Hard disk birding - Chapter 1

 

As the title of this post implies, it has come to this. The movement control order in place to curb the ongoing pandemic and my own resolution to stay clear of the virus has kept me from indulging in one of my true passions in life. It has been nearly six months since my last birding adventure and that is unprecedented. The thing that scares me the most is that it feels like I am beginning to accept this life. A life without birding. And that will not do. Fortunately, my archive of digital images enables me to travel back in time to some of my more notable birding experiences. Although it is not as captivating as the real thing, in a time like this beggars can’t be choosers. These reflections of wings and inspiration help to keep my passion burning and for that, I am most grateful.

It was a moonless night and the windswept Eucalyptus Trees swayed eerily to the rhythm of Mother Nature’s will. A slight rustling among the leaf litter immediately caught the attention of the resident Brown Wood-Owl as nothing escapes its acute hearing. Despite having just fed told by the blood-stained talon, it will take more than usual to satisfy the hunger of this nocturnal predator on a chilly night like this. Together with a few companions, I documented the owl’s activities as long as it permitted me to intrude into its realm of darkness. The encounter took place in the forest of Bukit Larut many years ago. But the memory remains so vivid that every time I dwell in it, I could almost feel the caress of the cold mountain ambience once again.

With the rat securely clasped in its talons, the mighty Eastern Imperial Eagle carried itself effortless above a sea of green to feast in leisure at a secluded spot within the vast paddy planting district of Permatang Pauh in mainland Penang. A murder of crows half-heartedly harassed the raptor for a short distance before diverting their marauding attentions to some other unlucky victim. A lone birder struggled to maintain his composure as this memorable encounter unravelled before him in order to immortalize some bits and pieces of the experience to serve as a way to revisit this faithful day in years to come. Like today, twelve years later.

The sit-and-wait approach to wader watching is not fool proof. In fact when it comes to birding, nothing is. However on a beautiful Saturday morning along the bleak and muddy shoreline of northern mainland Penang, the rising tide pushed a Great Knot almost to my lap. This wader is a regular winter migrant to this area but in small numbers. And to have one foraging so close was just incredible. I have half-hidden myself quite uncomfortably among the rocks of a wave breaker before dawn and the luck of the draw this time made sense of all the aches I put myself through.

With a name like this, one would probably assume that the Amur Stonechat spends a whole lot of time in rocky habitats. Anyway, I find the ones wintering here in Peninsular Malaysia to have a preference for grassy stalks. Just before they migrate back north to breed, the males will start to look their best by donning their breeding plumages. The agricultural lands of Chuping in Perlis state play host to a healthy number of Amur Stonechats each season like this male in partial breeding plumage. He was quite vocal as the breeding season beckons and on this occasion, was true on his name.

The approaching thunderstorm darkened the sky but the anticipation of encountering more fascinating bird life along the access road up to the summit of Bukit Larut pushed me to carry on. Then the piercing territorial call of the Pygmy Cupwing filled the forest undergrowth and the gamble I took could pay off after all. This gloomy and densely foliaged domain can hide the bird well but decades of birding has made me a patient man. With only the call among the vegetation as my guide, I followed the movement of this adorable creature for a substantial period of time. My effort was rewarded when the Pygmy Cupwing momentarily abandoned its skulking persona and revealed its true beauty on an exposed perch.

Truth be told, the vibrant colours of the Blue-throated Bee-eater alone would be sufficient to make it an exceptional bird but Mother Nature has bestowed upon it aerial agility rivalled by few. Blue-throated Bee-eaters are summer visitors to Peninsular Malaysia and I can find them terrorizing winged insects in scrubland habitats throughout mainland Penang at the right time of the year. Their mid-air hunting forays are quite a spectacle and dragonflies form most of its diet here. And as the name implies, an occasional bee or two will suffer the same fate as well.

Of all the frogmouths that occur here in Peninsular Malaysia, the Blyth’s Frogmouth is probably the commonest. However, for this particular family of nocturnal birds, common does not mean easy. Its distinct call can be heard in several of my regular haunts but through the years, I was only fortunate enough to see it on a few occasions. On one such occasion, my companions and I came across a confiding female at the edge of a forest in Kedah state during a pre-dawn excursion. Her terrifying stare should send chills up the spines of most humans. But birders, are a breed apart and will find beauty in this unlikely animal.

I can consider myself lucky that I can come across the Black-naped Tern on a regular basis. Having stayed all my life in Penang Island, crossing the Penang Bridge is a normal routine for us islanders. And from the bridge is where these resident terns can be seen. However photographing the Black-naped Tern is near impossible here and judging on how people drive, hazardous to your wellbeing. My best photographic efforts come from the pelagic trips off the coast of Tanjung Dawai. Safely aboard a fishing vessel, I can acquire digital memories of this elegant tern with peace of mind.

An eagle in flight is awe inspiring and few representatives of the natural world can surpass the sight of this formidable predator soaring in the sky with its powerful wings. Identify the bird of prey accurately and you will achieve true enlightenment. However for the migratory Aquila eagles, scrutiny is usually required before their identities are revealed. And a racing pulse offers no aid in the process. On this occasion which took place in the paddy planting districts of mainland Penang, the Greater Spotted Eagle remained in view long enough to prevent any mistakes from the observer. Despite being the commonest of the three species that is known to occur, there is no denying the majesty of this winter visitor.

Among the diminutive woodpeckers that occur here in Malaysia, the Grey-and-Buff Woodpecker is the most exquisite in my book. Sporting a wicked crest, intricately marked upperparts and a flaming red forehead for the males; it can even give the big woodpeckers a run for their money. Because of its small size, it is often kept from view by the dense vegetation of the canopy from which it calls home. During one faithful day at the forest surrounding Pedu Lake, a confiding male provided a moment of magic for me and my companions. And in terms of forest birding, an encounter like this can very well be a once in a lifetime experience.