14/11/2009: Bukit Gambir (Penang)

I decided to swing by this local patch for a couple of hours of birding before heading to the office. It has been quite a while since my last visit.

Just after dawn, I saw a lone raptor circling overhead and the body shape suggests it was not one of the commoner species of this locality. After further scrutiny, it turned out to be the migratory Oriental Honey-buzzard.

As I was walking along the access road, I came across a rather confiding female Emerald Dove. This species is usually wary of human approach and in most cases you will only get to see it diving into the vegetation.

The distinctive call of the Drongo Cuckoo caught my attention and I decided to try and locate the source. I was successful in locating the bird but it was calling from a perch that was pretty much out of the reach of my camera.

This Dark-sided Flycatcher decided to hawk for breakfast in a recently cleared area of the forest. However, the poor lighting conditions at that time prevented me from obtaining clearer images.

The White-crested Laughingthrush is an escapee that has successfully established themselves in the wild here. Small populations have been seen throughout the central hilly region of Penang Island. A flock of 12 birds were foraging quite noisily along the mid-level of the forest but due to their active nature, my photography skills were really put to the test.

I was rather disappointed when the flock gradually moved deeper into the forest, leaving me without a single clear image. Then, one of them turned back and alighted on a partially unobstructed perch long enough for me to capture a few shots. Thanks, buddy...

I was about to get into my car when a flock of Baya Weavers alighted among the long grass in front of me. The images turned out better than I had expected thanks to the good lighting conditions and the fresh green colour of the grassland.