Easy pickings...

 

It is that time of the year again for my annual pilgrimage to the forests of Kedah to witness the natural phenomenon courtesy of the fruiting trees found there. Dozens of forest species congregating on a single tree to feast is an occurrence that I do not think will ever cease to amaze and excite for me. This particular tree is new to me and its position and size is very promising indeed.

With their constantly puffed out yellow throats, it was no surprise that the Finsch’s Bulbuls were the first birds to gain my attention. This species is relatively common here but I am not one to dismiss a bird just because of its status. I no longer spend that much time out in the field like I used to do. There are a few contributing factors and age, unfortunately, is definitely one of them. You know what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder. Thus, the Finsch’s Bulbuls were documented with much enthusiasm as it has been quite a while since my last encounter.

The presence of food naturally made the birds bolder and at this range and manner, even my modest gear could cope with the lighting condition of early morn and the movement of the birds.

Black-headed Bulbuls are naturally vocal and the ones that frequented the fruiting tree on this beautiful morning remained true to that trait. However, they are more suspicious of humans than most of the other patrons and refused to forage anywhere except on the topmost branches.

Once the appealing presence of colours started to sizzle down, my attention was drawn to the less conspicuous bulbul species and none more so than the plain Buff-vented Bulbul. However, plain does not mean ugly and I am a firm believer that there is beauty in simplicity.

It has been said your eyes are the window to your soul but I cannot be certain if that is applicable to birds as well. One thing I am sure is that eyes are the window to positive identification for certain species of bulbuls. And the pure white iris of Cream-vented Bulbul usually prevents any misidentifications - usually.

Some bulbuls, on the other hand, require more than one field mark to nail their identification. Part of the joys of birding. Contrary to its name, the Red-eyed Bulbul is not the only Bulbul with red eyes. Sometimes, it is difficult to accurately describe a plain bird in words and I will not even try to do so here. And these red-eyed bulbuls are indeed Red-eyed Bulbuls. On with the next…

A thin yellow line around the eye is what I usually look for to differentiate the Spectacled Bulbul from the Red-eyed Bulbul. That is easier said than done under normal circumstances when the bird teases you from the forest canopy but at a fruiting tree, the task becomes much easier.

The vicinity sprung to life with the arrival of a flock of Grey-bellied Bulbuls. The beauty and radiance of this species is undeniable and everything else present was momentarily drown out.

My memory card was rapidly filled by images of Grey-bellied Bulbuls as they remained in the vicinity for a long time and exceptionally confiding no doubt food drunk from all the succulent morsels available.

Despite their diminutive size, male Crimson-breasted Flowerpeckers can rival the attractive bulbuls in terms of aesthetic appeal. It was a bit of a struggle to capture decent images of the former due to their active nature but the results at the end made the effort worth while.

Flowerpeckers are far more territorial than bulbuls and the equally enchanting male Orange-bellied Flowerpeckers finally had their spot in the limelight when no other species were present.

It would not be fair to disregard the Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker due to its more cryptic colouration but the fruiting tree provided some photographic opportunities that were fully utilized by yours truly.

The last entry for this post is a reptile that managed to draw my attention away from all the activity of the fruiting tree at one point during my time there. It was a sizeable Twin-spotted House-Gecko and the intricate patterns on its upperparts were an understandable distraction.

Northward bound

 

The alarm went off at four in the morning. I do not recall it being this difficult to drag myself out of bed at this hour. Another sign of old age perhaps. By the time I don my usual drab-coloured birding attire, anticipation took over the reins. The tiny but fascinating state of Perlis awaits and this seduced my senses with the possibilities of encountering some far from common species. Up here at the northern tip of the peninsular, the climate is usually dry with sunny blue skies. And the cloud formations further enhanced the appeal of the scrublands surrounding Timah Tasoh Lake.

The odd vocalization of the Racket-tailed Treepies instantly took my breath away as this species is one of my targets for the trip. However, only glimpses of the bird with its distinct spatula shaped tail were provided today and that was a bitter pill to swallow. The Orange-breasted Pigeons, another speciality here, did not fare any much better. By mid morning, it looked like it was going to be one of those days when your love for birding will truly be tested. And a preening Streak-eared Bulbul in a position that normally will not be given the time of day, inevitably had my undivided attention.

Perched at the top of a tree stump, a Great Myna proclaimed its territory overlooking a cow shed. As the name implies, it is a proud-looking bird with the dark iris and wicked crest. To an undiscerning layman, it probably looks like any other myna. If memory serves me right, the Great Myna has been upgraded to a natural occurring species in Peninsular Malaysia and that only intensified my captivation for the species.

The Perlis State Park was the next destination and for that we cut across the hilly and beautiful countryside of Wang Kelian. Here, we were scrutinizing bulbuls for one particular species. One which we did not even know occurred within our Malaysian borders until a few years back. Identifying the Olive Bulbul is no walk in the park and neither is photographing them judging from my substandard images despite the prolonged encounter.

Due to time constraints, we did not venture into Perlis State Park proper. Instead, we explored the surrounding vicinity. With lady luck still shying away from us, the results were disappointing. A somewhat confiding Yellow-browed Warbler was the only species I have to show in the end. My best photographic effort of this uncommon migrant may not be an envy of others but the amount of effort required to obtain the image made it a keeper.

Although butterflies are not birds’ equal, they do come close. This striking species is certainly new to me. Regardless of its true identity and status, I was drawn to the iridescent splendour it exhibits. My fascination lasted till it floated away with the butterfly deep into the forest of the park.

We made one last stop which was at the vast agricultural lands of Chuping before calling it a day. It is sad to find this once haven for birding in its present condition. My last visit almost a year ago was a successful twitch for a Malaysian lifer. Today, all that greeted us was an out-of-place hotel, Instaworthy fields of Kenaf blooms and a ridiculous container park destined to be another white elephant project. A juvenile Pied Harrier reminded us just how amazing Chuping used to be. I fear the days when harriers and other raptors serenaded this locality in good numbers with their majestic presence are gone. As my fellow humans strike the final nail in the coffin for the demise of yet another birding location, my thoughts drifted back to the remarkable birding experiences I enjoyed here in the distant past.

The marvel of fruiting trees (chapter 2)

 

The draw of the fruiting trees was simply too strong to resist and I found myself back at the same locality exactly one week later. However, I was disappointed to find relatively few birds patronizing the trees despite of the fact that ample fruits were still available. I guess that is birding. One can never truly know what to expect. The arrival of a couple of Cream-vented Bulbul helped to lift my spirit. With wholly white irises, there was nothing suspicious of their identification.

I do not come across the Streaked Bulbul all that often but my joy was short lived as this pair was particularly skittish. I only managed to take a few shots before they retreated back into the forest for the rest of the morning.

There were a few flowerpeckers darting about trees and when they finally settled down to feast, I was delighted to record at least two Thick-billed Flowerpeckers among them. And the day was no longer that gloomy anymore.

As one of the rarer species, I tried my best to document this encounter but it was challenging indeed. Being small and restless, both me and my gear were put to the test. But pleasure is derived from taking the effort for endeavours like these. I guess that is how I am built.

There is not much one can elaborate on the appearance of the Thick-billed Flowerpecker. It does however have an adorable tendency to wag its tail from side to side. I have seen this behaviour before during my past experiences but not today. Perhaps, it is again due to the easy availability of food and some habits are momentarily abandoned.

A series of loud notes announced the presence of Cinereous Bulbuls which is another bulbul species that I look forward to at an active fruiting tree. One of the birds was kind enough to rest on a relatively open perch and flaunted its good looks. And I soaked in the view.

The resonating territorial call instantaneously drew my attention to the canopy level opposite the fruiting trees. The forest here is a known stronghold for the White-crowned Hornbill and a flock was soon located through the small gaps of the dense foliage. I only managed one record shot of the male but any encounter with this enigmatic species is a true blessing.

The next bulbul species recorded at the fruiting trees was the Buff-vented Bulbul. It is not what most would consider to be a sought-after species. But the confiding nature of this individual certainly amount to something for me.

The Grey-bellied Bulbul, on the other hand, certainly is with its lovely colouration.

Serenading the surroundings with their vocal talents, a pair of Greater Green Leafbirds was a much welcomed additional to my list today. On this occasion, the female overshadowed her mate with her boldness and feasted exceptional close to my position.

Today was a much warmer day than last week and unrelenting sun cast undesirable highlights and shadows that made photography frustrating. The Red-eyed Bulbul followed its appetite down to the lower reaches of the trees. Inevitably, it was the last bird to be documented before calling it the day.