It was a chilly dawn at the car park area of Sungai Sedim. The rainy
season has finally arrived to this side of the Peninsular Malaysia and the
pre-dawn storm has left its mark on the surroundings. I was a little sluggish
than usual and the resident pair of Rhinoceros Hornbills managed to slip past
me and flew across the open space of the car park without me even mustering one
shot of these majestic birds. Despite the presence of the fruiting tree, the
hornbills are very reluctant to feast on the fruits like previous seasons –
much to the dismay of the local birders. With nothing else present to keep me at
the car park, I made my way to one of the forest trails in search of more
feathered denizens. Seeing that the lighting condition was still very bad, a
Rufous-crowned Babbler tauntingly perched right out in the open while belting
out its territorial song. I guess my quest for my first recognizable image of
this tree babbler continues.
Dozens of species came and went but I my camera remained hung over
my shoulder throughout that time. Grey-headed, Short-tailed and Grey-throated
Babblers teased from among the dimly lighted area of the undergrowth while Bar-winged
Flycatcher-shrikes, Great Ioras and Fiery Minivets danced in the sunlight from
the top most parts of the forest canopy. A written description is all that I
can offer as photographic opportunities were far and few. A male Green
Broadbill finally broke the duck but not before making me sing for my supper. I
had to scan through a sea of green to locate a bird that is almost completely
green. His persistent calls was my guiding light and eventually, I found him
perched in the foliage not to far from the edge of the forest.
A Red-eyed Bulbul abandoned the safety of the forest canopy in order
to enjoy a hearty meal on the ground. The temptation of food can get the best
of us at times and this bulbul was quite adamant to finish the feast in this
precarious position despite my intrusion. Fortunately for me, there was just
enough light for my gear to capture the moment as well.
Silence crept into the forest in the late morning and the trek back
to the car park was much harder than the trek in this morning. But the sudden
absence bird activities left me no choice but to seek greener pastures
elsewhere. And that elsewhere this time was the swamp forest of Air Hitam
Dalam. The weather, as expected, was not promisingly upon my arrival. The
ambassadors of this birding hotspot did not greet me like they usually do. I
did find one of them, a male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, all fluffed up in the
under storey preparing for the testing weather to come.
Along the elevated boardwalk, the constant drumming of a woodpecker
diverted my attention to the forest canopy. The male Common Flameback is a
striking bird. It did not take me long to locate him perched near the top of a
dead tree trunk. The red crest and the contrasting body colours stood out like
a beacon in the dark. And the sky has certainly darkened by then. The distant thunder
was all that was needed for me to make a haste return to my vehicle. I have no
intentions of getting drenched again – I had quite my share of that during work
these few days. Rain is an integral part of life and a welcome relief from the
sizzling heat of the tropics. But it can also kill off any birding trip thus
making it a nemesis to birding in this part of the world. Hopefully for my next
excursion, I will myself basking in better weather condition while I pursue my
passion.
