver around potholes and trenches in the fastest time possible while keeping an eye on my quarry. Luckily, I managed to in the end and obtained some my best shots of this species to date.

Although it can be locally common at a few other localities, it is seldom encountered in my home state of Penang and this number is by far the highest count as well. Some may find this species rather unattractive but I, on the other hand, find it to be most impressive and majestic – especially in flight. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me there is no such thing as an ugly bird – even if it has a bald head.

Just before I called it a day, I made a detour into Juru to see if there was anything about and I bumped into an old friend and from previous encounters, happens to be one of the most confiding Crested Serpent-eagles ever.

Every bird photographer yearns to capture their subjects on a natural perch and the eagle must have read my mind and shifted to a nearby mangrove tree.

Ideally that natural perch should not obstruct any part of the subject. And like a model taking hints from a photographer, my subject moved to a more exposed perch. I guess asking it to move one last time to a clean background would be pushing it a little too far.

07/09/2011: Permatang Nibong (Penang)

2011-09-07T16:09:00.005+08:00

With the migratory season about to go into full swing, I was quite eager to check if there are any rarities among the early arrivals to the paddy fields here. However, only the commoner migrants were encountered today like this Common Sandpiper. The migrants are certainly starting to trickle in and I am looking forward to a fruitful season – hopefully.

This male Cinnamon Bittern is doing what he does best – trying to conceal himself from an immediate threat and this time, an approaching birder.

A flock of White-rumped Munias was helping themselves to the ripe paddy seeds when I managed to capture a few shots of this particular individual that came closest to my stationery car.

The highlight of this short excursion was a male Pink-necked Pigeons that was resting among the scrub vegetation. He was quite confiding and the low perch provided a good photographic opportunity.

He may be common but still, a very handsome fellow indeed.

20/08/2011: Sungai Dua (Penang)

2011-08-24T08:15:00.006+08:00

Initially, I wanted to pay a short visit to the swamp forest at Air Hitam Dalam but accessibility to the site has gotten much worse since the last time I was here. The boardwalks certainly look fragile and are very much overgrown. So, I decided to get back into my car and check out the adjacent scrublands and paddy fields instead.

The Black-thighed Falconet is the smallest raptor in the world - a title it shares with its Borneon counterpart, the White-fronted Falconet. Like its larger relatives, this minute falcon is an accomplished and deadly predator as well. I have been waiting for an opportunity to photograph this species from close quarters since the day I took up photography but it has always remained beyond my equipment’s "comfort zone". Despite having to shoot against a dull sky, I am still rather happy with the images I have managed to obtain as this is the closest distance so far.

A stretch of barbed wire fencing appeared to be a favourite haunt for a couple of Plaintive Cuckoos. Although it is quite a common species, it is more often heard than seen. In fact its old name was the Brain-fever Bird and that particular name is also used by a few Hawk-cuckoos as well. When I was young, I have the good fortune of being able to experience this cuckoo’s namesake which at that time, I found it to be both humorous and fascinating. There was a resident pair that made their home within my parents’ neighbourhood and their persistent calls during the breeding season can be heard throughout the day and even the dead of the night. Lucky for them, they usually stay out of sight because I am pretty sure there is a bounty on their heads for all their midnight choruses.

Suddenly, I picked out a Greater Coucal foraging nearby and decided to try my luck with it. Since I have touched on the subject of old names, Crow-pheasant is an apt name for the Coucal. It certainly looks like a Crow but it forages like a Pheasant. Hence, the name. Life was certainly much simpler in the olden days. Anyway despite its large size, it is also more often heard than seen - typical of the Cuckoo family. Although it was rather confiding this time, the dense vegetation and its constant movements hindered my efforts tremendously. At the end, there was only one single shot that I could be slightly proud of.

When the Coucal made its way deeper into the scrub vegetation, I found that one of the Plaintive Cuckoos was still on the wire. I re-positioned my car as close as possible to it and gave it my full attention this time. The vicinity was certainly good for hunting because I saw it taking at least 4 caterpillars from the ground during my watch.

It tolerated my presence throughout my observation. I really wish I could get a little bit closer but the terrain was a little steep for my car and I doubt it will still be as confiding if I made my approach on foot. So, I made the best of what is being offered and here are a few more images of this beautiful cuckoo.

The successful forays of the Cuckoo must have attracted this White-throated Kingfisher and it alighted on a nearby post – hoping to get in on some of the action.

This Cattle Egret is gradually moulting into its duller non-breeding plumage. Cheer up, buddy. They will grow back next year.

I just had to be sure that there is no hidden surprises among the flocks of domesticated ducks making their way into the paddy fields to forage. I know that it is just wishful thinking but if I were a wild duck and instead of chilling out on a lake in central Thailand for my winter vacation, I somehow ended here in a paddy field in Malaysia, I would follow the locals closely and try to blend in.

The Openbills are back in town (13/08/11)

2011-08-18T08:43:00.001+08:00

A quick visit to the paddy fields at Permatang Nibong produce the first sighting of Asian Openbills for the season. For the third consecutive season, these enigmatic storks have chosen my home state of Penang as their off-breeding vacation destination. This flock appears to be the same five individuals from the previous season and there is not much difference in terms of colouration and plumage. Anyway from the look of things, the status of Asian Openbills in Malaysia could well be on the way in becoming regular non-breeding visitors in small numbers. Welcome back, my friends.

30/07/11: Pulau Burung (Penang)

2011-08-04T09:04:00.004+08:00

I decided to make a short visit to this locality although it is still a little too early for the migratory waterbirds. As I was making my into the site, I was greeted by a lone Brahminy Kite having some breakfast on one of the overhead electrical cables.

And just a short distance away was a Stork-billed Kingfisher on the very same cable. I guess the hunting must be good along this stretch.

Long-tailed Macaques are a common sight here especially along the mangroves. This mother and child are enjoying the warms rays of the sun after a rather chilly and wet dawn.

In the absence of the migrants, I focused my attention on the residents like this young adult Purple Heron. It is rather uncommon to see this species right in the open and I took full advantage of the situation and took as many shots as possible. Most of the images did not turn out as good as I was hoping for due to the poor lighting conditions.

The number of Little Grebes within the vicinity has increased due to the influx of young birds from this year’s breeding season.

I did come across a few early arrivals to this locality including this juvenile Little Ringed Plover.

On one of the side roads leading to the coast, which I shall christen Fantail Lane, has at least 5 Pied Fantail feeding the flies and other insects along the road. The insects were attracted by the rubbish and they provided an endless supply of food for these flycatchers. Three of the fantails, immatures of slightly different ages, were rather confiding. My stationery car soon became just a part of environment to them.

One of them even came as close as the base of my car tires…

A small flock of Baya Weavers caught my attention as they foraged along the tall grass. The males are showing signs of moult signaling the end of this year’s breeding season.

24-25/07/2011: Fraser's Hill (Pahang)

2011-07-27T08:59:00.012+08:00

After weeks of unbelievable datelines and insane working schedules, I finally had some time for myself and tended to the things that matter most in my life – my wife and birding. We decided to go for an overnight trip just to get away from it all and relax. Fraser’s Hill was the ideal choice as I’m sure my wife will adore the atmosphere and sights. And, it also happens to be one of the best sites for montane birds – enough said.

The first highlight of the trip was a rather unexpected surprise that we came across just as we drove past the guardhouse at the top of the old Gap Road. It was a young Siamang. It was not only accepting food from a couple of visitors but it was extremely tame as well. Naturally, I took a few shots and at that distance, I don’t even need my telephotos lens. My past encounters with wild gibbons have taught me that these graceful animals are rather shy and wary of human presence. Anyway, after a while it started to move higher up into the canopy and behaved slightly more like a wild gibbon rather than like a pet. I can only guess that it had probably learnt the easy way to survive.

As this was not a pure birding trip, we did a fair share of sight-seeing and one of the places that we did visit was the High Pines Bungalow. My wife took an immediate liking to the picturesque setting and we took our time to soak in the ambience and environment. The fact that it is one of the very few spots in Malaysia where one can actually hope to see the rather elusive and scarce Brown Bullfinch had absolutely nothing to do with my decision to bring her here…

Jeriau Falls was the one of the other spots that we visited. There, the resident Slaty-backed Forktail did make a brief appearance before disappearing back into the forest.

A pair of foraging Orange-bellied Leafbirds did not stay long enough for me to obtain any reasonably good shots.

Come on, guys. Give me a break, will ya?

The Jelai Highland Resort was our choice accommodation for the night. Early mornings will usually bring in quite a number of birds to the compound as they feast on insects attracted by the night lights and as well as the “bird food” that the management put out. I had quite a rewarding session during the first few hours of daybreak the next morning. One of the most conspicuous species around is undoubtedly the Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush.

It also happens to be one of the boldest as it will literally hop right up to where you are standing looking for food.

Despite the presence of several individuals, these birds rarely do squabble for food.

The Silver-eared Mesia is the icon of Fraser’s Hill and I have to yet to break the spell this species have on me ever since my first encounter with it many years back. The striking colour combination makes it one of the most vivid and recognizable species in Malaysia.

Unfortunately, their active nature and the lighting conditions did not make photography easy and clear good shots are rather hard to obtain.

At this locality, the birds are quite accustomed to human presence and certainly do come very close at times…

What I would give to able to see this first thing every morning when I open my curtains…

The Long-tailed Sibia is another regular patron to this compound.

In fact, this species seems to be around throughout the day.

The ornamental plants at the compound provided extra colours to the images.

And from a tender age, the young ones learn from the adults the art of foraging on human hand outs.

A confiding male Verditer Flycatcher performed brilliantly for this visiting birder from the north. This rather common species is often under-appreciated and that is quite a shame because the blue plumage is simply stunning.

These are certainly my best shots of this species ever.

Did I mention that the birds come really close here?

The arrival of a male Javan Cuckoo-shrike received my undivided attention. He did not come here for the hand outs but for the insects.

Gradually, he got used to my presence and became rather confiding – much to my delight.

Surprisingly, there was only a single Oriental Magpie-robin present in the compound and it was a juvenile. The abundant of food and insect will certainly make this fellow grow into a strong and healthy adult.

Even large moths like this one are not spared and it did not take long for the birds to pick the compound clean of insects.

However, this giant Cicada was a little too intimating for the birds here and was left alone.

A young Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo did make a brief appearance. The racket tail that these birds are so well known for has only started to form.

I never managed to gain the trust of this Fire-tufted Barbet and it kept its distance…

25/06/11: Sungai Sedim (Kedah)

2011-06-29T09:43:00.003+08:00

I missed out on a couple of my usual Saturday birding excursions due to the unbelievable amount of work at the office. Anyway, I managed to have this Saturday for myself and I tried my luck on some forest birding. As it is still the breeding season for most of our resident birds, the forest at this location was alive with the sounds of bird calls. One in particular captured my undivided attention because it belonged to the Red-naped Trogon. This species also happened to be my first record for this locality and that means this recreational forest is home to all four species of our lowland Trogons. Anyway, when I finally traced the call back to the bird, I was rather disappointed as it was partially hidden from view.

When this handsome male did move to a slightly more expose perch, much to my dismay, the lighting condition was not on my side. Despite it all, he was still a cracking bird to observe and enjoy.

This morning’s excursion had plenty of Babbler action – at least 7 different species altogether. However, all of them provided only glimpses and I was not given any real opportunities to capture their images. All that I could manage were blurry shots like this of a Short-tailed Babbler hopping across an exposed log.

As I was about to call it a day, I came face to face with a pair of foraging Chestnut –naped Forktails. Apart from the fact that it is the only forktail that you can tell the genders apart, I always feel that the male should have the female’s colouration as his area of chestnut coloration is substantially smaller than hers.

I find this species to be extremely shy of human presence and obtaining good images is near impossible. But then seeing this time that they were forging as a pair, I though they could find courage in numbers and be a little more tolerant to my approach. I guess I was wrong…

Dusky Eagle-owl

2011-06-11T11:53:00.003+08:00

The forest at Bukit Wang in Kedah has provided quite a few outstanding records since my first visit a few years back. Located just within a couple of hours drive away, it is no surprise that this locality instantly became a hotspot for me and most birders from Penang as well. The latest heart-stopping find was a real treat - the Dusky Eagle-owl. Being one of the largest and rarest owls in Malaysia, it was indeed a very significant record.

When the owl revealed to Choo Eng and me that it was also nesting in the vicinity, the discovery elevated to a whole new level. The plot thickened when this breeding pair of Dusky Eagle-owls was seen using the nest site of the Wallace’s Haw-eagles from the previous season. Two rare species using the same nest consecutively. Now, that’s what I call one hot piece of real estate property! It cannot be confirmed if the owls took over an empty nest or they drove away the eagles and any intentions they had to re-use their old nest.

The owls appeared to be quite tolerant if we observe and photograph from an accepted distance. Anyway, it is a known fact that owls will defend their nests quite ferociously and the Dusky Eagle-owl does cut an imposing figure. And those talons look like they could really do considerable damage. I have to admit it that this owl certainly earned my admiration and respect.

In the following months, a few of us birders kept a close tab on the owls and their 2 cuddly chicks. Unfortunately, one of the chicks did not survive and the parent birds doubled their efforts to make sure that the last surviving chick does not perish as well.

The chick did manage to fledge successfully in the end, thus providing a slight but much-needed increase to the population of this majestic nocturnal hunter.

My Garden Birdwatch 2011

2011-06-06T08:57:00.004+08:00

This is the second consecutive year for this easy but meaningful bird survey by MNS. I missed out on last year’s survey but I can’t really remember why. So, I made it a point to do it this year. I always do try to do what I can to help the plight of MNS to conserve the delicate balance of nature. It also helps protect the birds and it is always about the birds for me. To find out more about this survey, please visit the website here.

The compound of my apartment block houses quite a variety of bird species despite being located at the fringe of the ever-blooming capital of Penang state – Georgetown City. However, I usually don’t go birding around heavily populated areas as it tends to draw quite a lot of attention. I’m really not an anti-social person. Well, at least when I’m not birding.

So, I decided to conduct the survey from the “safety” of my balcony just after daybreak. Adhering to the criteria of the survey which excludes birds heard or flying over, I recorded 9 different species of birds during the 30-minute survey. Some of the usual suspects were missing from the list but that is what birding is all about. You can never be sure what to expect. Anyway, I did manage to capture a few images in between and this lone Spotted Dove was one of them.

Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers are undoubtedly one of the prettiest residents around and this pair was kind enough to stay put long enough for me to photograph them. As with most birds the male overshadowed his mate tremendously in terms of colouration.

Even from my balcony, my birding antics did draw some attention. But instead of from my fellow human being, it was from this feral pigeon. I’m sorry, buddy. No matter how loud you coo I cannot include you in my count.

21/05/2011: Bukit Wang (Kedah)

2011-05-23T10:49:00.011+08:00

Upon our arrival at this locality, the trio of us – James, Choo Eng and yours truly, were greeted by a tropical downpour. The forests here are not called tropical rainforest for no apparent reason and getting wet is all part of birding in the tropics. One thing that one can always look forward to after is the fact that most birds will be out foraging or simply drying themselves out. In our case, we had stunning views of the resident pair of Wallace’s Hawk-eagles greeting the first few rays of the morning sun on a slightly exposed perch.

Our presence, at such a distance, provided the perfect opportunity for a prolonged observation of the pair preening and preparing themselves for the day ahead. There is a recognizable difference between the two as one of them has a more rufous colour on the sides of the head. As the size difference was quite insignificant, I can only guess that it is the male bird.

When things got a little “hot”, the pair decided to give each other some breathing space and moved apart.

We found these beautiful eagles nesting during our maiden trip to this locality back in December 2009. Here are a few images taken during that time of the nest and one of the eagles. Being rather scarce, the discovery of the nest was quite an exciting find and had a fairytale ending when a couple of months later, the pair successfully raised another of its kind into the world.

The Wreathed Hornbill gave me another teasing performance when it flew overhead. My window of opportunities, literally, is when this magnificent bird passes gaps along the forest canopy. In between the cursing and swearing, I did manage to capture a few shots.

These short bushes with these reddish berries (I really need to brush up on my knowledge of plants) are quite fancied by birds - especially Flowerpeckers. The Orange-bellied Flowerpecker is by no means uncommon but all my past attempts to capture a decent image ended in vain. But today, this handsome male decided to give me a break by staying put long enough on a slightly exposed perch while enjoying his breakfast.

Of all the “laws”, official or otherwise, Murphy’s Law is the one I can really relate to ever since I took up bird photography. When in the presence of a striking male and a drab female, like in this case a pair of Crimson-breasted Flowerpeckers, more often than not the striking one will be camera-shy and the drab one is not.

A family of Checker-throated Woodpeckers foraging along the mid level of the forest immediately captured my undivided attention. Unfortunately, the dim lighting and active nature of the birds prevented me from obtaining any really good shots despite the close distance.

While observing the Woodpeckers, I was distracted momentarily by the presence of another forest dweller. You know it had to be something equally, if not more captivating to have stolen the limelight from the former and it certainly was - a cracking male Dark-throated Oriole. Initially, he was quite hidden by the dense foliage.

However, this encounter turned out to be one of the few occasions where my subject actually heard my pleas and obliges by shifting to a more exposed perch. It would have made my day if not for that bleeding twig that was in the way. Well there you go, Murphy’s Law at work again…

10/05/2011: Sea off Tanjung Dawai (Kedah) - Part Two

2011-05-18T08:22:00.009+08:00

We all know that the sea is the last frontier to be fully explored by man and with many treasures and mysteries yet to be uncovered. So, it was no surprise when the sea off this locality provided me with 5 lifers from a single visit and that to me is as good as discovering any hidden treasure. Seabird watching took off here only about a few years back and since then, we have been encountering more pelagic species than ever before. This was my fourth pelagic trip and it turned out to be one of the highlights of my birding life. And what better way to start off a most memorable trip than with a lifer that I have always wanted to see a in the wild ever since I came to know that of its existence – the Brown Booby. Sadly, the population of this beautiful resident seabird is greatly reduced due to poaching of its young and eggs. I guess that is the price you have to pay for sharing the planet with man.

My next lifer was a Sooty Tern and despite our efforts to search for an adult bird, this young bird was the only one present in the vicinity.

The shape and jizz of the Sooty Tern makes it quite recognizable even in the presence of the smaller, similar looking Bridled Terns.

The Pomarine Jaeger, the biggest of the 3 species that occur in our waters, was the third species to make it into my life list. The presence of the spoon-shaped tail streamers eased our task of concluding the identification of this striking adult bird.

It provided a glimpse of the pirate-like behaviour that all Jaegers are infamous for by virtually landing on top of a few resting Short-tailed Shearwaters at a far distance. It then proceeded to chase them over the water surface with some swimming, some flapping and a whole lot of intimidation. Being beautiful and aggressive, this predatory seabird instantly earned a special place in my heart.

When a slightly smaller Jaeger alighted near the earlier Pomarine, I knew I was looking at my second Jaeger species and my fourth lifer but the question was, which species was it? Jaegers are certainly not one of the easiest of seabirds to tell apart at times and as soon it landed on the water, we realized that resting Jaegers are even more confusing.

Luckily, we did manage to capture a few flight shots and by reviewing the images later, we saw what we needed to see to solve the dilemma. It was a Parasitic Jaeger.

We made history by being the first to see all the 3 species of Jaegers in Malaysia on the same day when a Long-tailed Jaeger flew into view. However, I had to wait for my man Dave’s confirmation of its identity the following day before I could put down my fifth lifer for the trip and it was certainly a wait worth waiting for. The Jaeger turned out to be most probably a first-winter bird and I did not even get a shot of it. Choo Eng again had my back and it was his shots that provided us a second chance to identify the Jaeger. Unfortunately, none of the Jaegers came close enough for us to obtain any really good images. The birder in me was of course more than satisfied but the photographer in me was left yearning for more. Well, until the next time…

PS. I had to re-post this entry because it was simply not showing up in my other blogger friends' blog roll. My apologies to Terrence and Dave for indirectly removing your comments. Thanks for your opinions and compliments.

10/05/2011: Sea off Tanjung Dawai (Kedah) - Part One

2011-05-12T14:01:00.005+08:00

With some fantastic records coming in recently from this locality, it was only a matter of time before I finally managed to arrange a day off from work and together with Choo Eng, headed into the deep blue yonder for our maritime adventure. However, the rough sea conditions and drizzle threatened to cut short our much-anticipated excursion. Suddenly out of nowhere, hope came blazing through the gloom in the form of a Short-tailed Shearwater.

Coincidentally or divine intervention, the arrival of the Shearwater marked a significant change in the weather. As the conditions improved, more and more Short-tailed Shearwaters started to glide into view and follow the fishing vessels.

Pretty soon our vessel was surrounded by Short-tailed Shearwaters – all 13 of them. Back in the days if anyone was to report a double-digit figure of any Shearwater on Malaysian waters, I would be very skeptical. I might not even take the report seriously. But now, here I am, observing this occurrence in the flesh. This is a sight that is certainly very foreign to me and will take some getting used to.

The Shearwaters hunt by floating on the water surface and dipping their head under the surface to catch unwary fishes.

Their movement can get quite vigorously when excitement builds up and prey is aplenty.

Sometimes, they do dive completely underwater and can remain under for almost half a minute.

It is unbelievable just how tame these pelagic birds are and they will come extremely close to the fishing nets and the vessels. In the past, the fishermen could literally swim up to them and capture them for the cooking pot. Dave and Choo Eng have been educating the fishermen about conservation and this practice is now a thing of the past. Anyway, the confiding nature of the Shearwaters provided some great close-up images.

This is probably the closest I will ever get to seeing Penguins in our waters…

Most of the migratory Terns would have made their way back north by now and the sight of thousands of Common Terns following the fishing vessels was sorely missed. Only about a hundred of them were recorded during this trip.

There were a couple of the migratory White-winged Terns in the vicinity as well and they were sporting their striking breeding plumages. Unfortunately, good photographic opportunities were far and few.

With far less “distractions” flying about, I had plenty of time and opportunity to observe and photograph one of our resident terns – the Bridled Tern.

Sometimes, the Terns will rest on the fishing net’s buoys and this image shows an adult in the background with an immature in the foreground.

I’m saving the best of the trip for my next post because it certainly deserves a post of its own!

22/04/2011: Penanti (Penang)

2011-04-26T08:00:00.005+08:00

I decided to visit the Oriental Pratincole breeding colony and from the looks of things, I’m pretty sure it will be another successful season. Most of the birds already are or soon will be proud parents to the next generation of these graceful waders.

As it is the breeding season, all the birds in the vicinity are in full breeding plumage. Looking absolutely poised and elegant, they were a delight to photograph.

I managed to locate a few chicks moving around in the colony – under the watchful eye of the parent birds.

Their plumages are well camouflaged with the surrounding environment and that is their main defense against predators.

Although they are quite young in age, these chicks are very alert and observant of what is going on around them. Anything out of the ordinary will go not unnoticed because it is a matter of life or death. Friend or foe?! Friend, most definitely…

The Pratincoles share this breeding ground with the Red-wattled Lapwings. The latter possess a more conventional wader appearance whereas their neighbours look more like oversized Swallows. Another major difference is the fact that the Lapwings do not have to moult into a different plumage during breeding plumage. They look this beautiful the whole year round.

The piercing cries of a Crested Serpent-eagle put the entire colony into a standstill. The chicks of both species remain totally motionless and try their very best not to appear anything even remotely resembling lunch to the raptor. Anyway, it flew past without any incidents. And life goes on…

15/04/2011: Permatang Nibong (Penang)

2011-04-19T08:08:00.010+08:00

A short birding excursion to this locality yielded quite rewarding results of Pond-herons and to start things off was this splendid Javan Pond-heron foraging alone at a distanced patch of paddy fields. I guess my fascination with Pond-herons has a lot to do with the fact that you simply cannot tell the 3 species apart when they are in non-breeding plumage. Come April all the suspense built up over the entire season will finally reach its climax as the Pond-herons will start to reveal their true identities. And another thing, 2 out of the 3 species are reasonably scarce outside of Penang.

There was one particular patch of the paddy fields that had a number of Pond-herons foraging together with some egrets. I paid extra attention to those still in winter plumage just in case I miss out on any Indian Pond-herons in partial breeding plumage. I was utterly delighted when one of the paler Pond-herons turned out to be an Indian Pond-heron almost in full breeding plumage.

Its presence was a good enough reason for me to settle down at this location and using my car as a hide, hope for better photography opportunities to arise. Once it got used to my stationery vehicle, it started to foraged closer and I, started to fill my memory card with reasonably good images. And that is something I have been waiting for quite some time now.

The rather subdued plumage blended in well with the surrounding environment. This and the colour similarities to Pond-herons in winter plumage are probably some of the factors why this species, the rarest of them all, can be overlooked.

The Chinese Pond-herons were in their usual high numbers. Sorry buddy, this photo session belongs to your rarer compatriot…

An Intermediate Egret in breeding plumage foraging in the same vicinity was an added bonus. However, the plumage was still in its early stages and the breeding plumes are yet in their full glory.

There were quite a number of Yellow Wagtails in the vicinity as well and all of them were sporting their smart breeding plumages. Their extremely active nature made it quite a challenge to obtain clear and unobstructed images.

Looking over the shoulders of the foraging birds was this Black Drongo. Occasionally, it would swoop down and snatched insects that the birds below had flushed out. But this did not go well with the Wagtails because Drongos have been known to take small birds as prey. Whenever it swooped down near the Wagtails, they will utter their alarm calls and make a quick dash away. Better safe than sorry...

I continued on with the rest of the locality and found myself face to face with a second Javan Pond-heron. It was paler than the earlier individual and slight colour variations are not uncommon among the Pond-herons. Individuals in various stages of transition moult can appear quite different from each other as well and this just makes accurate identification of Pond-herons in partial breeding plumage anything but straight forward.

To top it all off, I spotted a second Indian Pond-heron as well. The discovery of this second bird was a huge satisfaction for me and compensation for all the earlier dips.

I knew I was in for treat when it found what appeared to be a carcass of a snake.

Although the snake carcass was quite a mouthful, the Pond-heron made quite short work of it…

A little water to help it go down…

And off it goes to find a relaxing spot (away from a peering birder) and digest a hearty breakfast in leisure.

02/04/2011: Kampung Benggali (Penang)

2011-04-13T12:59:00.009+08:00

The Kampung Benggali paddy fields in the northern end of my home state is quite close to where the first Indian Pond-heron was discovered in Malaysia about 12 years ago. I have had several encounters with both the Indian as well as the Javan Pond-heron here in the past and I am hoping for history to repeat itself. A healthy number of mixed egret species foraging together momentarily side-tracked me from my main quest. I even managed to capture all the 4 species in a single frame – Cattle, Little, Intermediate and Great Egrets.

There were quite a few Cattle Egrets in their stunning breeding plumages and it is always a delight capturing their images during this time of the year.

This immature Barn Swallow must be gearing itself for the approaching breeding season and the long journey back north. From the looks of it, pretty soon it will reach adulthood.

This Brown Shrike is looking a little smug in his summer plumage...

An inquisitive White-throated Kingfisher decided to fly in and have a closer look at what I was having for lunch – or maybe it was just a coincidence. Anyhow, it was another frame-filling shot of this common species.

The paddy fields here are quite vast and there is certainly a whole lot of area to cover. I tried my best but unfortunately, I could only locate the Chinese Pond-herons this time. With the breeding season drawing ever near, they were a little more confiding than usual and provided much more photographic opportunities as well.

The number of good images I managed to obtain today of this species helped me get over for the disappointment of not being able to locate a single Javan or Indian Pond-heron in the vicinity.

It can get pretty warm out here in the paddy fields…

Even those Pond-herons with only partial breeding plumages were undeniably turning into Chinese Pond-herons.

Just like us, patience is the key to successful fishing…

I bet there’s bound to be a couple of Indian and Javan Pond-herons among these Pond-herons that are still in winter plumage.

The bright and sunny sky looks pretty inviting to a soaring raptor and true enough, a majestic White-bellied Sea-eagle soared into view just overhead. Although it is still a young bird, its presence was nevertheless impressive.

This pair of Brahminy Kites was being quite affectionate to each other although they were in mid-flight. Judging from their sizes, it seems like the female is following the male around.

A juvenile Peregrine Falcon soaring at a far distance was the final raptor for the day and I rarely turn down an opportunity to observe this deadly bird of prey.