Experiences count too

It is customary for me to get to know my guests before we partake on our birding excursions. Apart from being hospitable, it allows me to better plan for the excursion. My latest guest is from the US and is an avid birder. Nothing out of the ordinary until he mentioned he has seen more than 5,000 species of birds, conduct birding tours to Central America and written two birding books about certain species found in the region. To say that I was anxious while on the way to pick up Joe for our first day of birding would be an understatement even though this is his maiden birding trip to Southeast Asia.

On route to our first destination, the mangroves of Sungai Batu in Kedah state, I came to know that Costa Rica is one of his favourite birding destinations where it is not too difficult to surpass 250 species for a big day. Thankfully, it also came to my knowledge that pittas are one of his targets (and almost every other visiting birder as a matter of fact) and I knew exactly where to get one. It was a beautiful morning upon our arrival and soon, we found ourselves in the company of the feathered residents of this swampy domain. One of them is a common but beautiful rail – the White-breasted Waterhen. This species is known to be aggressive at stakeouts but today, it was very well behaved.

Most species were new to my guest and as the lifers started to pour in for him, there was one bird in particular that we were eagerly anticipating its arrival. Like an answered prayer, from the corner of my eye I caught a flash of colours hopping along the muddy terrain and I have enough field experience to tell what bird it was from its jizz. And a quick gesture of the hand had Joe staring at the direction of the approaching Mangrove Pitta.

Joe and I have something in common and that we are both very passionate about birds and birding. His reaction towards his first Asian Pitta is proof why pittas are such remarkable birds and every encounter, magical. Something that I always swear by. It was an exhilarating moment even for someone who has seen almost half of the world’s birds as the Mangrove Pitta revealed its full splendour and charisma right in front of us.

The Little Cormorant is a recent colonizer from Thailand but their numbers are nothing near the Asian Openbills’ phenomenal invasion to our country. It is shy by nature but I found that it can be confiding when sunning itself. I have a soft spot for sizeable water birds and the Little Cormorant fits the criteria. Judging from Joe’s efforts for better shots of this sleek water fowl, I guess we have another thing in common.

The Little Cormorant was surprisingly comfortable despite our intrusion. Soaking in the sun and preening away, this is one of the friendliest Little Cormorants I have ever encountered here in Malaysia.

From there, we made our way further north and as we started our casual trek into the pristine forest of Bukit Wang, the majestic trees of this birding hotspot made quite an impression on Joe. The birds are important to him but sometimes, experiences matter just as much. In the presence of these giants of the natural world, he was in awe. But when the territorial calls of the Chestnut-necklaced Partridge shattered the serenity of the locality, the birds took back the reins as this game bird is one of the rarest bird species in the country. A little effort and luck later, we managed to locate the partridge in the gloomy understorey of the forest. It was a mesmerizing sight. Half hidden among the shadow and undergrowth, the partridge belted out its loud and haunting call. The vocalization is usually the first indication of its presence but unfortunately, it is a sound very few sites in the country have.

The adorable Short-tailed Babblers performed well despite only appearing later in the day. Scurrying around the leaf litter of the forest floor, these terrestrial species is a pure delight to observe and photograph.

Another denizen of the forest understorey is this migratory male Chinese Blue Flycatcher. Spring migration will soon commence and this uncommon migrant may or may not return to this site the next season. Only time will tell.

There was one last location to visit before calling it a day. Things have started to pick up at the swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam and it was a good choice to wind down after a day of birding. We did not have to wander far before we came across the first notable species of bird. The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is a regular migrant to this locality. Although it was a distant shot on a manmade perch, the bird possess enough finesse to have our undivided attention.

Then, the unexpected took place. Rain clouds swept in from distant skies and engulfed the vicinity. We took shelter in one of the gazebos overlooking the river as the raindrops fell onto the dry earth with much velocity. It has been more than a month since we last had rain like this and luckily, it was short lived. When it trickled to a stop, the migratory Black Kites started to stir again from their usual roosting trees across the river. When one of these elegant raptors alighted on an exposed to dry itself, it signalled the end of the downpour.

The usually elusive Greater Coucal was out of its comfort zone as it was trying to recover from the unexpected rain. Somehow, the colouration of this beautiful cuckoo set against the dry palm frond made the photo stood out for me. Although this photo lacked quality in certain areas, it has an appeal that I find hard to resist. It could also be due to the fact that we had a few brief encounters with the Greater Coucal earlier in the day in which none offered more than a quick look. But this individual stayed put long enough for even its image to be obtained. Another experience worthy of praise? It certainly was and best of all, it involved a bird.

It was a memorable first day of birding for my American guest. Apart from the birds, other wildlife we encountered throughout the day played their part in the success of the trip. Here at Air Hitam Dalam, the Plaintain Squirrel should be the only species of squirrel to occur. There is a healthy population within the borders of this park and they can be seen on every visit. Its adorable outlook may not work as effectively on a local like me than it would on a foreign visitor. But this image of one just lazing on a tree branch and enjoying the cool post-rain condition is as good as any to wrap things up for the day. Tomorrow we will be heading south and hopefully, be able to maintain today’s momentum of cracking birds and good experiences. That will be covered in my next post.