A tree full of barbets

Bukit Larut or Maxwell Hill is one of wildest hill resorts in Malaysia. Development has been kept to the minimum so far and naturally, the ecosystem is rich quite with fascinating flora and fauna aplenty. A fruiting tree at the foot of hill has been attracting a throng of feathered denizens and these in turn attracted birders and photographers from far and near. Photographing in a crowded spot is not exactly my cup of tea. Again, I would like to clarify that I am not anti-social. In a gathering like this, you will often meet up with old friends and make new ones at the same time. However, you will also come across individuals that will somehow test your patience. This time, the patience-testing incident was not severe enough for me to lose my cool and no feathers were truly ruffled at the end of it all.

The tree was short and photography should have a breeze if not for the density of the foliage. Barbets are attractive birds that usually frequent the canopy levels and a fruiting tree like is your best chance to observe and shoot them up close. The Gold-whiskered Barbet is a bulky bird and that made it difficult to obtain any unobstructed views.

The Red-throated Barbet is another behemoth representative of this family of birds. It is not as common as the former and it is the only barbet here that has sexual dimorphism. In my opinion, the males are truly striking and will have my affection every time our paths crossed. The foliage again proved to be a hindrance. In fact, it was my nemesis for the rest of the excursion here.

At one time he did briefly alight on an exposed perch but he decided to show off his namesake instead of providing a more flattering pose. And I, had to be grateful at what that has been given.

A juvenile male that lacks a complete red throat tried his best to gain some attention by being slightly more obliging.

The female, sporting the dullest plumage of all, could be bothered at all and gorging was the only thing on her mind.

On the other end of the scale is the adorable and diminutive Blue-eared Barbet. The little guy performed much better. Not only because there is less area of body to be obstructed but because it was much bolder than its bigger cousins. Since I do not have many photographs of the Blue-eared Barbet, its presence at the feast was very much appreciated.

A juvenile with almost wholly green plumage may not be as appealing as the adult but it was just as cute.

The fourth species of barbet drawn in by the tantalizing fruits were the Yellow-crowned Barbets. The adult may not be as vividly coloured as some of the other species present but I do find the subtlety intriguing. Or maybe it is one of the least encountered barbet species among the lot for me.

One of the Yellow-crowned Barbets was lacking in colours and I assume it was a young bird. The sheer number, species and plumage variations of barbets present at the fruiting tree was overwhelming. One of the reasons I made the journey here was to witness this spectacle. And I was certainly not disappointed.

A number of bulbuls joined in the feast as well. The Buff-vented Bulbul is a regular at fruiting trees in my usual birding haunts up north and here, it is no different either.

Visual aesthetics are lacking from some bulbul species and the Red-eyed Bulbul found it hard to stand out even from the bright colours of the fruits.

The Grey-bellied Bulbul share no such fate and its vivid colouration makes it a favourite among birders and photographers alike. Today, the individuals that visited the tree were certainly in the mood to be photographed.

For one bulbul species, beauty and sensuality comes very naturally indeed. It is the Scaly-breasted Bulbul and its brief visits to the tree today was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trip.

Sometimes there is a chance of missing out certain species at fruiting tree when things are in full swing. That does not happen to the Scaly-breasted Bulbul. Whenever a fruiting tree is privileged enough to have this bulbul visiting, every single one present will be transfixed on this remarkable bird. Even if that remote chance, God have mercy, one overlooks a Scaly-breasted Bulbul the reaction of everyone around would have made sure that the bulbul eventually receives its due attention from the culprit.

The posterior view of the Scaly-breasted Bulbul may not evoke equal amount of admiration but it is still a head-turner.

A few flowerpeckers were also present but somehow never made their way into my photographic collection today. It comes as no surprise because compared to the barbets, they were almost invisible. It could have been an even better excursion if the male Asian Fairy-bluebird was not so wary of our presence. That leaves only a lone female Greater Green Leafbird as the only bird that is neither a barbet nor a bulbul to have its photo taken reasonably well here at this fruiting tree.

A domestic cockerel had enough and wanted some time in the limelight. Aloft his tree stump of a stage, he strutted out his act and obtained his moment of glory. He was a true professional. Everyone’s eyes were on him and I took a few shots as acknowledgment to his stellar performance.

Birds are not the only animals attracted by the fruits. A few Plaintain Squirrels also could not resist the tempting offering and feasted on the fruits with much vigour. Monkeys are known to raid the tree as well according to the locals but luckily, the only primates present today were humans.

The area surrounding the fruiting tree offered little shade and my companion for this trip, James and I decided to try our luck elsewhere as the noon hour approaches. The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is a locality that I have not visited for many moons. Much to my surprise, I was smitten by the beauty of the place. It somewhat reminded me of the famed Arashiyama Bamboo Grove of Japan. I could not recall it having the same effect on me during my younger years. Perhaps with age I am starting to see things in a different light.

The density of woodpeckers here was overwhelming with four species recorded within a short period of time. The Laced Woodpecker, Common Flameback and Greater Flameback did not offer much photographic opportunities. However, the smallest of them all, the Sunda Woopecker rose to occasion. Adorable and confiding, a lone bird lingered about at close proximity for a prolonged period and provided some excellent photographs for us before we wrapped things up for this fruitful day.