The magic of fruiting trees

Pittas are one of the main targets for Joe’s maiden birding trip to Southeast Asia and for the his second day out with me, we travelled south to the foothill of Bukit Larut in Perak state where he stood a very good chance of bagging his second pitta of the trip. We arrived at the wettest spot in Peninsular Malaysia well after sunrise as the stakeout where the migratory Hooded Pitta frequents is in a gulley with poor lighting. With the current dry spell, there was little worry of the weather turning bad even here in Rain Town. The shooting condition was challenging but when the pitta hopped into view, there was no denying its electrifying presence. After obtaining the mandatory images, both of us paid homage to this striking species by admiring it through our binoculars. I always maintain that a certain degree of intimacy is lost when you only view the bird through digital images. That is why I make it a point to see the birds through my binoculars.

It did not take long for the others patrons to make an appearance at the stakeout. It was unfortunate that a couple of the regulars were absent this time but when there are beautiful forest jewels like the Orange-headed Thrush performing well, the disappointment was a little easier to take in.

The Siberian Blue Robin is not an uncommon winter visitor to Peninsular Malaysia. The male is especially striking and my love affair with this adorable migrant started when I first laid eyes on one along of a forested trail up in Penang Hill. At that time, I have just started go on birding trips on my own. While most teenagers would be recovering from hangovers on a Sunday morning like that, I was gawking at one of my most exciting lifers in the middle of the jungle. I guess back then I was more easily satisfied because the encounter today left me yearning for more due to the lack of any good photographic opportunities.

As soon as we started to explore the rest of the foothill, we came across a small tree that was a centre of bird activities. It turned out to be a fruiting tree and I knew we hit the jackpot. Yesterday, Joe shared with me the almost unreal experience he had at a fruiting berry tree in Costa Rica where almost 40 species were recorded. Well, this is no Costa Rica but a dozen species is still an incredible sight. The Asian Glossy Starling is a common species occurring even in gardens and parks. But it is a striking a bird best view in good lighting. That is when its true splendour will be revealed. I have no complaints about the lighting condition but the density of the foliage of this small tree proved to a big obstacle to all my photographic efforts here. 

Bulbuls formed the majority of the birds patronizing this fruiting tree. The Red-eyed Bulbul is one of the commonest in Peninsular Malaysia. Naturally, there were a number of them gorging on the fruits. Joining them at the feast were Spectacled Bulbuls, Buff-vented Bulbuls and Cinereous Bulbuls. You can say it was a crowded little tree and we were enjoying every minute of it.

Not all the bulbuls here were dull looking like the Red-eyed Bulbul. In fact, one species was the exact opposite. Claimed to be the most attractive bulbul in Malaysia, the Scaly-breasted Bulbul is truly gorgeous.

Whenever they appeared on the fruiting tree, every other species is momentarily out of the picture. All eyes will be on the Scaly-breasted Bulbuls for they cast a spell very few birders can resist.

I will say it again. The obstructing foliage hampered my photographic efforts. I swear to God it appears as if the Scaly-breasted Bulbuls were doing it intentionally. Taunting us with close views but always with some vegetation in between. And the frustration was starting to take its toll on me.

On the other hand, here is the drab Red-eyed Bulbul almost on the same perch but right out in the open. Murphy’s Law or Sod’s Law – call it what you want but it was certainly present today. But this is birding and the challenges we face, though swore upon, makes us into the birders that we are.

Another attractive bulbul that decided to grace the fruiting tree with its radiance was the Black-headed Bulbul. Distinctively coloured and vocal, this species is one of the most conspicuous denizens of our forests as it is not uncommon species.

A single female Greater Green Leafbird joined in the feeding frenzy. Leafbird populations are dropping due to illegal trapping for the bird trade and that is depressing. This family of birds not only looks great but sings just as good. She definitely had my attention during her short visit to the tree.

The fruiting tree literally shook with the arrival of the barbets. It was a small tree and the branches, thin. Most barbets as you know are quite big birds. Four species abandoned the safety of the forest canopy to indulge at this low elevation and both guest and guide were grasping for air at the sight of these spectacular beauties of the forest. Unfortunately, I failed to capture any images of the Blue-eared Barbet, Yellow-crowned Barbet and Gold-whiskered Barbet. They were restless and tend to feed near the centre of the tree where the branches are at their thickest. I faired better with this male Red-throated Barbet. They may not excellent photographs but I am delighted to at least have one species of these often concealed residents of the forest canopy in my memory card.

We continued our quest for birds along the foothill and came across a few more fruiting trees. I was surprised at the lack of flowerpeckers so far here today. Only the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker and Yellow-vented Flowerpecker offered glimpses of their vivid colouration as they made brief visits for the fruits. Little did I know good old Bukit Larut had something up her sleeves that would make up for the lack in numbers. We spotted a flowerpecker nearby one of the fruiting trees but it was backlighted. But once it started its distinctive sway, I knew which species it was immediately. Further scrutiny not required. No other flowerpecker here in Peninsular Malaysia has this adorable habit of wagging its tail from side to side except for the scarce Thick-billed Flowerpecker. We managed to manoeuvre around the tree and gained the favour of the lighting condition. I am not sure if Joe was just as exhilarated as yours truly. Let’s face it. Apart from the tail wagging, there is not much to shout about the Thick-billed Flowerpecker aesthetically. But for me it is rare enough to get my pulse racing and this one single image that I managed to obtained from the encounter, should be my best effort to date.

All barbets that occur here in Peninsular Malaysia are generally green in colour except for one - the Sooty Barbet. However, I did not expect it to be the barbet that my guest wanted to see most of all among the whole lot. Being different can sometimes be a good thing.

Joe’s interest lies not only in birds. Other wildlife fascinates him as well. Flying lizards are not uncommon in the forests of Malaysia. But seeing one glide for the first time was an intriguing experience for him. Luckily, Singaporean birder Andrew and his group were at the right place to see where the lizard landed. Evolution has provided the lizard with the ability to blend well with its surrounding and locating one in its natural environment can be tedious.

As expected, we came across a few more species of bulbuls at the fruiting trees. The Cream-vented Bulbul may lack the colours of some of the more attractive bulbuls but its confiding nature melted our hearts away.

In terms of aesthetic appeal, the Grey-bellied Bulbul is a strong contender for second place. Its contrasting and vivid plumage colouration was tantalizing to the eyes. And at such close quarters, the experience was incredible.

A flock of Streaked Bulbuls announced their arrival at the fruiting trees by being utterly vocal. Though it may not possess the same appeal as the Grey-bellied Bulbul, it does have an aura of elegance. Couple that with its uncommon status, the Streaked Bulbul is a worthy candidate to conclude our visit to the foothill of Bukit Larut.

To most Malaysian birders, the White-throated Kingfisher is a common bird and often taken for granted. However to a foreign birder like Joe, it is an absolutely incredible bird. The bright colouration and larger-than-life personality demands attention and I have lost count the number of times my overseas guests are smitten by its charm. A confiding individual at the Taiping Lake Gardens naturally had Joe’s attention and no effort was spared to obtain images of this stunning bird. Set against the picturesque landscape of the gardens, I have no doubt he got the images he desired. As for me, I decided to capture the moment when birder and bird formed a momentarily alliance with the latter providing an encounter that will be treasured by the former. (Just in case you missed it, the kingfisher is near the top left corner of the photo)

Our next location of the day was the landfill of Pulau Burung in mainland Penang. I am not sure that the sight and odour from the biggest dumpsite in Penang is the type of experience my guest savours but the birding here certainly was. The Lesser Whistling Ducks were in their usual big numbers. Here within the borders of the landfill, the ducks have found their sanctuary as this is probably their last remaining stronghold in the state.

Black-winged Stilts are such sultry creatures that they still do it for me after all these years. Like the Lesser Whistling Ducks, the marshland surrounding the landfill is one of the few sites left for the resident population in Penang.

Every time I visit this locality, I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of Cattle Egrets present. This species is now one of the most abundant water birds in the state. If a species can adapt to scavenging at rubbish dumps, it will thrive in this day and age. And the Cattle Egret is living proof. Some of the birds present today have moulted into their full breeding plumage and they look just amazing.

Although water birds are the main attraction, species with different lifestyle preferences also seek refuge here. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is a regular winter visitor here and their graceful aerial sallies are common sight this time of the year. When at rest, it will then impress you with its beautiful plumage. What else can one ask for?

Day two of Joe’s birding adventure here in northern Peninsular Malaysia has exceeded expectations. It was a relief for me. For a seasoned birder like him, it will take more than the usual to impress him and impress him we (mostly the birds and not me) did. To conclude the excursion, I needed a species that will sweep Joe off his feet one last time. He did mentioned that he would love to see an owl. It was a reasonable request and so we made one last stop at a modest park in the suburbs of Bukit Mertajam. This park is home to a pair of Barred Eagle-Owls and it did not take long for me to locate one half of the pair roosting in one of its usual spots. Unfortunately, the chosen perch had the owl obstructed by a few unsightly branches. Unlike yours truly, the Barred Eagle-Owl was a notable lifer for Joe and God knows when he will ever come across one again. Birders are not unknown for their unflinching determination and Joe’s resulted in full-framed, unobstructed shots of this nocturnal predator. And I could not have wished for a better way to call it a day.