Where is the damn duck?

The weather here in northern Peninsular Malaysia has been unforgiving of late. With the Chinese New Year just around the corner, this hot spell is pretty much expected. I take comfort in the fact that for a birder like me, it is rain that I dread for the heat never really bother me anyway. My first destination for this 2-day birding adventure with an American guest started off at the foothill of Bukit Larut. However here at Rain Town, the sun rises later than usual even when a scorching day is in expectation.

There is no better way to start off a tour than with a pitta. The sun had barely pierced through the lush vegetation of the rain forest when a migratory Hooded Pitta hopped into view. Typical of pittas, it was an absolute stunner. Vibrantly coloured and full of character, the Hooded Pitta set the pace for our visit here and my guest was in for one hell of a ride.

The male Chestnut-naped Forktail floated into the trip with such poise, it was impossible to ignore his presence. Another terrestrial bird but with a preference for a semi-aquatic lifestyle, this striking forest gem is usually shy. And for the time being, this stakeout is the best spot in the country to appreciate the true splendour of the Chestnut-naped Forktail.

When the king finally arrived, all eyes were on him. There is no denying that the Rufous-collared Kingfisher is a spectacular species of the lowland forest. Forest kingfishers are in a class of its own and those species that occur in more open habitats just simply lack the X factor.

This is not Bob’s first visit to Malaysia and I have hosted him before. Inevitably, lifers do not come that easily to him now and the Rufous-collared Kingfisher appeared to be the most exhilarating one for him here. I do not blame him for when the sun illuminated both locality and bird, we were momentarily transported to a secret birding wonderland and enjoying every second of it.

I cannot help but to feel sorry for the Green-backed Flycatcher. Size does matter at this birding hotspot and the little guy only made brief appearances to avoid confrontations with the bigger birds.

Today, the Orange-headed Thrush appeared somewhat restless. And it was aggressive towards one of the birds present. High speed chases was a regular feature and gradually, I realized the reason for the exceptional aggression.

It was another male Orange-headed Thrush and clearly, the two were not good bedfellows. There is a difference in the facial plumage of the birds. Clear enough for an amateur like me to tell them apart. The thrush is another striking species at this spot and both guest and guide were well contented.

We took a leisurely walk later around the foothill and managed to obtain a few more species. A pair of Scarlet Minivets frolicking about the highest canopy levels had our undivided attention. The male, with his contrasting black and red colouration, was mesmerizing especially when the sunlight catches him in mid-flight. Unfortunately, he did not wander close enough for anything more than record shots.

A deserted Indian Shrine now houses wildlife and a pair of Zebra Doves have certainly made themselves right at home...

I had mixed feelings when I saw a troop of Pig-tailed Macaques gorging on what appears to be handouts. Somehow when the alpha male was stuffing his face with human food, he loses his usual imposing stature in my eyes. At the end of the day, it is all about survival and I should not pass judgement on him.

I am not sure if these young ones were waiting for their turn at the ‘table’ or they have had their fill…

Migratory ducks are scarce here in Peninsular Malaysia but recently 3 species were seen together at the marshlands surrounding the Pulau Burung Landfill. And that is almost an unbelievable occurrence. We swung by the locality on the way back north but to my dismay, only the pair of Garganeys were present and they were resting miles away (or seemed that way to me). I did one last desperate sweep at the flocks of Lesser Whistling Ducks just make sure I did not overlook the Tufted Duck or, God forgive me, the Eurasian Wigeon which would have been a Malaysian lifer for me.

The common resident Lesser Whistling Ducks provided ample photographic opportunities. And I would not expect anything less. Birding will always go according to plan – said no birder ever.

At the paddy fields of Permatang Pauh, our luck did not improve much. With the phenomenal influx of Asian Openbills to the country this season, inevitably it was the only species worth photographing here today.

The last destination of the day was the Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest. Once again, the Asian Openbill prevailed and provided some photographic opportunities.

Along coastal areas like these, the Collared Kingfisher is the predominant species. A confiding individual gave a good reason for us to halt our search for birds. Often taken for granted due to its common status, the Collared Kingfisher is nevertheless loud and beautiful.

Odd enough, there was a brief shower as we entered the borders of the park but it did not last long enough to have any impact on the surroundings. So, this drenched Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo found relief from the heat via another source.

Normally after a day of birding, I look forward to the comforts of home. Today, something held me back from this simple pleasure in life. As soon as I stepped out of my parked vehicle, a pair of White-bellied Sea-eagles greeted my arrival home by circling in the sky above. Upon further scrutiny, one of the eagles was an immature bird. The plot thickened when I noticed that the other bird, an adult, had a fish in its grasp.

I do not consider myself to be an expert. I am just a bloke with a thing for birds. In my humble opinion, I would presume that the immature was trying to obtain a free meal. Anyway as soon as the majestic raptors disappeared from sight, I hastened my walk home to a much anticipated shower and rest. For another day of birding awaits tomorrow and that will be covered in my next post.