Though
not a true tropical paradise island, Penang Island has always been home for me.
The traffic congestion and unbelievable rate of development is part of the norm
here. On the other hand, so is the delectable food and colourful culture. In terms
of birding, the Pearl of the Orient usually provides only mediocre affairs.
However, once in a long while, something significant will pop up and restores
my faith. And this time, that something significant popped up outside one of
the busiest malls in Penang – the renowned Gurney Plaza.
Among
the species of pigeons that occur here in Malaysia, a few are only found on
islands. The Pied Imperial-Pigeon is one of them. Although this elegant bird is
not new to me, it has been years since I last saw one. For the past days, a
few have been regularly sighted on the trees outside the mall and showed little
fear of human presence. With an hour to kill on a beautiful Saturday morning, I
decided to try luck. By the time I arrived it was mid-morning. It was no
surprise to find other birders present as the Pied Imperial-Pigeon is not
commonly encountered in Malaysia. And they pointed out to me one of the three
birds present today. It was resting in a shady spot among the foliage of one of
the trees. Looking absolutely comfortable, the pigeon was unlikely to shift
position anytime soon and I had to settle for this less than ideal image.
Catching
up with my fellow birders helped to pass the time as we waited for a better
photographic opportunity. The commoner birds present also played their part to
keep me occupied like this ragged looking Collared Kingfisher.
A
few Little Egrets were present as well and one was just enjoying the cool sea
breeze while soaking up the warm rays of the morning sun. This, ladies and
gentlemen, is island life.
However,
the egrets are outnumbered by the Striated Herons here as the latter are doing
well in coastal vicinities throughout the island.
When
one of the Pied Imperial-Pigeons shifted position, it was the moment everyone
was waiting for including yours truly. And the timing could not have been
better. The lighting condition grew harsher by the moment and the weekend crowd
have started to throng to the mall. Our presence with our gear and all, drew
the usual stares and that is one of the things that irritates me when birding
in a crowded area. But the pigeon drown out all of that by alighting on some
dead branches to reveal its true appeal. And it was certainly a beautiful bird.
And my faith in birding on the island was definitely restored...
It
remained there for a few minutes before joining a second bird in flight and
disappeared among some tall trees in a distance. I got the shot that I wanted and
with the noon hour approaching, there was little point to linger here anymore.
The
shoreline of Gurney Drive is a known stronghold of the Black-crowned Night-Heron
for as long as I could remember. Despite all the destruction of habitat in the
vicinity, the population endured. As I made my way home, it was nice to see such
a beautiful water bird along a popular coastal boulevard like this in full view
of everyone. However, exactly how many actually realise the existence of this
bird in their proximity is anyone’s guess.
