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.

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.

The marvel of fruiting trees

 

When in season, the fruiting trees of the interiors of Kedah state can be phenomenal. More than a dozen of birds can and will congregate to feast. These natural bird magnets do not only attract the birds but birders and photographers as well. For the past two years, the coronavirus kept me from my yearly pilgrimage here to pay homage to this revered occurrence. With the worst of the pandemic finally over (hopefully), I visited the trees with my Singaporean guests and we were not disappointed. Yes, it is trees. Two of them are in season to be exact and located almost next to each other.

Bulbuls, as expected, formed the majority of the birds patronizing the trees. A total of 12 different species were recorded on this trip and that itself is a privilege to me. As the birds continued to swoop in from the adjacent forest, we started our documentation of this incredible experience. One of the first species that truly captured my attention were the Grey-cheeked Bulbuls. Robust and with a wicked crest to boast, they momentarily stole the limelight.

The Finsch’s Bulbul maintained a distance from its bigger cousin and I managed to capture a couple of its images before my attention was diverted elsewhere. The issue usually faced at an active fruiting tree is the overwhelming number of birds present. And your attention span on a single species can become short and flitting.

And if it is a drab-looking species like the Red-eyed Bulbul, the chances of being ignored is inevitable. However, if it times itself perfectly and makes an entrance when all eyes will be on it, then the stage will be its.

The Scaly-breasted Bulbul is considered by many as one of the most striking of all the bulbuls. I can blame it on Murphy’s Law or Sod’s Law but it will not change the fact that I only managed to capture one decent image in the end and not before this forest jewel tormented everyone present from the cover of the foliage throughout most of the morning.

The mesmerizing Grey-bellied Bulbul was the showstopper as usual with its willingness to show off its vivid colouration without reservation. Perhaps its confiding nature is the reason it is not considered to be the Scaly-breasted Bulbul’s equal. We humans tend to want what we cannot have more than what we can easily have.

I did not capture that many images this time as I have foreign guests to host and they are always the priority. I have known Nigel for a long time and his son Lucas was a small boy when I first guided them. To see him now, all grown up, makes me feel even older. Anyway, it is always good to have the younger generation taking up interest in birding. And stunning species like the male Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker will only flame this interest.

The Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers were exceptionally bold today and naturally, provided some of the best images of the trip.

Food drunk by the seemingly endless supply of tasty morsels, these adorable forest dwellers momentarily abandoned their natural instinct to hide among the vegetation.

A cluster of white mushrooms flourishing on a fallen log somehow managed to gain a brief moment to be appreciated despite the flurry of bird activities at the fruiting trees. As I contemplated the transitional phase of convincing myself there is more to life than just birds, a burst of musical notes at the fruiting tree signified the end to this trail of thoughts.

The arrival of leafbirds added even more colours and beauty to the occasion. A long, good look at the male was required to determine the identification of this Greater Green Leafbird.

On the contrary, the identification of the female Greater Green Leafbird with her distinct yellow throat and eye ring was instantaneous.

Big is certainly beautiful especially if it is a Gold-whiskered Barbet dwarfing the rest of the birds in its surroundings. Initially, it remained partially hidden by the foliage while gorging on the fruits. With a full belly it then decided to put on show I rarely get to witness. And it left me breathless.

You do not have to hazard a guess for bird of the day. This Gold-whiskered Barbet certainly deserved that honour. When it finally retreated back into forest, we decided to conclude our visit here.

On the way back, we did a short visit to Air Hitam Dalam. There was not much to be expected of this locality nowadays. That is the sad state of birding close to home and it can be depressing. The resident pair of Mangrove Blue Flycatchers are again my saviours and they did not go unappreciated. A sense of nostalgia started to develop in me as we observed the pair in the dim understorey of the forest because eight years ago, I was showing the same species to both Nigel and Lucas at this very spot. Back then, this locality was so much different. It was not only a sanctuary for the birds but mine as well. Change is the only constant in life. We just have to make the best out of it.