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

Where is that bleeding gull? (23/01/2016)

I was up way before my alarm went off. Perhaps the excitement of the trip ahead kept me awake. I am not off to some exotic far away location. In fact, it is just to the mudflats of Bagan Belat – one of my local patches in mainland Penang. That is the beauty of birding. Even nearby locations can be just as exciting at times especially when there is a possibility of a mega lifer. The tide was ideal for a visit in the late morning and so, I went to the nearby locality of Air Hitam Dalam to kill time. I arrived at the swamp forest just in time to witness the graceful Great-eared Nightjars hunt one last time before the arrival of dawn. The buoyancy of their flight and their immense size captivated me throughout the encounter. There was no point attempting to capture the hunt in this light and the best I could manage was this landscape shot of the breaking of dawn. After the nightjars left, that is.

It was not a slow morning at the swamp forest. Most of the regular species were present but my heart was not really here today. I longed for the aroma of exposed mud and the salty sea breeze on my face. But most of all, I just could not stop thinking about Malaysia’s first Slender-billed Gull which was recorded at the mudflats a few weeks ago. I dipped out on the gull on New Year Day and the wound is still fresh. It was a beautiful day at the mudflats. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was just so blue. Thousands of waders were foraging everywhere in this extensive mudflat but they were not my objectives today. Today, I am after gulls and I will have to try very hard not get distracted.

The mixed flock of gulls were roosting very far off shore as the tide was still low. My enthusiasm got me here a little earlier than planned. Somewhere among them were two Slender-billed Gulls. Due to the distance, there was no way I could positively identify my would-be lifers. The differences between the three species of gulls found here are very subtle as I found that out the hard way later in the day. The majority of the 250 or so gulls are Brown-headed Gulls. So far, four Black-headed Gulls have been recorded and as well as two Slender-billed Gulls. Last season, we had two gull species here which were the Brown-headed and Black-headed Gull. Now, gulls are rare in Malaysia. Having two species at the same locality was a blessing. Having three is a miracle – thus all the excitement. Anyway, the pace of the rising tide is beyond any mere mortal’s control and I patiently waited for nature to take its course.

It was a long wait and perhaps, one of the longest hours of my life. A few of the waders present did their part to help me pass the time. The most impressive of them all was this lone Eurasian Curlew that came surprisingly close to where I have positioned myself.

As the tide gradually rise, it pushed the gulls closer to the shore line where I was waiting anxiously. I did my best to scrutinize each and every bird present but from what I could tell, there were no Slender-billed Gulls present.

I did see at least one Black-headed Gull (the gull on the left of the photo) but I did not spend too much time following its movement.  This species is rare to our waters but there were bigger fish to catch today.

The closest I got the gulls was when they settled down near the river mouth. It was much easier to identify them due to the close proximity. But still no Slender-billed Gull. It was truly disheartening. I did send a few images of “possible” Slender-billed Gulls (the wonders of modern technology) taken from the flock to my birding buddies who have all seen the gull before and their replies was more or less expected. The Slender-billed Gull remains elusive to me.

I was so focus on getting my lifer that I did not spend time to enjoy the fine performance by the commoner Brown-headed Gulls. Some of them did come very close but I only took a few shots. Here are a few juveniles that can a little deceptive at times in hiding their true identity.

But there is no mistaking an adult Brown-headed Gull - even when it is in non-breeding plumage like this. By the way, the smaller gull on the left is the much rarer Black-headed Gull which I did not realise was one at that moment. My obsession with locating the Slender-bill Gull even made me overlook this rare migrant. It was only when I was back home that I took notice of the dark iris and that is a real shame because I could do with a few more good images of it. I guess I deserved that much for ignoring this species earlier on in the morning.

When the tide finally peaked, the gulls moved away from the river mouth and rested on some exposed mudflat further down the coast. I solemnly walked towards the gulls and made myself comfortable on the nearest patch of dry land to the roosting flock. Just as I was about to give in, I spotted a rather pale-headed individual and I started to feel alive again. But I had to be cautious. After hours of frantic searching under the scorching sun, there is always a possibility I was hallucinating. Upon further scrutiny and confirmation from my birding buddies (modern technology at work again), I finally found what I was looking for.

It was a distant shot, the lighting was harsh and the heatwave very apparent but I got my first lifer of the year and it was also a new record for Malaysia. The quality of the photographs will not deny me of a jubilant moment.  It was a moment that almost did not happen. And that made this whole encounter even so memorable.

Just to prove I was not seeing double, here is a photo with the two celebrity gulls in a single frame. The irony of it all was I took this shot before I positively identified the gulls. It was a random shot of the flock taken out of desperation. In fact I took many random shots with the intention of going through them on the big screen back home (which was how I found out about the significance of this photo) in case I did miss out on the gulls in the field. I did not waste the shutter count of my camera after all.

As my pulse gradually came back to normal; heat, hunger and thirst started to kick in out of nowhere. There were still thousands of waders out on the mudflats waiting to be scrutinized but the search for the gulls has really taken its toll on me. I took a few shots of this spectacle of nature before calling it a day.

When the roosting waders took flight, they literally block out the sun. This is probably the highest concentration of waders at this locality since the good old days back in early 2000s. And since I am not really trying to identify the waders, I reckon there will be a few Spoonies, Pecs and Sharpies around. Rarities can sense this sort of things and will instantly keep well out of sight when you are trying your best to locate them. That is the law of things.

As I trekked through the swamp to try and get close to a few foraging Asian Dowitchers and Nordmann’s Greenshank (and you guessed it – I failed in the end), I flushed at least two roosting Large-tailed Nightjars. There is just something about the way a nightjar flies. It is more like floating through the air and with such grace. I started off the day with nightjars and it seemed really fitting that I could end with nightjars as well. 

The flooded forest (17/10/2015)

It has been a while since my last visit to the swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam in northern mainland Penang. Upon my arrival, the first thing that caught my attention was the amount of water that has covered the forest floor. It is no Amazon basin but to me, it is still a little piece of natural paradise not too far from home.

The rise in water level did not have much effect on the birds as the rear car park is still quite a centre of activity. I spent more time than usual at the car park today because of a small but striking migrant that performed well here last week for a few privileged birders - the Black-backed Kingfisher. But it was a no show by this dwarf kingfisher today. Abbott's Babblers are usually secretive birds that tend to keep to the cover of the forest undergrowth. The only indication of their presence is their tri-syllabic call. Well, try telling that to this one...

Are birds capable of daydreaming? It looked like this female Ashy Tailorbird was and she remained stationery for quite a long period of time considering she is one of the most active species found here.

This Lineated Barbet was feeling a little smug as it almost got the better of me. It was on an exposed perch in front of me but I was too preoccupied with a Green-billed Malkoha that was moving about nearby to notice it. Then, James Neoh came along and casually made a remark of what a nice perch the Lineated Barbet was posing on. Thanks, bro...

Common as this barbet may be at this locality but its preference for the canopy levels often prevents good photographic opportunities. One on an exposed perch not too steep in angle is definitely worth a second shot.

The deafening calls of the Hill Myna are not often heard at this locality. Seeing that it is a local rarity, I did my best to locate the bird and I did. However, the only slightly unobstructed view was a distant one and yet again, I could only obtain record shots of this the largest of the mynas. Its ability to mimic human speech makes it a much sought-after cage bird and being kept in a cage is no way for this remarkable bird to live. That did not come out right. Being kept in a cage is no way for any bird to live.

I always have a soft spot for the Black-thighed Falconet. Not only is it adorable but its mannerism is also captivating at times. It does occur in small family groups and allo preening is a common practice among these tiny raptors.

This show of public affection is a relished activity. The expression of the bird on the receiving end says it all. One good turn...

Deserves another...

Air Hitam Dalam is one of the main roosting areas for the migratory Black Kites. Only a handful was seen today and they are probably the early arrivals. In the weeks to come, their numbers will increase significantly and dozens will call this place home for the winter months.

By mid-day, another yearning drew me from the swamp forest to the nearby coastal mudflats. The migratory waders are back and it is time once again to scan the coastlines for this fascinating group of birds. I made myself comfortable on the rocky outcrop of Bagan Belat and patiently waited for the rising tide to push my subjects closer to me.

The Common Redshanks were the first to come within reasonable shooting range but the harsh afternoon sun and shimmering heat wave made photography difficult. And thanks to a considerate neighbouring country, I now also have to deal with the haze as well.

Despite the abundance of food, Common Redshanks have a tendency to squabble and snatch each other's catch.

The Eurasian Curlews, on the other hand, behaved like the regal creatures that they are and there will always be an air of elegance and majesty about them.

Even their massive size could not withstand the rising waters and gradually, they moved closer to shore. Their occasional short burst of flight gave me a chance to capture them in flight.

A flock of lanky waders also made its way closer to shore and upon further scrutiny, turned out to be Black-tailed Godwits. Although it is not uncommon throughout its wintering range here in Malaysia, it is not often encountered at this range here in Penang. Naturally, they had my undivided attention.

In flight, it is easy to see why they are called Black-tailed Godwits...

This lone Terek Sandpiper came reasonably close to my position and stroll past my field of view a few times. It was only after the godwits left the scene did I started to pay it some attention. No hard feelings, ya?

We often come across common names of birds that do not truly reflect their appearance or character. Then there are those common names that really hit the nail on the head like the Common Sandpiper. It is undoubtedly the commonest of our waders. It may not occur in very big numbers at a single locality like some of the other waders but it occurs everywhere. And I mean everywhere. With that, I concluded my first visit to the mudflats for the season and it is good to be back.