Land of the winged giants

 

It has been months since my last blog entry. Probably the longest lapse since I started blogging. Heavy work schedules and age are the main contributing factors. Yes, I have reached a point in my life where the heart and mind are as passionate about birding as ever but the body is not. Age catches up with everyone. It is just a matter of time. Midlife crisis aside, I set off to the wild interiors of Kedah state with two companions to look for hornbills in particular and the captivating aura engulfing the locality upon our arrival reminded me just how much I miss my birding adventures.

 

It may be a little late in the season here for the nomadic Plain-pouched Hornbills but we were not to be disappointed and at least 100 individuals were recorded for this trip.

Good photographic opportunities were far and few but it was a great trip never the less. It gave me a chance reconnect with my birding roots when a pair of binoculars was all that I needed. On one occasion, I surprised even myself when I lifted my binoculars and not my camera when a lone Wreathed Hornbill flew across overhead. These winged giants of the forest are just so impressive especially in flight. And on the same note, judging from the photos I obtained of this flying Rhinoceros Hornbill, perhaps I should have done the same.

My best photographic effort of hornbills on this excursion was this male Oriental Pied Hornbill resting on a roadside tree. This may be the smallest and commonest of all our hornbills but it is not quite that common enough to me. And the encounter was certainly much better than what I was given for the Helmeted Hornbill, Great Hornbill and Bushy-crested Hornbill. Seven species of hornbills on a single trip was an amazing experience even if I do not have the materials to boast on social media.

A unique territorial call echoed across the vicinity later in the morning and one can rarely mistake the vocalization of a Black Magpie for anything else. No effort was spared in trying to locate the bird among the foliage of the forest edge. Although we succeeded in the end, the distance was simply too great to expect anything more than record shots. However, forest is not always unforgiving. Shortly after giving up on the Black Magpie, the bird actually shifted position and alighted on a much nearer perch. To ordinary folks, it looks like a crow which is not far from the truth. But to me and most birders, it is a fascinating forest dweller that rightfully deserves our undivided attention.

Along the edge of a manmade lake yet another distinct territorial call was heard. Unlike the Black Magpie’s, this call is somewhat eerie and it belongs a predatory bird known as the Lesser Fish Eagle. Unfortunately, it was another distant observation but to see the resident pair still thriving here is good enough for me.

On the other hand, there is no joy in seeing this particular species thriving anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia. I was slightly taken back by the sight of a flock of Javan Mynas loitering about the vicinity. This evasive species has now their found their way deep into forested areas and we can only fear for the worse in future.

The Sooty-capped Babbler is not particularly rare in Peninsular Malaysia but like most babblers, it is more often heard than seen. For this case, the vocal appeal outweighs the aesthetic appeal. This drab-looking bird possesses one of the most recognizable and beautiful songs in my home land. The lower storey of the forest where it frequents usually provides ample cover to hide it from view. A small window of opportunity betrayed the trust of the Sooty-capped Babbler to produced this mediocre effort before it gradually vanished into the forest.

Bird waves are phenomenal for birders but not so for photographers. A dozen species of birds on overdrive dashing about everywhere is not exactly what one would consider to be easy shooting. And this male Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike was the only image I have to show in the end.

Before concluding this long overdue blog post, here are a few candid shots of the locality and some of the views we came across are undoubtedly stunning which is not unexpected.

 

Call of the wild

 

EarthLodge is one of the most remote birding spots in Peninsular Malaysia. It is located along the Muda River deep in the wild interiors of Kedah state and certainly a haven for both wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts. It was a “working” holiday for me because I have been commissioned by the founder of the establishment, Hymeir, to guide a French couple. Although being a bird guide never feels like work to me. The only access is by boat; electricity is by a generator that runs for the first half of the night and there is not much use of your smart phones here except for capturing memories of the trip. That is all part of the charms of Earth Lodge. As we disembarked onto the muddy banks upon arrival, the sounds of the forest greeted us to our home for the next few days.

The accommodations are reasonably comfortable and I have no complains about the food provided either. My priorities have always simple and the deciding factor for every location I that visit lies in how good is the birding.

We had excursions by boat along the Muda River on a daily basis because that is the only way to obtain a few of the main targets that included the mighty Asian Elephant and during this time of the year, the migratory Plain-pouched Hornbills.

The tusker is the mascot of Earth Lodge and since we are dealing with wildlife here, nothing is guaranteed. And unfortunately, the closest we came to these giants of the forest were their tracks and dung.

Thankfully, we did not miss out on the Plain-pouched Hornbills. Although not really in the numbers we were hoping for but a traveling flock set against the lush landscape of the locality is quite breath-taking.

We recorded every species of hornbills that occur in Malaysia during our stay here except for the Bushy-crested Hornbill. Being the commonest species, it came as no surprise that the Oriental Pied-Hornbill was the only other hornbill that I managed to capture. Bird photography in Ulu Muda (the general area where Earth Lodge is located) is challenging. The dense vegetation, the skittish nature of most of the birds, the taxing humidity and in certain ways the distraction of the leeches are just some of the contributing factors.

In fact, the river cruises provided the best photographic opportunities of the trip despite the constant swaying of the small boats that were used. The Lesser Fish-Eagle is the most prominent raptor along the slow-flowing waters of the Muda River and was recorded during every cruise. Its preference for exposed perches overlooking the river eased efforts in locating this beautiful raptor.

Occasionally, we will come across individuals that are more confiding than usual and that is when the wilds of Ulu Muda truly come to life and flaunted their full glory.

Flocks of Brown-backed Needletails will normally patrol above the river in the evenings and they were a sight to behold. It is such a thrill to watch these huge swifts slice across the sky with such ease and velocity. With audible wingbeats for added dramatic effects, even the non-birders in our midst are left astound. My feeble photographic attempts to capture one of the fastest birds in the world inevitably left much to be desired.

The discovery of a pair of roosting Dusky Eagle-Owls was not only the highlight of the trip but one of the most significant chapters of my birding life. One of the birds was more exposed than the other and it naturally had our undivided attention. Our boatmen skillfully rowed us close to the flooded trees and the blazing yellow iris of this nocturnal predator had everyone spellbound. The Dusky Eagle-Owl is not new to me but this encounter, rocked my world...

When the owl took flight, I initially thought the show was over. However, the best was yet to come. It alighted on an exposed perch nearby and proceeded to sunbathe. And now we had one of the rarest and largest species of owls here in Malaysia right out in the open in broad daytime and appeared to be unperturbed by our intrusion into its domain. It was almost too good to be true.

Throughout my time at Earth Lodge, we recorded another three species of owls and frogmouths. Seven nocturnal birds in a single trip is something I rarely have the privilege to enjoy. However, none of the others came close to the episode with the Dusky Eagle-Owl as they were only heard. The tiny Reddish Scops-Owl called practically every night behind our lodges and my failure to locate the bird was a bitter pill to swallow. Anyway, no one said owling is ever easy. Unless the owl unexpectedly gives you a once in a lifetime experience like this obliging Dusky Eagle-Owl.

The evening cruises usually conclude after sunset. And twilight in the wilderness of Ulu Muda is mesmerizing and therapeutic. I can think of no better way to unwind after a long day of birding than to sit back in our little boats and soak in the ambience. We often seek solitude to escape the hectic modern-day world and here in the embrace of Mother Nature, I have found mine.

Birding along the forest trails here can be tough and frustrating typical of most lowland forests in Peninsular Malaysia. Ulu Muda is home to a huge variety of intriguing species including pittas, trogons, broadbills, woodpeckers and many others. Like their nocturnal counterparts, these birds were more often heard than seen but we faired relatively well. At the time of writing, the White-crowned Forktail was the latest addition (no. 330 to be exact) to the checklist of Earth Lodge but this striking stream dweller managed to evade my photographic efforts.

When it comes to photography, priority is always given to my guests. That and the challenging conditions here makes this image of a female Green Broadbill taken along the forest trails the only one worth sharing.

The compound of Earth Lodge is a treasure trove of birds. My French guests and I spent a considerable amount of time just observing the birds passing through or foraging in the vicinity. Since it is slightly more open, I had better luck with my photographic efforts. There are a number of birds that are regularly recorded here and the persistent vocalization of the Rufous-tailed Tailorbird is a common sound of the lodge. A little effort is usually required to see this little denizen and judging from this image, obtaining good photographs will require a whole lot more.

Surprisingly, bulbuls are not as common as I would have expected. Lone birds are occasionally recorded like this Red-eyed Bulbul resting in the canopy level.

The handsome male Blue-winged Leafbird will serenade the vicinity with his radiance and vocal abilities whenever he makes an appearance. He was also one of the few birds I encountered that was confiding enough for a close approach.

A stream flows along one side of the lodge forming a natural border. This riverine habitat shelters the alluring Black-and-red Broadbill but it seldom reveals its name’s sake. I had to wait until my last morning at Earth Lodge to obtain a decent image of it.

Birdwaves sometimes sweep through just above the rooftops of the lodges. This natural phenomenon is like no other but the frantic pace of most of the participants is beyond my photographic abilities. During one such wave, a young male Rufous-winged Philentoma must had struggled to keep up with the rest and took a breather on an exposed perch along the lower storey of the forest.

As expected, the presence of other wildlife helped complete the experience at Earth Lodge. While owling around the lodge, we could not help noticing the presence of bats as they made their way to and from their roosts which are under the roofs. Eventually, we found a small group roosting in the daytime and they turned out to be Forest Short-nosed Fruit Bats. In case you are wondering, identification of this flying mammal was confirmed by my guest who unlike yours truly has a much broader range of interest when it comes to wildlife. For him, there is certainly more to life than just birds.

Affectionately named Emma by Hymeir after the Latin name of the animal, the Forest Crested Lizard can be exceptionally confiding and we encountered it on several occasions. It tends to remain motionless for long periods of time and that made it an excellent subject for photography. It did abandon its preference for tree trunks at one time and the image turned out to be my favourite of this beautiful lizard.

A skink crawling about the dining-cum-assembly area had everyone’s attention during one of the days. It was unfamiliar to me as well and I joined in excitement. The cracks of a tree log provided just enough cover for this delicate lizard to briefly remain still for its image to be taken. The Yellow Striped Tree Skink is not only stunning but apparently, it is also relatively scarce.

There is nothing delicate about the Large Forest Gecko. As the name implies, it is a true behemoth as far as geckos go. We came across not one but two of these impressive lizards hunting on the outer wall of the lodges at night no doubt attracted by the insects drawn to the lights. A katydid would make a tasty snack for the gecko as this unwary individual is about to find out.

Insects, to me, are of another world altogether and there is no shame in admitting it. Identification can be a real nightmare even for some spectacular specimens like this caterpillar going about its daily routine next to the walkway of the lodge.

As a closing to a remarkable five days at Earth Lodge, here are snapshots of some plants (yes, you read it right) that somehow managed to momentarily divert my attention from the birds. A total of 122 species of birds were recorded from which almost half are heard only. So, it was not exactly a walk in the park. It took determination, patience and luck to glimpse into the secretive world of some of these species. Nevertheless it is one of the most exhilarating and memorable birding adventures I have had in a long time. Our daily checklists are in the links below and they will give you an idea of what can be expected. However, what the checklists cannot give is the magical essence of Earth Lodge. For that, you have to visit this amazing place and experience it for yourself.

Checklist of birds day #1

Checklist of birds day #2

Checklist of birds day #3

Checklist of birds day #4

Checklist of birds day #5

Cambodia: A tale of a temple and a lake (Part 1)

First of all, please do not get me wrong. Forest birds with all their splendour and beauty are true wonders of the avian world. However large and rare water birds, though not as aesthetically appealing, intrigues me just as much. Possibly, even more. If there is one country in Southeast Asia where plenty of these magnificent birds still roam, it would be Cambodia. An invitation by Nigel to join him and a few others for a 5-day birding adventure to this relatively birder-unexplored country was too good an opportunity to pass. This would be my greatest pure birding trip overseas so far and the excitement was certainly overwhelming (enough to even supress my urge to try for a second Malaysian record bird that popped up somewhere in the mountains of the main range about the same time as my departure date). For me, there was one particular bird found in the Kingdom of Wonder that has always been one of my dream birds and it is the enigmatic Giant Ibis.

As soon as we touched down at the Siem Reap International Airport, I got my first lifer of the trip – the House Sparrow. The airport personnel naturally could not allow a birder stalking around the airport grounds after a sparrow and I was ushered in before I could have a better look. Thus, began my Cambodian birding adventure and the first destination of the trip was the grounds of the world famous Angkor Wat. Apparently the surrounding area was good enough to serve as an introduction to birding in Cambodia and is probably the closest birding site to the airport.

True enough, the first bird I photographed turned out to be a Two-barred Warbler and there are very few things in life that can better starting off a birding trip with a lifer. As always in any overseas trip, I am often torn between lifting my camera or binoculars first whenever a bird comes into view. We birders are constantly at the mercy of Mother Nature. A bird can choose to disappear before you can react at all or stay until your heart’s content. In most cases, it is my binoculars that goes to work first because I may not be able to capture a bird flying away well enough for a positive identification. Fortunately, I got to do both with this warbler but only barely with my camera.

As we wandered around the sacred grounds of this renowned tourist destination, the lifers started to pour. However, I also realized that most of the birds here are shy and difficult to approach. It could be due to rampant hunting in the past and good photographic opportunities were far and few. The forests here in this part of Cambodia are not as dense and tall as the rain forest back home. It does makes it easier to spot the birds but it also makes it even easier for the birds to spot the birders! The Asian Barred Owlet was an exciting lifer for our group but there was simply no chance to shoot this adorable night bird due to its wariness towards human approach. This female Brown-rumped Minivet, on the other hand, fared slightly better and a record shot was obtained.

Besides birding being hard work in Cambodia, it was also hot and dusty. It is the dry season now after all. Originating from another country in the region, the weather was thankfully still bearable for me. At times the heat was overwhelming to say the least but better that than rain when it comes to birding.

The best image from our visit to Angkor Wat was of an adult male Shrika. This species rarely winters in Malaysia where I have only encountered it once. This hawk is all elegance and beauty as it soared overhead. Although it is not new to me, the encounter was one of the best for our first experience birding in this country.

It would have been a sin if we did not pay homage to the architectural wonders of Angkor Wat since we were literally at its doorsteps. The ancient passageways and walls were carved deep with history and beauty. They were a breath taking sight no doubt. But despite all the wonders of this historical site right in front of me, my mind constantly drifted back to the surrounding forest where the tiny Asian Barred Owlet got the better of five full-grown men. It is always the birds for me and I guess it would take a lot more than a monumental landmark to alter my priorities.

The Penang Birder looking a little out of place in this Unesco World Heritage Site...

Some of the local food vendors outside the temple were offering snacks that are very much an acquired taste.

The Sonalong Boutique Village was our hotel of choice for the first few nights and it had a surprisingly lush garden. The ambience was certainly fresh and relaxing as well.

Siem Reap, the second biggest city in Cambodia, was the exact opposite. A shopping paradise for some and exciting life night for others. A typical city environment with all the attractions to draw in tourists. But for this overseas trip, I was not your typical tourist. I was a determined birder on a quest for one of the most enigmatic water birds in the world.

We did partake in some indulging too occasionally. Everyone has got to eat, right?

Anyway we hit the road the next day towards the Tonle Sap lake which itself, is another renowned landscape of Cambodia. First light is always the best time for birding anywhere in the world and it was still dark when we started our journey. One thing I can say about Cambodia is that the sunrise is quite spectacular.

Some of the people of this country live simple lives. Along the shoreline of this massive lake, there are numerous floating villages. Here, the villagers live mostly on what is provided by nature and the land. A stark difference from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Breakfast was provided by the tour agency we engaged to show us the magic of birding in Cambodia during our stay. Our bird guide Mardy Sean from the Sam Veasna Center was exceptional and deserves an acknowledgement and praise for all his efforts. And to have someone else worry about the birds not performing like how they ought to this time was a welcome change for me.

From the main jetty, we took a big boat to one of the floating villages further in the lake. While waiting to board a smaller boat in which we will do our birding, a small flock of sparrows frolicking on the rooftop caught my attention. They were not the ordinary little brown jobs that can be found around human settlements – not to me at least. And finally, I have the time observe and photograph the House Sparrow – a species that does not occur back home.

Sexes are dimorphic and I was naturally drawn to the more appealing males.

I assumed the locals found our antics amusing as the sparrows would be common to them. Anyway, I get this treatment all the time but what I am not used to are these House Sparrows and they certainly performed well.

The rest of our exploration of the lake which is called the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary was conducted from a small motorboat. I do not know about my companions but I could hardly contain my excitement. If my guess is right, we were going for one hell of a boat ride.

And we were not the only group in for a ride of a lifetime...

A few minutes to enjoy the views of the landscape before the birder in me took over completely...

I took close to a thousand photographs throughout the boat trip and I am not sure how to start. So, I will start with the commoner ones to me. Pond-Herons are aplenty but they were mostly ignored throughout the trip. However, they will be mentioned again in my later post because of an interesting behaviour. Anyway, here is one of the many present at the locality. Most were in non-breeding plumages except for a few partial breeding plumaged Chinese Pond-Herons which, like in Malaysia, is the commonest occurring species.

Egrets, with their wholly white plumages, are naturally very conspicuous. Since, there will not be any new egrets for me here, they received almost the same treatment as the Pond-Herons. And now, back in the comfort of my home, a slight feeling of guilt has crept over me. So, here are a few images of egrets to help clear my conscious starting with this Intermediate Egret foraging among Hyacinths at the water’s edge.

With its big size, the Great Egret should feel right at home in this land of giants. We came across one in full breeding plumage and it certainly had my undivided attention. Here I am, thousands of kilometres from home and yet, I still get smitten by an egret I see almost on a daily basis just because it was in breeding plumage. I am a real sucker for water birds…

There were a number of Grey Herons present which was pretty much expected.

Purple Herons occasionally caught my attention as well.

I was quite surprise that in this bird sanctuary, there were no paddling waterfowls like ducks and grebes to be seen today except for a flyby of a few Indian Spot-billed Ducks. On the other hand, there is a family of birds that is impossible to miss here due to the sheer numbers present and they are the cormorants. Our bird guide Mardy, noticed that I was taking notes and asked me if I was counting the number of birds seen as well to which I replied I was not because I was too excited. And I was not exaggerating. Trees full of cormorants are something very new to me and to be able to witness such a spectacle evoked the same type of excitement that I felt when I first started birding all those years back and almost every bird I saw was new. I have not felt this way for a long time.

There are not one but three species of cormorants present here. It is unlikely to confuse the Great Cormorant with any other species due to its bigger size and pronounced white throat. For the Little and Indian Cormorant, it takes effort to distinguish the two but I will come to that later in the post. I have encountered the Great Cormorant before during past trips overseas but it still has my undivided attention.

Paler underparts is an indication of young birds. From what I can see, there is no doubt the population is thriving here and the authorities are doing a great job of conserving and protecting this natural heritage.

The Little Cormorant is a recent colonizer to Malaysia but I do not encounter them as often as I would like to. Here, this species is the commonest of the three and I had some good observation and photographic opportunities.

The waters here are still abundant with fish which are the main source of food for the cormorants and the other water birds. Prek Toal is a true paradise for both birds and birders. This is one of the reasons behind my decision to visit this country instead of other more popular birding locations in Southeast Asia. There was very little doubt to begin with as I am a water bird lover especially for the big ones. And spending time in the company of hundreds of cormorants is a vacation made in heaven for me.

Distinguishing the Little Cormorant from the Indian Cormorant will take some scrutiny especially when the birds are alone. Maybe it is because of my lack of field experience with the latter. However, I do not think it will be an issue anymore in future because I certainly obtained a considerable amount of experience today!

After scanning through hundreds of photos, I found this one to be very useful indeed as it depicts the differences in anatomy between the two species with the Indian Cormorant, on the left, possessing a more slender and elegant overall appearance.

The Indian Cormorant will don a darker appearance come breeding season and I absolutely dig this sleek look. I just could not get enough of the silky black plumage and dreamy blue eyes. It was difficult to stay focus on one species for long when there are so many distractions present but the elegant Indian Cormorant certainly received its fair share of attention from me.

A pair of Oriental Darters unexpectedly showed up at one of my local patches a few years back and immediately became one of the highlights of my life as a birder. This beautiful water bird intrigued me then and nothing has changed. My heart still skipped a beat whenever one was seen and it was quite often. The darter is a common sight at this locality often resting together with the cormorants but the in smaller numbers.

In flight, the Oriental Darter cuts a distinct silhouette and if you can still mistake it for anything else, you might want to consider an easier pastime...

All the paler birds present are juveniles as the sexes are identical in plumage. Like the cormorants, the darters have found a true sanctuary here in Prek Toal. I know that I sound like a broken record but how often do I have the chance to say the birdlife is thriving and not the other way round.

There is one notable species recorded in our visit to the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary that was no water bird. To be able to momentarily steal the limelight from the water birds meant that this bird was or did something extraordinary and it was the latter. We came across a Grey-headed Fish-eagle on a few occasions and I guess it was the same individual. Unexpectedly confiding, it provided my best photos of this species to date despite the fact I have my fair share of encounters with it in Malaysia.

I do not have top of the line photographic gear with me as I am more of birder than a photographer. There are times that I wished I did and this is certainly one of those times. The eagle swooped in for the kill during one of the encounters as we were photographing it. I just continued pressing down the shutter, followed the movement of the raptor and hoped for the best. It was not the best of images as the action was fast and furious but I know my limitations and this series will certainly be for keeps.

To be continued…