Love at first sight

I was excited about my second day of tour with John. I had it all planned out. Or so I thought. The first order of the day was to get him to the revered fruiting tree of Sungai Sedim at first light. I had a blast during my visit here last week. Judging from the magnitude of birds recorded here yesterday, it will be an overwhelming experience for my Australian guest. And for yours truly as well. There is no shame in admitting it because it is a true phenomenon of nature. As expected a crowd started to form in the vicinity as it got brighter. News of the gorgeous but rare Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker returning to feast on these tantalizing fruits after years of absence have certainly travelled far and wide overnight. There were still plenty of ripe fruits on the tree but the patrons arriving for the feast were below expectations. I know that with age I have grown more demanding but the going was even slower than last week when less than half the fruits were ripe. The celebrity flowerpecker was a no show today but the other species present did put on a good performance with the male Crimson-breasted Flowerpeckers leading the way.

Almost as stunning were the male Orange-bellied Flowerpeckers. Their vivid and contrasting colours make them a visual delight.

The notorious Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers were aggressive towards the others just like last week. This unruly behaviour could be the root cause of the Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker shunning away from the fruiting tree.

There were plenty of bulbuls present at the tree today but were a little reluctant to show themselves well. True, I did not pay that much attention to photographing them as I wanted to make sure my guest obtained reasonable good looks at all 12 species that were present today. Not exactly a walk in the park because the tree was a hive of activities. The Buff-vented Bulbuls showed well today unlike my earlier visit here. In fact, this commoner provided the best photographic opportunities for bulbuls today.

Red-eyed Bulbuls were their usual selves gorging on the succulent offerings without a care for the world.

It was unfortunate that the beautiful Grey-bellied Bulbuls did not allow us to ogle at its stunning plumage and provided few photographic opportunities.

We came agonizingly close to pair a Black-and-yellow Broadbills yesterday but they remained hidden in the canopy most of the time. These adorable jewels of the forest are a pure delight to observe and photograph and today, a group of three birds provided the magic.

The Black-and-yellow Broadbills can sometimes occur in small flocks. When two of the them alighted quite close to each other, my image revealed that both birds were males told by their full black collar. 

As the noon hour approached, we make our way south to the foothill of Bukit Larut. It was a slightly longer drive from here but if everything goes according to plan, it will be worth the effort. At the stakeout of this locality, John stands a very good chance for his second pitta of the trip. But in birding, things do not always go according to plan. The feverish call of the Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo filled the vicinity when we arrived at the stakeout and it sounded close. Really close. Hesitantly, I delayed our quest for the Hooded Pitta and searched for this elusive resident of the forest. And there it was, perched on low vine and calling away. The only setback was the glaring backlight and there was no way around it – both the subject and the lighting condition.

This Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo was surprisingly confiding and remained on the perch for a prolonged period of time despite our intrusion into its domain. I do not come across this species often enough to afford being choosy. All the shortcomings of the encounter soon evaporated and its true value found its way into my soul.

When the cuckoo shifted to a better lighted perch, we could finally admire the bird for what it is – a beautiful creature that does not reveal itself much except for the frantic vocalization that hawk-cuckoos are renowned for. It would certainly make a better image if the perch was not an electrical cable. But to put things into perspective, the cuckoo could have just as easily flew deeper into the forest and vanish from sight. And if it wanted to be nasty, continue to taunt us with its calls. So, the manmade perch will do just fine.

The draw of the stakeout was too strong to resist and we soon found ourselves staring into the gloomy ravine. The mid afternoon sun provided better lighting and the Orange-headed Thrush took full advantage of that to show off its striking colouration. And we were again in awe with a feathered denizen that found refuge among the lush greenery of this birding hotspot.

One of the reasons I decided to visit the stakeout at this time of the day was to increase our chances (or maybe mine) of capturing reasonable images of the adorable and stunning male Siberian Blue Robin. This little bird has a habit of constantly flicking its tail and in dim lighting, it poses a very big challenge for photography. And for the first time today, things went according to plan – much to my delight.

He may be a first winter bird but he has obtained enough of his adult splendour to mesmerize us with his presence. The robin was constantly in my thoughts since my last visit here when it left me yearning for more. Life can be beautiful at times...

The male Green-backed Flycatcher was as timid as usual and remained in the shadows most of the time.

Like all celebrities, the Hooded Pitta opted for a fashionably late appearance and what an appearance it was. The wettest part of Peninsular Malaysia lived up to its reputation and rain clouds started to form despite the sunny condition. The rays of the sun penetrated the forest following the rhythm of moving clouds. And the pitta timed its arrival just as the clouds parted and the ravine illuminated well enough for us to marvel at this divine creature.

Birding takes me and my guests to all sorts of places. Some are scenic and breath taking while others, not so. The marshlands at the landfill of Pulau Burung was the last destination of our 2-day birding adventure. And if the sight of the biggest rubbish dump in the state of Penang does not put you off, the overwhelming aroma will. But there are birds like the Blue-tailed Bee-eater to be enjoyed here and that is all that matters. This elegant and stunning bird is often confiding and today, one repeatedly return to the same low perch after every aerial pursuit for food.

The deafening alarm calls of the Red-wattled Lapwings are very much a part of the sights and sounds of this locality. We did come across a few yesterday at another site but the distance was simply too great for any memorable experience. This time, the lapwing strutted confidently along the grassy river bank in full view just next to our stationary vehicle.

Though not as visually appealing as the lapwing, the Wood Sandpiper is another regular sight here but only in certain months of the year as it is only a winter visitor to our shores. It is a common species and inevitably, is often ignored. Its plain colouration is no help either. But this species and I go back a long way especially here at this location. Thus, a little recognition is the least I could do.

I have been in love with the sultry Black-winged Stilts since the first day I laid eyes on it about 25 years ago. Back then, the stilt was a rare migrant and the sighting was one of the highlights of my teenage birding life. The marshlands here houses a healthy population for years now and although the status of Black-winged Stilts in the country has changed tremendously, they still remain as one of my favourite water birds. This foraging pair provided the perfect finale to a day of great weather, enjoyable companionship and outstanding birding.