Counting waterbirds...

The emergence of the Chinese Egrets in Penang Island revived my passion for tidal habitats and the birds that find sanctuary there. I used to spend hours on end at the mudflats of Bagan Belat back in the day. Back when hundreds or even thousands of waders were present at this coastline. Sadly in recent years, the objects of my obsession have shifted to rather inaccessible areas. This and the destruction of most of the good wader sites in my home state has kept me away from indulging in wader watching. Each January, the Asian Waterbird Count (AWC) takes place throughout the continent and on this beautiful Saturday morning, I decided to do my part.

The tide was about right and the weather was good. But as expected, not much variety of waders were present at the extensive mudflats of Bagan Belat. Common Redshanks were the most numerous species present and it has been that way for quite some time.

A huge flock of white birds with black wings started to fly out from the mangroves and alighted beyond the edge of the mudflats. The birds were too far for me too positively identify them. Habitat may be ideal but they sure the hell were not Milky Storks – not in this kind of number anyway. Asian Openbills are a better bet and this is the first time I am encountering them in a marine habitat.

Eventually some of them flew over to my end of the mudflats and their identity were no longer in doubt.

One can always hope of something rare when gazing at flocks of waders out in the mudflats. Imagination can only take you so far but when seen well, it is not easy to misidentify a Common Greenshank for a Nordmann’s Greenshank.

All the egrets present were scrutinized to make sure I do not overlook a would-be rarity. I have recorded the globally vulnerable Chinese Egret here once before but today, only the Great Egret provided any form of excitement from this family of birds.

The resident pair of Brahminy Kites were up to their usual routine of scavenging and the occasional piracy of egrets’ fresh caught preys. However, what goes round comes round and the kites have to put up with the constant mobbing of the House Crows.

A fair number of Whiskered Terns were also present and the river mouth seemed to have their undivided attention today. A short walk along the rocky wave breaker got me into a better position to photograph these angelic and graceful birds. It is not easy but the good lighting helped tremendously.

Poetry in motion – the bird and not the photography…

After the AWC, I swung by the swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam only to find a group of schoolchildren making their presence felt along the canopy walk. This location holds the status of an educational forest but judging from the level of noise and disturbance this group was making, I doubt there will be much education to be learned from this trip. The wintering Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo has been quite tolerant to human presence so far this season but nothing could have prepared it for the commotion that was now taking place. Inevitably, it was nervous and skittish and a record shot was all I could muster.

The male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker is an exquisite creature despite his common status. Naturally he had my attention and from the look of things, I had his too (in a bad way). Not today, huh bud?

By the later half of the morning, the temperature started to soar and so did some of the birds. More Asian Openbills were seen again and this time at much closer proximity.

Poetry in motion – again the birds and not the photography…

Ever wondered how this stork got its name? Apparently only mature birds will sport this distinct gap between mandibles.

When a striking adult Brahminy Kite leisurely glided into view it was deja vu again. First the Openbills and now this common raptor.

I was just thinking to myself that there is another species that often patrols the sky above the swamp forest here this time of year and just like a staged performance, in came a trio of Black Kites from the adjacent paddy fields.

The kites were probably back to rest after the morning’s hunt and their favourite site is the row of big trees across the river. Enjoying the sight of a tree full of Black Kites is something you rarely get to say especially here in Malaysia.

This male Common Flameback signalled his arrival by uttering a series of his loud territorial call. Although this species is a regular here, I have always adored his vivid colouration. Today, he was particularly obliging and I think I took some of my best images of the species to date.

After the exciting encounter with the Common Flameback, I was ready to call it a day. The heat of the midday sun was starting to wear me out. But, this birding hotspot was not quite done. A male Banded Woodpecker alighted so close that it gave me a startle. This species can be exceedingly tame here at times and this was certainly one of those occasions. He was somehow attracted to a clump of Nipah Palms and most probably is about food. A dried palm frown coincidentally provide an interesting backdrop for the photo.

By that time, lighting was getting harsh. Despite the confiding nature of the woodpecker, some of my images somehow do not quite hit the mark. Nevertheless, like the woodpecker, I took my time to gradually move out of the vicinity. My last visit here was rather mundane but today was a whole different story. And it did not even involved one single uncommon species.

I would have missed the last bird of the day had I not seen it fly onto the perch. Indian Cuckoos are common migrants and there are at least two individuals wintering here this season. It is no award-winning photograph but sometimes, experiences matter more. And observing this handsome male Indian Cuckoo resting among the shadows of the canopy foliage is an intriguing experience indeed.

Don't count your pittas...

In view of the recent spike of bird activities at my beloved Air Hitam Dalam in mainland Penang, I decided to start off the day with my Swedish guest here. He has little birding experience in this part of the world and imagine, the first bird to greet us was a Great Eared-Nightjar. This goliath of a nightjar almost swept him off his feet with its massive size. And I could not have ask for a better way to start off a tour. Once it got bright, the dawn chorus commenced. And one of the most persistent calls came from the grassy patch at the edge of the reserve. With a little perseverance, we managed to locate the source. The Yellow-bellied Prinia may be a common bird. But when seen well and in full song, can be quite a sight especially for a foreign visitor.

When the lighting improved, so did our images. The Yellow-bellied Prinia was very obliging today and that certainly aided our photographic attempts.

A Blue-winged Pitta sneaked into view at one point but vanished before we had a very good look. I did not know then but it was a sign of things to come for this terrestrial birds today. A total of three birds were recorded today from two different locations and this is the only photo I have to show. To make matters worse, my usual saviour, the Mangrove Pitta of Sungai Batu, was missing today and I was hoping for it to help make up for the frustrating encounters with the Blue-winged Pitta. It was disappointing to say the least but lucky for me, Keith seemed to handle the disappointment better than me.

The resident Spotted Wood-Owl roosted slightly lower than usual and best of all, no irritating branches in the way this time. Daytime sightings of owls are almost if not just as good as pitta sightings. Although the lighting was not ideal, it was a good encounter for the both of us.

Foraging nosily among the undergrowth was a pair of Abbott’s Babblers. We decided to follow the movement of the skulking pair and one of them rewarded our efforts by wandering out into the open for a substantial amount of time.

One of the commonest birds at Air Hitam Dalam, is the Olive-winged Bulbul. Here, it outnumbers even the usually abundant Yellow-vented Bulbul. These bulbuls can be confiding at times and this individual wandered quite close to our position when we were taking a breather at the car park area.

The Clouded Monitor is still thriving in suitable habitats throughout the country and the swamp forest here is one of them. Adult lizards grow to impressive lengths and can be a little intimidating at times. A resting youngster was exceptionally confiding today and from the elevated boardwalk, the tree hole where it rested was just about eye level.

A full breeding plumaged Cattle Egret was foraging next to the river as we were making our way out. It may be the smallest egret here but when sporting its full breeding plumage, the Cattle Egret is undoubtedly the best looking one.

The mudflats of Bagan Belat was the next destination of the day. However, there was nothing much of interest present except for a lone Indian Pond-Herons. Pond-Herons in breeding plumage was one of the targets of my guest and I was delighted to show him the rarest of them here in Malaysia.

The scrub and secondary growth next to the coast outshined the mudflats this time and provided a number of exciting encounters. Like I mentioned earlier, the Blue-winged Pittas here were just as elusive and brief glimpses were all that was offered. While hunting the pittas, we accidentally flushed a young Large-tailed Nightjar from its daytime roost. The buoyant flight of the nightjar as it weaved past the vegetation had a dream-like effect. Just like owls, nightjars are enigmatic creatures of the night and daytime sightings are always an exciting affair.

The best image from this site is of a striking Green-billed Malkoha resting at the canopy level for a prolonged period of time. This species like all malkohas tend to be restless and are constantly on the move making photography a challenge. This long tail never cease to amaze and is one of the reasons why I adore this non-parasitic cuckoo.

The mangroves of Sungai Batu is a reliable spot that forms part of my birding circuit for my foreign guests. However, the celebrity bird was absent this time and it was a devastating blow to my plans. Pittas are a much sought after species and the Mangrove Pitta here has rarely disappointed me and I guess today is one of those days. Nothing in birding is ever a sure thing and this is proof to that statement. On a brighter note, the resident pair of Mangrove Blue-Flycatchers are showing well again. Though not quite on the same scale as the Mangrove Pitta, the flycatchers are still lovely birds and much adored by most of my foreign guests.

I was a little surprise to see the Forest Wagtail as it has not been seen for quite a period of time. I initially thought it has undergone the journey back north to breed. I guess I was wrong. Strikingly marked and with a habitual and adorable sway, this species is always a good addition to any birding excursion.

The last destination of the day were the paddy fields of mainland Penang. Here, my guest completed his quest to photograph all three species of pond-herons in their respective breeding plumages. The Chinese Pond-Herons were the most numerous as expected. However, only a single Javan was seen in comparison to two Indian Pond-Herons. To see three Indian Pond-Herons in a single day is not something that happens regularly and this year, has been a good season for me.

Of all the open country egrets that occur here in Malaysia, the Intermediate Egret is the one that is usually missing from my foreign guests’ life list. I have seen enough Intermediate Egrets to tell them from the Great Egrets just by the jizz alone. And once my guests have learned the subtle differences, the Intermediate Egret is a distinct bird. This individual that was hunting in a recently planted patch was showing traces of its breeding plumes was the final bird to be photographed for the day. Although the pittas were a disappointment today, the other species that we managed to record did a fine job trying to fill the huge gap left by the former.

The checklist of birds recorded: 
1. Air Hitam Dalam
2. Bagan Belat
3. Sungai Batu
4. Permatang Pauh

The savage sea

I decided to visit Sungai Burung in Penang Island with whatever time I have left after work before meeting Hor Kee for some wader watching later by boat on the mainland. I was hoping to catch the Grey-tailed Tattler before it flies back to its breeding ground up north but a brief view was all that was given today. The commoner Terek Sandpiper was much more obliging today but there was little I could do about the harsh lighting as the noon hour was fast approaching.

The Chinese Pond-Herons were coming into their breeding colours nicely. With no signs of the other two rarer Pond-Herons, this time the commonest one was given its due attention and admiration.

The Brahminy Kite may be the commonest raptor in coastal areas but a full-fledged adult is still a striking bird. On a day when things are far from exciting, this scavenging bird of prey is a welcomed sight.

This Jungle Myna made me look twice as the colouration of this individual was very similar to that of a Javan Myna. There are still no records of the Javan Myna that I know of here in Penang but at the pace it is spreading up north, it should be only a matter of time.

After I quick lunch, I met up with my companions to embark on a rented boat to observe waders along the Bagan Ajam – Teluk Air Tawar coastline. It was a hot day but the heat was the least of my worries. The sea condition was less than favourable and the choppy waters drenched us despite all the efforts of our boatman to keep us dry. The constant rocking of the boat also made it difficult for photography. Luckily, our group had relatively strong sea legs or this wader excursion would have been a very short one. When we finally made our way to the waders, I tried my best to obtain some images in this testing condition. Godwits, both Black-tailed and Bar-tailed, have remarkable breeding plumages. Combined with the sheer size of the birds, stood out from their drab companions.

The Black-tailed Godwit provided better photographic opportunities and for that I am most grateful.

I often wonder if it is necessary to include “Far” in the Far Eastern Curlew’s name. Well, after all these years this is the only type of images I have of this scarce migrant. There is no more doubt about the name anymore. However, even at this distance the long decurved bill of the two birds resting on a mud bank still looked amazing.

A number of Brown-headed Gulls in their smart breeding plumages were also recorded today.

Some of them were using the concrete poles of the clam farms to rest and that gave us an opportunity for a more intimate observation.

The regular users of the poles, the terns, did not seem troubled by the presence of the larger gulls. Even the mighty Greater Crested Terns were dwarfed by them. Due to the strong waves, the boat could not remain at ideal shooting positions for long and that hampered our efforts for better images.

Not to be outdone by the gulls, some of them were sporting their full breeding plumages as well...

The Whiskered Terns are truly striking in their breeding plumages. I could not obtain any images of them in flight as they followed our boat today. I am grateful the sea did not rob me of all attempts to photograph this tern.

Birds may not be part of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle’s diet but I guess it is still intimidating for the terns to have a predator resting at such close proximity.

Back at the estuary, the boat ride was much more comfortable as we were protected by the mangroves. Humans are not the only ones who find shelter here. A number of egrets were seen resting here as they wait for the receding tide to exposed nutritious morsels to feed. The Great Egret, as the name implies, is the largest species presence and the most conspicuous.

The last bird for this marine adventure was a Javan Pond-Heron. Looking absolutely gorgeous in full breeding plumage, this blonde bombshell is all ready to fly back north for the breeding season. This may well be my last visit to the mudflats as the migratory is about to end. This season did not produce any truly significant moments for me. Hopefully, I will do better in the next one.

The checklist of birds recorded:
1. Sungai Burung
2. Teluk Air Tawar